what does it mean to get an interview?

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gmcguitar4

AMCAS done: 6/12

Committee letter sent in: 8/17😡

So I am just starting to hear from schools. I have one interview. I just want to know what it means to get an interview. I have a great/very unique application except for a low gpa, 3.0, but was given an interview to a US allo in NY. Does this mean they are willing to let me explain myself?
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Well first of all, congratulations! You have an interview, and that's not something everyone can say.

Most school are looking to see if you have a a good demeanor and are able to communicate well--that is foremost. They often are looking to see if you would be a good personality fit for their school. The interview is also a good time to explain face-to-face any deficiencies in your application, but I would not go out of your way to mention it. If it comes up, explain it *without being defensive* and move along.

Try not to look at this as a fight. Look at it more as getting to know you (and you getting to know them too!). Your interviewer is your ally usually. They are your indirect voice to the admissions committee on your behalf.
 
So interviews include school tours and breakfast/lunch with medical students. Is this part of the interview as well? Are you being watched the second you step foot inside the school?
 
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gmcguitar4 said:
So interviews include school tours and breakfast/lunch with medical students. Is this part of the interview as well? Are you being watched the second you step foot inside the school?
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Be on your best behavior. No matter what.

Be nice to everyone, the secretaries, the custodians... don't be a douchebag.
 
CodeBlu said:
Be on your best behavior. No matter what.

Be nice to everyone, the secretaries, the custodians... don't be a douchebag.
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****, I was planning on spitting in my hand before shaking the deans. Thought that would have sealed the deal.


Do you think they look at how you interact with other applicants during the whole day?
 
gmcguitar4 said:
****, I was planning on spitting in my hand before shaking the deans. Thought that would have sealed the deal.


Do you think they look at how you interact with other applicants during the whole day?
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Yes they do because they want to see what type of person you are in the general public not what type of person you are to your daddy (Dean of admissions).
 
gmcguitar4 said:
****, I was planning on spitting in my hand before shaking the deans. Thought that would have sealed the deal.


Do you think they look at how you interact with other applicants during the whole day?
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shinbeats said:
Yes they do because they want to see what type of person you are in the general public not what type of person you are to your daddy (Dean of admissions).
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When you think people aren't watching you... they are.

At my recent interviews... they give us name tags. So all it takes is someone to look at your name tag and be like... "Note to self: This kid is a douchebag and doesn't play well with others."
 
gmcguitar4 said:
****, I was planning on spitting in my hand before shaking the deans. Thought that would have sealed the deal.

Do you think they look at how you interact with other applicants during the whole day?
Click to expand...

Assuming you don't do anything horrendous, most schools don't analyze you that intensely. One notable exception, though, is Hopkins: you're being evaluated when you're in the admissions office with other applicants between your interviews.

Pretty silly IMO.
 
gmcguitar4 said:
****, I was planning on spitting in my hand before shaking the deans. Thought that would have sealed the deal.


Do you think they look at how you interact with other applicants during the whole day?
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Maybe if you were trying to attend medical school on Arrakis 🙂
 
An interview means that on paper you are the kind of student they are looking to have in their school.
The interview is to show that you:
1. Are not crazy.
2. Are tolerably personable.
3. Are aware of things that occur outside of your little sphere of life.

That being said, congrats and good luck.
 
Using the USNews website (which is still free for a handful of hours) lets you see the interview:acceptance ratio for any US medical school.

As a general rule, people seem to get one acceptance for every three to four interviews. The statistics for most schools back this up.
 
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centrigeugle said:
Using the USNews website (which is still free for a handful of hours) lets you see the interview:acceptance ratio for any US medical school.

As a general rule, people seem to get one acceptance for every three to four interviews. The statistics for most schools back this up.
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One interview, and one acceptance is all it takes. I know a lot of people who had 1 or 2 interviews and were still accepted without being waitlisted.

However, for schools that receive heavy apps and interview a fair bit... like New York Medical College... it's important to realize your chances are much worse than say... at Tulane.
 
centrigeugle said:
Using the USNews website (which is still free for a handful of hours) lets you see the interview:acceptance ratio for any US medical school.

As a general rule, people seem to get one acceptance for every three to four interviews. The statistics for most schools back this up.
Click to expand...
You're looking at an average, not a general rule.

Some will get 4 offers from 5 interviews, others none. Etc.
 
If you get an interview does that mean your LORs are good? Or at least not bad?
 
Frazier said:
...It means your LORs, if actually read, did not disqualify you from proceeding with the next step of admissions (i.e. the interview). You won't know more than this unless someone mentions them - such as your interviewer commenting, "My, my, FattySlug, your professor had such wonderful things to say about you. Can you really walk on water like proclaimed?"
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How common is it for schools not to read LORs before interview invite? I thought it should be a given that they read them before inviting anybody.
 
Well focus on your interview. They gave you an interview, so they must be interested in you, and to see is you fit in with the school. Look up info on the school, practice interviewing try to get focused on really knocking that interview out of the park. Make them know that you feel you do fit with the school, regardless of a low GPA and show your desire. You say he you a unique application so that is what probably got their attention. Be able to describe that unique experience in in great detail but not to a point hat it would be superflous.
Good luck and hope you get in!
 
An interview means that the school would consider accepting you. However, it is not a clean-slate or a guarantee by any means. And the weight of the interview varies greatly by school.

Just do the best you can. That's all that really matters. You don't want to bring up potential weaknesses unprompted (like your gpa), but you should prepare an answer in case it does (which it probably will). Turn it in to a positive somehow.
 
thanks for the replys! I feel confident I will do well. I just want more interviews now so I can choose between programs!

It just feels good because after posting on "What are my chances?" I was basically told that there is no hope unless I do 2+ years of GPA repair. I have no problem being an outlier.
 
gmcguitar4 said:
thanks for the replys! I feel confident I will do well. I just want more interviews now so I can choose between programs!

It just feels good because after posting on "What are my chances?" I was basically told that there is no hope unless I do 2+ years of GPA repair. I have no problem being an outlier.
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I'm sure this is much preferable to being told that you will succeed, and then don't.
 
if interviews are just a chance for med schools to make sure you're not a psycho...then how come only ~40% of ppl with interview get accepted to the particular school? are the remaining 60% psychos? like everyone after their interview says "oh ya it went well! it was a conversation, very relaxed"....but EVERYONE says that!! so who gets in and who doesnt??
 
sexycani said:
if interviews are just a chance for med schools to make sure you're not a psycho...then how come only ~40% of ppl with interview get accepted to the particular school? are the remaining 60% psychos? like everyone after their interview says "oh ya it went well! it was a conversation, very relaxed"....but EVERYONE says that!! so who gets in and who doesnt??
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The weight of the interview varies tremendously on school. So you can do a bang-up job on an interview and still not get accepted. For schools which accept a high percentage of interviewees, I think it's reasonable to conclude that the interview is a means to determine whether you translate in person as you do on paper and that you are not socially inept.
 
Frazier said:
Interviewees aren't in a vacuum. Even though two applicant get interview invites, it doesn't make them necessarily equal.

Interviewee 1: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 36 MCAT.

Interviewee 2: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 32 MCAT.

Only one gets accepted. Which will it be?
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Well, both candidates would be accepted. But the MCAT is just one standardized test, and after the 32-33 range, the differences in score is like 2-3 questions. Sometimes for VR it's one question difference between 12 and 13 or 11 and 12.

I'd pick the candidate with the stronger LORs and more involvement, likely to represent the school better.
 
Frazier said:
They are identical twins. Didn't you read the case study for this PBL session?
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Since looks are subjective, the factor of Twin 1 x Interviewer A will a different subjective rating compared to the factor of Twin 2 x Interviewer B. Even if we normalized for Interviewers, the time difference and circadian biorhythm will change the subjective ratings. Finally, identical twins can and do dress / act / groom differently.

So, the better looking one.

🙂
 
Frazier said:
...He was prob making a joke. In fact it's more than likely since, ehh... aesthetically displeasing people don't typically hint at themselves being unattractive.
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This is the truth. I was making a joke - I consider myself to be above-average looking, and, for the record, not a single school that I sent a picture to has rejected me.

Cheers!
 
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Frazier said:
...He was prob making a joke. In fact it's more than likely since, ehh... aesthetically displeasing people don't typically hint at themselves being unattractive.
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ya thanks man i didn't notice how his post followed peterpesto's format at all so without your explanation i would have never understood the joke
 
Getting an interview means you have 50/50 chance of getting accepted. 🙂
 
Frazier said:
Interviewees aren't in a vacuum. Even though two applicant get interview invites, it doesn't make them necessarily equal.

Interviewee 1: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 36 MCAT.

Interviewee 2: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 32 MCAT.

Only one gets accepted. Which will it be?
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This is why I'm applying sub 3.0, 34 MCAT.

That way I don't have to worry about them flipping a coin to break the tie 🙂

(Note: as of today 3 interview invites & 4 rejections)
 
Frazier said:
Interviewees aren't in a vacuum. Even though two applicant get interview invites, it doesn't make them necessarily equal.

Interviewee 1: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 36 MCAT.

Interviewee 2: Good communication skills, not psycho, 3.8 GPA, 32 MCAT.

Only one gets accepted. Which will it be?
Click to expand...

The one who interviewed on a sunny day will beat the one interviewed on a cloudy day.

There was an SDN post (too lazy to find it) that pointed to a genuine research study looking for correlation between acceptances vs. the weather the day of the interview, and there was a STRONG positive correlation between sunny day and acceptance. Like a sunny day was worth 5 extra MCAT points or something.

Food for thought.
 
MT Headed said:
The one who interviewed on a sunny day will beat the one interviewed on a cloudy day.

There was an SDN post (too lazy to find it) that pointed to a genuine research study looking for correlation between acceptances vs. the weather the day of the interview, and there was a STRONG positive correlation between sunny day and acceptance. Like a sunny day was worth 5 extra MCAT points or something.

Food for thought.
Click to expand...

It was an article in the nyt freakonomics blog about a study done on Canadian med schools: http://www.freakonomics.com/2010/01/08/if-its-raining-you-might-want-to-reschedule-that-interview/

The correlation was that interviewing on a rainy day was equivalent to ~10% decrease in MCAT score. So check that farmer's almanac / swackett... or work on bumping your MCAT score up? :laugh:
 
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