If you’re reading this that means you have been invited to your first PA school interview. If so, wow, congratulations!! I remember how excited I was when I got that email. Excitement quickly turned to nerves when I realized that just because I had received that interview invitation did not mean that I had been accepted into the program. Everything relied on my upcoming performance.
It’s… a lot of pressure. What you say, how you act, and your appearance may determine if you are accepted into PA school. I was invited to three interviews, two of which I received an acceptance letter. After much discussion with colleagues about their interview experiences, and after reflecting on my own I came up with 5 things to know before your first interview so that you can stress a little less about the unknown. Ready? Here we go!
1. THE CURRENT STUDENTS THAT ARE PRESENT ON THE DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW MAY HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE
Yes, you read that right. At the program I attended, two of my classmates were elected to be a part interview process as current student representatives. They were involved with every interview and at the end of the day would discuss the interviewees and who stood out with the staff that was conducting the interview. How big was their influence? I am not entirely sure, but I imagine the faculty took their thoughts into consideration as they were both a good judge of character.
2. SMILE AND BE FRIENDLY THE ENTIRE DAY OF YOUR PA SCHOOL INTERVIEW
This should be a “duh” statement, but some people are just so nervous on the day of the interview and forget to smile! Or they believe the one-on-one interview is the only thing that matters. This is simply not true. From the moment you step foot on campus, your interview has started. Arrive 10-15 minutes early and smile and talk to everyone including other interviewees and especially current students if they are present. The staff will take note if a few people are talking, while everyone else is simply staring off into space with a blank expression waiting for whichever part of the interview comes next. The same goes for the opposite. If everyone is chatting and smiling and you’re the only one not then that would not be a good thing.
3. DRESS FOR SUCCESS
This should be another obvious statement. However, I did see a select few females at the interviews that were wearing sundresses instead of suits. Don’t try to stand out with your attire, just wear a professional suit. Some women wore skirts and blazers and other women wore pantsuits, either one is fine. Be sure to stick with neutral colors like black, navy, or charcoal. Make sure your hair and makeup are tidy and professional as well. Keep jewelry to a minimum and make sure your manicure is fresh and the color of your nails is neutral. No nail polish is also fine as long as you still get your nails shaped. I personally would avoid wearing a watch so you are not tempted to look at the time. This may be portrayed as rude as if you had somewhere better to be.
4. BE PREPARED WITH A LIST OF QUESTIONS
During interviews, current students and staff routinely ask if you have any questions. You don’t want to come prepared with just one or two questions and then someone else asks them and then you have no questions to contribute to the conversation. You also don’t want to ask a million questions, that would be annoying, but you should try to ask 2-3 questions throughout the day that are specific to the program you are attending. This will show you are interested in their program and not just PA school in general. Everyone wants to feel special, and faculty that have put a lot of time and effort into programs aren’t any different. Remember they are interviewing you, but you are also interviewing them to see if you’re a good fit.
5. TALK ABOUT SOMETHING UNRELATED TO YOUR APPLICATION DURING YOUR PA SCHOOL INTERVIEW
This of course should only be done if the opportunity presents itself. If the opportunity does present itself, it is a great way to showcase your personality and make you distinguishable from all of the other applicants. During my interview with the faculty of the program I ended up attending I talked about college basketball. I grew up in Chapel Hill, NC, and attended UNC for undergrad so Carolina basketball is near and dear to my heart and an easy topic of conversation for me to have. The opportunity arose when I was asked what I liked to do at school that wasn’t already on my application. Attending college basketball games was the most obvious answer. Not only did it show I had outside interests beyond classes. It also was something easy for the staff to remember about me.
And there you have it, 5 things to be aware of before your first PA school interview. To review: you want to look the part, be friendly, distinguish yourself, ask questions and cozy up to the current students if they are present. Basically, everyone should prepare for the expected questions that are going to be asked, but the most important thing is to be yourself (as long as that means being kind and personable!) You got this! Your goal of getting into PA school is so close!
Have you had your first interview already? Tell us how it went in the comments below!
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