Questions for the Dean

[swdave]

I'm going to be meeting with the Dean of a school I'm waitlisted at.

I've got several questions that I want to ask but I'm interested in what people in this forum would ask.

Let me know!

Thanks,
Dave

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[muonwhiz]

Which school is this? It will be hard to suggest questions without knowing that.

 

[swdave]

I'm meeting with AZCOMs Dean in a few weeks. I didn't think it mattered and that I'd get a more varied response by not mentioning what school I was visiting.

I guess I'd like to know what other people would want to know from a school they think they want to attend.

I'm also interested in questions that current medical students at ANY school wished they would've asked before they made a choice.

Thanks Muonwhiz, I've liked other feedback you've provided and I'm hoping some more of the "seasoned" members may give me some new insights I haven't thought of.

Dave

 

[gower]

What is the PURPOSE of your meeting?

After interview, 65% receive acceptance letters, 25% ar told they are wait-listed. Rolling acceptance. The wait-list is divided into categories of high, medium, low. Most from the high category get in, half from the medium, almost none from the bottom. Students may send in relevant supplementary information. Greatest movement from wait-list: August; about 10 taken from wait-list.

If you intend to ask why you are wait-listed instead of accepted, I suggest an indirect approach instead of putting the Dean on the spot with the question: "why didn't I get admitted instead of wait-listed?" There really is no satisfactory answer to that except either because there is rolling admissions and you were toward the back of the line or, all decisions have a certain arbitrariness about them and that's the way the chips fell. If you made the alternate list, especially the top half, then the luck of the draw is the most likely explanation.

A good approach is to ask "how can I make myself a better candidate if I have to reapply." That doesn't put the Dean on the spot and shows both your interest in the
school and a desire to improve.

Good luck.

 

[swdave]

I have many purposes for speaking with the Dean.

Azcom hasn't ranked their alternate list yet and it's been indicated to me that the dean has considerable influence in the alternate process. So one main purpose would be to familiarize the Dean with who I am.

Another reason is that I like to find out more about the school than what is told to you when your addressed as a group. I like to get a feel for the direction the school is headed. What hurdles that school has gone through in terms of changes in curriculum, clinical opportunities, addressing requests for improvements from the student body, etc.

The Dean can also heavily influence the feel of the school I think. So meeting the Dean is another avenue of insight into the school.

Hope this answers you question gower.

Dave

 

[electra]

hi dave,

gower has the best point with asking how to be more a competitive candidate.

another take might be to indicate to to dean that you have other skills/qualifications/EXPERIENCES that the application or secondary did not address, Also, if you have something for that school that indicates YOU WOULD ACCEPT if offered, that might help as well. When I was interviewed at the school I chose to go to, mythird question was basicaly "How do you like the school? Would you come here?"

Best to you in your meeting! Be confident and personable, dress like a pro, have your papers and things in a bag or folder, look hot!

electra

 

[muonwhiz]

Be sure to post up any good info that you get from the Dean about the school, where it is going, what goals (short and long term) that the Dean has and when he plans to implement them. Sorry about more comments from an "unseasoned" person.

 

[swdave]

Hey muonwhiz,

Maybe my comment about the "seasoned" ones wasn't quite appropriate. Great to hear from you and I'll post anything of relevance when I get past that meeting.

Are you still waiting for any other schools than DMU?

Based on a post earlier, I realized you were female. Not that it matters a bit but you know how you sometimes assume something without realizing you did. Anyway, my life is clearer now that I've realized this descriptive little detail.

Dave