Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences
Fort Collins, CO
Veterinary Schools | Public Non-Profit
Going on an interview at CSU? Add your feedback to help others!
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
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
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools involve scenarios and personal attributes. Some respondents may have experienced an MMI format with questions on ethical dilemmas and interpersonal situations, potentially under a nondisclosure agreement, while others were asked about challenges in the field, self-care, weaknesses, contributions to programs, and past experiences demonstrating qualities like empathy.
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All were scenarios
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MM1 2- What are challenges in veterinary medicine and what strategies will you use to overcome them. Follow up- how do you define self-care
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MM1- There is a viral out break and the survival rate is 50%. You are in a high-up position at the CDC and are offered a vaccine for the virus. Do you take the vaccine? What influences your choice?
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MMI 3- You rent out a bedroom & this roommate has not paid rent in full for the past three months. When walking, you see them give ($20 or $50 idk) dollars to a man and their dog. How do you handle this situation? Follow up- do you confront your roommate? How does your response change when the roommate says the man threatened to hurt them
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What are my weaknesses?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences discussed scenarios like handling employee behavior, decision-making processes, reasons for pursuing a DVM/PhD, and details about research conducted. The mention of MMI format, Multiple Mini Interview, and nondisclosure agreements suggests that respondents may have encountered a scenario-based interview process with confidentiality requirements.
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MMI4- you are a small business owner of a business with 5 employees. For the second time this month, an employee calls in sick, noting a foot injury. Later that night, a coworker calls and says they saw this employee at the gym with a gym bag. How do you handle this situation? Follow up- how does leadership influence your decision
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Why do I want to do DVM/PhD and not one or the other?
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Tell us about your research.
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What thought process do you go through when you have to make a decision?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences discussed Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), including a scenario where they had to identify an object through yes or no questions and a question about breaking the rules to accomplish a task. Respondents also mentioned questions about their future goals and motivations for a joint DVM/PhD program.
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MMI 5- Your job is the figure out what an object is- it is a person, place or thing. You will do this by asking the interviewer 20 “yes or no” questions. There is no penalty if you do not figure out the object. Follow up question- how did you approach this problem?
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Where do I see myself 5 years from now?
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Other than the time advantage, and the integration of medicine and research, why are you interested in the joint DVM/PhD program.
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Tell me about a time you had to break the rules to get a job done.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 5 or more people.
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.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 4-6 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Denver International Airport (DEN)
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Denver International
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DEN
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Hilton
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Best Western University Inn
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Air bnb
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by practicing MMI-style questions, researching the organization or field related to the position, reflecting on past experiences to demonstrate key qualities, and attending relevant interview preparation workshops. They also focused on addressing potential weaknesses in their application and thinking about strategies for handling challenging questions during the interview.
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Read info on MMI style interviews
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Practice MMIs for Med School
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Asked myself these same questions, looked over webpages of people I was going to meet, and thought of questions to ask interviewers.
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Read up on wildlife/zoonotic diseases (my area of focus) - but wasn't asked about any of them.
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It was a behavioral interview, so spent time reflecting on past experiences that would demonstrate teamwork, creative thinking, integrity, empathy, conflict management, etc. Put some thought into how I would address questions that may be raised about my application, such as not having many upper division sciences classes completed at the time. Also considered how I would respond if I totally blanked on a question. Attended the free interview prep workshop they offered beforehand, and found it useful.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere created by faculty and students, the high-quality facilities, and the genuine interest shown in their research and goals. Some mentioned the Director of Admissions and the meet-and-greet event as standout features that left a strong positive impression.
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The current Director of Admissions is amazing.
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The meet and greet was very nice! Great spaces for students
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High grade facilities, very friendly interviewers, and the teaching hospital.
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The relaxed attitudes of the faculty, and their interest in my research.
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In the waiting area there were several current vet students hanging out trying to help you stay relaxed by talking to you and answering questions (although in retrospect, I wouldn't have gotten as involved in small talk with them because I think I lost a little of my focus and had to regroup during the first few minutes of the actual interview.)
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were unimpressed by the lack of relevance of some interview questions to veterinary medicine, the condition of the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, the lack of feedback from interviewers, and the uncertainty regarding the interviewers' engagement. Suggestions include ensuring questions are relevant, providing adequate lighting in facilities, offering feedback to applicants, and improving communication to convey interest during interviews.
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The questions had very little to do with vet med or personal experiences of the applicant.
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I thought VTH was not as nice, also the lights in the hospital rooms were off so we couldn’t see anything
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Nothing really, it was just a very long day.
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Sometimes the faculty talked to each other, which I certainly didn't mind, but it was hard to tell if they were comfortable with me, or just bored with my answers.
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I'd hoped my interviewers would provide SOME amount of feedback...they were both very nice but didn't give away any hints, verbal or nonverbal, as to how they thought the interview went.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the attractions in Ft. Collins and the size of the campus ahead of time. Additionally, they suggested being cautious of the beverages offered in the waiting area to avoid a cold and wet handshake during introductions.
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There's a lot to do in Ft. Collins, I would've liked to stay there a bit longer to look around.
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The large layout of the campus.
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Beware of the water & sodas they offer in the waiting area...if you don't handle them correctly, your introductory hand shake will be cold & wet!
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly emphasized the importance of being themselves, staying calm, and doing their best during the interview process. They also appreciated the transparency of the application process and highlighted the diverse range of interview formats and the focus on understanding motivations and experiences in the profession.
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Just be yourself, take a deep breath, and do your best.
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Didn’t have to sign an NDA, which is why I posted questions. Questions posted once cycle was done! Best of luck to future applicants
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A day full of individual meetings with professors and tours with students, one group interview in the morning with committee members, and my first talk was an hour with the director being informed of the history and administration of the program.
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This was for the joint DVM/PhD program, so there were ~7 hours of interviews (both group and one-on-one) as well as several tours with current students. Facilities were VERY impressive, faculty were nice and easy to talk with, and the current students enthusiastic.
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Overall, it was get-to-know-you conversation that seemed to focus on your understanding of the profession (pros and cons), your motivations for entering it, one ''moral dilemma'' question, some past experiences questions about how you handled certain situations plus the opportunity to ask questions of your own.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
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