Once you receive an interview, are all applicants basically considered equal as far as grades, scores, and relevant experience is conserned? My grades and scores aren't the best compared to others, but I have two years of experience in retail and am currently working in a hospital pharmacy. Does getting the interview mean that they are content with all of the above or will they review it even further? Thanks everyone.
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Question about interviews.
Started by Pheesh
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I would not say that everyone is equal when you get to the interview stage. The way I believe most schools do things is that they will give a score to your GPA, PCAT, and the interview performance. Then they will accept the people that have the best average score of all of these (some schools call it I believe QPA). So if you do excellent at the interview may be you will be ranked ahead of someone that has better GPA & PCAT ,but did not do very well during the interview. So I would say that most of the schools will definitely review your complete application further after the interview.
Not necessarily because you don't know a school's intentions. At this point, a school may still be determining their regular class seats OR may be compiling their alternate list. You would not know unless you ask the particular school to which you are interviewing.
However, a couple of key things to remember about the interview. One thing that is for sure is that you are vying for something, and because of this, you should put your best foot forward. Also, it is common for interviewers to know nothing about you before your interview, otherwise it creates bias. Interviews tend to center around your value system. I wouldn't try to talk to much about your academic record because a school already has it on paper, unless you can tell a story about yourself through one of your classes (the grade is not of importance but rather your perserverance).
The interview should be viewed as another element in the selection process. I wouldn't say that it supplants everything else (if that was the case a school would not ask for your grades/PCAT scores and there would be no PharmCAS) but it could make your application appear more favorable in the end. It really depends on how much emphasis a particular school places on the interview.
Remember something very important, the interview is the last chance you have to "sell yourself" to a school. Make the most of your opportunity and good luck!
However, a couple of key things to remember about the interview. One thing that is for sure is that you are vying for something, and because of this, you should put your best foot forward. Also, it is common for interviewers to know nothing about you before your interview, otherwise it creates bias. Interviews tend to center around your value system. I wouldn't try to talk to much about your academic record because a school already has it on paper, unless you can tell a story about yourself through one of your classes (the grade is not of importance but rather your perserverance).
The interview should be viewed as another element in the selection process. I wouldn't say that it supplants everything else (if that was the case a school would not ask for your grades/PCAT scores and there would be no PharmCAS) but it could make your application appear more favorable in the end. It really depends on how much emphasis a particular school places on the interview.
Remember something very important, the interview is the last chance you have to "sell yourself" to a school. Make the most of your opportunity and good luck!
My school uses GPA and PCAT for screening to decide who gets an interview. Below a certain point almost no one is invited to interview.
Once you actually get to the interview stage it is 1/3 GPA, 1/3 PCAT, 1/3 interview.
In our interview we were mostly asked about extracurriculars, leadership, and motivation for entering the profession.
Once you actually get to the interview stage it is 1/3 GPA, 1/3 PCAT, 1/3 interview.
In our interview we were mostly asked about extracurriculars, leadership, and motivation for entering the profession.
How can one show their "...motivation for entering the profession" during the interview. Is it just by reading the schools web page and showing them that you are interested enough to know that much about the school or there is more?
What is it that they want to know when they ask "what are your strengths?"
thanks.
Marco
What is it that they want to know when they ask "what are your strengths?"
thanks.
Marco
