need to write a essay at interviewing place?

[atlanta213]

hey guys,

I heard that some schools ask us to write a essay when we are having the interview.

is that true?

Can you guys list out those schools?

Thanks in advance.

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[luckydocy]

No essays at Columbia, Nova, Pacific, Detroit Mercy, NYU, Boston, Tuft, ....
These are the ones that didn't require essay writing for the last cycle.

 

[A8]

I heard USC requires essay since they are based on PBL system.

 

[Hysteria24]

I heard USC requires essay since they are based on PBL system.

They do, but it is a simple as describe your best friend.

Michigan also has an essay that is more traditional with a ethical type prompt.

 

[blankguy]

Buffalo requires writing an essay or rather a long answer response to a question.
It's just to see that you write something coherently. They are not looking for a deep philosophical response.

 

[gogobruin]

How about UCLA and UCSF?? Thanks a lot!

 

[Bruinlove]

How about UCLA and UCSF?? Thanks a lot!

UCSF yes, UCLA no.

 

[ziptree]

UCSF yes, UCLA no.

I had to write an essay at UCLA when I interviewed, but that was years ago.

 

[DCRedskinsRule]

UTHSC-San Antonio required a BS essay at the end of the interview.

 

[DGDDS]

Pitt had us do one too. It was really quick - about 10 minutes. The essay prompt was "What was the best year of your life and why?"

 

[drtoothy]

Just wondering...how much time do they generally give you?

 

[Brownstain]

Pitt had us do one too. It was really quick - about 10 minutes. The essay prompt was "What was the best year of your life and why?"

Hah! When I applied they asked us to write about who our personal hero was. I felt like I had regressed to the 6th grade.

Keep in mind people that... Disclaimer: this is pretty much speculation and something I once heard from an admissions board member. I hate internet chat hear-say, but really was told this by someone high up. The reasoning for these is the exact reason soooooooooooo many people post on this pre-dent board. Because all of your personal statements are the same heavily edited, perfect grammar, sum my life up in 5,000 words sob story about how people have wanted to be a dentist stemming from a tricycle accident at age 3, the fact that helping children warms their hearts, and how they want to help people not only in pain, but cosmetically because social acceptance and emotional well being is part of overall health, how they want a personal life as opposed to medicine and how they want to run their own business. Oh yeah, and throw in the last paragraph in which 4/5 people say they have always wanted to be an orthodontist.

They want to see if you can write professionally, can function on your toes with a prompt, have some basic professional ethics understanding, and this may sound brash...if you can speak English. I've mentioned several times on these boards that my personal statement talked about how I love Mexican food and my dog. I was never asked once about my crazy personal statement. Kinda backs my little post here about how they may not weight it heavily at certain schools. So be ready if you go to one of these schools. They tend to switch up the prompt but just prepare to propose a descent argument, words you know how to spell, and don't try to get too fancy. Speaking of which, that first paragraph could not be grammatically correct.

 

[iopdentist]

UCSF yes, UCLA no.

UCLA do require essay!

 

[Contach]

Speaking of which, that first paragraph could not be grammatically correct.

looool, I was going to say....

 

[irishgurl]

What about Ohio State...anyone know if they do this?

 

[A8]

Just wondering...how much time do they generally give you?

I second this question? Could you please tell us how much time do they usually give us?

 

[denticus]

From what I know...

No essay - Baylor, Creighton (RDEP), Marquette, Tufts, UNLV, Temple

Essay - VCU. It was a hypothetical about a sterilization crisis that they wanted you to write about and demonstrate what you would do to resolve the issue.

Good luck!

-As for the time; VCU really gave us as much time as we wanted though it is done in the same room as the other interviewees so it kind of felt like a competition to see who could answer the hypothetical the quickest. Don't read to much into my observation because I was accepted and I was the last in the room. I took about 10-15 minutes to finish it, no biggie.

 

[paul510psu]

Do these essays serve as screening devices to weed out those applicants that haven't mastered the English language? It seems strange to use such an impromptu item to judge applicants.

 

[SugarNaCl]

Yeah VCU gives you 30-35 mins as stated above to write on an ethical topic. Mine was "If you were looking through a medical records file and found out your best friend was pregnant but didn't tell you about it. What would you do?"

 

[Fonz]

How about UCLA and UCSF?? Thanks a lot!

yes, yes