Interview Practice

[BassCaster]

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I'm curious how many of you actually practiced for the interview?

I have my first one on 9/4 and all I've done so far was talk to myself a few times while driving to and from work. Should I be more proactive in the process or is memorizing what I have to say too obvious? Any advice would be great.

 

[ShinyDome19]

When I got interviews last year, for my first one, I knew it was going to be pretty stressful, so to build some confidence, in my head I was constantly formulating answers to the questions which people were asked in the past on the Interview Feedback page here on SDN...I didnt seem to have a hard time in that interview...and definately didnt memorize anything. The second time I interviewed, I did the same thing and felt I did fine again. I was even told by the admissions counselors...after I didnt get accepted...that I interviewed well, just needed to improve other stats.

So, I would say keep doing what your doing and just be yourself when you interview. Besides, even the best memorized answer will bring about new questions which you wont be prepared for. Just go in there with the creative juices flowing...and keep'em flowing until your interviews are over.

 

[not so calm now]

I was even told by the admissions counselors...after I didnt get accepted...that I interviewed well, just needed to improve other stats.

This is what's stressful to me. If they knew your stats are low, why did they bother interviewing you in the first place?? I'm worried I'll spend all this money and effort interviewing when the schools never had any intention of accepting me.

 

[Isoprop]

I found practicing in front of a mirror helps a lot.

 

[ShinyDome19]

This is what's stressful to me. If they knew your stats are low, why did they bother interviewing you in the first place?? I'm worried I'll spend all this money and effort interviewing when the schools never had any intention of accepting me.

Well, first off, this was an MD school and my AMCAS application was really late in the application year...so they probably were looking for waitlist positions...and I went into the process not even expecting an interview (my MCATs were 2 points below the school average and I was a tad short on volunteer work). This school is also really close to where I live...If I had lived further, I wouldnt have gone on the interview. And, theres no saying that I didnt have a chance to get in. I interviewed with ~8 other people and I know of one other that didnt get in who had awesome stats. Likely, it came down to which one or two of these 8 (or even more that interviewed after us) were just incredible and couldnt be passed up. No shame in losing out to someone who has earned it more.
I really doubt any school, especially a DO school, is going to interview someone without having some sort of interest in that student, especially early on in the interviewing process - why interview a student, when theres a lot of seats available, that doesnt have a chance of getting in?

I wouldnt stress about wasting money on an interview this early in the process. If it were March or something, then I would go into it assuming the interview was for a waitlist position or something...but not this early.