UCLA interview suggestions!!

[mkdhappy]

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hey guys, i'm new to this forum...but I find it very very informative, and i'm glad there are many people out there heading in the same direction as me. ^_^

For those who has been interviewed at UCLA or knows about UCLA...please provide suggestions for upcoming interviewees like me! 🙂 We wud greatly appreciate it. (by the way...it's my first time joining ANY forum too. hehe...so i'm still very new... )

Thanks a LoT for ur input!

 

[mcshow2]

hey guys, i'm new to this forum...but I find it very very informative, and i'...
Thanks a LoT for ur input!

Here is how the day went for me...

Got there at 8 and we had a continental breakfast until about 830. There was brief introductions and then we had about 30 min. to write a silly little essay about the accessibility of dental care. Then from about 9-11 students talked about various things ucla had to offer. Then from 11-12 we split up into two groups, one group went on a student led tour and got fitted for lab coats, scrubs, and gloves. The other group had thier actual interview. At noon we had lunch and then from one to two, the two groups flip flopped.

As for the actual inteview part... I think I had one of the longer ones and mine lasted 20 minutes max. It was one on one. I got in there she asked me one question from my personal statement, and the rest of the interview was conversation and me asking questions. My advice is not worry, and think of questions you want to ask. I would like to go back there and ask a few more!

 

[drhobie7]

I was a student interviewer last year and plan on doing the same this year. Here's my take on it. I know all the interviewees are smart if they've been granted an interview. What I want to know is if you're doing dentistry for the right reasons (not simply because you want to make a lot of $$), if you know what dentistry is really about/like, and if you're a cool person (not someone who's going to annoy classmates and stir up a bad mood wherever you go).

So I'm going to ask questions to get answers to these three concerns. Of course I'm going to ask about dental experiences and why you want to do dentistry. I'm going to ask things like how you deal with stress, working in groups, difficult people, frustration, and failure because these are all part of dental school.

On a final note, I might also ask questions to determine your ability to contribute to the school rather than simply receive the education. I noticed this a lot with my class -- students were committed to improving the class and school -- and it has made a tremendous difference for us and classes below us. You know....JFK's 1961 inaugural address...."Ask not what your dental school can do for you but what you can do for your dental school." Those are the kind of people I want at UCLA.

One last thing, never lie to the interviewer because he takes notes on what you've said and give these to the admissions committee. If they don't jive with your application or other interviews you're screwed.

 

[jk5177]

What I want to know is if you're doing dentistry for the right reasons (not simply because you want to make a lot of $$), if you know what dentistry is really about/like, and if you're a cool person (not someone who's going to annoy classmates and stir up a bad mood wherever you go).

Especially when we have to be with that person for the next four years in pretty much all or our classes!

You know....JFK's 1961 inaugural address...."Ask not what your dental school can do for you but what you can do for your dental school." Those are the kind of people I want at UCLA.

I like that. Makes sense.

 

[mkdhappy]

aWw...thanks a Lot for those comments. You guys are really awesome. ^_^ And I really like that "slight" modification of JFK's address! That's really smart. 😉

...if there's any more suggestions flowing around, please please inform me.

Although I know all I have to do is to "be myself" -- my main concern is about politics, and the news around me. I'm not a bookworm, nor am I one that analyze the news and such. I've heard friends said that they were asked about "the news" and certain "governmental acts" and such... =\ --

i wonder if UCLA would include any of those questions?

thanks a BuNch everyone! I love this forum...you guys are all too awesome!

as of right now, i'm just living by what Theodore Roosevelt once said: "Do what you can, with what you have, right where you are..." just to make myself happy. ^_^

 

[drhobie7]

my main concern is about politics, and the news around me. I'm not a bookworm, nor am I one that analyze the news and such. I've heard friends said that they were asked about "the news" and certain "governmental acts" and such... =\ --

i wonder if UCLA would include any of those questions?

I doubt you'll get any questions like this at UCLA. I would never ask an applicant stuff like this because I think it's a waste of time and irrelevant. Whether or not you know who Desmond Tutu is has nothing to do with your capacity to provide great dental care.

 

[jk5177]

I wasn't asked any political questions. The only ones may be the ones related to dentistry. Such as "what do you foreseee as problems in the future for dentistry?"
The questions I had were something like "So tell us aobut your dental assistance? Tell us about your hand skills? What make you unique to all the other applicants?" They were good general questions.

 

[mkdhappy]

*pHeW* that's awesome to know. And Drhobie7...I AGREE about the questions' irrelevance to "good dental care" =) heheh...I just hope and pray all for the best!

JK5177 -- thanks for your input. ^_^

are all the interviewers in one room? and they all should have read my application info already rite? (i assume it's an open file interview ? ) wOw...i'm in nervous excitement! i hope everything turns out well! *sighz* and *fingers crossed* hehe 🙂