5 Reasons to Have Confidence Going into a PT School Interview

PT school interviews can be a daunting experience for even the most confident Pre-PT students. They can be even more overwhelming if you don’t have previous interview experience in these types of settings. The latter was myself as I was applying to PT schools and hitting the road for interviews. I really hadn’t experienced a tough interview to that point so when I received an email informing me of the interview day I was to attend, I definitely got a pit in my stomach. 

I applied to eight schools if my memory serves me correctly and I had interviews for two of them: Methodist University in North Carolina and Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. I was really interested in Wheeling Jesuit as it was one of the closer schools geographically. My first interview was at Methodist though and although I wasn’t super interested in going there, I took the interview to get some experience dealing with some of the tough questions that can be asked by PT faculty. After an 8 hour drive there and back, I couldn’t have been happier with my decision to take the interview. With the experience and confidence I gained, I had a solid interview at Wheeling Jesuit and ended up getting into both schools.

I sent in my deposit to Wheeling Jesuit and was all set to go there when Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, my #1 school all along, called me during class in my spring semester of senior year asking if I wanted a spot. After traveling around and stressing about interviews, I got into my top school and they didn’t even require an interview… go figure. With that being said, I wanted to share some tips with you Pre-PT students about why you should have confidence going into interviews as the new application cycle begins!

1. The interest is mutual

○ If you’re with a group of other Pre-PT students embarking on the pre-interview campus and PT building tour, then one thing is certain: this school is already interested in you. During the hustle and bustle of the application process, we can overlook some of our successes because we have bigger goals in mind. In my opinion, it’s a huge deal to even score an interview with a PT school! If the school is giving you the time to showcase your personality and what you’re really like outside of what’s on your application, then it’s quite clear they are interested. This should have you feeling pretty good walking into an interview situation. Don’t forget that not everyone gets an interview and you’ve already made it this far! 

2. There’s no one else like you

○ Getting the opportunity to talk face to face with the faculty of a PT school is a blessing in and of itself. A program can only gather so much from your application, experiences, and essay. Nothing beats sitting down with someone and finding out how they think and interact with others. As PTs, you’ll be interacting with people all day, everyday so this is a skill you should be excited to showcase. You should have confidence walking into an interview because no one else is like you! During interview day(s), there will not be one person there with the exact same qualities and beliefs you have. Everyone is unique and all you really have to do is be yourself! 

3. No one has the same experiences you do

○ Going along with your unique personality are your unique experiences. Your upbringing, undergrad experience, shadowing hours, and former jobs are different than those of every other applicant. During the interview process, you’ll be able to use these experiences to share what you’ve learned and how they helped you to become who you are today. No one else shares the same story as you and this is something that should definitely give you confidence.

4. The interview isn’t the only thing they look at

○ Although you’re lucky to be interviewing with a school, you have to remember it’s not the only thing considered when screening applicants. Like anything else, it’s just one piece to the puzzle. When you’re walking into the interview, you shouldn’t be thinking, “If I don’t absolutely nail this, there’s no way I’m going to get in!” You need to have positive thoughts before going in and remember that this is not the end all be all of your application. You guys are all going to crush your interviews though, so we don’t even need to talk about this!

5. They wouldn't have invited you for an interview if you weren't qualified

○ I touched on this earlier but I really think this is an important point. If you’re on the campus and sitting for an interview, you’ve checked a lot of the boxes the school looks for in an applicant. Remember that not everyone gets an interview so step into it with some confidence that you’re the type of PT student the school is looking to represent them! You are qualified and ready to get into PT school and all you have to do is show it with a solid interview!

-Aaron Burger, SPT

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