Just got grilled today

[alphaDDS]

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So, I just got drilled today during my interview. He was pretty relentless, kept asking questions and not let me answer them, and finally I broke. I started getting uneasy and it showed, which I'm pretty sure is what he was after. Then he became more personable, but I was off. Damn it, it was just weird. Not sure what to think, but it didn't feel like it went all that well. I have great stats, I have a sweet personality, I'm not sure why he was trying to break me down. This WAS a top choice school for me, and I would still really like to attend here.

Anyone else have and experience like this?
Anyone from previous cylces, who had positive outcomes?

 

[Fonz]

what school?

 

[Shayan_4_Cal]

I may guess you interviewed at one of the Arizona schools!! haha relax my friend. we all have experienced those things. don't take it personal. It's all part of their evaluation.

 

[moralbrain]

dude, you gotta tell us which school it was

 

[GrumpyAlyson06]

That sounds like a text-book 'horrible interview'! Best of luck and i hope you make it to your #1!🙂

 

[DINI]

don't worry...they don't deserve you...let's not forget, these people at the admission are not gods...they are human like me and you...maybe he had a bad day...keep it up

 

[pmantz]

I thought my interview went pretty poorly at marquette. I envisioned this interview, where I was asked about myself and the whole process would be organic(other people I interviewed with had this experience). Instead I was his with several hard questions, my interviewers were never mean or overly tough. I was just super nervous it was my first, at the end they asked me if there was anything I would like to add, I just remember being articulate but ultimately I feel like I was grasping at straws.


*****DISCLAIMER***** My experience is exactly that, my experience and is solely anecdotal. I know others who shot the **** about baseball.

 

[t man]

I got grilled at UMDNJ. It sucked, but I like the school, hopefully it turns out well.

 

[blasterx]

My experience was almost the exact same as the OP's 🙁

I didn't break but after I got grilled I got really nervous and didn't articulate my answers like I normally would have. I tried my best but I'm not counting on hearing from them on Dec 1.

 

[PChemGrad]

Some schools just want to see how you will do under the pressure. They understand that you are human, yet, to go to dental school places A LOT of pressure upon an individual. If you break easily you might not be able to handle the pressure. The schools are looking at you as an investment, if you drop out the school looses out on money that you pay in tuition.

Sometimes you just get a jerk that is on the admission committee that has a God complex. Who knows, you did what you could. Dont let it fluster you, its over. You could write a thank you card to the person who interviewed you, and that could help out your chances.

Good Luck

 

[blankguy]

Some schools just want to see how you will do under the pressure. They understand that you are human, yet, to go to dental school places A LOT of pressure upon an individual. If you break easily you might not be able to handle the pressure. The schools are looking at you as an investment, if you drop out the school looses out on money that you pay in tuition.

Sometimes you just get a jerk that is on the admission committee that has a God complex. Who knows, you did what you could. Dont let it fluster you, its over. You could write a thank you card to the person who interviewed you, and that could help out your chances.

Good Luck

Maybe it is just the interviewer wanting to see that not the school?

 

[johntara04]

Dang. I clicked on this thread hoping to see some sweet bling on the ol' chompers.....😀

 

[eleanor_rigby]

I think it's a good tactic employed by some interviewers in order to assess the psychological aspects of the interviewee. If you crack, then you obviously can't take the heat and that's what it's going to be like in school and when dealing with patients. They're obviously not judging solely on the quality of your answers, but they're also trying to take note of any odd behaviorisms and other aspects that you exude.

 

[SugarNaCl]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. What happens generally seems to happen for a reason in the long run. If you get in, you will be pleasantly surprised. If you don't, not meant to be. Someone posted on here about an NYU interview like that. I think it actually may have been Yah-E (but don't quote me). I do believe he ended up getting in, but not attending.

That said, others can't necessarily feed off of what happened to you in your interview. At VCU, one of my professors asked how many in the class he interviewed, and only 3-4 out of 90 people raised their hands.

 

[dmd2011]

i had that same experience at NYU. my interviewer spent the first 15 min of the interview ripping me apart then he became much more friendly and tried to sell the school to me. i thought that was the worst of my interviews and was still accepted there.

 

[Curious 138]

some of them grill you to see how you handle the situation

 

[diane07]

It's called a stress interview.

Your interviewer might talk really fast, take a phone call during your interview, interrup you, try to intimidate you, not let you answer questions ect.

Do a google search and you'll find tips on how to handle a stress interview.

Stress interviews are one type of job interview, but it wouldn't surprise me if some dental schools utilized them as well. Sure sounds to me like that's what you experienced.

 

[Shunwei]

A lot of interviews do this--this is what's called a "hard" interview. A lot of pressure, stress, in-your-face kind of questions and attitude. . . . but I think there is really nothing to it as long as you hold on to one core strategy: never lose your cool. If you really feel pressured, simply pause and not say anything for a few seconds, and use this time to collect your thoughts. Using light, clean, and harmless humor to defuse the situation is also useful.

The key thing to remember is that an interview is a two-way street. You want to make a good impression and get into the program, but you also want to find out how you like them. I guess I am fortunate in that I don't find the interviews intimidating since I am talking to more or less "equals," given that I have a Doctorate and have dealt with faculty for the longest time. But I would imagine any sycophantic attitude won't go well.