UPenn 2010 Interview

[Hanzolo]

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Hey guys,

I just had an interview at UPenn. My first interviewer had not taken a look at my file so she knew nothing about me or my stats. We talked about everything irrelevant to dentistry.
As for my second interview, the interviewer had an idea of my stats. She asked me why I wanted to pursue dentistry but at the time, I answered using three points:
1. Business aspects
2. Stable income
3. Flexible hours
Later on, she had told me not to repeat those answers at another interview. She also asked me what my back-up plan was. We talked for about an hour (even though the interview was suppose to be 30 min long)... we talked a lot about chinese food and she told me to go to this restaurant called Beijing

Anyway, I felt content with the interview but after I talked to some of my friends, I feel like I screwed up. What do you guys think about it?

 

[Pennywisdom]

🙄

 

[wantVCUdental]

:troll:

 

[321931]

Hey guys,

I just had an interview at UPenn. My first interviewer had not taken a look at my file so she knew nothing about me or my stats. We talked about everything irrelevant to dentistry.
As for my second interview, the interviewer had an idea of my stats. She asked me why I wanted to pursue dentistry but at the time, I answered using three points:
1. Business aspects
2. Stable income
3. Flexible hours
Later on, she had told me not to repeat those answers at another interview. She also asked me what my back-up plan was. We talked for about an hour (even though the interview was suppose to be 30 min long)... we talked a lot about chinese food and she told me to go to this restaurant called Beijing

Anyway, I felt content with the interview but after I talked to some of my friends, I feel like I screwed up. What do you guys think about it?

Yes!

No!

Maybe!

So?

 

[c4ss]

yikes.

 

[minoh87]

Money money stay away from money

 

[Munchy]

can we stop saying weird s@#% and actually try to answer the OP's question? geez guys.

To OP, Well at least you were honest... no point pretending to be someone else.

 

[quillow]

Don't know what to tell you. I had an even more awkward interview than that at a different school. We'll find out what happens on Dec 1st. It's hard to tell from what you wrote, but at least your interviewer seemed nice and gave feedback. She didn't have to do that. In a way, that's actually kinda nice (though it would've been nicer if she had explained why, I guess). She could've just made a mental note that your answers sucked and not told you.

 

[Maygyver]

Your interviewer probably took your answers as you saying "I like it because I won't have to work much and I will get paid a lot." That's probably not a good impression to give even if that isn't what you meant, but put yourself in your interviewer's shoes. Honestly, the fact that you talked for awhile to the person means that they at least liked you, but I'm not sure that will get you over the hump of coming off as someone who doesn't want a job where they will have to work hard. Just my 2 cents though. I guess you will figure out around December 1st.

 

[snaggletoof]

im with wantvcu, i honestly cant believe that someone would say these things. i think the op is a troll.

 

[minoh87]

troll. cuz upenn interviews rarely go overtime i hear. an hr would be pushing it.

 

[IlikeDentite]

troll. cuz upenn interviews rarely go overtime i hear. an hr would be pushing it.

Why is everyone calling the OP a troll? What he/she said is not totally unbelievable and I've actually heard of worse things (in real life) happening in interviews. We should be try to give constructive advice instead of writing people off so quickly as "trolls". Also, to minoh, one of my interviews (open file one) at UPenn was about 40 minutes over time (time flies when you're having fun!).

To the OP, try to find some reasons other than money, lifestyle, flexible hours to mention in your interview. Dentistry is a profession and should be thought of more than just a "job". Anyways, keep your head up and use this interview as one to improve on in the future.

Let me know if you need any help and good luck!

 

[Hanzolo]

Thank you quillow, Maygyver and IlikeDentite for taking time off to reply. I really appreciate your helpful feedback.

 

[snaggletoof]

Thank you quillow, Maygyver and IlikeDentite for taking time off to reply. I really appreciate your helpful feedback.

hanzolo, what kind of preparation did you do for your interview? did you practice or read up on what type of things are usually asked of you at a dental interview? do you have a friend who is currently a dental student that you could practice with and have a mock interview with? do you have a mentor like a dentist or guidance counselor who would be willing to coach you? there are a lot of tools out there, books, articles on the web, and people who would be more than willing to help you succeed. have you had other interviews where you didnt mention the unmentionables?

http://www.medicalhelpnet.com/content/view/43/61/

 

[WhichRoom]

:troll:

Haha, so what is a 'troll'????????

 

[wantVCUdental]

Haha, so what is a 'troll'????????

A troll is someone who posts outrageous and meaningless things in order to get people's attention.

I felt the OP is a troll, because to get a Penn interview, that means you are academically smart, because they have high cut offs and that you have experienced enough in life to realize that pay and little work are bad answers for a dental school interview.

Surely there must be more deeper motivations than money for going in to dentistry... I mean all those things that OP listed can be obtained in other professions, it doesn't make the answer unique to dentistry. And logically, one who gets a Penn interview would have probably be smart enough to realize that. Or who knows, maybe that's the answer dental schools are looking for these days 🙂

 

[snaggletoof]

Haha, so what is a 'troll'????????

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=troll

 

[IlikeDentite]

A troll is someone who posts outrageous and meaningless things in order to get people's attention.

I felt the OP is a troll, because to get a Penn interview, that means you are academically smart, because they have high cut offs and that you have experienced enough in life to realize that pay and little work are bad answers for a dental school interview.

Surely there must be more deeper motivations than money for going in to dentistry... I mean all those things that OP listed can be obtained in other professions, it doesn't make the answer unique to dentistry. And logically, one who gets a Penn interview would have probably be smart enough to realize that. Or who knows, maybe that's the answer dental schools are looking for these days 🙂

I understand why many on sdn might think the OP is a troll as sdners tend to be very focused and dedicated hardworking students who have a very good idea of the interview "game" and what to say and what not to say. However, I would bet that a high percentage of predental students would say the exact same thing if they had to be totally honest. In fact, a lot of predental friends that I have chose dentistry (a lot switched from premed) solely because of the factors that the OP mentioned. It's not the most noble of reasons to go into the profession but it's reality. In fact, a couple of dentists that I shadowed even suggested that I say a couple of those things in my interview (good hours and business aspects). One dentist in particular, who once served on the admissions committee of a dental school, said that he hears so many "I want to help people" and "I like working with my hands" answers from interviewees that he thinks those answers are disingenuous, false and corny. Also, when people hear that I am going into dentistry, they often make comments like "that's good. Dentists make a lot of money". Furthermore, a presentation in dental school that my brother attended mentioned top reasons dental students chose dentistry as a profession and two of the top three reasons included money or lifestyle.
Also, to assume that high academic achievement=common sense/life experience is totally wrong. A person can be a bookworm who studies all day and gets good grades and be extremely sheltered, thus lacking significant life experience and sometimes even common sense. I know very smart people who fit this mold perfectly. In the OP's case, I think this may be the case. However, I have to applaud the OP's honesty in his response as he was just trying to keep it real.

 

[snaggletoof]

I understand why many on sdn might think the OP is a troll as sdners tend to be very focused and dedicated hardworking students who have a very good idea of the interview "game" and what to say and what not to say. However, I would bet that a high percentage of predental students would say the exact same thing if they had to be totally honest. In fact, a lot of predental friends that I have chose dentistry (a lot switched from premed) solely because of the factors that the OP mentioned. It's not the most noble of reasons to go into the profession but it's reality. In fact, a couple of dentists that I shadowed even suggested that I say a couple of those things in my interview (good hours and business aspects). One dentist in particular, who once served on the admissions committee of a dental school, said that he hears so many "I want to help people" and "I like working with my hands" answers from interviewees that he thinks those answers are disingenuous, false and corny. Also, when people hear that I am going into dentistry, they often make comments like "that's good. Dentists make a lot of money". Furthermore, a presentation in dental school that my brother attended mentioned top reasons dental students chose dentistry as a profession and two of the top three reasons included money or lifestyle.
Also, to assume that high academic achievement=common sense/life experience is totally wrong. A person can be a bookworm who studies all day and getsood grades and be extremely sheltered, thus lacking significant life experience and sometimes even common sense. I know very smart people who fit this mold perfectly. In the OP's case, I think this may be the case. However, I have to applaud the OP's honesty in his response as he was just trying to keep it real.

well stated ilike! i was just wondering if you have mentioned of the lifestyle points in your interviews. if so how were they taken?

 

[IlikeDentite]

well stated ilike! i was just wondering if you have mentioned of the lifestyle points in your interviews. if so how were they taken?

I mentioned lifestyle in terms of being able to manage one's hours, which I like because I have a lot of different interests and will have time to do other things I like including volunteering, staying active in the community, starting nonprofit organizations, training, traveling, etc. I think the interviewers took it pretty well as it was consistent with the diversity of extracurriculars that I had in my application.