School Reviews » University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry

University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry

Year founded: 1897
ENROLLED TOTAL: 144
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University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry: Dental School; Los Angeles, CA

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SDN RANKING 1
INTERVIEW FEEDBACK 4 131 Responses
SCHOOL REVIEWS N/A 0 Responses

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Overview

School Stats

Resident Tuition $81,180
Non - Resident Tuition $81,180
Application Fee $145

AVG DAT 20.0
AVG GPA 3.5

Crime: Detailed Stats >

Admissions Information

Admissions & Student Affairs Office
925 West 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
United States

Phone: (213) 740-2841
Email: [email protected]
Website: dentistry.usc.edu/

School Overview

University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry Fast Facts

Application Service

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School Info

The University of Southern California School of Dentistry is a private professional school with a unique heritage and an international reputation. The school is one of the cornerstones of professional excellence that contributes to the special strengths of its parent university environment. It is proud of its legacy of contributions to dental science. The core strength of the School of Dentistry rests with its renowned faculty. Their reputations as educators, scientists, and health care professionals secure the school`s continuing place as a leader. During the years following its founding in 1897, the School continues to emphasize its uniqueness and history of excellence: an unparalleled professional education combined with equally respected research and clinical care programs. At the same time, the School is ready to accept a new challenge to incorporate scientific excellence into an over-arching framework of humanistic compatibility that will become the new hallmark of the school`s mission in the 21st century.

Curriculum

The Problem Based Learning Program has been designed to address the recommendations developed by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine in their report, "Dental Education at the Crossroads: Challenges and Change." This program will present the identical set of curricular learning outcomes that were recently approved by the American Dental Association Council on Dental Accreditation. The Dental Problem Based Learning Program represents an alternative approach to the School of Dentistry curriculum rather than a new curriculum. The objective of the Problem Based Learning Program is to educate a student who will be committed to lifelong, self-motivated learning, skilled in the techniques of problem solving in a clinical setting, well-prepared to deal with the future advances in dental therapy and dental care delivery, able to deal with the medical presentations of dental patients, effective in group learning/accomplishment environments and highly skilled in the delivery of dental health care of outstanding quality.

Facilities

Interview Feedback

Results Overview

How did the interview impress you?

Response	# Responders
Positively	70
Negatively	35
No change	23

What was the stress level of the interview?

Response Avg	# Responders
2.68	126

0 = low, 10 = high

How you think you did?

Response Avg	# Responders
7.32	87

0 = low, 10 = high

Select Questions & Recent Responses

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

"Reduce time for financial aid presentation. Most of the information is more necessary for those who have been accepted" More from this Member | Report Response

"Advise students about MMI portion of the interview" More from this Member | Report Response

"Got to update some of the documents they send out pre- and post-interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"Please accept me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" More from this Member | Report Response

"I did not get to interact much with the admissions office other than when i called in to schedule in the interview. They didn't seem very friendly however they handle thousands of applications. I would suggest that they send confirmation emails to the invited applications to confirm their interview date. The woman who scheduled me abruptly ended the call and I did not feel confident that my interview had been scheduled." More from this Member | Report Response

"one-on-one interview would be helpful i think!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Traffic is very bad in the morning. You should leave no later than 6:50am if you live ~20 minutes away via freeway." More from this Member | Report Response

"Not speed through the tour. Spend less time going through their powerpoints on intro and financial aid" More from this Member | Report Response

"Warn about LA morning traffic for those driving." More from this Member | Report Response

"Have the tour earlier in the day, especially if that is going to be a question on the feedback form" More from this Member | Report Response

"I would highly suggest having the tour early on in the interview process." More from this Member | Report Response

"Solid dates for acceptance letters" More from this Member | Report Response

"the admission office staff were very rude I am not sorry to say that they were laughing at an ukrani" More from this Member | Report Response

"Make yourselves more easily available." More from this Member | Report Response

"Some students need a personal interview to address concerns on their applications.." More from this Member | Report Response

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?

"Interview was PBL style, so we were assigned a case study and worked on it as a group" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we accept you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you could travel to any year, what year and why? (Icebreaker)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you had a time machine and could travel to any time past or future, what year would you travel to and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"At the beginning of the group activity they pass around a basket of questions. My first was "what person past present or future would I like to meet?"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"We each were asked to pick a paper out of a basket, read the question aloud and answer it in 90 seconds or less. My first question was "what was the last book you read or play you saw and would you recommend it?"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If your house was burning down, what 3 things would you save?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Which of your five senses (sight, smell, touch, taste, hearing) would you choose to give up if you had to pick one?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you were an Admissions Committee member. what qualities would make an ideal candidate? Please Explain" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you aware that USC uses the PBL (problem based learning) system?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the last song you listened to on your itunes?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"They didn't ask questions. We just did a PBL case." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you could travel anywhere it the world, where would it be and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"how do you cope with stress" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Randomly taken from a basket full of questions: What is your biggest accomplishment?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"picked q out of basket-if you could travel anywhere, where?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"We were divided into groups of about 10 applicants to do a PBL exercise. We also picked 2 questions out of a hat (very easy questions!) and answered in front of the group. Lastly, there was a brief 15-minute writing sample. Very laid back "interview"!" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No Questions - just observed 10 of us discussing a case." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"They passed around a bucket with interview questions. We read the question aloud and then answered them in front of our group." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you could talk to anyone, past or present, who would you talk to?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Prompt to discuss" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL Section with evaluator/moderator grading you; Active Participation Recommended" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A little fact that isn't in your application" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"60 minute PBL session. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"USC's interview is somewhat different. Instead of having a one-on-one interview, 7-8 applicants are grouped together and they conduct a mock PBL session, where two faculty members are present and they evaluate your performance in the group." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You dont have an interview. You have a mock PBL session with a group of about 7 interviewees." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL case study - know the process of generating Facts, Ideas, Learning Needs" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL involving a sick girl traveling... why do you think she's sick?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"It is a mock PBL case. They observe how you interact with other students" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL Mock session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"non around a case not hard at all " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"girl gets sick pbl situation. why is she sick?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"about a case, no personal interview and had an essay (best invention) " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"given story about someone getting sick and we had to brainstorm why the person was feeling sick." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"First section was a group PBL with 10 students and 2 faculty observers. They just guided the PBL but never gave any input into the discussion. Very easy." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"CASE QUESTIONS. GAVE ME A SCENARIO ABOUT AN OLD MAN WHO DRANK LEMONADE DURING A LIGHTING STORM AND GOT SICK AFTER HIS WIFE HAD MADE MEATLOAF AND LEMONADE FROM LOCAL WELL WATER." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"do you have any questions?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None Just PBL, and 4 mock scenarios" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions at all." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"no interview." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions, just a mock PBL session. But here's a tip. If you are really interested in the program, during the mock PBL session, make it seem like you are good at going through the process and not just good at getting to the cause of the "problem"." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There was no individual interview. It was a mock PBL session that you are grouped with 8 other students to work on. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Like I said before... no questions, just a group interaction evaluation." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions asked" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There were no specific questions...a mock PBL session was used." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Writing sample: What are 1 or 2 ethical principles you live by?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No specific questions asked. Just general stuff when talking with them." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"do you have a quarter million dollars in your bank account? And can we, USC, share some of yours?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"discussion quistions are not related to dentistry, no need to prepare. they only want to find out if you have a voice in a crowd " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL interview structure: They will give you a storyline over 3 pages. Each page will contain more information than the last and your group's task is to evaluate each page and just discuss ideas. It is very simple and straight forward. There is very little you can do to prepare. My only advise is to BE YOURSELF! I can't stress that enough. Just enjoy." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"pbl session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what have you heard about USC?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

"Ethics question, MD vs DDS" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"(To someone else) What was a situation in which your participation was necessary?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"refer to "specific questions"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is my opinion on the Dental Post-Bacc program?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The entire experience itself was very distinct and interesting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I really enjoyed the PBL and found it interesting to be able to work on a mock case with other pre-dents." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Standard questions... nothing really interesting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL Section with evaluator/moderator grading you; Active Participation Recommended" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Group PBL session. There are four pieces to the case. Work on one part at a time. Everyone got a chance to participate by either reading aloud, or writing on the board. There are two people evaluating. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Person traveling is sick. Figure out what is the reason why." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You do the asking during the info session at the very beginning." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"nnnnnnnnn" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No question." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think the problem is? Remember USC doesn't do a interview it is a mock PBL session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"My name and major during introductions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was the most recent current event your read?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where I see myself in ten years (essay question)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"FYI: WE HAD NO FORMAL INTERVIEW. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions, this was a mock PBL session; very odd and not something I was pleased with" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"it is a mock PBL session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Because this was not a typical interview, there were no questions asked. We just introduced ourselves to the group." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"no questions asked" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"they don't ask any questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what was the last book i read and would i recommend it to others and why." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None, it was a group session simulating a PBL session." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None. Only a mock PBL session, NO Personal Interview" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL Trial, the only question asked was, "Please introduce yourself; name, undergraduate institution, major, what are you doing now?"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Not a real interview. You arrive and they give you a writing sample to do for 15 minutes. Then you listen to speakers and videos about PBL and how to do PBL for an hour. Then you get a financial aid lecture that is really blunt and very helpful. After that, you spend 50-60 minutes in a group of 8 interviewing students doing a mock PBL Case (very simplified). The 2-3 "interviewers watch and evaluate you as you go through it. After that you take a tour and have lunch with students and faculty." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL session. No questions asked" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There is no typical interview took place, only a mock PBL practice." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The PBL questions had to do with some person who was feeling sick while on a cruise and each part of the case reveals more information. Then you all throw out ideas of what the possible problem could be..." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"no specific questions. Only mock PBL" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None, there were no questions asked. How, you might ask, do they choose who they accept if they don't ask you questions? I still haven't figured that out." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No Questions Only a PBL case, I had the lemonade one." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"wasn't asked any questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions whatsoever. I could have been a bank robber for all anyone knew." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The school seems to be pleased with themselves that they do not do "interviews". Instead, they watch you in a group of about 10 people discuss a mock PBL case (unmedical related). I'm not sure how they can narrow down who they want to accept for students by just watching the group PBL case." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions asked, but do be polite with the dental students who have lunch with you during lunch. They will ask you general questions so keep in mind that you have your name tag hanging from your lanyard." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None, since there is no formal personal interview." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None. it was a case based interview" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"A question that had to do with glycolysis" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

""Why aren't you talking?????" "If you want to get an acceptance letter from us (i.e. if you wanna sell your house to afford your tuition here), you should be talking!!"" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions were asked of the students interviewing at USC... their analysis of you is based on group interaction." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No direct questions asked." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"no questions by the staff, all the quesitons came from the students during the PBL session, in order to help us out as a group" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There were no direct questions asked, as there was no interview conducted. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There was not a formal interview at USC. It was a mock-Problem-Based Learning Session. It was interesting to see how this approach works...it is not for everyone, but it left me with a very positive imporession." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"onlyt people who want to gamble and try their luck can go here....this is regarding the international dentist program interviews....." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL, so no personal interview" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There were no specific questions directed at a particular student." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Where did I learn spanish." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Essay question: What do you think is the greatest invention?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none but the financial assistant was mentally asking me "Can you afford this education? Due dates for financial assistance have been passed. But I need your money."" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None. Just a group PBL session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"there was no actual interview, just a group discuss session" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is the Kreb's cycle? (during orientation session by the faculty member, Dr.Shwal.. how do I spell his name?)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none.. just a mock PBL session." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"nothing it was PBL" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL learning session, very interesting" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions were asked. We were put into a group setting and given one problem to discuss." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"This was a group PBL interview. This was an interview for their international student program (ISP)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No question only PBL case. 3 part PBL a person read the first part, the group try to find fact, then ideas. after that another person read the second part, do the same thing as before and so on." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"there wasn't any questions. just a mock pbl group session. It was pretty interesting." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"PBL interview.. very easy going" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"There are no one-on-one questions. The whole interview is conducted through a mock PBL case. A group of applicants are monitored by a member of the admissions staff as your group fumbles through the rediculous PBL case they give you.(Kind of scares me that they don't interview each applicant individually)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"how is the air in your cars tire?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions asked, our group participated in a mock PBL." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

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