Getting a ride to the interview?

[jetsfan1234]

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My friend (who is a resident) told me that I should never let a friend/relative drive me to the interview. He said that some adcoms look at this as "dependent" behavior.

He claims that he has seen this issue come up, first-hand.

Thoughts?

 

[okokok]

Is this serious? No one knows or cares how you get to an interview. The questions on this forum are so ridiculous sometimes.

 

[masaraksh]

It doesn't matter.

 

[jetsfan1234]

Is this serious? No one knows or cares how you get to an interview. The questions on this forum are so ridiculous sometimes.

I know it sounds crazy. He told me that he has personally seen adcoms look at this. He said there was some applicant whose dad drove him to the interview, and in the adcom meeting, the dean of admissions brought up that he wouldn't fit in at the school because he doesn't have a drivers' license. Furthermore, the adcom took this as evidence that he was unable to take care of himself.

It sounds insane to me too, but then again, with admissions being so competitive, I guess they start to look at little things like this?

 

[EMDO2018]

That's why I rarely post in pre md, you kids are so paranoid its crazy.

 

[Sassafrass23]

No, no, and no. Adcoms have better things to do (I hope) than stand at a window and watch interviewees get out a car.

 

[jetsfan1234]

No, no, and no. Adcoms have better things to do (I hope) than stand at a window and watch interviewees get out a car.

That's what I thought too...I was shocked when my friend told me this. He said he was surprised too, at the time. But it really happened, and it resulted in the applicant getting rejected.

 

[gyngyn]

No, no, and no. Adcoms have better things to do (I hope) than stand at a window and watch interviewees get out a car.

It's when the parent signs the applicant in and won't leave, that eyebrows are raised.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

That's what I thought too...I was shocked when my friend told me this. He said he was surprised too, at the time. But it really happened, and it resulted in the applicant getting rejected.

Well then just don't tell anyone how you got there. They won't know or care.

And I can tell you "first-hand" from my experience interviewing and evaluating both pre-med applicants to med school and med students applying to residency (n far greater than your friend's n of 1) that I have NEVER heard of something as silly as this coming up.

 

[justAstudent]

I'm almost certain this plays no part in the admissions decision.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I mean... Just have your friend/parent/relative drop you off a couple blocks away and walk! Just like high school!

 

[vagabondrunning]

Get the ride to the interview. If the Adcom is strategically placing admissions officers around the building (or continually peeping out the window....) to see how their prospective applicants are arriving to the interview to start the review process, then that is definitely not a school I would want to attend!

 

[jetsfan1234]

Well then just don't tell anyone how you got there. They won't know or care.

And I can tell you "first-hand" from my experience interviewing and evaluating both pre-med applicants to med school and med students applying to residency (n far greater than your friend's n of 1) that I have NEVER heard of something as silly as this coming up.

I drove myself to my interviews, but I actually was asked how the drive was, etc. At my last interview, it was really weird...it was STORMING outside, and the interviewer asked me how the drive was, and I said it was fine, despite the rain. And he said, "But it's not raining here." There was no window in his office. I was like, what, is this some kind of trick question? There was like 2 inches of water on the road...

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I drove myself to my interviews, but I actually was asked how the drive was, etc. At my last interview, it was really weird...it was STORMING outside, and the interviewer asked me how the drive was, and I said it was fine, despite the rain. And he said, "But it's not raining here." There was no window in his office. I was like, what, is this some kind of trick question? There was like 2 inches of water on the road...

You are either exceptionally paranoid or a genius troll.

If someone asks you how the drive was, they are just making polite small talk. They are not interrogating you. Just say "oh it was fine, traffic wasn't too bad". You don't need to say "Well actually, I wouldn't know how the drive was, as my father was driving me in his BMW."

 

[terp720]

I mean... Just have your friend/parent/relative drop you off a couple blocks away and walk! Just like high school!

I agree, this is what I did! But only because I wanted to stop at the Starbucks nearby..
But really, it was actually a lot less stressful this way, since I didn't worry about finding a place to park or getting a flat tire, etc. I don't have any idea how they would know unless I told them.

 

[jetsfan1234]

You are either exceptionally paranoid or a genius troll.

If someone asks you how the drive was, they are just making polite small talk. They are not interrogating you. Just say "oh it was fine, traffic wasn't too bad". You don't need to say "Well actually, I wouldn't know how the drive was, as my father was driving me in his BMW."

Lol.

I know it was just small talk...I didnt expect him to make any further comments. But he seemed really insistent and confident that it wasn't raining. It was bizarre because it was actually storming and there was thunder, cars were sliding, etc. I just said ok and sat down.

 

[Elevencents]

Once again, we need a neurotic thread. Would put half of the pre-allo threads in one place.

 

[Syndicate]

I know it sounds crazy. He told me that he has personally seen adcoms look at this. He said there was some applicant whose dad drove him to the interview, and in the adcom meeting, the dean of admissions brought up that he wouldn't fit in at the school because he doesn't have a drivers' license. Furthermore, the adcom took this as evidence that he was unable to take care of himself.

It sounds insane to me too, but then again, with admissions being so competitive, I guess they start to look at little things like this?

Admissions is not that competitive. In fact, almost 50% of applicants get admitted to a MD school. People on SDN make it seem like getting into med school is a cutthroat competition that includes a holistic review of the past "X" years of your life, a background check, your personality, etc when in fact it's just a matter of having good grades and clinical experience and being a normal person during the interview. Don't worry about petty stuff like "how should I get to the interview."

 

[jetsfan1234]

Admissions is not that competitive. In fact, almost 50% of applicants get admitted to a MD school. People on SDN make it seem like getting into med school is a cutthroat competition that includes a holistic review of the past "X" years of your life, a background check, your personality, etc when in fact it's just a matter of having good grades and clinical experience and being a normal person during the interview. Don't worry about petty stuff like "how should I get to the interview."

Almost 50% of applicants...so basically you have a greater than 50% chance of NOT getting in anywhere. Sounds pretty competitive to me.

Also, I think I am one of the few people (on this site, at least) who had the dreaded "stress interview." That interview was definitely NOT about acting like a normal person, since a normal person would probably have started crying...

 

[BurberryDoc]

Here is an idea...

"I see that you were dropped off for your interview this morning?"

-Oh, actually, my fathers car is in the shop for service, so I told him he could borrow my car to go to work today, so I let him take my car.

......suddently we've gone from "dependent" (where frankly it's noones business, if you have a dependable mode of transit and made it on time) to "outgoing, family oriented, & helpful"

 

[masaraksh]

"You let him borrow YOUR BMW M3?"
- Yes, his RS4 is in the sho and he doesn't like to take out his Porsches and Ferrari's in the winter 🙂

 

[justAstudent]

Here is an idea...

"I see that you were dropped off for your interview this morning?"

-Oh, actually, my fathers car is in the shop for service, so I told him he could borrow my car to go to work today, so I let him take my car.

......suddently we've gone from "dependent" (where frankly it's noones business, if you have a dependable mode of transit and made it on time) to "outgoing, family oriented, & helpful"

You, my friend, are a genius!

 

[masaraksh]

The optimal way to arrive at the interview is to have to be airlifted by helicopter to the hospital since you're so mentally insane to think that this matters

 

[jetsfan1234]

The optimal way to arrive at the interview is to have to be airlifted by helicopter to the hospital since you're so mentally insane to think that this matters

Hey! I was not concerned until my friend told me this story. I was shocked myself, I had no idea this would matter at all. If anyone is mentally insane, it's that adcom!

 

[justAstudent]

The optimal way to arrive at the interview is to have to be airlifted by helicopter to the hospital since you're so mentally insane to think that this matters

I really hope you meant fly his own helicopter to the hospital. God forbid, the adcom might feel that the applicant is too dependent if he had a pilot fly for him.

 

[csx]

That's why I rarely post in pre md, you kids are so paranoid its crazy.

yeah, md's are weird. they need to go out and experience life a little bit outside their 4.2 gpa's, 6 publications, 4 years of cancer research, etc etc

 

[masaraksh]

yeah, md's are weird. they need to go out and experience life a little bit outside their 4.2 gpa's, 6 publications, 4 years of cancer research, etc etc

Gotta experience life before you experience death

 

[Syndicate]

Why do you keep saying in various posts it's not that competitive? The overall acceptance rate is around 40%. That's after those who were weeded out by either MCAT, GPA, or both and didn't apply. I bet if you were to look at the percentage of freshmen pre-meds who were eventually accepted, it would be less than 10%.

To answer the OP, no it doesn't matter at all how you get to the interview. Why should it.

Because it truly isn't that competitive. SDN makes it sound like getting into a MD school is the toughest thing in the world and that you have to be "perfect" everywhere and cautious about everything you do because somehow it can affect admissions. Sure, the average Joe cannot get into med school; but any hard-working and driven individual who's motivated and knows what he's doing is going to end up getting into a MD school. You cannot say the same for things that are TRULY competitive like getting into colleges like HYP, getting promoted to manager in a big corporation, matching into dermatology, etc. A lot of these truly competitive things require a lot of luck along with the hard work. For the most part, you control whether or not you get into med school when it comes to MCAT, GPA, clinical volunteering, community volunteering, research, etc etc. Sure, the interview may be sometimes subjective and while there may be instances where the interview itself denies a stellar applicant admission, I think that 99/100 applicants with a stellar AMCAS (all things that the applicant can control btw) who presents himself as a normal person during the interview will get admitted to at least 1 MD school.

 

[jetsfan1234]

Because it truly isn't that competitive. SDN makes it sound like getting into a MD school is the toughest thing in the world and that you have to be "perfect" everywhere and cautious about everything you do because somehow it can affect admissions. Sure, the average Joe cannot get into med school; but any hard-working and driven individual who's motivated and knows what he's doing is going to end up getting into a MD school. You cannot say the same for things that are TRULY competitive like getting into colleges like HYP, getting promoted to manager in a big corporation, matching into dermatology, etc. A lot of these truly competitive things require a lot of luck along with the hard work. For the most part, you control whether or not you get into med school when it comes to MCAT, GPA, clinical volunteering, community volunteering, research, etc etc. Sure, the interview may be sometimes subjective and while there may be instances where the interview itself denies a stellar applicant admission, I think that 99/100 applicants with a stellar AMCAS (all things that the applicant can control btw) who presents himself as a normal person during the interview will get admitted to at least 1 MD school.

The difference is that I'd estimate 100% of HYP rejects get into college SOMEWHERE, and it's most likely a top 50 school. Over 50% of MD applicants are hung out to dry. Can't compare the 2.

 

[SunsFun]

The difference is that I'd estimate 100% of HYP rejects get into college SOMEWHERE, and it's most likely a top 50 school. Over 50% of MD applicants are hung out to dry. Can't compare the 2.

Don't wanna get involved in this argument but 40% figure is, IMO, somewhat misleading. Plenty of people who don't get into MD program end up getting DO, reapplying next cycle, or going Caribbean (not the best option but still is an option).

 

[AkGrown84]

I know it sounds crazy. He told me that he has personally seen adcoms look at this. He said there was some applicant whose dad drove him to the interview, and in the adcom meeting, the dean of admissions brought up that he wouldn't fit in at the school because he doesn't have a drivers' license. Furthermore, the adcom took this as evidence that he was unable to take care of himself.

It sounds insane to me too, but then again, with admissions being so competitive, I guess they start to look at little things like this?

So was the issue that he didn't drive himself, or that he didn't have a driver's license?! I don't think they'd give two hoots about who drove you, but seriously.....if you're 20+ and don't have a driver's license? Using public transit is an option, but doing so because you don't have a license DOES kinda look a little weird.

 

[kyamh]

The difference is that I'd estimate 100% of HYP rejects get into college SOMEWHERE, and it's most likely a top 50 school. Over 50% of MD applicants are hung out to dry. Can't compare the 2.

I don't know....one of tyhe adcoms recently gave a percentage that threw me off - something like 60% of applications to a competiitive program are never really looked at seriously. Many competitive programs get something like 4000 or 5000 applications, so only about 2000 applications are given any consideration and something like 500-1000 interviews are given out....the process is seeming less and less competitive. I think Goro said that they have seem total MCAT scores in the single digits, and we know that studets with a GPA less than 3.0 are applying. Again, the process is seeming less and less awful based on what I hear from the adcoms on SDN.

Personally, I don't think that a 3.0 GPA and a 25 MCAT is anywhere near competitive...when I have more time, I would like to go through the AMCAS sheets and calculate the number of applicants with say a 3.1/27 and worse....then compare that number to the number of applicants who do't make it in.

There are, of course, plenty of people on SDN who have worse stats and got in or better stats and didn't, but we can chalk that up to ECs or writing skills. Still, I have to agree that 50% success is really quite good - the job market is certainly not that promising! What percent of job applicants get at least one job offer in a 6 month application period?

 

[jetsfan1234]

So was the issue that he didn't drive himself, or that he didn't have a driver's license?! I don't think they'd give two hoots about who drove you, but seriously.....if you're 20+ and don't have a driver's license? Using public transit is an option, but doing so because you don't have a license DOES kinda look a little weird.

This is totally a regional thing. I am from NYC and never learned to drive as a teenager -- this was the norm here. Many of my friends from high school still don't know how to drive. You don't really need to drive in NYC, and it is very stressful, plus expensive (parking). I am aware this is different from most of the country. Maybe this was the issue, come to think of it. Cultural incompetence on the part of the adcom!!

 

[AkGrown84]

This is totally a regional thing. I am from NYC and never learned to drive as a teenager -- this was the norm here. Many of my friends from high school still don't know how to drive. You don't really need to drive in NYC, and it is very stressful, plus expensive (parking). I am aware this is different from most of the country. Maybe this was the issue, come to think of it. Cultural incompetence on the part of the adcom!!

Ah, totally could be. In reality, I think the only place in the country you could really get away with that excuse is if you lived in/around NYC. Even places with decent public transit, you usually get a license. If not at 16, then definitely by the time you're 20-22!!

 

[SN12357]

Ah, totally could be. In reality, I think the only place in the country you could really get away with that excuse is if you lived in/around NYC. Even places with decent public transit, you usually get a license. If not at 16, then definitely by the time you're 20-22!!

You can do fine in Boston as well without a car, and I imagine several other cities throughout the country. If you grow up in one of them and then go to college somewhere where you don't need a car (true at most residential schools), then it's easy enough to graduate at 22 without knowing how to drive (or needing to).

 

[LuciusVorenus]

You should jog to all your interviews. It shows you believe in fitness. Ideally get some pumps in too.

 

[jetsfan1234]

I don't know....one of tyhe adcoms recently gave a percentage that threw me off - something like 60% of applications to a competiitive program are never really looked at seriously. Many competitive programs get something like 4000 or 5000 applications, so only about 2000 applications are given any consideration and something like 500-1000 interviews are given out....the process is seeming less and less competitive. I think Goro said that they have seem total MCAT scores in the single digits, and we know that studets with a GPA less than 3.0 are applying. Again, the process is seeming less and less awful based on what I hear from the adcoms on SDN.

Personally, I don't think that a 3.0 GPA and a 25 MCAT is anywhere near competitive...when I have more time, I would like to go through the AMCAS sheets and calculate the number of applicants with say a 3.1/27 and worse....then compare that number to the number of applicants who do't make it in.

There are, of course, plenty of people on SDN who have worse stats and got in or better stats and didn't, but we can chalk that up to ECs or writing skills. Still, I have to agree that 50% success is really quite good - the job market is certainly not that promising! What percent of job applicants get at least one job offer in a 6 month application period?

I personally know several people who had to apply 3+ times before they were accepted anywhere. None of them had weak stats. Granted, they were not superstar applicants, but all had GPA >3.5 and MCAT >30.

 

[911 Turbo]

Bought a Ferrari just to go to medical school interviews crew

 

[Plecopotamus]

I don't even remember going to an interview where someone would even have known how I arrived. It's not like you drive your car into the admissions office to park. People carpool to residency interviews all the time, too. OP is either a troll, or being trolled by his friend.

 

[BurberryDoc]

I don't even remember going to an interview where someone would even have known how I arrived. It's not like you drive your car into the admissions office to park. People carpool to residency interviews all the time, too. OP is either a troll, or being trolled by his friend.

I think you're parking wrong.

 

[Plecopotamus]

I think you're parking wrong.

? So do you recommend driving through the door or just through the wall?

 

[BurberryDoc]

? So do you recommend driving through the door or just through the wall?

Wall, lol.

 

[SunsFun]

I just got a limo ride to my interviews. Got the red carpet. High fives the m1 and m2 ambassadors on my way out and I am good to go!!

 

[dododo121]

I don't know....one of tyhe adcoms recently gave a percentage that threw me off - something like 60% of applications to a competiitive program are never really looked at seriously. Many competitive programs get something like 4000 or 5000 applications, so only about 2000 applications are given any consideration and something like 500-1000 interviews are given out....the process is seeming less and less competitive. I think Goro said that they have seem total MCAT scores in the single digits, and we know that studets with a GPA less than 3.0 are applying. Again, the process is seeming less and less awful based on what I hear from the adcoms on SDN.

Personally, I don't think that a 3.0 GPA and a 25 MCAT is anywhere near competitive...when I have more time, I would like to go through the AMCAS sheets and calculate the number of applicants with say a 3.1/27 and worse....then compare that number to the number of applicants who do't make it in.

There are, of course, plenty of people on SDN who have worse stats and got in or better stats and didn't, but we can chalk that up to ECs or writing skills. Still, I have to agree that 50% success is really quite good - the job market is certainly not that promising! What percent of job applicants get at least one job offer in a 6 month application period?

It might seem that way based on what LizzyM said as 60% is quite alarming, but you have to remember that the people who are applying to med school are really the cream of the crop. I'm sure you have friends who were pre-med coming into college and dropped pre-med after getting a C+ in gen chem or o-chem or struggling in the rest of their class and ending up with a 3.2 GPA. I knew tons of those, and they don't know what they're doing with the rest of their lives now. Basically, in the end, that 40% med school acceptance rate among applicants doesn't account for all of those former pre-meds and really just represents the students who were able to make it through all the hoops in undergrad and the MCAT.

You also have to remember that at the top schools, it's really the same 1000 or so superstar applicants who are nabbing the same interview spots at the same top schools. I can't tell you how many applicants I've met on the interview trail who've been to ten top 20 interviews and even more applicants who've met each other elsewhere at other interviews. I'm sure these applicants all have 3.8+/36+ and that puts them in the top 15-20% of so of the applicant pool and that's really all that these top schools need to fill their interview slots. Even if only about 2000-3000 applicants are competitive GPA/MCAT wise at these top schools, these top schools will only make at most 200-300 offers to fill their classes. That's just 10% of the people who are actually qualified to nab a spot. @LizzyM should have more info on this.

 

[PreMedBarbie]

My friend (who is a resident) told me that I should never let a friend/relative drive me to the interview. He said that some adcoms look at this as "dependent" behavior.

He claims that he has seen this issue come up, first-hand.

Thoughts?

I actually had an out of state interview that my mom and I road tripped too together. She then went on the tour of campus with me the day of the interview so she could see what the school was like. The interviewers saw her as did all of the people who were in and out speaking to us. I was accepted. I can't see how it's a crime to have a supportive family or need a ride somewhere, especially if you are a solid applicant.

 

[BurberryDoc]

I actually had an out of state interview that my mom and I road tripped too together. She then went on the tour of campus with me the day of the interview so she could see what the school was like. The interviewers saw her as did all of the people who were in and out speaking to us. I was accepted. I can't see how it's a crime to have a supportive family or need a ride somewhere, especially if you are a solid applicant.

Medical school isn't the same as college visiting during high school - it shouldn't matter what mommy and daddy think of where you are spending the next four years of your life - it is professional training. You got very lucky, I think most programs would probably frown upon bringing a parent to a part of the interview day...as I understand it, this is more forgive-able at 2nd look weekend.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

I actually had an out of state interview that my mom and I road tripped too together. She then went on the tour of campus with me the day of the interview so she could see what the school was like. The interviewers saw her as did all of the people who were in and out speaking to us. I was accepted. I can't see how it's a crime to have a supportive family or need a ride somewhere, especially if you are a solid applicant.

Getting a ride like the OP referenced is fine. This is weird. Agree with the response above that you got lucky.

If a parent came along the tour when I was a tour guide, I'm not even sure how I would have handled it. I definitely would have said something about it to the dean afterwards.

Having mom come on the tour with you doesn't show that you have a "supportive family" - it shows a bizarre lack of appropriate social boundaries and lack of common sense.

 

[SunsFun]

Getting a ride like the OP referenced is fine. This is weird. Agree with the response above that you got lucky.

If a parent came along the tour when I was a tour guide, I'm not even sure how I would have handled it. I definitely would have said something about it to the dean afterwards.

Having mom come on the tour with you doesn't show that you have a "supportive family" - it shows a bizarre lack of appropriate social boundaries and lack of common sense.

This "common sense" assumes a typical white American family. Let's not take your own family values and apply it to everyone else.

 

[Plecopotamus]

I actually had an out of state interview that my mom and I road tripped too together. She then went on the tour of campus with me the day of the interview so she could see what the school was like. The interviewers saw her as did all of the people who were in and out speaking to us. I was accepted. I can't see how it's a crime to have a supportive family or need a ride somewhere, especially if you are a solid applicant.

I don't think it's that big of a deal, however, I do think it's nice to consider how it might impact other applicants -- yes, we're all adults applying to professional school, but quite a few are only 21 and depending on how they interact with their own parents or how you and your mother interact, it might make them uncomfortable asking certain questions of the tour guide.

 

[SouthernSurgeon]

This "common sense" assumes a typical white American family. Let's not take your own family values and apply it to everyone else.

I gave tours for 3 years at my school. I also did student ad com, and knew all the other tour guides. I never once heard of or saw a parent attend the interview day/tour. Again, I don't even know how I would handle it if one did show up. It is decidedly not normal.

Come to think of it, our very experienced admissions secretary probably would have discretely taken care of this first thing in the morning if any parents did show up.