How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 1.14 | 78 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 58 |
| Negatively | 9 |
| No change | 10 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.81 | 79 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.29 | 51 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.82 | 50 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In Person | 0 |
| Virtual | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 3 |
| 15 minutes | 11 |
| 20 minutes | 11 |
| 25 minutes | 5 |
| 30 minutes | 35 |
| 35 minutes | 4 |
| 40 minutes | 3 |
| 45 minutes | 6 |
| 50 minutes | 1 |
| 55 minutes | 0 |
| 60+ minutes | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 75 |
| At a regional location | 0 |
| At another location | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 75 |
| In a group | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 54 |
| Closed file | 16 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 1.14 | 78 |
"Why do you want to go to Pitt?"
"Are there any last things that you would like to tell me about you?"
"What made you want to be a dentist?"
"Do you have any questions for me (or for the school)?"
"if you walk into a bookstore, what section do you go to first?"
"Very conversational. No need to prepare."
"Why did you shadow at four different dental offices? Why not just one for longer?"
"What was your favorite science class?"
"Why Pittsburgh?"
"How would your obituary read?"
"There were no real questions, just questions based on the conversation we were having. The interviewer did most of the talking and I asked a lot of questions. Really laid back."
"Dinosaurs? (I did research on the functional morphology of typhodont teeth)"
"Tell me why you're interested in dentistry."
"Why dentistry"
"how did you get interested in dentistry? and why do you want to pursue a career in dentistry?"
"Have you been to pittsburgh before? "
"How would your friends describe you?"
"Why pitt?"
"What other schools have you interviewed at? (He told me that one of my schools was very good, and that I should consider going there)"
"Why not Med or Pharmacy"
"What do you do for fun?"
"How has your day been so far? Do you have any questions for me?"
"Why dentistry?"
"Why do you want to be a dentist?"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"Why are you pursuing dentistry?"
"how was your trip?"
"Where else did u apply?"
"You've done a lot of shadowing of different dentists, tell me about that."
"How do your peers assess your rapport and provide an example?"
"Would you try to maintain the same GPA you have as an undergrad in dental school"
"Can you see yourself specializing after dental school? If so, what field would you choose?"
"why do you what to be a dentist and not a medical student?"
"Where are you from?"
"So, how is Pittsburgh?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"Do you have any questions? After this, it was more or less just a conversation. "
"What experiences have helped you to develop people skills?"
"Why did you apply to University of Pittsburgh?"
"See above."
"1.Tell me about yourself 2.How do you handle challenges."
"Why dentistry...why our school?"
"So you were a football player?"
"What are some highlights of your application."
"what made you decide that you want to be a dentist? "
"Was the brunch good?"
"What kind of background are you using to complete this carear."
"what would you do if you got sick during the semester and had to miss 2 weeks of school?"
"What do u know about the NOVA's dental prgram???"
"What do you know of the dental profession?"
"how was your lunch?"
"If you had a 100 billion dollars, what would you do for work?"
"What will you do if you don't get in this cycle?"
"Why do you want to come to Pitt?"
"Which dentist that you have shadowed influenced you the most? ( I had shadowed a lot of dentists in diff specialties)"
"She asked me how I met my wife and it was very conversational. No stress at all. She wanted to know who I am."
"Why career change?"
"Tell me about a particular time when you faced a challenge that demonstrated your integrity."
"Tell me about your career? (career-changer)"
"What will dentistry give to you?"
"why pitt?"
"Do you plan to do social work?"
"Tell me about this overseas experience on your application."
"Where do you see yourself after you graduate?"
"How does Pitt rank compared to other schools you've been to? (I told him it was second, only after the school he told me I should go to over Pitt.)"
"Why Pitt"
"Why Pittsburgh?"
"What do you like to do for fun?"
"Play any sports, or other extra-curricular activities?"
"What do you want to do with your dentistry degree?"
"Why do you want to come to Pittsburgh?"
"No other questions were asked. "
"What do you like dentistry?"
"first time in pittsburgh?"
"If money were not an issue, what would you do for the rest of your life?"
"How would your friends describe you?"
"Why did you play lacrosse? That is a very violent sport."
"Example of manual dexterity."
"What do you like to do other than science"
"How did you like your research work?"
"Why dentistry?"
"essay question: Where do you see dentistry in 2025 and where do you see yourself?"
"Tell me about your family?"
"Tell me about your greatest life achievment."
"What have you done with yourself over the past year (since graduation)?"
"Why did you go to so many schools during your time as an undergraduate? "
"What accomplishment are you most proud of?"
"3.Why dentist among all health profession."
"Chicago is a great city? "
"What makes dentistry an appealing profession to you?"
"Are you ready for the competion? "
"What do you do to relieve stress?"
"what extraurricular acitivies?"
"Explain your dental volunteer experience "
"What do you know about Pittsburgh? "
"did you consider the military scholarships? "
"Why do you want to be a dentist?"
"What sets you apart from the other applicants?"
"Tell me about you research."
"Tell me about X class that you took?"
"She asked about my service experiences."
"How will you be involved with campus ministry?"
"What type of specific outreach programs would you like to develop at Pitt?"
"Where do you see yourself ten years from now?"
"What do you think of Pittsburgh?"
"What will you give to dentistry? "
"tell me about yourself"
"What do you do on your spare time?"
"How do I judge your comittment to dentistry? (this last one was kind of specific to me I guess since Im a career-changer, formerly finance)"
"Tell me about your community service? Why do you want to be a dentist? Do you have any other questions?"
"what do your parents do"
"Do you want to specialize?"
"Do you plan on moving back to Florida after you graduate?"
"Mostly informative conversation other than those two..."
"What do you think about increasing demands of the cosmetic procedures among people?"
"What are some of your strengths and weaknesses?"
"don't remember"
"What do u do in your spare time?"
"How well can you juggle? (meaning school, life, stressors, etc.)"
"What are the three most pressing issues in dentistry right now? There were many more questions to go along with these."
"The essay question was write about a deceased hero of yours?!"
"Would you want to do research"
"Why Pitt?"
"Where do you work now?"
"How do you deal with stress?"
"Have you done some research?"
"Tell me about one hardship/traumatic experience you went through."
"(Essay Question) Where do you see dentistry in the year 2020? Where do you see yourself in relation to the profession?"
"Why do you have three W's on your transcript?"
"What was a difficult situation you have dealt with?"
"4.What do you think about dental ethics. 5.How's your leadership skill?"
"What other schools did you apply to?"
"What is your stong points?"
"Do you know what this profession is about? I"
"What kind of support structure do you have? (i.e. family, close friends, etc.)"
"Why Pittsburgh??"
"What specialties are of interest to you?"
"what got you interested in dentistry?"
"They asked me about my research"
""Why do you want to be a dentist?""
"How were the private practices run, that you observed?"
"n/a conversation mostly"
"Do you know anything about histology?"
"If you were to pass away 20 years from now, what would be in the 3rd and 4th paragrahs of your eulogy (the 3rd paragraph being background information about my life and the 4th paragraph being those who I would leave behind to mourn)."
"How would your obituary read?"
"What is a fear or doubt you have about dental school and/or the dental profession?"
"Tell me about your research."
"What will you give to dentistry?"
"none"
"Why pitt? I was not really asked much, he just talked most of the time. I feel a little disappointed he did not try to get to know me."
"Are you planning on doing research?"
"Do you know what your last name means?"
"nothing really"
"How does Pitt rank compared to the other schools you applied to?"
"Hows your relationship w/ your sister"
"Nothing really. Questions were just asking about me as an individual."
"Do you plan on moving back to Florida after you graduate?"
"This question wasn't exactly asked during the actual interview, but we were asked the following: "What would you be doing if money were no object?""
"What does your father do for a living?"
"have you ever had any ethic dilemma?"
"What was something that made you think out of the box? "
"Just asked about me"
"Tell me about yourself?"
"N/A"
"What did you learn from your volunteer experience?"
"questions are incredibly open ended and spur of the moment"
"Do u like winter sports?"
"So cat lose their baby teeth too...tell me about that. (childhood story from personal statement)"
"Tell me what you know about E=mc^2? (the first question of the interview)"
"Are you resilient, and explain an example."
"Other than science, what do you like?"
"Standard questions."
"Can you see yourself specializing after dental school? If so, what field would you choose?"
"none, just kinda chatted"
"How do you plan to deal with stress?"
"Tell me about your reaserch?"
"So, What do your parents do?"
"Are you married? (I'm a guy and so was my interviewer.)"
"I was shown a specific article related to dental ethics and asked to comment on it."
"What have you done while you are here?"
"what am I looking for in a dental school?"
"What accomplishment are you most proud of?"
"What do you think about dental ethics? This was same question asked for timed essay. What do you think of your overall performance in terms of grade?"
"So you're from Illinois. Dentistry huh?"
"So you were a football player?"
"Are you ready for the competion? Because its dog eat dog day and you're wearing milk bone underwear son."
"what traits will help you through dental school?"
"So, you are into politics, huh?"
"What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?"
"How I would like living in Pittsburgh"
"WHAT IS THE MAIN CRITERIA FOR SETTING YOUR GOALS."
"Give an example of an historical figure you admire, and explain why."
"I don't remember - unfortunately, the interviewer barely had time to ask me any questions because she had a medical emergency to attend to at the time of my interview, which only lasted for 5 minutes (but she basically told me that I was a shoe-in, which was nice)"
"My interviewer did not ask any memorable questions. He asked the typical questions that I had prepared for."
"Tell me what you know about the dental profession?"
"Coming from such a diverse background and having such an interest in culture, do you think you would be happy in Pittsburgh?"
"No difficult questions"
""What would you do for work if you had a billion dollars?""
"What did you learn during X leadership role?"
"Interviewer didn't really ask many questions, but the attitude of the interviewer made it difficult. Loved the school but the interviewer gave me a bad impression."
"What kind of ministry would you be in involved with at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine."
"How would your obituary read?"
"None, it was conversational and I didn't even feel like he was asking me questions because he told me stories about when he first went to dental school "100 years ago". He was really funny and sooooo nice. "
"In your time working as a dental assistant, have you ever run into any ethical issues, and if so, how did you deal with them?"
"none I can remember, friendly conversation"
"Convince me of your dedication to dentistry"
"What would you do if you didn't get into any dental schools this year?"
"can you explain your interest in dentistry aside from shadowing?"
"How would your friends describe you? (He read this directly off the sheet he was given. I ended my answer with "If they're my friends, I would hope they would say nice things about me" to which he replied, "Yeah, that was stupid question. I've only known you for ten minutes. How would I even know if your telling me the truth. The answers that we are looking for a are [and then he read off the sheet])"
"Why Pittsburgh"
"Nothing. Did ask one question about a previous withdrawal from a class...but it was easy to explain."
"N/A. "
"Nothing too bad..."
"Anything else you want to add?"
"what is the most challenging thing about techinques in dentistry?"
"see above"
"Why do I want to come to Pitt"
"Why do you want to come to Pittsburgh?"
"N/A"
"Why dentistry now?"
"none at all whatsoever"
"How would your friends describe you?"
"Pretty much ever question he asked except for Why dentistry?"
"None."
"Something about my ethics, I wasn't quite sure what he was asking"
"Interviewer (a professor) questioned my ability to perform in dental school when some of my prereq. work was performed at a community college. Asked me comment."
"see above."
"none, just kinda chatted"
"How do you plan to deal with stress?"
"..."
""Do you have any questions?" It was the first thing he asked, and it caught me off-guard a bit."
"Tell me about yourself and how does it relate to your interest in dentistry"
"What accomplishment are you most proud of?"
"none"
"Do you think you will go to UIC?"
"Questions were very basic. Really wasn't any hard questions asked. But if I had to pick it would be "what is one of your weak points?""
"What school is you first choice"
"what are your weaknesses?"
"Would you like some bacon with your eggs and fruit?"
"Please explain your research."
"What sets you apart from other applicants"
"How do you plan of acheiving these goals?"
"None of the questions were difficult or intended to stump the interviewee"
"What do u know about the NOVA's dental prgram???"
"None....just the usual. "
"What do you know about our school?"
"How will you cope with being without your family?"
"SDN interview feedback,"
"Read up about the program online: the mission statement, the vision, and what they look for in candidates"
"Read over my application, not too much preparation was necessary, extremely conversational interviews"
"Found questions online. Not necessary for this school, though."
"sdn, previous interviews, etc."
"Previous interviews"
"looked over my personal statement"
"SDN and reviewed appplication"
"SDN and looked at website"
"Just did a little researched from the website. I just made sure I knew what was in my application and why I want to be a dentist"
"SDN interview feedback"
"Online research on the program"
"I didn't"
"Sdn, school website. It wasn't even necessary. Don't script yourself, it's such a relaxed interview they just want to talk to you. Just know why you want to be a dentist and why you want to go to their school. "
"SDN, practiced interview questions, printed out copies of some research stuff I've done to give to my interviewer. They give you the name of the person who's interviewing you before lunch, so be sure to ask the students you eat with about your interviewer - gave me additional interesting things to talk about with my interviewer."
"Read over their website and SDN interview feedback"
"read about Pitt on their website, spoke to students who have interviewed there"
"SDN, mock interview"
"sdn"
"Read feedback in this website & asked a friend that got into medschool what kind of stuff they asked him."
"SDN, read over AASAS app, school's website"
"I am from the area so I am familiar with the school"
"Went over my application, and thought of some questions to ask the night before and while visiting the school."
"SDN, Pitt website"
"school website, SDN, talked to current students I knew"
"I reviewed the SDN website, the PITT website, and my AADSAS application."
"Read the schools website, read reviews on SDN, wrote out my answers to a bunch of sample questions that I thought I might be asked before hand (not to memorize it, just to get thinking in that mode)"
"Study sample interview questions, formulate quality answers."
"read my personal statement once."
"read feedback, dad gave some advice"
"Read feedback"
"I read up on the feedback from studentdoctor.net, reviewed my application, and pittsburgh's website. "
"SDN, website, personal statement"
"Looked at interview feedbacks on SDN, school's website, and fellow SDNer's advice."
"reviewed my app"
"SDN, lots of research of school via website/webpages of city."
"SDN and their website"
"Read the school website and reviewed my application."
"I read about the school, SDN"
"Reviewed application information. Reviewed school material they sent me as well as internet info."
"researched things I liked/wanted to know more about the school. Prepared questions I imagined I may be asked and then wroted out my answers to them"
"sdn and the stuff the send you"
"SDN and the schools website"
"sdn, web site"
"SDN, UPitt site"
"This was my first interview, so I checked out their website, reviewed my application material and picked up a book from the library on dental assisting to help me familiarize myself with dentistry. In all of my interviews, no one asked me a question that probed how much I knew about the technical aspects of dentistry. So, although it was useful to learn this material for myself, it was not helpful for getting accepted."
"Practiced questions from SDN. Read Pitt content from school's website. Other interview stuff from online. "
"website"
"Visited Pitt's website to learn about the school, and read SDN reports and prepared for all of the questions mentioned."
"This website and Pitt's website"
"website."
"Looked at web site, looked over my essay and application materials"
"School website, SDN"
"Read SDN"
"I just went in with a positive and calm attitude."
"SDN, Website, and talked to people"
"read SDN feedback, prepare answers to commonly asked questions "
"I read up a bit on the school, and hung out with some first year students (stayed with a buddy from undergrad) the weekend before. I asked them tons of questions."
"My other interviews prepared me (I had 8 before)"
"Reading about the school, reading typical interview questions and preparing for them"
"I wrote down certain ideas I was going to come up with."
"looked over their website and the info they sent me in the mail."
"SDN and checked out their website"
"I flew to Pittsburgh, wore a suit, and showed-up with about forty other applicants."
"read materials and just relaxed"
"The faculty were extremely nice and made sure we were not stressed or anxious"
"The faculty was incredibly impressive; they were intelligent, laid-back, and genuine."
"Everything. Was sooo impressed by the friendliness of the faculty that we met throughout the interview day. It's obvious that they go out of there way to make this a low pressure day for interviewees and I got more information about this school during the interview/tour than I did at any other school. They have several selectives and certificate programs (anesthesiology, public health, etc). Was also impressed by their special needs clinic. Smaller program with only 80 seats. They take NBDE part 1 the summer after first year. You get experience with standardized patients. Felt a really good vibe at this school, most enjoyable interview experience that I had."
"The friendliness of the faculty and the D3's and D4's who gave us our tour."
"Location, safety of Pittsburgh"
"the dental anesthesiology program, special needs clinic"
"All the interview process"
"The city/school/student."
"That the sim lab had exactly enough seats for all the students and the clinics were nice."
"The fact that they have a new implant center and have a program where they are trying to get every dental student to place an implant before graduation."
"Anesthesia clinic, all specialities in house, good public transit in Pittsburgh, friendly staff, students seem to enjoy it there"
"The friendliness of the faculty and interview committee. Rose is very down to earth, and so are the rest of the admissions staff members. I also look forward to working in the state-of-the-art simulaton clinic. Pittsburgh invested over $2million in the facility."
"Camaraderie of the students. Course schedules."
"The faculty/students were very friendly and open. The area has a great feel to it. The facilities were nice. "
"New implant center, state of the art facilities, very nice people. "
"-Awesome facilities, not the newest, but modern. All digital X-rays, all digital paperless filing. -Tons of research opportunities (something I'm interested in). -They find you patients -You get your own sim lab station and do on and off day sharing with a chair in the clinic. -You can get your Anesthesia certificate -In the Clinic from week 1, doing assisting and another patient care things to prepare you. -More specialty residency seats than many other schools (11 ortho, 12 OMFS) -Great admission staff, after I emailed to get some additional info on specialty numbers because I was trying to decide between Pitt and Columbia, Dr. Etzel actually called me and talked to me for like an hour. -Everyone who applied to Ortho last year was accepted somewhere (Big Pro for me) -Very positive students. "
"Interviewer was very nice and helpful. Oakland area around the school was very nice."
"The school seems very professional and has their med school/nursing/pharmacy/etc. right across the street. The facilities look very nice and they're proud of their 80-chair sim lab. They have some good research opportunities and specialties available. All the students I met felt good about the quality of the education they were receiving. "
"the students seem very happy; the surrounding location is beautiful; the program is in the process of updating equipment; students are exposed to all specialties"
"how many of the students wanted to help out with the day and spoke positively of the school"
"facility, how much money they invest into the school and students."
"How friendly the faculty was (the program director/dean even had brunch with us)"
"The friendliness of students and faculty. The school's want to continue changing with technology--new implant clinic, electronic charting, and special needs clinic."
"Pitt is cool, the area is full of students, and has a lot going on for those who like sports, cultural stuff, the program is pretty respected too"
"Everyone was very honest. They talked about the bad as well as the good. The sim lab. According to the students, classes are not taught towards the board exams, they are taught towards being a knowledgable dentist. They have all of the dental specializations here. The classes are taught by dental school faculty, so you won't have classes with med school students. "
"Friendly people"
"Interview was very laid back. The are currently building a new implant area and seemed as though future improvements were in progress. Students were very relaxed and well-rounded. Great food too :)"
"The SIM lab and positive attitudes of current students with whom I spoke."
"The sim-clinic was great. They have 80 seats. The facilities were clean and seemed up to date. The school also appears to be constantly plowing money back into itself to always stay up to date. Oh, also, the steel mills that people generally associate with pittsburgh aren't actually here anymore...It's actually a cute city."
"The facilities are very nice, it is next to the new Peterson center (basketball arena/workout facility) and is in a great medical community. The simulation clinic is fairly new, and new facilities are going up in the area."
"The students seemed pretty happy.The location is in oakland downtown which is a nice area.The facilities were all nice."
"The area seemed nice"
"everyone was very friendly and enthusiastic to answer my questions."
"beautiful campus. really like the buildings."
"They actually cared about us, and were incredibly welcoming and attentive. They had nice facilities, small class size."
"student's level of enthusiam"
"The people. My goodness was everyone so enthusiatic about being there, and being there together. The faculty and students not involved in the interview day were stopping me to make sure it was going well. And, the Sim-Lab is amazing! They really strive to make the transition smooth from simulation to clinical. They also have selection courses where you can choose a specialty to work with in your fourth year."
"The students were pretty happy and the facilities were pretty nice."
"How friendly all of the students were together, and how they struggled to come up with a negative aspect of their experience at Pitt so far."
"The area is awesome, the students and faculty were sooo nice. Everyone seemed to really like it there."
"Nice campus, with some new facilities. The schedule and order of the day were well-planned. The staff was very hospitable. Clearly a solid academic environment and the students enjoyed each other's company."
"The whole day at the school went by smoothly and everything was pertinent to dental applicants. The school has a wonderful simulation clinic and has a good reputation if you are looking for a more clinical experience oriented school. "
"How professional the program and presentations were"
"the simulation lab and the people were nice"
"the facilities, and the simulation clinic"
"They have lots of students from different years that are there to for you to ask questions during brunch and the student panel. Brunch is a great idea!"
"Everything, I have feeled weloce ot Univeristy of Pitsbburgh Shool of Dental Medicine. Faculty and students were extreamly freinldy, it was a long day, but very, let me repeat very orgonised. Rose Mangold is super nice, everyone was very nice. Pittsburgh is a nice place to be at, campus is beautiful, outtors are great in Pennsilvania...not as expensive to live at. Branch was great, very good food....Stimulation lab is very cool, it looks like University does spend time and money on facilites. All students were very open and honest about their experiances at "
"EVERYTHING!! The brunch, the students, Rose Mangold, the other faculty, the adjacent gym and food court, the city...the list goes on."
"The town seemed quite liveable. The atmosphere at this school seemed fairly relaxed compared to others I've been to."
"School's facilities were nice. They seem to take care of their students well. School is very well established. Area/location is beautiful- buildings are nice, looks like a mini-metropolitan area, lots of greenary. Great fitness center."
"facilities are very new and modern especially the SIM lab."
"--Faculty--> They were all very friendly yet professional. The students also had good things to say about most professors. I was most impressed by the fact that most of the faculty also have their own practices, so you know they're actually competent in the procedures they're teaching. --Students--> Everyone was extremely friendly and eager to answer questions. They seem like a close-knit group. --Facilities--> The building is top-notch...modern and well-maintained. They have a Sim pre-clinic, and apparently it actually works (unlike the Sim labs at some schools). --Curriculum--> The module system used 3rd and 4th years sounds useful. --Military Scholarship Info--> I hadn't really thought about this before, but the information presented by the miliary liaison was quite interesting."
"friendly staff and students"
"The genuine concern that the overall faculty and students have to make you feel welcomed."
"The campus, city, the technology and curriculum"
"Kind faculties, nice facilities."
"Their labs are very nice, but you pay for them. My interviewer was a very impressive person and we basically talked for 50 minutes, good research school (tissue regeneration). Offer MBA/MPH/etc.. “for free.†Brunch was good. "
"Absolutely- I was really impressed with their facilities, and their down to earth atmosphere."
"The city is much nicer and cleaner than I expected"
"the friendliness of the people; the receptiveness of the faculty to the students and applicants; the obvious desire to serve the needs of the students as best as they can; the facilities"
"The program as a whole is great, and everyone at the school treated all of the interviewers as colleagues. Facilities are great, too!"
"The people are super-duper friendly. The facilities are amazing. The professors are helpful and very qualified... they seem to really want to be there. Everyone seemed very happy."
"Interviewer was pleasant, very relaxed"
"The interveiwer was easy to understand and not going through are conversation to quick."
"The facilities are nice and new"
"the nice attitude of the admissions staff, new facilities"
"people, students, faculty.. I liked the city too.."
"The pre-clinical facilities were very modern and was an overall clean school. "
"The simulation lab is fantastic--new state-of-the-art with flat-screen monitors. "
"Between all the schools i interviewed at i was most impressed with the genuineness and approachability of the people at UPitt. The facilities are sparkling. Also UPitt really takes pride in their students, campus and you see the love the st"
"They were a bit late starting for checking in."
"Interviews were 13 minutes long, so we only got to talk about 2-3 things before the zoom room cut out"
"The facilities could use some rehab"
"Nothing. School is great."
"Food/restaurant selections in Pittsburgh are not great."
"Nothing, besides maybe the cost of attending."
"The location, the students were a little unfriendly, and I felt that they didn't really try to get to know me as a potential student."
"Interviewer was very negative and didn't even seem prepared for my interview. Left me feeling like the school didn't really care."
"N/A"
"No real negatives"
"the city of pittsburgh, just didn't give me a good feeling. No student housing HUUUGE minus. Students were all married, didn't seem like they went out together much. "
"-No set time to study for boards. -In talking to some students, they had a few complaints about some of the clinic staff, that some want you to do something one way, and another prof wants you to do it completely differently. -If you don't confirm that your patient has paid half up front, you can be on the limb for the price of the work you do."
"Facilities are just ok. The interview day was very unorganized and there were at least 50 applicants that day. Lots of unnecessary downtime. Admissions office emphasized listening to students about why you should come here - then students lamented about the super competitive nature of the classes, difficulty finding patients, and lack of study time for boards. Admissions office was not particularly helpful during the day and strangely unfriendly."
"Nothing negative really about the school. Pittsburgh, the city, has very cold weather and lots of hills to walk up, which may deter some people. It's a pretty isolated city but it seems self-sufficient in terms of social activities and there's lots of universities around; decent college town. The tuition is fairly high but not so bad for in-state. "
"nothing"
"the building the school is in has some awesome areas (the simlab is brand new and spacious) but other areas seem a bit old - somehow felt gray/blah"
"the day was very long"
"I was not really impressed at all with the facilities, the SIM lab although hyped up to be amazing was nothing spectacular in comparison to facilities at NYU, Case, or Buffalo(places I have seen), Board scores were low for part 1, concerns about seeing enough patients"
"The current students prefer their classes not to be geared towards the boards, but some of the staff and faculty apparantly want to teach towards the boards. I side with the students."
"None"
"I grew up in Pittsburgh and it was "interesting" to hear how they described the city."
"The cold and wet weather. Even though has been a "warm winter," I'm from Florida. "
"Nothing really...The weather, but you know...it's pittsburgh"
"Not much really."
"nothing really."
"I was not impressed with what is offered at the school. They seem to think their sim-clinic is everything. I talked to students about the sim-clinic and found out about some issues. Yes they have 80 seats, but they are for all the students including hygiene; so that is 160+ students with limited hours of availability. Also, the patient care facility was EMPTY. The students that were there were discouraged about being able to meet their requirements. As far as classes go, students told us that they are having problems with the way the school handles issues with professors. The students feel the school is more interested in its research than about teaching dental students. I only found 1 student that said they would choose this school if they had to do it again."
"i actually wish my interview lasted longers because i feel like i still had much more to say."
"They interview sooo many students at once! I think there was about 60 students there for an interview that morning. It was just insane! Also, the interviews are sooo short! and my interviewer didn't really ask me any questions. It seemed as if he didn't know which questions to ask.. so I just kept on talking until we ran out of time. I don't feel that the interviewer got to know me very well within that short period of time."
"Extremely cold, and windy! "
"nothing!"
"The gigantic hill that I had to trudge up to get there while exploring the campus."
"My interview sucked"
"I was interviewed by someone in the human resource department, while most were interviewed by Dr.'s or people directly on the admissions committee."
"the cost"
"Sensed some stress among students about the academic load. Some students were not enthusiastic about the school."
"couldn't find the place to check in"
"the school gym"
"nada."
"The shortness of the interview. Some of the faculty were very young and seemed likely to lack experience. Some of the facilities seemes a little dark and dingy."
"Gloomy weather. Students said it was very hard the first two years, but then I guess every dental school is. They almost seemed to put down their own school and speak highly of other schools. It confused me as to what they were trying to portray. "
"What's up with the essay, and the 70 degree hill outside the building......I don't know how everyone can go up that hill during winter when there are ices every where."
"--The Endurance Test--> The day is way too long. Four hours is more than enough time to get a sense of what a school is all about. Honestly, after the 5-hour mark I began to wonder whether the day would turn into some kind of quasi-Survivor Last Man Standing competition, in which only the few weary applicants still on their feet at day's end received admission. Be sure to eat a large breakfast and drink lots of coffee beforehand. --Financial Aid Presentation--> Why did we need to spend 30 minutes listening to a woman read aloud a packet we'd already been given? Note to Pitt: We know how to read. --Essay--> Like all on-site interviews, this was an utter waste of time... --Terrain--> I didn't realize how hilly the campus was...combined with the haphazard street layout that must make for real pain in the ass commute."
"The city looked like a dump."
"Their clinics are modest, and a bit outdated. I got the feeling that most of the advanced cases went to post-grads and the staff was a bit under prepared during my interview. It was finals week, but my tour guide got us lost on the way to my one-on-one interview and no students were around the school. The area around the school was a bit urban, thank god the brunch was good. "
"Didn't like the hills...and housing seemed to be kind of an issue."
"The tuition"
"They didn't have chocolate milk at the brunch... absolutely criminal!"
"Absolutely nothing."
"Other school employees were not very helpful, some rude (Secretaries and other low level workers; professors seemed nice). Comparatively, students did not seem very excited about the school."
"They did not explain the amount and the hours of each person responbility."
"The students I spoke with did not seem to be of a very high caliber...often when asked why they chose to attend Pitt the answer was that this was the only school where they had been accepted....Students also spoke loudly about how much money one can make in the field of dentistry while walking through the clinics, clearly in ear-shot of patients being treated....There were a million other interviewees there the same day "
"the poor attitude of the students towards developmentally disabled patients, homogeneous student body, city of Pittsburgh in general, students constantly talked about how nice it was to work out in the new gym, dental fraternities dentistry in the air force and not enough about the curriculum/school/dentistry in general. "
"dental building"
"The lack of diversity in the student body.... in general, the pittsburgh area is homogenous. Also, the school seemed dead, I didn't see a single patient being treated. The school seemed like a second class institution located in the middle of nowhere."
"All of your first year is spent in a small classroom with no change in scene."
"Pittsburgh is VERY hilly. The streets can be confusing especially that BUS lane! "
"It was very casual. You're split up into three different sections, and you'll have two separate one-on-one interviews. The third section is a student QnA panel."
"How conversational it truly is"
"I wish I wasn't so nervous. The faculty at Pitt are awesome!"
"How conversational it was going to be. I over-prepared."
"How long the day was going to be."
"Writing sample"
"How long/exhausting a 7 hour interview is."
"There is a writing sample"
"How relaxed it really is. The interview was very much conversational style. It was great."
"They give you an envelope at the beginning of the day. Right below your name (on the sticker on the envelope) will be the name of your interviewer. I thought it was in the folder. It's on the envelope, not on the folder. Ask your student guide about your interviewer. Maybe they'll tell you that your interviewer hates dentistry and is really negative so you can be prepared for that if that happens to you."
"That I did not have to stress out so much about the interview itself. I was a bit nervous going into the interviews, but I left feeling very relieved that it was very relaxed. Remember that the interviewee is trying to get a feel for the school just as much as the interviewer is trying to get a feel for the interviewee."
"Snowmageddon destroys travel plans!"
"how relaxed it was going to be, I thought i was going to throw up waiting in the the office for my interviewer but when he came in he brought a cheerful warm atmosphere with him and it was like sitting down with an old friend. seriously guys, STOP STRESSING!!!!!!!!!!!"
"All of the negative comments above."
"There were 51 other students there for interviews"
"That it was an all-day affair (8a.m. - 6p.m.)"
"There is a timed writing sample--but it's not a big deal. Wear comfortable shoes (especially girls) you'll be walking a lot!"
"There was a timed essay question. There were also about 80 other people to be interviewed."
"How stress free it was"
"We had to do a timed writing sample. Not a big deal, but thought it was interesting."
"How stress-free the interview process would be. "
"If you are flying to Pittsburgh: Do NOT take a taxi to get to your hotel. Take a shuttle. Taxi = 40 bucks, shuttle = 24. After the interview, on the way back to the airport, if you can catch the X28 shuttle from Fifth Avenue, that will only cost you $2.25 (that is not a typo)..."
"How nice and relaxing it would be.That you are the one that almost interviewing them and asking questins than them."
"I wish how miserable the students were there. I would have saved money!!!"
"nothing"
"had to walk on a nice sized hill, school is rather far from the airport"
"Wear comfortable shoes because you'll be doing a lot of uphill walking!"
"That I would be there with nearly 30 other interviewees."
"The school collaborates a lot with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) which I thought was really cool. Also, we had an essay to write at the end of our interview which they sort of sprung on us. We had a time limit of 20 minutes. "
"Where Salk hall is"
"Essay"
"nothing...read the other interview posts. Don't use the taxis to get to the hotel the day of the interview."
"It is possible to get a student rate from a shuttle from the airport. It was only $5 one-way. Although there is bus that is $3. There are a lot of interesting things to do there in the university area. They have a big natural history museum an art museum and a plant conservatory right next to campus. Also within close walking distance is Carnegie-Mellon. There are some large open areas close by where one could go running."
"Nothing. "
"The stupid essay"
"Nothing, really (with the possible exception of how hilly Pittsburgh is)."
"The city (see above)"
"You will be walking a lot. "
"Pittsburgh isn't an amazing city by any means, but it wouldn't be horrible for four years. "
"No real surprises."
"That you had to write an essay."
"That the very few SDN posters that negatively rate Pitt are about as informed on good dental schools as a cow is about headlights... neither know how to recognize either for what they are! And that is no bull."
"How great the school is. I wouldn't have spent so much money going to my other interviews if I would have known how amazing PITT is."
"The persons history and what the requirments to suceed."
"I learned later (from others who had applied in the past, and also from admissions staff at other schools that I interviewed at) that Pitt invites many many people to interview early in the process, particularly west coast students, in an attempt to get them to put down a deposit early and then drop out later when they get into better schools. The deposit is 750 dollars and is non-refundable--a pretty good money making scheme for the school, but not very considerate of financial situation of most applicants. I was invited for an interview--and accepted--even before my application was complete, which I originally was flattered by, but now see that they just wanted my money."
"Although the people at admissions were nothing but nice to me, this school is really really not for me. "
"How sorry of a dental program it was and wouldn't have wasted money on the trip."
"It's a trek up cardiac hill to reach the peak where the dental school is situated. "
"traffic is trouble. thats the only thing."
"Loved this interview and left feeling very confident"
"Pitt has a great program with great professors and great students. Can't wait to attend in the fall!"
"No preparation necessary."
"Be physically ready. The whole interview/tour took 7 hours. At the end of the day, I was so exhausted. I wish I knew that before hand."
"I really liked the school and I could really see myself happy there as a student."
"Wish they had more 3rd and 4th year students for the brunch/tour. Makes me wonder about the happiness of the 3rd and 4th years. Wish they had organized things a little better. Was late to my interview because they were disorganized. My interviewer was not in his office and was busy -- made me feel like they didn't even care about me and wondered why they even bothered to invite me to interview. Interviewer was very negative and preoccupied. Thought the school was great but left with a little bit of a bad impression. Wasn't able to see clinic either except through a window -- what's with that?"
"Great school overall. I came out of the interview wanting to go here. Really laid back interview"
"relax, and just be yourself, seriously. The interviewers are mostly dentists, some of them have 25 years of practice in making people feel calm, let them do their job and tell them why you want this. "
"The interview day really impressed me, and ultimately the experience I had made me go with Pitt over Columbia because it felt like a better fit."
"If you already have an acceptance and have no particular reason for going to Pitt, I wouldn't waste your money on an interview here - there are much better schools out there."
"Very respectable school, only question should be whether or not you're comfortable with the city and tuition. "
"The day started out with a presentation by numerous faculty and administration. Although the presentations were very long, it was a great learning experience. This was followed by a brunch with current students, and they encouraged us to ask as many questions as we wanted. Next, the students took us on a tour of the facilities. The interview followed the tour, and lasted 30 minutes. Since there were so many students there, you were interviewed by either a faculty member or administration, but there was only one interviewer. The interview was extremely layed back and was more of a conversation than an interview. They expressed that the purpose of the interview isn't to grill the students, but rather to get a sense of whether you have personal skills and can communicate well in person. Overall, I was greatly impressed by the school, and the program definitely exceeded my expectations."
"My interview was with the dean who was very veryyy nice and laid back. It was definately more of a conversation than a interview. He seemed more interested in answering my questions than asking me them."
"The only thing I would say is probably the interview and tour went too long. In the beginning one of the faculty members spoke for an hour about the student's schedule which I think could have been shorter."
"Very nice school, VERY welcoming faculty, good chemistry of students - found Pittsburgh itself kinda plain BUT seemed comfortable and affordable. "
"Relaxing day, can even be fun."
"Pitt is pretty laid back, had breakfast, wrote a lil bit, interviewed, toured the area, had some Q and A and left, overall though, I am from Pittsburgh and they really took some creative liberty in describing Pittsburgh and all the "things" to do, I love pittsburgh too but they really were trying to spin everything into a positive"
"I enjoyed it. He started off very professional but near the end seemed much more laid back. He also filled out all of the paper work about me right in front of me, and at the end told me that he gave me a good review because I was very honest and because he thought I would make a good dentist."
"There were more students there than I thought. about 50 students with only 25 spots left. "
"Great school! "
"My interview experience at PITT was wonderful. Although there were about 50 applicants, there were many first- and third-year students with which I could interact while eating brunch and touring the facilities. The interview itself was not difficult by any means. My interviewer was an oral pathologist from the south with the most amazing accent. It felt more as if I was having a conversation with a new and interesting person, not being interviewed. I definitely stressed too much, but this is most likely because it was my first interview."
"Interview was very informative and laid back. More of a conversation than hard pressed questions. I was impressed by this."
"The interviewer was rude and uninterested. He did not bother to look at my file (he was supposed to) and while I was speaking he looked through his mail without paying attention to me. He then picked up the phone and called about a parking ticket he just received, without even an apology for his interruption. Not a great interview, but I heard the other interviewers are fairly congenial. "
"I liked it!"
"it was great. my interviewer was very friendly. they try to make it less stressful for you. just be yourself!"
"I was only asked two questions: Tell me about yourself? Why do you want to come to Pittsburgh? The interview was very casual and the professor that interviewed me was very friendly."
"The area is really nice.. I really enjoyed walking around. The school doesn't seem to offer much that's different from other schools. The faculty seems nice. The BRUNCH IS SO AWESOME! it's just too bad that the students there didn't know how to engage in conversations during that time.. and she spoke so softly during the tour. The student wasn't too friendly, obviously. It seems like a pretty good school tho. "
"Very laid back, she asked all the typical questions but it was conversational."
"if you recieved the agenda, it follows it very well."
"Basically, the day is very relaxing until it comes time for the interview, but do not stress. Whether your interview will be laid back or stressful depends on who your interviewer is, there are probably 20-30 interviewers and basically all are extremely nice except like one or two who try to make you interview miserable. I interviewed here twice, last year my interviewer was horrible and totally degraded me and my application, but this year my interviewer was awesome, totally laid back and we just had a conversation. I got my acceptance letter three days later. So don't stress, if u get one of the mean interviewers stay positive and don't let him intimidate you. "
"I was one of about fifty other interviewers. We had presentations then brunch were we got to know each other, the staff, and students, and then a tour followed by brief interviews and more presentations."
"My interview experience pretty much sucked. It was the hardest one I've had so far. I went into the interview completely relaxed b/c i figured it was going to be pretty easy, but that was not the case. My interviewer had zero sense of humor. He had a list of 18 questions and he just went right on down the list. It wasn't conversational at all even though I was attempting to make it that way. He was getting down to business. They were all really random questions. He seemed to try to criticize my background, like where I went to school and the sports I played. He didn't crack a smile the entire time and was impossible to read. I just didn't have good luck b/c everyone else i talked to had a really slack interview. You pretty much have a 1 and 40 chance of having a crappy interviewer. Decent odds. "
"Good, the process was very laid back and I really was able to be myself."
"It went very smoothly. The school gives really good information on how to get to the school and the airport. The day went as planned. It was great"
" The interview was a well-organized event. The communication from the school was excellent both leading up to and after the interview. After arriving and meeting a few fellow interviewees, we were formally greeted by Rose Mangold, the Dean, and various staff. We had a presentation on the curriculum by the dean and two professors. Students then arrived and took us for brunch in the student center, showing off the workout facilities and basketball arena. The food and conversation was very good. Brunch was followed by a tour of the clinic and dental school. Then we had individual interviews (20 min each). We then had a session with students only, where we could ask any questions we wanted. Finally, we had a financial aid presentation and a tour of the simulation lab. Overall a nice experience. The staff told us to relax, enjoy, and learn -- and I could tell they meant it. "
"Very informative day. "
"Good overall, nothing glaringly bad"
"it was great the student were nice and overall it was fun."
"When you get there you will be overwhelmed because they interview about 50 people on the same day, but don't stress. It's actually really laid back, the students and faculty are super friendly. They talk a lot, so when you go to brunch eat a lot and grab a drink to go because it ends around 3 and you're going to be hungry by the end of the whole day experience. Also there is an essay that you have to write, but don't stress they give you 15 minutes and they just want to see how you think, nothing too serious. "
"I liked the school a lot. The students are very friendly. The tour was good...got to see a lot of the school and clinic. The interview is laid back."
"See above"
"Do not be stressed.(unless you are interviewing in February, then you might be in a DO OR DIE situation) Most of the other students that interviewed that day did not even talk about dentistry during their interview."
"There were many different interviewers. So, my experience might not apply to you. There were about 50 students here on this interview day. I was told they have the 2nd highest building on any campus in the world. It looks like a medieval skyscraper. There are classes actually held in it. It's 40 stories tall. You can take the elevator to the top for great views! The students seemed to like there school and were friendly. They've got a real nice "sim-lab" and another nice pre-clinic lab. There is a gym in the big sports complext right next to the dental school. The cost of living is quite cheap. This might be a real nice place to go to school. "
"I didnt speak much during the entire interview b/c my interviewer kept talking. He was a great guy and we clicked right away! So, the rest was history. I was notified of my acceptance within a week or two of interviewing there. The interview was just a casual conversation of my past experiences, thoughts, letters of recommendation, and future goals. Therefore I dont really remember distinct questions being asked. "
"Overall good impression. I believe it is a good school for both clinical experience and the research opportunity."
"It was very laid back and low stress by open file standards, though not so easy as a typical closed file interview. YMMV depending on which professor you interview with. Overall the day was great and definitely improved my impression of Pitt. I just wish they would trim an hour or two off the bloated itinerary."
"It was laidback, and as stress-free as possible."
"Very informal, Dr. Seyedain just wanted to get to know me as a person."
"I was only asked three questions, the interview was very low key and the school impressed me"
"Not really stressful"
"Descent school, very expensive. Go to Pitt if you do not have a state school, or it is one of your last options. "
"I really enjoyed my interview at Pittsburgh. If you have one here you have nothing to be worried about. Just be confident."
"Overall, I think Pitt is a great school in a nice area. One of my top choices, for sure. Every one was friendly and the my time at Pitt was very enjoyable."
"Had to write a essay, given about 10 min. "
"I am extremely impressed by Pitt. This school really has it together. I was prepared to see "nice facilities." But I was not prepared for the relaxing, friendly atmosphere. The faculty is wonderful, including ROSE! She is like that aunt you only see every few years, but always remembers your name and gives you a heartfelt hello at the family reunion! This is a great school-I have no clue how the negative posts arise. Don't take their word, but don't take my word for it either... apply and go interview. I will probably end up at Pitt. "
"The preclinical labs, the simulation clinic, the clinic, the classrooms are top-notch. Pitt is a dream school. Compared to the overpriced schools in the Northeast, Pitt is superior in every way. See for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree. (the weather isn't as bad as people make it out to be either) =)"
"The school seemed nice. However, the interview was like mass interviewing there were about 60 students that were being interviewed the same day. The interview was very laid back. However, the interviewer had no idea about me, I don't even think she had seen my file. "
"An okay school, easier to get into than many other schools (although you'll get more respect going here than, say, NYU)."
"The thoughts of what I was epecting were diffrent then from what I was told ahead of time."
"The interview process itself was fine---very low-key and not designed to be stressful. My interview experience was negative because of what I learned about the school while I was there, as well as what I learned shortly after leaving the interview. Also, although the admissions staff was great on the day that I interviewed, they were less than helpful in the weeks to come in answering my questions. Several people I spoke to, including Rose Mangold, were blatantly rude to me when I called or e-mailed seeking additional information."
"We were all packed into a giant lecture hall ass-early in the morning. The dean of the school spoke, and told us that for recreation in Pittsburgh, we could "ski...and...ski" :) As for the interviews (which we had at different times) we were all rushed in, and rushed out. I felt as if I hadn't had an interview at all. I basically sat down, she told me that my stats were good, and that was the end. "
"Overall, the inteview was ok.. At first when i got there, i was surprised by the number of people who were there for the interview.. there was like 80 people in the auditorium.... I was interviewed by this one dentist and for about 10 minutes of my 15 minute interview, he did most of the talking.. he started off by telling me how he loves Florida(where i came from), it's weather and the Disney.. Then he kept going on and on about his last visit to disney with his children..... i didnt care much.. I think he did that to make me feel comfortable.. He asked me what other schools i applied to.. One of the school i applied to was Nova and he asked me if i knew anything about nova dental program.. Of course, I said "no" and he talked about 3 minutes about nova... By the end of the interview I felt like I didnt say much throughout the interview... And before i knew it, the interview was over... "
"For the above reasons, I immediately turned down their acceptance and would recommend future applicants not to apply to pitt as one of the back-up schools because it is not worth it."
"It was a beautiful little school. I like the way they are retaining full-time faculty who are dedicated to the school only. The students seemed happy, and their selectives programs was refreshing and unique. "
"great"
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Student | 73 |
| Faculty member | 1 |
| Admissions staff | 1 |
| Other | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 36 |
| Neutral | 8 |
| Discouraging | 1 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.78 | 49 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In state | 11 |
| Out of state | 37 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hour | 5 |
| 2-3 hours | 5 |
| 4-6 hours | 14 |
| 7+ hours | 18 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 22 |
| Automobile | 18 |
| Train or subway | 3 |
| Other | 3 |
Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh International
PITT
Pittsburgh International Airport
PIT
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At school facility | 0 |
| With students at the school | 1 |
| Friends or family | 5 |
| Hotel | 32 |
| Home | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
Wyndham Garden Hotel
Comfort Inn
Yes
Hilton Garden Inn
Wyndham Garden Hotel
Comfort Inn
Yes
Hilton Garden Inn
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| < $100 | 3 |
| $101-$200 | 10 |
| $201-$300 | 4 |
| $301-$400 | 8 |
| $401-$500 | 8 |
| $501+ | 3 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.84 | 49 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.66 | 50 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.69 | 49 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.57 | 23 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.46 | 24 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.52 | 21 |
"Keep doing a good job!"
"Please give better directions for interviews. I personally felt the organization for student interviews were a bit messy."
"I wish that there were fewer applicants during the interview day (I was with 50 other students!) It was hard to stand out and get to know the school's faculty and students"
"Wish they had better/faster response to applicants and more organized interview day."
"Get more answering machine storage! Haha =p"
"Too much downtime. Streamline things a little more. A writing sample? Really?"
We help students become doctors. TM
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?