Interview Question

[PLD]

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I have my first interview, and I hope that I don't get this question, but I have heard several of my peers with the same verbal score that I have (7) complain about getting barraged about why their verbal was low. In my defense, I do have double digits in both sciences, and I have a 3.9 GPA.
How do I go about answering this question? Should I defend myself by saying I gave it my all? And I did give my all because I took Kaplan, and I am not a slacker. Or should I say that my score is a little low, and I had test anxiety blah blah blah...
My interview is on Tuesday, so any advice will be great.😕

 

[one love]

Just be honest...explain what you think the reason was. If it was just a bad test day for verbal, explain how your good grades in english/lit classes are more reflective of your abilities. If verbal is your weak area, tell them how you intend to improve. Schools like to hear how you want to better yourself rather than excuses alone.

 

[Zardoz]

Also, did you do well on the essay section? If so, explain to the interviewer that it would be highly unusual for you to possess talent in writing without being able to read! Thus, the verbal score is was obviously the result of poor pacing, nervousness, etc.

 

[relatively prime]

If it were me I'd say something like "well, I studied a lot, and I consider myself a fairly intelligent person... so my theory is that it had something to do with the fact that it's the first section of the test... you know... I was just so nervous when I first got there... then all of a sudden the proctor says "go" and I got stunned... by the time Phys and Bio came around I had calmed down." I would try to humorously recount the start of the test... comparing it to the gun-shot at the start of a race. Something like that...

Whatever you do... you don't want to dwell on the issue... but make sure you mention that you did study.

 

[UCSBPre-Med]

PLD, I have the exact same situation.

I had a 7 12 12 Q on the MCAT, and I have a BCPM GPA of 3.92. When I went on my first interview at Drew/UCLA, my interviewer did ask me why I scored so low on the Verbal section. I told him the truth, that Verbal was just my weaker section, as I studied my *ss off for that section (took Princeton Review and did every single practice passage in the book and still got a 7).

I then went on to tell him that a Q in the writing section was indication that I am not illiterate, and I can read and write. He understood. I think they are just looking for you to be honest, and not give excuses (well if there aren't any). I'm sure I'm gonna get the same thing at my next interview on December 3.

Good luck. 😀