UW-Madison Interview, HELP!!!!!

[premedsoldja]

Hey everyone,
So I have my first interview in 2 days up at Madison (my state school). To be honest, I don't even know how I made it this far since my GPA and MCAT are peanuts compared to most of you. Anyway, for those of you that have interviewed there, I would really appreciate any advice you have for me. I've been going through all of the interview feedback on SDN and am also in contact with someone who has successfully interviewed there this cycle. I'm pretty sure this is my best (and possibly only) shot of getting into med school this cycle so I absolutely have to NAIL this interview. ADVICE? TIPS? I'll take anything at this point. I have every intention of writing a LOI after I interview as well as thank-you notes to all of my interviewers. When should I ask them for their email/home addresses? I would sign my life away to this med school if it meant getting in, someone help me... PLEASE!!!!!

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[junqu]

madison interviews residents automatically as long as you meet VERY low gpa and mcat stuff

 

[junqu]

actually this would be really funny/interesting


since madison has one the strongest rep's nationwide for pushing primary care (Rammed down students' throats-according to dozens of current MS)....lets see what we can find out. you say your stats are really low right....?


try this: say you're INCREDIBLY dedicated to primary care, underserved populations thrill you...etc., etc.

see what happens, and report back to SDN.

 

[cal_girl]

I think the interview is not a big part of admission process at U Wis. My faculty interviewer didn't ask me anything particular... just inform me how good the school is... Just be decent and nice. If you have a special situation, tell him. I think after the interview, the interviewer writes a report which is like another recommendation letter. And a committee of 5 ppl vote. The interviewer will talk for you during the vote.
The student/group interview is nothing. As long as you don't say anything terrible, it's fine.

 

[ryanl]

There are two interviews, one is a one-on-one interview which is the important one. This does count basically as another letter of recommendation, the interviewer has no set questions to ask not a script. They are there to learn about you. It's the least stressful interview I've had.

The second interview is a group interview. 4 applicants and 2 interviewers, my interviewers were current students. This interview is more of a question/answer session, where the applicants ask the interviewers questions if they have any.

Take the interviews seriously, but there isn't a need to really stress out about them, just be yourself.

 

[abj]

since madison has one the strongest rep's nationwide for pushing primary care (Rammed down students' throats-according to dozens of current MS)....lets see what we can find out.

"Rammed down students' throats?" Like who is doing this? The PDS lecturers? lol. There isn't anykind of arm twisting when you start school at Madison. There is no requirement or magical gullotine that hangs over your head demanding that one be a primary care physician (unless you take the primary care scholarship). Wisconsin does a great job in PREPARING one for primary care situations, but that doesn't mean they DEMAND you to go into primary care. Look at the match lists... there's a bigtime radation oncologist at Wisconsin, he's the magic ticket for a LOR if you want to match in that.

try this: say you're INCREDIBLY dedicated to primary care, underserved populations thrill you...etc., etc.

I would never follow this advice. Wisconsin wants dedicated people who are passionate about what they want to do, just like most other schools. There is no magical password that one can say in the interview to gain admission. They don't care if you are research, primary care, or undecided about one's future in medicine. If you are passionate about primary care, sure talk about it. But don't go in talking about something you don't fully understand, or aren't fully interested in, alot of people can see through fake facades like that.

The interview is about being yourself, talking about your strengths, not the strengths one may think a school is looking for. You only set yourself up for disaster if you try to be something you aren't.

 

[Caribou]

madison interviews residents automatically as long as you meet VERY low gpa and mcat stuff

Come on, getting an interview at a school like UW, in-state or out-of-state, is a big accomplishment and there's no reason to minimalize that.

I haven't interviewed at UW, so I don't know what it's like, but !! I've heard it's pretty relaxed and friendly, so don't stress too much.

P.s. I definitely agree with Abj about being yourself and showing what truly interests you.

 

[junqu]

actually no...if you're a Wisconsin RESIDENT you literally get invited to interview AUTOMATICALLY based purely on MCAT and GPA cutoffs...


It's not minimizing it. it's a simple fact.

 

[45408]

actually no...if you're a Wisconsin RESIDENT you literally get invited to interview AUTOMATICALLY based purely on MCAT and GPA cutoffs...


It's not minimizing it. it's a simple fact.

I'm pretty sure you're correct. I don't know any state residents who didn't get an interview. Still, that doesn't mean that you should take it any less seriously (if anything, take it MORE seriously). My interviews there were EXTREMELY relaxed, and I had a pretty positive impression of the school, and I was accepted. I picked MCW though instead for assorted reasons.

good luck! one of my friends had a late application, and he was interviewed at UWisc in March, and while he didn't get in, he suddenly got another interview invite for the school he's now attending. Put on your game face at the interview, but don't take it so seriously that you have a nervous breakdown while you're there!

 

[deleted103730]

It's true about instate applicants, they all get interviewed. I don't live in Wisconsin, but my mother does, so I'm technically instate, but that little detail wasn't known by them until late December when they finally sent me a secondary past the deadline. My father then spoke with the Dean there earlier in the week (my father is applying for a residency program, long story) and it was confirmed to him that I'd be interviewing towards the end of March. Nothing like being the last person to be interviewed.

 

[cal_girl]

I think the secondary and the LOR play a big part in admission process at U WIS. My MCAT is below their average but I did explain everything decently in their extra long secondary with 2 essays.