Louisiana State University New Orleans School of Dentistry
New Orleans, LA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
Going on an interview at LSUSD? 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?
Many respondents were asked a variety of questions during their medical school interviews, including scenarios about patient care, handling conflict, personal motivations for pursuing dentistry, ethical dilemmas, and self-reflection on strengths and weaknesses. Some interviews followed an MMI format, with multiple questions in rapid succession, and respondents may have been required to sign a nondisclosure agreement due to the structured nature of the process.
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If a child hit his hand with a hammer what would you do?
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The total time for interview was 8 hours including the chalk carving. There was both styles. A one-on-one and a three on one. On the one on one I was asked at least 30 questions. These question were given to me before the interview. Ex. If employee came in late how would you address him/her?
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What makes you mad/upset?
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See comments
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how much did you practice carving?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Louisiana State University New Orleans School of Dentistry discussed various topics including managing emotions, balancing dental school with a family, alternative career choices, handling professional recognition, teaching skills, empathy, and reactions to challenging situations. These questions suggest a well-rounded assessment of candidates' personal qualities and values.
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What makes you mad/upset?
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what was the last idea you had?
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Can you make it through Dental School with a family?
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All interviewers seemed very interested that I played the cello. Probably just cuz they were board of the typical interview questions.
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Most of the questions asked are on the LSU pre-dental society website. One of the ones they asked that wasn't is when was the first time you had to take responsibility?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Louisiana State University New Orleans School of Dentistry discussed various topics such as purpose in life, empathy, reasons for choosing dentistry, and patient care strategies. These questions reflect the emphasis on personal values, professional motivations, and patient-centered care during the interview process.
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What do you do when you are upset?
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what was the last thing you made with your hands?
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What is your purpose in life?
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A time that I have shown opposition the the cause of a minority.
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I didn't find anything difficult.
🤝 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 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 Faculty member
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 0-1 hour 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 more than $500.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
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MSY
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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Parc St Charles
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Marriott
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 chalk carving, reviewing questions from sources like SDN and LSU predental websites, conducting mock interviews, and familiarizing themselves with the school and dentistry. They also emphasized the importance of getting a good night's rest and reflecting on their motivation for pursuing dentistry.
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Answered the questions before hand that was provided to me. The question where slightly altered. The is a chalk carving you must complete during the interview, so I practiced it before hand.
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SDN, practice chalk carving, check out practice inetrview questions on LSU pre-dental website predentlsu.com
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LSU predental website, SDN interview feedback, LSU SOD chalk carving webpage
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SDN, LSU Predental Questions, chalk carving diagrams
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SDN questions. LSU predental society website questions.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere created by faculty, staff, and students at the school. They appreciated the sense of community, modern facilities, and the emphasis on student success and well-being, as well as the school's strong academic programs and support services.
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Faculty, staff, students, and the school itself.
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The whole interview overall was relaxed.
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The school seems very economically sound due to strong backing by the state. It has a very spacious, state of the art building, yet one of the lowest tuition pricetags out of any school. there are many renovations (and repairs) still going on (new $2mil auditoriums), with talks of a new bldg for research and a faculty practice. it has several branch clinics throughout LA where students rotate through during clinical years. The atmosphere was very laid back, the faculty seemed exceptionally friendly, and they are making a lot of positive changes. the curriculum is being revamped to reflect a more clinically relevant didactic education with a critical thinking focus. in the next few years a grand rounds type event may be implemented, which seems pretty cool. students also get a huge amount of clinical training here, starting in the 2nd year
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Everyone's enthusiasm and willingness to help. There is an obvious sense of community at this school. Also, the parts of the school that have completed construction look awesome.
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The amount of brand new equipment at the school and the heart of the professors wanting to help their students succeed.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about ongoing construction, financial aspects tied to clinical requirements, lack of community service opportunities, and the school's location in an iffy part of town. Suggestions include improving transparency around financial obligations, enhancing community engagement opportunities, addressing construction issues promptly, and ensuring the safety and appeal of the school's surroundings.
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None
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Understandably, there is a lot of contruction going on. The 1st floor and basement of the school was flooded from hurricane katrina, so there is still work to be done. The 2nd floor and up is in great shape with renovations underway to some of the classroom auditoriums.
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there is a point system for clinical requirements, but it is equivalent to the market value of the procedure. so in essence, you can't graduate until you earn 30,000 points aka make $30,000 for the school. i find this very strange and exactly opposite of what the educational focus should be for a school. patients should not be viewed as walking dollar signs. students should not be encouraged to recommend more procedures than are necessary in order to get graduation requirements, just as a dentist shouldnt recommend an unnecessary more expensive procedure just for the cash. patients first. also, there didn't seem to be many opportunities for community service, which is surprising given the amount of severe need in the state.
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There are still areas of construction, but this is something they're actively working on.
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Massive reconstruction on nearly every floor. Located in an iffy part of town.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time the intensity of the interview process, including the 3 on 1 format and the extensive questioning. They also recommended researching the interviewers, mastering common questions, and emphasizing their desire to pursue dentistry.
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I was well prepared.
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Nothing that hasn't been mentioned already on SDN, or the LSU pre-dental website.
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just more in general. there isn't much information about the school online
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Just how intense the 3 on 1 is! They aren't out to get you, but don't think for one second that they're not trying to see how you handle stressful situations!
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I wish I had known that every single question (~90) would be asked. There's a 1-on-1 interview where a random faculty member goes down the list of questions one after the other for about an hour. Every question I had found on SDN in regards to LSU was asked.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process at LSU to be well-structured and not overly stressful, with the chalk carving test being a notable aspect. They emphasize the importance of being prepared for the chalk carving, practicing honesty in responses, and demonstrating a sincere passion for dentistry throughout the various interview stages.
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Very good school
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I arrived about 20 minutes early and waited in the administration lobby along with the other 5 interviewers. Dr. Weir came down to greet us and brought us up to our home base for the day. It is a medium sized conference room with a table that seats about 12. Dr. Weir spend about 20 minutes reviewing the different events that will take place throughout the day and goes over some financial aid information. He then briefly explain the chalk carving test, and then you begin carving chalk. Note: make sure you are well prepared for this, and be ready to overcome any discrepancies. For instance, I found that the chalk I practiced with was much easier to work with. Maybe it was older or stored in a area of high humidity. I don’t know but the chalk used during the interview was much harder and more brittle than the stuff used to practice with. When marking with the pencil on the practice chalk, a small indentation was formed from drawing my lines. Not so on the real stuff, the chalk had no give when drawing my lines. Also, the week leading up to the interview I practiced carving two pieces of chalk per day with no problem. After carving the one piece during the interview, I felt like my thumbs wanted to fall off. Next, I went on my 1-on-1 interview. This was a structured interview with 40-50 questions asked directly from a list. 90% of the questions are listed on the LSU pre-dental society website (predentlsu.com). Other questions asked included; have you ever felt guilty? Are you a perfectionist? Next, I was taken on a tour of the dental school. The faculty member giving the tour guide was very friendly and down to earth. We got to see floors 2-8, because the 1st floor and basement are under construction. don’t be afraid to ask questions. Then we had lunch with students at the dental school, one from each class level. Again, it was a relaxed atmosphere and the students were there to answer any questions. Finally, one by one we had our 3-on-1 interviews with the committee. This interview was less structured and more personalized, but still it felt relaxed. Be prepared to answer why you want to be a dentist. They may also also ask you to explain bad grades, what exposure you have had to dentistry (shadowing, working), and how you think you did on your chalk carving. Once you are done the 3-on-1 you are free to go. The main things are to stay relaxed, be honest, and practice your chalk carving.
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LSU is a great school that not many people know about. it has top notch facilities for a very low price. it is located in a great city with great culture and everyone is amazingly friendly. geaux tigers!
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I arrived at the school about 25 minutes early, which gave me time to introduce myself to two students who arrived before me. As the 25 minutes passed, the other 4 students arrived (7 total). Dr. Weir came out and introduced himself and started telling us all about the progress the school has made (which is evident while walking around). It didn't seem like two minutes had passed by the time we walked into the room where our chalk-carvings would take place. Dr. Weir briefly went over loan information, gave instructions on the chalk carving, and we began. I had practiced plenty of times before, which made this part a lot less stressful. Immediately following, 3 of us went on a tour while the 4 others were individually interviewed (1 on 1, structured interview). We came back from the tour and the other group left. The 1 on 1 was very structured - the professor read his questions right off the sheet he was given. There wasn't much communication between us other than his brief responses to my answers. I'm glad I prepared, though, because he asked me at least 50 questions, the vast majority of which are on the LSU Predental Society website. We returned for lunch, where 1 student from each class (D1 - D4) came and spoke with us. They answered our questions, but for the most part, they just hung out with us and told us to ''relax and be yourself.'' Once this hour was up, it was around 1:00 p.m. At this time, Dr. Weir walks in and lets us know the order in which the 3 on 1s will take place. Luckily, I was 2nd! I'd have volunteered to go first, though, because I HATE WAITING. There were only 7 of us, but I still felt bad for the last one! In no time, it was my turn and I walked into the room with the 3 interviewers. It was very businesslike, while not too stressful. This was unstructured; they asked me a couple of questions, most of which were personalized (DAT score, what I do with my free time, etc.) I expanded upon my answers and tried to bring a little bit of humor. Within no time, I was done!
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LSU interview 3 of every 4 Fridays starting in November, until the 60 spots are filled. Up to (and usually) 8 at a time. Dr. Weir sits everyone in a room and explains how the day will go. First a 20 minute talk about how you'll pay for dental school. They've never had a student drop out due to financial need. LSU is one of the most affordable schools in the country even for out of staters. Average graduating debt is high 70s - low 80s and gets paid off within the first couple years out of school even though they are low interest loans. 35 minute chalk carving. Practice at home for this with a thin pocket knife and triple sized chalk (available from OfficeDepot.com) - picture of carving on LSU predental society is a little deceiving. Google ''LSU chalk carving'' for a better picture of the shape to carve. Took about 10 minutes just to calm down during the carving test. Students split to tour the school (all 8 spacious stories of it) and do the 1-on-1 interview before lunch. 1-on-1 interview is with a professor and as mentioned, they grill you on every question found on SDN and LSU predentals website. Lunch lasts an hour and D3s and D4s come and hang out to eat with you and answer questions. This was very valuable, interesting, and encouraging. All that remains after lunch is the 3-on-1 interview, where Dr. Weir and 2 others sit on three chairs perched around a low lying couch and talk with each person for ~20 minutes. Every else just waits in the conference room and it sucks to go last. I got the feeling that the decision had already been made in my instance, cuz my 3-on-1 was hardly 10 minutes and they didn't ask me about the weaknesses in my application like I was expecting. The 3-on-1 is open forum and they ask whatever they want unlike the 1-on-1. My 3-on-1 felt like Dr. Weir was just bragging to the other 2 guys about me, which was great except that I didn't feel as in control of the room as I had syked myself up to be. Dr. Weir is one of the best things going for the school. You really get a feeling that the professors are not there to run a dental factory, but to help the students along. No hospitality like the south.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
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