Rejection

[Guest Parii]

Hello Dear All,

 

I got rejected again this year. I have applied already more than 2 times... Even though I try to keep my chin up and accept this decision and move on... it has been an incredibly difficult time since May 13.... The news have really devastated me, so that I have completely lost my confidence and even my reserved energy capacity. I just sit on my bed in the morning and don't know how to start the day. However, I still have not lost my will: I will apply again next year and I will try to do most out of my time until then. But, it has been very difficult to think positive. I still have to figure out what to do next, ie find a new job to support myself, plan what else to do to keep competitive for next year, etc. I just don't seem to be able to put myself together soon enough, which I normally am quite good at.

 

I was very confident I would get in this year. My academic is in the competitive range and my NAQ is also good enough (17.91). I was absolutely sure and very confident about my interview, and here I got 6/10 for that.

 

It has been very helpful to read comments on this board. It is always good to know that there are also others that go through the same or similar problems. It is ironic that we are in a way competing with each other, but then we are the ones that help each other in so many ways.

 

Sorry, I am in a quite melancholic state... I am sure I will get over it, hopefully sometime soon.

 

Take care all and thank you,

 

Parri

[Guest TKP 123]

Parii,

 

I was in the same boat as you. The first time I applied to UBC, I was pretty confident with my Interview. However, I scored really low there. Since the rejection letter (I still remember it was May 8th for that year), I had been so upset. I can totally see how frustrated it is after 2 attempts but no success.

 

However, on the positive side, please keep trying. Now you have applied 2 times, and you have gathered some experience in each step of the application. Once you feel better, it may be a good idea to try to sit down, and think about things that you can improve. Get it down to Microsoft Word... that's how I did... Each time I failed, I performed a feedback for myself. Try to list the things that you shouldn't do, and try to think how to emphasize the good things you have.

 

There are people who didn't get in until 3rd, 4th, 5th attempts. So, try to get over it and you will have greater chance each time you apply.

 

And for job, there are lots of happy people out there doing things other than medicine. When I failed to get in previously, I kept working in the research field, where I can support myself financially and enjoy my work. Also it helps me to build my experience for med. Keep doing more volunteering works to improve your EC in the meantime also.

 

Hope you get better... Lots of us are in the same boat.

 

TKP

[Guest liz80]

Parii, you must also remember that there is a great deal of luck involved in the interview process specifically. If all the other things (AQ and NAQ) are competitive enough and will continue to be, just remind yourself that there is bound to be a point in time when that certain amount of luck you need will smile at you and you will get interviewers who will see you for what you are. Furthermore, remember that at least you are getting interviews and that's already excellent. Think about all the people who couldn't even get an interview in the first place.

Well, just some words of comfort, we've all been there.

Keep your chin up.:\

[Guest Phager]

Don't give up! Never ever give up! Rejection in any form is never a good feeling, but since you've gone this far to apply a few times, if this is really your dream, I think it's worth one more shot - especially when admission is expanding. There are people in my class that wrote the MCAT three times and applied three times. To be practical, work out a firm backup plan so you will be less disappointed if luck doesn't come your way again. Also, next year when you apply, apply to as many schools as you can - doing mock interviews is also very very helpful.

Keep in mind medical school admissions can be a highly subjective process, particularly in schools where interview is a major determining factor. You are not any less-qualified than the ones that make it in. Something obviously happened during the interview - you just gotta figure out what went wrong

 

Phager

[Guest canmic]

Did your interviewers score you particularly low in one area? If so, did they put useful comments along with the score?

 

One thing I have found that the interviewers do NOT like is someone who is too confident. They expect you to go in there begging with your hat in your hands, which you sort of are doing.

 

One of the people I know who does interviews said that what he does is to pretend in his mind that the interviewee wants to move in with him, marry his daughter (or son), and take over his practice eventually. Then he asks himself if they've convinced him to let them do that.

 

If you got a low interview score without useful comments, that can be a real bummer because you don't have any way to 'learn' for next year.

 

If you do have comments, but maybe you don't understand/agree with them, show them to someone who knows you really well, like a parent or sibling and see what they have to say. Maybe there's something you do or did that puts people off that you don't realize. Who knows..

 

You didn't post your MCATs but if they are high (over 12s) then there are some schools that put a huge number of points into the MCAT score (manitoba, dalhousie, queens, McGill for example) and maybe it would be worth seeing if their admissions process is more friendly to your qualifications.

 

In the long run, luck plays a huge part, if you get the wrong interviewers for your personality/style, you're probably toast.

[Guest TKP 123]

I agree with canmic that luck plays an important factor.

If your interviewers like your experience, it will be much easier.

 

For me, my interviewers in my previous attempt do not seem interested in what I was doing at all. This time, the interviewers are much more interested in what I am doing.

 

So, it is an easier interview for me this year and the score would probably be much higher.

 

Also, as I pointed out in previous thread, I changed 2 of my references, who may be able to give me better references.

 

Together with my more volunteering experience since last year, it enhances my application this year... Note that in the last attempt, I was not even waitlisted.

 

The key is that there is always some area that you can improve. If you don't get in, think about your whole application, and see where you can improve. (Not just the interview)

 

TKP

[Guest Jochi1543]

It`s not too clear to me from the original post: did you just apply at UBC for the last 2 (3?) times, or did you apply to several schools and all of them have rejected you?

[Guest Procuitto]

Regarding the interview comments, they are extremely unhelpful. I was not particularly low in any one area but received 4's and 4.5's on all sections.......the comment read "presentation was not dynamic, but she was solid."

 

What the heck does that mean? Went to the feedback session and it was borderline useful.....so I feel like I'm in the same boat as you.

 

My advice, follow what people have said above, and pick yourself up! You won't reach your goal if you can't get up after the falls. Allow yourself a week to mourn but then get one with improving your application for next 'round!!!

 

Goodluck my friend!

 

Proscuitto

[Guest canmic]

Well, I'm not your interviewer so I can only give my best guess at what they meant, for what it's worth, here it is:

 

If they said that your presentation was not dynamic but you were solid, here's what I'd mean if I'd said it (my best guess)

 

To me it would mean that you knew the answers to the questions and presented them in a convincing and confident manner (ie: solid) but, not dynamic would mean that you weren't able to handle lines of questioning that didn't go where you expected them to, ie: things you hadn't prepared or practiced answers for threw you off and you weren't as convincing or confident when the interview went that way.

 

So, basically, I'd put that comment if I felt that the person knew their stuff and had practiced well, but wasn't as able to adjust to curveballs or think on their feet when the situation wasn't something they'd rehearsed.

 

You were there, you can maybe figure out if that's what they meant or not. I am just guessing but I thought I'd pass along my guess. If you find it useful, great. Don't take it as a negative comment about you from me, as I have no clue what happened and I'm just guessing from their comment.

 

Something to give you an idea of what the 4 or 4.5 /5 actually 'means' in the context of your interview group: Did your final % score go up or down from your score on 25? If it went up, that means that your group marked hard and getting 4 or 4.5 was a great score, if it went down (especially if it went down a lot) that means that your interviewers handed out lots of 4.5/5 or 5/5 scores so maybe that 4/5 was a 'low' score for them and is something you need to work on.

 

I mentioned this in another thread, but I'll say it again here. Get someone who knows you well like a parent or sibling to read through your interview feedback and see if they can give you some ideas about the comments and what aspect of your persona they are likely referring to; then think back to your interview and figure out what didn't go the way you'd have liked and then you know what not to do next time... maybe...

[Guest TKP 123]

Hello,

 

Yes, I totally agree with you guys again.

 

If you get useful comments from that feedback sheet from the Interviewers, that will help you improve next time.

 

Take myself as an example, last time, one of the things commented by my interviewers was that "my communication skill was too enthusiastic such that they had a hard time to understand my real intention to do medicine". However, they said that "my communication skill was good and understandable". So, I guess I was a bit keen to answer questions last year and I tried to cool it down this year.

 

Although last year I didn't get in, it was lucky for me that my interviewers wrote lots of comments about me - both "good" and "bad". In fact, my interviewer panel last year was about 30 mins late for my appointment, because they were spending lots of time commenting each interviewee after each interview.

 

Anyway, I agree with you guys that it is very useful to practice interview with some friends or teachers, and hear from their feedback.

 

TKP.