Mentioning Acceptances

[MedPR]

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In response to the "What will you do if not accepted?" interview question.

Would using an acceptance to another school as a way to show/prove your sincere interest in the school you're interviewing at work or will it just be ignored when your app is being evaluated? I realize the "correct" answer involves figuring out why you didn't get in, improving, and reapplying, but I am wondering if I could/should mention an acceptance at future interviews.

 

[NickNaylor]

My advice would be to "play along." This question is likely not being asked to see if you have been accepted to med school, and side-stepping the question in that way probably wouldn't go over well.

 

[Barcu]

Definitely play along like Nick said.

This isn't a real-world scenario question, this is a hypothetical question where you want to prove your devotion to medicine (and not necessarily just to that school). Always say what your back-up plan would be.

As an aside, if the topic of acceptances comes up in conversation (as in not related to this question but as small-talk), you can mention them. I did, and it didn't cause any issues. Just make sure to add in what you like about the school you are at and the reasons you went to the interview as opposed to just sitting back on acceptances.

 

[Barley426]

Yeah I'm going to have to go ahead and agree with everybody so far. It's definitely to see your resolve, and ability to be realistic while also positive.

On a similar note, I was talking to this masters student who I knew was applying to medical school. We were talking about these sorts of questions and I asked him what he would say if he was asked this sort of question, he just kept saying "I'll get in, there's no doubt about that." even after I said "ok but hypothetically, what if you didn't?"

I don't quite think he understood the purpose of the question.

 

[MedPR]

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My advice would be to "play along." This question is likely not being asked to see if you have been accepted to med school, and side-stepping the question in that way probably wouldn't go over well.

Definitely play along like Nick said.

This isn't a real-world scenario question, this is a hypothetical question where you want to prove your devotion to medicine (and not necessarily just to that school). Always say what your back-up plan would be.

As an aside, if the topic of acceptances comes up in conversation (as in not related to this question but as small-talk), you can mention them. I did, and it didn't cause any issues. Just make sure to add in what you like about the school you are at and the reasons you went to the interview as opposed to just sitting back on acceptances.

Yeah I'm going to have to go ahead and agree with everybody so far. It's definitely to see your resolve, and ability to be realistic while also positive.

On a similar note, I was talking to this masters student who I knew was applying to medical school. We were talking about these sorts of questions and I asked him what he would say if he was asked this sort of question, he just kept saying "I'll get in, there's no doubt about that." even after I said "ok but hypothetically, what if you didn't?"

I don't quite think he understood the purpose of the question.

Ok thank you all. I encountered this question at my second interview (after already receiving the acceptance) and went ahead with my planned answer without mentioning an aceptance. I was hoping I made the right decison.


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[mvenus929]

Would using an acceptance to another school as a way to show/prove your sincere interest in the school you're interviewing at work or will it just be ignored when your app is being evaluated?

No. Just play along. It's a question to get you thinking about contingencies.

I realize the "correct" answer involves figuring out why you didn't get in, improving, and reapplying, but I am wondering if I could/should mention an acceptance at future interviews.

Actually, I'd disagree that that's THE correct answer, and this may be because I got that question on my second application cycle (after I had already gotten an acceptance). I answered that I would find another profession to enter, because I didn't want to take the MCAT again, and if my application improvements weren't good enough for that cycle, maybe medicine wasn't the best choice for me.

Of course, it's all about how it's phrased. It could be talking about the next year, and actual concrete plans. Or it could be looking at your other interests (as in, "If medicine wasn't an option anymore, what would you do?"). I think the second question is more interesting.

 

[LizzyM]

Sometimes this question is meant to get at what you would do if you couldn't do medicine (if you didn't get in anywhere). That is, one supposes, indicative of what attracts you to medicine (consider college professor vs. investment banker vs. vegan chef). The rote response, "I would try again and again" is somewhat dopey, IMHO.

If you already have an offer on the table (not an offer made last year and refused), it might be okay to have a twinkle in your eye and say, "hypothetically, I'd..."

 

[MedPR]

No. Just play along. It's a question to get you thinking about contingencies.



Actually, I'd disagree that that's THE correct answer, and this may be because I got that question on my second application cycle (after I had already gotten an acceptance). I answered that I would find another profession to enter, because I didn't want to take the MCAT again, and if my application improvements weren't good enough for that cycle, maybe medicine wasn't the best choice for me.

Of course, it's all about how it's phrased. It could be talking about the next year, and actual concrete plans. Or it could be looking at your other interests (as in, "If medicine wasn't an option anymore, what would you do?"). I think the second question is more interesting.

Ah that's a good point, I hadn't thought about that as an option. I truthfully would reapply, but I agree that my current answer could use more work so it doesn't sound so cookie-cutter. My recent interviewers actually asked me both questions. "if you don't get in this cycle..." and "if becoming a physician wasn't an option..."

Sometimes this question is meant to get at what you would do if you couldn't do medicine (if you didn't get in anywhere). That is, one supposes, indicative of what attracts you to medicine (consider college professor vs. investment banker vs. vegan chef). The rote response, "I would try again and again" is somewhat dopey, IMHO.

If you already have an offer on the table (not an offer made last year and refused), it might be okay to have a twinkle in your eye and say, "hypothetically, I'd..."

I thought about starting my answer that way, but I worried that if I didn't explicitly say that I already had an answer, it might be perceived as arrogance.. For example it might come off as something like "Well, I'm definitely getting in, but hypothetically..." Is that a legitimate worry?