med school picture, smile w/teeth or no teeth

[simpleG]

i know this is nit-picky...but any thoughts on this?

i've heard that since it's a professional/conservative institution, smile in the picture but don't show teeth. but my friends are pushing a big white one.

so?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[praying4MD]

Any more than two teeth showing is a guaranteed rejection, so try to smile in a buck teeth fashion. This will surely win over the adcoms' hearts. And make sure you wear cologne/perfume for the photo.

 

[Doctor Octopus]

I say whichever looks better. Have some objective people tell pick for you.

 

[Michelys]

...oh hahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! LOL...okay, but yeah, seriously...do whatever you think looks best! I personally look like I'm mad in a picture if I don't smile like I always do! I think I smiled...CHEESE !!!!

Originally posted by simpleG
i know this is nit-picky...but any thoughts on this?

i've heard that since it's a professional/conservative institution, smile in the picture but don't show teeth. but my friends are pushing a big white one.

so?

 

[Papa Smurf]

This gets my vote for the most anal-retentive post of the year. Damn, find a real problem to worry about. Unfreakinbelievable!!!

 

[simpleG]

lol.

of the year?

no worries, just a curious question. gives you something to write about, right?

 

[Trek]

Of the decade. OCD, much? --Trek

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Originally posted by Papa Smurf
This gets my vote for the most anal-retentive post of the year. Damn, find a real problem to worry about. Unfreakinbelievable!!!

lol...

tru.

Send in a nude pix. Oh, and send a copy to all ppl that frequent the SDN chat room as well.

You'll be in..

into med school?

maybe! =X

 

[Tweetie_bird]

Originally posted by praying4MD
Any more than two teeth showing is a guaranteed rejection, so try to smile in a buck teeth fashion. This will surely win over the adcoms' hearts. And make sure you wear cologne/perfume for the photo.

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL for a minute I thought you were serious.

 

[Smurfette]

Adcom: "Whoa! what's with this applicant? Showing teeth in an application photo? How dare s/he! Did s/he actually think we'd interview him/her with a picture like that? What a freak!"

Sorry, I'm not trying to make fun but I'm trying to point out that this is a REALLY miniscule thing to worry about. You want a decent, non-controversial (i.e. no alcohol, cigarettes, questionable clothing, etc.) picture of yourself that actually looks like you (interviewers may have your photo in your file).

When I was applying I had a hard enough time finding a photo of myself where I didn't look possessed (red eyes); whether or not I was showing teeth was completely irrelevant.

Why do you think it matters? Do you really want to attend a school that would be so superficial as to accept or reject people depending on whether or not they show their teeth in their app photo?

 

[Mystique]

Such a trivial matter....::sigh::

If you normally show those pearly whites, then show them. If not, then don't. But, if you're one of those people missing your two front teeth and have to wait till Christmas to ask Santa for them, then I'd recommend you keep those lips sealed.

 

[mikegoal]

just make sure you have spinich in your teeth they want to know that you eat a balance diet

 

[Amma]

When I was sending my applications in, I just used old photos and cut myself out of them. So mine were candid shots (I guess), definetly with teeth....It didnt seem to hurt because I have been accepted....
I remember reading somewhere (no idea where) that sending photos like that make them think you have a life outisde of school. Also, its cheaper than having passport photos taken, which always look bad to me anyway!

 

[silvercholla]

What I can't believe is that this thread is getting more responses than the interviewfeedback thread ... and yes I have a secret agenda and it has nothing to do with whether or not my teeth are showing in my gosh darned pictures!!!!! It has to do with getting into school and I am quite sure that teeth have nothing to do with it!!!!!!!!!! Geesh!

 

[VC15]

The sillier the picture, the better your chances. Hell, you should consider just mooning the camera. Faces are so overrated, anyway.

 

[Barton]

the pic I sent to med schools had me looking super scrubby (long unkempt hair) on a swiss mountaintop with a helicopter behind me. I had a fat toothy smile and a big thumbs-up for the camera. I got into 3 schools. I say forget stiff portraits; shw some personality!

 

[Dubbya]

Hey guys,

In my picture should I wear a navy-colored shirt or a dark blue one? any thoughts?

W

 

[Diogenes]

Mine seriously looked like a mug shot but without those cool prisoner numbers. But they didn't care -- I got interviews at 7 of 11. I think they use it to tell what race you are because they aren't allowed to ask (or don't want to).

 

[Jalby]

I personally went to a modeling studio and took 200 head shots. We immidiately were able to eliminate 100 of the shots with out to much of a problem. I then took those 100 to some of my friends in Pasadena, After about an hour of looking through them, we made it to the top 30. We then randomly borke them down into three groups of 10. We compared those ten to each other, picking the top 3 from each. I then picked my favorite from the remaining 21.
So that left me with 10 pictures, and a lot of my friends who were sick of looking at me. I thaught all ten pictures were pretty good, but I had to that the random admissions committee would like the pic, so I took the ten to the street, and asked Random people to pick the one that they liked the least. Eventually, I made it down to 2 pictures. I then took those 2 to my then GF in Hollywood, and right before I was to send out my first secondary, she choose here favorite. I then ordered that pic to be mass produced (40) and sent them off with all of my secondaries. In my opinion, time well spent.

 

[Bikini Princess]

Originally posted by Jalby
I personally went to a modeling studio and took 200 head shots...In my opinion, time well spent.

I don't think he's serious, getting these done are choke $$.

 

[Femtochemistry]

Bikini Princess, your posting too much today!

heheh

 

[DW]

if you haven't done the pic thing already, and you just want tons of passport photos, go to CVS. Passport sized quality photos, 16 on a sheet for 7.99

 

[jot]

even better - i got a picture i had on disk (took with digicam)made at kinkos on glossy paper - 40 for 8 bucks (2x2). 20 is 6 bucks. hot deal.

 

[Bikini Princess]

Originally posted by jot
even better - i got a picture i had on disk (took with digicam)made at kinkos on glossy paper - 40 for 8 bucks (2x2). 20 is 6 bucks. hot deal.

that's a good idea jot - you can *edit* your photo using adobe photoshop too.

jot: i'll trim your beard in photoshop for you, if you want.

 

[Bikini Princess]

Originally posted by Femtochemistry
Bikini Princess, your posting too much today!

heheh

This is what happens when I have 5+ secondary essays to write. SDN takes on a new significance: procrastination. Maybe I could get Lee to ban me for a few days so I can finish them.

 

[CANES2006]

Originally posted by scienceriot
First of all, Jalby, are you serious?? 200 head shots? I am exceptionally gullible, so please don't ridicule me if you're kidding...

When is Jalby serious? You know I love ya, Jalb.

 

[Jalby]

Originally posted by CANES2006


When is Jalby serious? You know I love ya, Jalb.

I love your fine Cuban @$$ too. Now if we can just get rid of the Imtiaz and replace it with Jalby.

 

[CANES2006]

Originally posted by Jalby


I love your fine Cuban @$$ too. Now if we can just get rid of the Imtiaz and replace it with Jalby.

 

[Smoke This]

Originally posted by jot
even better - i got a picture i had on disk (took with digicam)made at kinkos on glossy paper - 40 for 8 bucks (2x2). 20 is 6 bucks. hot deal.

I got two crappy passport photos made at Walgreen's. One I sent with the secondary to my first choice, and the other I scanned and printed repeatedly to multiply them until I generated a sheet of about 20 or so, printed them on plain paper, cut them apart, and attached them to other secondaries. It did the trick.

 

[Epi]

Walgreens all the way!!!

but i like the idea about using a digital camera and going to kinkos. a lot cheaper...

 

[Smoke This]

Originally posted by Epi
Walgreens all the way!!!

but i like the idea about using a digital camera and going to kinkos. a lot cheaper...

Yeah, yeah. It's called a mistake.

Actually it wasn't that much more expensive, I think the Walgreen's passport photos were like $10. I think I eventually recouped the $2 difference over Kinko's through Walgreen's beer discounts though.

 

[Adcadet]

on a related note (I don't want this posted by itself for fear of getting the "Most Anal-Retentive Post of the Year Award")....

what about facial hair for interviews...I guess I'm asking more for men than women, but whatever...

I've grown a beard. I'm shaving it by January for sure (fiance doesn't want me to get married in May in a beard; and I agree). But what about facial hair for med school interviews? Should I go down to a goatee (as I think I want to do anyway, but goatees seem to be too trendy) or take it all off (and suddenly look like all the pimply-faced 16 year old Doogie Howsers who I'll be applying with)? Is there any advice other than "do what you think makes you look best and gives you the most confidence"?

 

[Doko]

Okay... this is in response to the original posting concerning teeth.

Personally, I feel your pain, man... When I smile in pictures, it tends to inflate my cheeks and make me look really fat (maybe I could lose a few pounds).

On the other hand, when I don't smile, I think I look much better, but I look too serious.

I say take those glamour shots and use a computer to digitally modify your picture... that way, you'll good no matter what.

 

[simpleG]

to end the suspense,

i ended up with a moderate cheese, w/ teeth.

taken with a digital camera...went to kinkos and on one of those kodak photo kiosks, got 24 high quality pics for $9.99.

lookin slick...

 

[Rapid Decomposition]

Adcadet, I am also wondering about the facial hair thing (I have a goatee). It would seem to me that facial hair is fine as long as it's not extreme and you keep it well-groomed or whatever. I'm interested to hear other people's comments on this, especially women.

And if women have significant facial hair, they might want to see an endocrinologist.

 

[jot]

i got a bit of a beard goin on - and again, as long as it is well groomed, and there aren't any fruitloops or remnants of your breakfast in it, then it should be all good. it can make you look more mature if you are a young looking feller (being more mature doesn't come with the beard - sold seperately). some people get pissed off by goatees, i dunno why - but hopefully that someone won't be your interviewer!
-jot