Interview offers 2013

[pi]

Another theory: as they are offering what seems to be the "normal" number of interview places BUT have only yet offered them to Victorian students (noting that interstate Monash interviews are out on 10th Jan apparently), that is why the scores we are seeing are so "low" as it's the same number from a much smaller pool

So overall there will be more interviewees.

[pi]

ahhh that's fair. pretty logical as well. But I still don't understand why the med faculty would want MORE interviewees. Wouldn't that just need more man power and funding to orchestrate? wouldn't it just be easier to have less interview spots and hence, be stricter with their interview offers, assuming the number of CSP, bonded and ERC spots are the same?

Yeah doesn't make much sense to me, but maybe this is their way of "favouring" Victorians? Really odd why they've offered ~400 already.

[thushan]

A reliable little bird told me that this new ATAR/UMAT change is due to demands from higher up. Maybe those powers that be also dictated more interviews? Either that, or the faculty has found a more efficient interview orchestration system.

[datfatcat]

A reliable little bird told me that this new ATAR/UMAT change is due to demands from higher up. Maybe those powers that be also dictated more interviews? Either that, or the faculty has found a more efficient interview orchestration system.

A reliable little bird? 

[thushan]

Yes, a reliable little bird.

[zvezda]

Another theory: as they are offering what seems to be the "normal" number of interview places BUT have only yet offered them to Victorian students (noting that interstate Monash interviews are out on 10th Jan apparently), that is why the scores we are seeing are so "low" as it's the same number from a much smaller pool

So overall there will be more interviewees.

If you read the email it gives suggestions on when interstaters and rural people should make the trip to monash.

[ECheong]

Hi guys, I was just wondering if any of you knew how each of the three selection tools were weighted now? I was always under the impression that UMAT/ATAR determined if you would get an interview spot and from thereon in everyone was on equal footing? (tbh I'm not 100% sure on that though anyway so LOL)

It does seem a little bit odd Monash expanding their net so much this year, possibly placing less emphasis on testing and more on personal skills now? Very confusing LOL

[Stick]

If there's more weighting on the interview, I'd personally say that this is a very good thing and that Monash is making the right move here.

[Russ]

If there's more weighting on the interview, I'd personally say that this is a very good thing and that Monash is making the right move here.

Because? After a certain point I'm not convinced interviews are an excellent method of selecting candidates

[pi]

If you read the email it gives suggestions on when interstaters and rural people should make the trip to monash.

Oh really, I've heard that not all ATARs have been released, not to mention IB and grades for New Zealanders and such.

If there's more weighting on the interview, I'd personally say that this is a very good thing and that Monash is making the right move here.

In the past the standard deviation for interview scores has been very low, which means it's usually been ATAR and UMAT being the deciding factors for MBBS places.

[Stick]

Because? After a certain point I'm not convinced interviews are an excellent method of selecting candidates

What the above poster said.

In my opinion, I think they're much better than UMAT and ATAR though, and so a combination of the three (with a larger weighting on the interview) is the most ideal case in this situation.

[pi]

I think its more because they're (ever so slightly) shifting the focus of monash med off academic perfection, and towards increased inter-personal skills. Maybe they care less about marks, and more about the person's views and ambitions? Not sure. Just going to have to wait and see. I'll be interested in seeing the interview offer:course offer ratio. hopefully it will be low, for prospective med students' sake

I doubt that because one of the main reasons they aren't moving towards a graduate program like UoM and many other uni's is because they're getting "better students", ie. those with high ATARs, than in previous years.

And ambitions doesn't really come into the picture at all as most med students in my year don't even know what they want to do other than "be a doctor of *some* kind".

[Edward21]

With the 50-50-50 rule for the UMAT, I really reckon that's cut down a fair few candidates that applied, I reckon you could get quite high overall in the UMAT with one section of 49 (or lower) and the others really high    this would definitely have a marked effect on how selection has panned out. I guess they're looking for more rounded people with a min 50 across the 3 constructs and perhaps more weighting on the interview?

[Edward21]

Thats probably it actually! Heaps of people who got 90+ UMATs probably got <50 in one section, which would have put them out of the running (a bit unfair but hey). That's probably why people with lower UMATs are getting interviews, because the proportion of people getting 90+ and >50 in each section is smaller than most people realise. Nice pick up Edward21

EDIT: This is way more plausible than the gobbledygook I was proposing haha XD

Haha I only summarised what was previously suggested 

[happyderp]

congratulations to all!!
could someone please post their email interview offer?