how did your harvard interview go?

[lea]

What kind of questions did the interviewers ask, and how did the general day ask? Is it another one of those schools who ask a lot about research, or ethics??

Also, how long did you wait for a response (accept/reject/waitlist)?

Thanks, I have no idea what to expect.

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[tacrum43]

What kind of questions did the interviewers ask, and how did the general day ask? Is it another one of those schools who ask a lot about research, or ethics??

Also, how long did you wait for a response (accept/reject/waitlist)?

Thanks, I have no idea what to expect.

Well I certainly haven't interviewed (or even applied there). Kind of makes you wonder what I'm doing reading this thread. Guess I was curious about how people's Harvard interviews went.

Anyway, have you checked out the interview feedbacks already? I'm sure there's lots of information in there.

 

[Rafa]

Well I certainly haven't interviewed (or even applied there). Kind of makes you wonder what I'm doing reading this thread. Guess I was curious about how people's Harvard interviews went.

Gorgeous.

 

[Bluntman]

What kind of questions did the interviewers ask, and how did the general day ask? Is it another one of those schools who ask a lot about research, or ethics??

Also, how long did you wait for a response (accept/reject/waitlist)?

Thanks, I have no idea what to expect.

Harvard lets everyone know in the first couple weeks of march whether they are accepted or rejected. The waitlist is pretty short (only ~50 last year). My interviews were a good mix of research and medical/ethical topics. Like has been said many times, be prepared for a bunch of downtime during the day. Check out BWH and BIDMC, and the top floor of the Countway library where they have trippy anatomical exhibits. I think the worst one was the bladder stones the size of golf balls with spikes all over them. ouch!

 

[lea]

Harvard lets everyone know in the first couple weeks of march whether they are accepted or rejected. The waitlist is pretty short (only ~50 last year). My interviews were a good mix of research and medical/ethical topics. Like has been said many times, be prepared for a bunch of downtime during the day. Check out BWH and BIDMC, and the top floor of the Countway library where they have trippy anatomical exhibits. I think the worst one was the bladder stones the size of golf balls with spikes all over them. ouch!

Thanks, bluntman!

did anyone else also get research questions? ahh ethics...GREAT...

 

[ChocolateKiss]

Thanks, bluntman!

did anyone else also get research questions? ahh ethics...GREAT...

I thought my Harvard interviewers did a poor job interviewing me. One hadn't read my file and spent the whole time reading the file and asking me to verify facts from the application and elaborate a little on certain activities. The other interviewer challenged my research and then said that the education at Harvard was no better than at any other school in Boston...I felt like he was testing me the whole time to see how I'd respond to his uncomfortable comments...

No ethics questions. Oh, apparently there is one interviewer who will interview you in Spanish and/or Italian if you say that you speak either of those languages on your application (or have studied abroad in a country where one of those languages are spoken) , so be careful! I didn't have this guy, but three people interviewing the same day as me did!

I think the Harvard interviews can vary a lot since they have a ton of faculty members doing interviews who aren't even on the ad com.

Another thing you should know is that you may have to travel 20-30 min on foot or by taxi to get to your interviews so be careful. They provide good directions and taxi vouchers, but make sure to give yourself PLENTY of time in case you get lost.

 

[CerealBox]

I got lots of research questions, lots of tell about your outside interests questions, and no medical ethics questions (in either interview)... One political question that the interviewer said he was throwing in for balance too.

there were also no tricks and no one trying to make me feel uncomfortable. both interviewers were really interested by my research, so most of our discussion was about that.

i think i was lucky to get 2 very laid back and warm interviewers.

 

[mbadoc]

Are they still sending out interview invites? I have not heard anything from them and I was complete late October or so.

 

[pcthurlow]

I was contacted yesterday for an interview by HST, who told me to contact New Pathways. They scheduled me for interviews on consecutive days. If you applied to both programs, New Pathways may be waiting for HST to make a decision (I asked New Pathways how my application had been processed becuase I found it strange that they didn't contact me themselves). They also said they were interviewing through Feb 14. So it's still possible.

Hope that helps

Are they still sending out interview invites? I have not heard anything from them and I was complete late October or so.

 

[oldprospector]

No ethics questions. Oh, apparently there is one interviewer who will interview you in Spanish and/or Italian if you say that you speak either of those languages on your application (or have studied abroad in a country where one of those languages are spoken) , so be careful! I didn't have this guy, but three people interviewing the same day as me did!

haha...the interview in spanish and italian that day was me. also, don't forget that the guy happened to be some kind of expert on mexican and italian futurism in the 1930s (my thesis topic) and knew way more about it than i did. i think his final impression of me landed somewhere between incompetent and unendearingly awkward. i agree that interview experiences at hms are extremely varied, and from what students told there is almost no correlation between "good" interviews and offers of acceptance.

 

[Mr.Bip]

My interview experience at Harvard was actually very, very good. I went there on January 6th. The two doctors I interviewed with were really friendly, jovial people and seemed like they wanted to have a conversation much more than grill me about my past and force me to wiggle out of my weaknesses. Honestly, I felt like I had somehow cheated because the interviews were so lightweight. I'm sure people will have very different experiences with different faculty members.

I will say though that Harvard's interview day is one of the best put together. The med students know what they are doing, you get lots of helpful information and a very good "Interview Manual" that, among other things, gives you a walking tour of the campus and a full explanation of the curriculum and interview day. I was pretty impressed!

 

[ChocolateKiss]

Does anyone know:

1. When Harvard evaluates applications
2. When Harvard sends out decisions

Thanks for the help!

 

[ssc_396]

Does anyone know:

1. When Harvard evaluates applications
2. When Harvard sends out decisions

Thanks for the help!

The exact days - no. As said above though - mid March?

My Harvard interview was a disaster. I told them I had kids and they looked at me like I was a convicted felon (it was for HST so presumably there is no time for being a parent). It was pretty much downhill from there.

 

[MNsocsci]

I just had my interview at HMS last week and I'm feeling unsure about how it went. I had one interview with a physician and one with a student. The student one went pretty well--he had looked over my application very thoroughly and we had a good conversation. The one with the physician, however, was hard to read. He never gave me any encouraging feedback like "that's interesting" and I left feeling like he didn't like me much. Oh well, nothing to do but wait now. They told us they will send all letters (acceptance, rejection, and wait list) out mid-March. Good luck to everyone else who interviewed there!

P.S. To anyone who's reading this and considering applying--do it! I never thought I'd get an interview because I started out at a community college and haven't done any lab research, but I guess you never know!

 

[ChocolateKiss]

They told us they will send all letters (acceptance, rejection, and wait list) out mid-March. Good luck to everyone else who interviewed there!!

Mid-march? Another thread said HMS letters went out the first week of March. Anyone know which is true??