THE PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL ADMISSIONS INTERVIEW
- A. Analyze yourself thoroughly.
- B. Learn everything you can about the field you wish to
enter: history, recent developments, trends, areas,
leaders, problems, etc.
- C. Learn everything about the school you wish to enter:
faculty, curriculum, requirements, specialties,
uniqueness, history, organization locations, expansion
plans, reputation, major achievements, etc.
- D. Learn everything you can about what happens during
admissions interviews from friends, professionals,
workshops, advisors, professors, etc.
- 1. What do interviewers look for and assess?
- 2. What turns interviewers off?
- 3. What kinds of questions are asked?
- 4. What kinds of interviewing approaches do
students encounter?
- E. Be aware of current events: local, state, national,
and international.
- F. Prepare your credentials carefully: What kind of image
do you want to communicate prior to the interview?
- G. Think of questions you would like to ask if given the
opportunity during the interview.
- A. Be on time -- even a few minutes early.
- B. Be neat and appropriately dressed.
- C. Be polite and courteous to everyone you meet.
- D. Do not arrive at the interview expecting the worst;
the worst may happen because you expect it to happen.
- E. Remember that the first 3-4 minutes are crucial to a
successful interview.
- F Be interested in the interview and the school and show
it!
- G. Answering questions:
- 1. Listen carefully to each question and to
information given.
- 2. Do not interrupt or try to second guess the
interviewer.
- 3. Think before answering tough questions.
- 4. Do not try to bluff the interviewer; if you do
not know an answer, say so
- 5. Answer all questions thoroughly, honestly, to
the point, and with good grammar and choice of
language.
- 6. Avoid overkill in answers.
- 7. Avoid underkill in answers.
- 8. Do not make excuses, give reasons and
explanations for weaknesses or past problems.
- 9. Refrain from developing phony, canned answers
to commonly asked questions.
- 10. Do not dismiss a question too quickly as
"irrelevant" or "dumb."
- 11. Do not try to match a stereotyped applicant,
especially ones portrayed on television.
- H. Ask intelligent questions if you have some to ask.
- I. Be prepared to face a multiple-person interview
committee.
- J. Do nothing merely for the sake of making a good
impression.
- K. Close the interview in high gear, not a sigh of
relief.
-
- A. Caution: Do not overreact to feedback or your
perceptions that the interview did not go well.
- B. Do a thorough review after each interview:
- 1. What communication problems did you encounter?
- 2. What information did you not have?
- 3. Which questions did you have trouble
answering?
- 4. How well did you handle stress situations?
- 5. How did your questions come out?
- 6. How did this interview compare to previous
interviews you have had: admissions, employment,
counseling, job appraisals?
- 7. What background weaknesses were revealed, and
what can you do about them?
- 8. What "surprises" did you encounter?
- 9. How can you prepare better for the next
interview?
- C. Give feedback to other students to help others in
their "trials by fire."
- 1. What are my personality strengths and weaknesses:
dependable, honest, moral standards, motivated,
assertive, outgoing, open-minded, ,mature, conscientious,
ambitious, punctual, emotionally stable, ability to
motivate others?
- 2. What are my intellectual strengths and weaknesses:
creative, intelligent, analytical, organized, ability to
follow instructions, ability to learn. quickly?
- 3. What are my communicative strengths and weaknesses:
ability to communicate with people, oral communication
skills, written communication skills, poise, ability to
listen?
- 4. What are my professional strengths and weaknesses:
formal and informal training, vocational and avocational
experiences, references, membership in professional
organizations?
- 5. What are my on-the-job strengths and weaknesses:
attendance, willingness to work long hours, willingness
to work evenings and weekends, ability to make good use
of time, desire to work hard, ability to accept
criticism, close detail work, ability to work under
pressure?
- 6. What are my professional interests and disinterests:
areas of study, specialization, administration, travel,
relocation, short and long range goals?
- 7. Why do I want to be a physician, dentist,
veterinarian: challenge, responsibility, job security,
contact with people, independence, involvement in
decision-making, duties, benefits, salary, prestige?
- 8. What are my most valued needs as a human being:
possessions, salary, free time, recognition, advancement,
success, family, lasting relationships,
"roots?"
- 9. Why did I attend my University and how happy am I with
this decision: size of school, prestige, areas of study,
students, faculty, nearness to my home, recommendations
of others, sports?
- 10. Why did I study . . . and how happy am I with this
choice: job opportunities, personal abilities, reputation
of the school, subject matter, challenge, advice from
parents, advisors, faculty, or others?
- 1. Integrity: ethics, morals, slncerity, honesty,
responslblllty, dependability, and genuineness.
- 2. Ability to communicate: nonverbal communication
(voice, eye-contact, gestures, posture, nervous
mannerisms, handshake, facial expresslons), verbal
communication (language, grammar, ability to organize and
express ideas in answers and questions), abillty to
listen.
- 3. Physical bearing: poise, appearance (neatness,
appropriate dress, grooming).
- 4. Personality and human relations skills: ability to
create a favorable flrst impression, understanding of
others, tolerance, empathy, sense of humor, warmth,
ability to relate, interest in and desire to help people,
compassior, objectivity, tactfulness, openmindedness,
independence, self-reliance.
- 5. Maturity: appropriate for age, status, and experience;
reasons for wantins to be a . . .; understanding of the
field and daily work of a . . . ; knowledge of trends,
issues, problems, strengths and weaknesses, and
developments in the chosen fieldi realistic self-concept.
- 6. Motivation: strength of desire to enter the field,
desire to attend this school, initiative, drive,
enthuslasm, perseverance, knowledge of this school.
- 7. Emotional stability: ability to handle pressure and
stress, ability to carry out responsibilities,
self-discipline, self-confidence, mental alertness.
- 8. Experiences: vocational (vocationally oriented
curricular and extra curricular activities in college,
work with people in the chosen field), and non-vocational
(non-vocationally oriented curricular and extra
curricular activities, work experlences, working with
people).
- 9. Knowledge: of current events, of the theories and
practlcal applications of these theorles to the chosen
field.
1. Applicant is caught lying.
2. Applicant is rude or impolite.
3. Applicant shows a lack of lnterest in the interview.
4 Applicant puts his/her feet on the desk.
5 Applicant lacks sincerity.
6. Applicant is evasive.
7. Applicant tries to bluff during the interview.
8. Applicant is unable to concentrate.
9. Applicant displays a lack of initiative.
10. Applicant is indecisive, lacks abillty to make decisions.
11. Applicant has an arrogant, "know-it-all"
attitude.
12. Applicant has a persecuted attitude.
13. Applicant tries to use pull to obtain admission.
14. applicant has an offensive body odor.
15. Applicant has poor personal appearance.
16. Applicant is unable to express himself/herself clearly.
17. Applicant exhibits no planning for a career, no purpose or
goals.
18. Applicant lacks confidence and poise.
19. Applicant shows a lack of tact.
20. Applicant seems immature.
21. Applicant condemns past emp:
22. Applicant does not look the interviewer in the eyes.
23. Applicant has a limp, fishy handshake.
24. Applicant shows little sense of humor.
25. Applicant lacks knowledge about the field.
26. Applicant is cynical.
27. Applicant has narrow interests.
28. Applicant gives vague responses to many questions.
29. Applicant is too interested in money.
30. Applicant makes excuses for failures or weaknesses.
- 1. What personal characteristics do you have that would
make you an outstanding . . .?
- 2. What are the strengths of your training? Weaknesses?
- 3. Which area of . . . interests you the most?
- 4. What do you hope to be doing ten years from now?
- 5. Fifteen years from now what would you like to look
back upon as your major contribution in . . . ?
- 6. How do you feel about increasing governmental
involvement in the health professions.
- 7. How do you feel about socialized medicine?
- 8. How has a major in . . . prepared you for . . .
school?
- 9. If you had your education to do over again, what would
you do differently?
- 10. Do you think medicine is an art or a science?
- 11. Describe yourself for me.
- 12. Tell me about your family background.
- 13. What experiences have you had in . .
- 14. Why do you want to be a . . .
- 15. Why should we choose you over the many other
applicants we have?
- 16. What do you know about our school?
- 17. How do you feel about euthanasia? How is it similar
and dlfferent from "mercy killing?"
- 18. What do you know about the history of . . . ?
- 19. What have you read lately?
- 20. What special area of . . . interests you the most?
The least?
- 21. What do think is the single greatest problem facing .
. . today?
- 22. Would you tell a patient that he is dying? How would
you go about it?
- 23. How do you feel about the Karen Quinlan case?
