Lower end interviewees?

[virtuoso735]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I was wondering how schools look at interviewees who are at the lower end of the numbers scale. I've been pleasantly surprised with 4 MD interview invites so far, and I wasn't really expecting any (especially after reading all the stuff about how important numbers are on SDN and people telling me to forget about going MD).

Anyhow, I'm wondering if those on the lower end of the GPA and MCAT range still have a good chance of getting in if they are invited for interviews? Or would it be a waste of money? I will still go to the interviews regardless, but should I not get my hopes up? Any interviewees with low stats (below 3.4 GPA and below 33 MCAT) get into med schools that aren't in-state public schools?

 

[Lucky Louie]

Of course your hopes are up. Do you think the schools asked you to come in for an interview because they just want a pity party?

 

[urbanclassic]

Definitely go, and be proud! If you have an interview at a school, that means they want you to come because they saw something in your application they liked! My MCAT wasn't that good, but I still got in to schools. Don't beat yourself up, or feel less about your stats. SDN posters are different from people in real life.

 

[Nymphicus]

Unless you already have an acceptance, 99.5% of the time interviews can lead to an acceptance, assuming you can speak coherently and aren't a crazy.

Most schools utilize the interview report as another piece of the application. So you aren't necessarily on even standing just because you got an interview.

However, a school wouldn't expend the resources to interview you if they didn't think they might very well accept you.

 

[hiyaman]

Unless you already have an acceptance, 99.5% of the time interviews can lead to an acceptance, assuming you can speak coherently and aren't a crazy.

Most schools utilize the interview report as another piece of the application. So you aren't necessarily on even standing just because you got an interview.

However, a school wouldn't expend the resources to interview you if they didn't think they might very well accept you.

uh what? do you mean 99.5% of applicants will go to interview before an acceptance?

Or are you trying to say you cant get an acceptance without an interview?

 

[Nymphicus]

uh what? do you mean 99.5% of applicants will go to interview before an acceptance?

Or are you trying to say you cant get an acceptance without an interview?

0.5% (never) of interviews are just for show, or as a courtesy, and not really intended for an acceptance. Probably not something you need to worry about.

 

[dsk89]

I was wondering how schools look at interviewees who are at the lower end of the numbers scale. I've been pleasantly surprised with 4 MD interview invites so far, and I wasn't really expecting any (especially after reading all the stuff about how important numbers are on SDN and people telling me to forget about going MD).

Anyhow, I'm wondering if those on the lower end of the GPA and MCAT range still have a good chance of getting in if they are invited for interviews? Or would it be a waste of money? I will still go to the interviews regardless, but should I not get my hopes up? Any interviewees with low stats (below 3.4 GPA and below 33 MCAT) get into med schools that aren't in-state public schools?

3.5 cgpa, 3.3 sgpa, 28S here. I have 1 MD interview at a private school. It is definitely possible,but I still consider myself very lucky and am very grateful, as this could turn out to be my only chance at an MD. And plenty of people have told me to forget about going MD too. But you never know if you don't try, it's your life so don't let what they say affect your decisions. It is awesome that you have 4 invites, I would go to all of them! good luck!

 

[Snarkitroph]

My roommate was 3.5 cgpa, 29 MCAT. She had one interview, which lead to one acceptance and that was all she needed! She's a very happy, if stressed, MS1. She had one interviewer who was open file, and he asked things like how will she cope with the class load, what techniques will she use and how will she deal with stress. She went the method of claiming motivation was going to make the difference for her between med school and undergrad classes.

 

[Law2Doc]

Unless you already have an acceptance, 99.5% of the time interviews can lead to an acceptance, assuming you can speak coherently and aren't a crazy.

Most schools utilize the interview report as another piece of the application. So you aren't necessarily on even standing just because you got an interview.

However, a school wouldn't expend the resources to interview you if they didn't think they might very well accept you.

No program interviews people who don't have a chance of gaining admission -- it's too a big cost of adcom time and some expense to do this, so they only invite people who meet the basic standards to get in. And most places put huge weight in the interview if you get that far, such that most other credentials are going to take a back seat. However many places interview 3-4 times as many people as they gave seats so the notion that interviews are just meant to weed out the crazies is a premed myth. Most premeds can hold things together for a couple if half hour interviews. So the ability to sell yourself in n interview means a lot more than talking coherently and not acting crazy. The folks who get in off the strength of their interviews did a lot more than this. Prepare, practice and sell yourself. Don't be passive and count on your GPA, MCAT scores and mere ability to not act crazy to get you in. It won't. Plenty if people with lower stats who interview well blow by those with better numbers every year at every school. When you get into med school, you'll have a greater appreciation for how coveted these interpersonal skills are by schools and the field. And you will see lots of your higher scoring peers scratching their heads as to why they ended up on the waitlist of X, Y and Z school, while the chatty amiable guy with the lower stats took their spot because he knew how to pitch his wares.

 

[Barcu]

No program interviews people who don't have a chance of gaining admission -- it's too a big cost of adcom time and some expense to do this, so they only invite people who meet the basic standards to get in. And most places put huge weight in the interview if you get that far, such that most other credentials are going to take a back seat. However many places interview 3-4 times as many people as they gave seats so the notion that interviews are just meant to weed out the crazies is a premed myth. Most premeds can hold things together for a couple if half hour interviews. So the ability to sell yourself in n interview means a lot more than talking coherently and not acting crazy. The folks who get in off the strength of their interviews did a lot more than this. Prepare, practice and sell yourself. Don't be passive and count on your GPA, MCAT scores and mere ability to not act crazy to get you in. It won't. Plenty if people with lower stats who interview well blow by those with better numbers every year at every school. When you get into med school, you'll have a greater appreciation for how coveted these interpersonal skills are by schools and the field. And you will see lots of your higher scoring peers scratching their heads as to why they ended up on the waitlist of X, Y and Z school, while the chatty amiable guy with the lower stats took their spot because he knew how to pitch his wares.

Always on target.

Anyway OP. An interview is a good sign, meaning that they are willing look over your lower numbers. However, you still have to impress in an interview, since most schools accept 1 out of every 4 or so who interview. The whole application (including numbers) still matters, so it really would benefit you to put a lot of time into interview prep and really impress.

With four invites, you have something in your app that adcoms must really like. If you can figure out what that is (probably an EC) and emphasize that in interviews, you can do well and could be looking at multiple acceptances.

 

[Barcu]

And btw, your gpa may be low, but your MCAT is pretty solid. You can have some confidence in those numbers.

 

[hiyaman]

0.5% (never) of interviews are just for show, or as a courtesy, and not really intended for an acceptance. Probably not something you need to worry about.

oh I had a reading comprehension fail lol.

 

[Sophocles]

No program interviews people who don't have a chance of gaining admission -- it's too a big cost of adcom time and some expense to do this, so they only invite people who meet the basic standards to get in. And most places put huge weight in the interview if you get that far, such that most other credentials are going to take a back seat. However many places interview 3-4 times as many people as they gave seats so the notion that interviews are just meant to weed out the crazies is a premed myth. Most premeds can hold things together for a couple if half hour interviews. So the ability to sell yourself in n interview means a lot more than talking coherently and not acting crazy. The folks who get in off the strength of their interviews did a lot more than this. Prepare, practice and sell yourself. Don't be passive and count on your GPA, MCAT scores and mere ability to not act crazy to get you in. It won't. Plenty if people with lower stats who interview well blow by those with better numbers every year at every school. When you get into med school, you'll have a greater appreciation for how coveted these interpersonal skills are by schools and the field. And you will see lots of your higher scoring peers scratching their heads as to why they ended up on the waitlist of X, Y and Z school, while the chatty amiable guy with the lower stats took their spot because he knew how to pitch his wares.

Great advice! It seems to me that numbers are extremely important to get you the interview. Besides that, it is how much your interviewer wants to fight for you (depending on how well you impressed them or not), and I think, as stated above, that a lot of schools place heavy emphasis on this part.

 

[MedPR]

I was wondering how schools look at interviewees who are at the lower end of the numbers scale. I've been pleasantly surprised with 4 MD interview invites so far, and I wasn't really expecting any (especially after reading all the stuff about how important numbers are on SDN and people telling me to forget about going MD).

Anyhow, I'm wondering if those on the lower end of the GPA and MCAT range still have a good chance of getting in if they are invited for interviews? Or would it be a waste of money? I will still go to the interviews regardless, but should I not get my hopes up? Any interviewees with low stats (below 3.4 GPA and below 33 MCAT) get into med schools that aren't in-state public schools?

I have low stats as well and I will be attending every MD interview and treating it as if I have a chance of getting in. Like others have said, no way would they waste their time on someone if they weren't considering accepting them.

uh what? do you mean 99.5% of applicants will go to interview before an acceptance?

Or are you trying to say you cant get an acceptance without an interview?

oh I had a reading comprehension fail lol.

Glad you caught it. I was getting ready to point it out to you 😉 👍

 

[MedPR]

Great advice! It seems to me that numbers are extremely important to get you the interview. Besides that, it is how much your interviewer wants to fight for you (depending on how well you impressed them or not), and I think, as stated above, that a lot of schools place heavy emphasis on this part.

I agree and it certainly seems to be the consensus on SDN.

 

[virtuoso735]

I've been practicing interview questions and preparing answers and all of that, but I'm not really sure how to gauge my interview skills. I think I did well in my previous two interviews (both DO schools), but I won't hear back from any of them until at least a week from today, which means that I won't really have anything to base my feelings on. 🙁

My person on my school's premed committee told me I did fine when I did a mock interview with her, but it is kind of hard to tell over Skype though. I feel like I need to do really well on these MD interviews to have a good chance at admissions. At least I have a few chances though.