Mentioning acceptances during interviews

[ManOfScience]

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Hey guys,

I would appreciate some input on this:

Do you think that mentioning that you've been accepted to med school during another interview is detrimental to your acceptance at the interview?

The only reason I ask is because I'm sure it's bound to be brought up during the interview. For example, if you're asked, "what would you do if you didn't get into med school?" is it acceptable to reply with, "well, I am already accepted into a program, etc."? Or they could just ask if you've been accepted...

I'm not sure if admissions committees would be inclined to offer an applicant an acceptance if they mention that they're going to med school no matter what the next year. On the other hand, I'm well aware the admissions committees aren't stupid, and they can probably tell whether or not an applicant has been accepted elsewhere based on their application (especially if it's later in the app season).

Any thoughts?

 

[DocEspana]

Applied to my current medical school very late in the application season. Was asked in my interview where else I applied. Was also asked if I was accepted at any. I told the truth. I applied all over the northeast at MD schools and didnt get in. Applied at a few allopathic midwest schools and got in. Applied to a few DO schools late in the cycle and that was my first DO interview. I got asked why I applied to DO after being accepted midwest and I told them that the region mattered more to me.

just be totally honest. Schools realize they are competing. The only fallout of my interview honesty was that TouroCA had their admission dean call me up, when i later accepted touroCOM NY's acceptance, and ask if I still wished to interview there in light of my acceptance at TouroCOM NY. But those are owned by the same mother company, so I figured they must have compared acceptance lists.

 

[guydudcl371]

Agreed. I would be honest...or better yet, spin it so it sounds something like "yes, I have other acceptances, but still wanted to interview at this school because it is one of my top choices (or IS my top choice) for reasons x, y, and z."

Applied to my current medical school very late in the application season. Was asked in my interview where else I applied. Was also asked if I was accepted at any. I told the truth. I applied all over the northeast at MD schools and didnt get in. Applied at a few allopathic midwest schools and got in. Applied to a few DO schools late in the cycle and that was my first DO interview. I got asked why I applied to DO after being accepted midwest and I told them that the region mattered more to me.

just be totally honest. Schools realize they are competing. The only fallout of my interview honesty was that TouroCA had their admission dean call me up, when i later accepted touroCOM NY's acceptance, and ask if I still wished to interview there in light of my acceptance at TouroCOM NY. But those are owned by the same mother company, so I figured they must have compared acceptance lists.

 

[ManOfScience]

Agreed. I would be honest...or better yet, spin it so it sounds something like "yes, I have other acceptances, but still wanted to interview at this school because it is one of my top choices (or IS my top choice) for reasons x, y, and z."

GOOD call. I never thought of explaining it like that. Because honestly, if we're still attending interviews after being accepted, that really is the case.

 

[fiznat]

For example, if you're asked, "what would you do if you didn't get into med school?" is it acceptable to reply with, "well, I am already accepted into a program, etc."?

That would be missing the point of the question. I don't think they actually care what would happen to you if you didn't get in. This question is about:

1. Whether you would reapply/is being a physician important to you. (duh. yes.)

2. If you couldn't reapply, what aspects of being a doctor are important to you. Like "working with people," or "intellectual challenge," or whatever. Your "2nd choice" job should have one or more of those characteristics, but you would express remorse that it doesn't tick all the boxes like being a physician does.

3. If you are a mature and balanced applicant that has thought about a future outside of being a physician.


Answering "well that would never happen because (ha ha) I already got in" sounds immature and bypasses the whole point of the question.


I don't think any school would be brazen enough to flat out ask where you have been accepted, but if they did I don't think I'd have a problem telling them. I would DEFINITELY follow it up with "but I would still be excited to be accepted at this school because this is where I would really like to be." ...Or something to that effect.

 

[taylormade2006]

I experienced BOTH of these scenarios this year while interviewing.

Hey guys,

I would appreciate some input on this:

Do you think that mentioning that you've been accepted to med school during another interview is detrimental to your acceptance at the interview?

The only reason I ask is because I'm sure it's bound to be brought up during the interview. For example, if you're asked, "what would you do if you didn't get into med school?" is it acceptable to reply with, "well, I am already accepted into a program, etc."? Or they could just ask if you've been accepted...

I'm not sure if admissions committees would be inclined to offer an applicant an acceptance if they mention that they're going to med school no matter what the next year. On the other hand, I'm well aware the admissions committees aren't stupid, and they can probably tell whether or not an applicant has been accepted elsewhere based on their application (especially if it's later in the app season).

Any thoughts?

I had two interviews after my first acceptance. I got accepted to one and waitlisted at the other. I genuinely think that humbly mentioning acceptances works in your favor for the reasons mentioned above - it demonstrates significant interest in the school you're currently interviewing at. It also gives you some clout to have been accepted somewhere else and I think it makes the decision easier for the adcom. I was never asked where I was accepted.

That would be missing the point of the question. I don't think they actually care what would happen to you if you didn't get in. This question is about:

1. Whether you would reapply/is being a physician important to you. (duh. yes.)

2. If you couldn't reapply, what aspects of being a doctor are important to you. Like "working with people," or "intellectual challenge," or whatever. Your "2nd choice" job should have one or more of those characteristics, but you would express remorse that it doesn't tick all the boxes like being a physician does.

3. If you are a mature and balanced applicant that has thought about a future outside of being a physician.


Answering "well that would never happen because (ha ha) I already got in" sounds immature and bypasses the whole point of the question.


I don't think any school would be brazen enough to flat out ask where you have been accepted, but if they did I don't think I'd have a problem telling them. I would DEFINITELY follow it up with "but I would still be excited to be accepted at this school because this is where I would really like to be." ...Or something to that effect.

Regarding the "what if you didn't get in" scenario. I was asked this at an interview post acceptance, after already mentioning the acceptance. I provided a hypothetical answer and it seemed to confuse the interviewer. He said something along the lines of, "are you saying you'd decline the acceptances and try to get in here next year?"

Honestly, I don't know how to answer this question. I would say something like, "If I were unable to practice medicine as a career, I would puruse ___."

I think answering in that manner wouldn't confuse anything and would address what you'd do with your life outside of medicine (i.e. career ending injury, etc).

 

[Postal]

Agreed. I would be honest...or better yet, spin it so it sounds something like "yes, I have other acceptances, but still wanted to interview at this school because it is one of my top choices (or IS my top choice) for reasons x, y, and z."

I had an interview the day after my first(and only) acceptance.
I always wonder if I had spun it that way , if I would have gotten an acceptance.

 

[sshehateme]

qq, along the same lines. Lets say you just got interviewed at school A, and were subsequently accepted, but given only a couple weeks to decide whether or not to accept the acceptance. Now comes along school B, your reach/dream school offering an interview before you have to make a decision for school A. What do you do, since you're not sure of your chances making into your dream school...do you accept the other's offer, and in the chance that dream school accepts you, just take the hit in the form of deposit (Not even sure how that works is what I guess I'm asking haha). Anyone been faced with a similar situation?

 

[Long Way to Go]

qq, along the same lines. Lets say you just got interviewed at school A, and were subsequently accepted, but given only a couple weeks to decide whether or not to accept the acceptance. Now comes along school B, your reach/dream school offering an interview before you have to make a decision for school A. What do you do, since you're not sure of your chances making into your dream school...do you accept the other's offer, and in the chance that dream school accepts you, just take the hit in the form of deposit (Not even sure how that works is what I guess I'm asking haha). Anyone been faced with a similar situation?

If $1,500 is worth more to you than a chance at attending your dream school, turn down the interview to school B and attend school A. If it isn't, pay the initial deposit for school A and attend the interview to school B, taking the monetary hit if you get in to school B (<1% of your total cost to attend medical school probably)

I have heard of other students quietly contact Dean's offices to try to get their deposit refunded, which you might be able to try. There are other threads about this in the pre-DO forum.

 

[sshehateme]

If $1,500 is worth more to you than a chance at attending your dream school, turn down the interview to school B and attend school A. If it isn't, pay the initial deposit for school A and attend the interview to school B, taking the monetary hit if you get in to school B (<1% of your total cost to attend medical school probably)

I have heard of other students quietly contact Dean's offices to try to get their deposit refunded, which you might be able to try. There are other threads about this in the pre-DO forum.

Heh, thats what I figured...haha pressure makes me think craaaazy things. Appreciate the advice!