What I fear most:
"I wonder if this kid is actually as hard-working as he is charismatic"
"Yeah, I don't know, he seemed a little arrogant, do you feel like he was talking down to you at the interview?"
"Kind of, but at the same time he really just seemed passionate about what we were talking about"
"He's obviously smart, but his GPA is so low...has he matured since college? Is he going to end up being a liability for us?"
"Good point, he seemed so relaxed and confident during the interviews, but the only way he could be like that is if he didn't really take neuroscience that seriously"
"Agreed. Can't see him as a scientist."
"But he DOES have FOUR years of research experience. And he definitely knew what he was talking about!"
"Screw it, let's just go with a sure bet applicant with stellar stats across the board. Better to not gamble on this kid."
Best case:
"That guy seemed really passionate and hard-working and committed to career in academia. And also friendly! We have to admit him!"