NSU Interview - Advice Welcomed

[First Incision]

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Hey I have an interview at NSU this coming December 9th. As the title suggests any inside advice from current students or others who have interviewed would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm thinking long sleeve dress shirt. Is the suit jacket a better option? Please respond I would appreciate the input.

 

[DrWily]

If you're a man,

Suit (matching jacket and pants) with a tie no matter what.

Don't stick out in a bad way.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=842733

 

[AP gooner]

It's literally a 10-15min interview. Just be yourself, prepare by looking at feedback questions on SDN and you will be fine!! NSU is tight until the interview, so if you interview it means you are a pretty good candidate. Good luck!

 

[ManBroDude]

Wily, is that you, you swanky son of a gun?

 

[Juice9]

Absolutely wear a suit! For most people on my day the interview lasted about 20 minutes, mine went for 40 minutes for some reason, so be prepared. Of all my interviews I feel like NSU probably came the closest to "grilling" me, but my interviewer was the head of surgery and most people sounded like theirs were pretty laid back. Just be yourself, answer sincerely and don't rush your responses.

 

[IamKing]

Haha, obviously wear a suit.....that should be a given. The interview for me was 30 mins long with a single interviewer and open file. Prepare for the big questions (why med, why do, why you, etc) and study your own app well. You'll be fine, just don't lie about anything and try to be yourself! Good luck man!

 

[IamKing]

Dude I know I had the same interviewer as you!!! That guy was tough, but I heard the other interviewers were chill.

 

[DrWily]

Wily, is that you, you swanky son of a gun?

Lol no. I look better than that 😉👍

 

[robertch8]

Haha, that picture pretty much sums it up. Heck, I'd say even stick with that color because I've gone on 5 interviews and have only seen 1 guy wear a suit of a color different that picture.

NSU interview by the way is pretty relaxed and a pretty short interview from what I recall. Just know your reasons for wanting to go to NSU, why DO, and to being in the Fort Lauderdale area. Good luck!

 

[poopyhead]

Haha, that picture pretty much sums it up. Heck, I'd say even stick with that color because I've gone on 5 interviews and have only seen 1 guy wear a suit of a color different that picture.

yea...don't be that guy who wears a light color when everyone else is in a dark color

 

[FutureDrB]

Yay? Nay?

 

[First Incision]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I have a black suit, maybe blue shirt (not dark blue) and tie? I understand the navy blue is traditional but you don't want to look like every 1000th student interviewed either. It's late in the season they might want something refreshing. What do you think?

 

[Didierdrogba]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I have a black suit, maybe blue shirt (not dark blue) and tie? I understand the navy blue is traditional but you don't want to look like every 1000th student interviewed either. It's late in the season they might want something refreshing. What do you think?

Your suit color cannot decide your fate, my friend! What you say during your interview is the most important.

Just relax, the interviewers DO NOT bite!

 

[medcandidate]

Absolutely wear a suit! For most people on my day the interview lasted about 20 minutes, mine went for 40 minutes for some reason, so be prepared. Of all my interviews I feel like NSU probably came the closest to "grilling" me, but my interviewer was the head of surgery and most people sounded like theirs were pretty laid back. Just be yourself, answer sincerely and don't rush your responses.

seems like we both had the same interviewer..😀

@first incision: nsu interview's real quick, hardly 20 minutes... i actually felt they were trying to sell themselves most of the time - no pressure, really relaxed, and very friendly staff..i got some questions specific to my application, while some were from the SND interview thread, so do check that out! overall, mostly all of my fellow applicants had a good experience at NSU.. good luck!👍

 

[First Incision]

seems like we both had the same interviewer..😀

@first incision: nsu interview's real quick, hardly 20 minutes... i actually felt they were trying to sell themselves most of the time - no pressure, really relaxed, and very friendly staff..i got some questions specific to my application, while some were from the SND interview thread, so do check that out! overall, mostly all of my fellow applicants had a good experience at NSU.. good luck!👍

When you got your confirmation email for 'Experience Day' did it have in the itinerary "Interview" or is it just assumed. Because my confirmation email lists like a tour of the Simulation Lab, lunch with current students, tour of the medical facilities, etc. but it doesn't say "Interview" or anything. So did they just like ask you to go somewhere and interview you? Because from the schedule they sent me it looks like a group thing I don't see any mention of a personal interview anywhere in it.

 

[DrWily]

When you got your confirmation email for 'Experience Day' did it have in the itinerary "Interview" or is it just assumed. Because my confirmation email lists like a tour of the Simulation Lab, lunch with current students, tour of the medical facilities, etc. but it doesn't say "Interview" or anything. So did they just like ask you to go somewhere and interview you? Because from the schedule they sent me it looks like a group thing I don't see any mention of a personal interview anywhere in it.

Experience Day means you're accepted as long as you don't do anything absolutely ******ed. Just be nice, courteous, and take your acceptance letter humbly. There's no interview, but don't think for a minute that they're not watching you like a hawk. You must have stats above what they're looking for to offer you this.

 

[First Incision]

Experience Day means you're accepted as long as you don't do anything absolutely ******ed. Just be nice, courteous, and take your acceptance letter humbly. There's no interview, but don't think for a minute that they're not watching you like a hawk. You must have stats above what they're looking for to offer you this.

Don't kid me man......are you serious? So then there's a separate thing that's not Experience Day which is interviewing people? Because I figured everyone gets this email for their interview. Fill me in Wily you have me all excited now.

 

[DrWily]

Don't kid me man......are you serious? So then there's a separate thing that's not Experience Day which is interviewing people? Because I figured everyone gets this email for their interview. Fill me in Wily you have me all excited now.

Hmm.. upon further research, there is some debate on what the Experience Day actually means. It's definitely not an interview, but they are interested enough in you to want you to come check out the school. I pulled this from the NSU 2011-12 thread:

The 2nd type is what they refer to as "The Medical School Experience". Here is how this works-for those applicants who have a sufficiently high gpa and MCAT score, the decision is made to forego the standard interview process, and these applicants are invited to attend this special prorgram which essentially serves to "sell" the school to this subset of "high-stats" applicants. There is no interview for these applicants, and if you are invited to attend, the decision has essentially already been made to accept you. Nova recognizes that these applicants, due to their high stats, likely will have many choices regarding what school to attend, and a great number of these applicants are hoping to attend an MD school, but have applied to Nova and other DO schools as a "safety" in the event they are not accepted to an MD program. Nova uses this "Medical School Experience" day to attempt to draw in some of these applicants and convince them that Nova may be the better fit for them.

Obviously take this with a grain of salt. Some people from experience day have said they've been put on Alternate List so it's not automatic I guess. I apologize for that. When I got my interview invite for NSU, it was definitely an "Interview Invite" email, not an "Experience Day" email.

 

[First Incision]

I was reading through the thread that you got the quote from and I see what you mean. But from what I can critically assess (plus its what I'm hoping for) it would seem those invited to the Experience Day have a foot in, so to speak. Now that I know that there are two different invites (I assumed everyone got this Experience Day invite) it makes sense for that to be true. Let's assume the opposite, that those called to experience day are a notch lower than those interviewed, why even call them to Experience Day if you're already planning on wait-listing them? Why not waitlist them directly after the second application. I mean Experience Day sounds like they're trying to sell you the school. I wouldn't have the dean of admissions talk to a group of students plus give them a tour of the school and a sit down with current students if I'm not trying to convince them, would I? I don't know it might just be wishful thinking on my part but it makes sense. As far as the person saying they went to experience day and got waitlisted I assume not everyone that goes is guaranteed to be in. Like I said maybe there are some aesthetics that they see while you're there that may lead to waitlist or it might be technicalities like the seats are already taken. Who knows I guess in time I'll find out, but now it's like I must know. Pandora's box has been opened.

 

[DrWily]

I was reading through the thread that you got the quote from and I see what you mean. But from what I can critically assess (plus its what I'm hoping for) it would seem those invited to the Experience Day have a foot in, so to speak. Now that I know that there are two different invites (I assumed everyone got this Experience Day invite) it makes sense for that to be true. Let's assume the opposite, that those called to experience day are a notch lower than those interviewed, why even call them to Experience Day if you're already planning on wait-listing them? Why not waitlist them directly after the second application. I mean Experience Day sounds like they're trying to sell you the school. I wouldn't have the dean of admissions talk to a group of students plus give them a tour of the school and a sit down with current students if I'm not trying to convince them, would I? I don't know it might just be wishful thinking on my part but it makes sense. As far as the person saying they went to experience day and got waitlisted I assume not everyone that goes is guaranteed to be in. Like I said maybe there are some aesthetics that they see while you're there that may lead to waitlist or it might be technicalities like the seats are already taken. Who knows I guess in time I'll find out, but now it's like I must know. Pandora's box has been opened.

No, I agree with you. I think that people invited for Experience Day have acceptances and it is yours to lose. The whole deans of admissions/tour/talk with current students happens to everyone. When you go for a regular interview, you get these things as well. They know that even though they have invited you for an interview, you have choices on where you could attend. They want to attract the best they can and they do want to make sure their class is filled before August. In my eyes, you are in a very good position. Just do your best to impress them with your maturity and overall demeanor. Smile and be courteous.

 

[IDFsoldierboy]

Experience Day means you're accepted as long as you don't do anything absolutely ******ed. Just be nice, courteous, and take your acceptance letter humbly. There's no interview, but don't think for a minute that they're not watching you like a hawk. You must have stats above what they're looking for to offer you this.

Sorry to say this but its not 100% true...a few friends of mine did a recent experience day and they were ALL waitlisted...I know they have handed out a TON of acceptances already so they might just be waitlisting until mid-december when the deadline comes for holding seats and then they will take people off waitlist when they have an idea how many seats open back up

 

[First Incision]

I think we can all agree that nothing is guaranteed. But I am doing some research in regards to finding out the difference between the interview and the Experience Day. I plan on contacting their office of admissions tomorrow in order to see if anyone can answer the question. Meanwhile, I have found some incongruency in what some have been saying on the forums which is why its difficult to find accurate information. I'm not saying anyone is a liar but some things don't make sense. For example, someone claimed the went to experience day and were given alternate status. Then they claimed they were called in for an interview. Now what puzzles me about this is that Experience Day, as they clearly state in their confirmation email, fulfills your interview requirement. So how is it that someone went to experience day, received alternate status, and was then called for an interview? The entire process is incongruent. Once given alternate status all that awaits you is "a seat is now open for you" or endless waiting with eventual rejection. So in light of some inaccuracies which I'm sure fellow SDNers didn't post on purpose it's hard to be clear on this matter. I do plan on finding out and relaying the message here when and if I do.

 

[BenZq]

^ please do

 

[jngshin]

Interviewed there last month. Wear a suit, everyone comes wearing a nice suit.

They will keep telling you to be yourself, relax, don't do rehearsed answers, etc. Just keep in mind that as much as they tell you to "be yourself", it's still a professional interview and you should treat it as such. Their questions aren't really that out of the ordinary, so as long as you prepare for the major questions, you'll be fine. Good luck!

 

[Leoj]

Hey I have an interview at NSU this coming December 9th. As the title suggests any inside advice from current students or others who have interviewed would be greatly appreciated. Also, I'm thinking long sleeve dress shirt. Is the suit jacket a better option? Please respond I would appreciate the input.

If you are still checking this thread, I actually called up NSU and asked what the dress code was for the experience day as you will be moving around a lot. They said it was "business casual."

 

[Med 4 Life]

It's literally a 10-15min interview. Just be yourself, prepare by looking at feedback questions on SDN and you will be fine!! NSU is tight until the interview, so if you interview it means you are a pretty good candidate. Good luck!

Where do I find this Interview Feedback? Apparently, when I click on the Interview feedback, all it gives me is information about the school and a pie graph. Where do I find the questions that were asked?