if an interviewer says "i will recommend you for admission?" What does this mean?

[geldrop]

Anyone ever had an interviewer say this and get a rejection letter? I just don't want to put false hope into getting accepted and get a rejection letter despite an interviewer saying this.

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[Ramoray]

ha yes i actually did have this happen. It was at a school where the interviwer was not one of the adcoms and also there was a 2nd interiview so he was not the only one. But ya he was like.. ill give you my highest rec. but he also said the decision doesnt soley or even mostly weight on his recomenation but still i think if that happens you have done all you can. But ya i got the boot i was pissed!

 

[dmbpremed]

Yes - this happened to me at one of the Top 5 med schools that happened to be my first choice at the time - my faculty interviewer said at the end of my interview that I "would have no trouble getting in" and that he "thought it was very unlikely that wouldn't be accepted." Eight weeks later: I got waitlisted.

I feel that whenever an interviewer says that you'll get in, you should take it with a grain of salt. However, it is still a sign that you probably have a much better shot than everyone else who has interviewed.

You aren't accepted until you get it in writing.

 

[geldrop]

Wow that really sucks, actually this school only had 1 interview though so...

But I was so happy when he told me that i almost gave him a hug, but thought it would be a little awkward.


How many out there have had this happen and got accepted??? Sounds like i'll be getting a rejection based on those two posts.

 

[Ramoray]

buddy, you ASKED who got REJECTED after this happened.. they the fuk ask if your gonna whine and get down about it... you should have asked who got accepted then.. good god, take it easy and just wiat it out... dont cry about it im sure u have a great shot

 

[e-spin]

The way I see it is that your interviewer is sort of your advocate to the adcom. If he said you would get a high recommendation from him, that sounds like he thought you were a worthy applicant and was willing to go to bat for you. Of course, it isnt his decision alone and the hope is that his recommendation combined with what the adcom sees about you on paper will get you the spot. Dont give up hope or hold too much stock in what the interviewer says.
There are lots of posts where people thought they bombed the interview and got in. There are still others who thought they nailed the interview and got waitlisted, myself included...Hang in there and good luck!

 

[Dr.Tong]

Originally posted by Ramoray
buddy, you ASKED who got REJECTED after this happened.. they the fuk ask if your gonna whine and get down about it... you should have asked who got accepted then.. good god, take it easy and just wiat it out... dont cry about it im sure u have a great shot

what makes you so bitter

 

[ShortStuff]

I had an interviewer tell me some positive things like, " I think you are a good fit" and got in!


Have hope!

SS

 

[Trix]

Originally posted by Ramoray
buddy, you ASKED who got REJECTED after this happened.. they the fuk ask if your gonna whine and get down about it... you should have asked who got accepted then.. good god, take it easy and just wiat it out... dont cry about it im sure u have a great shot

Wow, testosterone at its finest

 

[LaughingGiraffe]

My BU interviewer said "you are exactly the kind of person this school is looking for, and I would trust you as my own doctor." I didn't get in back in December, and I withdrew before Feb. decisions, so who knows where it would have gotten me.

 

[Mike59]

I'm skeptical when interviewers say "I'll recommend you" (based on my experience).

At one of my interviews (a clinical professor) patted me on the back on the way out the door and said, "I'm glad they sent someone I can highly recommend to the committee". Obviously I left ecstatic. Not to mention the thank you letter THEY SENT ME two weeks later! Finding out that they waitlisted me seemed like a slap in the face after that

At another school, I was told by both interviewers, "you're application is great and you interviewed very well"- the result: waitlist again.

At schools where I was treated in a friendly but "normal" manner, had a decent conversation, but the interviewers were not over-the-top on the compliments, I have acceptance letters in my hand.

Interviewers only have leverage when they are either on the committee themself or play a really important role in the school. The odds of you getting one of these people is rare, especially at larger schools. Most interviewers are simply faculty members (sometimes not even part of the clinical faculty) who will be a nothing more than a messenger to the comittee ("this student can breathe and strung words together in sentences during my interview with them")

 

[Nirvana]

dmbpremed,

Aren't you the one with the really high stats from the "safety schools" thread? I'm curious, did you eventually get off the waitlist? What schools have accepted you?

Originally posted by dmbpremed
Yes - this happened to me at one of the Top 5 med schools that happened to be my first choice at the time - my faculty interviewer said at the end of my interview that I "would have no trouble getting in" and that he "thought it was very unlikely that wouldn't be accepted." Eight weeks later: I got waitlisted.

I feel that whenever an interviewer says that you'll get in, you should take it with a grain of salt. However, it is still a sign that you probably have a much better shot than everyone else who has interviewed.

You aren't accepted until you get it in writing.

 

[abw]

My interviewer (only 1 interview at this school) told me that he could definitely see me in a white coat as a doctor in 4 years & that he would do his best to get me accepted, but I got waitlisted.

 

[texasgal1112]

At one of my out of state interviews, my interviewer told me he would have no problem recommending me to the ad com. When I got my waitlist letter I was really confused and called him. He was really nice about it and even told me some of what he wrote on his rec to the ad com. It all seemed like a really encouraging rec. And then proceeded to tell me he was really sorry but there was nothing more he could do bc the waitlist is ranked. Oh well.

 

[Arginine]

Originally posted by Mike59
Interviewers only have leverage when they are either on the committee themself or play a really important role in the school.

In my experience, that has been true. It is very rare that one interviewer would have the power to guarantee your acceptance, but sometimes it does happen. One of my interviewers told me, "You're very bright and articulate and you have had a lot of life experience. I'm on the admissions committee, and I'll move this right along". I didn't really think it would happen, but 3 weeks later, they offered me an acceptance. It was very surreal.

 

[tej77]

The same thing also happened to me. I had an interviewer tell me that I would "definitely get in." She even sent me a thank you note in the mail after our interview. She loved my application, etc., etc. Then I ended up getting waitlisted. Sounds like a common theme.

 

[applegirl]

At one of my interviews at a Texas school, my interviewer said that I was a strong candidate and that he saw no reason for me not to be accepted. But of course it wasn't solely up to him. Come match, got rejected, not even waitlisted.

At first I was very happy about it, and then very sceptical about the whole thing. I was an o.k. cadidate but he made me sound like I was material for one of the top 5 schools.

Just take everything with a grain of salt.

 

[dmbpremed]

nirvana - i PMed you

 

[Dancing Nancie]

I had that happen at two different schools. At the first one, both of my interviewers told me that I was going to get in and that they were going to spend my interview telling me why I should go there. then after waiting for 2 months (this school's committee is notiriously SLOW), I finally got a letter saying that I was waitlisted. At the second school, one of my interviewers did the same thing. On the bright side, I got in to that one & that's where I'm headed this fall. I talked with the dean of admissions at the latter school about that. He said that all interviewers are told specifically not to say that to candidates because the outcome of the committee meeting is out of the interviewer's hands. Personally, just take it as a compliment, and don't rest all of your hopes on it.
Good luck in the future.

 

[Nirvana]

Got it...I PM'ed you back.

Originally posted by dmbpremed
nirvana - i PMed you

 

[Mutterkuchen]

Originally posted by applegirl
At one of my interviews at a Texas school, my interviewer said that I was a strong candidate and that he saw no reason for me not to be accepted. But of course it wasn't solely up to him. Come match, got rejected, not even waitlisted.

At first I was very happy about it, and then very sceptical about the whole thing. I was an o.k. cadidate but he made me sound like I was material for one of the top 5 schools.

Just take everything with a grain of salt.

The same thing happened to me at Missouri. I got a straight rejection. I was kind of shocked initially. It's not like I said "how did I do?" to put them on the spot. At the minimum I expected to be put on the waitlist.

My advice to interviewees. . . don't pay attention to what they say. While positive feedback surely cannot be bad, it does not necessarily mean anything good either.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

One of my interviewers at U Chicago told me he thought I would get in everywhere I applied, saying how great my numbers were and how well I interviewed. Result? Alternate pool ...

I am very nervous now, especially after reading this thread, because interviewers at my top 2 choices strongly implied that they thought I would get in ...

 

[VienneseWaltz]

P.S.: I did not get an interview everywhere I applied, much less get in ...

 

[Adcadet]

I got the "you seem like a great candidate" from my interviewer (not on the committee) and then get an acceptance.

 

[VienneseWaltz]

Originally posted by Adcadet
I got the "you seem like a great candidate" from my interviewer (not on the committee) and then get an acceptance.

Come on, can't you see we're whining here? You can just start a new thread if you want to talk about this "good news" drivel.

 

[pinbor1]

I can't speak for every school, but it has been my experience that interviewers have a say in recommending whether or not you are admitted, but it is ultimately up to the adcoms. Factors that many places look at are grades, mcat scores, LORs. At my school the only info we get about you are what you put on your personal statements. I think that we as interviewers assess the intangibles that make a good physician, i.e. how personable you are, your level of insight, and how flexible of a person you are.

I would say that getting great comments after interviews are usually heartfelt honest remarks. I have interviewed a number of prospective med students and I feel that if you get these positive comments then you are regard highly by us, but we are not the ones that see your whole file.

Good luck to you all

 

[UCLA2000]

I got rejected after hearing that from Case Western...

The interviewer went so far as to say that I'd thrive in the environment that Case would provide me with. (Case only has 1 interview so he musta lied to me...)

 

[Street Philosopher]

this is what i remember:
at 2 places my interviewer (at least one) said that i should have no problem and i would have my choice of schools. got in at 1, waitlisted at the other.

at another place interviewer said "i REALLY enjoyed reading your app". got waitlisted.

so it's hit or miss, but i have yet to get rejected after hearing something positive like that.