Interview Essays

[ThePharmDude]

If you people are having interviews what kinds of questions are you being asked on the essay portion of the interview if it is applicable in your situation

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[avik224]

Which schools actually have essays as part of the interview process??

I'm sorry, I've just never heard of this term before...

 

[choylifut]

Which schools actually have essays as part of the interview process??

I'm sorry, I've just never heard of this term before...

I believe quite a few do. I know CA pharm schools all do, if I'm not mistaken. They want to assess your writing ability. Verbal and written communication is important in pharmacy school.

 

[cal687]

If you people are having interviews what kinds of questions are you being asked on the essay portion of the interview if it is applicable in your situation

I don't want to give specifics because I don't know if the admissions committee recycles the prompts, and it's a public forum so I just don't know if it's a good idea (the mods might get me for that anyway?)...but in my limited experience so far, the questions do not require any knowledge of pharmacy at all. They are generally like the PCAT essay topics in that they ask you to take a stand on an issue (it can be anything!) and present your argument. Really they just want to see if you can write a well-organized essay in time constraints. I don't think they are looking for really good vocabulary or excellent handwriting, they just want to see your clear, organized argument. So just practice taking a stand on any issue that you read about or hear about in the news, and then practice taking the opposite stand and come up with 3 points to prove that side. Or get a PCAT study guide and read through the essay tips section. Hope that helps! 🙂

 

[tharper14]

Which schools actually have essays as part of the interview process??

I'm sorry, I've just never heard of this term before...

UT Austin makes you write an essay during the interview process...

 

[cinnamoroll12]

I believe a majority of the schools have the essay component on the day of the interview.

 

[AbsoluteEthanol]

why can we post actual interview questions asked for a particular school, but not the essay question(s) that they ask? kind of a weird policy!

 

[FutureFarmDee]

all CA schools require an essay section at the interview day. im not sure about the other schools in the nation. the main reason for including an essay section is to ensure that pharmacy students can organize their thoughts and ideas through written communication. generally they'll give you 2 or 3 prompts to respond to, though at UOP they only give 1 prompt. it's usually an open-ended question, but they don't judge you on your stance/position...it's how you defend your position and organization of your thoughts. just follow directions and write a standard essay in the allotted time (45-55min) and you will be fine. good luck to all with interviews! it's a great feeling when you're at the finish line staring straight at starting pharmacy school...