School Impression

[SpoiledMilk]

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Just curious. I understand that hosting is completely voluntary and based on the goodwill and schedules of the students at the medical school.

But has anyone ever signed up to stay with a host and have it not come through?

Did your excitement and the shine/impression of the school and its current students fade a little?

Is it reasonable to feel this way given school's have their pick of applicants?

 

[aldol16]

Don't take it personally. Students are busy and your interview might be on a week where they have exams where it would be really inconvenient for them to host you.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Thanks! I won't. I understand there might be circumstances like the ones you mentioned.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

It happens. I get where you're coming from having been in your shoes as a pre-med student, but bear in mind that hosting is kind of a big commitment for the medical students. When I host, I make sure my place is relatively clean and presentable, entertain and/or make small talk and/or answer questions for the interviewee, take the interviewee out to dinner, possibly give them rides to/from their interview, etc. I enjoy doing it, but it's a big time suck that I can't afford sometimes. At my school, if we don't have enough hosts it's usually the weekend before or after an exam, when everybody is either studying or out of town (visiting home, taking a weekend trip, etc.). Every week at med school is as busy as your busiest week in undergrad. The weekend before an exam I am studying from when I wake up in the morning until I go to bed at night with breaks only to eat and maybe work out. The weekend after might be my only days off from studying for that entire month, and the only time I can visit a friend or relative in another city that entire semester.

So at least at my school, it's not a reflection of the school's or student body's interest in recruiting applicants, just a matter of the students having to handle their own stuff, whether school-related or mental health-related, at that time.

Gotcha! Thanks!

 

[CrunchyPeanutButter]

Does it look bad if I don't stay with a host?


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[CrunchyPeanutButter]

Nope, not at all. At lots of schools, adcoms don't even know whether the applicant stayed with a host, and regardless people understand if you are someone who might get a better night's sleep in a hotel rather than on a stranger's couch.

It's beneficial to you to stay with a host in some ways (get to ask questions about the school, get to know the student body, cheaper, etc.) but it doesn't impact your admissions decision.

Ok thank you. I would definitely prefer to get a hotel as I think I would sleep better and be able to prepare etc...

I was just unsure if adcoms would use it against me such as "oh he didn't take the time to meet students or learn more about the school" etc


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