Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 16% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools included inquiries about reasons for pursuing medicine, discussing personal strengths and weaknesses, elaborating on research experiences, and detailing extracurricular activities. Some respondents mentioned being asked about specific interests such as favorite non-science classes, musical instruments played, and books read, while others highlighted questions about family background, career decisions, and future aspirations in medicine. Additionally, several responses indicated interviews structured in an MMI format, with mentions of nondisclosure agreements or non-disclosure agreements.
My first interviewer was very nice. The conversation flowed naturally and he asked typical questions (e.g. what are you looking for in a medical school).
first interviewer was really conversational. It made me more relaxed about being there, which was nice. the questions are really specific to your application so they vary. but the obvious ones were "when did you decide to go into medicine?" "do you have any physicians in your family" What will you do between graduation and medical school? etc
Interviewer A: Tell me about your life, starting from the beginning. Why did you go to your undergraduate institution? Why are you so different from other students in HS? Can you tell me about some of your volunteering experiences? Did any of these affect your decision to go into medicine? What do you do for fun? What do you know about PBL? Do you have any questions for me?
how can one use signal processing theory to remove noise from an epileptics EEG (wasn't quite related to me research, but a common statistical technique is used)
Students said most interesting question asked at Weill Cornell Medical College discussed a wide range of topics, including personal achievements, opinions on healthcare and medical research, influences on career choice, and ethical dilemmas. While some interviews were standard, others delved into unique scenarios and challenges, reflecting a holistic approach to candidate assessment.
Why weren't you a postdoc? (Absolutely stupid question since I don't have a PhD. I'm really shocked I was asked this since the interviewer, a MD, should know better.)
Nothing was interesting - it seemed like they were just reading off a sheet. The second interviewer did not seem to know my application well and asked redundant questions.
Talk to me about an interesting research paper you have read recently (we were talking about a seminar I'm taking where we only read cool neuro research papers)
Interviewer A: S/he asked me about my HS rank and SAT scores! Seriously? S/he asked me if I had been accepted anywhere, and then specifically in my home state. S/he assured me that my answer to both questions would not affect my final decision from Cornell, but I highly doubt that.
Nothing really. My first interview was very short (< 5 minutes), but the guy was cool though. My second interview was less than 10 minutes but no complaints.
Since enter medicine is a change of career for me, he wanted to know how he could be sure I would not decide to change careers again once I become a doctor.
Tell me how you could think Math is elegant and beautiful when there are so many discrepancies and disagreement among the mathematicians (I'm a math major).
How has medicine changed in terms of how much input a doctor has in deciding the course of action for their patients' health concerns(pretty much a HMO question)?
Students said most difficult question asked at Weill Cornell Medical College discussed various topics including allocating research money, historical medical programs, patient compliance challenges, and personal reflections on healthcare. The interviews seemed conversational for many, with standard questions like 'Why medicine?' and 'Why Cornell?' with some exceptions like specific research inquiries and ethical dilemmas raised.
What did you hate most about [my undergraduate school]? (one of the first questions - not sure why this was asked...)
Specific questions about medical programs during Mao's China -- I've been to China a few times and studied its history and health care, but I wasn't prepared to go into such a deep discussion about different aspects of it with my interviewer, who was very knowledgable
My second interviewer asked some ridiculous question supposedly related to my research on lung cancer in smokers about why people living in Pittsburgh in the 70s were not warned about the hazards of the poor air quality from steel industry pollution (I grew up in Pittsburgh). N.B. I'm not even sure if his claim is true.
When I worked on a Native American reservations, many patients did not have electricity or running water. How do you expect patients to comply with treatments if they don’t have these basic needs? Do you think you’ll actually make a difference as a doctor?
Honestly, both interviews were more conversations than interrogations. I was immediately put at ease - I didn't feel like they were trying to trap me or challenge my knowledge or interest in the medical field. They were simply genuinely interested in knowing more about me and my experiences. It was easy to talk about.
Interviewer B: What is the basis of the physician-patient relationship? In another instance, s/he gave me a hypothetical scenario and asked me what I thought was wrong with the patient?
Do you have any questions for me? This should not have been a difficult question, but my interviewer was basically toying with me and his other interviewees, and contradicting everything we said, so I had to think really carefully before coming up with an answer.
Tell me about your family...
I have a shaky past with my family-but the interviewer was really receptive even though at first I was reserved with what I was saying. He really wanted to understand me from my past until present-and I didn't feel judged at all.
All my questions were pretty easy, but the hardest for me was "what makes you unique?". I talked about my non-traditional background, but given that Cornell has many non-trads, I didn't feel like this made me really stand out.
what might be your biggest misgivings that may have prevented you from going into medicine, if any? ( talked about wrestling with the potential of making a genuine, but unintentional medical error on my part, and how i had to really come to grips with this possibility before i proceeded with the pre-med-prep during and after college).
Everything was straightforward... They did not try to stump you. Just wanted to get to know you/ make a case for you in front of the admissions commitee.
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by conducting mock interviews, reviewing their application materials multiple times, and researching the school using resources like the school website, SDN, and interview feedback. Many also practiced answering common interview questions and sought advice from current students or advisors to enhance their preparation.
Mock interviews with advisors and friends who are current medical students
SDN, reviewing application, making notes on different aspects of my biography, writing notes on common interview question; I did NOT rehearse enough though
I read over my file and look at some of the questions posted here. Honestly, it seemed that the interviewers were sincerely trying to understand me as an applicant.
Deep breathing, thought about how if they didn't REALLY want to meet me-I would not be interviewing (I'm not big [enough] on that whole confidence thing--but I felt absolutely great there), read up on HMOs/PPOs/POSs and other managed healthcare issues, reviewed my AMCAS, my secondary, and thought about how to really share myself and my experiences with them.
read the website(s) found at the school. get a gist of the philosophy that the school tries hard to write into their brochures. talk to as many students as you can while there, before the interview if possible (they have lunch where lots of current students drop by to say hello. this i felt gave a good feel for the varied folks at the school. old, young. straight. gay. former profressionals from other fields, etc.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the state-of-the-art facilities, the location in NYC, the strong sense of community among students, and the innovative PBL curriculum. Many highlighted the friendliness of the staff, the opportunities for international experiences, the diverse student body, and the support for financial aid as positive aspects of their experience. Suggestions included ensuring transparency in financial aid packages and addressing concerns about the impact of parental income on aid eligibility.
They thoroughly read your whole application and know you very well. It was easy to hold a conversation because I didn't feel like I needed to impress them.
Great location in UES, affiliated hospitals (NYP, MSKCC, HSS) are amazing, Tri-I for MD-PhD is top-notch, and the school is debt-free! (though, this seems to be based on parental income, so if your parents make a lot, your package may be not what you expect)
Everything. The location is unbeatable. The facilities are sparkling. Curriculum is cutting edge (they are free at 1pm every day). The resources and programs they offer in research and global health are unparalleled. My interviewers were truly invested in getting to know me.
great facilities and tour (I saw my first cadaver, and very intimately, during the tour); friendly medical students, interviewers, admissions staff; diverse group of people being interviewed on my day (reflects well on quality of student body)
Most of the faculty I met were very nice and all of the students I met seemed happy. I really like the PBL and early clinical exposure offered. The location is great.
Very nice facilities; absurdly cheap housing; happy, positive students, who seemed very tight knit and collaborative; supportive administration; opportunities for studying abroad.
The sense of community. I stayed with a host and was impressed by how many people knocked on her door in one night to hang out or study. Students seem very very relaxed and happy. Also the diversity is incredible, a lot of nontraditionals and 25% URM. The curriculum is perfect to prepare the best clinicians. The facilities are amaxing too.
Everyone in the staff was absolutely amazing. I loved my second interviewer, the first years who we met were incredibly friendly and helpful! It doesn't hurt that the facilities are great.
The facilities, opportunities for international health work, students, and some of the faculty. The financial aid seems pretty good, but we will see if the economy affects it in the future. The area is pretty nice, and the subsidized housing is cheap and decent looking considering the alternatives. PBL definitely has its merits.
How friendly and happy the students were, the beautiful and modern facilities for 1st year students, how laid-back the interviewers were, the fact that both interviewers were heads of their departments, how Cornell is dedicated to diversity, internationalism, and supporting minority students
everyone was very friendly, students seemed really enthusiastic and happy, facilities were impressive and new, faculty was very involved in encouraging students and allowing them engage in observation or research not necessarily affiliated with the formal curriculum
everything. they really explain the curriculum well, touring the facilities was amazing. also, they have constant waves of first year students coming in to greet you and answer questions. no other school did that.
My first interview was the most fun interview I ever had, very difficult, very rapid-fire, fairly agressive, but very funny and interesting as well. The teaching facilities were great, dorms incredible.
New York is amazing. The classrooms and hospital were beautiful, and the students seem really happy. The first year living is small but CHEAP! There is a Shabbat Elevator at the hospital, so that observant Jews can get to the top floors while observing Jewish law on Saturdays. It sounds like pretty much every department at Cornell is awesome. Some previous poster on this site said that Cornell doesn't have a good neuro program, but I was told that the neuro program was awesome. In fact, there is a whole Brain and Mind class in the second year, which accompanies a very long anatomy section on head and neck. The PBL-based curriculum is great, and almost all lectures are webcast.
nyc, so obviously amazing location/lifestyle, only in class until 1 each day then there are a million opportunities to do medical/nonmedical related things in/around nyc
The facilities are wonderful and everything was very compact, locationwise. The atmosphere at Weill Cornell seemed very positive and supportive. Throughout the day, I had quite a bit of time to interact with current students and ask questions.
The facilities are great. They have a lot of money up there. The students are very happy. The curriculum is great and is set up to allow you a lot of free time. Dorms are nice and an incredible deal for that part of Manhattan (or anywhere for that matter)
How friendly the students, admissions staff, and people were. I expected that an air of superiority would exist but was not the case. Really liked the people
The students were enthusiastic; they love the school and everything about it. Plus, the school is right there on the Upper East Side, so the location is incredible.
PBL curriculum (classes only till 1 on every day except Thurs), awesome hospital and teaching facilities, subsidized housing in Upper East Side, international opportunities, affiliation with Memo Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Rockerfeller U., and Hospital for Special Surgery, abundance of affiliated teaching hospitals for rotations
Curriculum. I had my doubts about the emphasized PBL but now that I understand it better I think it is superior. I was also happy to know that the curriculum is not 100% PBL like I thought. There is actually lecture everyday. Just not too much time is spent in lecture.
I like how self-contained everything is at Cornell. You basically go to school over a two block stretch in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Everything is right there.
The students were great. They seemed happy and there was a good diversity in terms of age and background. I was impressed by a women's group that was recently started by second year MD/PhD students to address women's issues. Support for women having kids seems to be changing at least at Cornell. I was also impressed by how they try to speed the process along and integrate the program.
Everything: Dr. Bardes, the dean of admissions, is friendly and funny. About 8 students showed up to have lunch with us, and were all extremely warm and friendly. They say they are the least stressed out of all their friends at other med schools, and that Cornell is very laid back. I love PBL--I think it's the ideal way to train to be an effective, resourceful physician. The facilities are beautiful. My faculty interviewer was warm and friendly and GENUINELY interested in having a conversation with me. So yeah, basically, it was great.
Everything. This school is amazing. The facilities, faculty, and students are all top notch. A cut above most other schools. And you can't complain about dorms in Upper East Side NY for 500 bux a month
I stayed with a host who I had known previously, and she seemed to really enjoy herself. Everyone I talked to seemed to be happy and content. REALLY nice, state-of-the-art facilities--anatomy lab with plasma screen TVs, PBL room with large apple monitor computers . . .
The students were really great. They seemed friendly and happy with the program. The facilities are all brand new, including the anatomy lab. One of the lecture halls was just renovated. There are training opportunities all over the place in NYC.
The students. They seemed really laid back and quite a few showed up. I liked that they were enthusiastic. Also that they can rotate through hospitals all over the city.
The facilities are immaculate and state-of-the-art, the people (admin. and students) were not a bunch of Ivy-League eggheads, but rather intelligent, social, eclectic people who I really felt connected to.
Happy students, innovative curriculum, lots of technology integrated, school appears to be building a lot in the area, nice location. People will also try to tell you that Cornell students don't get a lot of exposure to "real" patients because of the school's location on the upper east side, but they have a preceptor program where students shadow physicians in all boroughs of NYC for four semesters, and your physician changes every semester. I also liked that it seemed they get out of class earlier.
The tenor of the school really shown through when there were about 20 students from all different years who showed up to talk to us and answer our questions during lunch. The tour was also given by a first year, a 2nd and a third and i really felt I got a good feel for the school based on their down-to-earth approach to why they chose Cornell. The facility were bar none. Nice 24inch flat sreen monitors, Plasma screen tv's in a beautifully new anatomy lab. Awesome hospital too (very new) with lots of other different choices in the network (I think someone mentioned Lincoln in the South Bronx is esp. busy). The thing that really impressed me most was the quality of the people (and age: many older students) I met there, and I think they really try to make it a system where everyone tries to work together versus look out for themselves.
Everything. From PBL (not for everyone), to the atmosphere, to the attitude of the students, to the medical facilities and opportunities for travel and research- Cornell stands out amongst elite institutions.
Everything! Great facilities, nice neighborhood, mature and sincere students. I also liked how everything is geographically close, like within a block (med school, hospital, Rockefeller, Sloan-Kettering, housing, etc)
The school breeds this atmosphere of positivity - you see it in the students, the administrative staff, and the faculty. The interviews were very conversational, and it seems they really want to help you in the process of showing them who you are. The medical students are very enthusiasitic, and extremely engaging.
The students seemed laid back and confident instead of stressed and competitive. Moreover, the fact that the associate dean of admissions gave a welcome address and got to know each applicant was impressive. The hospital is beautiful, and according to several students, does not just cater to the Upper East Side elite.
The students seemed pretty laid back and happy, especially the first-years. Cornell seems to take an "ease you into it" approach, and this along with the heavy emphasis on PBL and the afternoons free seems to create a pretty relaxed atmosphere. I also really like the international program, and Cornell seems to be great with financial aid.
the facilities, both med school and hospital. the hospital is beautiful and the other rotations possibilities sound great (in the bronx, brooklyn, queens). they are in the process of building another new facility = state of the art out-patient 14-15 story building. students actually seem to really enjoy it there. that includes all the years (1-3) whom i talked to. they are getting mac G5 supercomputers next year for each individual station. the pbl curric seemed to be positively a central part of their experience.
Everything. The school is in a remarkable area. The hospital is gorgeous, the curriculum is second to none, and the students are very involved. The match list is pretty solid. I was felt especially welcomed by their openness to non trad students, married students and commitment to diversity. Interviewers were very friendly. Cathy (the interview coordinator) really makes you feel at ease once you arrive at Weill--good conversationalist while I waited for interviews...
Financial aid is pretty solid too.
The PBL rooms are like a four sided whiteboard box (on the inside) with a floor and overhead lights. There are four large screen Macs in there as well with internet access.
the staff is extremely helpful and friendly, the facilities are beautiful, the school is on the upper east side ($$$) though to live in the dorms its like 480 a month.
Incredible facilities, NYC as a great city for both medicine and other interests, laid back students, progessive curriculum, sky is the limit for the motivated.
Everything is very close by and together, so its easy to build tight relationships with classmates. The environment seems very relaxed, though filled with people who kno what they are talking about.
The PBL curriculum, the international rotation, the connection to places like Sloan-Kettering, the 24 hour rooms for viewing slides and problem solving, etc. The students were nice and pretty helpful. The Dean of Admissions was very cool.
The students are so nice and chill, it's amazing. They're all obviously brilliant, but largely avoid the stereotypes of being neurotic and/or socially inept. They also wine and dine you, even though it's just the interview, not the revisit. Interviews were pretty laid back, though they varied widely based on interviewer.
happy students, awesome pbl curriculum, state of the art gross anatomy lab, teaching hospital, funded international program, the location, the other research centers that cornell is affiliated with.
Cornell seems great. Money appears to be flowing out of every orifice at that place...hallways might as well have been paved in gold. They also house their med students in subsidized housing!
The facilities are impressive. Especially the link to Rockefeller Univ. and Sloan Kettering. The curriculum is wonderful: PBL, the students are finished by 1pm, lots of patient contact, and no long term cumulative tests.
The students were really down to earth; they weren't trying to sell their school as was the case at some other schools I interviewed at. The sorta merger between Sloan Kettering ( no. 1 cancer research center) and Rockerfellar (making Cornell tri-institutional) also impressed me. Honestly, I think Cornell is underated. It looks like a nice place to be for four years. The Dean seems like cool guy. Overall, I was feeling Cornell ( I am happy that I got in there!)
The problem-based curriculum seems great (active learning, etc) and leaves students with lots of free time (first years are done by 1pm every day). The facilities were very nice, and the students seemed to be pretty happy about their school, though I was also impressed that they were very honest in saying that we would probably be happy at most medical schools. They said they really enjoyed Cornell, but honestly couldn't say that their school was so unique that we would ONLY be happy there. The honesty was refreshing.
The school is beautiful and is very well equipped technologically. The options at Rockefeller University, the Sloan Cancer Center, and the Special Services Hospital is awesome.
the city, the students, the facilities, rockefeller and ski. this place is unbelievable.
the tri-institutional program is run amazingly well - and it offers resources and faciulty that are the best in the world. think about this - rockefeller for example has 75 faculty - 30 are national academy of science members, 12 lasker award winners, and 8 nobelists. chances are if you do you phd there - you will get an awesome person. this goes for cornell grad and sloan kettering cancer institute as well. just fantastic.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the competitiveness and lack of enthusiasm among students, unorganized aspects of the interview day, perceived elitism or pretentiousness, dormitory living conditions, lack of campus life, and some negative interactions with interviewers. Suggestions included improving student engagement and campus culture, enhancing organization during interviews, addressing any elitist attitudes, and potentially upgrading dormitory facilities.
One of the interviewers was really cold, students seemed kinda snooty/competitive, AOA pre-residency apps.
I guess the dorm-like MS1 apartments. Bathroom shared with neighbor, kitchen shared with floor. But for $600 a month that's a bargain for the location, and I suppose it builds class camaraderie...
Without a doubt my second interviewer (Dr. Leslie Saint Louis). He is pointedly disagreeable, antagonistic, and confrontational. After asking me questions he would cut me off half way through my first sentence to tell me why he thought I was wrong and then go on a long rant about something obscurely related to what I had started to say. He was also sarcastic and insulting. I can't imagine why he is on the admissions committee as he reflects very negatively on the school.
Student-led tour
Stress interview
Lack of student host (they couldn't find me one)
H/P/F curriculum
A med student at lunch seemed more interested in talking to a college friend (interviewee) rather than to everyone
Not anybody - the students, the interviewers, etc - not one seemed truly excited about the school. It felt like there was a lot of, "It was the best place I got in, or "It has a great location."
The first year dorms are very very small, they are cheap though! Also I think the admissions office doesn't make a huge effort to impress students, but I guess excellent schools can afford to do that.
The type of interviews that I got here. I think because of PBL, students have less class time, but spend a considerable amount of time studying on their own here. I don't think that NYC is for everyone, even if Cornell is located in a nicer area of Manhattan.
stress interview, on one of my interviews i was told nothing stood out on my application, and that this interview would be short. On another he asked my why I was not more involved, and really I just felt as I was being grilled. Everyone else on the other hand had great interviewers so I guess I just lucked out. They werent responsive to my answers either. again dont know if id fit in here, some of the students seemed very nerdy. They had 1st years giving us the tour, because 2nd years were unavailable. Showed how much they cared i thought. They did not even give us a tour of the damn hospital, library or anything.
one of the tour guides seemed overbearing and trying to sell the school to hard - it doesn't need to be sold; one of the tour guides expressed concern over pbl and its balance with other forms of learning; during lunch a bunch of first-years came in and while some were quite friendly and informative, others just awkwardly stood in the back or simply talked to each other
One of my interviewers grilled myself and the other kids he interviewed like crazy, and seemed to just want to make us defend ourselves. It was exhausting.
well I noticed noone placed in neurology this year, and a student candidly relayed that you can tell a lot about the strengths of a schools clerkship programs based on what specialties students match to - in other words, their neuro rotation isn't the best...hoping i could do it at another nyc hospital if i were to go there
None of the students I met seemed like cool or interesting people to hange out with. The studentst seemed a little nerdy/uninteresting. Also, wayyyyyy too much downtime on interview day. They could have let us sit in on a class or something to fill the time. Oh, and they didn't feed us breakfast so by the time lunch came at noon everyone was starving.
The subsidized housing is great, but they are dorm rooms. Nothing more. You'll need that as a medical student, but as someone who is used to really good housing, I was disappointed to see that you get a 70's style place that is small.
ny presbyterian hospital (cornell's primary teaching hopsital) is a private tiertiary hospital and primary care offerings may have to found in outside boroughs
One of my PhD interviewers seemed a little antagonistic. He wouldn't ask me a question directly but would try to infer what my answer would be. Kinda annoying.
The dorm style living. I guess you can get used to it.
Oh, and they take way too many tests and quizzes--at least one every two weeks. They also have problem sets.
My faculty interviewer was moody and mean to me, and it gave me a negative overall impression of the school. My interview also started early and ended late, which seemed unprofessional.
Nothing really...I would miss having a more suburban-city setting but it IS NYC. Also, there seemed to be some hostility towards Columbia (and vice versa)--both schools just need to chill and start to get along for the love of god!
nothing really. Lots of construction though as they are building a 140million dollar outpatient / education center next door to admissions which will be ready in 2006.
The students I met were friendly, but in an awkward way. I couldn't imagine being friends with most of them. They tried but didn't convince me that they were happy at Cornell.
The campus is under a great deal of construction, and no matter where you are it seems there's a lot of commotion outside - try to tune out all the distractions around you.
I'm not sure about the dorm thing. On the one hand, it seems like freshman year all over again, but on the other hand I can see the advantages of living with all your classmates. Also, there was a lot of construction going on while I was there, complete with periodic massive, earth-shaking explosions from dynamiting. If this happens when you interview, try to keep in mind that you are probably not being bombed.
small dorm rooms for the 1st year only, though 2nd-4th you move into newly renovated real apartments. (still the rent is really cheap for upper east side for both of them).
honors, pass, fail grading, ivy league arrogance in the air, although they will swear to you the clinical experience is early and great (which it is becaue its in nyc) it is better at columbia and nyu because at those schools you deal with patients of all back grounds not just upper east side ballers. lunch blew, the students we had as tour guides looked like they were in pain giving us the tour.
The interview set up . . I got lost searching for one of my interviewers room and it turned out to be in the most obscure location. I had to ask three people to help me find my way there. Also, they had promised to find me a student to house with, but left me hanging till the very last day. The "cheapest" hotel was a mile away and had shared bathrooms.
The tour wasn't great (novice students) and the housing for single 1st year students is an extremely small dorm room where you share a bathroom with one other person and one kitchen per floor. As an older student, I was appalled. The building that holds these dorms is very old with an icky common room and a gross work out room in the basement but it's cheap. If you can stand it for a year, you can move into an apartment as a 2nd year.
Um, nothing? The location's awesome (if you like NY), the people are great, and the program is extremely well organized. Oh, maybe the first-year housing? It's a dorm (you share a bathroom with 1 person, you share a kitchen with your whole floor of ~20 people), but it's also reeeally cheap for the Upper East Side.
their hospital is amazing!! (but that a prob too = too wealthy patients that don;t let u get 10 ft. within them and so clinical training isn't that great) ; students have to cross the borough into other hospitals to get some mid-low income patient practice
Basic science courses are graded Honors/Pass/Fail, advanced science courses are Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail, and clinical electives are Pass/Fail--I wish there were more pass/fail courses. First years are given weekly quizzes and final exams--I am not sure whether I think of this as negative or positive.
the dorm rooms are small for 1st years (but the housing is subsizided - you pay 460 bucks for a room in a location that would cost 2000 a month - not a bad deal).
Applicants commonly wished they had known to manage their time effectively during interviews and not to ramble, as time is short. They also expressed surprises about the stress level of the interview, the positive aspects of the school, the emphasis on PBL, and the affordable housing options in Manhattan.
30 minutes is a short time, and with the questions that I asked them, it felt even shorter. Do your best not to ramble and prattle on, as time is precious.
I was under the impression that they only had wealthy patients up there, but most departments have up to 40% medicaid patients. Much more diverse patient population than I thought.
Most of the questions you have about the school will be answered by the students, so preparing questions for the interview is only beneficial if you have it in the morning.
I'm on the fence about their reliance on PBL; I talked to a resident there that also went to Cornell med and he told me it can be a waste of time and that years 1-2 seemed horrible to him, but when he got to rotations he fell in love with the school; just don't know how to interpret the strengths of the PBL...
That the curriculum consisted of about 50% lecture. That they place a huge emphasis on international clinical experiences. Also, that you could live in Manhattan for about 500 dollars a month (subsidized apartment style dorm rooms).
How it would not be a stressful, intense, and traumatic experience. Also, I knew about PBL and that it was important to their curriculum-but not the the extent that it is there--it's a huge deal there.
The great choices of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cnter, The Hospital fo Special Surgery, and Rockefeller University are all located across the street from each other from the Main hosptial, The New York Presbyterian Hosptial.
The school is a 10 minute walk from the subway ( a local stop) on the far east side of the city so the school isn't as centrally located as they would have you believe.
problem based learning dominates here , although there are lectures too, so if your not sure thats what you wanna do you might want to look at other schools.
That taxis are difficult to get when it's really cold following a warm day. It took me over 30 mins to get one and with traffic, another 30 minutes to get to the school from Penn Station.
Parking is INSANELY expensive. Park somewhere else (anywhere else, lower east side for example) or take the train in so you don't have to pay $40 a day (it's only $25 a day at the Helmsley garage, so try to find that if you'll be staying over and you refuse to park far away and take the subway up).
Applicants generally found Weill Cornell to have strong facilities and resources, especially for MD-PhD students and those interested in Ortho or Heme/Onc. Interview experiences varied from stress-inducing to conversational, with some noting a lack of "selling" the school but still feeling impressed overall.
Weill Cornell has a great location with strong facilities and resources to help students succeed (especially MD-PhD students and those interested in Ortho or Heme/Onc - will make it easier to match into HSS as a resident or MSKCC as a fellow).
I was kinda put off by their admin/student body, but everything else about Weill is great.
The first was a stress interview (you know it when you feel the adrenaline rush). The interviewer was digging in and asking so many questions (KNOW YOUR APP REALLY WELL!), but just prepare well and you should be able to respond without much difficulty. Then, the second was conversational, in which you have the "power" to take the helm of the interview. Overall, I really enjoyed it.
The interview day was a great experience. Even though one of my interviews was a "stress interview", I felt very comfortable and I didn't realize the intensity of the questions until I was traveling back home that night. They made me feel very comfortable the whole time and I felt that I connected with both of my interviewers.
People have commented that Cornell does not really "sell" itself, but I left with Cornell sitting firmly as my top choice. The students were the funniest and friendliest I have encountered so far.
It was a great dat overall. One of my interviewers was "non-traditional" but one of the woman in admissions warned me beforehand. That helped de-stress me a bit when I actually met him.
Overall I did like Cornell. Their program has a lot of nice features and the students I met seemed normal and happy. I'm sure there are jerks everywhere and I just happened to encounter one at Cornell on my interview day (see above).
First interview with a 4th year was very conversational and seemed to flow pretty easily. Second one with a faculty member was slightly tougher but still pretty conversational. Amazing school! I'd go here in a heartbeat.
I really liked the school more after my interview day, i liked how chill the students were and how the faculty seemed to care for the students needs. I thought we would see the actual hospital during the tour which we did not see. At the end of the tour the tour guide made a pass at me which was super awkward because I was not even expecting it.
I was told by several people that I would have a great time interviewing at Cornell. Up until my interviews, they could not have been more correct. I was impressed by the facilities, faculty, students, and opportunities at this school. The fact that it was also located in Upper East Manhattan did not hurt, although those looking for a more diverse patient population may not like this posh area of NYC as much. Although most of my day went well, I had the worst interviewing experience here. Considering that this was my last stop of many schools, I think that I am a good judge of what is fair and good about an interview. One interviewer had the strangest and most discomforting way of conducting an interview. S/he asked many questions, got bored at literally every answer, would cut me off to ask another unrelated question, and then even point to random objects in the room and ask how they were related to medicine. The interview was discontinuous and s/he gave no feedback whatsoever. The other interviewer straight up told me that s/he never read my file and we basically had a closed file interview from there. This other interviewer was also bad at hiding how much s/he wanted the interviewing day to end. I understand that the interviewers are not indicative of the type of education that you will receive at an institution, but nonetheless an unpleasant interviewing experience leaves a sour taste in your mouth. I was impressed with what Cornell had to offer, along with its PBL approach, but I wonder if I would choose to attend a place that gave me the worst interviewing experience on my last trip of a very long application season. Your interviewers will most likely interview multiple candidates in one day, so I hope that you get better ones than I did. Good luck to all of you!
Take the afternoon interviews. That way, you are fed lunch and given an hour-long tour of the campus before your interview. You are much more knowledgeable of the school at that point, and in a better position to be asking educated questions
great school, but dont know if id fit in well. Loved what it had to offer, but who I go to school with is huge. Everyone seems to get caught up on the name cornell brings and it being an ivy. its got some good stuff dont get me wrong, but there is more to school than that.
It went pretty well for me. This was my 5th interview so I had the hang of things by then. Cornell REALLY impressed me. It went from one of my top schools to THE top school.
Very, very positive. One of my interviewers was a bit cold at first, but warmed up considerably throughout the interview. I thought that the students seemed very happy with their school, NYC, their living arrangements, etc. They love PBL and they seem to do it well. Everyone is very enthusiastic about the curriculum here, and they have reason to be. It is a phenomenal school in a great location.
conversational interviews, interviewers seemed friendly and accepting - no one challenged any of my answers which i had semi-expected; interviewing schedule was a bit disorganized but they handled conflicts well
My first interview seemed like a pressure interview. The inteviewer constantly challenged my answers. The second interview was more laid back and it seemed like that interviewer was really trying to sell Cornell to me.
i had morning interviews, so i had to be there at 8:15. then my 2 interviews were back to back, each an hour long. the first one was with a four year student, who was really really nice. she basically said ''what do u want to talk about?'' and the interview just went from there..very conversational
my faculty interview was a little unconventional. i think the guy was trying to shake me. he kept saying the exact opposites of my responses and also acted like it was a chore for him to listen to me. he just seemed like a no b.s. guy that didn't want any flowery answers. i'm not sure how i did, i tried to defend my answers without sounding frustrated. we shall see.
My interviews were in the afternoon, so my day started with a brief talk by the Dean, followed by lunch with a bunch of very talkative, super nice med students. My tour was truncated due to my first interview. My first interview was with a really cool M4, so it was relaxed and conversational. My second interview was with a very nice, busy clinician who basically read off a list of questions, meaning the interview was over in 20 minutes max! Overall, it was a well-organized, pleasant interview day.
I felt that almost all the interviewees had the same background. A very great, interesting background, but very similar. I had my two interviews back to back, each lasting more than the allotted 45 minutes. The tour was fantastic - the best tour I've been on yet. The lunch was good and many students came to talk to us during lunch.
Generally a very relaxed day. Fellow apllicants had very interesting backgrounds and were all well accomplished. Loved the diversity of applicants and I felt at home as a non-traditional student.
i was very impressed with cornell's facilities. the hospital and research buildings are outstanding, and the dorms are CHEAP for upper east side. my faculty interview was not conversational and very difficult.
The interview day is very short. I arrived at 9:30 and was done by 2:30, leaving plenty of time for exploring the city. I had a great, but short, first interview, and a really stressful second interview with a guy who put me on the defensive with every activity, and even pretended to be bored with my responses at one point. The best defense was to joke back, which I did frequently, and I'm hoping that was the right choice. It was a relief to know that he had done this to other interviewees as well. Don't let it scare you though, everyone else said they had a very relaxed experience. The lunch and tour were great. The tour was actually very thorough. The anatomy room doesn't smell at all, and there are flatscreen TVs everywhere so that if someone finds something interesting on a cadaver, everyone can see. Overall, an amazing school!
admissions office was really friendly, first interview went fine/on time, second one the guy never showed (he called saying he prob couldnt make it) so i had a substitute interveiw with somebody else (who also interviewed other people that day), lots of downtime with nothing to do, lunch was good, tour was good (minus having to walk in the rain)
I gave a high stress rating to this interview only because I really want to go there and it was my first interview where they actually asked those hard questions. It was also hard to get a read on the interviwers. They didn't give away whether they liked your answers or not.
Cornell is a good school, the one thing I am hesitant about is that their first year seems really relaxed. Call me crazy, but I pay $60,000 a year to learn medicine and there seems something fishy about getting off at 1pm and then spending the rest of the day laying in central park.
Great Experience, relatively short interview day (very good). Positive enthuiastic students and great faculty. Facilities are wonderful with most lots of new buildings and areas.
It was great. The students were all super enthusiastic. The facilities were amazing. PBL seems like a great way to learn.
My interviews were very short. One was barely 15 minutes and one was about 12 minutes
Came away really impressed with the school, but a little shaky about how the psychiatrist interview ( kind of seemed like a mental health evaluation). All in all, would probably be a great place to go to school.
Arrived at the school in time for a brief group talk with the Dean of Admissions, ate lunch with some students, got a tour from 1st and 2nd years, two separate interviews (one w/ a dean, one w/ a faculty member). Interviews were conversational and relaxed.
Both interviews were very conversational and focused on explaining my experiences, etc. Everyone there was very friendly and the students were particularly helpful.
I arrived 11am, and met the other interviewees. After a greeting from the Assistant Dean of Admissions, we had an info session with the Assoc. Dean for Admissions. He told us about what makes Cornell different from other schools (huge emphasis on PBL) and answered any questions we had. We were served lunch in the admissions office and ate with one 3rd and one 4th year student. Then about 20 eager first-years suddenly descended on us to chat and answer questions (not too helpful as they just started here last week). After about 20 minutes we began a tour with 4 first years. We saw the library, gym, a first year dorm, lecture hall, PBL room, and anatomy lab.
I went to my 2 afternoon interviews. My first interviewer, an MD, had a very disconcerting manner. He asked very open-ended questions, and I could not tell if he was listening until he challenged my answers. I also could not tell if he had read my file or not. He took two phone calls during the interview, which lasted about 45 minutes. The interview got better once we started having a conversation about his research, which was very interesting. My second interview, with a 4th year student, was much less-stressful. It lasted 30 minutes and was held at the admissions office. She asked standard questions and was engaged and friendly when I replied.
Overall, I was very impressed by the school's facilities and students.
Overall I was impressed with the school. The facilities were very nice and you certainly get the feel of a prestigious school. The interview day started a little early for me but at least I got my both interviews done early and was able to relax for the rest of the day. There was a lot of waiting around after the interviews (about two hours). Lunch was good. Great school and the curriculum is great.
My two interviewers were both MD's and they really tried to examine my reasons for going into medicine. I didn't feel that I gave satisfactory answers (which is a problem because I should have at least nailed that down.) But I do like that they didn't just ask the standard questions, they had read my application thoroughly and asked poignant questions. I felt like they really wanted to get to know me despite the fact that I wasn't satisfied with the way I answered some questions.
Regarding the university, Cornell is cool. I didn't realize how much traffic there is around there, and how many people are on the streets. It's definitely not residential (like I thought it was.) The students were cool and I could see myself being with them. I didn't get the impression that Cornell was all that stuffy but it is a little stuffy because they have the Ivy League umbrella over them. Nevertheless it's a good name.
The MD/PhD interview was a busy one, but a lot of fun. On Thursday night we went out to dinner with the first years. They were great and answered a lot of questions that we had. Friday began with breakfast and a talk by the MSTP coordinator. Then we had four interviews in a row, each about 30-45 minutes. After that we had lunch with students and faculty. Then a tour and another interview. We met up again to go to a lecture at Rockefeller and had dinner at the faculty club afterwards. Then a crazy night of halloween parties and a bar in Manhattan. It was tons of fun, and the interviews we for the most part very relaxed and pleasant.
It was great. My interview with the associate dean of admissions was friendly, easy and pretty uneventful--only very standard questions. My faculty interview was fabulous; we really clicked and I had a wonderful time talking with him.
My first interviewer asked my lots of tough but interesting questions. All personal stuff, such "if i overheard your friends at a coffee shop talking about you, what would they be saying?" questions that made you think about yourself...it was my most interesting interview by far. the second interviewer just talked about my file. both were very friendly.
overall, i really liked cornell, and would probably choose it over other NYC schools if i were lucky enough to get into multiple places.
Overall a great day. I really hope I get in. It seems like a good fit for me, I hope they feel the same way about me. It was a relatively stress-free day. My interviewers had read my file and seemed to want to know how they could help me out in front of the committee.
I stayed over with a student host in the dorms, I really didn't have any trouble arranging that. Cathy was very helpful in setting it up. Also I wonder why anyone should feel guilty about choosing a program in New York - it seems to offer a wide variety of experiences for training. Seems like a good reason to choose a place. It does seem like other city schools do a good job of rotating through commmunity and borough hospitals as well. Cornell seems a little easier since classes are over in the early afternoon for the first two years. Anyway, good luck everyone!
I wasn't very impressed by Cornell both because of my negative interview experience and because over half of the students to whom I spoke indicated that they chose Cornell because they wanted to live in New York. The day was relatively unstructured compared to other schools that I have visited and there was no offer of student hosting, which I guess is because the students live in dorms and haven't got room for anyone else. One girl who needed a place to stay the night before the interview was charged $60 to stay in a vacant dorm room. I thought that was sort of tacky. I just didn't get the impression that they were trying that hard to appeal to interviewees.
All in all, a good, easy day. My interviewers didn't really ask many questions and they gave me lots of time to ask questions and learn more about the school. I'd consider going there if I got in, but I think I liked Columbia better.
I was so impressed with Cornell. All of the key features I am looking for in med school were there, as well as a great students and faculty community. Several other personal features clicked for me there, like the neighborhood, research interests, schools for little ones, etc.
I walked away from my interviews feeling like I had a good conversation. They're not shy about emphasizing how happy their students are, and it shows. If PBL is your thing, this is your school.
Most of the interview addressed specific points from my application. The interviewers were obviously not trying to stump me, and they really gave me the impression that they were trying to find out information that they could use to convince the admissions committee to admit me-- it was very reassuring that they seemed on my side in the whole process.
Also, my student interviewer said that they report to the committee if a student seems too uptight or not personable, so keep that in mind as well.
Overall, it was a great day, if only slightly warm out. I was completely sweating in my long-sleeved shirt and suit jacket! I would recommend that you do the morning session if you can; the afternoon ones tend to drag on after the info session, lunch, tour, etc. Questions were definitely really relaxed, especially my interview with the Dean of Admissions - the interview seemed more of a conversation.
You can relax about the interviews - mine were very low-stress and conversational. They're obviously not interested in grilling you, but just want to get to know you as a person. I left very impressed with Cornell. The students seem genuinely happy, the cirriculum is progressive and interesting, the clinical opportunities in New York are incredible, etc. etc.
pretty chill. ended up talking with the interviewer about his childhood experiences seeing joe dimaggio play baseball. mostly basic interview fare: why cornell? talked about my life experiences as written in my personal statement.
I was really impressed by Cornell...more so than I expected. I came away from the experience feeling that I could see myself there as a student and being really happy. The interview day wasn't stressful at all. The dean himself interviewed some of the students and his welcome speech/talk didn't feel like it was scripted. He was really talking to us from the heart. I was very impressed by this school
over all it was a good day, dragged out for no reason, and the kids that go there were a lil stale, probably because they had there first test of the semester that day... the people that go there are on the average a little older than the average matriculant, and many studnets said they loved the pbl even if they originally didn't think they would. the financial aid from what i hear is amazing
This was not on the top of my list when I got there but I was afterwards. Cornell is often dogged by other med schools for not having the best clinical experiences due to its location (upper east side) however, they have numerous hospitals across new york (in the Bronx etc) so they have a very diverse clientele. It a great place to learn to be aroud different types of people b/c in the as a physician in New York you will have diverse patients.
Not at all stressful interms of the questions they ask- pretty mcuh straight out of your application. Makes sure you know about their unique style of curriculum, since they were one of the first schools to adopt it. Also, make sure you ask to know where you are going before you head to interviewer offices. I got lost. Besides that it wasn;t to bad, but i came away with a bland feeling . . . not that amazing, but certainly not bad at all.
I was impressed by almost everything at Cornell, especially the students' attitudes toward the school and the international opportunities that everyone gets. All-in-all it was a very well-organized day and I was very happy with almost everything I saw. I was surprised by the friendly atmosphere, even among the other interviewees. Cornell has everything I want, except adequate clinical experience. It starts in the first week of school, but they mostly shadow doctors and don't get many opportunities to do things themselves. They thought it was exciting that they sometimes get to give flu shots, which I don't think is that big a deal.
I was interviewed by two faculty members, both MDs. It was a slow interview day, so even the Dean of Admission conducted interviews. Both doctors were probing and asked very specific questions about my activities on campus as well as my interests. My first interview centred a lot on my extracurriculars and my research, and we ended up speaking about the value of diversity in education. The second interview was even more fun - we spoke at length about my interest in music, my research, and used that as a springboard to momentarily speak about my drive to enter medicine. BOth were truly enjoyable and interesting interviews.
A great experience. I knew I'd love the place, I was even more impressed by fellow applicants, most of whom seemed to be laid-back, sociable, nice, and obviously very smart.
Five interviews is intense, but they're each only 30 minutes, and they're pretty laid back. The Medical College interview varies widely based on interviewer, but it's the most random
PBL might suit some people, but the amount of emphasis that cornell placed on the program and the grading policy (very subjective, 30% of final) were very unappealing to me. there are "quizzes" every 2 weeks, which are essentially 45min tests. housing is subsidized and cheap, but not very nice. the students in general were not overly positive about the school - several complained about courses, and it seemed like few people did much outside of studying. the interviews themselves were very odd. the first one went very slowly (i got the impression that the person was very bitter for some reason). the second one was more confrontational and not very friendly. the whole atmosphere seemed very cold and competitive.
i loved cornell. the 3rd year who interviewed me was great and the students there seem really happy. the schedules are really chill and their hospitals and PBL rooms are amazing. great place.
I had a blast - the students were real cool - I went out in the city w/ them the night before my interview. At this point, my 12th interview, I'm more relaxed + stress free so I didn't mind losing some sleep the night before. The students are lots of fun and the city life, atmosphere is totally my scene. too bad they are soooo selective, i;d love to go here
PBL, PBL, PBL. That's what makes Cornell unique, particularly among the other NYC schools. I'm not sure if it's right for me, though. My interview with Dean Bardes went well.
I was asked to arrive at 11:15am for the afternoon session. Both morning and afternoon session interviewees meet for the dean's welcome from 11:30-12:00, and lunch with 3rd and 4th year students from 12:00-1:00. There were some 1st year students at the lunch as well, but they didn't speak much. The tour is scheduled from 1:00-2:00. The interviews are supposed to be roughly 30 minutes (mine were 25 and 45 minutes). Both interviews were very casual, low stress experiences. I think their curriculum is very impressive, and it sounds like a great way to learn, but it isn't for everyone. However, since I wasn't able to sit in on a problem-based learning class (they are from 8:00-9:30am), it is hard to tell whether I would benefit from PBL. Overall the day is very low stress.
Overall it was a good experience, although one of the interviewers was pretty harsh both to me and the guy who went after me. I felt as if I had to defend myself instead of "sell myself" which was a bit nerve racking.
Cornell is all about the PBL, which isn't a good match for everyone. Overall, its a great place with great students and resources. Everyone I talked to had total confidence in their PBL approach. I would be happy to go there.
The interviews were very laid back and conversational. I really enjoyed them. Basically they just want to get to know you as a person so that they can be a strong advocate for you to the admissions committee.
the applicants were fantastic - very ivy heavy interview day - but almost everyone was very friendly and down to earth. they will be your classmates, so pay attention to 'em!
It was a great interview, very low stress. i would suggest trying to schedule your interview for the afternoon so you can go to a problem based learning session. it will give you great insight to the school and provide some interview fodder
This was a really great interview experience. Having worked here over the previous summer I was pretty sure Cornell was where I wanted to go, and the interview just reaffirmed that decision.
Really awesome school. If I'm accepted (won't know till March, that is kind of lame), I may very well go here. I didn't feel that the interviewers really asked anything that would supplement my application, though.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested improving the coordination of student tour guides to ensure they cover all important areas, addressing time constraints during the admissions process, and providing consistent and helpful interactions with staff members like Woldine and Cathy.
