Is it bad to tell your interviewers that the school is your first choice?

[andybshaker]

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Hi all,

In less than a week, I have an interview at my first choice school. If I am accepted here, I will go, no questions asked. Is it a bad idea to say this to my interviewers?

On the one hand, I know schools love to keep up their yield, and it could give me some benefit.

On the other hand, they might think that I'm lying because that's just a stereotypical premed thing to say, or it might make me come off as desperate, which would be bad.

And then of course there's the question of a letter of intent, and how that comes into play.

So, is it a good idea for me to convey to the school how badly I want to go there, and if so how do I go about it? Thanks!

 

[me16]

Lol in my experience it's always good to play a little game of hard to get. You never wanna seem soooo willing to just give everything away you know?

With medical school interview they tend to play out like this.
Interviewer: I'm sure you have recieved other interviews, do you think you fit in our instution?
Interviewee 1: I really love this school and I'm so honored to recieve an interview. If I am accepted I will definitely be coming here no questions asked because it is my number one choice.
Interviewee 2: This is a phenomenal school and I am honored to recieve this interview. After the tour of the facility and the detailed explanation of the curriculum and my interaction with the students and faculty I feel like this school is a good fit for me.

While both responses are not perfect the second interviewee certainly leaves a little bit to be desired. Even in college admissions when looking through students we don't go for the diehards first because we know that at the end of the day they will choose us no questions asked. So we're initially are more interested in the students that may not have other offers and are not begging for our attention.

I mean it's certainly not so cut and dry but it's just my two cents. And it helped me get accepted my top choice this cycle

 

[andybshaker]

Excellent point. I don't want to be seen as that chump that they can take off the waitlist in August.

 

[Donald Juan]

Excellent point. I don't want to be seen as that chump that they can take off the waitlist in August.

I am very, very skeptical of the above advice you quoted. Most schools would prefer to accept one matriculating class made up completely of students that wanted to go to that school #1 out of everywhere, and never have to defer to the waitlist. Of course this isn't possible, but it would be an idealistic goal. At my low ranked state school, the easy way to get yourself post interview rejected is to act like you aren't interested in the school. The way out of state students truly get considered is to let the adcomm know how much they want to go here and why they want to live in this area. I think adcomms think highly of people who think highly of their school and know that those students will be happy there, and those students won't sit on an acceptance until the last minute just for financial aid leverage at another school before ultimately giving it up forcing them to move further and further down the waitlist to fill a seat. This is why students send letters of intent: it doesn't make you look like a "chump," it makes you look like a sure thing that deserves consideration.

Practically speaking though, don't say "number 1" unless you are absolutely, 100% sure. Some students say this early on trying to play some game, then they get accepted to X school that they "never thought they would get accepted to" and have to go back on their word or matriculate somewhere less desireable. People get into the same issues with LOIs.

 

[Lucca]

I am also skeptical of the first poster's advice.

Consider this approach: if asked a question about school fit or choice during an interview, instead of saying something totally banal like, "This is my #1 choice", why not give more solid information as to WHY that school is your top choice, or a good fit, instead. In the first instance, you learn nothing about the applicant. Wanting to go somewhere really bad is generic, possible disingenuous, and shallow. Providing support like "your mission statement aligns very closely with my own goals because X", or "Based on what I've learned in undergrad, I know your curriculum would make the ideal learning environment for me", etc etc, instead gives the interviewer new information; it answers a why question instead of a what question. At the end of the interview, it is implicit that for those reasons this school is your top choice without you ever explicitly having to make a mundane statement.

 

[DokterMom]

If your 'Number 1' is a top tier school with average stats that are above yours, they already know/assume they're your top choice, and the advice in post #2 probably isn't bad. Be highly complimentary but not desperately gushing.

If your 'Number 1' is a lower-to-mid tier school with average stats that are below yours, then @Donald Juan's advice is much more on target. If there's a specific reason you want to go there over schools that are more in line with your numbers, say so.

If your 'Number 1' is a good fit school in line with your stats, either approach is totally fine.

 

[avgn]

Ignore the first poster. He's speaking pure speculation. Two interviewers at separate top schools told me I should update my first choice school after my interviews are over to tell them they are my first choice. We've seen adcoms here say it's ineffective to swear at the interview you'll attend because every desperate premed will lie. But if you have multiple IIs and at the end of the cycle you tell them it's your top choice and would attend if accepted, it's a win-no gain situation.

To think a school would put you on the waitlist because you're eager to attend is logically ridiculous. This isn't a dating game.

 

[avgn]

Excellent point. I don't want to be seen as that chump that they can take off the waitlist in August.

This is not a dating game or prom and that is decidedly NOT how admissions works.

 

[Psai]

Ignore the first poster. He's speaking pure speculation. Two interviewers at separate top schools told me I should update my first choice school after my interviews are over to tell them they are my first choice. We've seen adcoms here say it's ineffective to swear at the interview you'll attend because every desperate premed will lie. But if you have multiple IIs and at the end of the cycle you tell them it's your top choice and would attend if accepted, it's a win-no gain situation.

To think a school would put you on the waitlist because you're eager to attend is logically ridiculous. This isn't a dating game.

They don't put much stock into it because anyone can say it to any school. Also, people's opinions change. So your #1 today might not be your #1 tomorrow.

 

[andybshaker]

If your 'Number 1' is a top tier school with average stats that are above yours, they already know/assume they're your top choice, and the advice in post #2 probably isn't bad. Be highly complimentary but not desperately gushing.

If your 'Number 1' is a lower-to-mid tier school with average stats that are below yours, then @Donald Juan's advice is much more on target. If there's a specific reason you want to go there over schools that are more in line with your numbers, say so.

If your 'Number 1' is a good fit school in line with your stats, either approach is totally fine.

It's a mid-tier with stats that are pretty much in line with mine. I'm a bit higher in terms of GPA, average for MCAT.

How does this work: during the interview, explain why I am a good fit for the school and how my values are aligned with the school's mission, and then send a letter of intent after the interview. Advice?

 

[Ismet]

Lol no, do not play "hard to get." It's a dumb game to play in relationships and makes no sense to do so in med school admissions.

You don't need to say "you're my top choice!" because anyone can say that. You need to demonstrate WHY they're you're top choice and why you would be an excellent fit at the school.

Letters of intent don't really mean much, and make 100% sure that the school in question is receptive to these letters (if they say "don't send them" and you do, that means you can't follow simple directions). An update or thank you letter restating your continued interest can be appreciated by some schools.

 

[andybshaker]

Lol no, do not play "hard to get." It's a dumb game to play in relationships and makes no sense to do so in med school admissions.

You don't need to say "you're my top choice!" because anyone can say that. You need to demonstrate WHY they're you're top choice and why you would be an excellent fit at the school.

Letters of intent don't really mean much, and make 100% sure that the school in question is receptive to these letters (if they say "don't send them" and you do, that means you can't follow simple directions). An update or thank you letter restating your continued interest can be appreciated by some schools.

Yeah, this seems to be the recurring piece of advice. Show them, not tell them. They accept like 70% of in-state applicants post interview, so I'm really hoping to get in. Thanks for the advice!

 

[avgn]

They don't put much stock into it because anyone can say it to any school. Also, people's opinions change. So your #1 today might not be your #1 tomorrow.

This is what I always thought until both of these interviewers told me pointedly at the end of the interview to inform the first choice school at the end of the cycle. Both said something along the lines of "Schools, even ones like [xx] want to be wanted, so be honest at the end of the season and let your first choice school know they are your favorite. It helps." Just another example of different strokes for different schools. I think that telling them at the end of the cycle instead of during an interview makes a big difference because it's not a "I'm desperate" kind of thing, it's "I have seen for myself what it out there and you are for me because ABC reasons"

 

[pyrrion89]

If someone told me they really wanted to some to my school, it would not affect my decision one way or the other. I would assume everyone really wants to come, so they're just stating what is already implied. If they brought it up out of the blue, it might come off as being too pushy or desperate, though.

 

[piii]

Every school wants to feel like it's a top choice. Common sense. The thing is, if you genuinely want to go to a school so badly, being enthusiastic and backing up your reasons in an interview is a good thing. Just don't get carried away. It wont decide your admittance, but it may add icing to the cake for an already strong applicant.

Anecdotal: I got into my top choice. I said it was my top choice in my interview. I went to the med school for graduate school and I've lived in that city for a decade. I was familiar with the community and so I had genuine reasons to back up my statement.

 

[mistafab]

How paranoid can you be OP? You can't come up with a list of every perfect thing to say and every sentence to avoid (though there are many). Just go there and be genuine, apply to enough places, and you'll find a good fit.

 

[andybshaker]

How paranoid can you be OP?

Is that a challenge?

 

[mistafab]

Your avatar is George Costanza, but you are actually BARNEY STINSON!

And if you are Barney, you should have no problem charming your interviewers

 

[andybshaker]

Unfortunately, I'm far more like George Costanza...I just have more hair.

George is getting' UPSET!