is it ok....?

[xraygray]

so i have an interview coming up at my first choice, also my state school. i already have an acceptance at a school but it is way more expensive. would it be a good idea to tell my interviewer about my other acceptance and my desire to go to go to medical school in-state? also, i have already interviewed at my other state school, which i dont like as much as the school i have been accepted to but it is much much cheaper, and am writing an update letter. should i include that i have an acceptance but would rather go to a state school? holla back. thanks.

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[Rafa]

First of all, I'm assuming you're talking about three schools here. State #1 (favorite), State #2 (have interviewed, not favorite), and Out of state #3 (expensive, but accepted)

1. Don't tell other schools where you've already been accepted or rejected UNLESS you've got all your decisions in (acc/rej/wait/withd) and you're bargaining for finaid among your acceptances. Don't shut yourself out of a possible acceptance.

2. Don't tell state school #2 about the out-of-state acceptance, as they might think (well, s/he's already in somewhere else, so...?). If that school is your number one choice (though your post suggests it isn't), tell them you'd really like to go there - but don't mention prior acceptances.

I'm surer about my first answer than I am about my second - if other SDNers have suggestions on whether the acceptance could be used as a bargaining chip, I'd be quite interested in hearing. Haven't come across that one too often.

 

[xraygray]

at a couple of my other interviews i've been asked what i will do if i am not accepted this year. what then?

 

[87138]

at a couple of my other interviews i've been asked what i will do if i am not accepted this year. what then?

I was told by someone who used to be on an Adcom for a med school that he used to get really tired/bored of hearing people answer that with "well if I don't get in I'll probably do research" or something like that, even if it was "...and then apply again." If that is indeed your intention, that's fine, but just know that it may sound generic. He said that one guy was completely honest and answered with "I'll probably go work construction for my friend's dad if I don't get in" and this actually left a good, if not at least memorable impression with the interviewer.


If I'm asked this question, I will probably answer that I will return to my current job as a Medical Assistant and take a class or two to strengthen my abilities/knowledge base and re-apply the following year.



Edit: I just realized I didn't really answer the OP's question, since it was about what you should tell the interviewer in that case if you're already accepted.

Hopefully someone else can field that one.

 

[unfrozencaveman]

at a couple of my other interviews i've been asked what i will do if i am not accepted this year. what then?

I was asked that at a couple of interviews after an acceptance or two. I basically told them I was in, where I was in, and that I was pretty pumped about it. Why not? It makes you look studly, and that you are considering them because you like them, not because you're desperate.

 

[PurpleHaze]

I probably wouldn't mention the other acceptance unless asked about it.

 

[87138]

I was asked that at a couple of interviews after an acceptance or two. I basically told them I was in, where I was in, and that I was pretty pumped about it. Why not? It makes you look studly, and that you are considering them because you like them, not because you're desperate.

Hmm, that's true. It's a tough call. On the one hand, it might make them think "well he's already in somewhere, so why bother accepting him", but on the other hand, he might think "wow, this guy is already in somewhere and he's still making the effort to come to the interview here, he must really want to come here."

 

[GujjuNo1]

so i have an interview coming up at my first choice, also my state school. i already have an acceptance at a school but it is way more expensive. would it be a good idea to tell my interviewer about my other acceptance and my desire to go to go to medical school in-state? also, i have already interviewed at my other state school, which i dont like as much as the school i have been accepted to but it is much much cheaper, and am writing an update letter. should i include that i have an acceptance but would rather go to a state school? holla back. thanks.

Dude...i was in the same situation two weeks ago (i interviewed at my no1 state school).

I did mention that I had already been accepted to an out of state med school and I feel like I made a BIG mistake. This being my third year applying, I could have really use some pity points (now, the adcom might think even if they don't accept me I am still going to be a good doctor). Of course, you don't want to lie (so any question that requires you to say you have been accepted then go ahead and say it).

PLUS - I do want to know if it is ok to contact the other state school and say I have been accepted but I would love to go to your school. (The tricky part is...it's not letter of intent because this the second choice and not first).

 

[Saluki]

I've gotten accepted a couple places, but one school I'm really interested in offered me an interview. I didn't have enough money left to buy a plane ticket, so I'm taking a 24 hour greyhound bus trip to get there... Am I going to mention all that? You bet I am. Will they care? Probably not, but I'm feeling optimistic.... Every school is your top choice when you haven't been accepted someplace. If you've been accepted someplace else, I think it's fine to say that you have but that "X school" is your top choice and that's why you're interviewing after receiving an acceptance elsewhere...

 

[BaylorGuy]

so i have an interview coming up at my first choice, also my state school. i already have an acceptance at a school but it is way more expensive. would it be a good idea to tell my interviewer about my other acceptance and my desire to go to go to medical school in-state? also, i have already interviewed at my other state school, which i dont like as much as the school i have been accepted to but it is much much cheaper, and am writing an update letter. should i include that i have an acceptance but would rather go to a state school? holla back. thanks.

As a rule of thumb...NEVER tell schools that you are interviewing at that you've been accepted elsewhere. It'll be a strike against you and you will most likely have to make yourself a better candidate than others and really express why you want to go to this particular school that you are interviewing at.

 

[zero2hero]

I agree with baylorguy, dont mention other acceptances. If the interviewer asks you then you may not have a choice but do not bring up the issue yourself.

 

[p00psicleSTICK]

so what are you supposed to say if they ask you whether you've been accepted somewhere else?

"NEXT QUESTION!"?

 

[MoosePilot]

so what are you supposed to say if they ask you whether you've been accepted somewhere else?

"NEXT QUESTION!"?

Ok, I can't give you a "right" answer. I can give you the answer I'd give.

"Yes, I've been accepted to University of X. I'm excited to have an acceptance, but I would prefer to come here, because of [insert reasons they are your number 1]. I feel this school is the best fit for me and I think if you consider [insert your qualifications here], you'll see that I'm a good choice for you, as well."

 

[Law2Doc]

I agree with baylorguy, dont mention other acceptances. If the interviewer asks you then you may not have a choice but do not bring up the issue yourself.

Nobody ever brings the issue up themselves. Whenever I was in this position I just took the honest, full disclosure approach. Didn't help at such places and perhaps may have hurt. Probably puts you in a position where you really need to sell yourself and why you would pick the interviewer's school over your other acceptance. Hopefully there is something positively ditinguishable you can point to as a reason you like XYZ school better (and that you have thought this through ahead of time). But at least you have those other acceptances to fall back on.