Weight of interview?

[MusicalHenry]

I was always under the impression that if you get an interview, you're pretty much in unless you're socially inept. Recently I've gotten interview invitations so I did more research. Turns out that for most schools only about half of the people that interview actually get accepted. I've seen stats that suggest numbers as low as 1 in 3 interviewed getting accepted. This worries me haha. I know I'm social and "normal" and can say interesting things and show motivation towards a career in medicine...but so can almost everyone else who is interviewing.

My question is, how much do they weigh the interview in deciding who to accept? I've heard that everyone who gets an interview is at the same playing level from that stage forward. Is this true or do numbers and activities continue to play a role in admission decision even after interviews?

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[torshi]

I was always under the impression that if you get an interview, you're pretty much in unless you're socially inept. Recently I've gotten interview invitations so I did more research. Turns out that for most schools only about half of the people that interview actually get accepted. I've seen stats that suggest numbers as low as 1 in 3 interviewed getting accepted. This worries me haha. I know I'm social and "normal" and can say interesting things and show motivation towards a career in medicine...but so can almost everyone else who is interviewing.

My question is, how much do they weigh the interview in deciding who to accept? I've heard that everyone who gets an interview is at the same playing level from that stage forward. Is this true or do numbers and activities continue to play a role in admission decision even after interviews?

basically..
just present yourself well and acknowledge your interest in the school.

 

[Barcu]

The significance varies greatly by school.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

I was always under the impression that if you get an interview, you're pretty much in unless you're socially inept. Recently I've gotten interview invitations so I did more research. Turns out that for most schools only about half of the people that interview actually get accepted. I've seen stats that suggest numbers as low as 1 in 3 interviewed getting accepted. This worries me haha. I know I'm social and "normal" and can say interesting things and show motivation towards a career in medicine...but so can almost everyone else who is interviewing.

My question is, how much do they weigh the interview in deciding who to accept? I've heard that everyone who gets an interview is at the same playing level from that stage forward. Is this true or do numbers and activities continue to play a role in admission decision even after interviews?

It depends on the school, I think. Some schools interview a lot of candidates and only accept a few. Some don't interview many and accept a high percentage of those. I think there's more too it than just being socially adept. You have to be able to speak intelligently, come across professionally, and show your passion for medicine. Even then, a school might decide that they like another candidate better based on other parts of their application. An interview is far from a formality.

 

[gettheleadout]

The significance varies greatly by school.

This thread seriously gets created every month. Barcu has the correct answer. Smiter is right as welll, particularly in her first three sentences.

Please search in the future.

 

[postbacpremed87]

I was always under the impression that if you get an interview, you're pretty much in unless you're socially inept. Recently I've gotten interview invitations so I did more research. Turns out that for most schools only about half of the people that interview actually get accepted. I've seen stats that suggest numbers as low as 1 in 3 interviewed getting accepted. This worries me haha. I know I'm social and "normal" and can say interesting things and show motivation towards a career in medicine...but so can almost everyone else who is interviewing.

My question is, how much do they weigh the interview in deciding who to accept? I've heard that everyone who gets an interview is at the same playing level from that stage forward. Is this true or do numbers and activities continue to play a role in admission decision even after interviews?

I would like to think of an interview as a playoff in sports. Once you get past the regular season (primary and secondary applications) your record is 0-0. You were good enough to get to the playoffs (interview) and now it all will be decided by your performance/impression you give off at the interview.

Put yourself in a position to get into the playoffs (great GPA, MCAT, ECs) and then have confidence in yourself to take it all the way home.....

 

[Barcu]

I would like to think of an interview as a playoff in sports. Once you get past the regular season (primary and secondary applications) your record is 0-0. You were good enough to get to the playoffs (interview) and now it all will be decided by your performance/impression you give off at the interview.

Put yourself in a position to get into the playoffs (great GPA, MCAT, ECs) and then have confidence in yourself to take it all the way home.....

And at some schools your analogy would work. At others, not really.

Whatever the importance of the interview is at each school, you want to do well. That means preparing. Look into common questions and come up with answers (and the goal is to not make them sound rehearsed). Practice, practice, practice.

In the end, the importance of the interview shouldn't be a main concern. You've done what you could to get there, and you have an opportunity to have a stellar interview. Sadly at some schools, that may not be enough, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you should have the best interview you possibly can.

 

[aSagacious]

I would like to think of an interview as a playoff in sports. Once you get past the regular season (primary and secondary applications) your record is 0-0. You were good enough to get to the playoffs (interview) and now it all will be decided by your performance/impression you give off at the interview.

Put yourself in a position to get into the playoffs (great GPA, MCAT, ECs) and then have confidence in yourself to take it all the way home.....

I agree with Barcu, your analogy falls flat at many (most?) schools. At these schools you are not necessarily on a level playing field with other interviewees, but are instead given a score for your interview at which point AdComs go back to your file (with interview score in hand) to make a final ruling. However there's no reason to worry about stuff that's out of your hands.

 

[postbacpremed87]

Thanks guys.

I agree with Barcu, your analogy falls flat at many (most?) schools. At these schools you are not necessarily on a level playing field with other interviewees, but are instead given a score for your interview at which point AdComs go back to your file (with interview score in hand) to make a final ruling. However there's no reason to worry about stuff that's out of your hands.

 

[CodeBlu]

this thread seriously gets created every month. Barcu has the correct answer. Smiter is right as welll, particularly in her first three sentences.

Please search in the future.

+1

 

[LizzyM]

I would like to think of an interview as a playoff in sports. Once you get past the regular season (primary and secondary applications) your record is 0-0. You were good enough to get to the playoffs (interview) and now it all will be decided by your performance/impression you give off at the interview.

Put yourself in a position to get into the playoffs (great GPA, MCAT, ECs) and then have confidence in yourself to take it all the way home.....

It is more like a weird play off in sports.

It is as if we are in March Madness. The applicant pool are the 64 teams (forget the play-in). If you make it to Sweet Sixteen (based on gpa/MCAT/LORs/ECs) you get an interview invite. If you have a player foul out in the Sweet Sixteen Game (very bad behavior at interview), you are rejected. If you are still in it, winning your admission offer depends on the points scored during the regular season (gpa/MCAT) and number of 3 points scored during the Sweet Sixteen game (impressing interviewer) Those who had fewer points in the regular season and few 3 pointers in the Sweet 16 get waitlisted, the rest move ahead to offers of admission.

 

[SteveJMarist]

It is more like a weird play off in sports.

It is as if we are in March Madness. The applicant pool are the 64 teams (forget the play-in). If you make it to Sweet Sixteen (based on gpa/MCAT/LORs/ECs) you get an interview invite. If you have a player foul out in the Sweet Sixteen Game (very bad behavior at interview), you are rejected. If you are still in it, winning your admission offer depends on the points scored during the regular season (gpa/MCAT) and number of 3 points scored during the Sweet Sixteen game (impressing interviewer) Those who had fewer points in the regular season and few 3 pointers in the Sweet 16 get waitlisted, the rest move ahead to offers of admission.

I better start working on my three point shot, then.

 

[CodeBlu]

It is more like a weird play off in sports.

It is as if we are in March Madness. The applicant pool are the 64 teams (forget the play-in). If you make it to Sweet Sixteen (based on gpa/MCAT/LORs/ECs) you get an interview invite. If you have a player foul out in the Sweet Sixteen Game (very bad behavior at interview), you are rejected. If you are still in it, winning your admission offer depends on the points scored during the regular season (gpa/MCAT) and number of 3 points scored during the Sweet Sixteen game (impressing interviewer) Those who had fewer points in the regular season and few 3 pointers in the Sweet 16 get waitlisted, the rest move ahead to offers of admission.

LizzyM... once again.. you amaze me!

PS. If you weren't married (I assume because you have kids)... I'd hit on you. Girls that are into basketball are insta-awesome.

 

[NickNaylor]

Like Barcu said, varies widely by school. At some schools, e.g. Mayo, the interview is of great importance. Other aspects of your application are still important, but the interview is more or less the determinant of your application once you get to that point. At other schools, e.g. Michigan, your application is more highly valued since it describes 3+ years of educational and extracurricular experiences compared to a few interviews which total less than a few hours of face time. I know that these particular schools approach their admissions processes this way because they bluntly tell you this on the interview day.

I'd be willing to guess that most schools utilize a hybrid, where the interview is important, but perhaps equal to or only marginally more important than the other aspects of your application (i.e., primary, secondary, etc.). Regardless of the relative importance, a bad interview will sink you no matter what while a stellar interview doesn't guarantee an acceptance.

 

[AestheticMed]

LizzyM... once again.. you amaze me!

PS. If you weren't married (I assume because you have kids)... I'd hit on you. Girls that are into basketball are insta-awesome.

Haha, Kobe can't be a doctor.

 

[postbacpremed87]

Thanks for coming to my rescue LizzyM.

It is more like a weird play off in sports.

It is as if we are in March Madness. The applicant pool are the 64 teams (forget the play-in). If you make it to Sweet Sixteen (based on gpa/MCAT/LORs/ECs) you get an interview invite. If you have a player foul out in the Sweet Sixteen Game (very bad behavior at interview), you are rejected. If you are still in it, winning your admission offer depends on the points scored during the regular season (gpa/MCAT) and number of 3 points scored during the Sweet Sixteen game (impressing interviewer) Those who had fewer points in the regular season and few 3 pointers in the Sweet 16 get waitlisted, the rest move ahead to offers of admission.

 

[Simplify]

CodeBlu, your avatar is horrendously huge.

The answer to this question has been given a thousand times, if not more!