Northwestern interview next week

[cipher]

I'm a little concerned about the whole panel interview deal. Most especially, though, I'm worried about what exactly they're looking for when they have the interviewees solve some sort of problem together as a group. Are we supposed to take charge to show our leadership abilities? Should we be quiet to show that we are receptive to others' input? Maybe a little of both?

For those of you who have been through the Northwestern interview, could you please tell me:

a) what the task was that you were supposed to solve with your group
b) any specific questions you recall from the interview (I hear they throw strange questions at you to see how you react [i.e. "if you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 CD's with you...])
c) approximately how many of the interviewees get accepted, waitlisted, and rejected

Thanks

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[jabroni]

congrats on your Northwestern interview. I interviewed there in november and am waiting to hear from them. I can't help you with question "C," but I'll do my best for the first two questions you have:

a) what the task was that you were supposed to solve with your group

Actually, for some weird, reason, my group was never given this group problem. However, I heard from the group that went after me that they were asked what would they do if they were doctors and noticed alcohol on the breath of a surgeon who is about to go into surgery? As for how you should act during this group thing, relax it's not as bad as it sounds. They mainly want to see if you can contribute/participate in a group setting (since they favor PBL), so make sure you speak up/add your two cents, but certainly don't try to dominate the group and don't sit back and be sheepish either.


b) any specific questions you recall from the interview (I hear they throw strange questions at you to see how you react [i.e. "if you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 CD's with you...])

Personally for me, the panel setting was the most nerve racking of all my interviews. It was an "anticipation" factor. For example, some of the questions were repeated among all three of us i.e. Why Northwestern? I sat there listening to the other two people's responses and just kept worrying when would it get to my turn and how I could at least sound half as good as my fellow interviewees. As long as you are confident in yourself and in your application, you shouldn't have a problem with the panel interview. A question I got was "What book (or movie or Tv show) would you recommend and why?" Another was "How do you keep up with current events?" All 3 of us were asked that one, and we all included "The internet" in our response. Another was "What do you bring/have to contribute to Northwestern?" "Who has been the biggest influence in your decision to pursue medicine (not yourself)?" I don't know what to say if you don't have such a "role model," but all 3 of us had some other person to talk about.


Hope this helps, and again, Good luck!

 

[crazyA]

I agree with everything the previous poster said.

Try to talk to the people you're going to be interviewed with beforehand to establish some sort of rapport, you'll be a lot more relaxed. My panel interview was very informal, I think everybody was pretty mellow, and no-one tried to hog the show from anyone else.

Regarding your first question, the problem given to us was each of us had to pick an Ethics issue in medicine, and discuss both sides, and the other two people had to expand on our arguments. It was kind of silly.

One trick I hear a lot of the panels like to use is to catch you off guard by asking two people the same question, and then coming up with a new question for the third person. Often, the third person has been formulating the perfect answer to the question the first two people were asked, and gets blindsided by the new question.

I believe NWU accepts a bit more than half of the people they interview.

Good luck.

 

[cipher]

Thanks for the info, guys. It's very, very helpful and I'm already starting to feel a little more at ease about the panel interview. Northwestern is my top choice right now and I want to be prepared as possible for this interview to maximize my chances of getting in.

Does anyone else out there have any other info that might be useful? Knowing in advance the specific types of questions they might ask or the group problems we'll have to solve will be extremely helpful.

CrazyA, thanks for pointing out that trick where panels ask 2 people one question and then switch it up on the 3rd. I never would have expected something like that.

 

[banannie]

pocwana's web site has a nice Northwestern interview feedback document:

http://home.attbi.com/~deborah022/sdn/Northwestern_interview_feedback.pdf

good luck!

 

[cipher]

Thanks, banannie!

 

[UCLAMAN]

yo cipher...when is your interview? i'm gonna be there next tuesday...well i'll be there sunday actually and i'll be staying with a friend who is an ms1. but my int is tuesday.

from what i understand they aren't necessarily looking for leadership skills...mainly they just want to see how you interact with others. so one-upping and being overly assertive won't get you anywhere. They could also care less about the answer you come up with as a group. They just want to see how you will interact with each other.

Just make suer you get to knwo the other 2 people that will be in your group so you are at ease with them.

maybe i'll be in the same group as you!

 

[cipher]

Hey UCLAMAN, I'm also going to be there on Tuesday! Do you have any idea how many groups of interviewees they'll have that day? Each group lasts for about an hour and fifteen minutes, so they can't have too many groups that day.

I'll send you a PM.