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Interview Invites/ Application Cycle 2014


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Good questions, and congrats on the early acceptance!!

1. Social Attire: I was asked in an email what to wear to the social the evening before your interviews. We are very low-key here when it comes to being off campus. A nice shirt with jeans is completely appropriate. Whatever makes you comfortable-- it's not a trick, we really like getting to know everyone before the formal interview day. Also, this is technically our time off :) we will be relaxing with you.

2. Preparing for the interview: as stated above this post, it's a great idea to research what an MMI is. Understand that a lot of these questions aren't so much about how much you know, but about how you react under stress to unique problem solving scenarios. PA school is very much a "restart" in your education. No matter how much experience or education you have, we all begin this program on the same basic level. It's important that students be prepared for that uncomfortable situation, show great teamwork, and be humble in the face of change. One of the greatest aspects of a good provider is being able to say "I don't know... but here's how I want to approach this problem together". Using the MMI allows us to remove our own bias, while also testing that kind of grace under pressure from the candidates.

3. How many are accepted? I am not certain. It honestly doesn't factor-- if you have made it to an interview, it means you are a brilliant and capable individual. Now, we just need to find out who would benefit the most from our system. Sometimes that's a high number (we have about sixty in our class now), sometimes it's lower. What I do know is that our numbers appear high because you might be reading about how many people are accepted for both the Masters in PA, and our Dualer Masters in PA and Public Health. There's usually a dozen or so Dualers. Even with our larger class size, we all receive amazing personal support from our counselors who have a strictly open door policy and frequently help teach classes. More students has benefited us, so far in our didactic year, because there are so many different opportunities for help learning challenging topics.

4. Rescheduling: Needing to reschedule is never counted against you. However, it may be difficult to do later in the cycle. Please contact the department as soon as possible if you know you can't make it.

5.) Social: it was extremely beneficial for us last year to create a private facebook group for everyone accepted early in the process. This allowed us to discuss financial aid paperwork, how to relocate, find room mates etc. I highly recommend that someone who has an early acceptance form a private PA Class FB page and offers the link here for individuals who know they are coming in 2015.
 

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Does anyone remember what percentage of the class gets early acceptance?

I think they said only a small handful get accepted right away. I was under the impression it was a couple of people two weeks after the interview, and everyone else gets notified in December (accepted, waitlisted, or denied).

 

Hope that helps!

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I am also interviewing on 11/1. I'm traveling from Texas (DFW area) - indirectly.

 

Timeline:

25-Aug - esubmitted CASPA (I wanted to finish some summer coursework that would continue to raise my undergrad/post-baccalaureate GPA)

4-Sep - CASPA verified

12-Sep - added GWU to designated programs

18-Sep - submitted supplemental appl

19-Sep - GWU confirmed appl received

22-Sep - GWU confirmed appl in review

10-Oct - received (& accepted!) invite to interview 11/1

10-Oct - inquired about staying with a student night before (I've lived in the District, & Bethesda, in the past)

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  • 2 weeks later...

For anyone interviewing on 11/01 ....  are you wearing a costume to the meet and greet on 10/31?

 

No, I am flying in that afternoon with no more than a carry-on bag. I don't think I would even if I could manage it. I expect it to be casual and fun, but I won't be THAT relaxed. Additionally, I chaired an international conference held at Disney's convention center in Orlando a few years back. We had a lot of fun with the theme and I wore a 'Mouseketeer' top and the obligatory mouse ears at our open sessions. For a few years after that, business associates would meet me and say I looked familiar. I still remember some chagrin on my part when it would 'click' and they would say something along the lines of "Oh! You wore the mouse ears when you were with Jim Lovell!"

 

Hmmmm - maybe I should rethink! My Mouseketeer shirt and ears would fit in my carry-on! :) I'd be memorable.

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Hi everyone! I am interviewing tomorrow (it's a makeup interview because I couldn't make it to my scheduled one). I guess it's late now and I only just found this forum, but has anyone already gotten accepted? I thought GW wasn't on a rolling admissions basis...

 

Anyway, can't wait to meet all of you :)

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