organizing before the storm

[Guest onionsneakers]

i've been reading up on the mac interview and would like to make an attempt to generate a common attitude among interviewees in the hopes that everyone in my interview group will be accepted! so, on top of all the other advice we've read regarding being yourself, here are some other thoughts:

 

from what i understand, the group exercise involves first watching a 5 min video (e.g. a past applicant watched a video about the life of a thalidomide baby). the group is then asked to "discuss". this means that the exercise is one of process rather than of achieving a goal/solution. i anticipate that the discussion is just meant to stimulate logical reasoning regarding any offshoot issues relating to the video. it is in everybody's best interest to allow all participants to speak, since it shows that you can listen as well as contribute, that you can learn from other people, and that you can potentially change your views based on new thinking or knowledge. we should all go into the interview with the assumption that each of us is intelligent, capable, and will bring different experiences, perspectives, and knowledge to the group. particularly for the mac interview, it's important to try to get past the distraction of other students' superficiality and attempts to brown-nose their way through the interview - it'll be obvious to the viewers, so let's just take what the other students say at face value and continue with the discussion. remember, the aim of the group is a high quality discussion, not the best quality answer! try to see the best in each of the other participants and let everyone's bright side shine.

 

looking forward to meeting a few of you at the interview

[Guest gucio93]

Just a bit of clarification (hope you don't mind). The interview is actually divided into three parts. The first part is the video part - you watch it for approx. 10 mins (maybe a bit more maybe a bit less I'm not sure). But even though you watch it in a group, this is an individual exercise because after the video is over you are asked to anser three questions (on paper that is provided for you). The questions centered around being able to pick up emotions displayed in the video. The last question in particular asked the participant to evaluate his/her performance on the exercise. Evaluation is a very important part of the Mac programme, so make sure you're comfortable with your self-evaluation skills. After this exercise is over, you have the group discussion. That is you are in a group of 6-8 people and you are given an issue to discuss (I'm not sure if it necessarily has to be related to the video). You are correct in stating that you are not required to reach a solution to the problem, you are assessed on how you approach the problem, what kinds of hypothesis you can generate, and how you interact in the group. At the end of the exercise, you are asked to evaluate yourself and also to evaluate how the group did as a whole. Finally, you have your individual interview (as I'm sure you are well aware ). Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Guest anon]

Well said onionsneakers.

[Guest onionsneakers]

thanks, anon! but i wonder how many like-minded applicants will be in my discussion group... i'm really ansy about this whole experience - it has the potential to be a great meeting of thinking minds, or it could be a group of people spitting out comments that they think the evaluators want to hear while looking over and smiling at the one-way glass. more likely it'll be a mix of both, but i'm hoping for an emphasis on the former. we really shouldn't be afraid to bring our own different perspectives into the discussion - i really hope comments don't stay in the middle of the road cause although it's fine to start off with typical/stereotypical/square ideas, i think it's in our best interest to show that we can THINK (not equivalent to showing that we're smart or have lots of knowledge).

[Guest anon]

I know exactly what you mean. It's the discussion group that worries me most. I suppose because it is the one part of the actual interview that I can't "control" per se. If one ends up in a group that is interested in only saying what they think the evaluators want them to say :eek , at a minimum, after the discussion, we can evaluate the way the group worked together. I suppose we can use the evaluation to talk about what the group could have done differently etc.

 

I'm interviewing on April 6th - perhaps we'll end up in the same group!

[Guest gremBlin]

I'm interviewing on the 6th too!

 

Best of luck,

GremBlin

[Guest anon]

Thanks! You too! I'll be happy when it's all over - but then there's the wait . . .

[Guest kewpee]

anon & GremBlin,

 

What time are you guys checking in? my interview's on the 6th as well...checking in at 8:15am....

[Guest gremBlin]

My check in time is at 6:45am. Simulated tutorial at 7:45am. Will any of you be participating in the research study that'll take place later in the day? I'm attending the one at 11am.

[Guest anon]

I should really come up with a better user name.

 

I am checking in at 8:15 and have the simulated tutorial at 8:55. I am participating in the research study at 1:30 - should be interesting. Hopefully I'll have a chance to take the tour at 4:15 (?).

 

Good luck everyone!

[Guest onionsneakers]

unfortunately my interview's on the 7th (8:15 check-in). ouch, 6:45 check-in - i feel for you gremBlin. they want to get into our minds by testing us with group situations, personal evaluations, individual interviews, maybe even antagonist interview questions, and now asking you to wake before the sun! it's unnatural i say..

[Guest kewpee]

Does anyone know if Mac will be offering a tour of the campus after the interview? If so, do you know how long it'll last? I'm trying to squeeze in a tour between the interview and my flight home later on in the day. Any info will be greatly appreciated!

[Guest anon]

Hi kewpee,

 

According to the information we received (on the back of the Advice for Applicants sheet) there are tours at 12:15 and 4:30. It does not say how long they last and we're not supposed to joing a tour until the entire interview process is complete.

 

Good luck with your interview!

anon (still working on that user name)

[Guest anon]

Just a reminder that Daylight Savings Time begins on the 7th. So, onionsneakers, your interview will feel like 7:15. Hey, at least it's not 6:45 (which will feel like 5:45 :\ ).

 

Good luck all,

anon

[Guest kewpee]

Thanks for the info anon! I forgot all about that info sheet.

 

Good luck on your interview. Maybe we'll end up in the same group! =)