how much does gpa/mcat matter once you get to the interview stage?

[junkct]

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i guess the title explains it all. but once you get to the interview stage, is everyone pretty much on equal ground? for example, someone with a 3.7/35 and someone with a 3.9/38 (both with equal ECs/LORs/essays/etc) both get invited for interviews. does the 3.9/38 still have a better chance of getting in? Or does the interview dominate in importance?

 

[pincheeric]

The interview is just one more piece of the puzzle. Some schools will put a lot of weight on the interview, some will put less. Depending on the school and excellent interview may put a student with 3.7/35 at the same level with a student with a 3.9/38 who had a good interview, but this is not guaranteed anywhere. The programs are looking at the whole package, not just the parts.

 

[longhorn09]

I guess it depends on schools. For some schools I think the numbers still matter after the interview.

 

[qmcat]

i guess the title explains it all. but once you get to the interview stage, is everyone pretty much on equal ground? for example, someone with a 3.7/35 and someone with a 3.9/38 (both with equal ECs/LORs/essays/etc) both get invited for interviews. does the 3.9/38 still have a better chance of getting in? Or does the interview dominate in importance?

From my experience, the "equal grounds" thing at the interview stage only works for some schools. Other schools will consider all of the things in your application and assign your profile a "score", so the interview only counts for part of your final score. All schools will have different methods of determining who gets in.

 

[longhorn09]

The interview is just one more piece of the puzzle. Some schools will put a lot of weight on the interview, some will put less. Depending on the school and excellent interview may put a student with 3.7/35 at the same level with a student with a 3.9/38 who had a good interview, but this is not guaranteed anywhere. The programs are looking at the whole package, not just the parts.

Which makes the whole process is so frustrating. 😉

 

[longhorn09]

From my experience, the "equal grounds" thing at the interview stage only works for some schools. Other schools will consider all of the things in your application and assign your profile a "score", so the interview only counts for part of your final score. All schools will have different methods of determining who gets in.

The only thing that's sure is if you act like an xxxhole in the interview, you are out immediately no matter how great you are on paper.

 

[student1799]

From my experience, the "equal grounds" thing at the interview stage only works for some schools.

Definitely agree. I only know of one school for sure that uses the "level playing field" approach: U of Washington. (Someone I know got in there and was told this at the interview.) There may be others, but I don't know them by name.

On the other hand, I'd say that the vast majority of schools--especially state schools--are the opposite. The interview is only one component of how you're evaluated by the committee.

A common approach, especially at state schools, is to use point systems where GPA is worth X points, MCAT Y points, and so on. You need a certain minimum score to interview, and your interview performance is also worth a certain maximum number of points. Then all the interviewees are ranked by score, and those with the highest scores get in. The rest are waitlisted, with the score determining your WL rank.

At schools like this, blowing away the interview won't be enough to get you admitted if your stats are well below average compared to other interviewed students.

 

[witness23]

a lot work on point based systems and I would guess schools would carry your points over from your application (pre-interview) and combine them with your interview score or whatever.


way too early to be thinking about interviews.

 

[onb2014]

I'm just throwing this out there, but if you look at MDApps, for nearly every school, the "Interview, Accepted" GPA/MCAT is nearly identical to the "Interview, Not Accepted" GPA/MCAT. Of course, people who get interviews have higher GPA/MCAT than those who don't get interviews.

 

[LiveUninhibited]

I'm just throwing this out there, but if you look at MDApps, for nearly every school, the "Interview, Accepted" GPA/MCAT is nearly identical to the "Interview, Not Accepted" GPA/MCAT. Of course, people who get interviews have higher GPA/MCAT than those who don't get interviews.

Pretty sure OHSU assigns points based 70-80% on the interview, and 20-30% on GPA+MCAT. Other aspects of your ap do not play into the final decision, except in the sense that they were probably discussed during your hour long interviews. I hear they emphasize interviews more than most schools?

 

[AJaye]

At OHSU, the interview is worth 80% of their final decision, and once you make it to the interview you are on an equal footing with everyone there - regardless of GPA/MCAT. The interviewers don't even have your stats in their file about you - all they have is your personal statement, ECs and the secondary you did for them, so that all they looking at is whether or not you will fit inside of their program, and with the people already accepted for that years class.

 

[junkct]

a lot work on point based systems and I would guess schools would carry your points over from your application (pre-interview) and combine them with your interview score or whatever.


way too early to be thinking about interviews.

haha true, but Im trying to use this to decide where to apply... my gpa is pretty well above average at all the schools I want to go to, but my mcat is like 1-2 points below average. just wanted to see if the interview could make up the deficit

 

[pietachok]

Utah also doesn't take your GPA and MCAT into the adcom for the final decision...it's all interview and essays once you got an itnerview.

Definitely agree. I only know of one school for sure that uses the "level playing field" approach: U of Washington. (Someone I know got in there and was told this at the interview.) There may be others, but I don't know them by name.

On the other hand, I'd say that the vast majority of schools--especially state schools--are the opposite. The interview is only one component of how you're evaluated by the committee.

A common approach, especially at state schools, is to use point systems where GPA is worth X points, MCAT Y points, and so on. You need a certain minimum score to interview, and your interview performance is also worth a certain maximum number of points. Then all the interviewees are ranked by score, and those with the highest scores get in. The rest are waitlisted, with the score determining your WL rank.

At schools like this, blowing away the interview won't be enough to get you admitted if your stats are well below average compared to other interviewed students.

 

[jwrigh69]

I was told by multiple staff members while interviewing at Wake Forest that all applicants receiving an interview were placed on "equal ground" regardless of previous scores. In fact, i believe none of the three Doc's that interviewed me were even given my GPA or MCAT scores (aka blind interview). But i do know for a fact that your scores and essays get you the interview at Wake forest, and the interview gets you in or on the alternate list, or not.