How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.24 | 51 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 43 |
| Negatively | 4 |
| No change | 5 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 4.22 | 49 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.69 | 52 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.83 | 52 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In Person | 1 |
| Virtual | 5 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 0 |
| 20 minutes | 2 |
| 25 minutes | 5 |
| 30 minutes | 32 |
| 35 minutes | 6 |
| 40 minutes | 3 |
| 45 minutes | 2 |
| 50 minutes | 1 |
| 55 minutes | 0 |
| 60+ minutes | 1 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 46 |
| At a regional location | 0 |
| At another location | 3 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 30 |
| In a group | 21 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 0 |
| Closed file | 48 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.24 | 51 |
"Tell us about a time you had to do something you’ve never done before"
"Describe a time when you had a problem and how you solved it."
"Why dentistry?"
"Describe a time you had to pursue a new idea and how you did it"
"When was there a time where you had differences while working with a group or individual and how did you overcome it?"
"Describe a situation where not everything turned out as you had planned and how you responded."
"Tell us about a time you had to work with a strong willed individual. (Can't remember the exact wording of it)"
"Tell me about a time you developed close peer relationships you had not previously had"
"Tell us about a time when you had a solve a problem with people who shared different beliefs than you."
"Tell us about a time when you were thrown into a workplace and didn't know anything."
"Tell me about a time where you were thrown into a new workplace."
"Describe a time in which you innovated to solve a problem."
"All the questions I was asked were very very similar (if not identical) to those mentioned on here already. That's really all you need to prepare... come up with some examples of things you have experienced, and be prepared to explain them in detail."
"Describe a time that you innovated to solve a problem. (Be specific!)"
"Describe a time where you had to deal with a difficult person."
"Tell us one thing about yourself"
"Tell me a time when you had to deal with a strong-willed person and how you dealt with it?"
"Describe a time when you worked in a group and managed input from multiple people."
"Same as those listed."
"Describe a situation with a difficult coworker, and how you addressed it"
"Name a time when you had competing priorities."
"Give us an example where you had competing priorities."
"Tell me one thing about yourself."
"Tell us about a time when you were thrown into doing something completely new. "
"Tell me about a time you had to do a new job/task and how you handled it."
"Tell us about a time when you had competing priorities"
"Tell us about a situation in which you innovated to solve the problem."
"Describe a time that you had to work with a strong willed peer. How did you handle it?"
"Describe a problem you solved with an innovative solution"
"Behavioral questions similar to those already listed in other feedback"
"A time you were in a novel situation that was different from anything you had experienced before."
"Describe a time when you solved a problem creatively"
"Typical behavioral questions"
"Tell us about a time you had a conflict with someone and how you solved it."
"Describe a situation when people had to rely on you."
"Can't remember but it was a behavioral question."
"These have been listed by other responders; everyone is asked the same set of standardized questions."
"What was the outcome of the situation you just described about one of your students confronting you in class?"
"sorry"
"Describe a time you were unable to meet a deadline."
"Tell us about a time you attempted something and failed. "
"Tell us about a time when something you were involved in didn't work out."
"as i stated earlier, all the students get the exact same questions, so in the spirit of fairness, i'll just say that they were all typical behavioral based questions."
"Who is someone you do or don’t get along with and why"
"What are the steps you take in making a decision?"
"Talk about someone that you really like OR dislike and why you think you guys get along so well or don't get along so well"
"What do you do to decompress?"
"What's an example of when you didn't get along with a group member/co-worker?"
"I don't remember the other 3 questions! They only asked me 4 broad questions then continued with a few more leading questions as I talked. It was very much like a conversation than an interview."
"Tell me about a time you disappointed yourself"
"Tell us about a time when you started a new job and had to acquire new skills you did not have before."
"Tell us about a time you worked with a strong-willed person."
"Tell me one thing about yourself."
"Describe a time when you had differing opinions or values of a coworker. How did you handle that situation?"
"Talk about a risky decision you made. Are you happy with the outcome?"
"Describe your riskiest decision and what happened?"
"Tell us about a time you worked with strong willed peers"
"Tell me about a risky decision you've made"
"Have you ever worked with someone from a different cultural background? How did you feel about that?"
"Same as those listed."
"Describe a tough decision you've made in the past"
"Name a time when you had to use innovation to solve a problem."
"Give us an example of a mistake that you made and the outcome, how you fixed it."
"Tell me about a time when you had competing priorities."
"What do you do when you meet new ppl. "
"Tell me about a time you used an innovative solution to solve a problem."
"Tell us about a time when you had to work with unfamiliar people"
"Tell us about a situation where you had to work with strong willed people."
"Describe a time where you had to achieve multiple goals and how you accomplished that."
"Describe a situation where you had to work with strong willed individuals"
"A time when you had to manage competing priorities."
"Describe a time when you had to deal with a conflict in a group situation."
"Tell us about a time when people relied on you."
"Describe a time when you had a conflict with someone and how you resolved it."
"See above "
"What was a time when you tried to accomplish something and failed/succeeded?"
"sorry"
"What's an example of when you didn't get along with a group member/co-worker."
"Tell us about a time you attempted something and succeeded, how did you feel? "
"Tell us about an instance where you had to work in a tense group environment."
"as i stated earlier, all the students get the exact same questions, so in the spirit of fairness, i'll just say that they were all typical behavioral based questions."
"What is the most difficult accomplishment you have done? What made it significant?"
"Explain a time you had to work with someone who didn't agree with you"
"Discuss a situation in which you had to work with people you had never before met."
"Tell me about a time you had to make a tough decision, are you happy with the outcome?"
"Tell us about a time when you formed relationships that did not exist there before."
"Tell us about a situation that you wish you had handled differently"
"Describe a time where you had to overcome a challenge"
"Tell us one thing about yourself that you would like us to know, but it can only be one thing."
"Talk about a tough decision you made. Describe the process and the steps you took to come to that decision. Are you happy with the outcome?"
"Describe a time where you were part of a group and what was your role."
"Tell us about a time you had conflicting priorities."
"Tell me about a decision you regret"
"Describe a time when you were not successful at something you tried to do. What did you learn from it?"
"Same as those listed."
"Describe a time where you used innovation to solve a problem"
"Name a situation you regret and how you would have changed it."
"Give us an example of a good learning experience."
"Tell me about a time where you had to use innovation to complete a task."
"Tell us about a time when you have competing priorities. "
"Tell me about a time you had to work with people with different attitudes/beliefs than you."
"Tell us about a situation that did not go as planned, what would you have done differently"
"Tell us about a decision you made that you regret, and how would you change it. "
"Describe a time when you failed at a task and what you did about it."
"Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure."
"A time you used innovation to solve a problem."
"Tell us about a time you had to adjust to something new and different."
"Tell us about a time when you either underestimated/overestimated/failed at a situation and how you overcame it. "
"Tell us more about yourself."
"see above"
"When did you experience another group member who disliked you/was angry at you, what action did you take, and what was the result?"
"sorry"
"Tell us about a time where you interacted with someone who was angry at you. "
"What was a time when you missed a deadline and how did you handle it?"
"as i stated earlier, all the students get the exact same questions, so in the spirit of fairness, i'll just say that they were all typical behavioral based questions."
"What was your most difficult/challenging accomplishment?"
"Describe a time when something didn't go your way and how you reacted"
"When was a time you had to use innovation to solve a problem"
"What was the riskiest decision you've ever made?"
"Tell us about a time when you were thrown into a workplace and didn't know anything."
"Tell us one thing about yourself that you would like us to know, but it can only be one thing."
"Tell us ONE thing about yourself that you would like us to know."
"not verbatim: Tell us something you regret"
"none, really"
"None of them were very interesting."
"Same as those listed."
"Tell us ONE thing about yourself"
"If you could choose one word to describe yourself, what would that be?"
"Mistake made."
"None. I expected all of what I was asked."
"they were all the same"
"Tell me about a time you had competing priorities."
"Tell us about a time when you had to work with unfamiliar people"
""Wait, you are from what city? What High School did you go to? WHAT, get out of my office, interview over." My interviewer went to my rival high school!"
"Describe a good learning experience that you had."
"What was one of your biggest failures and how you were able to overcome it"
"None in particular"
"A challenge from the past that you would deal with differently if it happened now."
"Describe one of your strengths... (not necessarily the most interesting question but I was asked more than 3 questions...)"
"Describe a situation when you had to solve a problem creatively."
"Sorry, I can't rememeber any specific questions."
"I can't remember but I was only asked three questions and they were all behavioral."
"What do you want to do with an advanced degree and a DVM?"
"Purdue really lets you into their first-year veterinary classes??"
"Can't say"
"Describe a problem or challenge and how you worked through it."
"Tell us about a time when you attemped something and failed."
"When was one time when you missed a deadline and how did you handle it?"
"THERE ARE TWO INTERVIEWERS PER STUDENT. n/a all typical behavioral based questions."
"What was your most difficult accomplishment"
"Talk about someone that you really like OR dislike and why you think you guys get along so well or don't get along so well"
"Tell me about a time you had to make a tough decision, are you happy with the outcome?"
"Tell us about a time when you had a solve a problem with people who shared different beliefs than you."
"Tell us about a situation you wish you had handled differently."
"Tell me a time where you developed a new relationship you never had before with someone."
"Describe a time when you had differing opinions or values of a coworker. How did you handle that situation?"
"Describe a time when you had to deal with group members who had differing values, ideas, opinions or beliefs? (Be very specific!)"
"telling my 'riskiest' decision..why would I do that?"
"Tell us something you failed at doing"
"Riskiest decision I've made"
"None of them were very difficult."
"Same as those listed."
"Tell us ONE thing about yourself"
"Name a situation where you had to work with a strong willed individual."
"Learning experience...they all have been!"
"They were all equal."
"they were all the same"
"Tell me about a mistake you've made in the past and how you would handle it if you could go back and do it again."
"Tell us about a time when you had competing priorities"
"All about the same"
"Describe a time that you had to work with a strong willed peer. How did you handle it?"
"Describe a situation where you had to work with strong willed individuals"
"All about the same difficulty."
"A time you dealt with people who had different opinions/attitudes/beliefs/values."
"Describe a time when you solved a problem creatively.. I couldnt think of any real specific situations to this question .. :("
"Nothing really surprised me, so they weren't really difficult by any means."
"Anything else you'd like to tell us about yourself."
"What was one of your biggest failures and how you were able to overcome it."
"see above"
"Describe a situation where not everything turned out as you had planned and how you responded."
"Name one time when you were unable to meet a deadline."
"Give me an example of a time you set a deadline and didn't make it."
"Tell us about a time where you had to communicate to someone. "
"All of them were equal since I had to so many personal experiances that could answer the questions."
"n/a all the questions (around 4 or 5) are behavioral based. everyone gets the same questions, so in the spirit of fairness, i won't share exactly what questions were asked. none were especially difficult, but all were thought provoking. just make sure you reflect upon group situations you've been a part of prior to your interview."
"Have a bunch of situational question/answers prepared"
"SDN questions"
"Reviewed classic interview questions & SDN interview questions for WesternU"
"Used SDN to help prepare, looked at the STAR process for interviewing, asked friends for help"
"Student Doctor Network"
"I researched previous interviews and probable interview questions a few days prior to the interview."
"Past SDN interview questions. Practiced with a friend. Mock interview with 2 professors."
"SDN, practiced my answers"
"SDN Interview feedback, googled behavior based interview questions, talked to a vet belonging to Western's charter class, talked to a Western vet student, prepared/mocked interviewed with friends"
"SDN"
"SDN feedback, going over questions to get a sense of how to answer the questions"
"SDN feedback."
"SDN feed back"
"I looked here on SDN and I did a mock interview to address any nervous habits I had."
"Using SDN interview feedback! Many of the question posted on this feedback were asked. It helped so much to have an answer ready."
"reading over my application, practicing behavior based interview questions"
"mock interview, reviewing behavioral based questions, talked with a friend that attends the school, SDN interview feedback questions."
"Looked over the interview feedback"
"None -- I don't believe it's possible to prepare for a behavioral-based interview. Genuine reactions and responses are best."
"Same as those listed."
"Interview feedback, read over Western supplemental questions"
"SDN interview feedback."
"This website."
"SDN interview feedback. Looked up sample behavioral questions."
"SDN, brainstorm with fds, flashcards"
"Looked over questions posted on this website and other questions posted on other websites dealing with veterinary interviews."
"SDN, speaking to a family member that has been trained in administering behavioral-based interviews, practice with a friend"
"Read sdn a ton. Looked up behavioral based interview questions."
"Read about Western, went over behavioral style questions, read over application."
"SDN interview feedback, googled behavioral based interview questions, read over supplemental app"
"Talked to friends/family, read up on some behavior questions and thought of situations in my life that I could talk about"
"Read SDN, my pre-personal statement freewrite, read a bit about behavioral interviews, brainstormed some anecdotes that might be useful. Still got stuck at a few points though. "
"I did a mock interview at my school, with my brother (he was an interviewer at his old job), and with friends. I of course made myself quite familiar with this forum and the interview questions posted on here"
"Looked on here and reviewed my supplemental app questions from here and other schools. Also looked over my personal statement."
"Research problem based interviews. "
"Practiced behavioral interviews with friends and family. Read SDN and made a mental list of different stories from my experience that could relate to behavioral questions."
"Read about Problem Based Learning. Read about Behavioral Based Interviews."
"Reviewed behavioral questions and prepared honest answers."
"Read their website, SDN's interview feedback, common interview questions. Reviewed my application."
"Studied behavioral-based interview questions and reviewed numerous instances when I was in a group setting."
"Mock interview at my current university and years of experience."
"Searched typical behavioral based questions on the internet. Reviewed my animal and life experiences and tried to pair them up to possible questions."
"Mock interviews, reading SDN responses"
"Tried to remember interesting experiances from work and read up on the website"
"googled sample behavioral based interview questions"
"Interviewers were very friendly and easy to talk to"
"The interviewers were very kind and knowledgable."
"How conversational/kind everyone was at the interview. Very down to earth people, students, and faculty."
"The interviewers (faculty, sponsors that provide places for rotations, alumni) were so friendly and didn't give off an elite attitude even though the school is a private school. I loved how friendly all of my interviewers were and how they made me feel welcome."
"The faculty was genuinely nice, funny, laid back and comforting."
"The interviewers were all very kind and open."
"I really enjoyed the activities throughout the day. It was a little nerve racking to have my interview as the second to last activity, but the other activities/tours kept me fairly distracted until then."
"Everyone I met at the school was extremely positive and up beat, I really love the unique curriculum that WesternU offers, and I love how enthusiastic the professors and students were"
"I love PBL. I also love how everyone is so positive about their experience at Western. The campus and facilities are new. The location is great (Hello, Southern California?). Lots and lots of hands on experience. I really feel like graduates are practice ready."
"Everyone was very nice!"
"Interviewers were nice; student volunteers were very informative."
"The whole interview impressed me positively."
"how modern and nice the facilities are, the friendly staff and students"
"The students all seemed so happy to be there! They loved answering the questions, and they just raved about Western's curriculum and faculty."
"The interviewers were very friendly and casual. They wanted you do well. They made the interview feel like it wasn't a test but really a way for them to get to know you."
"The DVMs that interviewed me were very friendly and interested in what I said."
"The friendly and collegiate environment. The student volunteers stopped to say "Hi" to everyone, both students and teachers. Students conduct around 60 surgeries before they graduate. According to astudent, 90% of class pass a mock board exam in their second year."
"How friendly everyone was, the facilities and their program!"
"The facilities at the university are very nice and PBL seems like a good way to learn material."
"Staff, students, PBL"
"Everyone is extremely excited about the school and the program. The facilities are new, the problem-based learning is unique, and the reverence for life policy is admirable"
"Their "right to life" policy - they don't euthanize animals to, e.g., learn gross anatomy, etc."
"Technology on campus"
"Everyone is really enthusiastic about PBL."
"They seem to have a very close bond between all the students and faculty. "
"The people were super friendly and the program they set up for us was awesome and let us see how their curriculum works (PBL)"
"The PBL practice session, the friendliness of the faculty and the tour guides, vegetarian lunch options provided"
"The school straight up rocks. The teaching system looks awesome, and their facilities are nice, (even though the outside looks bad)."
"The problem based learning session. Very unique teaching style."
"Everyone was SO friendly, all the students seemed really laid back and very helpful."
"Everyone seemed genuinely nice and interested in us. The PBL program"
"Students and faculty all raved about the WUHS experience (then again, they don't show us the dissenters at interview day). PBL sounds like a great way to learn- it's easier to be engaged in a discussion than in a lecture, even if the material is interesting. Lots of real-world experience in many settings starting early. Not having a teaching hospital seems to mean that they focus more on the students than on research or notoriety."
"The whole interview was incredibly laid back. I heard most situations were good cop bad cop but I was lucky and got good cop good cop... at least IMO. "
"How nice everyone was and how they really wanted to impress us and teach us about their PBL style of learning."
"The people, the faculty, the curriculum, the PBL mock-session"
"It was great to learn more about the school during the activities before and after the interview. There were snacks everywhere and they served lunch."
"How enthusiastic the Dean, admission counselors, professors, interviewers and students were about their program."
"The professors seemed really nice, and the PBL curriculum would be perfect for me."
"The sense of humor of the interviewers!! They made the interview completely relaxing and even fun. It was strange! The no-terminal-surgeries aspect of the school and the practice of ''reverence for life.'' (plus their students are practicing at Sea World)"
"The problem based learning, facilities, and the current students and faculty had extremely positive attitudes towards the school."
"The program really tries to prepare students for the ''real-world'' by emphasizing problem solving and team work through Patient Based Learning modules. (aka PBL's) One of our activities was talking through a PBL case as a group. This gave me a better idea of whether this innovative learning style would work for me. Opportunity to do 4th year rotations anywhere in the world. Close to Cal Poly Pomona, where students work with large animals."
"The amount of clinical experience students get is much more than other schools. "
"The kindness of the interviewers and laid-back atmosphere."
"the enthusiasm of the faculty/students"
"It was hard to think of examples for some things, at least ones that would also be impactful/significant"
"Campus was smaller than expected, long interview day"
"Nothing!"
"N/a"
"Since I had to do an online interview, I had to wait approximately 10 minutes before my interview began following the actual time my interview was supposed to start. I was not sure if there was a system glitch or if something else was going on."
"The last activity I did was so boring! All the adrenaline had left my system, and I just wanted to go to sleep!"
"Nothing really... Pomona has some bad areas in it but over all it does not seem that bad. There seems like there are plenty of nice areas in the surrounding towns to live"
"One of the professors was a bit arrogant. That might be typical of vet school, but I don't want to see it on a preview day. The cost of living in So Cal is expensive. You have to pay for all your travel expenses in your fourth year."
"The interview day was a little disorganized."
"location maybe?"
"behavior interview questions seemed more difficult to me"
"The cost, but I obviously knew ahead of time - it's not a secret. If you absolutely can't afford it, don't even apply there. Pretty simple."
"I don't like the behavioral interview questions, especially since they pretty much start with those immediately. I wished they would have asked more about me (what school I went to, where I was from, etc.) before they started the interview."
"the closed file style...doesn't help me convey who I am in 30 min."
"Lack of real lectures scares me. PBL seems hard, but again very rewarding. The location is not ideal for me (I live on the other side of the country). No large animal hospital on campus (but they do havea contract with a neighboring university where students go to work with food/large animals.)"
"I wasn't impressed with the overall experience of the interview. It seemed disorganized."
"Pomona, PBL, tuition... it is insane."
"The cost of tuition and living"
"Not everyone is asked the same questions, which they lied about. (Found this out after speaking with other interviewees.) There are literally no lectures even though they claim there are some and all the learning comes from you reading a textbook, i.e., you teach yourself veterinary medicine (learned from a friend who is a 1st year)."
"uninterested interviewers, crappy location, unfriendly interviewers, in the ghetto, heavy guard presence due to area crime, NO large animal hospital on facility, limited large animal hospital clinical time, not accredited, PBL seems to waste time and is exclusive learning strategy for two years, practically no lectures,"
"Distance from home"
"Nothing really."
"Pomona itself, LA traffic, campus is very small. If you want to do research, there's not a lot the school can offer. There's very little research going on compared to other bigger university"
"The surrounding area and the tuition costs."
"They were very disorganized (the first day of interviews). Also, the student Q&A session - it was 3-4 applicants on 2-3 students. It would have been better to have the entire group ~15 ppl do a Q&A with the students. But it would have also been good if the students used were more knowledgeable and communicative. The ones we had were unenthusiastic and uninformative."
"The location.....i hate Pomona"
"The tour guides could have a known a bit more about the program...they were very relaxed but not as knowledgeable as I would have liked."
"Location of the school"
"The tiny campus, however, there is no undergraduate portion of the school which explains the size."
"Pomona is a drag. It's just charmless, as is the campus. I hear that their are cute areas nearby, though, and I believe it. Many people (even in the vet field) haven't heard of it. "
"Nothing much... Of course Pomona is known for its crime but I had lived in Pomona for about 2 years so it was no shock to me. "
"A lot of people are not happy about the safety just outside of the campus. On campus you are fine, and they said the security officers will even walk you to your car at night."
"the newness of the program, that they're still working out some issues"
"The actual school campus is not very impressive - I believe it used to be a strip mall."
"Limited facilities"
"The students seemed a little spacey; they don't have a teaching hospital; they're not accredited yet."
"Accreditation has been put off another year (2008), but this shouldn't affect the graduating students. Facilities were smaller than 40k-plus campus I'm used to, but may not be negative thing."
"Cost of attendence along with the cost of living."
"School is located in an unsafe neighborhood (although there are a few security guards milling around and students say it is not a problem. Eastern LA is very warm and smoggy. "
"There is a train that drives by and it is in a strip mall."
"The security guards constantly walking around."
"nothing"
"That the interview was closed file"
"Closed file interview"
"That this webpage existed!"
"N/a"
"I wish I would have known that the interview was going to be kind and open- not as formal and stressful!"
"I felt really prepared."
"That it would be a bit disorganized."
"I cannot think of anything I wish I had known ahead of time. Reading all interview feedback has helped me understand what to expect."
"I'm glad I ate at the airport before heading to my hotel because it was easier than trying to find a way to get food without a rental car. I am also glad I knew to fly into ONTARIO and not LAX. Much easier."
"Nothing. I felt prepared for the interview and the entire orientation process."
"it was closed file interview. it would have changed my answers"
"That I shouldn't be so nervous and stressed about the interview...It was sooo laid back!"
"How low-pressure the interview segment of the day would be. I was pretty nervous and then found the actual interview to be a breeze."
"I'd be paying this off for the rest of my life."
"How relaxed the interview process was"
"Everything I wrote in the impressed negatively section, and that they have no teaching hospital. Instead, they have Banfield (who I hate)."
"They changed the building due to a health fair and did not let us know."
"That the city of Pomona isn't the best area to be in."
"That I was not going to interview until the very end of the session."
"how nice the folks were."
"Be early when parking. They want you to park in public parking and it's hard to find your way around."
"More about the area"
"That i was going to be interviewed pretty much last in the last group."
"That jet lag really sucks and not to fly from Florida to California the day before the interview!"
"The area AROUND Pomona has some nice towns. Even if Pomona itself is hell's armpit."
"Nothing"
"Nothing. Mapped out exactly as in invitational email."
"Nothing, I did a lot of research and knew what the school had to offer, anything new only strenghtened my interest for the school."
"How warm it would be the day of my interview. (70 degrees plus in winter!)"
"The interview is half a day of different groups doing different things, such as Q and A and looking at powerpoint stuff. They also had a second group come while we were there and we covered financial aid etc.. together. "
"That they are building a teaching hospital that they say will be finished next year but construction hasn't even started."
"they fed us lunch!! morning group eats after planned activites are completed, afternoon group eats before..."
"Very easy and conversational interview. Make sure your answers are reflective of you as a person because although the questions seem simple, they are looking for specific character traits in your answers"
"Relax and make new friends with other interviewees during your time!"
"Really laid back interview, they just want to get the chance to know you!"
"Great interview process!"
"The whole experience was great, I really loved the school!"
"Love Western U!"
"I really enjoyed my weekend there. Pomona was not that bad, in my opinion - certainly not as ghetto as I was thinking it would be. And Claremont was beautiful and full of places to shop, eat, drink... very nice!"
"The interview day was about 4 and a half hours. You will do an interview, curriculum overview, campus tour, financial planning, and student q&a session in this time period. They provide lunch for you. It's a very laid back process."
"Definitely a good school with great faculty. I like PBL a lot and think Western students are going to make really great Vets but it is weird that there is not much lecture material. The area of Pomano is not the "ghetto" that many people say in the feedback. Its a city.. every city has it's seedy areas.. the school is perfectly safe and there is a lot of stores, restaurants, theaters and other places to go in the area. The weather is amazing. I can't imagine feeling depressed/ unhappy during the winter when the weather is sunny and warm."
"Was kind of iffy about the school before visiting but after the interview I just fell in love with the school! The area is definitely not as "ghetto" as people were making it out to be!"
"Showed up to campus not enthused about Western, but left feeling like I could see myself as a student there."
"Look elsewhere."
"Western's interview day was extremely well-organized. Most people I talked to agreed that their interviewers were friendly and genuinely seemed like they wanted to get to know you. The school is great, but does not have a large animal facility on campus."
"I would never attend this school. If it was my only choice, I would reapply the next year instead of starting. Almost $300,000 of debt to teach myself is stupid. PBL and absolutely no lectures or structure work for some people, but not for me. There are schools that are AVMA accepted, do case studies, lectures, and physical exams the first year. It may not be called PBL, but the school has similar programs elsewhere in nicer areas and nicer facilities."
"not for large animal people!"
"I suggest flying into ONT and taking a shuttle to hotel/to the university... this is the best way to avoid driving in LA traffic... this is if you're coming from out-of-state."
"I was accepted"
"Great program, the staff is great, and the faculty seem to really enjoy their work. The PBL system seems great."
"Western is definitely not a traditional vet school. The teaching style for the first two years revolves around problem based learning and laboratories. The great thing is that there does seem to be a great amount of hands on experience, starting from your first year. However, there is no large animal facility (there is a small animal Banfield). They do take tours to nearby schools/farms/facilities, but if you are looking for an on-campus large animal hospital and/or lecture centered learning then Western is probably not ideal for you. "
"The campus is tiny, but the location is still amazing due to everything that is so close by!"
"They explained how the interview works at the beginning of it. It's okay to repeat things from our application. It's okay to pause and reflect before answering. Whenever I answered in generalities, they would ask for a specific instance that exemplified what I was saying. Like tell us about one conversation, or one interaction. That was tricky. They take notes and remain pretty inexpressive. "
"Overall it was a very pleasant experience. The suspense leading up to the interview was a lot more stressful than the actual interview itself!"
"Despite how everyone says the campus is small, the neighborhood is not safe, and there's a train that passes behind the campus ALL the time (yes, our projector was shaking when the train went by and the faculty member was assuring us it was not an earthquake!), I still really LOVED the school. Their unique PBL learning is a wonderful thing (not for everybody, though), and I feel like this school really wants to get to know who you are. They are not out to trick you or make you look stupid. This school is also in a great location because 45 minutes to and hour in any direction will get you to so many different places (deserts, forests, the beach, etc) where you can do large animal, small animal, farm, marine, zoo, wildlife. They have so many resources! Also you get a lot of clinical experience in your first two years, unlike most other schools."
"There was a whole day of activities before and after the interview. We were given a campus tour, time to chat with current students and lunch. The interviewers were really nice and seemed to really care to find out more about me. There was no surprises during the interview -- just the behavioral questions posted on SDN."
"The interviews are just weird. I couldn't figure out what they wanted to know, what it all meant, or how they interpreted my responses. It was like a Barry Manilow concert for the deaf."
"Interviewed by two professors for the CVM, one male, one female. Both were very nice and expressed their desire to make me comfortable. All three questions were behavioral."
"It was decent overall. There were a couple of student life slideshows that were a waste of time -- they were basically a bunch of photos from orientation, with people doing 3-legged races and other ''team-building'' activities, and didn't tell me anything at all about the school. The tour was really short, because there are only two buildings (and a clinic in a trailer). My interview was definitely the most enjoyable part of the day."
"One of my interviewers was a professor/DVM poultry and the other was a successful ultrasound practitioner. Very positive. I left with a huge smile painted on my face. Interviewers were able to branch their own questions from the stories I was telling. I was comfortable enough to tell them I was nervous, and comfortable enough to tell them that a previous set of interviewers had essentially laughed at me when I mentioned what I wanted to specialize in. I was also comfortable enough to talk to them about my previous rejections. They were interested in what I had to say, rather than just ''doing a job.'' They had great senses of humor and spent a good deal of the interview laughing. They seem like great people to work with."
"positive, interviewers were extremely friendly."
"Well-organized activities, enthusiastic students, many applicants from out of state. Overall, I was more impressed with Western after this experience, although I still have reservations about its location and small size."
"The environment was very laid back, the students who showed us powerpoints actually had no idea how to work it or what they were supposed to do, the campus tour was very short, obviouslly. And the interviews lasted a short time compared to the amount of time we did other things. They served us lunch at least."
"great experience overall. those of you who have interviews next week should really try not to be too nervous, because everyone was really really really nice. we weren't thrown any curve balls like they do at some other veterinary schools. "
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Student | 41 |
| Faculty member | 0 |
| Admissions staff | 1 |
| Other | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 37 |
| Neutral | 4 |
| Discouraging | 1 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.52 | 48 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In state | 19 |
| Out of state | 24 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hour | 10 |
| 2-3 hours | 5 |
| 4-6 hours | 8 |
| 7+ hours | 20 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 29 |
| Automobile | 14 |
| Train or subway | 0 |
| Other | 0 |
Ontario (ONT)
Ontario! Much easier than LAX!
Ontario, CA
Ontario
ONT
Los Angeles International Airport
Orange County
LAX
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At school facility | 1 |
| With students at the school | 0 |
| Friends or family | 7 |
| Hotel | 25 |
| Home | 2 |
| Other | 1 |
Motel 6 in Chino
Marriott
Best Western Chino Hills
Rodeway Inn
Shiloh Hotel
Shiloh Inn
Sheraton Suites Fairplex (they have a shuttle to a
Doubletree in Claremont
Hampton Inn
Diamond Bar Best Western
Shilo Inn
Shilo
Comford Inn
Shilo Inn Hilltop Suites
Comfort Inn Pomona
Shilo Inn Hotel
Motel 6
Shilo Inn Hotels (free shuttle to school and airport)
Comfort Inn
Doubletree Hotel Claremont (just a few miles from campus)
La Quinta Ontario
Don't remember!
Yes
Motel 6 in Chino
Marriott
Best Western Chino Hills
Rodeway Inn
Shiloh Hotel
Shiloh Inn
Sheraton Suites Fairplex (they have a shuttle to a
Doubletree in Claremont
Hampton Inn
Diamond Bar Best Western
Shilo Inn
Shilo
Comford Inn
Shilo Inn Hilltop Suites
Comfort Inn Pomona
Shilo Inn Hotel
Motel 6
Shilo Inn Hotels (free shuttle to school and airport)
Comfort Inn
Doubletree Hotel Claremont (just a few miles from campus)
La Quinta Ontario
Don't remember!
Yes
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| < $100 | 6 |
| $101-$200 | 3 |
| $201-$300 | 6 |
| $301-$400 | 3 |
| $401-$500 | 5 |
| $501+ | 13 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.56 | 50 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 4.84 | 50 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5.90 | 50 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.13 | 38 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.24 | 38 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.59 | 37 |
"Admissions counselors don't respond to any emails (reported by many applicants, including myself), but Robin is amazing!"
"Try to be better at communicating with the applicants, many applicants I talked to turned down Western because of the lack in communication."
"For online interviews, if applicants will have to wait for the interview to begin, let them know ahead of time so they can anticipate that."
"The interview day was a little disorganized, but overall it was great!"
"The admissions folks can't tell your email provider to NOT put their email in the spam folder, so it has to be up to the applicants. CHECK YOUR JUNK FOLDER! Tell your email not to block @westernu emails!"
"Follow up on interview emails! I did not get mine until three days before I was supposed to be there..and that was after I called twice about it!"
"Use e-mail to communicate acceptances. If the only form of communication between them and students is e-mail, then why snail mail the acceptance/waitlist/rejection letters? Or use the phone!"
"very disorganized interview process and day."
"Timely email response."
"Post signs to help guide interviewee's to appropriate parking area's/lots."
"Be more responsive to emails during interview weeks. Waiting 2 months for a decision is too long."
"Let us know sooner! (soon after interview, not 2 months!)"
We help students become doctors. TM
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?