Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 33% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did okay.
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the areaโs cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
๐ฌ Interview Questions โผ
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Based on the responses provided, the most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about reasons for choosing a specific school, handling feedback, sharing cultural experiences, discussing challenges faced, describing community service activities, explaining motivations for pursuing medicine, and addressing ethical dilemmas. The presence of questions like "Tell me about yourself" and variations suggests a mix of traditional and situational questions. It is worth noting that some responses may indicate an MMI format, potentially involving a nondisclosure agreement.
Students said most interesting question asked at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University discussed a wide range of topics including future aspirations, cultural experiences, ethical dilemmas, personal challenges, and community involvement. The interviews may have been in an MMI format with potential nondisclosure agreements, as indicated by mentions of nondisclosure and diverse question types such as personal stories, ethical scenarios, and adaptation to new environments.
Students said the most difficult question asked at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University discussed various scenarios such as leadership experiences, handling criticism, ethical dilemmas, and future goals. Some respondents mentioned questions about harsh feedback, personal challenges, and motivations for pursuing medicine, while others highlighted the importance of being prepared to discuss experiences in detail.
Tell me about a time when you had to step up into leadership
What did you learn from 'x' experience? (not 'difficult' but required some on the spot reflection about an experience I wasn't expecting to speak about much, but I think it turned out okay! Advice: know your AMCAS work/activities and be prepared to talk about any part of it)
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had an open file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like SDN, mock interviews, and reviewing their applications and the school's website. Many also focused on practicing answers to common questions and familiarizing themselves with the school's mission and values.
School website, sdn forum, student feedback, watching videos, practicing with friends. Researched a bit about standardized patient interviews but wasn't necessary. The patient interview part seems nerve racking but once you are in with the patient, you just have a conversation with them and it's not that bad.
Researched the school's website, drove to the hospital the day before to make sure I knew where to go, looked over my application so I knew what kinds of questions to expect.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere during their interviews, noting that the interactions felt more like conversations than interrogations. Additionally, they appreciated the sense of community, the passion displayed by faculty and students, and the school's supportive and innovative environment. There was a consistent positive sentiment towards the welcoming and engaging nature of the staff, the impressive facilities, and the school's commitment to student success and happiness.
The interviewers were so friendly and welcoming. The interview felt more like a conversation than an interrogation.
Almost everything. The school is amazing. It's right in the community, which is great. The facilities are very impressive, including the sim lab and the anatomy lab. Every single student was super friendly and very happy to be there.
The facilities are up to date and the faculty seems like they genuinely care about the students' success. I like how thoroughly they covered their curriculum in the info session. The SIM center is cool.
Organization of the day, how happy students seemed, relaxed and kind environment, faculty support and encouragement throughout the day, facilities. Also no sense of 'you should come here because we are the best.' They really give students all the info objectively and know that the small group/Cooper values may not be for everyone. Faculty also addressed concerns many may have about living in Camden. They made sure to stress the security protocols in place to help students feel comfortable. Really appreciated that part.
The curriculum, the integration of the school into the community, the fact that students said that all of the staff know who they are, all the measures the school is taking to increase student happiness.
Cooper has a very supportive learning environment. I asked several questions about doing different activities that were not currently offered, and was told that everyone would work with me to see that I had opportunities to start these programs.
Incredibly innovative curriculum, in both the "pre-clinical" and "clinical" years, with extensive clinical work starting in week 3. Great facilities. Vivacious faculty.
The interviewers were very engaging and interested to be there. Although they were physicians and not adcom members, they took the interviewer role seriously and I enjoyed our conversation.
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the surrounding area, particularly citing limited dining options and lack of nearby activities. Some mentioned the financial burden of attending as an out-of-state student and the school's newness as potential negatives. Suggestions included improving the interview format, providing more information on student outcomes like match lists, and making the financial aid presentation more concise.
the area surrounding the school is not the nicest. Most people live in philly, but I would want to do that too. it seems not that inconvenient. Having early morning classes.
The area. Although it seems like an interesting/diverse patient population, there isn't much to do outside of the school's main building. It seems like most of the students travel to Philly if they want to do something fun.
Only the fact that they are new, and somewhat unproven. However, I do not foresee any problems with students passing boards or the last stages of certification.
Camden is a difficult area - but Cooper is working to improve it. I almost wish I was interviewing here in 2 or 3 years, as there's some much incredible stuff that is in process and will be finished soon.
Nothing, if you are unfamiliar with Camden you will probably not like the neighborhood but for those of us who are familiar we already knew what to expect.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interviews would be relaxed and conversational, with a strict time limit to maintain formality. They also highlighted the importance of being prepared for the unique interview format, where one interviewer is open file and the other is unaware of your background.
You have a strict 30 minutes (there was a timer) and that you should not succumb to the relaxed nature of the interview; remember that this is a medical school interview and you should still try to be formal
that you are choosing the school as much as they are choosing you. if you get accepted into multiple schools, you have to make a decision. You are allowed to ask them about time off allotted for step studying and what the usmle scores were.
That the interview was going to be 2-on-1 (it was kind of awkward talking to two people at the same time, and tailoring your answers to one person who knows your file, and another who is blinded)
That it would be a relaxed and fun day. And that the patient interview part is SHORT. It flies by and then you're on your way to the next part of the interview.
Applicants generally found the interview atmosphere welcoming and supportive, with some feeling rushed due to time constraints. They appreciated the unique mission and environment of the school, but concerns were raised about the high out-of-state tuition costs.
There are 2 interviewers, one has read your application, while the other interviewer has not.
30 minutes goes by so fast; they only asked me 5 or 6 questions. I was definitely over-prepared. Two on one interview with one interviewer open file and one closed file is a little awkward; the closed file interviewer didn't ask me any questions and just sat there quietly staring me down. Other than that everything went perfectly and I love this school :)
this school lets you know immediately (within a week or two what they are doing with your file which was great to know that you've gotten your first acceptance)
Seems like such a kind and supportive environment to go to school in. You'll hear that it is relaxed and just keep that in mind. It really is an enjoyable day where they want to get to know you. Stay calm and try to have fun. Also for the interview- it WAS a conversation where you are given time to talk, as much as you want. Not a speedy Q & A format at all. I think whatever you say kind of directs the conversation/questioning. I would be most prepared for, 'Why Medicine' 'Why Cooper?' and 'Why Camden?' Have fun!
If it weren't for the super-expensive tuition, Cooper would be my number one choice, no question. Their combination of mission and innovative curriculum is just fantastic. But I'm not sure I can justify the OOS tuition when I also have interviews at in state schools that are going to be much cheaper.
The day was relatively short. We had the obligatory tour and information sessions, but the really interesting part was that we had two mini standardized-patient interviews, which required no medical knowledge but were instead an evaluation of interpersonal skills. They also had small ethical dilemmas weaved in as well. The interview itself was a 2 on 1 affair, with one open-file and one blinded interviewer. It was very conversational and quite short -- the blinded interviewer asked 3 questions from her "list", and the open one asked 1, but the rest of them were drawn from my responses. In general, the school impressed me greatly.
Interview is 2:1 with one open file and one closed file at the same time. Makes for some awkward moments and I wished I had treated it more like completely closed file.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest bringing back in-person interviews, shortening the financial aid lecture, and offering more interactive activities like hospital tours to enhance the admissions experience.
Shorten the 45 min lecture on financial aid to an overview, it is so dull that you made a movie because you were tired of talking about it and giving the lecture.