Whitcc1 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 My advise: maybe have her drop you off for the interview day nice and early, send her to get coffee/read a book... Do your interview/campus tour with your interview group... When it's all done then meet back up with your mom and take her on the tour by yourself. Just my advise but then again I wouldn't dream of taking my mom to my interview! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melscott62 Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 Any thoughts on what to wear to the pre-interview reception? The dress say business casual, so I was wondering if it was more okay to wear something with more personality than the conservative garb for the actual interview day. Nothing inappropriate! No boobies or cooter hanging out! But if I wanted to wear my favorite dress (floral and modest) because it's fun and makes me happy and comfortable, would that be frowned upon? I think the dress is fine, but I would consider wearing a jacket with it. It seems most health care people also expect hose with a dress or skirt as well. I wore slacks, and a button up shirt and jacket that was casual compared to a business suit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamieh Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Should we send a thank you via email after the interview like you would for a job interview? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thegreenmansaidhi Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Should we send a thank you via email after the interview like you would for a job interview? I've been mailing handwritten thank you cards. I think it's more personal and professional that way. After the interview I make sure to get business cards from the interviewers. If I have time at the airport or right after the interview I'll write them right then and there and mail them ASAP so they can get them before they've made a decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patachok Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I have a question. The email for my interview says friends/family are welcome to accompany you. I had planned on having my mom drive me and be able to see the school during the tour, etc. (obviously not come into the interview) but I've read a few comments on here saying that's a major sign of "helicopter mom" and such a bad idea. I just wanted her to be able to see the school and be a part of an important day for me since she's my biggest supporter. Is this a bad idea?I echo the advice given before, if you really want your mom to see the school, do it after. But of course if you want to look immature and as though you are 12...please by all means bring her alone. Some things in life are meant to be done alone, PA school interview is one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LESH Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I have a question. The email for my interview says friends/family are welcome to accompany you. I had planned on having my mom drive me and be able to see the school during the tour, etc. (obviously not come into the interview) but I've read a few comments on here saying that's a major sign of "helicopter mom" and such a bad idea. I just wanted her to be able to see the school and be a part of an important day for me since she's my biggest supporter. Is this a bad idea? I think that is a good idea from the program's perspective... they did it for a reason. Especially having family attend. It gives family a opportunity to learn more about the program and possibly begin to understand about the expectations and demands of the program. I remember meeting parents and spouses on interview days and information sessions I found it helpful as faculty. I will admit that I did meet some "helicopter parents", but having children of my own about the same age as of some of the applicants, and years of PTA, sports camps, ect, you learn to tune them out...lol. just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caleb_jo Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Ok. I need some help out there. So I have an interview coming up which is two days long. Would it be appropriate to wear the same suit twice? Suits are expensive but I will sacrifice if need be. Thank you for any suggestions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitcc1 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Are you sure the first night isn't business casual? My two day interview was set up like that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakingpatience Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Ok. I need some help out there. So I have an interview coming up which is two days long. Would it be appropriate to wear the same suit twice? Suits are expensive but I will sacrifice if need be. Thank you for any suggestions! I would. Wear a different color shirt and tie, and it should be fine. Just make sure you iron it before the second day and it doesn't stink! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caleb_jo Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Lol! Ok thanks for the insight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MedLib42 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Ok. I need some help out there. So I have an interview coming up which is two days long. Would it be appropriate to wear the same suit twice? Suits are expensive but I will sacrifice if need be. Thank you for any suggestions! I attended a full two day interview at Northeastern, and both days attire was formal (suit). I wore a different suit on both days, but everyone else wore the same suit both days. I know several people from that group got in, so their choice to wear the same suit both days probably didn't hurt them much (if at all). I was just more worried about getting it dirty and not having time to have it cleaned in between (which did actually happen) more than I was worried about how wearing the same suit might look to the ADCOM. I think fakingpatience has the right idea - wear a different shirt and tie, make sure it's clean and pressed, and you should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caleb_jo Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Awesome!! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.paige Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 I have a question. The email for my interview says friends/family are welcome to accompany you. I had planned on having my mom drive me and be able to see the school during the tour, etc. (obviously not come into the interview) but I've read a few comments on here saying that's a major sign of "helicopter mom" and such a bad idea. I just wanted her to be able to see the school and be a part of an important day for me since she's my biggest supporter. Is this a bad idea? My mom came with me to the orientation part of one of my interviews. My mom watched my daughter for me while I was in school and now while I work full time. She really wanted to come and it was nice for her to have a break and see what I'd accomplished regardless of whether I got accepted or not. A few days after my interview I was accepted into this PA program. I don't think you're going to be judged by administration for having your mom there. If you're going to feel more comfortable having her there, then bring her; this interview session is about you and not how everyone else feels about you bringing your mom. I was also apprehensive at first but it seemed to work out for me :) Best of Luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forensikchic Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Just finished with my interview on Saturday. It was MMI style. It was not as bad as I expected. I was thinking the whole time, as I looked around the room and interacted with people, about this forum and all the advice that was given. I tried to take most of the good advice. I did see some dress issues there but overall everyone looked nice and professional (except for the one guy who wore his music festival/band/party hot pink paper bracelet). He explained to a few of us that if he took it off he could not go back and party that night or the next day so he kept it on. I think I would have taped it to my arm and put my sleeve over it to make sure it didn't show instead of flaunting it, but that's just me. I met some nice people there. I think many of them would make good classmates. There is always that one however. My advice to others interviewing... when asked about yourself by other applicants, keep it short and sweet. Just the bare minimum. Don't be cocky and overconfident, especially if your background is not even particularly impressive. There are lots of things to talk about and be friendly to one another besides going on and on about yourself. No one is there to hear your life story. We are all there to see if we are a good fit for the program and if its a good fit for us. Keep the conversation light! No need to brag or boast about not being intimidated or nervous. NO ONE believes that. No need to compare stats either, its just in poor taste. Just a tip from Tammi. lol. Other clothing advice. I saw a girl whose pants were too tight. Her pockets were flaring out. Make sure your pants aren't so tight that the pockets flare! Her jacket didn't match her pants and it looked very thrown together.. Also wearing a pony tail that looked as if she just left the gym. Not sleek or professional looking at all. The ponytail holder was a bright blue. Outfit was NOT. Ladies, its just my advice, you can take it or leave it, but this is not very professional looking. Take some time to do your hair and make sure your clothes at least fit. On a bright note.. I saw some really nice suits, not all of them blue, gray or black, but most were. One lady had a beautiful MK bag in Magenta but somehow it seemed to work with her subdued light gray pinstripe suit. It gave it a little pizazz without being too much. I also saw a lady in a dark green blouse under a gray suit. It was really pretty on her. Something a little different but not too much. There was a man there in a gray suit with a dark plum/purple shirt and a tie with the same purple and gray. It was a little busy but somehow was not too much either. The gold cufflinks and tie tack might have been a touch over the top considering the bold shirt and tie though. Again, these are just my thoughts after a grueling interview. Not trying to come off as negative nelly. Just pointing out what I noticed were good things and bad things. There was one person that I noticed that needed the award for the most disinterested candidate. I have read that others have seen this but until I did, I was thinking.. who would do that? This person seemed so far removed from what was really happening that he might as well have been meditating. It was his fourth interview and it was quite easy to tell he was not impressed with this school. He never interacted with anyone that I saw except when I asked him a direct question. Never smiled or anything. Also, don't be on your phone! There were a handful of people that could not seem to put their phones down. They were always texting and looking at it when there was any downtime.. while waiting in line, while the student q&a was going on. Just constant, like my teenage daughter. I am no authority on how to dress, how to act and I have not been accepted to a program yet. I just wanted to put my two cents out there just in case the advice might help someone. I know the 26 pages of this thread has certainly helped me, the good, the bad and the ugly. Good luck to everyone. Hopefully we all get into our number one choice! 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briana Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 This was very helpful! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tavaughn Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 What do women typically wear for interviews? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MedLib42 Posted October 17, 2014 Share Posted October 17, 2014 What do women typically wear for interviews? Pants suit or skirt suit! Interviews are considered business formal. Some interviews will have certain functions - such as receptions or night-before dinners - that are business casual, but if that's the case, they'll specify that in any communication they send you prior to the interview, and the interview itself should be considered business formal (unless for some reason the school you're interviewing at specifies otherwise, but I have yet to hear of that happening). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topsy Posted October 18, 2014 Share Posted October 18, 2014 I'm trying to organize my thoughts before my first interview next week. For the question that asks you to name an accomplishment, I'm having a hard time thinking of something super specific. How would listing that I quit smoking as an accomplisment sit with interviewers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forensikchic Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Topsy, I quit smoking 21 years ago this August and I still consider that one of my biggest accomplishments. I didn't get that question in my interview but if I did, I would not hesitate to say that. It shows what a strong will you have and desire to be a healthy person. Its a great accomplishment that you should be proud of. I don't see a problem with naming quitting smoking as a very big accomplishment. There could be a smoker or previous smoker on the panel that really can relate to that or at least can appreciate how difficult that is and what it takes to accomplish that feat! In contrast, I don't think people should list having children as an accomplishment. I have personally always hated when people did that. (not that you have any or were planning on it, but since others read this forum, thought I would throw that in there) I understand that labor is hard and but lets face it, labor is going to happen and the baby is coming no matter what. You as the mother are not doing anything different than any other mother does. HURTS LIKE HELL and we have to endure it, there is no choice. Smoking is a choice. Stopping smoking is a conscious choice you made for good reasons. That is my rationale behind that. Our accomplishments and the things that really shape our lives are things we make a choice to do or not do that involves a challenge. You are made into the person you are because of the trials you face and how you handle them. We all learn from our mistakes. Think of things you have faced in your life that were the most challenging and how you overcame them. That is what they want to know about. Again, I think smoking cessation is a great one! Bravo for you! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Topsy Posted October 20, 2014 Share Posted October 20, 2014 Thanks for the input! And I do get what you're saying abt the baby thing. Although part of me also thinks listing accomplishments is really subjective. Who am I to say that what one person deems an accomplishment is not one by my standards. I guess it's all relative. How the person frames it. If you have a mother that says having children was b/c for years and years she has tried, with miscarriages and whatnot, and there was an emotional connection and passion-driven words, I would applaud that. Where as if I heard another person say, meh, I climbed mount everest, like it was no big deal, that's when I'd raise an eyebrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emmy67 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Topsy, I personally would not list quitting smoking as my greatest accomplishment. Coming from a person that has never smoked, I can't really identify with how hard it was to quit smoking. Having said that, I know quitting smoking is extremely hard and it shows you cared about improving your health. I think that childbirth and quitting smoking kind of fit into the category of being very personal and only relatable if the interviewer has had similar experiences. I would stick to something more professional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forensikchic Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Not everyone will be able to relate to your experiences but I think most people have an idea of how much effort it takes to accomplish certain goals, etc. In healthcare, for instance, you don't really know pain until you have experienced a kidney stone. Natural childbirth doesn't even compare to it. A lot of people have not experienced it but I bet they have all heard of how painful it really is. You develop your sense of empathy for patients this way. You may not have ever been in their shoes, but you can empathize with how they must feel in so much pain. If you cant, this is not the field for you. That being said, listing your professional experiences would be a good thing too, however, I think your more personal accomplishments are what sets you apart. It's what makes you different than the others. Everyone here has professional accomplishments that are not that different than the next person. I think you need to stand out from the sea of "I earned a BS or MS". We all did. That is not really different. I do agree with Topsy in that it is subjective. There are folks who just don't have empathy and they cant really understand what it is like to quit smoking or overcome a difficult situation unless they have personally done it themselves, but hopefully those people will stay far away from healthcare and wont be on the admissions committee to a PA school. just sayin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Emmy67 Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Topsy asked for advice regarding how an answer would sit with interviewers. I gave my input and by no means is that ground to accuse someone of not being empathetic and unfit for healthcare. It is simply my opinion that everyone on the admissions committee may not think it's incredibly great or creative that quitting smoking was her greatest accomplishment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forensikchic Posted October 21, 2014 Share Posted October 21, 2014 Oh my. I sincerely apologize if I offended you Sberman67. It was not my intent to accuse you of anything on a personal level. It made me realize though that there are those out there, not you personally perhaps, but there are those who are not empathetic to other people's situations and I was kinda off on a tangent about that. I have seen lots of people who could care less about other peoples struggles and don't get what they are going through and don't even try to. I didn't mean to imply that you are one of those. I was thinking more in terms of people who work on admissions committees are probably not those unsympathetic people, at least we hope not. I can see now after reading my post, where you might think I was talking directly to you, at least in part, because of the wording I chose. Please accept my apology. I really didn't mean you personally. I was just off on a tangent. I feel I am not contributing to this OP question any longer, so I think I will just bow out of this topic for now and chose my replies a little more carefully next time. I'm rather new to posting on open forums. Lesson learned. 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgp Posted October 24, 2014 Share Posted October 24, 2014 Are there any tips on how to "justify" a low GRE score if the ADCOM asks about it during an interview? I know the GRE is just a part of the application process, but my scores were way less than stellar and because of that, I always feel like they will ask about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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