USC interview?. how do they grade you?

[dentalmon]

i was at USC last month for the interview.. however it wasnt a formal interview as we just had a PBL session.. and during that session. .. i was seated in the very back of the class and wasnt able to get too involve with the session.. it seems like the first 6 students in the front were always the ones that had lots to say... and were the first ones to shout one ne thing... leaving the 3 or 4 students including me in the back out of the conversation... ......... so my question is.. am i screwed?........if so.. i think thts kinda of the worst way to eluvate a student (esp. if thats the first time they are being exposed to PBL)


seriously.. i wouldnt think USC is a top choice after my visit.. however.. it just kinda left a bitter taste after the PBL filled with overally aggressive students..

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[Svart Aske]

Didn't apply to USC, but I agree that using a mock-PBL session is a bad way of evaluating applicants. You're going to have a few try-hard gunner types who want to dominate the conversation.

 

[KitKat09]

First off, don't hate on USC. After interviewing there and spending some time at the school it is among my top choices as well.

Second, were you able to get any comments in at all? and where they good ones? I would not worry about the people that donimated the conversation, it may be that some of them will be the ones to get rejected. The school is not looking for people who don't contribute to a discussion, but at the same time they are not looking for people who don't let others get a word in either.

 

[lphiewok]

i just had my interview 2 days ago and i think sitting in the back doesnt necessarily decrease your chance of getting in.

2 students who were sitting in the back were most active participants in my group and i don't think the position/location of your seat necessarily determined your choice of participating in the PBL group.

Im pretty sure they were writing stuff down everytime you volunteered to either read the passage or said something along the line that they were looking for.

I agree i don't think that this is the most effective way of evaluating a student, but I believe you had a chance to step up and shine your character during that PBL session (we all knew what we had to do)

hope we all did well and good luck to everyone

 

[xhamburgersamx]

Believe it or not but you are being evaluated but at the same time it's your opportunity to see/test if PBL is for you.

This is how PBL is "really" graded (possibly not at the interview but in the actual curriculum):

Group Skills
Reasoning skills
Feedback skills

Notice excessive talking is not in the grading criteria.

 

[Kelly421]

Personally, I did not like the structure of the "interview" because I was unable to evaluate my performance. I have no clue where I stand. During the PBL session I felt, like many others, that I had to be pushy to get my point across. I doubt that real PBL sessions feel so competitive.

 

[KitKat09]

Personally, I did not like the structure of the "interview" because I was unable to evaluate my performance. I have no clue where I stand. During the PBL session I felt, like many others, that I had to be pushy to get my point across. I doubt that real PBL sessions feel so competitive.

What are they looking first are those points mentioned above-
Group skill- how well you are able to evaluate and interact with others, how respectful, are you able to listen, whether you are capable of understanding and developing/ following on somebody's ideas, leading yourself and involving others
being pushy is not a skill highly valued, being a team member is....
I agree with you- team work is a concept not taught well in present society, so putting random people together and expecting them to work as a team is confusing...

 

[sakz]

The assistant director of admissions came to my school last week to talk about USC. Someone asked about the interview and he essentially just said its more of a way for usto evaluate the program and if it's right for us.

Honestly, after that presentation there's no way i'm going to consider that school. From what i got from his presentation, you'll be paying 80,000/year to teach yourself.