<p>Our two state SOMs hosted "mock interviews" this week at my son's undergrad. Are these a way for SOMs to get an early feel for who they'll interview for real next fall? Kind of a pre-screen of applicants to have more efficient results???</p>
<p>I've never heard of these before.</p>
<p>Mock interviews are practice runs for students who will be applying so they will have a clue what kinds of questions they might face. Doesn’t seem (at least at the ones I’ve heard of) that they’re “pre-reads.”</p>
<p>I doubt that the medical schools will use the mock interview to determine whether or not they will interview the student later. That said, take the interview seriously. Dress nicely (for men: jacket/tie or suit if you already have one, for women: skirt/slacks and blouse or suit), be professional, give thoughtful answers, and stay “in character” (pretend that this interview might make a difference in the long run). The more you treat this like a real interview, the more useful the feedback will be.</p>
<p>I was familiar with the idea of the Pre-med advising holding mock-interviews. I had never heard of a SOMs coming onto campus and doing their own. </p>
<p>I think it’s great. But, I just can’t help thinking that this was a pre-read. I’m not concerned for my son. He’s clean-cut, kind of cute, and very charming. I think by interview alone he’d be the type a SOM would admit. lol</p>
<p>Ok…son came home yesterday for Easter and gave me the low-down.</p>
<p>His interviewer was a physician that is part of the admissions for the SOM. Actually all of the interveiwers that came were doctors…don’t know if that’s SOP.</p>
<p>The interview lasted 30 minutes. There was a Q&A session and then the doctor went over things with my son…strengths (his grades), weaknesses (needs more shadowing), etc. Son doesn’t take the MCAT til 2 more weeks, so that wasn’t something that they could talk much about…</p>
<p>The doctor was very positive and encouraging which was good.</p>
<p>I do think this is a pre-read of sorts. The SOM is about 85% instate, so they go fishing at the few best schools in the state…and I think this was a “testing of the waters” so to speak.</p>
<p>Honestly it’s probably also as much advertising as it is pre-reading.</p>
<p>Much more advertising than pre-reading. In fact, I sincerely doubt that there is any record of students who participate. That’d be kind of shady.</p>
<p>That may be, but I find that hard to believe that UAB SOM would need to advertise at instate undergrads. I bet nearly every pre-med student in the state applies. Even those with super stats apply simply as a sort of back up (even though I know that there are no such thing as back up SOMs.)</p>
<p>I could see that maybe the other one (USA SOM) might need to advertise, but not UAB. </p>
<p>As for any record of who participated, I’l have to ask my son if the guy wrote anything down. My son did say that the guy had my son’s transcript in front of him when my son sat down. Now, whether the guy trashes that when the interview is over, I have no idea.</p>
<p>It’s not just advertising for apps, it’s advertising to actually attend. As you said, many top alabama applicants use UAB as a backup. I’m sure UAB would like to have some of those kids actually attend the school.</p>