Genetic Counseling Fall 2017 Applicants

[mosley]

30 minutes ago, GC15 said:

Has anyone interviewed at Utah yet? If so, how was it?

I'd love to know too! What are the group interviews like?

[GC15]

1 hour ago, mosley said:

I'd love to know too! What are the group interviews like?

I wonder if they will have us complete a group activity or something? How did you prepare for the interview?

[NHxx]

2 hours ago, GC15 said:

Has anyone interviewed at Utah yet? If so, how was it?

i'm interested as well! it's my first interview -- if anyone else is interviewing Monday, see you there (:

[GC15]

9 hours ago, NHxx said:

i'm interested as well! it's my first interview -- if anyone else is interviewing Monday, see you there (:

Good luck! Wishing you the best! Let us know how it goes

[HC929]

Man, I thought waiting for the interview was nerve-wracking, but waiting after the interview is definitely worse!! At least before the interview, I could do things to prepare myself. Now, I feel so helpless hahaha my fate's all in their hands and there's not much I can do to change or know their decision :/ How are we supposed to wait a whole month now?! 

[Ultrapeaches]

1 hour ago, HC929 said:

Man, I thought waiting for the interview was nerve-wracking, but waiting after the interview is definitely worse!! At least before the interview, I could do things to prepare myself. Now, I feel so helpless hahaha my fate's all in their hands and there's not much I can do to change or know their decision :/ How are we supposed to wait a whole month now?! 

Right? I wish I had interviews later in April so that I didn't have a full 3 weeks between my last interview and finding out where I'm going. Or not going.

I hope the activity on this board doesn't die off; checking it has been a habit since I first started working on applications in September. With no more work to be done, it's the only part of the ritual I have left to pass the time.

[Nefelibata]

55 minutes ago, Ultrapeaches said:

Right? I wish I had interviews later in April so that I didn't have a full 3 weeks between my last interview and finding out where I'm going. Or not going.

I hope the activity on this board doesn't die off; checking it has been a habit since I first started working on applications in September. With no more work to be done, it's the only part of the ritual I have left to pass the time.

Same boat here. The three empty weeks between my April 3rd interview and D-Day April 24th are going to be torture! 

Edited March 26, 2017 by Nefelibata

[adragonisnoslave]

It sucks, but I'm glad I did both my interviews in February. It's a lot of waiting but I didn't have time to overthink the interviews. I think it would've made me seem crazy! 

[Ultrapeaches]

10 hours ago, Nefelibata said:

Same boat here. The three empty weeks between my April 3rd interview and D-Day April 24th are going to be torture! 

Where are YOU going on April 3rd? I'll be at UC Irvine.

[Darwin]

Anyone who has been to Brandeis already have any tips on places to stay, or impressions from the interview? Was hoping to stay an extra night and explore but I don't know that I can afford an extra night in Boston right now after all of the other traveling. 

 

Agreed that this board has been really helpful in just being able to check in with other people going through the same thing! 

[Gadgette]

@HSGC2017, have you gotten any details about your interview on Friday? 

Has anyone interviewed at UAMS or UPitt that would be willing to tell me about your experience?

[GCFaith92]

Hey all!! My first interview is tomorrow. About how many questions do you think each interviewers asked you and did you feel pressed for time in answering them? Also, how many questions did you have prepared for the interviewers? I have a list of questions in my portfolio but want to be certain I have enough questions haha Thanks!!!

[HopefulGC]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum, wish I'd found it earlier.

Is anyone else going to be at UAMS on the 10th? And if anyone has already interviewed there I would love some feedback about the process.

[Ultrapeaches]

5 hours ago, Darwin said:

Anyone who has been to Brandeis already have any tips on places to stay, or impressions from the interview? Was hoping to stay an extra night and explore but I don't know that I can afford an extra night in Boston right now after all of the other traveling. 

 

Agreed that this board has been really helpful in just being able to check in with other people going through the same thing! 

I have been to Brandeis, but I stayed with a friend in Boston. If you're just going to go for the Brandeis interview, you're probably better off staying at a hotel or airbnb in Waltham to save on uber expenses and time - it's like a 30-40 minute drive from the city proper.

[Nefelibata]

22 hours ago, Ultrapeaches said:

Where are YOU going on April 3rd? I'll be at UC Irvine.

I will be at Augustana, not quite as warm as California!

[GCFaith92]

Received my interview with Jefferson!!

[HSGC2017]

20 hours ago, Gadgette said:

@HSGC2017, have you gotten any details about your interview on Friday? 

Has anyone interviewed at UAMS or UPitt that would be willing to tell me about your experience?

I haven't yet, I know Lacey said she would be emailing schedules a week before the interview day. 

I would also appreciate any one who was able to share their interview experience with me 

[GCapplicant]

So I have a quick question for everyone -- it may be a bit premature considering admission results haven't been released yet, but I've been thinking about it quite a bit so I figured I'd get some second opinions.

I have a few interviews for this cycle, but I just received a fantastic (and very GC-relevant) job offer to begin in a few months. It should increase my chances of getting into my dream school *tremendously* for the next application cycle.

So what would be a better option -- go to a program this year that I really like but isn't my dream school, or spend another year and (potentially) get into a top choice school next cycle? It seems like a tough call considering there's no guarantee I'll get in to it if I have to reapply -- plus having to going through the whole application process all over again and missing out on a guaranteed chance of becoming a genetics counselor -- but this particular school has been my dream school since I was a child and I'd like to see what my chances are of actually getting in.

 

Edited March 27, 2017 by GCapplicant

[Darwin]

22 minutes ago, GCapplicant said:

So I have a quick question for everyone -- it may be a bit premature considering admission results haven't been released yet, but I've been thinking about it quite a bit so I figured I'd get some second opinions.

I have a few interviews for this cycle, but I just received a fantastic (and very GC-relevant) job offer to begin in a few months. It should increase my chances of getting into my dream school *tremendously* for the next application cycle.

So what would be a better option -- go to a program this year that I really like but isn't my dream school, or spend another year and (potentially) get into a top choice school next cycle? It seems like a tough call considering there's no guarantee I'll get in to it if I have to reapply -- plus having to going through the whole application process all over again and missing out on a guaranteed chance of becoming a genetics counselor -- but this particular school has been my dream school since I was a child and I'd like to see what my chances are of actually getting in.

 

Hi - congrats on the job offer! That is very exciting and I'm sure relieves some of the stress of this application cycle. 

That is definitely a tough question. If I can ask, what is it that makes your 'dream school' a 'dream school' for you? And is it the 'dream program,' or the college itself that you have had a lifelong interest in? Understanding what it is that appeals to you about this program in particular might help in providing advice! Is it a school you applied to this cycle?

[Gadgette]

21 hours ago, GCFaith92 said:

Hey all!! My first interview is tomorrow. About how many questions do you think each interviewers asked you and did you feel pressed for time in answering them? Also, how many questions did you have prepared for the interviewers? I have a list of questions in my portfolio but want to be certain I have enough questions haha Thanks!!!

So far I've only interviewed at VCU, which had 6 one-on-one interviews throughout the day. I had 3 or 4 standard questions, but really ended up asking different questions with each faculty member with whom I interviewed. I wanted to make sure I filled the allotted time, which was really easy. Each time we did go over by a couple of minutes, but it seemed like everyone else did, too.

[atx09]

this might be a bit premature, but I'm hopeful, on D-day how do you deal with a phone call acceptance form your number 2 school? Its 8am and you haven't heard from your number 1 school, but you don't want to commit to the acceptance without at least getting a rejection from your first choice. How does that conversation even go? 'Hey thanks for the offer, but I'm waiting on another school...brb, call you soon'

Anyone have any etiquette advice on this?

[adragonisnoslave]

22 minutes ago, atx09 said:

this might be a bit premature, but I'm hopeful, on D-day how do you deal with a phone call acceptance form your number 2 school? Its 8am and you haven't heard from your number 1 school, but you don't want to commit to the acceptance without at least getting a rejection from your first choice. How does that conversation even go? 'Hey thanks for the offer, but I'm waiting on another school...brb, call you soon'

Anyone have any etiquette advice on this?

Pretty sure you just let them know you're waiting to hear back from x school before you make your final decision. It's pretty common. Don't hold onto more than one waitlist spot and you're good. 

[Gadgette]

The schools know that you're waiting to hear back from other places, so I think they expect that you'll wait to find out all of your options before deciding. I got accepted into the UPitt Public Health Genetics and they acknowledged in the letter that they don't expect me to make any decisions until I hear back on Match Day.

Looking at the results for other fields, I'm really glad there is a single Match Day. While the night before and day of will probably drive me crazy, I know I won't hear any answers until then and that's keeping me calm. Well, calm enough!

[Nefelibata]

4 hours ago, atx09 said:

this might be a bit premature, but I'm hopeful, on D-day how do you deal with a phone call acceptance form your number 2 school? Its 8am and you haven't heard from your number 1 school, but you don't want to commit to the acceptance without at least getting a rejection from your first choice. How does that conversation even go? 'Hey thanks for the offer, but I'm waiting on another school...brb, call you soon'

Anyone have any etiquette advice on this?

 

4 hours ago, adragonisnoslave said:

Pretty sure you just let them know you're waiting to hear back from x school before you make your final decision. It's pretty common. Don't hold onto more than one waitlist spot and you're good. 

I agree, something along the lines of "I would like to hear from all my options before I make my decision". I'm sure most schools expect that response from a majority of the people they call, which is why not a lot of movement happens until day 2. I also agree with adragonisnoslave above.. By match day you should have a ranking of your schools so if you are offered more than one acceptance, you already know that you would prefer one school over the other so the best etiquette there is to turn down the offer from your lower ranked school. This will also help move things along for everybody. 

[UTGC]

5 hours ago, atx09 said:

this might be a bit premature, but I'm hopeful, on D-day how do you deal with a phone call acceptance form your number 2 school? Its 8am and you haven't heard from your number 1 school, but you don't want to commit to the acceptance without at least getting a rejection from your first choice. How does that conversation even go? 'Hey thanks for the offer, but I'm waiting on another school...brb, call you soon'

Anyone have any etiquette advice on this?

You don't even have to make a mention of waiting for another school. You can just say "Thank you so much, I'm really excited to get that offer. I'm taking some time to think today and I will be in touch when I reach a decision". They're very accustomed to students not immediately accepting an offer, it's the norm.

 

That said: if you get accepted by your 3rd ranked school and then get an offer from your 2nd ranked school, go ahead and call back school 3 ASAP and tell them you won't be accepting. You don't need to wait until you get in to your top choice to start turning down offers - only a better choice.

Edited March 28, 2017 by UTGC