The Interview that Will Change You're Life

[SLIMDEETS]

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 their 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

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[budge311]

Yeah everything he said!!!

Thanks for the imput, every little bit helps.

 

[rocknightmare]

great comments.

here are some other tips

1) get a good night sleep, it is really bad when you fall asleep when the interviewer is talking about the school -- shows no interest
2) try to be a little enthusistic about things, i have noticed the more you are enthusistic (sp?) about a school the more they like you.

 

[ItsGavinC]

Good realistic comments!

 

[dentwannabe]

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 their 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

okay, heres my question for you guys.

you said to be yourself.

but i'm a 20 year old college student.. if i be myself i might scare them. Do you know what I mean, can I use the word "cool" or should I stay professional?

 

[SLIMDEETS]

okay, heres my question for you guys.

you said to be yourself.

but i'm a 20 year old college student.. if i be myself i might scare them. Do you know what I mean, can I use the word "cool" or should I stay professional?

As your interviewer is evaluating you, you should be evaluating them. Are they younger or older, have they made any jokes. Are they a prune, or are they cool. See if their into sports or try to talk about open ended things that will draw out their opinions and thus their personalities and take it from there.

 

[dentwannabe]

As your interviewer is evaluating you, you should be evaluating them. Are they younger or older, have they made any jokes. Are they a prune, or are they cool. See if their into sports or try to talk about open ended things that will draw out their opinions and thus their personalities and take it from there.

so its okay to take the initiative and ask THEM questions? its not gonna be seen as ..... annoying? or butting into private business?

 

[DMD_DREAMING]

okay, heres my question for you guys.

you said to be yourself.

but i'm a 20 year old college student.. if i be myself i might scare them. Do you know what I mean, can I use the word "cool" or should I stay professional?

Personally, I have a Master's in Business and I have been interviewed by top recruiters from various companies and have even made up interview questions while in school. Most important be friendly, energetic (but not jacked up like on some stimulant), and remember you are applying for a professional degree. Therefore, I would say conduct yourself like an adult. They know you are young and might not be that versed on interviewing. I would say pretend like you are meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time. Be polite but you don't want to sound like an idiot or uneducated. Mostly, the interview is to check for personal communication capabilities and to see if they can find a reason not to let you in if you have the grades. Good luck!

 

[cool fillings]

Also wanted to add that interviews aren't just a way for the schools to get to know you...they are also the best way for you to get to know the school! I don't know anyone who has attended dental school recently enough to give me any helpful insight into particular programs, so being able to ask students I met or student interviewers questions about their experience gave me helpful info on deciding which school would be a good fit for me. We're paying big bucks to attend D-school, so "interview" schools while they're interviewing you!

Stressing out over the actual interview isn't going to help at all...when it comes down to it, you are who you are and if you're applying to dental school you've gotta know deep down that schools should want to have you since you're going to be an awesome dentist - just relax and let the schools see that in you. As for advanced preparation, reread your application answers and personal statement and make sure you're up on issues facing today's dentists (insurance, ageing pop., retiring dentists exceeding d-school grads, underserved areas, etc.) and make sure you can answer the 'Why dentistry?' question in a well thought out way (give 'em a bit more than...my relative is a dentist, it's been my dream since I was a kid, I shadowed this guy and...).

Good luck to the 2006 cycle!

 

[SLIMDEETS]

great comments.

here are some other tips

1) get a good night sleep, it is really bad when you fall asleep when the interviewer is talking about the school -- shows no interest
2) try to be a little enthusistic about things, i have noticed the more you are enthusistic (sp?) about a school the more they like you.

Who did you all think was the best school to interview at? Or should I say who had the most friendly staff?

 

[SLIMDEETS]

Who did you all think was the best school to interview at? Or should I say who had the most friendly staff?

No one cares I guess.

 

[Pikeyman]

"The Interview that Will Change You're Life"?

WOW. I'd better listen to this guy.

 

[Sprgrover]

so its okay to take the initiative and ask THEM questions? its not gonna be seen as ..... annoying? or butting into private business?

Absolutely not. That's not to say though that you should barn-storm the interview with interviews. Keep in mind that you are there just as much for the school to become familiar with you as you are with them. Dental school represents a significant investment of both time and money on your part and it is very important that the school you will be attending is a good match for you in terms of what opportunities you would like to have available to you in terms of education, what kind of community you will be living in, and so on. Asking questions also demonstrates your interest in a program and often bodes very well with interviewers. Ask away!

 

[SLIMDEETS]

"The Interview that Will Change You're Life"?

WOW. I'd better listen to this guy.

That ELASTIC band around your head is cutting off the circulation. You have delusions of grandeur because you have +100 posts.

Dik chees ,u have contributed just that to this site, nadda.

ps. daddy's donation did not go un-noticed

 

[Pikeyman]

That ELASTIC band around your head is cutting off the circulation. You have delusions of grandeur because you have +100 posts.

Dik chees ,u have contributed just that to this site, nadda.

ps. daddy's donation did not go un-noticed

Good one.

 

[jk5177]

Who did you all think was the best school to interview at? Or should I say who had the most friendly staff?

Sarah Johnson at UCLA was really friendly, so as Evelyn Marquis, and the interviewers.