How much of a factor is attractiveness in admission? [Conspiracy]

[bearintraining]

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I've been looking at class photos from some schools and I have this growing paranoia that, when all else is near-equal, there's a "beauty pageant" component in the AdCom's decisions; either subconscious bias, or voluntary to maintain the school's appearance.



"I have a 3.98 GPA, 524 MCAT with 132 in V-CARS, ECs totaling 3k hours... And Pittsburgh still reject me!"

View attachment 210064

You should remember that there are very specific things that every school (and perhaps even individual Adcom members) will find intriguing enough for an invite, and also enough for a rejection. You didn't fit what they needed at the time. It doesn't help to get too worked up about it - it's kinda like dating 🙂 [eek, I hope I didn't hit a sensitive topic with that one]

 

[peridotthecat]

It took some ingenuity but I managed to show some skin through my suit. The interviewers were impressed by my boldness and chia pet like quality. Accepted.

😱 did you wear a crop top too?

I myself am not attractive, but the people on my interview trail were damn good looking.

sure you're not 😉

 

[JustAPhD]

Don't forget Canadian. Canada is so hot right now. lol

You have a couch I can crash on for 4 years if this election doesn't turn out well?

 

[laurenlee3]

You have a couch I can crash on for 4 years if this election doesn't turn out well?

+1

 

[libertyyne]

Pupper University School of Mewicine

That schools motto? Don't let dreams get in the way of dank memes.
That schools dean? Albert Einstein

 

[Pusheen]

Let's hope your interviewer is from Ancient Greece .

Ancient Greek interviewers don't prefer ladies though. I hear @baratheonfire is pretty young though..

 

[baratheonfire]

tfw u have a weak chin

 

[787593]

tfw u have a weak chin

Why does your thing say "probationary status?"

 

[baratheonfire]

Why does your thing say "probationary status?"

I could tell you but I'd have to kill you

 

[chrisjh]

Obviously:
8+=invite
6/7=Hold
<5=reject


Plus I just hit 275 on bench press a few days ago and got my UMich invite a couple days later so theres that.....

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Let's hope your interviewer is from Ancient Greece .

That would only work if she were male.

 

[Catalystik]

See, its all rigged by the system. Bias by the adcoms, the med schools, AMCAS, AAMC, MCAT, and the liberal media. The only way i cant be accepted its rigged. Probably can find my application out on wiki leaks along with the 33,000 missing LORs . Of course I have now translate it back from Russian....** Ahh, but the strawberries that's... that's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with... geometric logic... that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled the Caine out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers...***So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'....***

Had a little too much caffeine this morning, huh?

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Tbh guys might as well start hitting the gym if you havent already. Once you start benching two plates, you are practically guaranteed acceptance+ortho residency.

 

[Dagrimsta1]

Think about it, you're an adcom and you see potential students on interview day. Would you rather be looking at eye candy that cleans up nice or a mess that looks like hell. First impression matter, no argument but I highly doubt that ugliness alone will get you rejected. But then again...

 

[Catalystik]

I am just high energy. Its UNBELIEVABLE how high energy I am, unlike my opponents.
This why all candidates for medical school and political office should be drug tested before interviews and debates. I firmly believe my opponent used a performance enhancer before our last debate. She used something called prepetation. There should be sn FBI investigation You can read all about on AdCom-leaks

Fact Checker:

Oh wait, Im retired. The cat and I have the same nap schedule

Hah!

 

[787593]

I am just high energy. Its UNBELIEVABLE how high energy I am, unlike my opponents.
This why all candidates for medical school and political office should be drug tested before interviews and debates. I firmly believe my opponent used a performance enhancer before our last debate. She used something called prepetation. There should be sn FBI investigation You can read all about on AdCom-leaks

 

[Goro]

Does the med school have a basketball team?

I'm 6'1 and 160 lb

Do I get an edge for admission?

 

[LittleEngineCould]

Irrelevant. You You could just be the token ugly person for diversity.

Lol! Savage, Libysloth.

I'm pissed off that some comments here got more likes than my own. So apparently I'm also below average in humor. I'm starting to think I'm just simply not cut out to be a physician.

 

[787593]

How important is humor for interviews?? Like, if I can get the guy laughing hysterically then that's good, right?

 

[Turkishking]

Does the med school have a basketball team?

Yeah the Hemoglobin Trotters

 

[Pusheen]

How important is humor for interviews?? Like, if I can get the guy laughing hysterically then that's good, right?

In one interview prep book I read a while back, one of the questions in the big list of actual questions asked during an interview was ''tell me a joke''

I think if I got asked that I would come up with the nerdiest, most pathetic joke I could think of, and hope that they would laugh out of pity and put me out of my misery

 

[JonSnow74]

Yeah the Hemoglobin Trotters

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[rolliespring]

In one interview prep book I read a while back, one of the questions in the big list of actual questions asked during an interview was ''tell me a joke''

I think if I got asked that I would come up with the nerdiest, most pathetic joke I could think of, and hope that they would laugh out of pity and put me out of my misery

The first one that came to my mind was 16 sodium atoms walked in a bar followed by batman.....

 

[chrisjh]

In one interview prep book I read a while back, one of the questions in the big list of actual questions asked during an interview was ''tell me a joke''

I think if I got asked that I would come up with the nerdiest, most pathetic joke I could think of, and hope that they would laugh out of pity and put me out of my misery

1. Knock knock
2. Who's there?
3. Nobody
4. Nobody who?
5. ........
6. Nobody who?
7. .................

 

[rolliespring]

here is material that will right upmost premed's alley

🤣

 

[JustDoingMe]

... I have two acceptances sooooo

 

[Fancy_Feast]

Regretting not getting professional head shots done for my primary application now....

 

[twodoctors]

Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[littledreamer]

+1 for having been pleasantly surprised at how attractive the 2016-2017 application cycle squad has been. People have been killing it on the interview trail. A girl is going to have to step her game up!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

I've been looking at class photos from some schools and I have this growing paranoia that, when all else is near-equal, there's a "beauty pageant" component in the AdCom's decisions; either subconscious bias, or voluntary to maintain the school's appearance.



"I have a 3.98 GPA, 524 MCAT with 132 in V-CARS, ECs totaling 3k hours... And Pittsburgh still rejected me!"

View attachment 210064

I'm a student interviewer and I assure you that in no way, shape or form is attractiveness helping anyone that I'm interviewing. Among other interviewers (both student & faculty) it would rarely be a factor. My focus (and others who interview with me) is on communication skills as well as the applicant's general knowledge of medical school/medicine. In fact the two very attractive people I've interviewed got my worst reviews thus far whereas a couple lesser attractive applicants got perfect reviews from me.

Looks matter in life and are the most important thing for dating. They're not a factor in med school admissions.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

You might be on to something...everywhere I've interviewed you see attractive people. This can only mean one thing......I gotta start hitting the gym more often if I want more acceptances!

Attractiveness is largely based off the face, not body, brah.

Haven't you guys seen grey's anatomy? Being attractive is a prerequisite for becoming a physician. I thought everyone knew this...

It goes MCAT score, GPA, >8/10 on attractiveness scale. Why else would schools have you send in pictures?

I feel like some med students are disappointed when they realize the healthcare setting is pretty limited in attractive people and the ones who are appealing don't care much about the guy being a doc.

 

[sdhere1234]

I'm a student interviewer and I assure you that in no way, shape or form is attractiveness helping anyone that I'm interviewing. Among other interviewers (both student & faculty) it would rarely be a factor. My focus (and others who interview with me) is on communication skills as well as the applicant's general knowledge of medical school/medicine. In fact the two very attractive people I've interviewed got my worst reviews thus far whereas a couple lesser attractive applicants got perfect reviews from me.

Looks matter in life and are the most important thing for dating. They're not a factor in med school admissions.

Maybe not at the conscious level.

Attractiveness affects every single part of your life 24/7 365, it's just the cold hard truth. At the end of the day, we're still animals with basic primal instincts hardwired into our brains.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

Maybe not at the conscious level.

Attractiveness affects every single part of your life 24/7 365, it's just the cold hard truth. At the end of the day, we're still animals with basic primal instincts hardwired into our brains.

Like I said, attractiveness does matter a lot in life. It's by far the most important thing in dating for example. But for med school interviews where we are paying very close attention to someone's communication skills, it's a bit different.
It's good to be honest on both sides of it. Many people like to convince themselves that "looks don't matter that much" for dating but then are convinced that they matter for interviews lol.

 

[mistafab]

Looks don't matter for interviews. If they did, then I must have dodged a bullet.

Keepin it one hunnid

 

[sdhere1234]

I don't think you guys understand. It's not Person A is hotter than Person B so we're going to accept Person A.

It's more like;

Person A says "xyz"

Person B says "xyz"

They both said the same exact thing. But, since Person A is more attractive, the interviewer is more likely to respond more favorably to Person A as compared to Person B.

There have been numerous studies done on this and it's all happening behind the scenes in you brain.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

I don't think you guys understand. It's not Person A is hotter than Person B so we're going to accept Person A.

It's more like;

Person A says "xyz"

Person B says "xyz"

They both said the same exact thing. But, since Person A is more attractive, the interviewer is more likely to respond more favorably to Person A as compared to Person B.

There have been numerous studies done on this and it's all happening behind the scenes in you brain.

And I make a conscious effort to not let that happen. What you're saying is quite common with job interviews where the interviewer's mindset is more like: "Is this someone I want around" vs. "will this person make a good physician?"
In normal everyday interaction you're 100% correct because we let the other person's looks dictate how we perceive them.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

even the computer understood my sublime beauty and i matched into 3 simultaneous residency spots at once

 

[libertyyne]

And I make a conscious effort to not let that happen. What you're saying is quite common with job interviews where the interviewer's mindset is more like: "Is this someone I want around" vs. "will this person make a good physician?"
In normal everyday interaction you're 100% correct because we let the other person's looks dictate how we perceive them.

Interviewers are human. Subconcious bias exists.The likelihood of me "wanting to be around" someone increases if I find them attractive.

 

[LittleEngineCould]

Interviewers are human. Subconcious bias exists.The likelihood of me "wanting to be around" someone increases if I find them attractive.

That explains why I feel the need to be around you, Libs...

 

[sammiesings]

And I make a conscious effort to not let that happen. What you're saying is quite common with job interviews where the interviewer's mindset is more like: "Is this someone I want around" vs. "will this person make a good physician?"
In normal everyday interaction you're 100% correct because we let the other person's looks dictate how we perceive them.

I get what you're saying and it's noble and all, but even you're picking the more attractive of two equal candidates when it has to be one or the other. It's just human nature. That being said, it's probably not always an either or choice, so no one necessarily needs to be attractive to get into med school

 

[kb1900]

that moment when you realize all of your IIs has had a photo upload part to their secondary.

and that photo was a definitely some pounds ago 🙁

 

[skrolls]

Attractive people probably have a slight edge in the selection process. It's a cruel but simple fact that life is generally easier for them than it is for less attractive people.

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

Attractive people probably have a slight edge in the selection process. It's a cruel but simple fact that life is generally easier for them than it is for less attractive people.

Life may be easier but for what things and by how much? The vast majority of successful people in every industry are of average attractiveness. Not good looking but not bad looking either.
What I'm trying to say is that it's very reasonable to blame one's struggles with dating for example on their looks. They're the most important thing for attracting the opposite sex. But to blame a lack of professional success on it isn't very honest when most successful people are not good looking.

 

[Pusheen]

that moment when you realize all of your IIs has had a photo upload part to their secondary.

and that photo was a definitely some pounds ago 🙁

That moment when you realize your 4 II's were from the only 4 schools that didn't have photo uploads....

 

[libertyyne]

Life may be easier but for what things and by how much? The vast majority of successful people in every industry are of average attractiveness. Not good looking but not bad looking either.
What I'm trying to say is that it's very reasonable to blame one's struggles with dating for example on their looks. They're the most important thing for attracting the opposite sex. But to blame a lack of professional success on it isn't very honest when most successful people are not good looking.

How are you coming to this conclusion?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842

Benzeval, M., Green, M.J., Macintyre, S. (2013). Does perceived physical attractiveness in adolescence predict better socioeconomic position in adulthood? Evidence from 20 years of follow up in a population cohort study. PLoS ONE 8(5): e63975. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063975

The argument wasnt that professional success wasnt coming due to lack of attractiveness, it was if two candidates with similar numbers and backgrounds are evaluated via interview the more attractive person will get the spot.

 

[skrolls]

Life may be easier but for what things and by how much? The vast majority of successful people in every industry are of average attractiveness. Not good looking but not bad looking either.
What I'm trying to say is that it's very reasonable to blame one's struggles with dating for example on their looks. They're the most important thing for attracting the opposite sex. But to blame a lack of professional success on it isn't very honest when most successful people are not good looking.

Are not good looking according to you.

 

[poloboy]

Haven't you guys seen grey's anatomy? Being attractive is a prerequisite for becoming a physician. I thought everyone knew this...

It goes MCAT score, GPA, >8/10 on attractiveness scale. Why else would schools have you send in pictures?

When you look like this, everyone else is just...Basic. #ThePlasticsPosse #pka100

 

[MedicineZ0Z]

How are you coming to this conclusion?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052970203687504576655331418204842

Benzeval, M., Green, M.J., Macintyre, S. (2013). Does perceived physical attractiveness in adolescence predict better socioeconomic position in adulthood? Evidence from 20 years of follow up in a population cohort study. PLoS ONE 8(5): e63975. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0063975

The argument wasnt that professional success wasnt coming due to lack of attractiveness, it was if two candidates with similar numbers and backgrounds are evaluated via interview the more attractive person will get the spot.

But how often are 2 people that equal?

Are not good looking according to you.

Compare an undergrad business or arts class to engineering/sciences/professional programs. It's not even close.
The vast majority of businessmen and businesswomen or lawyers or docs/dentists/etc. are generic average looking people. You'll find more attractive cashiers on a grocery store trip than you in an upper class neighborhood.

 

[sammiesings]

But how often are 2 people that equal?

Compare an undergrad business or arts class to engineering/sciences/professional programs. It's not even close.
The vast majority of businessmen and businesswomen or lawyers or docs/dentists/etc. are generic average looking people. You'll find more attractive cashiers on a grocery store trip than you in an upper class neighborhood.

Attractiveness is subjective.

Also you can stop trying to convince everyone looks don't matter. They do. In everything. To tell yourself otherwise is delusional

 

[aalamruad]

In fact the two very attractive people I've interviewed got my worst reviews thus far whereas a couple lesser attractive applicants got perfect reviews from me.

You're probably just ugly and jelly