What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Why Our Medical School?

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety, but there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.

Why Our School?

Or: "Tell me why you are interested in this program," etc. This interview prompt will appear, in some form. Obviously, your response should include school-specific details, like what labs or research opportunities you'll take advantage of, what technologies or unique resources they utilize that maybe aren't available at other schools, which professors you're eager to learn from, the student clinics or affiliated hospitals you'd like to work at, and maybe even what you like about the area. And don’t forget to bridge these details with your past experiences and future goals to reinforce your interest in these offerings. 

Whatever you do, don't say something ingratiating and general: "It's an esteemed program where I'll learn from esteemed physicians who lead their esteemed fields." We're teasing about this phrasing, but "esteemed" gets thrown around a lot in responses like this, and what it reads as is essentially: "If I praise you enough, will you let me in?" 

Just answer the question with a couple of salient details and you'll be golden. 

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: “Make a Claim and Back it Up” Responses

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety, but there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.

Make a Claim and Back it Up Responses

Claim Questions are simple and direct—but your answer should be complex and direct. Just like with your Situation-Action-Result (SAR) responses, you will want to use stories here, not just statements. The question may ask you about attributes or skills you have, but do not be fooled, they're not looking for a list. The interviewer wants to hear examples of when you’ve exhibited those things. Go ahead and use multiple examples! They don't all have to be long, but they should be detailed. 

Some questions will be about the hypothetical future, things you'd do as a medical student or doctor. Think: "What would you do if a colleague made a serious clinical mistake?" An ethical question like this should still be backed up with experiences, if possible, or anecdotes that prove that you have the qualities you claim to have. "In the past, I've been quick to remedy others' mistakes. During my work at a university lab…" You want to show your critical thinking too. Explain your thought process, "If I was close to this colleague, I would…”

Questions could also seem to require opinion-only responses. Something like: "What are your feelings about euthanasia?" But don't get it twisted. This is a "make a claim and back it up"-question. You believe or don't believe in it “because…”

One question that you'll almost certainly be asked: What qualities do you have that will make you a good physician? Here's an example of a strong answer: 
“I'm calm and precise under pressure: As a scribe in the ER, I was part of the intake for multiple patients involved in a three car accident. The ER was understaffed and very busy already, so the atmosphere was chaotic. I documented several patients' conditions, bouncing from one doctor's side to another. Later, my supervisor praised my calm demeanor and consistently accurate work. The ER was, of course, a generally hectic place, and I adapted to it quite well. 

I also think a good physician must be able to connect with a diverse array of patients. While volunteering and shadowing at a free clinic, I spoke with patients of all ages, most of them in underserved populations. In one instance, I was asked to give a 5-year-old child a PCR Covid test—but she was terrified and pulling away. Moreover, there was a language barrier; both the girl and her mother only spoke Spanish. I decided to take my time instead of rushing into the test. There was a stethoscope in the room, and I thought she might like listening to her own heart, so I showed her how it worked—mostly through gestures on my end. Her mother was able to translate what was happening as well. I let the young girl listen to my heart, her mother's, and then her own. She was amused and after that, she trusted me more. I then pulled out the PCR test kit again. I spoke soothingly, and I knew she understood my tone. She was uncomfortable during the test—the test is uncomfortable—but she endured it without pulling away. I praised her after the test. I've since begun Spanish lessons, as I think that is the most practical second language to learn in America. I also better understand social determinants of health after working with recent immigrants at the clinic.

Finally, I'm eager to learn and believe a physician must have intellectual curiosity. When I worked on a diabetes study at my university lab, I went beyond my daily responsibilities, reading previous studies unrelated to ours to be more informed about the disease. I now feel like I have a depth of knowledge on this topic.”

Other “make a claim and back it up”-questions that you may be asked:

• How will you add to the diversity of our school?

• What is your greatest strength?

• How do you deal with stress?

• Explain your academic path. (Here, focus on the positives and how they led you to medicine. Illustrate this with maybe three poignant experiences.)

• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (Here, you can share both past experiences and what you hope to learn in medical school that will help you achieve this goal.)

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Situation, Action, Result Responses

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety, but there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, our new series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.

Situation, Action, Result Responses

Using stories to make your point engages your interviewer, brings your personality and background to life, and makes your responses more memorable. Almost every answer you give should include a story about one of your experiences or something you've learned, even if the question doesn't outwardly demand a story. (For example, "Why medicine?")

However, there are some questions that you MUST answer with a story. These are "SAR responses" because you'll describe the situation (20% of the response), the action you took, and the result (collectively, 80% of the response). SAR questions are easily identified as they typically lead with prompts such as “Tell me about a time when…” However, questions such as “Tell me about your biggest failure/mistake/weakness.” also fall into the SAR category. Some SAR prompts will be familiar because many schools use them as Secondary questions. Go right ahead and reuse any applicable application responses. Those were your experiences and your takeaways, after all. 

Here's an example of a strong answer: 

“Tell me about a time you worked effectively under pressure.” 

“In my one year working as a certified EMT, I’ve learned a lot about staying calm and working effectively under pressure. However, one of my most memorable experiences occurred prior to my certification and played a key role in my decision to pursue the EMT certification. 

I was home from college during a break, when I agreed to babysit for a neighbor. I love children and am an experienced sitter. This particular child, Henry, was only about a year and a half old. And, on this particular night, I was tasked with feeding Henry the dinner his family had already prepared for him. After I did so, he began to show signs of an allergic reaction. Because I routinely babysat, I was aware of the signs to look out for although I had never before experienced an allergic reaction first-hand. Henry had not been previously diagnosed with food allergies so he did not have a prescription epi-pen. 

I watched him carefully as a few hives appeared around his mouth. I then cleaned his face and hands to remove any trace of a potential allergen and called his mother for instructions. She informed me that she was unaware of any existing food allergies but let me know where the anti-inflammatory medicine was stored. I dosed him appropriately, but noticed that the hives were continuing to spread and that his lips had started to swell. Noting that it was a multi-system reaction, I called 911, grabbed his packed diaper bag, and instructed his mother to meet us at the hospital via text. I’ll never forget holding Henry in my arms and watching his body turn on him, while in the background children’s songs continued to play. It was surreal. Upon arrival, the EMTs dosed Henry with epinephrine immediately, which paused the anaphylactic reaction and we went on safely to the hospital where his mother met us and he remained for observation. 

I received feedback from the physicians that I had followed the correct course of action and that Henry would be fine. My calm under pressure had ensured that he received the care he needed in time for it to be effective. 

That experience, my first with allergic reactions and my first with a medical emergency, gave me increased confidence in my own ability to remain calm under pressure. But it also led me to the realization that I wanted to be able to assist people in emergency situations. Beyond just staying calm and calling the experts, I want to be the expert—the one to relieve the hives and swelling, the one to save Henry or others in situations like him. So, one year later, as my schedule permitted, I sought EMT certification. 

As a certified EMT, I have now garnered a number of experiences with medical emergencies. And I rely on the same qualities that I used that day with Henry—an ability to stay calm, think clearly, communicate, and act accordingly. I know they will serve me well as I pursue medical school and a career as a physician.” 

Practice responses to prompts like these:

• Describe a failure and what you learned from it.

• Tell me about a time when you challenged the group consensus.

• Tell me about a time when you took on a leadership role.

• Tell me about an experience when you've learned from people different from yourself.

• Tell me about an ethical dilemma and what you decided to do.

• Tell me about a time when you came up with an imaginative solution to a problem.

See also:

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

What to Expect in Your Traditional Medical School Interview: Lead with a Confident Introduction

When it comes to your medical school interview, preparation is the best antidote to anxiety, but there are better ways to prepare than just churning through sample questions. Over the next six days, this series will walk you through everything you need to know to prepare for the traditional medical school interview. Check back daily as we discuss the question types you can expect and provide response structures, sample answers, and practice questions.  

The First Response: The Three-Minute Elevator Pitch

The first question your interviewer asks will likely be something general that invites the widest-ranging answer. This question comes in many forms. It could be as short and blunt as: Tell me about yourself. It could be: Walk me through your resume. It could be: Can you talk to me about anything you believe will enhance your candidacy for admission? We had a client who told us her first interview question was: “So…?"

These opening questions require a three-minute answer. Think of it as an elevator pitch response. Naturally, you want to reiterate your commitment to studying medicine. It is okay to stay in a linear timeline: I did X and transitioned to Y. What's important is explaining the motivation behind your decisions. You can also share who you are via your three most impactful experiences. Practice some possible responses to ensure you're not going wildly under or over the three-minute mark. Don't try to memorize anything word-for-word as this will lead to fumbling with your words or coming off as wooden. But have an outline in mind—some milestones you know you want to pass. 

Some sub-questions you might answer to build your "Tell me about yourself"-answer are:

• What was your path to wanting to study medicine?

• How did your undergrad experience prepare you for medical school?

• Do you know what specialty you'd like to study? Why?

• Do you want to take this opportunity to expand on any meaningful clinical or research experiences and how they've impacted you?

• What fun fact about you could you close on?

Here's an example of a strong answer: 

“I'm 24 years old. I'm from Tiny Town, NY, and I'm one of three children raised by a single mom, a veterinarian. I did not grow up wanting to be a doctor. I started at Public University as a psychology major. After learning about the relationship between eating disorders and the brain, I was fascinated. I switched to the pre-med track. As a junior, I served as a T.A. for Biology 156, my favorite course when I was a sophomore. 

I'm currently taking Introduction to Neurobiology, a course at Local College to expand my knowledge of the brain. For the last year, I've worked as a clinical research assistant on a study for a new drug treatment for Parkinson's Disease at SuperCool Hospital. I wrote about this experience in a Most Meaningful response in my Work and Activities. But I'd like to expand on how it's further impacted me since my application. Doing this clinical research has allowed me to connect with patients more than in any of my other clinical experiences. Since applying to medical school, I've only grown closer to our returning patients. One patient, Denise, enrolled in the study after she couldn't hold her newborn grandson due to her tremors. Even simply talking about how the disorder affects her daily life seems to be helping her. Moreover, it's been incredible to see the impact of an emerging treatment that, so far, seems to be improving her and other patients' lives. 

As an undergraduate, I was also involved in a research study. This one incorporated lab rats. I so value the lab and critical thinking skills that I learned in this work—but I must say that I do prefer working with people. They're chattier. [Laughs] Eventually, I'd like to pursue neurology and look forward to participating in future clinical research studies in medical school and as a physician. 

In addition to being an enthusiastic student in my post-graduate course and a clinical research assistant, I'm also in charge of baking elaborate cupcakes for my family's birthday parties. I decided to learn how to bake after watching too many episodes of The Great British Bakeoff. I'm also very involved in planning my hometown's Centennial celebration. I loved growing up in my community, and I'm looking forward to this event.”

Admissions committees like it when applicants include personality in their answers, especially when answering this question. Revealing something fun about yourself encourages a connection between you and the interviewer.

What Qualities Do Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants? Persistence

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through the anecdotes you share in your essays.

Persistence. Law school and the practice of law require commitment, fortitude, and tenacity. Show the admissions committee that you are up to the challenge by providing examples of previous situations in which you worked steadfastly towards a goal, despite setbacks or failures. Show your ability to face adversity and get things done. 

What Qualities Do Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants? Teamwork

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through the anecdotes you share in your essays.

Teamwork and Collaborative abilities. Law school and the practice of law are often team endeavors. Throughout your application, you will want to showcase your ability to work with others to accomplish a common goal. Consider the role you play within a group and how you help bring out the best in other team members. What has working in teams taught you about yourself? Law schools are looking for a diverse range of students. You don’t need to be the captain of a sports team or a club president to be a highly-effective and persuasive leader. Rather, you need to be able to articulate how your influence and openness promote the best outcome(s) in a collaborative environment. 

What Qualities Do Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants? Critical Thinking

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through the anecdotes you share in your essays.

Critical thinking. Law schools look for students who are adept at problem-solving. In Psychology Today, Christopher Dwyer, Ph.D., Assistant Lecturer in Applied Psychology at the Athlone Institute of Technology in Ireland, wrote that critical thinking is the process of using analysis, evaluation, and inference to derive a conclusion. Show that you employ this process when making decisions or handling a problem. Demonstrate your ability to combine and review disparate pieces of information to examine a situation and come to a conclusion. 

What Qualities Do Law School Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants? Intellectual Curiosity

You want your application to tell your unique story—but there are certain qualities that law schools are looking for in applicants, and you must prove you have those through your anecdotes. This week, we’ll highlight some traits that you want to show in your Personal Statement.

Intellectual curiosity. Law school is academically rigorous, and schools want students who can not only handle the workload but elevate the classroom discourse by engaging deeply with the material and concepts. Just demonstrating a record of academic success is not enough. Rather, you will want to show the admissions committee examples of situations where you went beyond what was required to better comprehend a topic. Show your commitment to asking questions, taking on additional research, and seeking out learning opportunities. Keep in mind that you can demonstrate intellectual curiosity in an academic environment but also beyond it – at work or in your participation with a charity or hobby. 

What We’re Getting Wrong About Making a Good First Impression

We’ll start with the good news and then get to the even-better news. 

The good news: You make a better first impression than you think you do. You know those moments after you meet someone, when you cringe over your potential awkwardness? Research shows that you don’t need to do that. The person you just met liked you and enjoyed your conversation much more than you think. 

In 2018, Erica Boothby, in partnership with other researchers, Gus Cooney, Gillian Sandstrom, and Margaret Clark, set out to understand how well people do at gauging their own likeability. The research study looked at pairs of people who were meeting for the first time in three different settings: a research lab, as attendees of a personal development workshop, and as first year dorm roommates. After the meetings, both participants were surveyed on how much they enjoyed the interaction and liked the other person and how much they believed the other person liked them. The finding, in short: People are more likeable than they think.

Routinely, participants underestimated how positively their counterparts rated the interaction. The researchers called the difference between a person’s estimation of how much another liked them and the reality, the “liking gap.” Notably the liking gap remained over several months, as demonstrated by the roommates included in the study, and was the most pronounced amongst those who considered themselves shy, although it occurred across personality types. 

It might not surprise you that the liking gap stems from our natural tendency to fixate on our own perceived errors. The study’s authors wrote, “the liking gap exists not because people fail to signal that they like each other—in fact, the signals are right there for people to see—but, rather, people are too focused on their own self-critical thoughts to notice.” 

According to the research, when we conclude an interaction, we immediately start evaluating ourselves. The study found that “people tend to compare themselves unfavorably with their ideal version of themselves…ruminate about the worst possible outcomes…and focus on the things they need to fix for next time.” 

If we were to set this scenario at the workplace, you might think you came off as less informed about a project than you are, or that you seemed smug about your accomplishments, or worry that you blathered on about an unimportant detail. 

It’s hard for us to see that others don’t have this same perspective on our faults, Boothby et al wrote. What we must remember is that not only are the people we meet not comparing us to an ideal, but they’re likely also cataloging their own perceived shortcomings. 

Curious about the liking gap in the workplace and team interactions specifically, researchers performed a follow-up study. It confirmed that not only does the liking gap exist within organizations and teams, but it was, “strongly related to a range of important interpersonal, team and job-level outcomes.” These included a person’s willingness to ask for help and their comfort in communicating openly and honestly, which impact a person’s job satisfaction and effectiveness in their role. The study’s authors wrote, “The liking gap predicts important workplace outcomes... If only people knew, then, how positively their teammates actually felt about them, they might communicate better, feel more included on their teams, and be happier overall with their jobs.”

Easing the Effects of the Liking Gap 

Which brings us to the “even-better” news promised earlier: Your awareness of the liking gap is a powerful tool. 

By giving yourself a pass on perfection and opting not to fixate on your flaws or slips, you can rest-assured that your first impression (or early impression) was, in all likelihood, good enough. In addition to this info making you feel more confident, you can use it to develop relationships more effectively. 

In an interview with CNBC, Boothby suggested easing the effects of the liking gap in the workplace by taking action. If you appreciated your co-worker’s conversation over a coffee, or you enjoyed meeting someone at a networking event, don’t wait for them—reach out!  They too are likely underestimating how much you enjoyed the meeting and are hesitating on a next step because they feel vulnerable. 

Your actions don’t have to correspond to a special occasion, either. If you enjoy working with someone or a group of people, tell them directly. Providing them with clear indicators that you appreciate their company and work, and you wish to continue developing the relationship, will make them feel seen.

Furthermore, during future interactions, try being more attuned to your partners, rather than fixated on your own perceived flaws. First, consider the signals that they are sending: Are they nodding? Smiling? Are they appearing open or physically closed off? What indirect signs are they providing about how they’re perceiving you or the conversation? Second, make sure you approach the conversation with genuine curiosity and interest.  

Boothby, as a guest on The Hidden Brain podcast, described the power of asking follow-up questions in conversation. She said, “The research on social anxiety shows that if you go into a conversation with the goal of learning as much about your partner as possible, that shifts your attention from being focused on your own thoughts and what you might be doing wrong, toward being focused on your conversation partner.” 

Understanding the liking gap—and actively closing it for others—makes for more meaningful connections.

Your MBA Interview: Practical Tips

Amidst your pre-interview preparation, don’t overlook day-of planning. Review our tips below to ensure that you feel your most confident when the day arrives.

What to bring:

Theoretically, you need to bring nothing. The interviewers have everything they need from you already. But there are a couple of things that we suggest you bring along to an in-person interview (which, if possible, we recommend you choose over the virtual interview).

1. An extra copy of your resume. It never hurts to have an extra copy in the case your interviewer asks for one.  

2. A copy of your application. This application isn't for you to hand over to your interviewer. This copy is for you. Review it while you're waiting so that you can refresh your nervous brain and stick to the same takeaways. You should feel prepared to talk about any experience included within the application and/or resume. If you feel you've reviewed this application all you can review it, take a break, and read the newspaper or a book while you wait. 

3. A notebook. You can and should ask questions during your interview too. Feel free to bring yours prewritten and jot down shorthand versions of your interviewers' answers. Just be sure to look up and nod periodically as you write. 

4. The right clothing and accessories. You already know to wear something professional, but this tip has less to do with being interview-appropriate than with being activity- and weather-appropriate. If you're touring the campus before or after your interview, wear or bring comfortable shoes. If it's going to rain, bring an umbrella. If you're from Florida and you don't have a warm coat, borrow or buy one before your interview in Boston. When you're engrossed in interview prep, these are the kinds of things you'll forget. 

5. Water and a pain reliever. Being physically uncomfortable during your interview is a nightmare. Make sure to bring a bottle of water that you can sip prior to your interview, and if you're prone to stress headaches, have some pain medication on your person. 

6. Fun plans. You might live in this city or town someday. If you have the time, explore it. This will give you something to look forward to after your interview, and it might come up in interview small talk. "Will you be doing anything while you're in town?” Yes! I'm checking out the botanical garden this afternoon. This simultaneously shows your interest in the area and makes you seem like you have a life and interests outside of studying.

The Medical School Interview: Osteopathic Interviews

This week we’re writing about the various medical school interview formats, check back daily.

The Osteopathic Interview. The interview process for osteopathic programs is basically the same as that of allopathic programs. Some schools will have you in-and-out of a one-on-one interview, others utilize the MMI, others will have a day-long extravaganza. “During our interview process, we have the first half of the day be an informational session,” says one administrator. “In the morning, we have presentations on the curriculum and professionalism, financial aid, learning services, and inclusion. We also schedule a medical student panel where interviewees have the chance to ask questions of current medical students.” This is followed by a traditional behavioral interview.

There are just two questions that you will be asked in an osteopathic medical interview that don't come up in allopathic interviews, for soon-to-be obvious reasons. That’s because they are:

• Why are you interested in attending osteopathic medical school?

A great answer will emphasize what you'd gain from an osteopathic program, why osteopathic values mean something to you, and highlight an osteopathic clinical experience and how it impacted you.

• Are you also applying to allopathic medical school?

Just be honest. If the answer is yes, and it probably is, say you're exploring all possible paths to becoming a physician.

The Medical School Interview: Multiple Mini Interviews

This week we’re writing about the various medical school interview formats, check back daily.

Multiple Mini Interviews. The MMI is like an obstacle course. It can be a lot of fun—or it can lead to you flailing and tripping all over the place. Many applicants find the MMI stressful but that often changes after their first experience. “We survey applicants after their MMI and most say they enjoyed it,” one admissions team member told us.

During the MMI, interviewers are at different "stations." The number of stations varies; a school might have only a handful and follow them with a short one-on-one behavioral interview or they could have 10 stations and no behavioral interview at all. While some stations are less common than others, you will 100% have to address character-proving moral and ethical scenarios.

Interviewers will not test your medical knowledge but could seek to suss out your awareness of healthcare policy and will put you in hypothetical patient-facing situations to assess your critical thinking and communication skills. Beyond verbal Q&A sessions, there could be an actor interaction or role-playing element, a team-based challenge, a picture station where you describe an image, or a writing station where you respond to a presented scenario.

There could also be wild card discussion topics that have nothing to do with medicine. “Sometimes applicants are stumped by arguably super-easy prompts like ‘Explain the plot of your favorite book,’” one admissions officer told us. “They spiral and think: What am I really being tested on here? Will they hate my taste in books? One applicant asked in a panic: ‘What if I don’t read? Can I do a movie?’” The admissions pro assured us that the book a candidate chooses has zero impact on their score. “A prompt like this is to test how clearly you can explain something,” she said. “And the reason we ask that you tell us about your ‘favorite’ is only because it’s something you’re well-versed in—this is meant to take off pressure, not add it.”

At each station, you'll have one or two minutes to consider your answer and five to eight (depending on the school) to respond. They're giving you so much time so you can weigh the pros and cons of every scenario and/or decision you're considering. It's the thought process that they're testing you on here. How you think exemplifies certain skills and traits. In your responses, you can bring in examples from your personal experiences to back up your reasoning. If you finish early, don't panic. Your interviewer will likely ask follow-up questions regarding your answer. These questions will tell you what to extrapolate on and emphasize.

Sometimes what you're being evaluated on will be obvious, other times, not so much. "We do not tell applicants what characteristic we are testing them on in a given MMI prompt," an admissions team member told us. You don't have to emphasize all of these in every response, but qualities and abilities they're looking for you to express during the MMI are:

• Critical thinking skills

• Communication skills (This means being good at listening, not just talking.)

• Ethical judgment

• Empathy

• Interpersonal skills (Patience, collaboration, etc.)

• Self-awareness

• Teamwork skills

The Medical School Interview: Behavioral Interviews

This week we’re writing about the various medical school interview formats, check back daily.

The One-on-One Behavioral Interview. This 30-to-45-minute interview is mostly a getting-to-know you session, but it's also the school making sure that you're the person you presented in your application. They'll be assessing whether your values and passions align with their goals for their incoming class too.

The school might have you do two or three one-on-one interviews with different folks: a faculty member, a current student, and/or a practicing physician. Your interviewer might have your application open, semi-open (just one section), or closed. Sometimes when an interview is open-file, prospective students feel like they shouldn't repeat anything from their application. But you must repeat some biographical information and experiences. That's the stuff that's relevant to your interview.

You're going to walk them through how you sought out experiences that helped you grow. Emphasize your commitment to life-long learning. Having an identified passion—an area of interest in medicine that you're especially eager to pursue—is a bonus. And evidence of critical thinking, teamwork, compassion, empathy, and leadership should be present throughout your answers. 

The Medical School Interview: The Day-Long Extravaganza

This week we’re writing about the various medical school interview formats, check back daily.

The Day-Long Extravaganza. In a day-long session, there's more than an interview happening. A member of the admissions committee might give you a rundown of the program, there could be a student led tour, an optional session on applying for financial aid, a meal with first-year students, and you could even get to sit in on a class. (If your interview time conflicts with a class you'd like to sit in on, you can request to come back to campus in the future.) Sometimes an interviewer will need you to meet them off-campus, perhaps at a nearby teaching hospital.

An obvious but important note: Stay awake and appropriate. If you're getting sleepy or about to roll your eyes at a presentation, go to the bathroom or get some water. Sorry to creep you out, but per multiple deans of admissions, you are always being observed on campus. We don't tell you this to make you paranoid and tense. If you're behaving in a normal way, no one will blink. This is simply to say that a school's assessment of you goes beyond the interview. If you check your phone at the day's finale event, someone will clock it.

The Medical School Interview

The Medical School Interview

Interview cycles run from early September through mid-January. If the school is not doing rolling admissions, your interview date doesn't matter. Non-rolling schools send out all acceptance letters at once. If they are doing rolling admissions, you want to interview as soon as possible. These schools are why we recommend turning your AMCAS application in early. 

What an Interview Day is Like. There's no standard-issue interview day. A one-on-one interview is common. (You might do two or three of those on the same day.) Or a panel of folks might interview you. Virtual interviews became more common after COVID-19 came into our lives. A group interview with other applicants in front of a panel of interviewers is also on the table. The Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) involves multiple interviewers and even some acting. A school might have you do some combo of these interview types, like a mini-MMI and a traditional interview. Still, another program might have a day-long on-campus session, where the interview is just a portion of your experience. (Harvard Medical School follows this format.) 

This week we’ll provide more information on each interview type, check back daily.

Feeling Stuck Writing your Law School Personal Statement? Here’s How to Move Forward.

You have an excellent academic record, a list of extracurricular activities and internships that showcase your varied interests and abilities, a few willing recommenders, and a list of your dream law schools. What you need now is a personal statement, but you can’t seem to put words to paper. Don’t worry, getting started is the hardest part. 

First, step away from your computer. Before you ever begin drafting text, we recommend that you invest some time in a brainstorm. Take a walk down memory lane and think about the moments that have inspired your path to date. Pay particular attention to those experiences that prompted an evolution in your perspective and reinforced your interest in the study of law, as well as those that could show the reader your intellectual curiosity, integrity, perseverance, and abilities in critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration. 

Write these stories down using as much detail as possible. This will not only benefit you as you draft your personal statement, but it will also be a great reference as you write additional essays or prepare for interviews. Keep in mind that the stories you will use in your personal statement should go deep rather than wide, which is in contrast to the general overview of your experiences that you will provide in your resume. 

Once you’ve spent time brainstorming and documenting memories, put together an outline for your personal statement. You’ll want to select a few key anecdotes that will show the reader who you are and demonstrate some of the attributes that will help you to succeed in law school and beyond. You’ll also want to consider how the stories you select will work within the broader context of your application. For example, if you’ve majored in history and feel confident one of your history professors will reference the thesis you wrote and group project in which you thrived in his Letter of Recommendation, it may be worthwhile to take a deep dive into the substantive quantitative and analytical work you did for that non-profit organization over the summer. 

Now, you are ready to begin your first draft. Good luck!

A Tip for Your Med School Secondary Essays

We’ve written about how to approach common secondary essay questions from a content perspective, but today we’re providing a tip for economizing your process: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The good new is that you will be able to recycle your Secondary answers for different prompts and use aspects of your Secondary drafts for your super-short answers too. But to do this more effectively, you'll need to get organized.

We suggest that clients keep school-specific folders holding all of their responses. Having separate folders for specific topics is helpful too. For example, keep a Diversity Essay folder. School A's diversity prompt might require a response of 500 words or less. Save that edited doc to the school folder as "School A Diversity 500." Also, save it as "Diversity 500" in the Diversity folder. Perhaps much later, when School M's diversity prompt calls for the same word count, you can find your finished and edited 500-word essay in the Diversity folder and tailor it to fit School M.

When you pare down your 500-word essay to suit School Q's 250-word or 1,000-character diversity short answer (and you likely will), save that to the Diversity folder as "Diversity 250" or "Diversity 1,000 Characters." You're applying to so many schools that when you read your 40th prompt, you're going to ask yourself, "I know I wrote this as 500 words already, but for what school?!" You want all your hard work to be in easily findable locations.

Related:

Your Medical School Application: Trust the (Writing) Process

Common Secondary Essay Topics

Your Law School Application: How to Structure Your Law School Personal Statement

When writing your law school personal statement, we encourage you to think like a storyteller rather than an academic. One of the goals of your writing is to inform, but it is equally important to engage your reader and get them personally invested in your journey. 

You might even take a cue from an action movie. When the lights go down and the curtain goes up, you see the star in a sports car going full throttle. What you don’t know, immediately, is who or where they are. Narrative writing does not have to be linear. After leading with an attention-grabbing scene, the writer can go back and provide additional context and information on what’s missing. 

Here is one type of outline example: 

Event/Problem: Engage your reader immediately in a scene that shows you in action. Is it a high-stress experience? A significant interaction? An unforgettable, formative moment? Then, share what you’re doing. 

Context/Background Info: Give the reader a wide-view angle on the situation. Who are you in this scenario? How did you get here? What are your responsibilities and greatest challenges in this role/scene? 

Re-engagement: This is the heart of the essay. You've introduced the event/problem and yourself. Now, take us back to the anecdote. Show your leadership, integrity, perseverance, critical thinking, or collaboration in action. Delve into the complexities of solving a problem. Sometimes there isn't a solution or grand finale. That's okay. You just want to make it clear why this is the scenario you opened with—why this was meaningful to you. And you don't have to bang the reader over the head with claims of your best qualities; you want to show them those qualities through your story. 

Takeaway/Reflection: What did you learn via your experience? How did it change you? What was the impact on your life or path? This should show that you’re dedicated to growth, self-awareness, and your values, and where these things will take you. 

Conclusion: How did this experience reinforce your commitment to the study of law and the pursuit of a legal career?

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Integrity and a Sense of Community

This week, we’ll examine the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Integrity and a sense of community. Many leading business schools have missions that include educating principled leaders who will make a positive difference in the world. Business schools are, now more than ever, highly-attuned to applicants’ integrity and sense of civic responsibility. 

Consider the following: In what meaningful experiences did you elevate a community that you were a part of? What effect did you have on others? What effect did they have on you? What have you learned about finding common ground with those who are different from you?  What did you think about these things at the time? How did you feel? 

Qualities that MBA Admissions Committees Look for in Applicants: Innovation

This week, we’ll examine the key tenets of the business school application: leadership, teamwork, innovation, and integrity. 

Innovation. The pace of change in business continues to speed up and business schools are looking for students who demonstrate skills in both critical and creative thinking and problem solving. 

Consider the following: In what meaningful experiences did you utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills? How did you determine the best course of action? Did you approach something one way at first and then correct yourself? What did you think about these things at the time? What did you learn? How did you feel?