interviews at schools where I have relatively low numbers

[spf15]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I got some interview invites at several schools where I know my numbers are relatively low (a difference of about 2-3 LizzyM points, and I'm not a URM). Does this mean I will have a much harder time getting accepted compared to other interviewees with numbers that are closer to or above the school median? I'm so excited and happy to have gotten interviews at these great schools, but I am also wondering if in reality I already have a far diminished chance and it would be pointless to even hope, or if it'd be worth prepping for the interviews in hopes that it could push me over the edge...

I realize how neurotic this sounds. Sorry. It's such a waiting game. Would appreciate any support or insight.

 

[Cinclus]

Of course you should prep for the interviews. If these schools have invited you for interviews, they are interested in you. Use the interview to keep 'em interested.

 

[aarond]

This is kind of how I have felt at my MD interviews because of my CGPA. I wonder if regardless of how well my interview goes if I am doomed to be waitlisted at least initially...

I have hopes that especially due to being interviewed so early that I am legitimately worth it in their head.

 

[spf15]

exactly-- "doomed to be waitlisted" is how I feel.

 

[Spinach Dip]

exactly-- "doomed to be waitlisted" is how I feel.

Better than "doomed to be rejected"

Put on your best show. Maybe they'll be impressed and either accept you, or put you high up on the waitlist.

 

[basedbear]

I was always under the impression that after the interview your stats don't weigh in nearly as much anymore? Or am I wrong?

 

[Cinclus]

I was always under the impression that after the interview your stats don't weigh in nearly as much anymore? Or am I wrong?

Depends on the school. Some schools will definitely still take your numbers into account when making post-interview decisions about you.

 

[USC 22]

This will make you feel better:

There was a study done recently that asked medical schools to rate what they felt was most important before the interview and after the interview (I'm sure you can find this on google).

Prior to the interview, GPA ranks number 1, MCAT ranks number 2. After the interview, these both go down to 3 and 4. The number 1 thing was "interview skills" (obviously) while the number 2 thing was "letters of recommendation."

In other words, if you've come this far, your numbers will most likely not keep you out. It will be the interview. Do well in your interview and you will be golden!

 

[Aerus]

This will make you feel better:

There was a study done recently that asked medical schools to rate what they felt was most important before the interview and after the interview (I'm sure you can find this on google).

Prior to the interview, GPA ranks number 1, MCAT ranks number 2. After the interview, these both go down to 3 and 4. The number 1 thing was "interview skills" (obviously) while the number 2 thing was "letters of recommendation."

In other words, if you've come this far, your numbers will most likely not keep you out. It will be the interview. Do well in your interview and you will be golden!

This is what I've heard as well. If you were invited for interview, you have something they want. The interview will be the main focus afterwards to see if you have some social skills and don't have a totally horrible personality.

Your stats will matter, but less after. Of course this varies from school to school.

 

[Law2Doc]

Depends on the school. Some schools will definitely still take your numbers into account when making post-interview decisions about you.

Most places use the stats to make the cut for interviews, and thereafter the interview is the single biggest driving force. Med schools are full of people who got in over folks who looked better on paper, and wait lists tend to fill up with these paper tigers. Only on SDN, where there are people who can't stand the thought that all their work to create a 4.0/40 might go for naught, will you hear a consensus otherwise. Go into the interview prepared and knock that ball out of the park. They wouldn't waste THEIR time interviewing you if you didn't have a shot, and in most cases you have a very good one.

 

[Barcu]

Most places use the stats to make the cut for interviews, and thereafter the interview is the single biggest driving force. Med schools are full of people who got in over folks who looked better on paper, and wait lists tend to fill up with these paper tigers. Only on SDN, where there are people who can't stand the thought that all their work to create a 4.0/40 might go for naught, will you hear a consensus otherwise. Go into the interview prepared and knock that ball out of the park. They wouldn't waste THEIR time interviewing you if you didn't have a shot, and in most cases you have a very good one.

To add to this. Adcoms saw something they liked in your app that wasn't your numbers. They liked it so much, that they are willing to overlook your numbers. Try and figure out what that is and play it up in the interview.

 

[Sophocles]

Most places use the stats to make the cut for interviews, and thereafter the interview is the single biggest driving force. Med schools are full of people who got in over folks who looked better on paper, and wait lists tend to fill up with these paper tigers. Only on SDN, where there are people who can't stand the thought that all their work to create a 4.0/40 might go for naught, will you hear a consensus otherwise. Go into the interview prepared and knock that ball out of the park. They wouldn't waste THEIR time interviewing you if you didn't have a shot, and in most cases you have a very good one.

+1👍

 

[MedPR]

Most places use the stats to make the cut for interviews, and thereafter the interview is the single biggest driving force. Med schools are full of people who got in over folks who looked better on paper, and wait lists tend to fill up with these paper tigers. Only on SDN, where there are people who can't stand the thought that all their work to create a 4.0/40 might go for naught, will you hear a consensus otherwise. Go into the interview prepared and knock that ball out of the park. They wouldn't waste THEIR time interviewing you if you didn't have a shot, and in most cases you have a very good one.

While this is mainly true it can be partially misleading. Often the people who decide you get an interview are not the ones interviewing you. Therefore, the person interviewing you might think you are a waste of time once they see your file (if it's open file).

 

[syoung]

While this is mainly true it can be partially misleading. Often the people who decide you get an interview are not the ones interviewing you. Therefore, the person interviewing you might think you are a waste of time once they see your file (if it's open file).

Or it may be closed file. And hopefully the interviewer won't be biased specifically against the numbers... That would be terrible knowing he/she was biased against you from the beginning based purely on that.

 

[Law2Doc]

While this is mainly true it can be partially misleading. Often the people who decide you get an interview are not the ones interviewing you. Therefore, the person interviewing you might think you are a waste of time once they see your file (if it's open file).

That's certainly possible, but most of the time the interviewers won't focus on your application beyond scanning it for things that interest them to talk about in the interview.

 

[Lucky Louie]

This will make you feel better:

There was a study done recently that asked medical schools to rate what they felt was most important before the interview and after the interview (I'm sure you can find this on google).

Prior to the interview, GPA ranks number 1, MCAT ranks number 2. After the interview, these both go down to 3 and 4. The number 1 thing was "interview skills" (obviously) while the number 2 thing was "letters of recommendation."

In other words, if you've come this far, your numbers will most likely not keep you out. It will be the interview. Do well in your interview and you will be golden!

I've read this as well. You have a shot. Good for you!

 

[spf15]

The posts above sound encouraging, but given that most applicants interview "well" (not exceptionally good or exceptionally bad) ... and that interviews are so short in general (30 minutes is really not a lot) ... I find it difficult to believe.

 

[Translation]

Just go into the interview and own it, it's all you can do now. You may not be able to sell your stats, but you can sell the rest of your app. That's my plan for BCM, make those minutes count.

 

[speakwhales]

Most places I have interviewed at are places with higher LizzyM scores. Like the above poster said- that is completely out of your hands now. Just go in there with some confidence and own it

 

[MedPR]

Or it may be closed file. And hopefully the interviewer won't be biased specifically against the numbers... That would be terrible knowing he/she was biased against you from the beginning based purely on that.

Yea hopefully.

That's certainly possible, but most of the time the interviewers won't focus on your application beyond scanning it for things that interest them to talk about in the interview.

Yea true. My one and only open file so far did include discussion of my first two years of undergrad and poor grades though.


Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[iave9963]

Hey MedPR, are you going to Boston week after thanksgiving 😀

 

[MedPR]

Hey MedPR, are you going to Boston week after thanksgiving 😀

Nope. I was supposed to but flights were so expensive. I sent BU a message in the msg center and they rescheduled me for mid-December.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Narmerguy]

This will make you feel better:

There was a study done recently that asked medical schools to rate what they felt was most important before the interview and after the interview (I'm sure you can find this on google).

Prior to the interview, GPA ranks number 1, MCAT ranks number 2. After the interview, these both go down to 3 and 4. The number 1 thing was "interview skills" (obviously) while the number 2 thing was "letters of recommendation."

In other words, if you've come this far, your numbers will most likely not keep you out. It will be the interview. Do well in your interview and you will be golden!

This study was done very poorly and has been ripped to shreds thoroughly (and justifiably) on SDN multiple times now. Long story short, the study basically tells you very little about anything and cannot be interpreted in any useful manner about the relative weight of different measurements. It's a very, very poor study.

 

[MedPR]

This will make you feel better:

There was a study done recently that asked medical schools to rate what they felt was most important before the interview and after the interview (I'm sure you can find this on google).

Prior to the interview, GPA ranks number 1, MCAT ranks number 2. After the interview, these both go down to 3 and 4. The number 1 thing was "interview skills" (obviously) while the number 2 thing was "letters of recommendation."

In other words, if you've come this far, your numbers will most likely not keep you out. It will be the interview. Do well in your interview and you will be golden!

Didn't notice this post until someone else just quoted it.

I don't buy it.

I've been accepted to both of the DO schools I interviewed at. Interviewed and been wait listed at 3/4 (still waiting to hear back from the 4th) MD schools.

Maybe my interview skills suck, but my experience supports the argument that numbers still matter post-interview.

 

[Sophocles]

My numbers are subpar and I have acceptances at DO/MD schools. I'm nothing special in interview terms, but I believe that if a school is willing to interview you then you have as much of a shot as anyone else. OP good luck, hopefully we'll hear some good news from you soon.

 

[theherowedeserv]

what is LizzyM points

 

[GrinchMD]

You are disillusioned if you think that at the interview stage you are on equal footing with everyone else.

Pretty much agree with KDizzle and Tots...

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=13054788#post13054788

 

[Sophocles]

I don't think that what people are saying is that everything is thrown out the window and the sole determining factor is the interview, once you get to that stage. Rather, I believe if you have the interview then your metrics are "good enough". Meaning that I don't think that a school will interview someone (with the exception of a courtesy interview or something related) if their metrics were below the standards of the school, and they did not have a chance at getting in. Also, I believe that if your numbers are on the low side then a great interview might help you get extra points-could be completely wrong about this, but this is how I feel. I know that some schools give points before and after the interviews and if you are lacking in an area, perhaps the interview might level things out a bit. Just my thoughts.

 

[MedPR]

believe in your self dont let jimmies be rustled

Lol. Avatar makes it.

 

[typicalindian]

believe in your self dont let jimmies be rustled

strong username to avatar to post content ratio

 

[aarond]

I've been on three DO interviews, and two MD.

All three DO schools accepted me. although all of the interviews seemed to go well.

One MD I had one interview that was fantastic and the other not so much, and I was waitlisted. (Why come to a school not big on research when you have so much research exposure, stupid interviewer honestly).

The second MD has a meeting Friday of this coming week, should hear about a week after, and I will post back as both of the interviews then went well, and we'll see if I get waitlisted.