Corvallis, OR
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
AI Advisor
Ask questions about this school. Answers use aggregated data and are subject to error.
👋
Hi there! How can I help?
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 17% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.7
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 130 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (96%)
Negatively (4%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (39%)
Good (43%)
Average (9%)
Poor (9%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process at the school to be welcoming, relaxed, and efficient, with positive interactions with faculty and staff. Many appreciated the conversational nature of the interviews, the opportunity to tour the campus, and the overall friendly atmosphere of the school.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
Great school. They get back to you very, very quickly on whether or not you got in. I found out ~3 hours afterwards. That might have had something to do with being part of the early decision group though.
-
The pharmacy staff will give you a [optional] tour of just the pharmacy bldg, which isnt too big. Lasts maybe 20 min. Then you can go to the admin bldg across the street and sign up for a campus tour, which are every hour. I recommend doing the tours. The campus is great.
-
Before your interview just relax they are really nice and the interview is not bad at all. They will split the group up in half. The first half will work on the writting and the other half will go to the interview. They give 30min. for the writting which is a opinion question related to pharmacy.
-
Interview @ Corvallis. They suggested to come 30 mins before 8:30. They don´t offer free breakfast since the whole interview day is really quick. But you will get so much information. Around 9:30 you will get to interview the pharmacy students. Then you will meet the faculty who will most likely interview you. By 10-11 am You will be then divided in half. 1st half will have interview while other half will write an essay. Then you´re done. I suggest that if you are out-of-state to come the day before the interview and explore the campus. There´s 2 airport one in Portland and in Eugene. Portland is 90 mins away from Corvallis while Eugene is only 40 mins away. I took Eugene Airport where you can either rent a car or take a shuttle (www.omnishuttle.com).
-
My interview took place at the Corvallis campus. There were a few minutes to chat with other perspective students and when everyone was present, the group was divided in two. Half went to have their interviews, while the other half stayed in the room to write the essay. Overall it wasn't nearly as stressful as I thought it would be. The interview felt more like a conversation with a new acquaintance, rather than someone grilling me over my personal statement.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
🕐
Length:
34 Minutes Average
🔄
Number:
2.1 Interviews Average
👥
Interview Type (Interaction):
100% One-on-One
0% Group Interview
📁
File Type:
69% Open-File
31% Closed-File
💻
Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
OREGONST-PHARM-COMP interviews are an average of 34 minutes, with an average of 2.1 interviews. 100% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 31% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include scenarios related to handling difficult situations with patients, ethical dilemmas in healthcare, personal motivations for pursuing pharmacy, and details about pharmacy experience and education background. Some responses referenced an MMI format with long situational questions and follow-up inquiries, suggesting a structured interview process, potentially involving a nondisclosure agreement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
What characteristics make you a good pharmacist?
-
You are a pharmacy technician and your supervisor has just given you a bad evaluation. You don't believe the evaluation was completely fair. How do you approach your supervisor regarding the evaluation? (about 4 follow up questions after)
-
How would you handle a patient who refused to follow guidelines for religious regions. Example given was a diabetic patient who didn't want to follow a diet because they were fasting for religious reasons.
-
All were long situational questions with 4-5 follow up questions personal-related . What would you do if a patient refused to follow the pharmacist's instructions due to religious beliefs?
-
Suppose you were a pharmacist and you knew that a specific doctor had a habit of overprescribing antibiotics, even to treat things like a sore throat. What would this cause?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Oregon State University College of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics including veganism, pharmacist duties to the community, personal interests, healthcare systems, talents, hot topics in pharmacy, ethical dilemmas, and career choices. The interviews appeared to be conversational in nature, with some respondents mentioning generic questions and a focus on open-ended inquiries. Note that the interview format may have been an MMI with potential nondisclosure agreements in place.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
The veganism question
-
The second one - about the pharmacists duty/obligation to the community.
-
What do you like to do for fun? (not an interesting question, but you can come up with an interesting ans)
-
Everything was conversational. Its´s like meeting an acquintance and telling him or her what your goal in life is and what led you through this pathway. how was your school etc.
-
Surprisingly, I was only asked very generic questions about myself, my interest in pharmacy and my future plans.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), talking to current students and pharmacists, and researching pharmacy issues. Many also practiced mock interviews, reviewed the school's website, and discussed their experiences and qualifications with friends and family to feel more prepared and confident.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
SDN
-
Reading the SDN interview feedback for OSU. Reviewing my own application/ experiences and thinking about what I have learned from them and how I can apply them in different situations. (most interview questions happened to be situational questions)
-
SDN, talking to current/former students and my pre-pharm advisor. Also googled a bunch of current healthcare/pharmacy issues (which ended up being unnecessary).
-
SDN, google
-
SDN. Talked to interns about their interview.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Oregon State University College of Pharmacy discussed various scenarios such as handling prescription mishaps, ethical dilemmas in end-of-life care, future challenges in pharmacy, opinions on smoking regulations, and personal accomplishments. Some responses indicated a structured interview format like an MMI with potential non-disclosure agreements, while others highlighted standard academic and job interview questions related to pharmacy practice and workload management.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
Prescription mishap
-
The one about closing the business (question 3)
-
I felt that all the questions were pretty difficult to answer.
-
Suppose you're a pharmacist and a drug was prescribed for a terminally ill patient. The drug is extremely expensive and has many negative side effects, but would extend their life by a few months. What are your opinions about end of life care in this situation?
-
What do you think would be a problem in the pharmacy profession 25 years from now?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming atmosphere of the faculty, staff, and students, which created a sense of community and support during the application process. They also appreciated the emphasis on student well-being, volunteer opportunities, and the campus facilities, making the experience low-stress and enjoyable. Suggestions for improvement were minimal, with some noting additional information on the curriculum or academic aspects could have enhanced their understanding of the program.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
The warming environment and the faculty
-
Everyone from the staff, students, and other applicants were extremely nice and welcoming. The entire experience was low stress and they even made a point in saying that they are only trying to get to know each applicant as a person and they are not intending to make you nervous or feel stressed.
-
The overall program and their focus on taking care of their students. Also, many volunteer opportunities are offered through the school - major focus on societal health.
-
Nice campus, friendly faculty
-
Everything. Admissions staff was incredibly friendly, the entire thing was very low stress. The talk that Angela gave at the start of the interviews made me want to go there even more so.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the older buildings and facilities on the main campus, with some mentioning issues with parking. Suggestions to improve include updating facilities and addressing parking challenges to enhance the overall applicant experience.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
Nothing
-
Nothing.
-
Nothing really... the buildings are a bit old. Campus is beautiful though.
-
The interview (MMI format) felt a bit rushed and the followup questions were somehow repetitive.
-
Nothing really
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Many applicants wished they had known about the MMI format, the time constraints for the writing sample, and the overall duration of the process. Other common feedback included advice on attire, the casual nature of the interview, and the helpfulness of the staff and faculty. Some also mentioned difficulties with directions and parking, emphasizing the importance of preparation and staying calm.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
-
How quickly 7 minutes can go by
-
The interview is MMI format (which I prefer), so knowing that would've calmed my nerves ahead of time.
-
Nothing.
-
The interview took longer than expected
-
That you are only allotted 15 minutes to write the essay.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
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.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office provide more information about both on-campus and off-campus housing options, as well as detailed guidance on financial aid opportunities to support prospective students in making informed decisions.
-
Information about Off or On Camus Housing & Financial aid.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
✈️
PDX
43% interviewees used PDX (PDX), with 14% using Eugene (Eugene) and 14% using EUG (EUG) and 14% using Portland International Aiport (Portland International Aiport) and 14% using portland (portland).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
✈️
36% Airplane
🚗
59% Automobile
🚆
0% Train or Subway
🚲
5% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn (average ranking 10/10), with some staying at Hilton Inn (average rating 10/10). (Top 3 displayed)
🏨
Hilton Garden Inn
10/10
🏨
Hilton Inn
10/10
🏨
Comfort Inn
8/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by Admissions staff personnel
Admissions staff (50%)
Faculty member (27%)
Other (4%)
Student (19%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (80%)
Neutral (20%)
All Responses
Loading responses...
Success!
School has been added to your favorites.