Interview Advice/Tips

[Kingfish23]

I figured since a few interviews have been given out we could start a thread about interview tips and advice. Any school-specific advice is welcome too.

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[jg4318]

My list of interview questions for upcoming cycle!

 

[FeralisExtremum]

I highly recommend checking this page out: Dental Interview Feedback List | Student Doctor Network

 

[Kingfish23]

I highly recommend checking this page out: Dental Interview Feedback List | Student Doctor Network

That's an excellent resource! Thank you

 

[careerchanger09]

I went to a mock interview at UCSF this past April put on by SNDA and they sent me a compilation of interview questions. See attached!

 

[670206]

I went to a mock interview at UCSF this past April put on by SNDA and they sent me a compilation of interview questions. See attached!

What do the highlighted questions signify?

 

[Life of Pablo]

I went to a mock interview at UCSF this past April put on by SNDA and they sent me a compilation of interview questions. See attached!

Thank you so much for these! Good luck this cycle!

 

[670206]

I highly recommend checking this page out: Dental Interview Feedback List | Student Doctor Network

In your experience, do you believe these questions are still relevant? Some of them date back to 2004.

 

[FeralisExtremum]

In your experience, do you believe these questions are still relevant? Some of them date back to 2004.

Yea, mostly still relevant. I didn't get asked too many questions at my interviews but the two schools that did ask more than 1-2 used some from those questions.

 

[careerchanger09]

What do the highlighted questions signify?

Not entirely sure. I think these were the questions they asked me during the mock interview.

 

[Kingfish23]

Yea, mostly still relevant. I didn't get asked too many questions at my interviews but the two schools that did ask more than 1-2 used some from those questions.

Do schools ever send out interviews on the weekends?

 

[FeralisExtremum]

Do schools ever send out interviews on the weekends?

Not sure about any that do - my invitations all came on weekdays.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Best advice is to relax in your interviews. Dont feel the need to prove yourself, you're past that point. Now it's about fit and personality for the most part.

Have a conversation, it is not an interrogation and they are not trying to find faults to eliminate you. My advice is only ask questions you're legitimately interested in.

The SDN feedback stuff was actually pretty accurate in my experience, so use that if you want to prepare.

Honestly, your interviews should be fun! So just relax and don't think about all the money you are spending.

 

[Don Kim]

would you guys answer "27.Is ____ your first choice?" question in your safety school just as you would with your top choice?

 

[Kingfish23]

would you guys answer "27.Is ____ your first choice?" question in your safety school just as you would with your top choice?

Without a doubt

 

[ProspectivePostPreDent]

Do schools ever send out interviews on the weekends?

I have one from Western on a Saturday.

 

[670206]

would you guys answer "27.Is ____ your first choice?" question in your safety school just as you would with your top choice?

Yeah, absolutely. You definitely don't want to give a school the impression that they're only a saftey.

 

[Sweet_Tooth]

Do schools ever send out interviews on the weekends?

I just had a Saturday interview!

 

[Sweet_Tooth]

Best advice is to relax in your interviews. Dont feel the need to prove yourself, you're past that point. Now it's about fit and personality for the most part.

Have a conversation, it is not an interrogation and they are not trying to find faults to eliminate you. My advice is only ask questions you're legitimately interested in.

The SDN feedback stuff was actually pretty accurate in my experience, so use that if you want to prepare.

Honestly, your interviews should be fun! So just relax and don't think about all the money you are spending.

What you said doesn't ring true with me...so many schools interview more applicants then they can even physically admit, I don't think you can deny that they are eliminating applicants based on their interviews with them...I feel like you do have to prove yourself to a certain extent, you have to prove that you are the same person that you are on paper and that you really stand by your application and who you said you were. And I feel like they're also looking for confidence and your overall demeanor and attitude that you project.

But what do I know? I'm not an adcom lol I'm just an applicant who had an interview last week, this was the impression I got from the faculty at my interview

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

What you said doesn't ring true with me...so many schools interview more applicants then they can even physically admit, I don't think you can deny that they are eliminating applicants based on their interviews with them...I feel like you do have to prove yourself to a certain extent, you have to prove that you are the same person that you are on paper and that you really stand by your application and who you said you were. And I feel like they're also looking for confidence and your overall demeanor and attitude that you project.

But what do I know? I'm not an adcom lol I'm just an applicant who had an interview last week, this was the impression I got from the faculty at my interview

Of course they choose people based on the interview... Which is what I said it's more about fit and personality. They're definitely not searching for who can recite their application and project the most confidence to the room. It's all about fit and they have several different personalities they like to add to a class to build it out.

But what do I know? I'm not an adcom I'm just a student who was accepted to all of my schools.

That being said there are definitely different interview types of course