Shocking news after your interviews ....

[Guest Kooman]

For those of you who got in or are reapplying, have any of you had unexpected results following an interview?

 

For example, had a great interview but end up getting rejected. Or, had a horrible interview but end up getting in.

 

Any interesting stories or past experiences would be awesome.

[Guest aneliz]

I don't think you can really judge what your chances are by how you perceive that the interview went. For example, I know of many, many people that went on, at length, about what a 'fabulous' interview they had, how 'warm and conversational' it was and how they thought that they really 'clicked' with their interviewwers, only to get a waitlist or rejection letter.

 

Similarly, there are quite a few stories of people (myself included) that thought that their interview had sucked (interviewers never cracked a smile, interview was 20 minute long, they grilled you on everything, didn't seem interested, etc) and got in.

 

Unless you really, really blew the interview (talked about how you wanted to be a doctor so that you could be rich and have the power to kill people you didn't like), I don't think that you can know how it is going to go. And often, your perception of the interview may be very different from that of the people scoring it.

[Guest Talon01]

Yup, there's no way you can truly tell one way or another.

[Guest mesoderm]

I don't think you can really judge what your chances are by how you perceive that the interview went. For example, I know of many, many people that went on, at length, about what a 'fabulous' interview they had, how 'warm and conversational' it was and how they thought that they really 'clicked' with their interviewwers, only to get a waitlist or rejection letter.

 

Similarly, there are quite a few stories of people (myself included) that thought that their interview had sucked (interviewers never cracked a smile, interview was 20 minute long, they grilled you on everything, didn't seem interested, etc) and got in.

 

Why is that though?

[Guest peachy]

Why is that though?

Because all those things are almost entirely a function of the interviewers, not of your performance. If the interviewers decide to have a long, relaxed, conversational interview, and make an effort to put you at ease, then that's what you will have. If, on the other hand, the interviewers decide to have a short, confrontational interview, then that is what you will have. Chances are that everybody who had that interview team had a pretty similar experience to you--but some are going to get in, and some are not.

[Guest Madz25]

Hi there,

 

I posted this in another thread but I'll say it again. At a US school I interviewed at, both my interviews lasted only 10-15 minutes (US schools do 2 one-on-one interviews). I thought they went terribly since they were so short but I was accepted to that school.

 

Madz

[Guest Ceds]

I would also think that, depending on the school's admission procedures, though interviews are obviously important there may still be other factors being considered for final decisions. That can contribute to interview impression/outcome not corresponding to one another.