What happens if....(interview question)

[chillindrdude]

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what happens if during an interview, the chairman/PD asks you flat out where you are gonna rank their program...

do you
1) lie and say #1...of course!
2) beat around the bush and mumble something vague "definitely among my top programs"
3) call them out and say that question isn't kosher.

has this ever happened to anyone?

i also would like to know if anyone has been asked 'shady' questions on the interview trail specifically to see how you react under stress

 

[chicamedica]

I haven't been through the process yet, but I'd think that the vague answer would probably be the most honest one. I'd probably avoid making a "scene" even if that question isn't supposed to be asked, but that's just me. I tend to want to avoid arguments.

Obviously it's one of your "top" programs since you chose to apply AND interview there, so you wouldn't be lying or anything. And I'm sure you won't have a true idea of exactly how you'll rank the progs until you finished interviewing, so even if you think this is your #1 program, it might change by the time you make your rank list.

Good luck!

 

[Jeff05]

statements like that are illegal as far as the match goes, but IMPOSSIBLE to enforce.
it appears, though, that it's much more damaging for PD to make such statements than for applicants.
Iserson's has a pretty good explanation of why people can get f'd.

as far as i'm concerned, you just gotta play the game. that is, assess the situation and give the answer they wanna hear. it's your life.

 

[2ndyear]

At your top choice, you should tell them that, twice if you want to. You will get asked this question so be prepared. It seemed to me that it was easier to like a program when I was there than it was when making out my rank list at home and comparing them all together. You can tell your choices 2-5 or whatever that you'll rank them highly. Hopefully the programs that you have ranked 5-10 have already contacted you saying that you will be ranked highly, and this happens a lot. You'll get the personal letters, emails, and phone calls right up to rank list submit time.

 

[HomerSimpson]

They probably won't ask you that question. But if they do tell them the truth which is probably that you don't know because you have not interviewed everywhere. It is wise, unless you are sure that this is the place you want to go, not to reveal too much info on match order. The reason they might ask this question is to better help how they are going to rank candidates. Usualy it is not a trick question to figure out what your intentions are. Remember that even though you feel like someone who is behind the eight ball in this process, you are a valuable commodity. So (in a nice way) tell then that it is none of their business and let's move on to the next question.