What do schools give you on interview day?

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LizzyM

LizzyM

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Just curious what schools are doing this year in terms of branded and non-branded items provided to applicants on interview day. Pen? folder? tote bag? lanyard? water bottle? notepad?
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All the things you listed and didn't (t-shirt, sun visor for car, backpack) plus mounds of information in a folder about the school, its match stats, curriculum, schedule, etc. Since you are an Adcom and not in the Admissions Office who generally decides on what to provide applicants, I am guessing you don't have a say in what is provided to the interviewees?

Personally, I don't see the point of all the swag. The information folder is more than enough. I doubt that I will be persuaded to go to a particular school if accepted because of a school branded stress ball.

And since I am generally not a "stuff" person, I feel forced to accept the swag bag for fear of being labeled as being uncooperative. So I reluctantly take the bag.
 
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I, for one, love swag. I'm 3x more excited for my interviews after learning about this.
 
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I got a pen from my state school, and a tote from GW. Nothing else from the other low yield I interviewed at.

So... will all this be going into some complicated analysis to see if some swag makes the difference between wooing acceptees with three 130+ scores to four 130+ scores?
 
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I've gotten 2 bags, a drawstring, and a fancy notepad (all from different schools) so far. Even though the items aren't swaying my preference list, it's a nice little surprise to see what they're giving us.
 
If I get a shirt from a school I interview at that later rejects me. That thing will be in the fire pit within 48 hours of rejection
 
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efle said:
Penn gives you a hat!
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like this one?
william+penn2.jpg
 
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LizzyM said:
Just curious what schools are doing this year in terms of branded and non-branded items provided to applicants on interview day. Pen? folder? tote bag? lanyard? water bottle? notepad?
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At my most recent interview, I got a pen and a tote bag. Both were branded.
 
Can't believe no one's talking about the food. I mean I like nice toys and all but the places that gave out ice cream sundaes and surprisingly nice seafood respectively definitely got a huge bump up in my impressions book.

Several others had similarly nice fare but these stand out even now years later.
 
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md-2020 said:
Can't believe no one's talking about the food. I mean I like nice toys and all but the places that gave out ice cream sundaes and surprisingly nice seafood respectively definitely got a huge bump up in my impressions book.

Several others had similarly nice fare but these stand out even now years later.
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Make your own thread for the eats... there have been some like that in the past but schools have been known to change things up from one year to the next.
 
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I think Dr. Bob had like 30 pens from each school he interviewed from. So pens definitely.
 
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Pen, notepad, folder, a dash of confidence, a heavy pour of anxiety, and two measures of false hope.
 
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Today was interview day at my school and they were giving out some fancy ass thermoses or something. I think I got a pen when I interviewed here two years ago. They're upping their game.
 
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Lannister said:
Today was interview day at my school and they were giving out some fancy ass thermoses or something. I think I got a pen when I interviewed here two years ago. They're upping their game.
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I can't wait
 
Lannister said:
Today was interview day at my school and they were giving out some fancy ass thermoses or something. I think I got a pen when I interviewed here two years ago. They're upping their game.
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They are legit, I was there on the 31st. Seriously high quality.

Will feel real conflicted if they reject me, cause I dont wanna get rid of it, but would not want the reminder.
 
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Lannister said:
Today was interview day at my school and they were giving out some fancy ass thermoses or something. I think I got a pen when I interviewed here two years ago. They're upping their game.
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SuaveCardigans said:
They are legit, I was there on the 31st. Seriously high quality.

Will feel real conflicted if they reject me, cause I dont wanna get rid of it, but would not want the reminder.
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Man what school is this?
 
SuaveCardigans said:
They are legit, I was there on the 31st. Seriously high quality.

Will feel real conflicted if they reject me, cause I dont wanna get rid of it, but would not want the reminder.
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just put stickers over it. Easy fix, and you get to literally stick it to the man.
 
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not interview day but at the NIH MD/PhD program fair UChicago gave me a branded flash drive (w/ a slideshow about their program on it) and lens cleaning cloth. Everything else was pens.
 
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md-2020 said:
Cincy I think.

Doesn't stop me from wearing the Hahvard tee that I got in the mail as a high schooler. :D
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I love the name. MD 20/20 for the future MDs baby.
 
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I've gotten a pen, 2 drawstring bags, and a sunglass clip for my car!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Ive gotten a pen, tote bag, and fridge magnet!
 
Lots of pens, a lanyard, a folder, a really nice hard folder thing with multiple compartments, and a shirt. Even though I turned the school with the shirt down I still wear it because it's a nice shirt.

*this is all last year
 
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I got a pen, notepad, and folder at my interview. Would've bought a shirt in their swag store there, but figured I'd hold off in case they rejected me lol.
 
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I know this is the MD forum, but in case you wanted to know about DO too, they didn't give anything at one school that I wasn't particularly impressed with anyway. We had to fill out a form at the end and they didn't even give out pens. Probably to keep us from writing, "this schools sucks," in our notes.
 
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dr.grenouille said:
I know this is the MD forum, but in case you wanted to know about DO too, they didn't give anything at one school that I wasn't particularly impressed with anyway. We had to fill out a form at the end and they didn't even give out pens. Probably to keep us from writing, "this schools sucks," in our notes.
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Name the school.
 
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I've seen my school giving out a drawstring backpack, sunglasses, water bottle, folder, and pen (all branded).
 
Too many lanyards, pins, notepads, folders. Got a padfolio from somewhere. Bunch of drawstring bags. Business card holder.

Residency swag is where it's at. Plus they paid for most of my hotels!
 
Lucca said:
not interview day but at the NIH MD/PhD program fair UChicago gave me a branded flash drive (w/ a slideshow about their program on it) and lens cleaning cloth. Everything else was pens.
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I wonder what was going through the school rep's head?

"MD/PhD? Break out the lens wipes and pocket protectors!"
 
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Pens mainly. I got a nifty USB drive from one place. Another place did give me a t-shirt. I wear it even though I go to a different school lol. It's comfy
 
A little off-topic, but for second looks some places give nice stuff. One place booked me a free hotel executive suite, had 1 bedroom, a separate living room, bath robes, free mini bar, etc.
 
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pyrrion89 said:
A little off-topic, but for second looks some places give nice stuff. One place booked me a free hotel executive suite, had 1 bedroom, a separate living room, bath robes, free mini bar, etc.
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damn, I'd apply there just for chance at the second look lol
 
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Few students apply ED, but would they receive any additional swag? I'm a sucker for free stuff.
 
I got a water bottle and a notebook at one, a folder and a candy at another.
 
Kingsmen2018 said:
If I get a shirt from a school I interview at that later rejects me. That thing will be in the fire pit within 48 hours of rejection
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Well everyone, the only school that gave me a shirt out of the 5 I've interviewed at, rejected me yesterday...
 
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Tee shirt at one. Note pad and folder from another.
 
Kingsmen2018 said:
Drexel, I wish I could show u how it looks but its gone now
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Dang I should’ve gone to that interview lol, oh well it would’ve been a 4 hr drive for me.

I’ve only been to 2 interviews so far and I’ve gotten 1 info packet and 1 giant chocolate bar. The choco bar did not last long...
 
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The most exciting thing I've gotten was a USB drive from two schools. Two schools didn't even give out folders, lol.
 
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