University of Kansas School of Pharmacy
Lawrence, KS
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
Going on an interview at KU-DENT? 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 include inquiries about the future of the pharmacy profession, personal experiences of failure and resilience, reasons for choosing pharmacy over other professions, strengths and weaknesses, and ethical scenarios like dealing with cheating students. Responses suggest that the interviews may have been in an MMI format, and some respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement regarding specific questions asked.
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what do you think poses a threat to pharmacy and how will it look in the future
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when is a time you failed and how did you deal with it
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why should we choose you over someone who looks the same on paper
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Tell us about yourself and how you came to be interested in the profession of pharmacy?
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Why should we pick you?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of Kansas School of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics, including study habits, the future of pharmacy, important issues facing pharmacists, ethical dilemmas like handling medication errors, cheating, and moral objections to certain prescriptions. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) given the variety of questions, with some respondents possibly bound by a nondisclosure agreement.
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There wasn't one :(
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They asked me about my study habits in detail
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In regards to the questions about the future of pharmacy, one of the interviewers wanted to know my thoughts on the automated dispensing machines and there impact on the profession.
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What are some of the most important issues you see facing pharmacists currently and in the coming years?
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Where is the field of pharmacy heading?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Kansas School of Pharmacy discussed various scenarios such as justifying past academic performance, demonstrating critical thinking skills, and explaining uniqueness compared to other applicants. The interview format seemed to be MMI based on the conversational style and interconnected questions, with some respondents hinting at a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the questions asked.
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why should we choose you
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Why did you get a "C" in Western Civilization (a class that I took 11 years ago--AWKWARD!)
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Name a specific instance in which you had to think critically or creatively to solve a problem. I wasn't ready for this and couldn't think of one off the top of my head
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All of my questions were on an equal level. Most of them were asked in a way that each answer I gave rolled right into another question or expanded on the previous question. It was conversation like most of the way through.
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With all the new technology, new machines could be developed to dispense/label medications. What is the job of the Pharmacist then?
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 3 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 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
No responses
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Other or at another housing option.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Days Inn
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Best Western
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
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 moderately responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing with mock interviews, and reviewing online interview questions. They also sought advice from current pharmacy students, pharmacists, and classmates who had already gone through the interview process.
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SDN, YouTube, mock interviews
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Looked over some practice questions online
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SDN, guessing at what i would be asked and having answers in mind. I definitely did not have any "scripted" answers though
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Mock interviews with a few pharmacists I know and reviewing interview questions on-line
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Practiced interview questions with my sister and boyfriend, and also set up a mock interview with career and employment services on campus.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the friendly and welcoming attitude of the interviewers, the relaxed atmosphere during the interview process, and the beauty of the school facilities. Some also appreciated the efforts of interviewers to lighten the mood and create a positive experience.
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the interviewer was really engaged
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The building is beautiful. Nice labs and study rooms.
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two of the three seemed very relaxed and upbeat, tended to laugh with my jokes and agree with what i said. they seemed to know that it was a stressful situation, and tried to lighten the mood. The 3rd interviewer seemed to be playing the "bad cop" role, but came around eventually
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The atmosphere was much more relaxed than I anticipated.
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They were extremely friendly :)
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions of interviewers being unfriendly, uninterested, confrontational, or harsh in their questioning. Some applicants were surprised by the lack of professionalism in the interview panel's behavior or the slow response time from the school. Suggestions included improving interviewer demeanor, relevance of questions, and timeliness in communication.
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the other interviewer seemed uninterested
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I felt one of my interviewers was confrontational and was not pleased with any of my responses. He kept pushing me on topics that seemed irrelevant to Pharmacy school (see above Western Civ question).
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not much - it was as expected
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Nothing I can think of.
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N/A
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that pharmacy interviews can vary significantly in tone and atmosphere, with most being friendly and welcoming. Many also mentioned feeling unnecessarily nervous or stressed, only to find that the interviewers were down-to-earth and not overly critical of their answers.
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That not all pharmacy interviews are like this! Most are happy to see you and get to know you better!
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that the other interviewees were way more nervous than i was!
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That one of my interviewers was the calculations teacher since based on my grades it's obvious math is not my strongest subject. He asked about my calculus grade to be specific.
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I wish I had known that the interviewers were really friendly and not going to critique every answer I gave them. I read on SDN a comment someone else made about KU saying that they were really mean and criticized them for honest answers they gave, which made me WAY more nervous then I needed to be. It was not like that at all! I could tell they knew I was nervous and they tried to make me feel comfortable. I wish I had known they were that friendly before I went so I wouldn’t have freaked myself out so much.
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It would be open file
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly shared feedback about their interview experiences, with a mix of positive and negative encounters. Suggestions included practicing out loud, bringing a resume and transcripts, remembering names, and sending a thank you email afterward, while some applicants felt disheartened by challenging interviewers.
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I walked away with a very bad taste in my mouth, which is a shame because I have very strong KU connections and otherwise love the school.
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if you are a strong candidate and know about pharmacy, you dont need to be nervous - just go in and talk about yourself. think of it as a conversation rather than an interview. also be prepared to answer questions about weaknesses in your application - they will ask about them
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Though I was super nervous the interviewers were not intimidating and did not attempt to add any extra stress to what they know is a stressful experience.
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My tips for preparing for the interview would be to… - practice out-loud so you get use to hearing your own voice -bring a resume and an official copy of your transcripts (It shows that you actually prepared yourself for the interview and it will make you stand out) I would suggest handing the resume to them after they ask “tell me about yourself?” or “tell me about your pharmacy experience?” then give them your prepared statement and add, “I also brought my resume if you would like to have a look at it?” The transcript might be a nice addition if it’s a closed file interview. - remember their names! It shows that you have a good memory which is what pharmacy is all about right? I would work it in at the end, like “It was very nice to meet you Mr. So and So” -Send them a thank you email afterwards, if you remember their names it will be easy to find their email address off of the KU School of Pharmacy website, they also include pictures next to their contact information in case you do forget names
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Went well! Got it
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants suggest improving the interview day atmosphere by incorporating a pre-interview session to interact with current students and creating a more welcoming experience. Additionally, they recommend enhancing the application process by implementing an online application status tool to track submissions and materials more efficiently.
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The interview day atmosphere was not really welcoming. I would make the opportunity to mingle with the current students a part of a pre-interview session, if nothing else but to see smiling faces and get some jitters out. We were marched straight to the interview rooms without any real introduction to the school. This was in stark contrast to other similarly-ranked schools that I interviewed at.
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Keep better track of applicants' submitted materials, and implement an on-line application status ch
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Keep better track of student application submissions. Implement an on-line application status tool
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