Applicants generally had a positive experience at Tufts University School of Medicine, finding the interviews to be relaxed and conversational. Some noted the long day with informative presentations, diverse perspectives from interviewers, and the friendly atmosphere of the school. However, there were mixed feelings about the cost of attendance, variations in interview experiences, and the structure of the interview day.
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Overall, great interview!
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No notes, it was a great experience
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The interview made a massively positive impression on me, seems like a great school run by great people!
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Mostly really chill, just relax and be yourself!
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Did not feel very conversational
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Tufts seems like a great school, aside from the hefty price tag that accompanies it. The Presentation Day is very informative, although very very long.
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Awesome school. I was actually really impressed and now would like to go there more than ever.
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So so happy to have experienced interview day at Tufts. This school is truly one of a kind and I’m so blessed to say I’ll be attending c/o 2024!!!???? Good luck to you all!
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I love this school, but the interview day didn't really do it justice. I think I would be unimpressed if this was my first impression of Tufts.
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I was very put off by the PhD.
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I was very impressed by Tufts University School of Medicine and I hope I get accepted there!! :)
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One of my interviewers was very nice. However the other was very stand-offish and completely shut down when I started talking about health disparities. He rolled his eyes at me and made other rude gestures. This made me very uncomfortable. When I spoke to the admissions staff at Tufts, they told me that they have had similar problems with this interviewer in the past, but were not going to do anything because he had been interviewing with them for so long. They also made the remark several times that "life isn't fair". I have lived in the area for several years. I care about this school and I was very disappointed by how poorly I was treated during my interview and how little the school cared. I want to stay in the Boston area, but my experiences really made me question how much the school values their students.
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I liked the school and I plan on attending, but the interview was very intimidating and I thought I did poorly.
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The interviews were pretty short around 15-20 minutes each and maybe 5-10 minutes were for questions...didn't feel they could get a great judge of me considering the day was almost 7 hours...
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Love TUSM. Great school beautiful campus. Relax before the interview-for me it was a no stress interview
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Loved Tufts!
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One of my interviewers was pretty cold. I couldn't get her to smile at all; she seemed to be staring pretty blankly at me the whole time. The other interviewer was a bit more engaging, but seemed particularly eager to challenge me--I didn't necessarily find that to be off-putting because I appreciated the opportunity to defend my positions on certain points, but it seemed a bit aggressive at times. The staff was otherwise friendly, and the space was comfortable. The tour guides were great, and genuinely seemed willing to answer any questions we had. They also seemed to be very happy at (and with) Tufts.
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I was really struck by how little I learned about Tufts in the interview process. I feel like I didn't get a good sense of the character of the school, and the whole day seemed somewhat listless to me.
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Great school!
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First half of the day = presentations about the curriculum, research opportunities, and financial aid. Second half of the day = two one-on-one interviews (mine lasted 20 and 35 minutes) and a student-led tour.
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Very impressed by the school, and would love to attend.
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Great school. Great people. Great vibe.
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Great school I think I would really enjoy going here.
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The current students here are a really cool bunch. Laughed a lot when meeting/talking to them.
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Awesome school. Only limiting factor is cost. If they offer me good amount of financial aid, consider me in!
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It's truly an unstressful and pleasant time interviewing at Tufts, and it looks like an awesome place to study
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This school is very relaxed and would probably yield a very satisfying medical school experience.
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I have yet to see a more impressive medical school - the only issue is the crushing debt you would take on.
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Good facilities, very friendly administration and staff. The curriculum should appeal to someone who wants to be a good clinician.
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I came here sort of borderline about going here. After my interview, I know I'd be heartbroken to not be accepted here. Sure the facilities are new, research opportunities are ample, and the professors are competent but what I really fell in love with were the students and the atmosphere. I just felt at home.
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Great School! I love everything but the price. Interview finished at 4pm. A lot of other students. Good lunch.
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Interview day was nearly painless, they gave you candy and delicious food, the dean as well as the rest of the admissions staff were amazingly kind and humble, they have new student facilities that are awesome, the school seems to really care about whether students are happy, and I would definitely be thrilled to go here! here's hoping!
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Very great experience that made me even more excited to go to school here!
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All in all, not a bad day. I think I got a bit unlucky in terms of my interviewer, but I can see how lots of people would have a very enjoyable experience. I was very impressed with the new medical education building, and I liked the compact layout of the medical center and the location in downtown Boston. I found the admissions staff to be really darling and helpful, but the day was a bit too structured and stilted - maybe it would be wise to take out a presentation or two.
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Appreciated how the interviewers were all set along a corridor of conference rooms, so we did not have to trek all over the place looking for the interviewers.
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Great school in a great location. You won't have to sacrifice your social life or medical education at Tufts. You will have both.
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This interview was unlike any other I have had, and I bombed it. I studied all of the wrong things, and was unprepared to answer some of the questions I was asked. I fumbled through my responses, which came off as canned and insincere even though they weren't. One of the interviewers even called me out on this.
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Overall, a really great school. Current students seemed really happy, and felt that the cost was worth it.
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My first interview went very well and went over time so I had zero time to regroup after and went straight into the second one. The second one went very fast and I felt like I barely did any talking! The ER doctor interviewing me just talked about what it was like to do what he did and some ways the E.D. deals with huge volumes of patients. It was pretty funny - he did at least 70% of the talking!
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I really love Tufts and am very excited about their new Maine Track Program. The students and faculty are warm and welcoming, the facilities are amazing and they place a lot of emphasis on clinical medicine from beginning. They also seem to work very hard to personalize each student's medical education through "selectives" from the first year so that you start getting a feel for different areas of the profession early.
I felt that my Maine interviews went somewhat better than my Tufts ones but perhaps I was just less stressed.
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If you get an interview, enjoy your day. The students are very easy to talk to and willing to answer any questions you have. The interviewers are great and don't try to trick you. Just stay relaxed and you'll do fine.
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Great to have 4th year medical students giving the campus tour--they have a wealth of knowledge and this was the best school tour I've ever had. Enjoyed both the Boston and Maine aspects of my interviews for this school--but especially the Maine part. The medical center was so welcoming and I really enjoyed the special touches like the car tour of Portland and the MMC mints. My interviewers in Portland knew my AMCAS application better then any interviewers I've had elsewhere. Love this school.
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The tour was poor. It was led by 4th-year students who didn't know much, nor did they show us around much. I saw the anatomy lab, the main lecture hall, and a cafe-type lounge. I wanted to see more but I kept my mouth shut. It was positive having had the tour after the interviews; everyone was more relaxed and the questions were genuine, not competitive.
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The whole interview day made Tufts my first choice. Oh and the lighted pens and candy selection were a plus.
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My host were awesome and I cant thank them enough for taking time out of their busy study schedules to take me around and put me up. Cheers!
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I love Tufts, and would be very happy to spend four years there. The only downside is COA.
The one interview question caught me off guard a little, but then we settled into the conversation.
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A great time, great turn-around (they said they'll let you know within a month of their decision.
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Good stuff. The program was BA/MD by the way........
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Tufts tries very hard to provide a comprehensive perspective and a warm atmosphere - and they succeeded. Very positive experience overall, and I liked the school way more than I'd expected.
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The day starts at 10am with a presentation about financial aid, research, curriculum, and diversity. After lunch you have two one-on-one interviews and a tour. I was done at about 4pm.
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Good information, great people, awful interview questions.
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The day was very long, but worth the time. We got there at 945 and met with the dean, had a very thorough financial aide presentation, tours and interviews in the afternoon. It was a great experience and I really hope I go to Tufts.
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One very good interview, one bad one. (He basically just asked one question over and over again.) I really liked the school. I just wish the day hadn't ended on a sour note.
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Great school--very caring interview, low stress and kind of fun.
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Got there at 8:00am-ish. Very close to the T (orange line) and close to the red line. The day was long but informative. They had a lot of candy and snacks which I liked. The Dean is very young looking (a refreshing change of pace) and very nice. The two interviews were good. The first was with a cardiologist and lasted 25 min. I was the first one done and thought I wasn't getting in! The second was fun and lasted 40 min and the interviewer WANTED to go over and continue our fun conversation, but he had others to interview. Overall a great day. I was accepted 2 weeks later!
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Lots of presentations in the morning, lunch with first year students, and interviews and a tour in the afternoon. Very relaxed environment throughout the day. Every student you talk to is absolutely in love with the school.
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Overall, I loved Tufts and the people I met there. My first interview was scary, however, as the pathologist who interviewed me ''lost his composure'' when we were discussing anonymous vs. confidential HIV testing; and my advocating for the former. He was shocked that confidential HIV testing ''in which testee names are recorded'' have been anecdotally linked to increased insurance premiums for the testee. He balked at the idea, as he has run clinical labs and swore that it would be his head if ever such event occurred. The interview was going well up to that point, but his ''loss of composure'' may have ruined my experience. He apologized at the end of the interview, but I am not sure if such an incident hurt my chances. the second interview was with a MSIV and was just lovely. After I stated I was a reapplicant and that this was my first interview, she gave me a high five and said that she liked me alot from what she learned from my AMCAS. She thought I was a ''real person'' as I have had to overcome some obstacles and have a bredth of academic and extracurricular experience. We talked about grades, what character-type she thought made good doctors, and about having a relationship in medical school. The conversation was so laid back that it was as if we had met for coffee.
In sum, the interview day at Tufts is fantastic in that the presentations in the morning are well done, the culture of the school is laid back, and the interviews are not intense. I hope I get in, and if granted admission would seriously consider attending Tufts.
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Its a long day and you're totally drained once its over. The interviewers are really nice. My first was awesome and I had a great conversation. The second was a little more intense, more of a question and answer session, but he was really nice and at the end we talked about the party scene at my alma mater
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There is a very long info session in the morning that goes through curriculum, research, minority affairs, financial aid, etc. then you have lunch with students, and then everyone has to 2 interviews and a tour either before the interviews or in the middle ( it's a fairly large interview group)
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This was a straightforward process. We got there by 10am. Presentations from 10-12. Lunch at 12 with a few medical students. Interview at 1. Tour at 2. Another interview at 2:50. That was the day. My first interviewer gave me some of the most deeply philosophical questions ever. The second interview was much more straightforward.
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For my first interviewer I had the person everyone warns you about with the ''tricky'' questions. While it may have seemed a bit strange to ask me what life means to me or what is compassion, I understood why he asked them. You can't really get to know a prospective student by asking the typical ''Why do you want to be a doctor?'' questions because anyone can give the same, hackneyed answer. Many people respond differently to questions about life and death, about human society and civilization, and how you answer is what he was looking for. Overall I was a little stressed because it took a little time to think of how to respond, but it was a good experience to have.
My second interview was very relaxing and felt much more like a conversation, which mostly focused on my background. Aside from being asked who my hero is and why I applied to the program (BA/MD Early Assurance Program) it was a very pleasant half hour.
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The day starts relatively late (9:45 AM) and we spent the entire morning listening to presentations. During lunch, you have the opportunity to chat with first- and second-year students. After lunch there is a rushed tour, then they start cycling everyone through their interviews.
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Despite the experiences with my interviewers, I was impressed by Tufts. I really liked the facilities, and the students seemed very content and happy to be there. I REALLY fell in love with Boston; great city, compact, good transportation, I had a great time. My first interviewer tried to frazzle me by asking the same question over and over and then telling me I talked too much (which I found interesting considering it was an interview). The second interviewer didn't seem to enthused with me, despite telling me I was doing ''well''. He then introduced the idea that I did not write my essay, and told me it was ''very well written,'' and repeatedly asked if I had any help writing it. While I kept my cool, this made me very angry......very angry. I worked extremely hard on my personal statement, and having someone tell me I did not write it was a pretty grave offense. I usually interview well at med schools, I'm not sure what happened at Tufts...
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Not much more to say.
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Basically, Tufts is my dream school. It is a supportive environment that allows you to excel in whatever field you are interested in. I was pleased to see that almost ALL of the students seemed happy and relaxed...something I definately did NOT expect to find in medical school.
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I really liked the school and its program. My two interviews went very well. I was actually talking about my guitar playing with one of the interviewers who seemed pretty impressed. I had the feeling that Tufts really tries to know you as an individual. I didn't just feel like a number. I have accepted their admission offer and I look forward to starting next year.
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First interview started off really awkward like the guy was trying to be a jerk but towards the end said I was doing reallt well so I don't know how the 180 happened. The second interviewer was really nice and just basically had an open conversation with her.
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Overall very positive experience - i left the school impressed with both the social and academic lifestyles.
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As noted in previous feedback postings, the entire day is structured with the morning consisting of lectures given by various members of the admissions staff and committee. The financial aid presentation, I thought, was great only because it gives us all the chance to really consider how to finance our medical education. No other school I've been to addresses financial issues like Tufts and, although it felt daunting seeing those 6-digit figures on the screen, I thought it very informative.
Also, there have been previous posts about one particular interviewer who asks difficult, philosophical questions. I had one of my interviews with him and believe me...it's not that bad. He is a VERY nice man who is always encouraging with each answer you give. Mostly, I think he just wants to know how you think and that you have maybe considered some of these questions at some point in your life. Actually, my interview with him was probably the most interesting interview I've had simply because I am not only explaining what is on my AMCAS.
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Great experience, the school takes student feedback very seriously and has made huge improvements in the interview process as well as the decision turn-around time. They send out decisions every month now instead of just three times a year as they did in the past. The administration is totally accessible and my interviewers were very laid back and conversational. As a side note of warning... if you review the interview feedback, some questions seem very unconventional and even difficult... these all come from one of the interviewers, so [edited for privacy]... review your answers for the philosophical/ethical questions.
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Both were really relaxed, personal, and fun. We talked about my interests, my experience, discussed things we had in common (interests in photography, traveling)
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Tufts has completely revamped their interview day! Instead of waiting in a room all afternoon with 40 other applicants, there were only 24 of us, and our interviews (with members of the admissions committee) were scheduled - mine were at 1:10 and 2:50, so I was (and knew I would be) out of there by 3:30. It definitely helped take away some of the stress. Also, staff members will walk you over to where the interviews take place, so we didn't need to worry about getting lost (though getting back from the interview was a bit tricky).
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Overall, it was pretty good. It's a long day, starting with a bunch of lectures and seminars about the school. Then, the students join us for lunch and afterwards while we're waiting to get called down. They do a great job at relaxing everyone. I was really nervous going in since it was my first interview, but my interviewer was great at putting me at ease, so by the time my second interview came around, I was much more relaxed.
All the people I met were really chill, and personally, I would love to go there.
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The interview was amazingly well run. The Financial presentation was very helpful, and geared towards med school in general. Altough it is expensive, everyone said it was well worth it.
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I really liked it, they definitely did a good job selling the school (except for the high costs)
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Both interviewers were friendly and casual. during the tour there was veiled reference to low board scores. if i get in to this school, i'll definately check that out. otherwise...top notch.
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Positive.
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It was a positive experience, where they really sell the school and get you excited about Tufts.
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I went to Tufts expecting it to be fabulous since it is a school with a big name and reputation. Unfortunately, I wasn't at all impressed. In fact, I was a little taken back by how non-impressive it was. The whole day started with a 2 hour lecture/power point on general stuff you here at every intervie....boring! The facilities were so-so, the faculty seemed a little reserved and the students seemed a bit uppity. Plus, the group of people I interviewed with were all kind of snobby to me because I didn't go to Harvard like they did. Whatever. It's a good school but the enormous price tag is not worth what I was presented with. The only plus....BOSTON :) To all you other URM applicants out there, diversity doesn't seem to be a big priority here. The URM lunch wasn't very encouraging and did not have much of a latin component. Oh, and if you don't plan on pursuing a dual-degree, you'll feel left out like I did since it seems that is what everyone is interested in doing.
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Positive. The med students milling around while we waited for our names to be called for interviews are a nice touch and a great asset.
I have never posted to SDN, and the only reason I did was because I noticed a few posts ago someone complained s/he dodged "homless people and agressive beggers" and found that disturbing for someone who is going into medicine. There is a less than seemly side to urban medicine (as there is to humanity) and anyone applying to medical school should be aware of that and not shy away from the realities of life. That being said, Tufts New England Medical Center is in the heart of Boston - an URBAN medical center, which is an ideal location for one to study medicine. And yes, there are panhandlers in the area - but, they are by no means "numerous."
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After dodging homless people and agressive beggers, I made my way upstairs and walked into a room of 40 others to be interviewed. We sat through 2 hours of lectures (while trying to see through the heads in front of me) covering information about the school. Lunch was available, then they spoke a bit more. The majority of us sat in the room for quite a while before our first interview or tour. I was unable to make a flight home that night because the day dragged on longer than neccessary.
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It was snowing in Boston, so my flight was delayed by a couple of hours. I got in around 8pm, which was a drag because I wanted to be able to walk around and explore the area a little more. Other than that, it was a great experience. Most people complain about the fact that you're in the same room for what could be close to three hours with seemingly nothing to do, however, It is up to you to make the most of your time. The entire time there are med students walking around. Forget about the other interviewees and try to talk to as many med students as possible, how else are you going to get a feel for the place?
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I posted a response earlier, I just wanted to post that question too.
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I'm currently in the MD/MBA program at Tufts, and I'm writing in response to the negative comments posted on 1/26/06. For anyone interested in practicing medicine, the MD/MBA program is very effective in preparing you for the healthcare/management aspects of a career in medicine, and it’s only 4 years long. I entered the program without having a significant business background, and I am very happy with the skills and knowledge I’m attaining. The courses are truly enjoyable, and they’re challenging but not overwhelming. Furthermore, the clinical training at Tufts is very strong. The faculty and administration are dedicated and responsive to the student body, and our clinical rotations provide a great breadth of exposure to medicine. Last but not least, the students at Tufts are so supportive of each other, creating a great learning environment. I am very thankful for the friendships I have made, and I encourage everyone to consider Tufts Med and the MD/MBA program.
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It was intimidating at first with all the interviewers in one room but after I relaxed, everything went smoothly. I talked to Dr. Ludden, the director of the MD/MBA program, after my interviews were done and he was extremely helpful with the questions I had.
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My post is in reply to the negative comments posted earlier on 1/26/06. Perhaps you should have a more accurate picture of Tufts (though these are just me opinions). I am currently in the combined MD/MBA program and thought I'd just give another perspective. I love the school here and the program in general. I have learned so much, have made great friendships, and feel more prepared to practive medicine and do business than ever. There are cons to every program, but I think the the pros far outweigh any of the (far less significant) negative experiences here at Tufts. Come interview at the school and let the people and the school convince you--that will be more than enough to show you it is a great program.
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Long day of lecture, lunch, interviews and tour-- all in same room except for the tour obviously
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Overall it was a great experience. I was able to maintain a laid back facade without feeling guilty about it.
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Information sessions from 10 until 12; lunch from 12 to 12:30. Talk from the Dean until 1. We all hung out and were called in for interviews or tours between 1 and 5.
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Mostly converational and low stress.
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It was absolutely wonderful! I had no idea of the things that Tufts School of Medicine offers to its students. The interviews were more like conversations rather than the typical interrogation. My stress level dramatically decreased as I spoke to my interviewers. Plus, my interest in attending Tufts has significantly increased. The day I experienced cannot be effectively described to others; rather, i recommend that to those who have received interviews from Tufts, TAKE ADVANTAGE and you will be amazed!
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Everyone at Tufts was really nice and accomodating. The interviewers were not only nice and funny, but they forced you to think rather than just regurgitate information. It was a comparatively refreshing interview experience. The environment was relaxed and the facilities were top notch.
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It was OK. I wasn't thrilled, but I didn't dislike it either. I was pretty neutral when I left. I mean, if I got in, it's not one of those things where I'd be positive I'd go there (since I already have a few acceptances), but I would consider it.
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Wonderful. I didn't expect to be as impressed by the school as I was; I couldn't really find anything I didn't like. The day started later than most so I got to sleep late (especially helpful since I was on pacific time) and the presentations all morning were very useful as well. After a decent lunch with the students, the interviews and tours are assigned as we sit there, so I ended up just hanging out for about an hour before I went anywhere and got to talk to several students for a long time and get all my questions answered. During this time I also saw a demonstration of TUSK, the online student service, which is a lot like the one at my college but looks very helpful. I ended up doing my tour with two tour guides and just one other applicant, so it was very intimate and adjusted to our interests. My interviewers were very kind and conversational and seemed excited to be interviewing me; they complimented me on the parts of my application that were strong, which was comforting, and talked about the parts they found most interesting. Even though they had just received my file, they both seemed to have read it very carefully. I was also impressed by how quickly Tufts reviewed my application and I think it's certainly up there in my top few choices.
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They have a somewhat long presentation of their school, followed by lunch with students, then the interviews and tours. The lunch was okay, better than some schools I visited, but not as good as some other places that served hot food in the cafeteria (again, not reflective of their high tuition). The interview schedule after that was chaotic. I had a tour before my interviews, and some have it in between and others after their interviews. You sit in a large room with around 40 applicants waiting to be called anytime from 1 to 4:30, so it is a little unnerving. My interviews were somewhat late, and by the time I got to my second interview I was a little tired so I did not express myself as well as I wished. Maybe that was why I have not received the acceptance e-mail on 12/15/05 that many others did. So I am either "delayed decision"/waitlisted, or rejected. O well, their loss.
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Each of my interviews were 30 minutes. Waiting in the room to be interviewed is a little unnerving, especially when you realize which interviewer is the one that asks questions such as "what is blue?" My interviewers were very easy to talk to, genuine and I thought (hope) that they went well.
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A lot of waiting around, and then two very quick interviews- I had to keep asking questions to get them to last as long as they did.
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The interview experience was daunting in two ways. in the morning, while we were pretty apprehensive pre-interview, we had 3 hours worth of information sessions, that while informative, added to the stress of the interview process. in the afternoon, you stay in this room and your interviewers find you, making the experience even more daunting, as you wait to get chosen. Like fifth-grade basketball, the longer you wait, the more nervous you get...
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The interview was very low stress. I also got out at like 3:30, but a lot of people were still there. I liked the school a lot, but just don't think it's a good value.
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I thought it was a very positive experience. The students and faculty seem happy and the location is great.
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The whole day was interesting and informative. The students are extremely nice and pleasent to talk to.
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A long day, but it was time well spent. You learn all there is to know about the school and meet some really nice kids.
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I felt like i got a very good comprehensive impression of the school. their admissions committee did a pretty good job presenting the school to us
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Great day - the current students and applicants were all friendly and interesting, the tour was great, and the info sessions were very helpful. There was a lot of downtime in the afternoon though.
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I was neutral about Tufts going in to the day. At the end, I really liked the place. The only thing negative is the excessive cost. Burying med students in debt will only drive everyone to high-ticket specialties. Just my opinion...
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Overall, a good experience. Learned a great deal from the presentations. The staff wanted us all to have a good experience on interview day. Interactions with students were casual and candid.
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Interviews not scheduled in advance, so lots of sitting around waiting to be called. They were short and I didn't get much of a chance to present myself in the way I got to at other schools.
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It was a wonderful day and a lot of fun. The students are so friendly and outgoing, more than eager to answer any questions that you might have. It's an expensive school, but in long run, does it matter? I think it's my first choice now.
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The "interview" was really conversational, and I did most of the talking. It was easy to lead the discussion in any direction.
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Though it was a long day it was very informative. The financial aid talk was a bit scary but I'm glad I heard it. I thought having to wait for the afternoon to interview was a nice, it gave me a bit of time to relax after arriving and being a bit intimidated by the other 40 interviewees.
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Interviewing at Tufts is a pleasure. I really hope Dr. Sarno talks to all of you because he is HILARIOUS! He also gives you all the "stats" on how med schools operate and Tufts is amazing in the respect that they don't front-load their class with fall applicants so that people interviewing in April still have the same chance as those who interviewed in October, rather than other schools where you're interviewing for the wait-list at best. All the presentations (fin aid, dual-degree, curriculum,) were extremely informative and helpful. They take up most of the morning and in the afternoon you chill with applicants and med students and wait to be called for interviews/tours. Dr. Sarno said that you shouldn't worry if you're interview is very short - sometimes the school just knows you're perfect and they don't see the need in dragging the interview out because they know they want you - so short doesn't equal bad! The other applicants are also great to talk to - it's really like a nice big meeting, so no stress and no competition!
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GREAT! The interviewers were laid back and very personable.
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Very positive; I was asked easy questions about my experiences that I was happy to answer. The interviewers seemed generally interested in me.
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Very short but very laid back.
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I liked a lot of things about Tufts: the admissions commitee gave very informative and entertaining presentations, the students weren't cut-throat-out-to-get-you types, the food (sandwiches and drinks) was decent, Honors/Pass/Fail for the first two years, and their match list is impressive (lots of Harvard affiliated hospitals)
I would go there in a heart beat if it weren't for the cost of their tuition. They're the second most expensive med school in the nation (the first being George Washington), and the financial aid person said that after four years at Tufts, you'll be in approximately ~$250,000 worth of debt. Whoa!!! With that much debt accumulation, forget the diploma and give me a BMW.
I interviewed with the Head of Admissions, a radiologist. He's a nice guy. Don't be alarmed if your interview with him is very short; all of his interviews last approximately 5 - 10 minutes.
Thankfully, my second interview was with a fourth year medical student who who was very sweet. No trick questions there.
A NOTE TO ALL YOU INTERVIEWEES: THAT INFAMOUS INTERVIEWER WHO ASKS THOSE ASININE QUESTIONS THAT HAS BEEN POSTED ON STUDENTDOCTOR.NET LOOKS LIKE ELTON JOHN! ELTON JOHN! HE HAS THE ORANGE HAIR AND THE DARK RIMMED GLASSES AND EVERYTHING! IN FACT, THAT'S WHAT THE MEDICAL STUDENTS CALL HIM. NO JOKE! He'll ask questions like "What is compassion?" "How would you describe the color blue?" "What is the difference between empathy and sympathy?" "How would you describe pain?" BEWARE IF YOU HAVE HIM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE GETS FROM ASKING THOSE QUESTIONS NOR DO I THINK THAT THOSE QUESTIONS HELPS THE INTERVIEWER TO GET TO KNOW THE INTERVIEWEE BETTER, BUT THEY SHOULD REALLY REPLACE HIM OR ASK HIM TO NOT ASK THOSE TYPE OF QUESTIONS. THOSE QUESTIONS ARE JUST DUMB IF YOU ASK ME.
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Although the day started at 10am and did not end until 5pm for me, the day went by pretty quickly. Everyone was friendly, upbeat, and informative. Very laid back experience.
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I thought it was great. They tell you everything you need to know about the school. I also like having 2 interviews because you get a different perspective from each person. Plus, you have a chance to mention things in the second interview that you may have left out of the first.
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Low-stress, somewhat uncomfortable at first due to the large number of interviewees. The interviews were pretty conversational overal and the interviewers were great.
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It was a lot of waiting - but the interviewers were nice.
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The interviews are laid back and the interviewers are very nice. The presentations are very informative.
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I think it's a solid school. People were nice. Interview was pretty relaxed. Nothing too surprising one way or another.
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Pretty melo first interview with a nice admissions administrator. She didn't have many questions she wanted to ask me, so if I wanted to bring something about me to her attention,I had to work that into the conversation. Number two was a little more abstract, With one question after another trying to feel out my opinion on controvertial topics. I speak french and so did he, so part of the interview was conducted in french. Beware he also speaks Spanish.
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The day starts out with presentations, so pound coffee early on. Then two interviews and a tour. If Dr. Sarno interviews you, try not to worry about the length of the interaction... most people were in with him 5min or less. There was a short tour and then you're done. I was out by around 2:30, but I know some people stayed much later; just the luck of the draw.
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I was prepared for the long day, so it didn't bother me at all. The presentation was very informative, especially the one about the tuition. Both interviews were different but interesting.
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I thought an interview experience with 40 other applicants at one time would be impersonal, but it was quite the contrary. My first interview was with the Dean and was more formal and consisted of the standard interview questions. The second interview was with a fourth year student and was much more of a conversation. She was very open, honest, and candid about her experience and allowed me to project my potential MD experience at TUSM and relate to her four years at TUSM. The personal nature of this interview left me with an overwhelmingly positive impression of the school.
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Overall the experience was good. The interviewers asked some tough questions, but they both made me feel vey good about my application. It was flattering I guess. There were tons of other applicants and most seemed very young. I got the idea from many current students that this probably wasn't their first choice school.
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It was really positive. My first interview lasted about 7 minutes but he was friendly and asked really interesting questions. My second interviewer liked me off the bat and told me he was going to recommend me to the committee. I ended up getting in.
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The interview itself was very relaxed and more like a discussion than the interview. I think they've tried to weed out those interviewers who have had a reputation of being really hard on students. Most other people that i've talked to felt the same way. The interview has a tendency to be short unless you ask questions. If you don't ask them any questions, then most interview will last for like 15 minutes since they have so many students to go through. So you have to take the initiative at Tufts interviews a bit.
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Interviewers do not have to read file before they interview you. Both of mine did. First interview was brief because interviewer very quickly turned it over to me to ask questions. That was a bit of a surprise. Second interviewer was a very charming man who asked straightforward questions about my experiences and even tested my language skills. Overall a low stress and enjoyable day that lets you really gain insight into the school, its environment and the students that go there.
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I was impressed by Tufts. Great location, good facilities. They seem to have a really strong program. There were a whole heck of a lot of people at the interview, probably more than 40. It sort of made the day a little impersonal. Lots of students showed up to talk to the interviewees. The students seem enthusiastic about the school and their studies. One of the interviewers was pretty jerky with me. He spent all his time trying to rattle me. He became very warm at the end of the interview though, I guess so I wouldn't be too upset about his dumb questions. The other interviewer couldn't have been nicer.
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Many of the comments on the SDN suggested that the day would be extremely long; however, the things moved along pretty quickly. We spent the whole day in one (large) room, so no one had to carry their belongings from place to place. There were about three presentations in the morning: introduction and a schedule for the day, an overview of the curriculum, the finance talk, and then a brief lunch. The dean was as funny as previous SDN comments predicted, and he did a great job of putting everyone at ease. The afternoon went by quickly too, since there were plenty of students around to chat while people waited to be called for interviews. The admissions staff organized the day such that you could not be called for an interview while you were taking a tour. The interviews themselves were conducted in nearby rooms. Overall, the interviewers were relaxed and relatively informal. My first interviewer had read my file, so he asked direct, specific questions about my experiences. The second did not seem to have read the file, and his questions were far less interesting.
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Great school. it was a long day but we got some really interesting presentations on financial aid, etc. the interviews were mad relaxed. i was kinda nervous at first about being there with 40 other applicants but i quickly learned to ignore the annoying/pre-med kids and just talked to the normal, cool kids- which were the majority.
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Really great questions, all rapid fire! Much more interesting than the regular - why medicine, why now, etc.
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The students seemed extremely glad to be there. What I really took away was the fact that the staff and faculty make the students' happiness a priority and truly promote their success. The first year curriclum eases the student into the medical school world by postponing the rigorous anatomy and histology courses until the second semester. Overall, I fell in love with the school.
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Long day oof talks, sandwiches, chocolate chip cookies, interview chaos, brief tour
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So many others have said this before, but it really felt like an interview factory. There were about 40 interviewees. The day started out with a long morning of talks, most of which could have been compressed into an hour or so. The coordinators do a great job organizing and definately work hard to make the experience positive (lots of food at several stretch breaks, finding out the answer to my question which stumped them - how many students to a cadaver, etc.) My first interview was strange - he was a little rough in his mannerisms, and at the end of the interview, disagreed with everything I said. The next person who met with him said the same thing, so I knew it was OK, and it was since I got in a few weeks later.
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I gave the day a 10 in stress level since it was my most stressful out of 14 interviews. I got the interviewer who gives the rapid fire string of questions that cannot be answered in a sentence. What is passion? Next question. What is [blank]? And on and on. It seemed he really didn't care what I answered just my demeanor in response to the stress test. Minority student perspective: while we were in front of the other 37 nonminority applicants, they dragged 3 or so URM applicants into a room, singling us out for a little chat. Why was this horrible? First, these minority things should be optional (I wasn't going to turn down talking to some minority students, but please), second, it was blatantly divisive (could've had the minority students walking around like all the other students who were chatting with the applicants I still would've asked why Tutfts has so few of you), third, it most likely sparked feelings among the non URM students, who undoubtedly were eyeing us upon returning from the seemingly preferential treatment (definitely was not), fourth, the admissions lady was there while we tried to gather candid answers about minority affairs (so of course all the URMs said it was the best), and five (now I'm just complaining) we all (3) had our interviews pushed late into the already tiring and long day. Tufts is a good place though. I think the education is great and they have very good faculty. The cost and housing are the main things students complain about (so they said). If I had to choose between Tufts and BU I would go to BU. At the time I was bitter going to so many interviews (this was my last) and I had gotten in at a better institution. These factors probably skewed my impression. Had it been my first my impression may have changed.
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Over all, it was good.
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So I'm from Cali, which means weather was a bitch. 50 degrees of shoreline weather was pretty damn cold to me. Excuse my colloqiualness, but damn, I was told that it was minus 20 a couple weeks before I got there. That is insane. I guess I will just have to suck it up and adjust. The school is great. They have an amazing rate of residency mathcing. They do not have enough Cali people there, but being in the east coast should be a lot of fun. I definitely would not mind leaving my bubble here to experience life in Boston... to be overcme with death by extreme weather... haha jk. They need some more vibrant people there. The Dean was hilarious. Other than that, people were happy, but lacked vibrant out-going personalities. I'll change that =P
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A great day - although long they really make sure that you have all the pertinent information about all different aspects of the program.
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Overall, it was extremely positive (the dean is a laff-riot)...though after the presentations it just degenerated into people sitting around talking...i was one of the last interviewed, so i was waiting for what seemed like hours. i wish they'dve done something productive with the time...like letting us see a lecture or something. the interviews were very relaxed...but later interviewers are sleepy. keep them awake!
i thought the tour guides were being sort of artificially happy-happy...but everybody in the library was all smiles too. the students seem thrilled to be there, despite the cost. they seem to go out of their way to find people with interesting stories. oh yeah...i asked them about AOA, and second year tour guide asked back, "what's AOA?". i couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not; but if he wasn't, i'm sold! F/P/HP all the way baby : D
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The interview went great. They all went out of their way to inform you as much as possible and make you comfortable. The process was not as tedious as other feedback stories make it out to be. It gives you time to meet and talk to other applicants and possible fellow students. Overall the admissions staff went out of their way to assist you. Sandwiches were good too.
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I thought it was great. They were all very friendly, they explain everything at length to you and you leave knowing everything you ever wanted to know about Tufts. If accepted, I would seriously consider going there.
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The best interview experience I have had. very informative, everyone was friendly, they kept us fed :), the interviews were very conversational and non-threatening, everything ran very smoothly, I learned so much about the school and it is definitely a place I would love to become a doctor!
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You go through a series of presentations about the school, which is unlike anything else from other schools. After lunch, the closed doors are open and current students barge in to talk to you about Tufts. While that is happening, you wait for your name to be called by your interviewers or to go on a tour. The facilities are nice and modern - at least the $ goes somewhere. Some students aren't called yet while others are done with interviews. My interviewer was the one who asked a series of tough questions, but don't fret if you get him. Just answer spontaneously and honestly and you won't go wrong. But, my other interviewer was weird. Tufts, please take him out as an interviewer. He refused to read my application and discouraged me from pursuing my career goals. All in all, the presentations were great, especially the Southern woman and the first guy. You just have to get a feel if you will like it. The lecture hall, library and hospital was nice, small, busy and well-kept.
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Though the interview session was long, you got the impression that Tufts wanted to sell their school and give you a sense of what life would be like if you went there.
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It was moderate...nothing too special
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Overall, I had a productive and fun day at Tufts. The school really goes out of their way to tell you about every aspect of Tufts. The school seems really friendly, and the faculty are really there to help the students.
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The experience was nice. THe group size was large though. The interviewers, one student one committee member were very different. THe student seemed nervous and it made it hard to start off. The member was very direct and seemed more interested in my family then why I wanted to be a docotor.
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The info sessions are long but helpful and by the end of the day it's your own fault if you have any questions left about the school. My overall impression of Tufts was positive even though I was caught completely off guard by my second interviewer. My first had been entirely conversational and other students had said the same about their interviews. This interviewer rapidly shot out unexpected questions and cut me off before I was finished answering. It was an extremely long 30 minutes.
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Overall it was a great experience. The presentations were well prepared and very interesting and informative, making the time pass by fairly quickly. The students really seemed to enjoy going to the school and to my surprise expressed that it was not as hard as they had anticipated. The interviers very very pleasant and seemed interested in me as an individual concentrating their questions on my life and a few specific aspects of my applicaiton.
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The school is very student-oriented and they are very concerned with each individual student's performance in school.
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Man, I was ready to give this school a fair chance, but based on my experiences interviewing I didn't feel like people were all that psyched about the school, even the faculty. If the faculty aren't advocating their own institution, you know something's wrong!
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Very good experience. Just bitterly cold.
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The day is long, but very informative...presentations all morning, then lunch, then from 1-5PM, you basically sit in a room with all the other interviewees and the interviewers just call out names. you have no idea when they're going to call your name. could easily catch you offguard. after that, there's an optional tour and that's it. i definitely enjoyed my experience at tufts and would love to go there if accepted. it has definitely become one of my top choices.
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Just be honest. tufts is great.
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They talked for a really really long time in the morning about the school. Way more info than I wanted.
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I was impressed by Tufts and how nice everyone was. I could see myself going there, except that the tuition and cost of living in boston is really expensive. I had two interviews - the first was alot different than any other interviews I had before - I was asked alot of unusual questions. I don't know if I answered the questions "correctly," or if it was a good interview. My other interview was a student interview and more laid back. It was nice to get more insight into the program too. I skipped the tour because I was so tired at the end of the day. Apparently I didn't miss much
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I had the best experience here. Yes, it's a long day, but it's really worthwhile. All the information they give you is important. I was really impressed with their curriculum and their combined degree programs. The dean's talk was a riot - I just thought he was nicest, coolest guy - and was thrilled when he called my name out for an interview. The students were really friendly and willing to talk about their experiences at Tufts. The Tufts buildings are nice and they are still remodeling. Chinatown is a little drab, but you're only a few metro stops away from anywhere in boston. I had a great experience interviewing here and Tufts has definitely shot to the top of my list.
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The interview day began at 9am with three hours (literally!)of presentations about financial aid, the various organizations, and the different combined degree programs. It was very formal, and we actually clapped after every presentation. I felt like I was at a conference! The two interviews and tour occurred after lunch.
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I really like the school and the students. however, i don't know if i can really afford it. it looks like mainly rich kids can attend it... the fin. aid presentation is horribly depressing
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The interview was laid back and relaxed. The only bad thing about the process is waiting for your name to be called while talking to other interviewees and students. One noticable thing about Tufts is their emphasis on diversity. Overall, relatively easy interview, but very hard to gauge if you got in or not (and they don't tell you when you are notified, other than "before May 15").
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Interview went well, just relax and you'll be fine.
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Presentations in the morning were informative, other applicants were very friendly. Interviews were very fast which was surprising and questions were targetted at getting to know the candidate, not trying to stump them. Tufts is by far my first choice, the whole experience helped me to realize this.
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The first interviewer was plenty nice and friendly, no surprises. The second one fired about 25 short-answer questions at me (he was reading from a list), ranging from pretty standard to amusingly bizarre. Among the highlights were "what would be if there were no logic?", "what are the limitations to action?" (huh?), and my personal favorites, two questions in Spanish when I told him I had taken it in high school. He also grilled me about my opinions on abortion and euthanasia. Overall the people were friendly and the presentation was well organized, but the curriculum and clinical opportunities don't seem special enough to justify a potential debt of $240,000. Unless you're dying to be in Boston or near a Chinatown, I can't see why anyone would choose Tufts over any other place.
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It was very positive, I really like the school and I was thrilled at how happy the students were.
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Great place! Tufts impressed me a lot with its presentations and I had a lot of chances to talk with medical students and even some of their deans. Be prepared for a long day, but if you are travelling from a far off place, I think they try to get you out earlier. I am from the Boston area, so I was given teh last tour along with other Boston area people.
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Tufts has to do a better job of standardizing their interviews. Some of my friends had probing, meaningful discussions with their interviewers, whereas mine was about 7 minutes long (preferable though to the interview another girl got, which left her in tears). But I also question their need to bring the dual degree folks to lecture about the programs before we interviewed! Also, I thought the elderly fellow who they trotted out to mutter some incoherent words about the MD-MALD program was about to keel over during his speech; that's all that kept me from falling asleep, the possiblily I might be able to use my EMT skills when he collapses and needs resusciation.
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At 9am there is a greeting with members of the administration...approx. 3 hours of talk regarding the dual degree programs, financial aid, mission of the school etc...lunch with medical students...tour of the school...interviews.
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Tufts is very expensive. For some reason i can't get around that fact, but that's just me. Also, Boston (and espcially Chinatown) is just not my kind of town. It's disorganized and the people are just plain mean. It's not taht bad of a school. It's just not my cup of tea.
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Frustrating. the interviews themselves were fine, but the whole day dragged on and seemed uneccesarily long.
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If you are looking into an MD/Phd at this school.. seriously reconsider it. They focus much too heavily on the PhD... so you might as well go into grad school.
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Spent most of the day in a conference room listening to people talk about various programs and the curriculum, then interviews-- one of mine was with the dean, interviews were informal, conversational
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The interview was very laid back. Tufts is a great school with a great reputation. They have great facilities and the students love it there.
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I thought it was well organized. they give you so much information about Tufts, and about the admissions process in general, that is extremely useful. but by the time we got around to interviews in the afternoon, my brain was so full of numbers and facts that i had difficulty staying in "interview mode." perhaps this is what they want? for us to have our guard down? anyway, i think i would have done better at the interviews if i was more in the mood to be outgoing. nevertheless, I was accepted, so i guess i did alright. :)
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Overall it was an enjoyable day. My first interview was great, my interviewer and I had a very casual conversation about the present state of medicine and the stresses of applying to medical school (he had a daughter go through the process last year). One of the best interviews I've yet to have. If only the second interview was the same. My interviewer was a very arrogant surgeon. When I first took a seat he asked me a very general question, as I began to answer he picked up the phone and made a call. While I tried to answer the question, he was scheduling different surgeries for the next day. Very RUDE. Once he completed the call he asked me another question, after I finished answering he stared at me for a good 30 seconds. After every question he would just stare. I felt very uncomfortable. The interview didn't last very long, and believe me I was thankful for that. It was too bad that an otherwise great day had to be ruined by a jerk.
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It was a positive experience overall. i was done by 2:30PM.
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There is nothing to worry about at this interview. you leave very informed about the school, the interviews were really laid back, and you get to spend time in boston, possibly. i know one person who had the interviewer who asked random questions e.g. what is life, what is empathy/sympathy - see prior posts. perhaps the hardest question i heard that someone else was asked was, why should we not accept you here. but i left the interview day with tufts as one of my top choices.
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Overall i enjoyed my interview experience here. as you can see, my interviewers asked me pretty varied and complicated questions. luckily i had thought about most questions they asked me since i had seen them on this and other sites, but the questions were difficult nonetheless. this was by far the most 'interesting' interview experience i had (my one interviewer guaranteed me that i would 'never have another interviewer like him'), although at times i thought the questions were ridiculous (e.g., what is intelligence?). but i figure if you interview at enough schools, you'll have an experience like this, so i would suggest thinking about all of these questions.
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Out of the nine schools at which I have interviewed so far, this one made the worst impression. They talked at us all morning, saying very little. And I couldn't stand the students I met.
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Pretty good experience. one interviewer was really nice, the other was more keen. and there was a lot of waiting around when the interviewing started. but i think the school is great; my only concern would be the cost and i think most people would agree that it is a big concern, indeed.
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It is an awesome school in an awesome city. They said to take finances into consideration when choosing a school, but it is hard to ignore such a high figure.
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The day was painful, we had to be there early and then sat through 5 hours of presentations before we had our interviews, so i was exhausted before I even began. Drink coffee at lunch!!!
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Extremely positive experience all together. I would definatly attend Tufts if I was independently wealthy
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Awesome, met a lot of nice ppl, all friendly, well organized day, staff was very upfront about cost
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Honestly, after that interview, I felt I did not want to come to the school. It really was that bad for me and I'm a person who is usually not phased by much. When I got accepted (to my surprise considering the interview), I had to compare between three schools. In the end, I decided on Tufts. My advice for interviews is to be yourself and always stand composed. In hindsight, I think that interviewer was trying to push my buttons with that stress interview. I did, however, stay cool and composed. I think maybe that is why I got it. Anyway, good-luck to all of you, Tufts is a great place. If you have any questions, feel free to email me.
[email protected].
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Tufts is a great school. The students are really happy there, and they're really up front with you on the cost. At the interview just talk to the other interviewees so you don't get too stressed out. They make you wait in a room all together and the interviewer will come get you. It's all random, so you don't know when you'll be called.
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The first interview was very difficult and I thought it was over. But the second one was ok and I ended up getting in to Tufts anyway.
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My interview experience was good...the whole random interview thing kinda threw me off...other than that everything was ok. tufts is a great place...if you're willing to spend a quarter million dollars for the next 4 years...with little fin aid...you have been warned...
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A disappointment.