Is 3/7 acceptances from interviews good?

[Dr Gerrard]

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I've always found myself to be a pretty social guy (in public at least, maybe I don't come off that way on the internet lol).

Anyways, is this something I should worry about fixing? Interviewing is a skill that will always be important, no matter what stage of life I am in.

I hope this doesn't come off poorly. I'm disappointed in it because I think I could have done better. I don't know much about the process objectively though.

 

[Geneticist]

Were your stats higher than most others who were accepted to the schools you were rejected from? I'd say getting 3 acceptances out of 7 is good overall, though...

 

[Lokhtar]

No, you will never be a doctor with only three acceptances.

 

[Anonymous01]

About half the schools that interviewed you want you. I'd say that's good. You can't go in expecting them all to want you anyway; if that was the case, there would be no reason to do interviews in the first place.

Inteview /= Acceptance, even though that's what it seems like you were expecting.

If you're concerned for residency interviews, you have a ton of time to improve before those. I'm also sure that your medical school wouldn't mind helping you prepare for those.

 

[wanderer]

What's with all these threads OP? Even 1 acceptance is fine, and 3/7 is more than fine, especially at top schools (since they often accept fewer interviewees). Besides the next time you really need to interview is in 4 years, so whatever you fix now won't matter then.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

Were your stats higher than most others who were accepted to the schools you were rejected from? I'd say getting 3 acceptances out of 7 is good overall, though...

i feel like stats were not really a deciding factor in those schools.

my state school is one of those acceptance

the other 6 interviews were t-20 schools, and i feel like at this stage number matter much less.

only being 2/6 at these schools, while may be good, has kind of hurt my confidence in my interviewing ability. this in itself would lead to even poorer interview performance in the future.

i know ill get some smart*** responses like loktar or whatever, but i still think my question is legitimate.

 

[Geneticist]

i feel like stats were not really a deciding factor in those schools.

my state school is one of those acceptance

the other 6 interviews were t-20 schools, and i feel like at this stage number matter much less.

only being 2/6 at these schools, while may be good, has kind of hurt my confidence in my interviewing ability. this in itself would lead to even poorer interview performance in the future.

i know ill get some smart*** responses like loktar or whatever, but i still think my question is legitimate.

Naturally, complaining about only getting 2 top-20 acceptances may rub people the wrong way. But I digress...

I'd say that you certainly didn't underachieve this cycle. If anything, you probably did as well as you should have done given the number of interviews and the competitiveness of top-20s.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

What's with all these threads OP? Even 1 acceptance is fine, and 3/7 is more than fine, especially at top schools (since they often accept fewer interviewees). Besides the next time you really need to interview is in 4 years, so whatever you fix now won't matter then.

sorry man, i know i can be a debbie downer sometimes. i take it out on the internet so i can be normal in real life

its just i got a call from my dad today saying he got my waitlist letter to columbia. sure i expected it my interview wasn't great at all. but the way he told me.

afterwards he was like "when are you going to hear more good news" and "when is your state school goin to give you scholarship money" stuff like that. and he just doesn't know about the process at all, but our family friends put these expectations in his head like "your son is brilliant, will get in everywhere, etc."

and it just brings me down that he asks me questions like "why haven't you heard good news recently" and stuff.

i know this makes my dad seem like pretty bad, but he is just so innocent about the entire process, he believes anything other people tell him, and so i definitely understand it.

 

[NickNaylor]

No, you will never be a doctor with only three acceptances.

Exactly. Good is that you got into a school.

 

[Geneticist]

sorry man, i know i can be a debbie downer sometimes. i take it out on the internet so i can be normal in real life

its just i got a call from my dad today saying he got my waitlist letter to columbia. sure i expected it my interview wasn't great at all. but the way he told me.

afterwards he was like "when are you going to hear more good news" and "when is your state school goin to give you scholarship money" stuff like that. and he just doesn't know about the process at all, but our family friends put these expectations in his head like "your son is brilliant, will get in everywhere, etc."

and it just brings me down that he asks me questions like "why haven't you heard good news recently" and stuff.

i know this makes my dad seem like pretty bad, but he is just so innocent about the entire process, he believes anything other people tell him, and so i definitely understand it.

He's just ignorant. My parents are like that too. They pretty much expect me to get into either UPitt or PSU Hershey when I apply. It tends to put a lot of stress on me with expectations like that, especially since neither of them even went to college yet they expect me to become a Dr....

 

[bookfreak89]

You know, there's another thread around here somewhere that has people worrying about getting NO acceptances this cycle. If you wanted to address your interviewing skills, that is fair enough, but "Is 3/7 acceptances good?" as a thread title is...stupid, IMO. Congrats on your acceptances though.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

yeah i maybe should have titled it, do i need to work on my interviewing skills.

still though, thats like saying going into a particular schools topic, seeing how upset people are that they didn't get in, and then posting how you got a full scholarship there is wrong.

people do this all the time. maybe it is wrong, but that doesn't get responses like this

 

[ksmi117]

yeah i maybe should have titled it, do i need to work on my interviewing skills.

still though, thats like saying going into a particular schools topic, seeing how upset people are that they didn't get in, and then posting how you got a full scholarship there is wrong.

people do this all the time. maybe it is wrong, but that doesn't get responses like this

You got into a medical school. Multiple ones, in fact. If there was something terribly wrong with your interviewing, you wouldn't have gotten in at all. Plus being a good interviewer =/= being a good physician. Just be happy that you are going to be a doctor and worry about what medical school throws at you. No need to worry about something as insignificant as why you didn't get into some random school. It's a weird process. Maybe you had an off day, maybe your interviewer was distracted, who knows?

 

[bookfreak89]

yeah i maybe should have titled it, do i need to work on my interviewing skills.

still though, thats like saying going into a particular schools topic, seeing how upset people are that they didn't get in, and then posting how you got a full scholarship there is wrong.

people do this all the time. maybe it is wrong, but that doesn't get responses like this

That's true. People have the right to discuss anything on this board even if others are butthurt. The title just made it seem like you were going to complain about only getting 3/7 acceptances, which leads to smart-alleck responses.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

dude you are high strung

 

[wanderer]

Future advice to people with those kinda parents: tell them you don't hear anything till May. Even if they don't completely stop asking they'll ask less.

 

[apumic]

No, you will never be a doctor with only three acceptances.

QFT.

Obviously you were nothing more than a "Safety" at the schools that interviewed you. It just so happens that there weren't enough applicants this year and some schools have, unfortunately, had to go to their backup list of applicants. It's ok, though, I'm sure the schools will still gladly accept your money.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

dude you are high strung

LOL. as i said earlier, everybody needs a release!

plus, i do worry to much. combined with that talk with my dad today, i was told that my state school would notify us of scholarships today... no notification

again, false expectations. i didn't get into harvard, didn't even get an interview. i didn't expect it so i am completely fine.

i guess it all depends on what you go into the cycle expecting.

 

[Geneticist]

Future advice to people with those kinda parents: tell them you don't hear anything till May. Even if they don't completely stop asking they'll ask less.

Sounds like you're speaking from personal experience. I'll have to remember that... 👍

 

[bobow98]

hey I was 3/3 at first but since then I've struck out going 0/3 on the next 3.
It may have to do with burnout?

 

[searun]

He's just ignorant. My parents are like that too. They pretty much expect me to get into either UPitt or PSU Hershey when I apply. It tends to put a lot of stress on me with expectations like that, especially since neither of them even went to college yet they expect me to become a Dr....

Well, look on the bright side. At least your parents do not expect you to get into Harvard, Penn, or Hopkins and anything else is failure. Remember the old adage about a silver lining in every cloud.

 

[45408]

i know ill get some smart*** responses like loktar or whatever, but i still think my question is legitimate.

Not really. Looking at average acceptance rates for most schools in the single digit range, you really should have realized that getting accepted at all is good.

 

[Naquadria]

I think it is perfectly natural you are worrying about your interviewing skills. However, as you well know by now it is an extremely competitive process and different schools are looking for different things in an applicant. It could be that some days you interviewed stronger than others but if you got 3 acceptances you obviously did something right. Even your state school acceptance is something to be proud of! My state school rejected me pre-interview...sigh. So I wouldn't worry about it too much. Relax and enjoy your victories.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

Thanks everyone. I know how lucky I am to have been as successful as I have.

Everybody can strive for more though

 

[Naquadria]

Thanks everyone. I know how lucky I am to have been as successful as I have.

Everybody can strive for more though

Heck yes. Just rock med school so you have your choice of residency locations.

 

[Hoya2009]

But what if EVERY residency program in the universe doesn't want him to come there!
"But why didn't Endor want me for derm? The Horror! The Horror!"
Please, spare us.

 

[Seven of Nine]

Why don't you contact the schools at which you were rejected (after the end of the application season) and ask if they provide any feedback or exit-interviews? Some schools will. Some of the schools where I interviewed mentioned they did in the invitation or during the interview day. You could also look around on their websites and in any information you received to check.

Us here on the Interwebs have no insight in why you were rejected nor whether or not you need to work on your interviewing. It could be a function of your interview skills, weakness in other areas of your application, the strength of the other interviewees, not fitting certain student profiles/quotas schools aim to fill, having a late interview/few seats left, etc.

Receiving multiple interview invitations and striking out at ALL of them despite looking good on paper may be a red flag for an applicant's interviewing skills. That, however, is not the case. I'm not sure anyone can give you a useful feedback to your original question here.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

Thanks for your help everyone

 

[northpenn]

Why don't you contact the schools at which you were rejected (after the end of the application season) and ask if they provide any feedback or exit-interviews? Some schools will. Some of the schools where I interviewed mentioned they did in the invitation or during the interview day. You could also look around on their websites and in any information you received to check.

Us here on the Interwebs have no insight in why you were rejected nor whether or not you need to work on your interviewing. It could be a function of your interview skills, weakness in other areas of your application, the strength of the other interviewees, not fitting certain student profiles/quotas schools aim to fill, having a late interview/few seats left, etc.

Receiving multiple interview invitations and striking out at ALL of them despite looking good on paper may be a red flag for an applicant's interviewing skills. That, however, is not the case. I'm not sure anyone can give you a useful feedback to your original question here.

Yes! Ask for post interview feedback!

 

[TheRach1025]

But what if EVERY residency program in the universe doesn't want him to come there!
"But why didn't Endor want me for derm? The Horror! The Horror!"
Please, spare us.

He's an eight-foot tall wookie from Kashyyyk. Everyone knows wookies ain't allowed in Endor residencies. Those are only for two-foot tall Ewoks.

 

[ThePowerofLove]

He's an eight-foot tall wookie from Kashyyyk. Everyone knows wookies ain't allowed in Endor residencies. Those are only for two-foot tall Ewoks.

OP, I think 3/7 is good. I agree with you that numbers may not play a big factor, but only schools like Upenn are strictly like that. At other schools, numbers still influence the decisions and how you are ranked compared to other students. I think even "good" interviews don't necessarily turn out to be acceptances. There is a large luck factor involved when having one's application reviewed. Good to hear your success though =)

I hate how fake sdn is and how many sarcastic people there are on there. They criticize others for thinking about the same questions they care about. When people post about being disappointed for getting an A- or B+, they get flamed, as if most sdn premeds want those grades. When people post about ranks of med schools, they get flamed, as if most people don't more or less consider these rankings in one way or another.

I don't know why people bother to post if they don't want to answer your question directly.

 

[tabascosauce]

What's with all these threads OP? Even 1 acceptance is fine, and 3/7 is more than fine, especially at top schools (since they often accept fewer interviewees). Besides the next time you really need to interview is in 4 years, so whatever you fix now won't matter then.

👍 thank you for your contribution. great post

 

[slatermd]

ThePowerofLove posts

I hate ...

how fake sdn is and how many sarcastic people there are on there.

Chill brah. Spread some good vibes, TooBright 2.0

 

[MyCarIsDirty]

It's all or nothing, and you obviously failed the test.

 

[mauberley]

Future advice to people with those kinda parents: tell them you don't hear anything till May. Even if they don't completely stop asking they'll ask less.

Sometimes I think the people with the most invested in this process aren't the people who are going through the process in the first place. That's what annoys me the most, and why, as much as I love my family and friends, I try to play it close to the chest.

 

[PrettyFishy]

think about it this way: many schools have a ~30% post-interview acceptance rate. Even State schools. 3/7 interviews = 42.9% success rate. You have come out ahead 🙂 You are going to be a doctor! congrats!

Don't worry too much about the other schools. Likely the "fit" factor wasn't there. That has nothing to do with you, and you would've likely not been as happy there.

FWIW everyone does need a release every once in a while

 

[mauberley]

Don't worry too much about the other schools. Likely the "fit" factor wasn't there. That has nothing to do with you, and you would've likely not been as happy there.

^ this. Somewhat simplistically, if you've made it to the interview step, your objective qualifications are good enough; all that remains is to assess the intangibles and form as complete a picture as possible of you as a person and whether you're a good fit. This is such a subjective and highly variable process that you can't use an acceptance rate as a measure of effectiveness. Generally, so long as you don't look foolish or act like a tool, you've done the best you can.

 

[donttazemebro]

... edited

6/7=great
5/7=good
4/7=average
3/7=still decent
2/7=low
1/7=bad
0/7=wtf man





















blacklisted from all med schools=priceless

 

[Notsobs]

I think most people are insecure about their interviewing skills, even if they are very sociable in daily life. It's just that the interview is such an abnormal social situation to be in, meaning that even though schools tout the interview as just a "conversation," we all know that the stakes are very high.

Congrats on your acceptances though! If you want to work on your interviewing skills, maybe once you become a medical student you can volunteer to be on the admissions committee. that way, you'll be able to interview applicants and learn a bit more about interviewing from the other perspective. That might be able to ease your nerves or help you out with your interviewing skills. Just a thought.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

... edited

6/7=great
5/7=good
4/7=average
3/7=still decent
2/7=low
1/7=bad
0/7=wtf man





















blacklisted from all med schools=priceless

i read what you wrote initially, and what you changed it to is not much better. i will spare you and not post what your original comment was.

where are you coming up with these assessments? the interview:acceptance ratio has little to do with just statistics and what you THINK is a good interview conversion ratio. it is more about the personality of the interviewee; the schools in question; how much the interview is weighted at the schools in question; and the luck of how well the interviewee "vibes" with the interviewer.

3/7 means the OP has choices. that is substantial. take it and RUN!

 

[skyhyp2009]

You're fine. 3 out of 7 is pretty damn good. And while parents can get annoying at times, you can just ignore them you know...it's your life...don't let them run it for you.

But I mean...seriously...what were you expecting? The top 20 schools accept anywhere from 25% to 40% of the applicants they interview. And most of those applicants are top students as well. Plenty of people get 36+ and 3.9+ stats AND have good interviewing skills; remember, you're not the only one working hard to get into medical school out there.

If you're a "normal" interviewer (that is your interviewing skills didn't help you or hurt you) and like 95% of all the applicants out there, you'd get accepted at about 33% of the schools you've interviewed at. If you're a damn good interviewer with great interpersonal skills AND with great insight, you'd still probably max out at 50%-60%. Any higher than that, I feel that you'd be faking your responses and tailoring them to what you feel the school might want to hear...and that's NOT a good thing....

And besides, even if you had 7/7, you still only get to go to one school. Why do you want all those extra acceptances?

 

[apumic]

i read what you wrote initially, and what you changed it to is not much better. i will spare you and not post what your original comment was.

where are you coming up with these assessments? the interview:acceptance ratio has little to do with just statistics and what you THINK is a good interview conversion ratio. it is more about the personality of the interviewee; the schools in question; how much the interview is weighted at the schools in question; and the luck of how well the interviewee "vibes" with the interviewer.

3/7 means the OP has choices. that is substantial. take it and RUN!

I took it as his attempt at being funny.... Laugh more... It's good for you.

 

[MrAppleseed]

OP, I read somewhere (maybe even this board?) that the average number of acceptances for applicants who are accepted somewhere is <2. That does not include all of the applicants who do not get in anywhere the first time around (something like 60%?). I think, outside of Planet SDN, most applicants who are accepted probably get one acceptance, and are thrilled to have it.

I think your expectations were probably too high, and you might also be putting way too much importance on the interview. Who knows how much sway those things have anyway, or if you would have been admitted even if you had the most picture-perfect interview ever. If you were a social mess, I don't think any school would have accepted you. My $0.02 - I would be happy with what you got, and leave it alone. Congrats on the acceptances.