Interview day = cocktail party or dentist's visit?

[TheMightyAngus]

I've been somewhat disappointed with my interview experiences. Not the actually interviews themselves or the tours and lunches, but with my fellow interviewees. I kinda go into the interview day hoping to get the dirt on various schools, people's opinions, rumors, impressions, etc. I look at it like a cocktail party without the booze. People put on their party manners, make idle chitchat, and exchange info about a common interest (applying to med school).

Yet, what I find is that many interviewees treat the day like a trip to the dentist. They sit there silently, pretending to read brochures, and watch the clock slowly tick until the receptionist calls your name. You ask certain people what school's they've interviewed at, they're number one choice, the ones they hated, and they treat you like you're asking them out on a date. Is it taboo to talk about anything interview-related? I understand that people are somewhat shy and don't want to reveal info to strangers, and may feel embarrassed. But, come on! Is it really preferable to sit in silence!

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[Turkeyman]

My interview was fun, we sat there complaining about secondaries and had a good time chatting it up. No one really delved into their own personal specifics, but it certainly wasn't any visit to the dentist . Sorry to hear yours haven't been as stimulating.

 

[kimmcauliffe]

People seem to have lost the idea of comraderie and instead focus too much on the competition. Me, I would chat it up with fellow interviewees. I don't think it's taboo.

Maybe they were just nervous.

 

[BerkeleyMD]

I've always had the best times with other interviewees. Even my least interactive group, at BU, was still very sociable.

But, at all interviews, you will always find those "too cool to socialize."

 

[Doctor Bagel]

you know, i sort of judge a school by my fellow interviewees, which probably isn't fair to the school. i'm with you in that i like to chat (or maybe gossip) about schools and the whole process.

 

[potato51]

The interviewees at my sessions were awesome, maybe except at my top choice school where I met a couple racists.

 

[newguy357]

Interview days vary from place to place. At U of IA we had an awesome group and it was a good time. We were getting loud actually. Other places...not so much. It's hit and miss just like every other aspect of life.

 

[doctoresse]

I think it really depends, some groups are talkative, some are not. But a common thing is that people rarely want to say the names of the schools they've interviewed at, like they're afraid you'll steal their spot or something It definitely makes the day much more enjoyable to have a cool group.

 

[argonana]

At Emory, one of the girls asked a fellow interviewee what her top choice was in front of our entire tour group (including our tour guide, an MSIII who'd be interviewing all of us in the afternoon) while we were on the elevator. The poor girl was like, um, I dunno, what's YOUR top choice?! (She claimed she didn't have one, of course.)

Hehe aside from wacko exchanges like this, I love chattin it up with my fellow interviewees.

 

[silas2642]

I'm sorry you've had this experience, OP; personally I've had fun at mine. My first interview there were a really great group of applicants and we all sat around talking about applications, where we were from, what we were doing while we were applying, what we liked about schools we had looked at, etc... I guess you just got in with a quiet bunch of interviewees.

 

[dilated]

At Emory, one of the girls asked a fellow interviewee what her top choice was in front of our entire tour group (including our tour guide, an MSIII who'd be interviewing all of us in the afternoon) while we were on the elevator. The poor girl was like, um, I dunno, what's YOUR top choice?! (She claimed she didn't have one, of course.)

haha, yeah, emory is funny. Our tour guide was like, honest, you guys can ask me anything, I have no say if you get in. I was thinking "Except for the part this afternoon where you sit in a room while we're interviewed and then tell the faculty members what you think of us when we leave".

I don't know, most of my fellow interviewees have been pretty chatty. I start out moderately irritated since it's usually like 8am, but I warm up as the day goes on. By my second interview I was so tired of sitting through powerpoint presentations and financial aid drivel I just want to get to the interview part because that's the exciting part of the day and I've heard the rest 20 times before.

 

[DolfinGrl11]

My interview days have gone pretty well so far so it's sad to hear that the people who were in your interview group weren't so nice.

For the most part, everyone was quiet at the beginning but I always made it a point to start off conversation if I could. And usually with something funny or shared (damn, I sat next to the smelliest guy on the plane all the way here from California!) instead of schools or MCATs. I found those things came up on their own naturally and then, nobody felt guarded about saying things.

However, not all people like to talk so I guess it's a hit or miss. Like earlier posts said though, I definitely look at the other people in the interview group and wonder if they are people I could study for exams with and kind of count as peers and so far, it has been positive (save for the one or two gunners in every group who rave about their own accomplishments and number of interviews while the rest of us daydream about punching them in the face).

I hope the people in your future interview groups are better! Good luck!

 

[indo]

At my last interview we talked about Nip/Tuck.