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Physically visiting the admissions office

Started by AA|FCB|DOC
Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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AA|FCB|DOC

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Hi all,

I am currently trying to push for a late interview. I was wondering if it's a good idea to visit the admissions office in person and try to express my interest. I am just looking for any desperate last push. If anyone has done this and been successful, please share. Thanks
 
AA|FCB|DOC said:
Hi all,

I am currently trying to push for a late interview. I was wondering if it's a good idea to visit the admissions office in person and try to express my interest. I am just looking for any desperate last push. If anyone has done this and been successful, please share. Thanks
Click to expand...

Please don't do this. It is seen as bad form.
 
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AA|FCB|DOC said:
Hi all,

I am currently trying to push for a late interview. I was wondering if it's a good idea to visit the admissions office in person and try to express my interest. I am just looking for any desperate last push. If anyone has done this and been successful, please share. Thanks
Click to expand...
Absolutely do not do this.
 
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Creeeeepy. Just show up at the dean's house unannounced but w donuts. The office staff don't really have much say, anyhow.
 
iniquus said:
If you have to ask this, that's why you didn't get an interview. I remember during one of my interviews, I was waiting in the office and someone walked in demanding to be considered for an interview (showed up in his suit ready to go). It was awkward.
Click to expand...

Do you know how the convo went?
 
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I remember I was in the administrative office waiting for something, maybe to be picked up by an interviewer or for my coat. I look up and this guy is all dressed up, but definitely wasn't in our interview group.

He brought his application or resume with him and handed it to the secretary/coordinator and said "I was hoping to get reconsidered. I love X school and would really love a chance to interview and explain myself in person." He was a polite guy, if I were to do something as unorthodox as that, that's how I would do it. It was just awkward because she was like "yeah...thanks...uhhhh...could you give me a moment?" Then, she went in the back to probably discuss it with the other people and we were left sitting awkwardly near each other for obvious reasons. I left with him still waiting there, told him "good luck." I do not recommend this tactic, regardless of the outcome.
 
hoihaie said:
out of curiosity, has anyone ever done that at your school before? what'd you guys do to him/her?
Click to expand...

iniquus said:
I remember I was in the administrative office waiting for something, maybe to be picked up by an interviewer or for my coat. I look up and this guy is all dressed up, but definitely wasn't in our interview group.

He brought his application or resume with him and handed it to the secretary/coordinator and said "I was hoping to get reconsidered. I love X school and would really love a chance to interview and explain myself in person." He was a polite guy, if I were to do something as unorthodox as that, that's how I would do it. It was just awkward because she was like "yeah...thanks...uhhhh...could you give me a moment?" Then, she went in the back to probably discuss it with the other people and we were left sitting awkwardly near each other for obvious reasons. I left with him still waiting there, told him "good luck." I do not recommend this tactic, regardless of the outcome.
Click to expand...

Half way through an interview day last year we noticed that there was an extra "applicant" as we prepared for the tour.
When identified as an interloper, she said about the same thing. Since she left without incident we didn't have to call security.
 
caffeinemia said:
Creeeeepy. Just show up at the dean's house unannounced but w donuts. The office staff don't really have much say, anyhow.
Click to expand...
I once showed up at the admissions office unannounced to withdraw my application (I was driving by, and not really sure how to withdraw via normal means). The office staff was utterly useless. They said I had to send them an email instead. At least they let me walk around the counter to their computer and let me log into my gmail so I could send them an email withdrawing my application (this was before ubiquitous smartphones).

It was an uncomfortable 15 minutes for everybody involved.
 
On a similar note:
What about visiting an admissions office in person at a school that snail mails decisions to receive your decision? (I ask this somewhat jokingly)

Took 3 months post-interview for status update to reach a decision at a rolling admissions school. Status update early morning last monday, still nothing in the mail (over a week!). I live <30min from the school........ I don't need Paul Revere to deliver the message, standard USPS would be fine - they get mail delivered in 2-3 business days!

I don't actually plan on doing anything but waiting, but c'mon now. I feel like a canadian on a kidney transplant list.
 
I won't say that I'd recommend this tactic. As everyone has said, this most likely will come off as utterly unprofessional and painfully awkward. Having said that, there is a miniscule chance that such audacity may be interpreted positively. It reminds me a little of "The Office", where Dwight, knowing he wasn't really being considered, shows up to the interview for manager as a burned up war veteran all bandaged up so as to conceal his identity. If one truly is that desperate with no other interviews/options, the awkwardness, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the utility of a potential positive outcome. There are inefficiencies and back doors in every market. Though I would never do this, I recognize that, in a utilitarian perspective, it is not irrational so long as it is executed tactfully.
 
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If you're already accepted somewhere else, it's close to finishing interview invite season, and you have an excuse to show up (as opposed to flat out wanting an interview), why not?
 
gyngyn said:
This might be a good moment to point out that medical school admissions offices deal with more disgruntled customers than Target on an average day.
Threats, veiled and direct are not uncommon.
This tends to make everyone a a little edgy when uninvited guests appear.
Click to expand...

Threats? What kind of threats? Like death threats or "I will get you fired!" Kind??
 
hoihaie said:
Threats? What kind of threats? Like death threats or "I will get you fired!" Kind??
Click to expand...
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
 
gyngyn said:
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
Click to expand...

What!?!?! You guys report that, right? That is so scary! I would be terrified. That is completely unprofessional.
 
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I wonder if people who are academic superstars (3.8+, 35+) show up confused and demand an answer as to why they were rejected…

Medical school admissions is a crapshoot. I think everyone going into the process should have some understanding of that.
 
gyngyn said:
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
Click to expand...

That is insane, but I'm not surprised. Desperation and rejection do bad things to a person's psyche.
 
Please do not show up at an MD admissions office without an appointment. Even if you have already visited the school as an interviewee, do not consider that an open invitation to show up in person to drop off an update, deliver thank you notes, ask a post-interview question, etc. There is zero benefit to showing up “in person.” It may be viewed as aggressive, and definitely will be viewed as not recognizing/respecting boundaries.
 
gyngyn said:
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
Click to expand...

:wow:
What the hell is wrong with people..
 
gyngyn said:
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
Click to expand...
SouthernSurgeon said:
And some applicants wonder why programs are hesitant to publish their interview dates online...
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Given that any of us could be the one who seeks wild-eyed revenge, I am gradually coming to understand why admissions offices are so reluctant to share any information with premeds that they don't have to.

As always, the few scary/bizarre/delusional ones among us make things worse for everyone.
 
Really good way to get your app flushed down the toilet.

You applied... they know you're interested.

AA|FCB|DOC said:
Hi all,

I am currently trying to push for a late interview. I was wondering if it's a good idea to visit the admissions office in person and try to express my interest. I am just looking for any desperate last push. If anyone has done this and been successful, please share. Thanks
Click to expand...
 
gyngyn said:
People who are loud and angry on the phone and have a local address are threat enough.
Comments like " now I understand the Colorado theater killer's feelings" (or fill in the blank mass murderer) happen every year.
Click to expand...
That's pretty insane.

What the heck is wrong with people?

Also, yeah, I hope you report these people to the general admissions network so they never end up being a physician.
 
AA|FCB|DOC said:
Hi all,

I am currently trying to push for a late interview. I was wondering if it's a good idea to visit the admissions office in person and try to express my interest. I am just looking for any desperate last push. If anyone has done this and been successful, please share. Thanks
Click to expand...
Do not do that. That's sooo creepy
 
I hope everyone knows I am just being teh sarcastic. But given the original premise of this thread, i thought it would be wise to clarify that here...
 
senzen said:
What!?!?! You guys report that, right? That is so scary! I would be terrified. That is completely unprofessional.
Click to expand...

NYCdude said:
That's pretty insane.

What the heck is wrong with people?

Also, yeah, I hope you report these people to the general admissions network so they never end up being a physician.
Click to expand...

Applicants who make credible threats of violence are reported to AMCAS (in addition to local authorities!).
Other schools to which the applicant has applied are notified.
 
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gyngyn said:
Applicants who make credible threats of violence are reported to AMCAS (in addition to local authorities!).
Other schools to which the applicant has applied are notified.
Click to expand...
Ahahaha, so did the cops drag them out of there? Did they have any last words before they left?
 
I just don't understand what goes through a person's mind to make them think it would be acceptable behavior.

It's like - let's show a complete lack of ability to respect boundaries, that will convince them I should be a doctor for sure!
 
Desperate people exhibit abnormal behavior. I'm not condoning this type of behavior but I understand it. I'm sure the majority of applicants who physically visit the admissions office (whether to beg for an interview or to provide an update or to let the admissions staff know how much they want to attend the school) don't do it because they're "creepy" or a social misfit.

They genuinely believe that they have nothing to lose. It's getting to the end of the cycle and there's only a few interview dates left. Maybe, just maybe, the admissions committee will like my chutzpah for showing up dressed in a suit during a interview day and they may just let me talk to an interviewer for a few minutes. They know their chances of everything working out as planned is very low but they still want to try. Crazier things have happened in life than an applicant being accepted in this way.

Still, I can understand why it would be frustrating and scary to the admissions office when unexpected applicants show up.
 
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