General Interview Discussion and Questions: 2022 Entry

[emperortamarin]

Assume a student does about average in all of their interviews, and their prereq GPA/ATAR + UCAT is also average for all those who have gotten an interview.

If they receive about 7 interviews (or maybe even more, say Monash, UQ, JCU, UNSW, JMP, WSU/CSU and UAdel), wouldn't they more or less be guaranteed an offer at least in 1 of those places?

My thinking behind this is that, most uni's have ≈ 1/4 success rate so in being smack average it should be somewhat of a guarantee, alongside the fact that 'most' of the people who get an interview belong to a very similar group. Its not like the people getting a UNSW interview will be drastically different from those getting JMP or WSU ones for example, sure there are outliers who would 'add' to this common pool, but it should be relatively consistent. Hope that makes sense, but please someone correct me on this thinking if I'm wrong.

Thanks!

well you may be able to say that you'd expect to get at least one offer if you use probability but ig its important to remember that getting into each university is an independent event, each interview is different and hence you cant "guarantee" anything

 

[A1]

My thinking behind this is that, most uni's have ≈ 1/4 success rate so in being smack average it should be somewhat of a guarantee, alongside the fact that 'most' of the people who get an interview belong to a very similar group.

I see where you're coming from but let's look at some hard facts
> QTAC Med/Dent Offers 2019/2020/2021

JCU interviews typically 700 applicants, makes 220ish offers for the ~150 places (the 70 extra offers are to cater for the duplicated interviewees who get another offer elsewhere). It's unlikely these 220ish offers (plus any top-ups later) can extend to the median 350th ranked applicant.

Similarly for JMP/Adelaide where the interview to place ratios are 4+, unlikely there are enough duplicated successes for offers to reach the median. And UNSW/Monash get very few declines from local applicants.

That leaves just WSU & UQ where the median may have a chance. Interestingly last year UQ made 399 offers for their ~140 places; assuming UQ interviews 4-5x = 600-700 then yes, the median would have got an offer.

 

[Lawso]

I see where you're coming from but let's look at some hard facts
> QTAC Med/Dent Offers 2019/2020/2021

JCU interviews typically 700 applicants, makes 220ish offers for the ~150 places (the 70 extra offers are to cater for the duplicated interviewees who get another offer elsewhere). It's unlikely these 220ish offers can extend to the median 350th ranked applicant.

Similarly for JMP/Adelaide where the interview to place ratios are 4+, unlikely there are enough duplicated successes for offers to reach the median. And UNSW/Monash get very few declines from local applicants.

That leaves just WSU & UQ where the median may have a chance. Interestingly last year UQ made 399 offers for their ~140 places; assuming UQ interviews 4-5x = 600-700 then yes, the median would have got an offer.

I'm not quite sure I understand that. Doesn't that kinda support my thinking? So in that JCU thing, after the 220 offers go out, that would leave the student left in a top 130 or so pile, with which they have multiple other uni's where they have a chance for an offer? (obviously this is assuming that the top 220 kids wanna go to JCU, obviously it would be split between the multiple uni's but the theory kinda stays)

If we make a hypothetical. Take a consistent pool of, ≈850 people who would be overlapping in their interview invites across the board (because usually those who qualify for UNSW for example, usually qualify for a couple others too). And lets say that there's a student who is completely average in every metric, they'd be ranked ≈425th, in this 850 pile

In the schools i mentioned before (UNSW, JMP, WSU/CSU, Monash, UQ, JCU, UAdel) theres a total of a very conservative 500 seats on offer for local students. So when offers go out, a student can only accept 1 offer, which then renders any/all of the remaining uni's that they interviewed at, to be scratched off. As this list is trickling down, wouldnt it leave this 425th placed student to be pretty much 'guaranteed' an offer, somewhere? (that is if this person has ticked BMP, all campuses, etc) Or...am i missing something?

 

[A1]

In the schools i mentioned before (UNSW, JMP, WSU/CSU, Monash, UQ, JCU, UAdel) theres a total of a very conservative 500 seats on offer for local students. So when offers go out, a student can only accept 1 offer, which then renders any/all of the remaining uni's that they interviewed at, to be scratched off.

These 7 schools have ~800 non-rural places, but the duplications of interviewees are not as high as you think. For example median UCAT for JMP interview is not necessarily enough for WSU interview, median ATAR for JCU is not even close for UNSW interview, median ATAR+UCAT for local Monash won't get UNSW/WSU/Adelaide interviews, median everywhere else won't get Monash interstate interview etc.

IOW if you get all these interviews you can't have median ATAR+UCAT at each of these schools. If you are a Vic student with UNSW+WSU interviews your ATAR+UCAT would be well above median for Monash and a median interview will get a Monash offer. Likewise a non-Vic student with Monash interview would be among the tops for UNSW/UQ and only need 30th%ile interview to get an offer there.

Your hypothesis is true but only for those with several interviews. However getting several interviews they can't be median.

 

[Lawso]

These 7 schools have ~800 non-rural places, but the duplications of interviewees are not as high as you think. For example median UCAT for JMP interview is not necessarily enough for WSU interview, median ATAR for JCU is not even close for UNSW interview, median ATAR+UCAT for local Monash won't get UNSW/WSU/Adelaide interviews, median everywhere else won't get Monash interstate interview etc.

IOW if you get all these interviews you can't have median ATAR+UCAT at each of these schools. If you are a Vic student with UNSW+WSU interviews your ATAR+UCAT would be well above median for Monash and a median interview will get a Monash offer. Likewise a non-Vic student with Monash interview would be among the tops for UNSW/UQ and only need 30th%ile interview to get an offer there.

Your hypothesis is true but only for those with several interviews. However getting several interviews they can't be median.

Ah, so that's what the catch is. But then if a person did get multiple, they are well well above median, and so still technically 'guaranteed' a spot. I getchu. Thanks

 

[A1]

Ah, so that's what the catch is. But then if a person did get multiple, they are well well above median, and so still technically 'guaranteed' a spot. I getchu. Thanks

To elaborate further it depends what this multiple comprises. If it's JCU+JMP+Adelaide, a median interview at each does NOT guarantee an offer.

Otoh, doesn't matter which state you're from, if your multiple includes UNSW+Monash a median interview at every school will get you at least one offer.

 

[Lawso]

To elaborate further it depends what this multiple comprises. If it's JCU+JMP+Adelaide, a median interview at each does NOT guarantee an offer.

Otoh, doesn't matter which state you're from, if your multiple includes UNSW+Monash a median interview at every school will get you at least one offer.

Hmm what about everything except, Monash, as an interstate? (Mainly because they have ridiculous interstate requirements)

 

[A1]

Hmm what about everything except, Monash, as an interstate?

If you have enough ATAR+UCAT to get UNSW interview, median interview at UQ should get you UQ (based on UQ last year making 399 offers to its 500-600 interviewees).

With median interviews JCU/JMP/WSU are unlikely since offer chances are not helped much by your ATAR/UCAT. Adelaide I'd say 50/50 chance.

 

[Lawso]

If you have enough ATAR+UCAT to get UNSW interview, median interview at UQ should get you UQ (based on UQ last year making 399 offers to its 500-600 interviewees).

With median interviews JCU/JMP/WSU are unlikely since offer chances are not helped much by your ATAR/UCAT. Adelaide I'd say 50/50 chance.

Ah i see. I assume thats only true for locals, rurals/GWS would have it 'easier' off, mainly in terms of just having lesser to compete with right?

 

[MyHeadee]

Ah i see. I assume thats only true for locals, rurals/GWS would have it 'easier' off, mainly in terms of just having lesser to compete with right?

Not too sure about GWS, i think its really only WSU who gives them a leg up. For rurals, just by sheer probability, i think its about twice as likely to get offers.

 

[Nonstandard983]

If you have enough ATAR+UCAT to get UNSW interview, median interview at UQ should get you UQ (based on UQ last year making 399 offers to its 500-600 interviewees).

With median interviews JCU/JMP/WSU are unlikely since offer chances are not helped much by your ATAR/UCAT. Adelaide I'd say 50/50 chance.

So I would be correct in assuming that an offer for interview for a rural candidate at UNSW, JMP and WSU would net me no advantage due to the same regional candidates getting offers from other schools?

 

[A1]

So I would be correct in assuming that an offer for interview for a rural candidate at UNSW, JMP and WSU would net me no advantage due to the same regional candidates getting offers from other schools?

Geezz... it's become so complicated I'm not even sure what you're asking haha.

Your chances / cascaded chances of getting an offer depend on several factors:
- The interviewees to places ratio
- Interviewee selection criteria (more similar across the schools higher duplication)
- ATAR/UCAT/Interview offer formula (again more similar higher duplication)

Basically the higher duplication the more offers will cascade to benefit those with multiple interviews. In this regard alone I think rural applicants are better off than non-rural, since rural interviewees are selected from a much smaller (relatively) applicant pool thus higher duplication.

 

[jampa123]

Not too sure about GWS, i think its really only WSU who gives them a leg up. For rurals, just by sheer probability, i think its about twice as likely to get offers.

not too sure myself but wouldn't they interview a high number of rural applicants as-well so that the interview to offer ratio is similar to non rurals? Or the fact that there are more quotas for rural applicants mean the interview to offer ratio is more favourable? I'm referring to JMP in particular.

 

[A1]

not too sure myself but wouldn't they interview a high number of rural applicants as-well so that the interview to offer ratio is similar to non rurals? Or the fact that there are more quotas for rural applicants mean the interview to offer ratio is more favourable? I'm referring to JMP in particular.

From what we've seen interview to offer ratio is about the same for rural as for non-rural at each school. But...

The schools deliberately have different selection criteria to minimise the amount of duplication in their interviews/offers. As an extreme example USyd selects on ATAR 99.95, JMP selects from ATAR 94.3+ UCAT 94th+ & interview, out of JMP's 170 offers we don't see many duplications with USyd.

This however has less an effect on rural applicants due to their smaller applicants pool. Example: UNSW has ~50 rural places for 150 interviewees out of 460 applicants, WSU/CSU ~40 rural places for 120 interviewees. Thanks to the small applicants pool UCAT can go as low as 60ish%ile thus a lot of duplications despite their different selection criteria. They combine to 90 places for possibly ~180 interviewees (and I haven't included JMP yet).

 

[MyHeadee]

From what we've seen interview to offer ratio is about the same for rural as for non-rural at each school. But...

The schools deliberately have different selection criteria to minimise the amount of duplication in their interviews/offers. As an extreme example USyd selects on ATAR 99.95, JMP selects from ATAR 94.3+ UCAT 94th+ & interview, out of JMP's 170 offers we don't see many duplications with USyd.

This however has less an effect on rural applicants due to their smaller applicants pool. Example: UNSW has ~50 rural places for 150 interviewees out of 460 applicants, WSU/CSU ~40 rural places for 120 interviewees. Thanks to the small applicants pool UCAT can go as low as 60ish%ile thus a lot of duplications despite their different selection criteria. They combine to 90 places for possibly ~180 interviewees (and I haven't included JMP yet).

For JMP it'd just be a matter of tagging on another 50 for rural, alongside the 200 respective interview invites for them. So i guesstimate that all up for rurals its like 140 places for about tops 300 'unique' applicants (edit: not applicants, interviewees*) ? Unless there are more/less, im sure you would have a much more accurate and reliable rough figure.

 

[A1]

For JMP it'd just be a matter of tagging on another 50 for rural, alongside the 200 respective interview invites for them. So i guesstimate that all up for rurals its like 140 places for about tops 300 'unique' applicants?

I'd even suggest the three schools combine to 140 rural places for about 250 unique applicants interviewees. Just about every UNSW/JPM rural interviewee will also qualify for JMP interview, so JMP's 200 is probably 80% duplicated.

 

[MyHeadee]

I'd even suggest the three schools combine to 140 rural places for about 250 unique applicants. Just about every UNSW/JPM rural interviewee will also qualify for JMP interview, so JMP's 200 is probably 80% duplicated.

Do any of the interstate uni's have higher cut-offs/requirements for rurals too, like they do for locals?

 

[jampa123]

I'd even suggest the three schools combine to 140 rural places for about 250 unique applicants. Just about every UNSW/JPM rural interviewee will also qualify for JMP interview, so JMP's 200 is probably 80% duplicated.

Just clarifying whether there are only around 250 rural applicants who apply to all three schools or 250 rural applications who apply to undergrad NSW med programs . What I mean is for example, I only applied to 2 of the NSW programs, so i would/wouldn't be apart of these 250 unique applicants? Sorry I am probably misinterpreting the term 'unique applicant'.

 

[A1]

Just clarifying whether there are only around 250 rural applicants who apply to all three schools or 250 rural applications who apply to undergrad NSW med programs . What I mean is for example, I only applied to 2 of the NSW programs, so i would/wouldn't be apart of these 250 unique applicants? Sorry I am probably misinterpreting the term 'unique applicant'.

I repeated the word applicants MyHeadee used but that should read 250 unique interviewees. This is out of ~460 rural applications UNSW say they received. I'd imagine most of these 460 also apply to WSU & JMP.

 

[Dr Sah]

Can you please confirm that you have not received interview invites for WSU, UAdel Med, or UAdel Dent? And that you are a GWS applicant (as you indicated in other posts you made)?

Yeah that’s accurate..( his mum speaking on his behalf)