Hi Tracie,
I think the general gist is that, with an interview pending, your son should know Colorado's admissions process inside-out, and should be able to give you as much information as you like, rather than you "helping out". That said, I can appreciate that he's probably stressed out about the upcoming interview and may not be in the mood to chat. My only caution is for you to ensure that you're not pressuring him (even accidentally!), as medical school admissions are extremely competitive and it's a definite possibility that he won't succeed in his bid to attend Colorado. However, there's also a definite possibility that he'll be accepted with open arms, and that of course is what we're hoping for, right? I say this because I've know a few folks whose families were so convinced that their son/daughter was going to be a doctor that it added to an already considerable amount of pressure to succeed. But anyway, I know you're asking out of the best intentions, so let me try to give you an overview of my experience.
I was a first-round interviewee and so my experience was likely typical, but not identical to what an average interview at Colorado is like. My interview just had more uncertainty to it, as my little tour group had medical students in it who were seeing the campus for the first time themselves! By now, I'm sure the process is very smooth and coordinated, which should make it an even better experience. I'm glad to say that I received an acceptance from Colorado just before Thanksgiving, so I hope I'll have the opportunity to meet your son in August when the class of 2012 meets for the first time!
I will say, in all honesty, that I thoroughly enjoyed my interview day at Colorado (once I got over my nerves!) and left feeling that I couldn't hope to attend a finer medical school. The new facilities are spectacular, the campus lovely, and the people warm and welcoming. My interview group was composed of fifteen people (somewhat smaller than usual since it was the "first-run" group of applicants at the new facility), all of whom were understandably nervous at first. Fortunately, a number of us struck up a conversation, which quickly became lively and full of laughter. If possible, I would advise your son to strike up conversations while he's sitting in the room waiting for the day to begin; there will be some fascinating people interviewing with him and they're well-worth meeting.
Your son will be given a small packet, which will include some information about the school and, most importantly, his status as an applicant. The sheet on the front will list who he will be interviewing with (for myself, an MD, following by an MS4), and a section that lists any deficiencies in the application. Of course, "no deficiencies" is what should (and probably will) be typed in that section.
The interviews themselves are 30 minutes each, with the first starting at 9:00am and the second at 10:00am (if memory serves). The interviews are generally one-on-one, although some individuals had another "silent" interviewer along for training purposes. The interviews are "closed-file", meaning that the interviewer has only been given access to your son's personal statement, secondary essays, and list of activities. The interviewer has, at the time of interview, no knowledge of any grades, MCAT scores, or other academic numbers.
I found both of my interviewers to be pleasant and conversational. Your son is interviewing for a professional school and should conduct himself accordingly, but I found that being friendly and relaxed while maintaining an appropriate level of professionalism and respect seemed to be the way things worked at Colorado. The MD interviewer was the more relaxed of the two, and focused his questions on ethics, the future of medicine (to include both the question of nationalized healthcare, and how I imagined myself as a physican), and a discussion of medical philosophy. The fourth-year medical student interviewer was much more structured, and completed an overview of my time-line prior to asking her questions. Again, we spoke about nationalized healthcare and the future of medicine, about her own studies and plans for residency. We spoke about the new campus, and about the academic program at the school. She asked me the most difficult question I encountered that day: "tell me a story (anecdote) about yourself that sums you up as a person". I'll be honest: I didn't have a good reply and stated so. It didn't seem to harm my application.
Following the interviews, at 11:00am, lunch is served, following by a walking tour of the extensive campus. It is impressive, it is brand-new, and it is murder on the feet if your shoes aren't comfortable. After the tour (which is conducted by students), the interviewees are free to go.
All in all, my advice is this: be open, honest, professional, and enthusiastic. I have a number of colleagues who have interviewed (and will hopefully be accepted) at Colorado, and their reaction after the interview is always the same: "I *really* want to go to this school." I believe that not only are the facilities and campus fantastic, but the people there are really top-notch.
I wish your son the very best of luck with his application.
