The interview that will change your life!

[SLIMDEETS]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Now that I've jammed my foot in the Door and am on my way to my DMD I thought I might share some of my experiences from my interviews. Specifically what I think sunk or made specific individuals. A do's and don'ts list if you will.

Be yourself! Although you may be very nervouse don't sweat it. You've been invited to interview so they already know your grades. I think what thier most interested in is making sure your not some kind of weird freak. Dentists require interpersonal skills so use them. I tried not to ask only dental related questions. This I hoped would show the interviewers that I have interests in a number of things aside from dentistry. I think if your willing to shovel out 60000 a year I would assume they know your interested in Dentistry. Interviewers are asked the same questions over and over again. Come up with some originals, my favorite was "Where would you send your kids to Dental school?" And then ask them their second choice. This will help you evaluate your interviewer. Some are pretty shady! If an interviewer slams alot of other schools I avoided that school. If you have the best school you don't need to worry about other schools. You don't see Porche dealers slamming Honda. 😕

Find out about the school your interviewing at. This place is the best for that. What are the schools weaknesses and strenths? Be aware of these.
If your gifted with your hands, go to a clinical school. If your book smart choose a research based school.

Have some direction in your comments. One guy babbled on for 10 minutes about how painful his childhood experiences were in the dental office when asked about his exposure to dentistry. The standard answer was "Well I interned with a dentist". Everybody interns with a dentist! What about your internship specifically turned that little light bulb on in your head and made you decide, Yah I want to do this for the rest of my life. (I seen his Rolex)

Read your essey you submitted in your application. Was it full of shyt? If it was and you try to be that person in the essey, they will see through it. Which leads me to answering all the questions with the perfect answers. Don't be affraid you will answer a question wrong. Opinions are like dinguses, everybody has one! The important thing is to be honest. People of caliber will not hold a negative opinion of you for being yourself and it develops rappor. 👍 Too many people say all the rite things which left me thinking they were full of it.

If your really interested in a school and seriously considering attending that school come down a few days before your interview and see the city. Your interviewers will be impressed that you are considering all aspects of attending their school. Your going to be spending 3-4 years there so you better be sure. Besides it gives you something to talk about besides your amazing abilities. 😴

These are my thoughts take them or leave em!
Good Luck
Canada Kicks Butt

 

[bouncy_ball]

Said well.

 

[jk5177]

Opinions are like dinguses, everybody has one!

That is hilarious!!!

 

[disruptor]

well said my fellow canadian...

 

[StL_to_Boston]

I'd like to add to this and say don't be afraid to stand out. These schools interview hundreds of candidates. All of them have good grades, good internship experiences, work in the community, blah blah blah... Make them remember YOU.

It can be anything.

For example - EVERYONE wears a black/grey suit with a boring tie and we all look like little-dental-school-applicant-clones walking on our tours.

I bought a chocolate brown suit with a leather collar and I got tons of complements on it at my interviews. One of my interviewers actually wrote down the place I got it from and the name of the salesperson I bought it from.

Now your outfit shouldn't be the criteria an adcom bases its decision on, but it's just one way you can stand out from the sea of applicants.

If you have an interesting hobby (and I don't mean "I play the piano... I draw.... I'm good with my hands kind of hobby's) then play it up.

I remember at one of my interviews one of the guys said that his favorite thing to do was enter into BarBeQue competitions with his buddies. I'll never forget that and I bet the adcoms remember it too.


***And a special note for my fellow females***

Some guys will want to intimidate you. You may be the only girl in your interview group (I was the only girl twice). One guy told me I was a shoe in because "I was a girl and girls get in easy". 🙄 You just let those guys know that you'll get accepted because your grades are awesome, your DAT scores are awesome, and because you worked your a$$ off just like everyone else. Don't ever think otherwise.

 

[dentist_to_be?]

well said everybody!

I would like to add... be aware that anybody could be evaluating you It is not just the faculty member, it could be the admissions coordinator, the person who gives you the powerpoint presentation, it could be the student you are having lunch with. So you should be friendly and outgoing with them, be comfortable around them, but dont tell them stories that might make you look bad.

Also if you can, try not to have your school of choice be your FIRST INTERVIEW. Practice makes perfect... my first interview (temple), even though they did a good job of relaxing you, i was still really nervous when I interview; to the point that my hand was shaking. By the time I got to my third interview, I walked in like I owned the place. Once you get the hang of how the interview process, you know what to expect and you immediately relax.

Good luck

 

[DMD_hopeful]

For example - EVERYONE wears a black/grey suit with a boring tie and we all look like little-dental-school-applicant-clones walking on our tours.

While I agree with you about making yourself standout, I don't know if I agree one hundred percent with the suit thing. Dentistry is a conservative profession and as such, one should wear a conservative outfit, ie. the blue or back suit. Would you show up for a Wall Street or law job wearing something outrageous? I know I wouldn't. I am NOT saying your outfit was inappropriate, I'm just throwing my opinion out there.

Maybe someone can differentiate themselves by wearing a more powerful looking tie with a powerful knot (Windsor or half Windsor) or wearing a shirt other than white. This is for the guys of course.

 

[StL_to_Boston]

While I agree with you about making yourself standout, I don't know if I agree one hundred percent with the suit thing. Dentistry is a conservative profession and as such, one should wear a conservative outfit, ie. the blue or back suit. Would you show up for a Wall Street or law job wearing something outrageous? I know I wouldn't. I am NOT saying your outfit was inappropriate, I'm just throwing my opinion out there.

Maybe someone can differentiate themselves by wearing a more powerful looking tie with a powerful knot (Windsor or half Windsor) or wearing a shirt other than white. This is for the guys of course.

Exactly what I meant. I wasn't advocating walking into the interview in some jeans and a tshirt but there are ways to make your wardrobe (or anything else for that matter) stand out from the crowd.

My suit was far from outrageous (save the leather collar) but it's touches like that (simliar to a powerful tie or even a very contemporary one) that can make someone notice you.

 

[paolorossifan]

While I agree with you about making yourself standout, I don't know if I agree one hundred percent with the suit thing. Dentistry is a conservative profession and as such, one should wear a conservative outfit, ie. the blue or back suit. Would you show up for a Wall Street or law job wearing something outrageous? I know I wouldn't. I am NOT saying your outfit was inappropriate, I'm just throwing my opinion out there.

Maybe someone can differentiate themselves by wearing a more powerful looking tie with a powerful knot (Windsor or half Windsor) or wearing a shirt other than white. This is for the guys of course.

I wore a white beach suit to one of my interviews and was complimented by the staff and students.

 

[edkNARF]

Exactly what I meant. I wasn't advocating walking into the interview in some jeans and a tshirt but there are ways to make your wardrobe (or anything else for that matter) stand out from the crowd.

One interviewee wore a polo shirt, jeans, and sneakers to the interview. He was an international student, so I guess that may account for his interview gaffes.

 

[DMD_hopeful]

I wore a white beach suit to one of my interviews and was complimented by the staff and students.

Did you get accepted? 😀

 

[paolorossifan]

Did you get accepted? 😀

YUP!

 

[JakeMUSC]

One of my interviewers actually wrote down the place I got it from and the name of the salesperson I bought it from!

LOL