Is this a risky question to ask of an interviewer?

[calivianya]

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Hi all - I just watched a YouTube video (one of many I've watched this cycle) about med school interviews, and this one suggested asking a question of the interviewer that really surprised me.

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

My first instinct is that this looks desperate, but the video insisted it put the interviewer on your side as an advocate. Funnily enough, the school that put this video up is the one I'm interviewing at today, and I would absolutely attend this school over my other acceptance if I am lucky enough to get accepted here.

Is this a risky question? Could it backfire on me spectacularly if I use it, or does it show real interest in the school?

Thanks.

 

[deleted480308]

It seems like a bad question to me....I wouldn’t ask it

 

[ndafife]

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

What are you going to do with any answer to that question? Run over to a soup kitchen over lunch and serve for an hour then chase down your interviewer sometime later and let him know you got another hour of non-clinical volunteering

 

[Chelsea FC]

Sounds foolish. You should be able to recognize this is crap advice.

 

[Chelsea FC]

Also comes across a little creepy, like do you mean you're ready to get some blisters on you knees for that acceptance ?

 

[Deleted member 750603]

I found that questions related to essentially "what should I do/what are you looking for in a candidate" usually don't really get answered anyway. They will typically say something regarding that each applicant is different so there aren't necessarily a few things they are looking for rather than the whole application or WORSE turn the question on you and ask you "what do you think would make you a stronger candidate".

If you're not ready for the latter part that can be a can of worms for you. Then it's really a question of "What are you weaknesses in your application". As you're shuffling out the door it may not be the best thing to talk about your weaknesses.

Better question to ask would be "If you were a banana would you peel yourself".

 

[Med Ed]

Hi all - I just watched a YouTube video (one of many I've watched this cycle) about med school interviews, and this one suggested asking a question of the interviewer that really surprised me.

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

My first instinct is that this looks desperate, but the video insisted it put the interviewer on your side as an advocate. Funnily enough, the school that put this video up is the one I'm interviewing at today, and I would absolutely attend this school over my other acceptance if I am lucky enough to get accepted here.

Is this a risky question? Could it backfire on me spectacularly if I use it, or does it show real interest in the school?

Thanks.

Use it and report back.

 

[el_duderino]

Risky, maybe. It's also dumb. There's no possible answer that could be useful. By the time of your interview, your application is complete. The very idea that something you could do after the interview could change their decision is dumb.

 

[Osminog]

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"
"The first thing would be to stop asking imbecilic questions like that one."

 

[Kingsmen2018]

Pure duncery

 

[Goro]

Hi all - I just watched a YouTube video (one of many I've watched this cycle) about med school interviews, and this one suggested asking a question of the interviewer that really surprised me.

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

My first instinct is that this looks desperate, but the video insisted it put the interviewer on your side as an advocate. Funnily enough, the school that put this video up is the one I'm interviewing at today, and I would absolutely attend this school over my other acceptance if I am lucky enough to get accepted here.

Is this a risky question? Could it backfire on me spectacularly if I use it, or does it show real interest in the school?

Thanks.

At that point in time, there is nothing more that you can do to get accepted, except maybe offer a seven figure donation.

 

[Spectar]

At that point in time, there is nothing more that you can do to get accepted, except maybe offer a seven figure donation.

I guess six figure doesn't cut it anymore since that's the COA anyway...

 

[21Rush12]

All I know is if you asked me this, I would take it as sucking up to the max. I guess it depends on who is doing your interview and what the context is.

 

[MalteseFalconMD]

I'm going to be honest, most of those interview prep videos give horrible advice and generally lead people to give scripted, disingenuous responses. I cringe watching those MMI prep videos.

 

[ReapPremed]

Can you link the video?

If I was an expert at this I wouldn't have taken three cycles to get in. But during this last cycle at each interview I really tried to bring up experiences and stories with details showing I was a perfect fit for the program, and its mission. PBL? Talk about team-lab projects. Underserved urban? Talk about my volunteering. I demonstrated I was fit for their program and made them want me, rather than prostrating myself and promising I'd become the student they want.

 

[Deleted member 750603]

Can you link the video?

If I was an expert at this I wouldn't have taken three cycles to get in. But during this last cycle at each interview I really tried to bring up experiences and stories with details showing I was a perfect fit for the program, and its mission. PBL? Talk about team-lab projects. Underserved urban? Talk about my volunteering. I demonstrated I was fit for their program and made them want me, rather than prostrating myself and promising I'd become the student they want.

I don't know that anyone can offer up any specific advice regarding you without seeing how you actually interview in person. There may be that one thing you do that is not quite right but who knows maybe you're doing great and it is something else. Here is an example of some "stuff" though.

Interview Questions - YouTube

 

[el_duderino]

Can you link the video?

If I was an expert at this I wouldn't have taken three cycles to get in. But during this last cycle at each interview I really tried to bring up experiences and stories with details showing I was a perfect fit for the program, and its mission. PBL? Talk about team-lab projects. Underserved urban? Talk about my volunteering. I demonstrated I was fit for their program and made them want me, rather than prostrating myself and promising I'd become the student they want.

I really don't think it was about demonstrating you're a "fit" for their program necessarily; the difference, from what you describe, is that you emphasized stories with details at all. That stuff is interesting to an interviewer. Prostrating yourself and promising you'll be the student they want is boring and meaningless. Showing that you're an actual interesting human being with thoughts and desires of your own, as well as the inherent drive to follow through on those thoughts and desires, makes you an interesting candidate.

 

[21Rush12]

I'm going to be honest, most of those interview prep videos give horrible advice and generally lead people to give scripted, disingenuous responses. I cringe watching those MMI prep videos.

Same. It’s like they have the right idea, but it’s just so cringey and insincere it gives applicants the idea that this is how they should act.

 

[Robin-jay]

"What can I do to sell you this car today"?

Customer walks away.

 

[calivianya]

Sounds foolish. You should be able to recognize this is crap advice.

It is definitely crap advice. The only thing about it that interested me was that it was from the school I was interviewing at, which made me wonder if they were insinuating they are a school that likes to see applicants grovel and send in ten million update letters. We all know there are a couple of these.

Also comes across a little creepy, like do you mean you're ready to get some blisters on you knees for that acceptance ?

Or eat a poop hot dog?

Can you link the video?

If I was an expert at this I wouldn't have taken three cycles to get in. But during this last cycle at each interview I really tried to bring up experiences and stories with details showing I was a perfect fit for the program, and its mission. PBL? Talk about team-lab projects. Underserved urban? Talk about my volunteering. I demonstrated I was fit for their program and made them want me, rather than prostrating myself and promising I'd become the student they want.

If I find it again, I'll PM it to you. It's amazing how many sites a person can dig through in one day.

The problem is I painted myself a certain way in my personal statement, and attempting to show that I'm a perfect fit for anyone's program would have been completely disingenuous at best.

 

[Premed2295]

I would ask what you can do to best prepare yourself for life at that school, or what you can do between now and matriculation to strengthen application packet.
Same info without being desperate

 

[itsmcv2015]

Hi all - I just watched a YouTube video (one of many I've watched this cycle) about med school interviews, and this one suggested asking a question of the interviewer that really surprised me.

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

My first instinct is that this looks desperate, but the video insisted it put the interviewer on your side as an advocate. Funnily enough, the school that put this video up is the one I'm interviewing at today, and I would absolutely attend this school over my other acceptance if I am lucky enough to get accepted here.

Is this a risky question? Could it backfire on me spectacularly if I use it, or does it show real interest in the school?

Thanks.

Buy me a new car. I'll advocate for you really hard if you do that.

Seriously, though, this question is poorly-worded. It might suggest a lack of self-awareness and isn't really going to garner an useful answer for you. Certainly, though, asking what sort of medical student is successful at the school or something similar could be helpful. Also, if you can't answer the follow-up question someone suggested about what would make you a stronger applicant, that is also a red flag. Definitely be able to answer that question should we ask it. Failing to know your weaknesses and limitations is a major red flag.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

Hi all - I just watched a YouTube video (one of many I've watched this cycle) about med school interviews, and this one suggested asking a question of the interviewer that really surprised me.

"What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?"

My first instinct is that this looks desperate, but the video insisted it put the interviewer on your side as an advocate. Funnily enough, the school that put this video up is the one I'm interviewing at today, and I would absolutely attend this school over my other acceptance if I am lucky enough to get accepted here.

Is this a risky question? Could it backfire on me spectacularly if I use it, or does it show real interest in the school?

Thanks.

If someone asked me "What do I need to do from here to get accepted to your school?", I'd be weirded out because by that point, I have reviewed the interviewee's application and, hopefully, almost concluded the interview by that point. I'd be thinking about whether he/she wants to bribe me or something to that effect.

Just don't do it.

 

[Deleted member 750603]

If someone asked me " I'd be thinking about whether he/she wants to bribe me or something to that effect.

really?