University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Interview Feedback Summary
La Jolla, CA
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.2
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 277 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 (81%)
Negatively (4%)
No change (15%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (23%)
Good (46%)
Average (27%)
Poor (2%)
Bad (2%)
What are your general comments?
The most common feedback from applicants is that the UCSD pharmacy program is seen as laid-back yet highly motivating, with a collaborative learning environment. Additionally, applicants appreciated the friendly and conversational nature of the interviews, the emphasis on getting to know the applicant as a person, and the relaxed atmosphere during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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UCSD is great. I think their program is the most laid back compared to UCSF and USC, yet it seems that their students are still highly motivated and they encourage collaborative learning.
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Harder than others made it sound.
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This was my first pharmacy school interview, so I am glad it was so laid back. I would recommend getting to know more about your interviewers when they ask if you have any questions for them. I only directed my questions to the pharmacy school student who was interviewing me, and neglected to find out more about the pharmacist interviewing me.
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Don't give up! they interview about 280 people and accept 110 (because they need to consider that some people won't end up going to the school). So if you are accepted for an interview you have 40% chance to get in! The staff and students are really nice there!
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I loved UCSD. They had the orientation presentation that every school has, but I didn't know much about UCSD since it was considered a brand new school. They were telling us random facts about the school, and how the school has a state of the art pharmacy school, and is consistently improving and getting better. I loved the SoCal environment that UCSD has, and it was great to meet the faculty. My interview was 30 minutes and it was with one staff and one pharmacist. I talked for about 10 minutes while the interviewers talked for the rest of the time. They really made the environment really relaxed, and I showed a lot about myself and how I am with even my own friends. It was amazing how open they were and how interested they were in getting to know me. The essay was very chill. I started writing my essay, and they would call us out one-by-one for the interview, and I left my stuff, did my interview, and came back and finished my essay. I walked around the small campus when I finished my essay, and I talked to some of the pharmacy students as well as some of the interviewees. Overall, I loved UCSD, and after a month, I received my acceptance letter! =D
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
33 Minutes Average
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Number:
1.9 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
68% One-on-One
32% Group Interview
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File Type:
99% Open-File
1% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
0% Virtual
100% In-Person
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Interview Location (for In-Person):
100% At the School
0% Other Location
UCSD-PHARMD-COMP interviews are an average of 33 minutes, with an average of 1.9 interviews. 68% of interviews are one-on-one, 100% are in-person, and 1% are closed-file. Of the in-person interviews, 100% are held at the school.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about self-care practices, strengths and weaknesses, motivation, hobbies, interest in the field of pharmacy, leadership experiences, time management skills, stress management strategies, and reasons for choosing pharmacy as a career path. Some respondents mentioned being asked questions in an MMI format, which may involve a nondisclosure agreement regarding specific interview questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Pharmacy school is difficult, what are some ways that you take care of yourself?
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What are 3 strengths and 3 weaknesses?
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How do you stay motivated?
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Biggest weakness
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Why pharmacy?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences discussed a wide range of topics including hypothetical scenarios, personal interests, future aspirations, and ethical dilemmas. While there were standard interview questions, the presence of unique questions like "If you were a water-drop, where would you fall and why?" and the emphasis on personal reflections indicate a diverse and engaging interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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A patient comes into the pharmacy and is getting a medication for his mother who was just diagnosed with cancer. There is a long line at the pharmacy and it is incredibly busy. When he picks up his meds he bursts into tears. What would you do in this situation?
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Tell me about volleyball
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Nothing really.
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I talked about cooking, so they asked me about what the significance of a recipe was.
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Do you like to cook? What do you cook? Do you ever change the recipe or do you follow it to the T? (creativity question?)
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN), reviewing the school's website, practicing with friends or family, and researching current pharmacy topics. They also focused on formulating answers to common interview questions, reading application materials, and seeking feedback from pharmacists or alumni.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Looking at UCSD's website, SDN questions, and interview questions I found online
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Read SDN, read other interview prep questions, practice with friends and family.
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Mock interview with friends and SDN questions
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Wrote possible questions and answered them and also used the interview feedback from Student Doctor Network
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Interview feedback from SDN
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences discussed various topics, including strengths and weaknesses, unique qualities compared to other candidates, project management scenarios, proudest achievements, future challenges in pharmacy, and reasons for choosing pharmacy over other fields. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format, potential nondisclosure agreements, and standard questions exploring personal experiences, ethical dilemmas, and career motivations.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Explain a situation where you learned something?
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Name three strengths and three weaknesses
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What distinguishes you from other candidates aside from academics?
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If I gave a project and provided everything you needed how would you go about it?
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What other schools have you applied to/gotten interviews for?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and laid-back atmosphere at UCSD, with faculty, staff, and students all being described as approachable and welcoming. The beautiful campus, new facilities, challenging curriculum, and the potential for growth and improvement of the program were commonly highlighted as positive aspects. Suggestions included offering more in-depth tours and providing information on the program's progress and achievements.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The faculty at UCSD is incredibly impressive. They are all practicing pharmacists while teaching and doing research. There are so many opportunities at this school and if you go for an interview they share a lot about their faculty which is fun to learn about.
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Very laid back interview. They honestly just want to get a sense of who you are as a person. The essay portion wasn't timed.
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Very friendly
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Interviewers were very laid back and friendly
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Everyone was friendly and helpful during the interview process
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative feedback about the lack of informative campus tours, limited access to buildings, unimpressive facilities, disorganized scheduling, cold interview rooms, unclear communication from students, lack of formal tours, concerns about curriculum and accreditation, and a perceived focus on the medical program over pharmacy. Suggestions included improving campus tours, enhancing communication with students, addressing facility issues, clarifying curriculum practices, and ensuring a more organized interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The campus tour was not as informative as I would have liked. All of the buildings were closed since it was the weekend. But, since we were having an interview day I would have thought that they would open them so we could see/experience spaces that we would take classes or study in. Additionally, the students did not point me into the direction of information which could be improved. Instead they would just say they do not know - but not point me towards someone who does know.
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Very small alumni network.
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There was no on-campus tour
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Nothing
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I found that my interviewers were very nice, but I couldn't tell if they were actually interested in what I was saying. They seemed almost patronizing, and it was very hard to read if I did "well" or not.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the closed-file interview format, where to park, and the relaxed, casual nature of the interview. They also suggested bringing something to entertain themselves during downtime, elaborating more on answers, and being prepared for potential rain in La Jolla.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The interview is CLOSED file. One interviewer is a current student (Student host) while the other interviewer is an alumni, professor, or somehow related to Skaggs
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Where to park. I was almost late.
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Where to park
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This is probably due to my novice interview skills, but everyone else seemed to have notebooks containing their resumes and personal statements to look over while waiting for their interview. Luckily for me it didn't matter because I was one of the first to be interviewed.
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The school was very new for their pharmacy program and they don't have too many alumni to build a network.
🤝 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 tours of the school, offer more information about financial aid and tuition, and communicate application status via email to avoid confusion.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Suggest giving a tour although the actual school is quite small.
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Have Tours
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Better parking info. Even after asking at the info booth I got a ticket :(
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Please give tours
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Let us know through email about our application status. There was no indication that my application was ever received.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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SAN
50% interviewees used San Diego (SAN), with 33% using Southwest (Southwest) and 17% using Sandiego Airport (Sandiego Airport).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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26% Airplane
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67% Automobile
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7% Train or Subway
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0% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Sheraton (average ranking 9.5/10), with some staying at TravelLodge La Jolla (average rating 10/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Sheraton
9.5/10
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TravelLodge La Jolla
10/10
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Marriot Inn
10/10
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 a Faculty member
Admissions staff (10%)
Faculty member (53%)
Other (13%)
Student (25%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Enthusiastic (88%)
Neutral (12%)
All Responses
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