[Mizaa]

Hi everyone!

Just a few quick questions....
Does anyone know what sort of stuff Aga Khan ask you at interview?
Any books i need to read...nething i need to mention specifically?
Shake hands with professors?
they say there are two interviews...how many ppl are on each panel and how long etc are the interviews?
What to wear to the interview?
And is it necessary to have work experience? I mean i've done other stuff...just not really related to medicine...:mrgreen:

Phew... any help would be much appreciated...i dont know anyone who has been for an interview at this university and i would really like to maximise my chances...
Thanks in advance.

Hope ur all having a great summer!

 

[Rehan]

Don't know how helpful this will be but I went for an Aga Khan interview but it was in the US (in California) and there were two interviews -- both with one AKU alum working at the University of California, Irvine. So 2 interviews, each with 1 person only.

The interviews went great but some of the stuff they asked was regarding my ability to speak Urdu, how I felt I would integrate into the culture in Pakistan, whether I would want to stay in Karachi for 5 years and how I felt about the current healthcare industry in America. They asked what I would do to change the healthcare system and whether free healthcare for everyone is possible or not in the near future.

I don't think you need to read any books -- they're not asking you medical questions, just trying to see who you are as a person. BTW, I just wore a nice suit and tie to the interviews -- you want to be dressed quite formal.


Don't stress out too much! Congratulate yourself on making it to the interview stage and be sure to breathe when talking to them.

 

[maik7upurz]

Think its kind of late to really think if its necessary to have work experience now or not! Just watch Harold and Kumar and try to do everything the opposite way

 

[Mizaa]

Thanks

Thanks for the help.
useful info
i will be off sometime next week.my interview is in karachi so should be fun!!

ps. its never too late for work experience....:?

 

[Rehan]

Mizaa,

Good luck! And be sure to come back and let us know how it went!

 

[Mizaa]

It's Over!!!

Hello!!
Just got back from my interview!
i think it went ok..

the first interviewer was a woman who just asked about family and extracurricular activities...not bad quite straightforward....

the second interviewer was not as nice tho..it was like he'd skipped lunch, had an argument with his wife and kicked his dog...right before i walked in!!
he was very sharp...asked staccato questions that were unclear ...i felt like i was being punched everytime he opened his mouth! But i answered most of his questions ...i think...there was this extremely ambiguous talk we had about politics and education and lack of it etc etc...resulting in him asking.."So, why is there poverty in the world?"
me thinking "ummmm..."
neways its done!
oh yeah...both of them asked me whether i would drop out later??!! i was like umm yes of course. (sarcastic look)

i found out that over 4000 people apply every year, 400 get called for interview and then only 100 are selected. That made me lose any hope lol!

hoping for the best!
LOL
mizaa

 

[Noshi]

Hello!!
Just got back from my interview!
i think it went ok..

the first interviewer was a woman who just asked about family and extracurricular activities...not bad quite straightforward....

the second interviewer was not as nice tho..it was like he'd skipped lunch, had an argument with his wife and kicked his dog...right before i walked in!!
he was very sharp...asked staccato questions that were unclear ...i felt like i was being punched everytime he opened his mouth! But i answered most of his questions ...i think...there was this extremely ambiguous talk we had about politics and education and lack of it etc etc...resulting in him asking.."So, why is there poverty in the world?"
me thinking "ummmm..."
neways its done!
oh yeah...both of them asked me whether i would drop out later??!! i was like umm yes of course. (sarcastic look)

i found out that over 4000 people apply every year, 400 get called for interview and then only 100 are selected. That made me lose any hope lol!

hoping for the best!
LOL
mizaa

Hey Mizaa

First of all congrats for getting the interview. I was wondering are you living outside of Pakistan? If you are, did you write the MCAT or the SAT for AKU admission requirement? Also, did you apply straight after high school or did you go to college first?

Nosheen

 

[Mizaa]

Heya Nosheen,

Thanks. I live outside Pakistan. and i took the SAT to apply to AKU even though i follow the English system of education (A levels!)
ive just finished high school ( i think#eek ...i mean its not an american system) and am waiting for my results to come out on the 18th.#confused

take care
mizaa

 

[Noshi]

Heya Nosheen,

Thanks. I live outside Pakistan. and i took the SAT to apply to AKU even though i follow the English system of education (A levels!)
ive just finished high school ( i think#eek ...i mean its not an american system) and am waiting for my results to come out on the 18th.#confused

take care
mizaa

Hey

What marks are you waiting for to come on the 18th? And what marks did AKU base your admission on then? Because I'm also thinking of applying there but don't know if they look at just grade 12 biology, chemistry, and physics or all courses taken at the grade 12 level (Canadian/American system) which I'm assuming is equivalent to the O or A level in the English system. Did they look at all courses or focus more on the sciences?

Thanks
Nosheen

 

[Mizaa]

Heya,

Admission and application are two completely different outcomes. I am currently in the process of applying to AKU... I'm not in there yet.
THe reason that i am not in yet is because i have not yet submitted my final school (A level ) results as they are not available yet. I applied using my SAT scores only and was shortlisted and invited for interview ,which i went to. So now i need to submit my A level results and then wait for them to make a decision which they will convey within the last week of August. I actually got a letter from them saying that they are accepting my application provisionally as it is incomplete. It will be complete on the 18th of August.They also looked at my transcript which recorded all my grades from year 10 upto my most recent grades, (both internally and externally marked)

I dont know whether they look at all courses or only sciencey ones. does ur school do GPA or AP or have you done SAT 2? cos i think they look at some of these things and they have minimum requirements for application.I recommend that you download or access their prospectus on their website. Its pretty good as prospectuses go.
Here is the link to the page with the prospectus.

http://www.aku.edu/university/pros2006/title-1.pdf

This part is only 6 pages long but what you need to do when you get to page 6 is click on the headings for each section ( the text in boxes). These are hyperlinked to the sections you will want ...namely the box that says Faculty of Health Sciences. Just click on it and it will take you to lots of lovely pages about the Health Sciences at AKU.

take care
mizaa

 

[Mizaa]

i did all four sciences cos i love them so much and i was so sure of what i wanted to do. Physics, Chemistry Biology and Maths. A year of fun.
my school allows a maximum of four subjects at A level by the way. AKU requires three B's minimum for us ppl doing A levels.

take care
mizaa

 

[yorkgal20]

Hi Rehan,

just out of curiosity, what school are u in? are u in pakistan??

 

[Rehan]

Yep, I'm at Shifa College of Medicine in Islamabad.

 

[sonia]

hi rehan..im studing in new york im in high school want to go to pakistain for medical studys...does sat count..and what kind of admission test would be...what would it have ...i hav straight A in my school averge 90...i want to go to a medical school in lahore which is agood one..?

 

[MastahRiz]

Plenty of information on all those topics to help you get started. Search our forums a bit and you'll find everything you need.

 

[cooldude89]

Sonia, did u apply yet, did u get ur scores converted, what did ur IBCC come out to.

I am also applying this year

 

[hassannn]

Heya Nosheen,

Thanks. I live outside Pakistan. and i took the SAT to apply to AKU even though i follow the English system of education (A levels!)
ive just finished high school ( i think#eek ...i mean its not an american system) and am waiting for my results to come out on the 18th.#confused

take care
mizaa

Hi there so di u got the admission in AKU
and can u pls tell me tht how much score did u got in ur SAT (critical reading and mathematics) pls reply as quick as possible
thnx