How do you tie it to interview performance? Most schools interview 2-3 times applicants than the slots they have and don’t offer As to everyone. For BSMD they probably pay attention to maturity given they are high schoolers.
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That’s totally wrong. Read LizzyM’s staircase analogy in SDN. Not everyone selected for interview are considered equal.
I understand your perspective with the LizzyM staircase analogy. I agree with you that the interview is not the singular factor once you reach the point of the interview. By the same merit, at this interview point, we can note another factor is that programs define a demographic requirement for each incoming class (ie ethnicity, home state, etc). The reason I say this is because from an actionable standpoint: the only thing a student can do is what is in their control, whether it has a significant impact or little impact.
We should recognize that LizzyM’s staircase analogy is an abstraction that suggests a relative positioning of students (one that depends on metrics that are weighted differently by different schools). And the magnitude of difference between students on the “staircase” is defined only in terms of one specific school’s weightage of stats, ECs, etc.
LizzyM suggests that the “number of steps” the interview will bring you up or down is school-dependent as well, and since we do not know where each student stands on these “arbitrary relative steps,” then the interview can very well make the difference between acceptance and rejection. And so from the perspective of the student at this point (which I would argue is the most important) the interview CAN be the absolute make or break for their acceptance so it is in the student’s best interest to prepare well for their interview. And the reality is that nothing is within the student’s control at this point OTHER than their interview preparation. And so on the basis on what is actionable, the LizzyM analogy is a concept rather than having value in defining whether to prepare or not.
In the end, it is an individual’s choice in what they choose to believe with the value of an interview. I am not here to tell you right and wrong in what you believe, the reason I am sending this message is only because I feel for any student who reads a suggestion that “the interview doesn’t matter, so don’t prepare” is setting them up for discontent.
Best of luck to all who have upcoming interviews!
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I never said interview doesn’t matter and I again will say it’s main purpose is to see if a candidate has decent communication skills or not. Yes, no one should take it for granted but don’t over prepare. Have someone do mock interview, be prepared to discuss everything you put in the application and be knowledgeable about the school mission. My DS did 13 interviews (2 BSMD, 11 MD) and I know how much he prepared.
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Just heard from Adelphi about Honors College interview. I applied for their BS/MD program with SUNY Upstate; seems late for an Honors interview. Am I still in consideration for the BS/MD program?
Upstate interviews till mid-to-end March.
So, give your best shot at the Adelphi interview, and hope for the best.
Medical schools try to create a class that fulfills various institutional requirements (diversity, equity being the current trends) and try to balance out the class at MD level. If they are admitting 5 students at BS/MD level, they will take the best available in most cases but if they are admitting 20-30 for their eventual MD class of 150 plus, they realize it will affect their overall class profile and try to create a little bit of balance in their admissions.
So they might interview 60 candidates for 20 admissions but try to create some diversity within those 20. There is a certain luck of the draw involved and they will admit only 1 out of 3 even if all are qualified. I still remember about 11 years ago, someone had an admission at Harvard on one hand almost a full tuition ride from WashU (no admission to combined) and Rice with Baylor waitlist until the last day to decide when the call came from Baylor. In the end this person never went to Baylor and landed in a T5 program but that is a different story.
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Taking it easy in this last piece of puzzle is not a wise choice. Whole process has a meaning and every step is important , weightage may vary , but still needed for puzzle to complete.
I agree more candidates are reviewed that slots but that does not mean interviews have less weightage. With 2 kids going thru this process I can tell you that Interview is final piece of the puzzle. without this, process is incomplete.
And, not all programs share students profile with interviewer. they have the concept of closed and open format and depends from program to program.
Example : my son went thru interview process in 2016 (and selected) and they were team interviews with open format where the interviewer has details of candidates he/she had.
This year my daughter did one so far with GW and Virtual where the format was closed, that means the interviewer had no details on her and had to grasp her motivation in 30 minutes she had. No different from job interview I would say.
Personal experience and not from reading books or blogs. hope this helps …
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Yes, every step is important but I am refuting the notation that once you get to interview that everyone is equal and interview is the deciding factor. I have seen applicants spending lot of money on interview prep and stressing too much over the interview and cautioning against it.
It’s all about DEI now a days, except in BSMD due to limited number of admissions and other ethnicities deciding about medical school in middle schools 
and high cost. DEI is also one reason for more and more programs folding.
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This is what I was alluding to in case people dont get the term DEI - Diversity, Equity and Inclusion which is forcing the bigger BS/MD programs with 20 or more students to fold because the group being recruited is overly homogeneous in their race. I wouldn’t be surprised for these larger programs continue surviving they will change their policies to restrict the number of people they accept for each race where if they have 20 seats, they try to limit the number for each race being selected to a set number and wont accept more from one group because others didnt accept their admission.
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does anyone hear have an idea on how many students are accepted post-interview for FAU’s program?
FAU have total 12 seats. 6 via Frankes
Hey novicedad
Connected you to a parent via DM re: interviews.
Sending the message here as they are in a time-crunch. Interview is next week.
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FAU only sends and select candidates who are National Honors finalist and semifinalist.
Hello! Would you be able to connect me as well, my DD has FAU interview coming up. Thanks for any help!
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Not sure how to send private messages here, but I was hoping if you could provide any guidance, my DD has an upcoming interview. Thanks so much!
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Sent you DM.
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Done.
Does any one know if Hofstra BS/MD program allows to apply outside medical schools without losing the gurantee or more restrictive admission rules.