Great INTERVIEW Advice OR NOT ?!?!

[OneStrongBro]

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A fellow applicant has told me about this interview approach. One Should REVEAL to a school that it is your TOP Choice during interviews?

On the one hand, this might give the adcom's relief that if they do indeed accept you, than they won't have to worry about another medical school to compete with you.

Do you think this plays a small but albeit role in "accepting" a student or not.

On the other hand, isn't it better to get a school to try to "sell" itself to you.

Would appreciate any comments on this approach.

Lastly, what if you do get accepted to your number 1 school, but than 3 months later, after financial planning, family discussions etc...You realize that you will not go to that school. Is that unethical? If it is, than maybe it is better not to tell a school that it is the top choice for you.

 

[mamadoc]

I was a student interviewer at my school last year, and would have certainly noted it on my interview eval form if you told me that we were your first choice school..... the thing is, you need to MEAN it - again thinking of my own interviewing experiences, if I got a sense that you were being insincere about that particular point (or something else), then I'd start having doubts about the rest of what you said, too, and that is hardly the impression you want to give.

I guess the bottom line is, if you have the opportunity to make the statement and you can support it, by all means say it. "Hollywood Upstairs School of Medicine is my first choice because it is in such a great location for me, the students here have been so friendly, and I have always wanted the opportunity to learn both plastic and cardiothoracic surgery from the famous Dr. Nick." On my interviews, I'd always ask near the end if there was anything else an applicant wanted to pass on - that would be your opportunity. In a more formal interview, you might have to be really vigilant about taking an opportunity. But in any case, be sure you've got specific information about the school to back up your statement - don't just say "I'd love to go here," because anyone can say that. Tell WHY.

As for telling a school they're #1, and then later having to revise your opinion - that's perfectly okay. The schools know that a lot of revision goes on as interviews continue and NO school is going to fault you for taking the best financial package you can.

 

[kam730]

I told both interviewers at my top choice school that it was indeed my top choice. I tried to make it very clear and supported the statement with 3-4 reasons why. It was convenient for me to do this because at the end of both interviews I was asked what I would say if I was standing in front of the admission committee right at that moment. I was accepted to that school a couple weeks later, but of course I will never know if i would have been accepted even without having made that statement. In addition, contrary to the advice of many people, I would personally not tell every school or even a few schools that they are my top choice. For one, I am not a good liar and don't feel comfortable doing it, and don't feel I would sound sincere and would be afraid the interviewer would pick up on that.

 

[UCLA2000]

1. Only say it if it's true.

2. Only say it if you can back it up with SPECIFIC reasons about WHY it's true.

During my Penn interview my interviewer asked me why Penn.

I not only told him why penn, I also told him why Penn over any other school in the nation. I used specific reasons, and was able to site examples about stuff. (sorry I can't be more specific. I want to hear why YOU want to go to a school, not why I want to go there 😉 )

 

[Gleevec]

You remember how in (if you took it) Debate you had to argue both sides of the issue, even if you didnt agree with it? I think the same philosophy should be applied to "first choice politics" as well. The fact is, universities are being anti-competitive when they ask such a question, and I feel that I should be able to stretch the truth to restore a system of pure competitiveness.
The fact is, universities shouldnt be asking this question. There is a specific reason the AAMC doesnt let them know til May 15th where else they applied/got in, and that reason is that it really screws students up when their safety school rejects them for being too good and their top choice schools waitlist them.

I would definitely go to each school during an interview and say they are one of your top choices, regardless of whether they actually are or not. It really isnt a lie because you wouldnt be at the interview if you didnt have some marked interest in attending the school.

My friend had to deal with this and he gave me a good tip. Basically say that their school is in league with 2-3 other top schools. He got asked, where else. He named 2 more hesitatingly. After some silence the interviewer gave up. I think this is the best policy actually, because the interviewer is attempting to take what should be YOUR time (talking about yourself, sorta selling yourself to the school) and trying to make it into THEIR time (by seeing if you will affect their matriculation rate). Their time is when they evaluate your portfolio and make the decision, and it shouldnt coincide with the interview.

 

[Katie]

Originally posted by UCLA2000
1. Only say it if it's true.

2. Only say it if you can back it up with SPECIFIC reasons about WHY it's true.

During my Penn interview my interviewer asked me why Penn.

I not only told him why penn, I also told him why Penn over any other school in the nation. I used specific reasons, and was able to site examples about stuff. (sorry I can't be more specific. I want to hear why YOU want to go to a school, not why I want to go there 😉 )

Good advice! Also wanted to say that it is OK to say at your non-first choice schools that it is fine and even recommended to be enthusiastic and talk about how you really like the school and what you like about it. I was never asked "will you come here if we accept you?", because most private schools know that many students are looking to go to their state school b/c of family and financial reasons.

 

[OneStrongBro]

Thanks guys for the input.