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 16% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview very impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 738 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional8–8.9 Very Good7–7.9 Good6–6.9 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.
How do you rank the facilities?
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 good.
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 area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools revolve around the applicant's personal experiences, motivations for pursuing medicine, advocacy work, leadership skills, and understanding of osteopathic medicine. Some respondents mentioned being asked to talk about significant patient experiences, self-advocacy, reasons for choosing a particular school, and their knowledge of osteopathy, with some interviews conducted in an MMI format under nondisclosure agreements.
What was one of the most significant patient experiences you've had?
Talk about a leadership position you've had. The interview didn't really have questions. It was mainly a conversation that was directed by my responses.
Asked me mini-questions about my file (MCAT, where I live, courses I took) "I'm getting this impression, is this correct?" I believe he wanted the short yes/no style, more of a confirmation than an actual detailed response
Where was my undergrad school located? why doctor? Name the tenets of osteopathy? How am i good at interacting? Medical disparities ive seen? What else can i tell them about myself? What would i do if i dont get in?...i hate that question does that mean they dont like me??
They asked me about a grade, what I do for fun, and and other questions about myself and things that I do or did.
Nothing about health care insurance, socialized medicine, or ethical issues.
Why osteopathic medicine?
Why UMDNJ-SOM?
What other schools did you apply to?
What specialty would you like to practice?
What are your hobbies?
What did you NOT like about your undergrad?
Tell me about your research.
Tell me about your EMT work.
Tell me about your shadowing experiences.
Students said the most interesting question asked at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, from contributions to the healthcare system to personal hobbies and reflections on cultural competence. While the questions varied, some respondents mentioned that the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview), which could involve a nondisclosure agreement due to the nature of the structured interview process.
I wouldn't say any of the questions were interesting. However, what was interesting was the very first thing he said, which was ''I am not here to intimidate you. I am here to get to know you so that I can be an advocate of yours to the committee.'' The interview had a very casual atmosphere.
There wasn't really any interesting or difficult questions. Just your basic med school interview questions. Totally low-stress! If this is your first interview, then this is definitely the place to be!!!
Not really any- like everyoneone else said, they just ask mundane stuff, but be ready to speak up and interject with your opinions, especially if you know a lot about a topic
None. All questions were bland with no real fore-thought necesary in answering. I will list virtually all the questions they asked in the interview questions section.
None of the questions were especially interesting or difficult. They were mainly of the expected kind, such as describing osteopathic medicine and my EC's.
Students said most difficult question asked at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine discussed various topics such as leadership experiences, personal attributes for the admissions board, DEI perspectives, future goals, conflicts with patients, and long-term career plans. While the responses did not specifically mention an MMI format or nondisclosure agreement, the interview may have included such elements given the diverse range of challenging questions encountered by applicants.
What is a time you were in a leadership role and had to give someone critical feedback?
when you were shadowing did you notice a difference in how an md practices vs. a do...from my experience i didn't notice much difference but i felt stupid saying no...
I see that you have lived, went to school, and worked in areas where there is a high number of medically underserved. What do you think about the current health care reform debate and how do you think it will affect them?
Talk about three things that are not specifically mentioned in your application that you want us to know. I found the question difficult because I didn't know if they wanted me to talk about my other activities or to describe myself.
Nothing too challenging; just standard stuff like "How did you learn about Osteopathic medicine?" and "What will you do if you don't get in anywhere this year," and "What are you doing now?"
What would you do if you weren't accepted into medical school this year? The most difficult, because if you're paranoid like me, you read this question as: you're not getting in here. Hard to swallow because I want to go here.
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?
Most respondents rated their interview as low stress.
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?
Many applicants prepared for their interviews by reviewing their application materials, practicing common interview questions, researching the school's website, reading up on osteopathic medicine, and conducting mock interviews with family and friends. Suggestions include familiarizing oneself with the school's unique features, understanding osteopathic medicine principles, and being prepared to discuss personal motivations for pursuing a medical career.
Brainstorming and practicing in the mirror my answers
I went through most of the school's website, taking note of unique things (teaching modalities, history, mission statement, etc.). I also went through ALL of the interview questions posted here on SDN, writing out answers for the most commonly mentioned questions and difficult questions. For the less-often mentioned questions, I just made sure that I'd have something in mind to talk about during the interview in order to wing it. Lastly, I reviewed my AACOMAS application (activities, essays) and secondary essays.
Read cnn.com and nytimes.com to catch up on health care reform, read interview feedback on sdn, spoke to people who have went on an interview here, read my application thoroughly, read the school website.
prayer to God, read SDN interview feedback, read school's website, research about osteopathic medicine (tenets, founder, etc.), read tons of medical articles and op-eds (many hours), prepare questions to ask
Read SDN forums. Read "The DOs: Osteopathic Medicine in America" by Norman Gevitz. Read Obama's health care and science/health-related policies. Read about OMM extensively. Read recent happenings in the science/health field. Read about UMDNJ-SOM and its good points. Thought about who I was. Thought about what I genuinely wanted to know about UMDNJ-SOM from the interviewer.
Researched the school's website, read reviews on SDN website, read over my application, talked with one of my friends who is a current student at the school.
Thought about why I wanted to go to their school, be a D.O., be a doctor, my strengths/weaknesses, read over application/personal statements, though about issues facing medicine today, and tried to be relaxed and myself
SDN, read up on the history of osteopathic medicine (a definite must! After all, you need to know something about the profession before you go!), practiced interviewing with family, talked about interviews with my best friend who is currently a first-year at med school. Just make sure you know your DO facts!!!
(Not to sound preachy, but I found that praying was the most important aspect of my preparation process because it allowed me to appreciate that being invited to an interview is truly a blessing that should not be taken for granted)
I also reviewed the following: School Website, Primary and Secondary Application Essay, Undergraduate Transcript, and worked with a close friend as well as my parents to tackle as many questions as possible
this site, read the day's New York Times & CNN health sections, reviewed my AMCAS app and personal statements, and (although I'm embarrassed to admit it even anonymously) made a big list of questions I thought could be asked and made sure I had answers to them. Mostly for naught; I was definitely not grilled on anything.
I read "DO: Osotepathic Medicine in America" by Gevitz, read health articles on NYTIMES.COM, read up on HMOs, osteopathic medicine, shadowed a DO...and didn't use any of it.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the welcoming and friendly atmosphere at the school, including the supportive and stress-free interactions with faculty, staff, and students. The positive feedback consistently highlighted the school's facilities, small class size, diverse student body, and the emphasis on community and collaboration. Suggestions were made for continued promotion of the school's family-like environment, maintaining the low-stress interview approach, and further showcasing research opportunities and clinical education strengths.
I loved interviewing at this school - before the interview started, my interviewer let me know that I'm a strong applicant and that this 'interview' was really just a way for the school to get to know me a bit more. This put me at ease, as did the interview questions, as they were pretty open-ended and not 'gotcha' questions.
The students seemed very happy, the administration seemed flexible and concerned with the students. Very diverse school, great location...it's a great place to be.
The students seemed to really love the school. The people in the admissions office was nice.
Got to see a cadaver up close and personal during the tour.
Facilities are very nice and new. Classrooms are fine, Simulated Patient areas are pretty cool, OMM room is big with lots of good tables, anatomy lab is VERY well ventilated and sophisticated. Food is decent and not too expensive. Faculty and administration seem really friendly and take a big role in student life.
the friendliness of all the staff members and the second year students taking us around for a tour. the facility was really nice. kennedy hospital is right across the street. small class size. awesome school !! ACCEPT ME!!
Everything. i absolutely LOVE this school. They have a gym onsite and absolutely every kind of academic facility you could possibly need. Plus, they have Kennedy Hospital, which is one of the best hospitals in south jersey.
Very welcoming students. Healthy atmosphere. Noncompetitive nature among the students. Students seemed knowledgeable and intelligent. Superior facilities (e.g. design, classrooms, labs, resources). I really do like the buildings in general. Teachers/doctors and additional help are readily available. Small class size. The Problem-Based Learning Curriculum is very interesting. Nice campus, peaceful with everything one would ever need at/near the campus (e.g. hospital, doctors, advice). Heard that they are improving the traditional curriculum for next year.
Campus facilities are excellent - perhaps the best I've seen yet (and that includes DMU). The folks in the admissions office were very nice, and they even managed to find a medical student who was willing to give me what was essentially a personal tour of the campus. The school really is a mere 10 minutes away from downtown Philadelphia, and Philadelphia looked like a pretty neat city.
The school facilities are excellent, the atmosphere is sizzling with friendliness and I felt very comfortable when I was on premises. Admissions staff is extremely friendly and helpful, and the class size is pretty small. Students were very supportive and seemed to love the school. Hospital affiliations.
I love this school. Everyone seemed very happy and was extremely nice. The school is very clean. There are 4 students per cadaver and the cadaver is not shared with other classes. The class size is small (108 students).
The facilities looked fairly new, and everyone I came into contact with was really friendly. The students and addmissions personel really strived to make their interviewies comfortable and relaxed.
Everyone there smiles and is happy, even the students. They are all very nice. The campus is big and clean. There is an affiliated hospital in walking distance from the main campus. They have two dedicated residency programs with 25 slots each year and they favor their own students; emergency medicine and surgery residencies.
The size of the classes are about 100 people. The rotations for 3rd year is all in NJ (either North or South) and 4th year rotations can even be international (plus national). Plus, everyone was SOO nice!
Small student #, very friendly students, friendly staff, affiliated hospitals, incorporated into the UMDNJ system, very diverse popuulation, 4:1 students to cadaver ratio, many nearby DO schools come to UMDNJ Hospitals for rotations, low tuition
I liked the campus, they have a gym available to students, nice facilities, enthusiastic staff and students. They streamline all their lectures so you don't have to go to class if you don't want to :D
I have always liked the school. The interviewers told me that if there was something that you wanted to study that was not available at the school, they would find a way to provide it. The school has a 98% pass rate on the boards.
The school facility was really nice and brand new. There are also a lot of on going research which are funded by NIH. There is also hospital right next to the school. They have students going into all different types of residency programs besides primary care.
very diverse student body (#1 in most women and minorities at DO school), friendly students (so many of them stopped by to either just say HI or answer Q's while we were waiting for the tour), whole campus is wireless, 4 students per cadaver
Everyone is really friendly, very close community. Great scores on their boards. Also, most every student at the school switches to NJ residents and only has to pay in-state tuition.
Everyone is extremely friendly - this includes the interviewers, students, staff in the admissions office, and even my fellow interviewees. The facilities are brand new - seeing the gross anatomy lab was very cool.
Students were really happy to be there, and there seemed to be a lot of student collaboration. The class is small and seemed really tight. Overall, the facilities were nice, and they have both a hospital and a medical clinic right on campus with lots of shadowing opportunities for M1s. They only have four people to a cadaver, which is the smallest student to cadaver ratio I've come across.
The students were very enthusiastic, the facilites and academics are excellent, and the class size is incredibly small. This school is by far the best DO school in the nation. It's going to be a difficult decision deciding between UMDNJ and the allopathic schools I have been accepted at.
The incredibly small class size matched by the 2:1 Faculty to Student ratio. The clinicals can be done on campus without leaving, and the match list is second to none.
We had lunch with the first years and they told us all about their experiences. They really loved the school and seemed very down to earth.
I was also impressed that the school only interviews a very small fraction of the applicants (I interviewed with three other students and there will only be one more interview session this week).
The admissions office meets once a month (September 19) to review applications, so I will be able to know my status within one week. I really enjoyed my experience and would love to attend this school next fall.
The biggest thing was how tight the students were. Everyone was so connected to each other that it was almost tangible. Definitely a very happy student body. The facilities, while small (which makes sense for the small class sizes), were excellent too. Definitely on par with some of the big name allopathic schools.
student tour guides were first year students. they were both really nice and friendly. they emphasized the friendliness and cooperation of everybody in the class, and how a small class size is so beneficial in terms of getting more personal attention from professors. the student tour guide also said that the tuition can easily be chagned to in-state tuition for out-of state students, and that tests are not tricky but are rather very straightforward.
Everyone seemed so happy to be attending the school. No student had anything negative to say. While waiting to be interviewed one student came and spoke with me on her way to prepare for an exam and stayed there to keep me calm. The dean came and personally introduced himself to me and already knew my name when he came in the waiting room. All students spoke extremly highly of him, pointing out that he takes an extreme interest in getting to know all of the students. The other students I interviewed with seemed so down to earth! The whole process was quick and to the point. There was no extended waiting around time. Everything was very punctual.
Pretty much everything. The school is beautiful and the atmosphere is very friendly and conducive to learning medicine. The students seem very happy to be there and really try to sell the school, which I think is a good sign. My interviewer was extremely down-to-earth and I felt very comfortable talking to her.
The small, tight-knit community. There is more cameraderie than competition among students. Several times during the tour students would just come up and start a conversation with us and tell us about the school. There are alot of opportunities to get involved and to explore many specialties within medicine.
comraderie of students, cost of tuition and the fact that the school goes out of its way to help you get instate from year one, small class size, good clinical experience.
The main building has is very nice. The addmissions staff and the students I met were extremely nice and helpful. Apparently their stats are very good and the cost of the school is relatively low. The biochem proffesor who interviewed me had a great sense of humor. The patient clinic is also very nice.
The interview was not at all stressful and it was actually my easier than what I thought and what I prepared myself for (and I was reallly nervous about the interview). There was only four of us being interview that day so we had a lot of time to talk to each other while one of us was being interviewed. Then we saw a video, took a tour, had lunch/asked student tour guides questions, and went home at 2 pm for a 10 am interview.
Small class size and sense of community, students happy and down-to-earth, friendly people especially for NJ, 4 people to a cadaver, lots of professor/student interaction and cooperation, student involvement in administration and policy, low tuition and costs, an air of confidence throughout the school.
There is definitely a real sense of community there. Everyone was so friendly and they all seemed happy to be there. They have a quiet confidence about themselves which I found very impressive - they don't even have student ambassadors - the tours are given by students who sign up wanting to give them. Overall a good choice.
The quality of the facilities and they fact that they were up to date. The students were genuinely interested to be at the school, that was a huge plus.
EVERTHING. I loved this school. Atmosphere, wonderful facilities, administration/faculty, students, curriculum, qualification for in state, ability to do research, rotations and Kennedy hospital system
Everything!!! I love how my interviewers ( a DO and a third-year student) sold the school to me! The students loved the school and each class is pretty close! Well, it's kind of hard not to be with only 95 students!!! Definite family atmosphere. Loved it!!!
definitely the students, they seemed really supportive of each other, especially second years helping out the first years, and they were just really friendly.
The overall friendliness of students and faculty. The academic building is beautiful. I'm from NYC so the proximity to NYC and Philadelphia is wonderful.
How friendly and supportive the environment was. While we were eating lunch, students just came up and sat with us and everywhere we went, students approached us to wish us good luck and ask if we were enjoying ourselves.
THE PEOPLE ARE AWESOME- all the students realize what you're there for and they all wish you good luck in the halls- also, students just sort of stroll in and out of faculty offices and the faculty know all their names- everyone seems very at ease
I was impressed that the school had a hospital on campus. Also, the students were super friendly and willing to answer any questions. The admissions staff that we met were also very amiable. The facilities were nice as well. It also seems like there are ample research opportunities available. The cafeteria food was rather good, compared to other schools that I have visited. Tuition cost is low! (^__^)
The students who gave the tour were not trained tour guides, but they knew the school very well and had a lot of positive things to say. Because it is a small school, the Dean of Admissions knows all the students and often chats with students informally.
The people: faculty, students and staff. The two 1st year students who took us on the tour were really informative and helpful. A 4th year student stopped us to talk about the school. The Dean of Admissions spent time with us too.
The students seemed very happy there, even though they were in the midst of studying for exams. The student who gave the tour was very thorough and clearly had a lot of pride in the school. School is very culturally diverse and near Philly.
The diversity of the student body was amazing, with almost 50% of the class under-represented minorities. Most of the students seemed to enjoy the school and all of the faculty and employees I ran across were very friendly. The small class size leads to a greater number of students working together rather than competing with each other. There was a real sense of family there.
Everything about the school...the students are incredibly helpful and supportive...real family environment, not much competition among students...they make you feel like they are trying to attract you to choose their school, they are not trying to make you prove yourself to them
I loved the students, they were great. We met a fourht years and she was still very happy there. I liked the big brother big sister program they have of matching first and second year students together.
Tons - enthusiastic students. research opportunities. nice, new facilities. alleged personal attention of faculty (I've also heard this about SOM from other sources). proximity to public transit.
The fact that the student's giving the tour were so proud of their school, the facilities were also impressive. The school has a big enough facility for its student population. Also, the diversity within the student population at UMDNJ is great.
The students are very friendly and helpful. My interviewer pointed out that students are often the first to help other students when they are having trouble.
Students seemed really happy and eager to help. Many students chose SOM over other "more competative" schools in part because of the noncompetative atmosphere.
The fact that I was not stressed. How stressed can you be in 15 minutes? If you get an interview from UMDNJSOM, they want to make sure you are what you say you are. I get the feeling they know if they want you or not LONG before the interview offer comes in the mail.
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about aspects such as the interviewer not engaging in meaningful conversation, standard questions being asked without much depth, out of state tuition, campus location and facilities, lack of engagement from admissions office, small cafeteria, and concerns about potential changes in the school's affiliation. Suggestions included providing more information about the school during the interview day, improving campus facilities, offering more engaging interviews, and addressing concerns about the school's future affiliations and funding.
There are talks in the senate to break up umdnj schools. the osteopathic school could end up getting cut off from umdnj and affiliated with Rowan, which sucks. The research funding will go way down, and they will lose a lot of rotation sites.
wish they had an 8-12 class schedule like a lot of other medical schools have moved to. also wish there was a more stuctured community service or 3rd/4th year abroad program.
Interview was slightly stressful. One doctor and one student. They kept shooting question after question, so it wasn't really a discussion. They also took notes while I responded, which was a bit nerve-wracking.
The area around the campus isn't so nice; there are a good number of defunct businesses and a general "seedy" atmosphere. That said, it seems to improve in spots and doesn't feel especially unsafe or anything. Also, there were supposed to be two people interviewing me; the first was late and the second never showed. The sole interviewer was stern and didn't give me time to adequately answer his questions before ushering me on to the next ones.
Student interviewer. He kept interrupting and/or conflicting with the faculty interviewer, kept taking over the discussions. Definitely more obssessed with irrelevant detail. Faculty interviewer was actually very nice.
My interviewer was quite possibly the rudest individual i have ever met. She hardly looked at me, asked ridiculous questions that have nothing to do with me and refused to answer one of my questions...which by the way, I asked what she thought the school's strengths and weaknesses were. She shrugged he shoulders, said ''well i dont know'' in a mocking tone then proceeded to ask me to answer my own question.
curriculum seemed a bit behind the times (anatomy second semester, not synching classes to cover similar material at the same time, just beginning PBL in regular curric, 9-5 schedule instead of block)
interviewer grilled me about a bank i worked at quite some time ago. both interviewers also seemingly didn't care about evidence based medicine - one of the students who was interviewing me stated that she thought it was "hilarious" when a physician questioned her about the scientific evidence of OMM. Towards the end of the interview, they seemed too defensive of OMM.
The first year students were taking their exams, so I was not able to sit in on a 1st year class. I did sit in on a second year cardiology class instead. The faculty member was extremely awesome and interesting because he talked about his personal experiences in the field instead of just lecturing the material.
not as well-known or popular of a school. not ranked highly. it was difficult to find. i stopped at two gasoline stations for directions, and none of them ever heard of the school
The only thing that was slightly negative was the length of the interview. It seemed so short compared to all of the other interviewees. It was kind of as though they already had their minds made up whether or not I was a good fit for their school and were interviewing me just as a formality. Thankfully there minds were made up in a positive way. I recieved the congrats phone call the same day the interviewers said they were going to meet!
the main physician who interviewed me. he was far more focused on figuring out if i would go to a DO school over an MD than actually finding out who i was.
The Dean of Admissions made a comment about some child prodigy's MCAT score being higher than anyone's in the room (waiting to be interviewed). Not sure how this was helpful to anyone!
Foul smell of one of the labs. I expected my interview to be more of a conversation (which is what many students on campus told me it would be like); however, my interviewers were very "as a matter of fact" and I felt like I was there to defend every little decision I'd ever made in my life. I certainly did not walk out of there with the feeling that they were there to bring out the best in me or get to know me.
Nothing, I got my acceptance 9/20, 6 days after my interview (the commitee meets once a month so its a different length of time for everyone) and I plan on going there next fall.
Foul smell in histology lab, anatomy lab looked, smelled, and felt like a dungeon (on the other hand, anatomy is taken during the second half of the first year so the room wasn't really being used yet)
wasn't very informative like other schools have been. Basically and in and out interview except a short tour with 1st years who have only been there one month and don't really know much about the school yet.
The interviewer had a frown on his face and didn't seem to like my answers. Dining hall was the size of my kitchem. There are 2 buildings for academic study. The hospital is really small. Location is horrible.
This was the most stressful of all the interviews I had. It seemed like they asked about every weak point on my application. I hope it was tough love, because I really liked the school. Also, some of the questions seemed kind of standard-issue.
We had the opportunity to sit in on a class, which was great. However, the first year classroom was small and I felt that it was too crowded, which made it uncomfortable for me. A student said that they are building a new classroom, but I am not sure if she was positive that it would be ready for Fall 2004.
Right now, they don't have an OMM lab and practice in some sort of multi-purpose room with an indoor track right above it. I think that they're building a new state-of-the-art OMM lab so that will probably be resolved. The histology lab has a strange smell to it that no other school that I've been to has. The gym was adequate, but it was rather small and you have to pay for it. The area seem as safe as I thought that it would be.
Very small campus with only five buildings and the libaray was very small. I spoke with one student who would have rather gone to Allopathic school and only went to UMDNJ because he wasn't taken off the waitlist at two of the other schools. However, I wouldn't base my decision on one begrudged students opinions.
nothing...very positive experience...by far my number one choice...i don't think there is a better osteopathic school out there...the affiliated hosptial system and graduate medical education opens all and any doors for you
I didn't like that the schools seemed technilogically stagnant. there wasn't much internet capabilities, no wireless internet. I wasn't too impressed overall with the state of the campus either.
The fact that lectures are given in a classroom (in desks like that in undergrad) and not in a lecture hall, although the class size is big enough for the amount of students. Also, the cafeteria could be better (too much fried food).
The interview was so short...I didn't know whether I made a good impression or blew the whole thing. I am happy to report I didn't............I GOT IN!!!
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interview would be low-stress, conversational, and more of a conversation than a formal interrogation. They also recommended focusing on genuine answers, asking questions, and being confident in oneself, as the interviewers are there to advocate for the applicants to the admissions committee.
Usually at the end they ask you if you have any questions for them. Make sure you come up with a good question interesting question about the school that you can't answer just by looking at their website.
Going by the advice of some on sdn, i decided to ask "what do you think I should work on if I dont get in?" Dont do this! She seemed a bit put off by the question since I had pretty high gpa and mcat was a couple of standard deviations above the school avg. She gave me a speech about how I should be more confident .Fortunately, she called me a couple of weeks after, and was pleased to tell me i got in.
Good luck. If you have an interview at this school, and you are in state you have a very high chance of getting in. I honestly haven't heard of any in-staters who didn't atleast get in off the wait list after interviewing.
The invitation letter said to meet in Suite 210, which is a little misleading. Just follow the signs that point to Admissions. The room is at the end of a hall with a big sign over the door.
the interview really IS as conversational as everyone says. my interviewer was awesome and really friendly. review the interview feedback here, brush up on some current events, review your application, and know yourself and your reasons for wanting to become a doctor and youll be fine.
That interview was going to be rather pleasant than stressful, unless of course you stress about it all week and then it definitely will be... well, stressful!
They typically run around 40 or more minutes late. I had to use the bathroom so bad but I didn't want to get up in fear that I might not be there for my interview if they called me in.
They accept a high percentage of applicants invited for an interview. Following an interview, it is rare that they reject an applicant - you are either accepted or placed on the waiting list.
That although out-of-staters are only 12% of the incomming class, that number is scewed, due to the fact that most students are made NJ residents after a license change. This is not as easy for NJ residents applying to non-NJ schools.
I kept finding contradictory info about the number of out-of-state students the school accepted (ranging from 1%-15%). I found out that the school accepts closer to 15%, and that the admissions office helps those out-of-state students change their residency before school starts (hence the 1% that I found in the US News Graduate Guide).
Some members of the faculty from the UMDNJ allopathic school teach courses for the osteopathic school.
I kind of knew it already but didn't really believe it until now, but if you get invited for an interview they pretty much want to accept you. The interview is VERY low stress and just know why you want to attend the school and why you want to be a DO. If you don't give them any reason to reject you, they probably won't.
The way they schedule their interviews. They only give one tour/lunch. It's at noon. If your interview is at 9am, you will sit around from 9:30 until 12 so I was glad my interview wasn't scheduled until 11.
They tell you the exact date that the admissions committee will be meeting to review the applicants after interview. If you are accepted, you will receive a telephone call (an official letter will come later).
they are restructuring their curriculum - instead of separate "normal" curriculum and a problem-based curriculum, they are combining the two for the class of 2009.
Some of the students told me that next year they are going to combine their class room and problem based learning program and take the best parts of both, which I really like.
They are revamping the curriculum to incorporate the PBL and small group learning into the traditional curriculum and bring together the best of both systems. The students all mentioned how they wished it were that way now and that it would be a very positive change.
The new building is finally finished and it is wonderful. No more OMM in the multipurpose room. A new clinical assessment area with digital standardized patient lab
I wish I had known that everyone there was truly genuine and sincere. There also is a huge diversity in the class, with a large % being black or latino. Truly a wonderful experience.
Interviewers are there to basically be your "advocates" when your file is presented to the admissions committee. It is to your benefit to make the interview as conversational as possible. The better impression you give to the two people interviewing you, the better they will beable to advocate for your admissions into the school. Also know that if you are invited for an interview, you are more than half way there to being admitted. They take very seriously the candidates that they invite for interviews
That they were going to ask so few questions. There are three child prodigies attending the school. Two twins and their brother started at 16 and 17 years old respectively.
more about the problem based curriculum; it sounds very interesting but it wasn't promoted very much. After the tour, I was interested in learning more about it.
I was glad to find out that once you are accepted, you can change from an out of state residency into an in state residency and be charged around $18,000 instead of $25,000. The interview is not stressful at all. Trust me...this was my first interview and I loved how relaxed the interviewer was. We were just having a casual conversation (one that I hope got me in). Once interviewed, you have about a 60% chance of getting in.
Applicants generally found the interview experience at UMDNJ-SOM to be positive, relaxed, and laid-back, with interviewers aiming to know the applicants better and serve as their advocates to the admissions committee. Many emphasized the importance of being prepared to discuss their passion for osteopathic medicine and their experiences, while others appreciated the friendly staff, welcoming atmosphere, and the supportive environment at the school. Some noted specific aspects such as the open-file interview process, the high post-interview acceptance rate, and the school's emphasis on producing primary care physicians.
Loved meeting with my interviewer and just made me like the school more
Know your application (AACOMAS and secondary essays) well and be prepared to answer the most common types of (osteopathic medical school) interview questions, like 'Why D.O.", "Why Rowan/South Jersey", etc. They apparently have a very high post-interview acceptance rate (~94%), so if you've made it this far, you're golden!
Great school, great general body, they are basically like a family and if you talk about that during your interview (ie why Rowan), you would stand out if don't already stand out. They didn't serve lunch and breakfast was just Coffee/tea and granola bars so try to eat before your interview.
Students seem very interested in doing well in their studies, but also are friendly with each other. Definitely got a work hard, play hard vibe from this campus.
It was a very laid-back interview process. Nothing to stress over at all, the people there are great. Just be open and friendly in return, and it's golden.
Overall I thought the interview went well. The interview was open-file but I don't feel like the interviewer asked any probing questions or any questions that he couldn't have gotten out of my file.I don't know how well I did but I thought the school had nice facilities, friendly staff, and friendly students who honestly answered my questions. I thought it was weird that it was the only school that didn't give me any promotional materials( i.e. folder, papers, etc) at the interview. I guess they figured that we did our homework before coming to the interview.
It was a really relaxed atmosphere and it wasn't stressful at all. I might be biased: this school's at the top of my list.
Overall great school. Faculty seem good and the administration is very friendly. Quality of education is good, and the students appear happy with the school. Facilities are modern and excellent. Hospital on campus is very convenient. Very informal tour was nice. Admissions office was extremely accommodating and friendly. Style of interview (one doctor and one student, kept shooting questions at me, taking notes while I talked) was a bit tough and I didn't go away feeling the best. Only lasted 10-15 min long. Hear back on the 3rd Friday of each month. Nice area around the school. Overall very positive experience.
Great school...wasn't too impressed on paper until I was physically there. Atmosphere is great, seems like everyone likes the study and learns a lot right from the start.
i think all my interviewer really wanted to see was my passion and dedication to become an osteopathic physician. he didnt seem to care about what i said until i started spewing out all the reasons why i want to be a doctor and how long and hard ive worked to get where i am etc. at the end of my shpeel he said "excellent". show them you want it and (hopefully) it will pay off. keeping my fingers crossed!!!
Even though the interviewer was laid back, I was still really nervous since it was my first interview. And only being asked one question didn't help my nerves.
I really liked this school alot. It is my first choice and I hope I get in! The interview was laid back, conversation style. Everyone was great from the April, to the interviewers to the tour guides. They answered every question and did not hesitate to make me feel warm and welcome. I loved it here.
I was accepted on 09/18/09.
The purpose of me writing this is to give glory to God first and to give back to SDN second.
God heard my prayers and answered. He deserves all the glory and praise.
For the personable, social, and not easily intimidated, a mock interview is not necessary. For those prone to stuttering and / or cannot convey thoughts into speech, practice.
Prepare like a gunner but be laid back during the interview. Give an impression you know the field without intimidating the interviewers. If they dodge your questions, move onto another topic.
A firm handshake is necessary. Good-looks help too, so tidy up. If you are brave enough, dress to impress but stand out. I personally styled a tan-grey suit, so I was easy to spot among all the other interviewees in black.
If you want to see my very unorthodox background go to http://www.mdapplicants.com/profile.php?id=18524.
The following link is helpful for applying to and interviewing at medical schools: http://upalumni.org/medschool/medschool-advice.html.
So that you know, the story on tuition is that if you are out of state, you will pay out of state tuition for one year, then in state for the last 3. This is new for the 2013 class.
If you can, schedule your interview as close to the 3rd Friday of every month as you can, because that is when committee meets, and the days after the interview were some of the longest days I've had. The wait was killing me!
The day was pretty fun. We started off in the admissions off (filled with lots of really nice people) and watched a video that had UMDNJ students in it and what they've done (ie gone on the Price is Right, Regis, Wheel of Fortune, etc). We then went on a tour of the facilities, saw the classrooms, talked to a few students, and had lunch at the cafeteria. We then waited for our interviews, which were really laid back and more of just a conversation. They really just wanted to get to know me. The Adcom meets on the third Friday of every month, so a week after the interview I got the call from Paula Watkins and was accepted! Will hopefully be attending next fall.
School's very nice - a lot of things are new. Everyone looked happy there, and also discovered a few prodigy students (teenage medical students) about whom we were shown a video earlier in the day. Definitely very friendly, amiable environment. Only annoying part was how student interviewer kept interrupting the faculty member.
I was interviewed by 2 people. One was a student. After the interview I observed a class for an hour. Once all the other interviews were completed, a tour of the school was given by students. After the tour we ate lunch in the cafeteria.
I arrived in the admissions office where we watched a video about previous UMDNJ students. That was followed by a tour, lunch, and finally my interview which was more like a conversation. The interviewer really tried to make you comfortable from the get go.
It was great! I went in not really knowing what to expect, and I was very impressed. The students and staff were warm and excited about their institution.
So the day in general was nice, the school itself is great and i would be happy to attend there, but i was so disgusted at how rude my interviewer was. She even asked a question where i truly wasnt sure of an answer so i said that i didnt know and asked her to elaborate a little more so that i could understand her better and nothing...she insisted on repeating herself without helping a little to try to make me look like a jackass. Apparently she missed the part in my file that said i was from NJ too and that i dont flounder easily.
The interview is rather relaxed. I had an afternoon interview so I had lunch and the tour first. The tour guide was a first year student that was extremely nice and helpful. Even though we never got to truly tour the school, that was fine with me since I had been to the school before. Instead, we had a long conversation over lunch, which provided a lot of insight into the school and medical school as a whole. Afterwards we sat in on a portion of lecture, and then finally returned to the admissions office and waited for our turn to be interviewed, while watching tv. The interview itself wasn't stressful. All the questions were standard and straight forward. He didn't try to trick me or ask any hard questions. Overall, a good experience.
UMDNJ-SOM seems to want students sincerely interested in the osteopathic philosophy and OMT (I was asked about 6 questions regarding the philosophy). They want to focus on producing family medicine or other primary care doctors for the state of New Jersey's underserved.
Be prepared to be asked about Osteopathic Medicine and your current work. I was not even asked a single question about my research experiences or leadership positions. Just show them that you really want to be a D.O. and not an M.D. and you will be fine.
Overall, a good experience.
The interview was very, very laid back. He walked in and said, ''we're just here to talk. this is very casual.'' that put me at ease. he asked me a few questions, but it was really up to me to elaborate and let him know about me. the interview was very short. i could have left at 10:30, but i opted to stay for the tour and lunch. the guide, a student, was very enthused and happy to be there. he answered all questions. after the tour we had lunch. i got the chicken salad wrap (nothing else looked very appealing). we sat down and just chatted. the guide was asking me about the HBCU experience. i was happy that i got to speak to a lot of the minority students there. they seemed to like it and were very active on campus. their SNMA chapter just won chapter of the year.
It is extremely stress free and easy going. I was stressing a little bit at first, but they put you at ease quickly and its a breeze. DO NOT STRESS, just be yourself and its fine.. cliche, but true!
The interview was very laid-back. One of my interviewers is an MIV and the other one is an associate professor for the university. It is open file and you need to make sure that you know everything that is written in your application because you will be asked about it.
The tour and free luch were nice. However, the wait for the interview was long especially since they were running one hour behind schedule. This did not help my situation any because I had a six hour drive after the interview.
interview itself was very relaxing. admissions staff was very friendly and made me feel at ease from the moment i walked in. this is a great school with friendly and personable professors and med students who have many great things to say about their school. it's always nice to see students and teaching staff who are happy and take great pride in their school.
Very laid back. We really weren't given very much in terms of information on how the day would go, no handouts or talks about financial aid, no real structure to the day besides showing up to the admissions office and waiting for a tour, being brought back to sit and wait for an interview. Kind of strange. But nice enough!
It was memorable and pleasant. I arrived 45 minutes before my interview. The interviewer called my name and escorted me to the interview room. Afterwards, the Dean greeted us and gave us a history of the program and the surrounding area. Then we went on a tour. The day concluded with lunch.
The interview was pretty short. Everyone arrived like 30 minutes before their scheduled time. We all waited in the lounge which has a TV and some packaged breakfast snacks. The interviewer would call us in when they were ready for us. After the interview there was a tour given by two second year students at noon. All the rooms seems to be in one building except I think the OMM lab, which was in another building next door.
The school is very nice and the admissions staff and students were enthusiastic. The person intervieing me was extremely rude and not personable. He wasn't even a doctor (had his phd) and asked me the same questions over and over even if I had already answered them. Told me I was wrong on some of my answers (pretty sure they weren't wrong because they were opinion based). It was also hard to understand him because he had an accent. The interview ruined the school for me.
The interviews were close to on time, the interviewers were very nice, as were all of the admissions staff. I was able to attend a lecture and talk to a few students because I had an early interview, but that was not the case for the later interviews. After the interviews were over at noon we went on a tour and spoke to the student tour guide and a member of admissions. They help you to get NJ residency to save $10,000 on tuition from $33,000 to $23,000, very nice of them I think. It was around 2PM that we finished, and no luch was provided.
I arrived at 12pm for the lunch and tour. Two first-year students showed us around the campus. The interviewees waited in a room with cable TV. The administrative staff is very friendly, and the academic dean came by to meet us. The interview itself was short, mostly standard questions were asked.
My interviewers (two of them) told me they were there to represent me in the committee meeting so not to be nervous they were there to help. I was able to relax then and really be myself.
Overall a good experience. Enjoyed chatting with fellow interviewees. I had an early interview so there was a lot of waiting around. Interviewers tried to make me feel comfortable, but I didn't think they really tried to get to know me. Impressed by the school overall.
The interviewers did not seem to enthused. They asked about 2 questions and turned the time over to me to ask questions. The tour was ok. I was not very impressed.
I think my interview experience was an exception to the norm - it may have been that my interviewer (a PhD and not a DO) was just quirky. I felt like I was slammed for being a business major in that they kept pressing about why I wanted to be a doctor after I had fully explained myself.
The interview was very laid-back. The interviewers and everybody else was very friendly. The questions were all typical interview questions. No ethical questions. Use SDN to prepare and you would have no problems.
Interview was laidback conversational style. Interviewers were friendly, a faculty and a 4th year. They did their best to make me feel comfortable. Overall good experience for an interview.
I was extremely calm at my interview. I had already been accepted and deposited at PCOM, but I had been waiting to hear from UMDNJ. During my interview I wasn't sure how I did and they asked if I had applied to other schools and I told them about PCOM. I thought perhaps that this would hurt me in the end. But I wanted to be honest. I am going to have a very hard time deciding where I will ultimately go.
Overall, I had a great experience. My interview was scheduled for 10:00 am, so I arrived around 9:30 am. The interviewers were running late, so I didn't actually interview until 10:30 am. The wait wasn't too bad though - they give you a folder with information about the school in it, so I read that over. The interview was very laid-back and conversational. It was one physician and one fourth year medical student. Both were very nice. They really only asked about myself and about my experience working in the ER. At noon, the six of us who had interviewed in the morning were taken on a tour of the school followed by lunch with our tour guides.
I arrived about 30 mins before my scheduled interview time and was taken into a room and had a photo taken. The other people interviewing were in the room and others continued to arrive. We watched some TV and waited for them to call us one by one. I interviewed with one 4th year student and one DO. It was a very laid back environment. After all the interviews were complete, a woman from admissions spoke to us regarding the school. We were then treated to lunch in the cafe and taken on a tour of the facilities.
I had the last interview of the day, so there was a long wait before my interview, which made me overly nervous. However, once the interview started I was quickly put at ease. The interview was not long because I didn’t ask a lot of question, since I’ve been to the school before and have had many of my question previously answered. This is not a school that you need to stress over the interview. As much as you want to go there, they want you there.
My interview was for 10:30am but they were running late so I wasn't seen until 30 or so minutes later. They came out periodically into the lounge, where about 5 students sat waiting for their interview or the tour to start,to tell us they were running late and to relax (relaxation was the key they emphasize the most). We saw a movie about the school involving some of their students while we chatted and waited for our turn to be interview. My interview itself was basic. I was even complimented on my accomplishments--I was taken aback since no other school's interviewers did that. Once the last person was interviewed, we went for the tour which was led by first year students--very helful and happy to be at the school. then we had lunch.
If you sign up for the tour and lunch, you're supposed to arrive around 11:30. A woman greeted me, took my picture and made a copy of proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate). All the interviewees (there weren't many of us, maybe three to five people) hung out in a room and heard a quick presentation from the dean about why UMDNJ. Then we went on a quick tour of the academic building. We had lunch in the cafeteria, and then went back to the interviewee room and waited for our individual interviews. While waiting, they showed us a cheesy video about UMDNJ students doing things like being on game shows. The interview itself was very laid back and quick. I wasn't asked any ethical or policy questions or any tough questions about my history.
Low stress, this is a goal of their admissions process. Simple questions. The interviewers do not offer much emotional repsonse to figure out how you are doing. Don't take this as a negative. Know your application and be able to explain anything negative. Be prepared to discuss it in further detail even after the interview goes into a different direction. This is a great school.
I was the first interview to go in the morning which was good because I did not have to wait around all day. I had two interviewers, one a doctor and the other a fourth year medical student. Both of them were very nice and made the interview comfortable. They let you express yourself because they ask very open-ended questions, but be careful because they ask you many questions based on your answers, and it is easy to back yourself in a hole as I did.
I had a nice experience. The people are very warm, welcoming and proud. The students I met around (informally)spoke very highly of the school. I got in, too!!!
I arrived near 11:30am for a 1 pm interview. At 12pm a lunch/tour/meet with admissions deal goes on. The interviews are spaced out with half hours inbetween, and there are only 3-4 students there on a particular day. The interview was 1 on 2, usually a faculty member and a 3rd or fourth year. Interview lasts like 20 min, and then you can go home. No full day experience that drags on like other schools.
I really enjoyed the overall experience. It was my first interview, so I was obviously nervous and a little flustered in the beginning. I loved the supportive atmosphere.
Good luck everyone!
Excellent; one of the best interview days I went on. It was fairly short, which I liked - a lot of schools do a full day which really isn't that necessary. My interview was in the afternoon, so I went through their tour first at noon. At around 11:45 or so they showed a video featuring some of their students: very entertaining stuff. Then Paula Slade comes and talks about the school - she's an awesome lady and really represents the school well. In fact the entire staff is extremely well organized and very professional - only one other school I've interviewed at had a staff as good as SOM's I think. The tour guides were excellent as well, very honest, very confident about their school, and obviously very satisfied with their education there. The school is just full of this relaxed confidence. Then we had lunch and waited for our interviews.
Oh, if anyone is wondering about their matchlist, take a look at their yearbooks in the waiting room - each student's page will state where they matched.
2 interviewers: one was a 4th year student and the other was a faculty member (Ph.D.) the Ph.D. faculty member did not seem very nice at first, but i think that was just her style. towards the end of the interview, she smiled a couple of times and put me at ease. the student interviewer was really nice and friendly.
I had a wonderful experience! I will be attending this school in the fall. This was the most relaxing of any interview I had. The interviewers asked specific and to the point questions of me to pinpoint both my strengths and weaknesses to accurately present me to the admissions committee. For me the location was good because it is in a small town, which fits me best because Im from a small Texas town. But what is good is that its only an hour away from Atlantic City and 20 minutes from Philly. I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking for a school with an extremly supportive environment.
the day itself was ok. i found the people were really nice and open. but the school itself was unimpressive both in facilities and location. specifically, i was unhappy with the interview. i feel that the doctor interviewing me was obsessed with the DO-MD rivalry and could not get past that.
The day was very low stress and I felt really welcome. I felt like my interviewer, staff, dean, and students were trying to impress me even more than I was trying to impress them. The interview really gives you every opportunity to make sure they know what you want them to know. The vibe I got was very positive.
Overall, the students and school were pretty impressive. The thing that stands out is the family-like atmosphere. I can't stress enough how happy the students appeared to be. The thing that negatively impressed me was my actual interview. There were two interviewers (one professor and one MSIII) who didn't seem to be as friendly as what other students had portrayed them to be. I expected more reactions than simply a head nod or an "ok"; I rarely got a smile from either of them. I left the interview thinking that they hated me. However, I must not have done so bad since I received that infamous phone call the day after the admissions committee said they were meeting. I'm still giving this school some serious thought because I would hate to base my choice solely upon the interviewers because the school and the students were top-notch.
Interview was great they really took the time to get to know me as an applicant. All of the questions were relevant and straight foward. One interviewer is a D.O the other is a medical student. They create a very conversational environment.
recommended hotel was easy to find and very close to the school. i was nervous simply because this was my first med school interview but there were no tricky questions. everything was straightforward and the tour was given by volunteer med students. it was nice to know when the admissions committee meets and we were told when to expect to hear an answer. however, when i walked into the interview room, it seemed that one of the interviewers was reading my personal statement at that moment so i'm not sure if they had looked over any of my application before the actual interview. tip - assume they haven't so you want to make sure you say what you want them to know about you before the interview is over.
I arrived there around 9:30, and waited a good deal of time while others were being interviewed. During that time I chatted with other prospective students, watched a video about some teenage med students who attend UMDNJ, and then went to lunch. (It might be interesting to note that there are different proffesor interviewing in the morning than in the afternoon.) I felt incredibly nervous going into the interview, though once it started, I found it to be very low stress. The questions asked were very standard, very easy questions to answer. The proffesor who interviewed me had a great personality and even began to crack a few jokes halfway through the interview. The interview lasted only 20-25 minutes. When I left the interview, I had no clue how I did. I was informed that admissions meets at specific dates and that thier next review date was October 18th. That was almost a month away! After an entire month of stressing out I finally received the infamous telephone call and was accepted. WOO HOO! In conclusion, I'll be in the UMDNJ-SOM class of 2009. Good luck to everyone.
So easy and relaxed. They asked me about a grade, what I do for fun, what I would do if I wasn't a doctor, and about the club that I am the president of, and other questions about myself and things that I do or did. It was very much a conversation, but it is the responsibility of the person being interview to make it that way. When they ask a question make sure you elaborate on what you mean and try to stem that answer into another topic about why you love their school or why they should accept you. Just be careful not to sound to arrogant.
I arrived early and well rested, their hotel arrangement and recommendation, Hampton Inn, was excellent. There were only 4 interviewees that day and we arrived at scattered times throughout the morning giving the small class individualized attention feeling right from the start. The tour was great and the students seemed happy and had nothing but praise to sing about their school and classmates. The interviewers were one physician and one MS3, they were both extremely nice and explained how they wanted to portray me to the committee in the best light possible and that they were my advocates.
It was really laid back. We got there and the assitant dean gave a speech. We went on a tour given by students. We ate lunch, and watched a video presentation. Students are called according to their interview time. It was really nice and not too much pressure at all
Overall I really liked the school! It was my first choice going in and I left feeling it was still my first choice. The student faculty atmosphere was its bigging selling point for me. It is a pretty small school but I think that lends well to the type of medical school it is trying to be. It seems that the staff is genuinely committed to educating good physicians and bring medicine to how it should be!
Interview was short, one professor and one 4th year student. I got an acceptance letter in 3 days. I declined it simply because I didn't like the location of the school AND the fact that the school is so SMALL (95 students in the class). Kennedy system is too small plus they don't have residency programs for the speciality I was looking for. I know that NYCOM is a much better school (I was accepted there as well) simply because of the location and the clinical affliations of NYCOM. Their students consistently get the best specialties and are not limited to just primary care/family practice as most DO schools as UMDNJ-SOM.
They were very nice and we had a good talk about different things that I was involved in at college. They covered the good and the not-so-good in my application; this was the only school that asked so much about the not-so-good, which left me feeling a little on edge by the end of the interview.
I was very pleased with the interview, and the whole institution; however, they really grilled me druing the interview. This was my third interview and it was definately was the toughest, yet everyperson tells me that theirs was very "lax". I feel, however, that it was apropriate considering who I am. At this point I will have to say that this is my number one choice.
The interview was pretty relaxed and went well except that the faculty interviewer kept pressing me to see whether or not I was truly interested in osteopathic medicine. I did not mind that he asked questions about that topic but he asked three different questions that were all very similar but related to the same topic.
This was my first interview ever, so I was really nervous, but it was better that I had expected it to be! I actually was laughing most of the time during my interview! ( a lot of jokes were cracked!) The girl waiting for her interview said she heard me laughing down the hall! Whoops!! I totally felt at home here and the students are really great and very friendly. The class size is great too, allowing more opportunities for individualized help. I left the school with a great feeling, and I had an even greater feeling when I was accepted a week and a half later!!! There response time is really fast. NJSOM is a awesome school with a great campus in a good area of South Jersey! I think this is the place where I will be for my next four years!
for me, the interview experience was great because my interviewer and I got into a discussion about some books I had written a paper on, and it ended up being just a nice conversation. Also, the students who gave the tour were really thoughtful, one of them even offered to have us stay and sit in on one of his classes. Overall it was a completly non-stressful experience.
It was very good. The interviewers really want to know about you as a person to supplement anything they do not know on your application. It was very relaxed and seemingly more conversational than a question and answer session. Some questions also sprang from things said in the interview. However, I was extremely nervous because I realized this is a school where I really want to gain my education.
I thought it was great- everyone was so nice, including the interviewer- they are your advocate to the committee- so try to be as assertive as possible so they get to know you and remember you- any unusual (but relevant) experiences are a plus, the admissions director called me the day the committee met to let me know i got accepted, and to explain everything in my admissions packet
It was a positive experience. All of the admissions staff is very friendly and helpful. I interviewed with a third year student and the head of the emergency medicine department at UMDNJ-SOM. The interview was very short,and relaxed
My interviewer was very nice. There was supposed to be a student there as well, but exams were coming so it was just me and a doctor. He really tried to make it more like a conversation.
The interviewer was formal but not intimidating. This was a great first interview. The purpose of the interview is to find out more about you (ie: explanations for poor grades or low mcat scores) so that the interviewer can be your advocate during the Admissions Committee meeting.
I really liked the school's curriculum and people, for ex. the diversity of students. The school is very human: the Admissions Office called me on 10/20 (the day the Admissions Committee met) to tell me that I'd been accepted. (I don't know what - if any - other schools do that.) The academic calendar has "exam block" weeks (similar to finals periods in college) so you can focus on studying and taking tests.
I was interviewed by a doctor and a med student, and they made it very clear that they were not trying to intimidate me; rather, they emphasized that they were my advocates, so that was nice.
I really liked the small class size and parts of south Jersey are really nice. I would advise driving (~20min) to Atsion just SW of the campus down RT.30 and viewing the natural area and lake with cabins. Both of my interviewers (one DO and one MS III) were very friendly and just wanted to get to know me. Once you are given an interview you have about a 30% chance of acceptance. Most people are either accepted or placed on a waiting list after their interview. You would really have to screw the interview up to receive a rejection letter right after the interview. Because our interviews were in the morning, the student tour guide had ample time to show us around campus and was extremely thorough.
Here's what you need to know, DON'T BE TOO MODEST ABOUT YOURSELF!!! If you've done something great in your life then take the time to mention it and don't wait until the right time presents itself because you might just not get that opportunity. This is the only time you have to leave an impression and you need to stand out. When appropriate, be sure to also ask your interviewer questions about how they feel about a certain topic because it can take the pressure of you and allow the interview to feel more like a conversation.
Overall a great experience. The faculty and staff have a very positive and welcoming attitude which allows for a relaxed experience. The key thing is to be yourself and know why you want to attend their program.
Overall, very positive. I really liked the school- they were professional, courteous, friendly, relaxed, and real. they had a great program and facility too.
My interview started 40 minutes late so I started to get nervous. The interviewer came out and apologized and we went to the "room." I sat at one end of a table and he sat at the other end. He put me at ease and he asked me the questions that you will read shortly. I felt that I controlled the interview, although he had his specific questions that he was going to ask. He was interested in some of my extra-curricular activities and in where I went to undergrad so that took up some time. Next, all of the interviewees watched a video, talked with the director of admissions, and then took the tour.
The interview was really laid back. It started out with a tour, and then lunch. The campus did seem very nice and modern, and the students were really friendly. If you want to go to a school with an intimate atmosphere, you should consider UMD SOA.
Very friendly and laid back. My interviewers were a DO and a third year student, and they both tried their best to put me at ease. I was a pretty nervous wreck though, considering it was my first interview ever.
I had the interview, then lunch and a tour. The interview was pretty low stress. There were two interviwers, one was a student, and the other was a professor. I think that they basically wanted to get to know me. They spent much of the interview telling me about the school.
Overall, a good experience. It is a SMALL school, so if you need a crowd,; it's not for you. If you need to be IN the city, it's not for you. But, if you like a close knit group, practically one-on-one instruction, and people sincere about making you a DO when your acceptance letter comes; it's for you. Every school has its issues, but this school is small enough to where you won't get lost if you have an issue.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest improvements such as providing more time between invitation and interview, offering online payment options, having more informative sessions during interviews, implementing electronic applications, and enhancing organization and communication throughout the admissions process.
A "secondary application complete" email would be nice to have, but considering the high speed of the school in the application process, it's not as important.
