Main Reason for Rejection after Interview?

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MissSmiley

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I was wondering what some of you may feel or know are reasons for a dental school to reject you after going through the interview process. The main reason to have interviews is so that they have an idea of who you are as a person and why you want to be a dentist, right? Of all the applicants, only a select few are given interviews. After that, an even smaller number are chosen to attend the school. I just wanted to know how you guys felt about this question.
 
i agree with magna.... an interview isn't a guaranteed acceptance for the charismatic. generally the probability of getting in once offered an interview is between 25%-35%.

those with great stats have a great chance of getting in if they can hold their own, while those with lower stats will have to blow the interviewers away to gain an offer. sometimes it seems as if there is no rhyme or reason to why some ppl get accepted and others do not.

case in point: when i interviewed at NYU there was this heavy set kid that neither shaved nor brushed his hair (he had bedhead!!) on interview day. i was chatting with him, and he could never keep the conversation going. we exchanged emails, and i find out 2 weeks later he gets an offer and i was placed on the waitlist 😕😕 my interviewer even told me "you're a great fit for NYU, see ya in the fall" 🙄 granted, i did get off the waitlist, but still..

when you interview, just be yourself and smile A LOT. make a good impression on the students leading the tours, as they often have some input into the admission process.

best of luck to you :luck:

jb!🙂
 
Thanks for the input. I know getting an interview is not guaranteed but a 30% chance is a looking a lot better than 11% (originally) or 0%. I feel that it's at least one step closer. How are the interviews conducted? Do they look for interactions between candidates? Or is it all based on just your individual interview with each person? I would like to be prepared for my interview, but unfortunately I am a bit clueless as to how to prepare. I've read the interview feedback from SDN as well as other sources. I have a list of questions that I am preparing myself to answer. Is there anything else I should know? I do not know anyone personally attending any of these schools so I don't have the insider advantage.
 
MissSmiley said:
Thanks for the input. I know getting an interview is not guaranteed but a 30% chance is a looking a lot better than 11% (originally) or 0%. I feel that it's at least one step closer. How are the interviews conducted? Do they look for interactions between candidates? Or is it all based on just your individual interview with each person? I would like to be prepared for my interview, but unfortunately I am a bit clueless as to how to prepare. I've read the interview feedback from SDN as well as other sources. I have a list of questions that I am preparing myself to answer. Is there anything else I should know? I do not know anyone personally attending any of these schools so I don't have the insider advantage.
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i'm going to warn you to stay away from preparing your answers too much. the only questions you should prepare for are 1) why dentistry, and 2) anything weak in your application, b/c you will be asked about it. other than that, i would not memorize answers to questions.. as soon as your answer doesn't come out the way you rehearsed... trainwreck!! 😉

also, prepare Q's to ask them. most interviews conclude with a couple minutes to ask your interviewers questions. coming up with intelligent Q's only works in your favors and lets them know you did your research on the school.

jb!🙂
 
Alot of the questions that you'll be asked are not necessarily because the interviewer wants to know the answer. Instead, they like to ask questions just to see how you'll respond. I'd agree with Mr. Bauer...don't try to rehearse answers too much, because odds are you'll be very nervous and either screw up your scripted answer or you'll get it all out but it'll sound rehearsed.
 
jackbauer! said:
i'm going to warn you to stay away from preparing your answers too much. the only questions you should prepare for are 1) why dentistry, and 2) anything weak in your application, b/c you will be asked about it. other than that, i would not memorize answers to questions.. as soon as your answer doesn't come out the way you rehearsed... trainwreck!! 😉

also, prepare Q's to ask them. most interviews conclude with a couple minutes to ask your interviewers questions. coming up with intelligent Q's only works in your favors and lets them know you did your research on the school.

jb!🙂
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If you have research experience make sure you can intelligently discuss your particular project, as well as the projects going on in the lab.
 
I feel that once you've made the cut to be interviewed, that interview will determine whether you are in or out. Basically, your scores, gpa and experiences have warranted an interview, so the interview is the last step in securing your spot.
 
It's an old thread, but anyone else have anything to add? 🙂
 
Top 10 Reasons for Rejections After Interviews:

10. Sweaty palms during the pre and post interview handshakes
9. Giving cliche answers to common interview questions
8. Bad breath/body odor
7. Food stuck in teeth
6. Using bad grammar/vocabulary
5. Saying "um" too many times in each sentence
4. Saying the word "like" too many times in each sentence
3. Too nervous during interview
2. Being caught in a lie on your application
1. Revealing your identity on SDN
 
You didn't shake their hands firmly enough.
 
journeybegins said:
lol.. the same way that Biology majors could get a 16 on the Bio section of the DAT. Ah, standardized tests 🙄
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Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
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Exactly. I also minored in mathematics and got A's in the courses but still QR was my lowest section.
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
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Ok this is random Nguyen, but did you recently get married? lol 😳
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
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Are you, or do you know Alex Tran?
 
jackbauer! said:
i agree with magna.... an interview isn't a guaranteed acceptance for the charismatic. generally the probability of getting in once offered an interview is between 25%-35%.
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I disagree, I think the acceptance rate for interviews is higher than that. If a school interviews 400 candidates and has 100 available seats in their class, then yes, 25% of those interviewed will end up going to that school. However, many candidates get multiple offers and have to decline some acceptances so a school likely admits many more than 100 students. I have heard figures anywhere between 45 and 90 percent for many schools.
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
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Hah, that happened to be me. glad you took no offense. gl this cycle fellas
 
Most interview reviews go back to the admissions committee with your file again, so it's not solely the interview that makes or breaks you.
 
Most if not all schools must accept more students than available seats. Once in a while a school may send out too many acceptances through the whole cycle and end up with an extra student or two. Schools that have absolutely no way of fitting an extra student into a sim lab or clinic may send out acceptances slowly because of this.
 
pmanning19 said:
Most if not all schools must accept more students than available seats. Once in a while a school may send out too many acceptances through the whole cycle and end up with an extra student or two. Schools that have absolutely no way of fitting an extra student into a sim lab or clinic may send out acceptances slowly because of this.
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do you think the school is more likely to re-review a pre-dec interviewee for acceptance or interview new applicants to fill the class :/
 
I think it depends on the school. I'm pretty sure Marquette doesn't interview many after December 1. UConn ranks the interviewees, so regardless of whether they do post December 1 interviews, the next acceptance goes to the next person on the excel sheet. Other schools, the interviewer is your advocate for you to be accepted/no accepted. It really depends on the school.
 
pmanning19 said:
I think it depends on the school. I'm pretty sure Marquette doesn't interview many after December 1. UConn ranks the interviewees, so regardless of whether they do post December 1 interviews, the next acceptance goes to the next person on the excel sheet. Other schools, the interviewer is your advocate for you to be accepted/no accepted. It really depends on the school.
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I concur!
 
NguyenDDS said:
hehe I know three Alex Trans 😛
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Haha, well you went to Rice, and this Vietnamese beauty pageant winner Alex Tran went to Rice. Read somewhere that she wanted to do dentistry, but haven't heard about her since!
 
AlbinoPolarBear said:
Haha, well you went to Rice, and this Vietnamese beauty pageant winner Alex Tran went to Rice. Read somewhere that she wanted to do dentistry, but haven't heard about her since!
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I don't know her, but heard of her. And I think she's pretty! And you're right, I've read she wants to get her doctorate in dentistry. 🙂
 
dantemac said:
Most interview reviews go back to the admissions committee with your file again, so it's not solely the interview that makes or breaks you.
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Some schools use interviewers non-related to ADCOMs while other schools interview you with members directly on ADCOM (UMDNJ).

Can only ponder about what goes on... but I do believe that interviews won't completely make or break you. Although it will hold weight... How much will depend on the school.

I know for one particular school, they use an interviewer who is not on ADCOM and then after the interview, said interviewer will present you to the entire ADCOM and then... they VOTE. 😉
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
Click to expand...

Same goes to GPA. Means nothing.
 
NguyenDDS said:
Haha yea... and the same way us native english speakers get a 17 on RC. Or how a person can get a C- in Orgo, but get a 21+ OC on the DAT. The beauty of standardized testing. 🙄 Really doesn't say much.
Click to expand...

Or they put a lot of hard work into preparing for the DAT and earned the 21+.
 
NguyenDDS said:
True, I believe anyone can do well on the DAT given that they have enough time and studied well.

Anyone can also make a 4.0 if they really went for it 🙂
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And anyone can win the lottery if they bought enough tickets?
 
Don't forget about the booger half sticking out of the nostrils.
 
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