requesting interviews

[phantomx87]

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So here are some questions for everyone (preferably those with adcom experience):

1. What are the criteria for requesting an interview (providing a school allows such a thing)?
2. What is the process for said request?
3. How does it look to the adcom requesting an interview vs. being granted one?
4. Is there any REAL and CONSTRUCTIVE advice or guidance anyone can give on said subject?

I appreciate the help in getting information!

 

[spanamit]

First of all, you have an excellent record of extracurriculars + preceptorships + research. Good job.

Now that's out of the way, your GPA blows. Your MCAT is also fairly mediocre. I would highly recommend doing a Post-Bac to raise that GPA, and studying for and retaking the MCATs.

As far as getting an interview is concerned,

What are the criteria for requesting an interview (providing a school allows such a thing)?
Only if a nearby school invited you, then you can claim to the school that didn't invite you that you want to make one trip to get your interviews there over with. Most schools will be accommodating if they are actually serious about interviewing you.

What is the process for said request?
A simple email to the admissions office would do.

How does it look to the adcom requesting an interview vs. being granted one?
No difference.

Is there any REAL and CONSTRUCTIVE advice or guidance anyone can give on said subject?
Don't beg for interviews. Unless you have a personal connection with the school, you don't have much of a bargaining chip here.
By the way, where did you do research and publish those 4 papers? Try to contact the admissions office of that school. Better yet, get your PI to contact them on your behalf.

 

[phantomx87]

As far as the GPA goes, yeah it does blow. I had a horrible first year and had to transfer because of medical reasons. At the school I graduated from, I had great grades, a dual major, and graduated early. From what I have gathered from conversations with adcom members, my situation isn't entirely lost because of that first year.

I have conducted all of my neurosurgical research at Thomas Jefferson University. I have also conducted research at Pitt and Penn (just turned down a job offer there because of time commitment). I am, however, going to start another research opportunity at Penn this month, and it looks like it should be another long-term endeavor.

PS - my interview at NYMC wasn't by request. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

[spanamit]

As far as the GPA goes, yeah it does blow. I had a horrible first year and had to transfer because of medical reasons. At the school I graduated from, I had great grades, a dual major, and graduated early. From what I have gathered from conversations with adcom members, my situation isn't entirely lost because of that first year.

I have conducted all of my neurosurgical research at Thomas Jefferson University. I have also conducted research at Pitt and Penn (just turned down a job offer there because of time commitment). I am, however, going to start another research opportunity at Penn this month, and it looks like it should be another long-term endeavor.

PS - my interview at NYMC wasn't by request. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

My intention wasn't to depress you. Certainly your research and other leadership roles show that you are capable of applying yourself. But that GPA will still raise a red-flag for many Adcoms.

As far as the neurosurgery research at TJU, try to see if someone on your research team (PI hopefully) could make a phone call or two and land you an interview there. TJU is a pretty awesome place; one of my best friends is there. Your best bet would be to try hard to land an interview there.

Also, try to ask your Penn PI to see if he has any connections. However, I bet Penn is probably a little too much of a stretch.

 

[phantomx87]

bump... anyone with any thoughts?

 

[aaj117]

like the other poster said, you can't just request interviews...if you have been invited to another interview in the area, then you can let a school know that you will be in the area and should they choose to interview you, you'd appreciate it if you could try to schedule it so that it takes only one trip for financial reasons. besides that one case, your application submission is a request for an interview, and that is all that's appropriate.

 

[167649]

So here are some questions for everyone (preferably those with adcom experience):

1. What are the criteria for requesting an interview (providing a school allows such a thing)?
2. What is the process for said request?
3. How does it look to the adcom requesting an interview vs. being granted one?
4. Is there any REAL and CONSTRUCTIVE advice or guidance anyone can give on said subject?

I appreciate the help in getting information!

Regrettably, you cannot simply request an interview. Everybody who applies wants an interview. If the school is interested in you they will grant you one. Otherwise, if they have not granted you one, they are not interested in you and will invite someone else. Calling or emailing the office to ask that they interview you is pointless. For one, ususally the entire committtee votes on the application (after it has been screened) on wether or not to interview.

But, what you can do is send a letter of interest. Such a letter explains why you feel that particular school is a good fit for you, why you want to go there, etc. There have been many threads on this topic so search for it and you will get more information.

To be honest, with a GPA under 3.0 (especially both AO and BCPM) you have an extremenly low probability of getting into medical school. People pull it off occasionally, but of the 50,000 who apply each year this is very rare. A letter of interest may not actually do you much good because most schools may have screened you out before they even considered you for an interview. (LOI's are most effective for those on the "borderline"). You may want to start planning alternatives now. While your EC's which are great, you may have to complete a post bac program to raise the GPA. But your experience is very good, you just need to get your numbers up.

In the meantime, kick butt at your NYMC interview, and make sure to have a good explanation for your grades, they always ask about a "red flag" there.