How to prepare for interviews?

[DrSmiles12]

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Hey guys I have a my first interview coming up here at Case soon and I was wondering how you think I should prepare for it.

I have went through the interview portion of SDN and researched about the school.

What did you guys do to prepare?

Also I have a journal I made while shadowing, should I take that?? Anything else I should take?

Thanks a ton!

 

[afrosheen]

what i did for every place i interviewed (six total) was going over the sdn questions for each school a couple of times and it worked well. they all recited the same questions and being prepared leads to no awkward pauses

 

[DDS:)]

Read SDN interview feedback, and their school webite.

 

[zthang]

I was accepted there last year but decided not to go. There are 2 interviews, and I thought I did really well in one, and very poorly in the other. Anyways, go over SDN questions like everyone else said, but also make sure you know what PBL is!! They have a hybrid system there. They are a very caring / family feeling school, so tell them about how you'd help other students and the school. That was a specific question they asked me.

 

[dddsmack]

Yeah, it would be a great idea to go over the website before your interview. They do a sealant program in Dec of your first year, so you get going right away. Plus the PBL is their baby, compliment them on their breakthough in learning/teaching methods and you will be a shoe-in! 🙂

 

[pmantz]

Check into your hotel have a couple bears and relax. Then get up the next day and get dressed, have a cup of joe and a muffin and go to your interview. Try not to freak out and don't worry about being a little nervous everyone is. Oh yeah be honest and don't make excuses if asked any difficult questions.

My personal philosophy is to wing-it whenever possible(Not in school), I feel if you over prepare, one might sound too rehearsed and thus come off as insincere . Although SDN's interview materials were helpful, they really only can do so much to prepare you. From my experience I didn't get any questions that were on SDN, except some of the standard boiler plate. From applicant to applicant the interviewer will change the format, depending on GPA DAT and ECs/LORs. I found going over your application before hand to see any possible questions.
Good Luck and worry about getting interviews, not the interviews themselves.

 

[DrSmiles12]

Thanks guys these are good ideas.

Do do you think I should take my shadowing journal?

Also whats the deal with 2 interviews? Would I have to fly back for the 2nd?

 

[mildj275]

The journal from shadowing is a great idea, and if you reference it when answering a question, it may be a great idea to have it around. Although most interviewers like to move through the interview quickly so I doubt they will thumb through it. But you can bring it in case.

When someone referenced two interviews, they are just saying that Marquette and several other schools have two different admission committee members interview you (one after the other on the same day). Not two trips for interviews. This allows them to get two perspectives and in case you bomb one, you are not totally screwed. They will ask alot of the same questions in each interview.

Everything that was said in the posts about how to prepare is right on. It just depends on how you like to prepare. Sometimes I like to wing it and just go with the flow, and other times I like to prepare alot. I interviewed at 6 places and tried alot of different styles. The most helpful was that I made a list of about 40 possible questions (mostly from SDN) they could ask and I answered them on paper before so I had an idea of what I was going to say. I looked over it several times before the interview. But be careful about sounding too rehersed. Good luck!!

 

[pmantz]

The journal from shadowing is a great idea, and if you reference it when answering a question, it may be a great idea to have it around. Although most interviewers like to move through the interview quickly so I doubt they will thumb through it. But you can bring it in case.

When someone referenced two interviews, they are just saying that Marquette and several other schools have two different admission committee members interview you (one after the other on the same day). Not two trips for interviews. This allows them to get two perspectives and in case you bomb one, you are not totally screwed. They will ask alot of the same questions in each interview.

Everything that was said in the posts about how to prepare is right on. It just depends on how you like to prepare. Sometimes I like to wing it and just go with the flow, and other times I like to prepare alot. I interviewed at 6 places and tried alot of different styles. The most helpful was that I made a list of about 40 possible questions (mostly from SDN) they could ask and I answered them on paper before so I had an idea of what I was going to say. I looked over it several times before the interview. But be careful about sounding too rehersed. Good luck!!

I had only one interview at marquette, I did have two people interviewing me. It was like tag team one would as a question the other would ask a follow and then a different question. The day I went there was people who only had one interviewer.

 

[shamrock2006]

oddly enough...i was offered acceptances to 2 schools whose interviews I didn't bother preparing for. I figured you know what...i'm preparing like crazy..and stressing like mad. If I go in relaxed, and act like myself while still remaining professional...its a go. Sure enough...it worked. I say, yes check out the websites of schools..SDN feedback..but do not memorize what schools ask you what. just familiarize yourself with them a little bit, think about it a little while...and just go. If you can hold a conversation...you can interview

 

[dddsmack]

Case Typically gives 2 one hour long interviews, back to back, beginning around 9-10am. Lunch is right after the tour, which is right after the interviews.

Good Luck

 

[Chrono1984]

 

[Dr. Dai Phan]

Hey guys I have a my first interview coming up here at Case soon and I was wondering how you think I should prepare for it.

I have went through the interview portion of SDN and researched about the school.

What did you guys do to prepare?

Also I have a journal I made while shadowing, should I take that?? Anything else I should take?

Thanks a ton!

Go to the Mentor Forum and look up my Dentistry Mentoring Threads. There is a write up on interviewing tips. DP

 

[OceanBlue]

I also got into Case, but decided to go to my state school. I used SDN interview feedback, the information that they sent to me, and spent a lot of time in the shower thinking about my answers to some of the potential questions that they might ask. GL

Hey guys I have a my first interview coming up here at Case soon and I was wondering how you think I should prepare for it.

I have went through the interview portion of SDN and researched about the school.

What did you guys do to prepare?

Also I have a journal I made while shadowing, should I take that?? Anything else I should take?

Thanks a ton!