Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 23% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools encompass a wide range of topics, including motivations for pursuing dentistry, experiences in the field, handling challenges, ethical dilemmas, and future aspirations. Multiple inquiries focus on manual dexterity, research, volunteer work, leadership roles, strengths and weaknesses, and specific activities related to dentistry, often emphasizing why dentistry over other professions and the potential impact on the community. Additionally, the significant emphasis on the question "Why dentistry?" suggests a thorough evaluation of candidates' commitment and suitability for the profession.
If you could have your own private practice, how do you imagine it
Why Dentistry?? (multiple times, so really really think about this question and have multiple answers prepared. delve into why you think you would be successful at this career, what qualities you have that would make you a successful dentist)
No really, WHY DENTISTRY? They were very adamant about asking this and didn't seem satisfied. In the end, they said most students couldn't thoroughly answer this question, so I think they were just trying to eek out every bit of an answer that they could. Don't get stressed if they keep asking.
Why dentistry? Tell us about shadowing experience, research experience, volunteering experience. Tell us about your jobs in college, do you think it was positive? (yeah, this was like six different questions)
Is there anything else you would like to say? (This was asked about 5 times. I got the feeling i was supposed to say something else, but i couldnt think of anything.)
Explain in more detail why you want to be a dentist - They already asked me why I wanted to be a dentist and I purposely left some things out because I knew they were going to ask that.
Why do you want to be a dentist? Why dentistry and not medicine? What kind of things do you do with your hands? What five characteristics do you think are required to enjoy dentistry?
"Your DAT scores are not in the top 5%, what did you do wrong in studying, and how are you going to fix it?" (They then proceeded to cut me off when I was telling them how I studied, and handed me information on a CD I "had" to purchase if I wanted to do well enough to attend their school...extremely rude)
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Florida College of Dentistry discussed a variety of topics such as favorite procedures, future plans, reasons for choosing dentistry, and personal experiences. The interviews may have followed an MMI format with some respondents mentioning nondisclosure agreements, while common questions focused on motivations for pursuing dentistry, career goals, memorable experiences, and challenges faced.
Besides money, what is something, if anything, you have noticed also gets in the way of seeking out dental care?
What was your thought process behind choosing to go on this two year program? (She was referring to the post graduate cultural course that I'm currently enrolled in in India.)
I was applying for the FTD (Foreign Trained Dental program), not the DMD. So, the question was "What was the greatest change you have made inorder to adapt to life in the USA".
One of the interviewers asked me if I was good with computers. I told him I was pretty good. Then he asked if he brought me a computer in a box, would I try to put it together right away, or would I read the manual first. I said if it's a computer, I know how to put it together, but if it was something new to me, I'd probably read the manual first just to make sure I knew what I was doing. Then he told me that he's the type of person that would read the first few pages, and then get bored and try to figure out the rest. "Are you like me, or would you read the manual cover to cover?" I figured he wanted me to change my mind to agree with him, so I just stuck to my guns and told him I'd probably read the manual. Weird question, and I'm still not sure if I answered it correctly.
The most interesting question I was asked was my opinion of Kaplan. They were really interested in knowing my experiences with the prep course and my insights on the way they taught and prepared the student for the PAT section of the DAT
Nothing remotely interesting. I had spoken to the admissions committee prior to my interview and was shocked with the way they treated me. Don't be fooled by Dr. Sposetti and Dr. Logan, they pretend to be compassionate, and then turn on you. They went as far as to take the things I asked them about in confidence and use that against me in the interview. Shame on them.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Florida College of Dentistry discussed a wide range of topics, including specific questions about research projects, future career plans, manual dexterity, community service, and reasons for choosing dentistry. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses mentioning nondisclosure agreements, while common themes included inquiries about access to care, academic performance, personal motivations, and qualities of a successful dentist.
When explaining my research project, I said "a drug that inhibits a protein involved in liver regeneration" and the interviewer asked me what the protein is and what it does. It caught me off guard at first but I believe I answered it well (it was YAP1)
Your science GPA isn't as high as some other applicants. How will you make the transition to dental school? What will you do different? (need to be specific here)
I was talking about my commitment to community volunteer efforts and how I wanted to use the fact that I would be a dentist to impact my local community, and they asked how. Does not sound hard, but they wanted specific examples - really wanted to see if I was serious.
The most difficult (besides why do you want to be a dentist?) was at the end of the interview when I thought it was over they asked if there was anything else I could think of that I wanted them to know about me.
Specifically why do you want to dentistry? (the general reasons such as love of science, working with my hands, working with people were not specific enough) and also "other than geography and tuition, why would you pick this school?"
Why do you want to be a dentist?
This was only difficult because I had to stop from laughing because this was the question that you had to write an essay about before your interview. That immediately made me wonder if they had really read through anything in my file besides just the numbers.
What do you do for fun? Although, this is not a hard question, it caught me offguard, and I did not want to leave them the impression I was a party girl.
The same jerk asked me this: He said that according to my file, I had mentioned that I found Dentistry to be exciting. "What's so exciting about it?" he asked. Seemed like something I would have written, so I gave him a good enough honest answer. Then I went home and read over my personal statement, and saw that I had never mentioned the word "exciting" anywhere on it. I don't know what he was trying to accomplish with that trick, but I didn't appreciate it.
Difficult? Nothing, the rest of the questions were pretty mediocre, but were asked in a very non-interested manner. I had over a 3.7 and 22+ on every section and they asked me "Why would we want a student like you here? We have many applicants who demonstrate that they have somethign to offer us"
All the rest of them...the interviewers fire questions at you nonstop and when you take too long to answer or go into too much detail, they promptly let you know that you are taking too much time.
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application materials, practicing with mock interviews, utilizing Student Doctor Network (SDN) resources, and researching the school's website. Many also sought advice from current students or alumni, practiced answering common interview questions, and familiarized themselves with the school's mission and values.
SDN, YouTube videos, mock interview with career services
I definitely read through my application a few times, read through my personal statement, reviewed questions posted here, and made up some questions after reviewing my app.
Read through UFCoD's website, read feedback from others, read my personal statements, went over interview questions with some students from the dental school
Read studentdoctor.net feedback and spoke to a doctor. During my 5 hour drive to Gainesville I repeatly said out loud my answers so I would be comfortable with the how I delivered them.
I had been to many other interviews and was confident with my ability to interview and communicate.......I think the communication problem is on the other end....
I read a lot of interview feedback sites and studied extensively so that I could fluidly answer any anticipated questions (e.g. Why do you want to be a dentist)
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere created by the staff, students, and faculty at the school. They appreciated the interactive and engaging interview process, the new and well-equipped facilities, and the emphasis on student well-being, personal growth, and academic success. Many highlighted the school's high board pass rates, research opportunities, and the family-like environment among students and faculty, while also noting the affordable tuition and the school's connections to the hospital network.
The atmosphere, they make it super fun and interactive
friendliness of all students, quality of profesors (leaders in their respective field), family feeling, big university, college town, inside Shands, huge clinics, LATEST and Greatest technology
The students were very open about their experiences here at UF, College of Dentistry. The best part of the day was having a chance to spend a generous amout of time talking to 2nd and 3rd year dental students!! This is even more helpful if you attended another college in Florida or if you're from out of state. They have an excellent track record for the board exams, well-rounded clinical experience, and outreach opportunities. The lunch they served that day was AWESOME!!
the students really seem to like being there, they've made changes to their clinic procedures so students are busy working all day, a cancellation doesn't mean they have no patients to see!
Everyone there was extremely friendly including the people working in the admissions office, my interviewers, the tour guide, random people I saw in the hallways that helped me when I was lost.
Large facility, well organized, nice people, happy students, Gainesville is great, reasonable tuition, top rated school, good preparation for the board..UF is great!
Everybody was very welcoming, made me feel relaxed and comfortable. Unlike some of my other interviews, at this interview I felt like they were just trying to get to know me, instead of asking me bizarre quesitons. It was just a normal conversation, I got to ask them a few questions as well. They made me feel like I had something to contribute to their school, not the other way around.
The National board scores and Florida licensure exam scores are extremely high, they have CERAC machines, lasers, they give 3 mock board exams to students. Everything really.
Dr. Sposetti is really nice. The students were great and helpful with questions. The school's effort to continually improve and help students. Their graduation and board passing rates. All those windows!! :)
The team work of dental students, all positive attitudes of students,the Sim's lab, and the fact that they are one of only two schools in USA with an implant lab.
I enjoyed the tour of the school. The sim labs were amazing and we got to try using a drill in the sim station on the polymer teeth. All the dental students that we had contact with were incredibly nice and really seemed to like the school and have a good relationship with the faculty. Although the program is not as small as some schools (around 80 kids) it is still a good size and you really get to know everyone!! Also, the results on the national boards are incredible which tells me they do a good job preparing you especially for the difficult florida boards.
Basically everything. During the interview I actually learned things I didn't know just through general chit chat. Lunch was great, simulation labs were phenomenol (generous alumni). Amazing weather. Best part....CHEAP TUITION!! (for Florida people)
The facilities were really nice, even though there was a lot of renovation taking place. I loved how much patient contact there is and how clinical work is always stressed.
They have one of only two implant labs in the country. They also recieve the 6th most funding of all dental schools for research. They have overseas programs for credit. Great board passing rate. Simulation lab. Lots of patient practice.
The simulation labs are impressively new and clean. They expect to continue to bring in new equipment. Also, they're continuing to add more windows to the labs and classrooms.
The interviewers were extremely nice, and made me feel very comfortable. Dr. Sposetti is very friendly and helpful.
The Sim Lab is really nice, and the students were enthusiastic about the school. I liked the atmosphere between faculty and students.
Ms. Kristy Hancock was very friendly.
I was most impressed with their laid back, friendly demeanor. After reading all the terrible responses posted about UF on SDN, I was very much impressed with how relaxed I felt throughout my interview. Dr. Sposetti was a sweetheart! I never felt that they were out to get me in any way. They truly seemed interested in what I had to say. My experience at UF was by far, the best interview I have had!
I was pleased to have a portion of my interview day with just dental students. They were able to answer questions that I felt uncomfortable asking to the administration.
Dean of admission, Dr. Sposetti. she was trying to make me feel relaxed and comfortable as i walked into the room.. The simulation lab is great.. Seems like all the students were very close and friendly...
The faculty was extremely positive and supportive. The secretary actually helped calm me down - she hooked me up with some coffee !!! I was bouncing off the walls during the interview ! Also, the school is an extremely spirited one. The Gainesville community is really involved w/ the school's activities.
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the old and windowless facilities, lack of interaction with current students, competitiveness among students, lack of patient pool, and the unfriendly or dismissive behavior of interviewers. Suggestions included improving facilities, enhancing student-faculty relationships, providing more opportunities for student interaction, and creating a more welcoming and supportive interview experience.
The sim lab seemed old, especially the computers that have been there for some time. Very small windows in the sim lab.. but students should be focusing on their work anyway :)
The dean has been known to guide students toward a particular academic path (esp with regards to graduate school), and later acts as if the student made a stupid decision (even though the student had followed her advice).
The interview was very awkward. The three interviewers just stare at you while you're talking, no smiling or head nods... just expressionless stares. They also write down alot of what you say so there is a lot of awkward silence while they write.
I was concerned by the difficulty getting a chair in the clinics to get enough experience. You are assigned to groups and each group gets x number of chairs in each clinic to use. You have to talk amongst the group to see who gets each chair and when. What if your patient doesn't show? What if they need a specific order of work and you can't get a chair in the clinic? Some other schools asssign each student a chair that they can always count on to be able to work at. Scheduling and getting enough practice seems difficult at UF. Thats the impression I got from some students I talked to, but most had nothing but positive to say. Also I may be misinformed so ask around and find out for yourself! Everyone was very nice!
very competitive feeling atmosphere; lunch was mediocre; I did not feel very "welcomed" and appreciated by UFCD which I did at other schools; NO WINDOWS!
Parking, facilities (clinic and overall), location - the location of the dental school is in a hospital and also the city is really boring, lunch really wasn't a lunch. No student lounge, medical library is very lacking, sim lab design sucks.
Some of the labs they work in looked really run down and one of them was actually in the basement- how depressing! Also, Gainesville just did not seem like a very fun town overall.
Lack of interaction with current dental students. They should have had at least a couple of dental students from each year join the interviewees for lunch and even the tour.
I didn't like the way they set up the interviews... My interview was in the morning, and I got to the admissions office, and it was just me waiting for my interview. There's not like a nice welcome from everyone. Also, you don't meet any of the other faculty except for the 3 ppl that interview you
How much competition there was between the students at UF. Also, during the tour one of the students acted like he was coughing and while he did this he said, "Go to Nova, not UF." This really shocked me and made me wonder what was going on...
Well, yes, it's true that the school isn't the prettiest and lacks windows. (But who cares, I'd be stoked spending half as much as people going to prettier schools.)
The whole bottom floor of the dental school is under construction and there arent many windows in the dental wing of the school due to budget cuts back in the 1970's. But they are renovating and windows are being added in the near future.
Although the students were friendly, many of them I had to wonder why they had been accepted. Some of the students who led my tour may have had high grades, but had no common sense and not a lot of personality. I know I wouldn't let some of them work on me! It was also painfully obvious that UFCD very much favors certain races over others.
Facilities aren't all that great, Students didn't seem very happy to be there, tour by students stunk, no student lounge to relax during breaks, or at least i didn't see one, overall seemed like a very stressful place to study dentistry.
Lots, the interview itself was horrible. They just sat there and stared at me as if they were wishing i would stop talking. Very awkward silences and repeating of my answers. Not many chances to sit with eveyone together as a group...lunch sucked.
I was somewhat apprehensive with the people interviewing me... I dont know.. they looked bored, no matter what I said. I was also slightly discouraged by the fact that Dr. Sposetti, throughout the day, kept looking at her watch
I get the impression that the 3rd and 4th year students are stressed. The have only a limited number of chairs and the scheduling process is a nightmare.
Gainesville is a very small city. However, the school is really nice and the weather is great.
Although the city is small, it seemed like a nice place to live. People seemed to be friendly.
Everything. The Admissions committee turned me off immediately. The secretaries inability to file (among other things), the fact the Dental school doesn't shy away from the fact that the Faculty is split (yes, they prided themselves in telling me that during my interview). The lackluster dental building. I talked to many current first years and all them relayed the same thing to me: They were most unhappy, and wished they had gone else where. In addition they were kind enough to tell me that the class doesn't get along, with them or the faculty. What a problem!
Students seemed unhappy. The only positive thing they could talk about was the price of tuition. The faculty and the dean of admissions were rude and laughed at the interviewers answers to the questions.
Pretty much everything. These people know that Florida residents are dying to go to their school for the simple fact that it is cheap and, consequently, they act accordingly. The school is also a complete mess under construction and I don't care what they say, it is like a dungeon and those are poor excuses for windows.
The wait...I was the last person interviewed and was sitting impatiently for roughly an hour and change outside the interview room !! This definitely made me start sweating bullets.
where to start? the dental school was kinda lack luster. they made gainesville sound like this really hip happenin' place, but its nothing like that. also besides the firing squad like questioning, they didn't even pretned to be interested. At the end they asked if i had any questions and when i started the dean cut me off saying "we're running out time and there are other applicant who we want to give ample chance to. Thanks for coming" they didnt even stand to shake my hand.....it was really embarassing.
The small patient pool. Also I was supposed to be interviewed by 3 people. After 10 min the third person didn’t show up and so they started without him. The dean of admissions yawned like 3 times during the interview. She did not even seem the least bit interested in what I had to say. Although she was all smiles during the group presentation she did not smile at all throughout the interview. I felt she was cold and a little condescending. The other interviewer was much nicer and seemed to listen to what I had to say.
where to begin. The secretary is awful. The dean of admission is fickle and two-faced. There are 3 people who interview you and sometimes they can be flat out rude. The faculty is split. There aren't enough patients, and you have to fight for a chair.
Many applicants wished they had known ahead of time that the interviews were more relaxed and conversational than expected, and that being yourself was key. They also emphasized the importance of arriving early, wearing comfortable shoes, and being prepared to answer questions about why they chose dentistry.
Whatever time is on your interview invite is what time your interview is (not when everyone gets there) and to have a lot of answers prepared for Why Dentistry? because I felt like I was repeating the same thing over and over probably because this was my first interview
You have time to kill after you interview. Bring something to entertain yourself with. Make sure you look good for your interview because the picture they take on the interview day is the picture they will use for everything if you decide to attend.
This was my first interview and my first trip to a school, so I was a bit intimidated by the process, but reading the school's site answered everything I needed to know.
I wish that I didn't stress so much about the interview. It was my first one though, so you can't blame me... However, everyone at the admissions office was very kind and personable!! The interview was a basic question, answer, question, answer format. No trick questions. It's IMPORTANT to remain calm and be yourself.
How relaxed the setting was, I feel that I prepared as if it was going to be a question and answer session but it was more like a conversation with 4 other people.
That the male to female ratio is about 0.4 (well I knew that before, but most people don't). If this continues, there may be a social movement toward equal rights for males!
The interviewers do not really look at you when you are answering a question. I was taken aback by the lack of facial expressions. No one nodded or even smiled to my comments. Just be prepared to talk.
This was my secondtime applying here, so I pretty much knew everything that a general applicant would be required to and would find out during the interview.
I still don't know if my interviewers saw my personal or secondary statements. Oh, and you have to be very specific by what you mean - they will ask you to elaborate.
Not too many surprises... but after i would finish answering the questions... they interviewers would kind of just stare and me or their clipboard and not say anything for a minute or so. Kinda weird
Ask the secretary what the names of the people interviewing you are before you go in there...it would've been nice to introduce yourself with "Goodmorning Mrs. Sposetti, my name is _____"
I really didn't run into any surprises along the way. I would suggest bringing a book or something to read. I had a 9:30 interview (they are short) and had an hour and a half to kill before lunch.
I wish I had known that ALL UFCD cares about are your scores--that's all. They only interview as many people as they do because they have to. They have already made an acceptance decision about you before you ever get there. Also, most students they accept went to undergraduate at UF. I also learned that at undergraduate at UF they advise students to major in food and nutrition so that they can have excellent grades, but no real scientific background.
The whole day in general is good, but on the lengthy side. You really learn a lot about the school and the dental profession in general there, but they can probably condense it some.
Very conversational interview which quickly jumps from one thing to another. You never realy have a chance to finish your thoughts on one subject before they rush to another.
Being from Florida, and coming back for my interview from Boston I thought they would embrace the fact that I had much to offer. Apparently, what I have to offer isn't as important as the things I couldn't offer. They were very keen to point out all my deficiencies (I guess having a high GPA and DAT scores is a bad thing...). Oddly enough, UCLA, Columbia and Harvard all were very keen on me. Who needs UF?
That having an interview doesn't mean much. I had one section of my DAT that was average and they told me to take it again or I wouldn't even be considered. Who wants to study for the DAT in two months? I also really felt sorry for the people from out of state. They have pretty much no chance of getting in and unfortunately, they wasted money and time to be told so.
What happened to southern hospitality? My buddy there spoke about the faculty being super cool but i guess what happens in undergrad and medschool dont transfer over to the dental school.........anyways back to Boston:)
I took an accelerated Organic Chemistry/Biochem course at UF. I was assured by the head of the chem dept that the credits would be accepted by virtually all dental,vet and medical schools. At the interview the dean of admissions at UF said that the class could not count towards both prereqs. She suggested I take summer classes to fulfill 2 credits for Organic Chem or take another Biochem class. To add insult to injury she said she personally knew the head of the chemistry dept and knew first-hand about the fine program he teaches.
I paid around $700 for airfare, hotel stay, and food, and they proceeded to tell me that they weren't even going to consider accepting me unless my DAT scores were better. Why couldn't they have bothered to tell me that before I flew down there?
Wish i had known their policy on the requirements. The previous dean had made it clear that certain courses were acceptable, but now they aren't. Shocking that there is a lack of standard. UF selects those with the scores and not much else. Even if you have a great personality and have a couple of bad grades, you might not get in.
Applicants generally provided feedback about the interview process at the University of Florida College of Dentistry. Many found the interview to be more relaxed than expected, with friendly interviewers and a welcoming atmosphere. However, some applicants felt that the interviewers were intimidating or focused too much on scores rather than personal qualities. Suggestions included being well-prepared with specific responses and anecdotes, staying confident, and being oneself during the interview.
Start preparing roughly a week ahead. Start with making a list of questions that you expect them to ask. Then answer those questions but with bullet points, not in paragraph form. Then do a mock interview with a couple people to get advice on your answers. Make edits as necessary, and try to make your bullet points short. You eventually want to get down to a couple key words that you're memorizing per question so you have a gist of what you are going to talk about but also sound original. Also, use short anecdotes to support your answers.
I loved UF, I was very nervous because this was my first interview and my top choice school, but just calm down. everyone is very nice and open with their experiences at UF
I didn't like the seating arrangement in the office, it was uncomfortable. they are on a low couch and you are in a high computer chair. particularly uncomfortable in a skirt.
I read on SDN where the interview process at UFCD was very intimidating, so I went in a little nervous. However, after the interview started, my nerves calmed and the interviewers seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say.
If you happen to have the type of interview where you feel like they don't like you or are grilling you with questions - don't back down! Schools should be enticing you to enroll, not discouraging you. I've had good interview experiences at UFCD, but others have said it was their worst interview. Don't let them get to you during your interview!
Even though it was open file it seemed as though they were looking at it for the first time, just asking random questions about whatever their eyes fell on (several of which were answered in my personal statement/secondary). I was interviewed by one admissions office staff member, a professor, and a third year student.
It was very relaxing. I think I did fairly well. The interveiwers were very comforting and they were very responsive to all of my answers. Oh, no questinos were repeated. So, I felt very relaxed. The rest was as described by others.
okay. The fact that the interviewers kept smiling and nodding at EVERYTHING i had to say kinda threw me off and i skipped some of what i was going to say because their smiling and nodding led me to believe they knew what i was talking about. Such psychological warfare.
The interviewers sat around you and just stared blankly at me as I answered questions. They showed no reaction whatsoever to my responses, just looked down and wrote.
I thought all my interviewers were very nice and all seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say, the problem was that I was stressed out and nervous and did not come across as confidant. My advice is relax!
Going into this interview I was fairly certain that I wanted to go to UF. After the interview there wasn't even a question about which school I wanted to go to. (I knew it was going to come down to Ohio State and UF). I hadn't been to my Ohio State inter
Overall the school impressed me, but the during the interview it seemed as if the interviewers were trying their hardest to make me feel unworthy of admission to uf.
From the moment I walked into the interview room I felt as if they were trying to belittle my accomplishments, force me to say "I don't know" and be unsure about what I know were good answers. This is an excellent school, but unlike some other excellent schools I have since interviewed at, I felt as if UFCD was doing me a favor by interviewing me, while other schools made me feel like part of their "dental family." They had very informative and open information sessions, although everyone was afraid to ask questions.
Lunch, tour, and people were absolutely fantastic. However, the interview was nerve-wracking and I felt as though there wasn't anything I could have said to improve their impression of my shadowing experience. I have spent a considerable amount of time voluteering at the dental school, but they didn't seem as though they felt it was relevent. Otherwise, the interview went as well as it could have with me being so unnerved.
Had picture taken by Sam, chatted with class president, ate lunch, took tour, listened to admissions speech, listened to financial aid speech, interviewed... It all went pretty smoothly.
The interviewers were so antagonistic. Everyone wants to go to UF because it's cheap and they know it. They barely listened to my answers to their questions and kept baiting me to say negative things about the other interviewees from my university that were also there that day.
The other schools I interviewed at were more along the lines of, "so how can we help you and this is why we would like you to come to our school." UF was more like, "So why should we let you in? We are better than other schools" I disagree- I liked the other schools I interviewed at MUCH better. I also was accepted into UF but I ended up turning them down after realizing another school was best for me.
I thought I did well, they even photographed a denture set that I made and seemed very impressed by it. They made no mention of my 97th percentile DAT score. And unfortunately I got the thin letter in the mail last week...rejected! {Hopefully b/c I'm not a FL resident}
Overall, the interview experience was good. I went there with a negative image of UF because of a previous experience there and by the time I left I was feeling really good about the school.
Overall a pleasant experience. The interviewers were really nice but weren't listening closely to my answers. One of them asked me a question that I had previously answered.
It was my first interview, and it was great. Much more relaxed than I imagined. The students were so friendly and really enthusiastic about the school.
The interviewers were very easy to talk to. It was in Dr. Sposetti's office (the dean). The day also included lunch, a tour, a talk by both Dr. Sposetti about admissions and a talk by Mr. Kolb about financial aid.
The interview was pretty relaxed and conversational. I felt at ease and just casually talked. Be thorough in your answers and be able to clarify (because they want specifics).
Overall it was very laid back. I had Dr Sposetti,Dr Langham, Dr Gale, and one other Dr interview me. I may have messed up a few times saying "um", but I do believe I showed all of them I was very well rounded and that it has been a life long passion of mine to become a dentist
It was more stressful than I imagined, but I think this is because I was too "laid back" in my approach. I felt like they were bored with my answers.
I AM CERTAIN any negative comments from this school is from one person who has way to much time on his hand and was extremely disgruntled because he didn’t get in so he/she keeps posting up negative comments these people where very nice to me, the interview was very relax full, the school was very dull true but their education is awesome.
All in all, I felt that it went quite well. During the interview, they were not trying to trip you up. One thing that was negative was the ending of my interview. When I was asked if I had any questions for them, I asked if I could know a little more about how the interviewers were involved in the school (teachers, researchers, etc.). The admissions director didn't like this question and told me that I was not there to interview them, I was here so they could learn more about me. That was the only negative part of my interview, so I hope it didn't screw my chances...
It was not as big a deal as I thought it would be. The panel did not give me any feedback positively or negatively during the interview. I was hoping for them to crack some smiles for some of my responses but that did not happen.
The interview went real well. It was very laid back despite having 3 people interviewing you. Dr. Sposetti is very nice and she pretty much leads the interview. They asked why dentstry? what do you do for fun? are you good with your hands? how does a dentist become successful? asked about my job and research experience (they were very interested in that)!
and thats pretty much it. The interview was short (only 20 minutes or so) and the rest of the day was a tour, some socializing with other interviewees, lunch and 2 presentations. Although the school was not verym how do you saym aesthetically pleasing, it had some very good things about it. I really enjoyed the sim lab (the students let us use the drill and see what it is like on the simulator. I wish we could have gone into the clinics but due to HIPAA? laws they wouldnt let us. Hope this helps and good luck
Overall, the interviewers were very friendly, and seemed to have read my file thoroughly. It did not seem long, they asked a lot of questions, and didn't drag things on?
I felt they were not friendly or welcoming, but cocky. I got the impression that their mentality was "You should be lucky to go here," not "We would like for you to go here." I guess that's what you get when you interview almost every in-state applicant just to get their thirty dollars.
Not really impressed, patient pool doesnt seem to great. Scheduling them seems even worse. Interview went bad and they were very cold there. If it wasnt for the price i doubt i would even consider them.
Great overall interview. The committee was nice, and very down to earth with me. They make you understand that they aren't out to pummel you, and that they just want to get to meet you and know you better. I asked around at the lunch and apparently it is their policy to give you no idea of your status until the letter comes.
The interview is laid back, but they don't go out of their way to really make you feel like you standout, in a sense your just a number. They come off as if they know everyone from Florida wants to go to their school because it's so cheap. If your a student at UF don't feel special that you got an interview, because they interview everyone from UF
Overall, my interview experience at UF was excellent--the staff and student guides were great, and the doctors who interviewed me were very nice! If you are a Florida resident, you should not pass by the opportunity for an interview at UF!
What the person said just before me is exactly right. If you are ahead of the game, and are applying early AND are a Florida resident--you should have a much better experience. UF, as with most state schools, are only alowed to accept 10% from out of state. Chances are that they don't even come close to that number. My interview, as well as everyone I spoke with that day, was more like a casual conversation, with the typical dental questions. Just be yourself, have a little fun, and if you can do it right, make them laugh a little- it lightens the mood! Overall, I had a very good time.
Despite what most of the other comments state on this website, it's my understanding that if you are coming from out of the State of Florida or are interviewing at the end of the application cycle they are going to drill you. If you interview early in the cycle and are a Florida resident they just chit-chat with you during the interview.
Wasted my time, my parents money, and the paper I used to write my essay. Wish I had known all this before going down to Gainesville. What a sad visit. Nice campus, but the dental school doesn't have anything special......
It was more laid back than expected. The staff was nice but brutally honest. They made me feel that I needed to earn my position. They were not going to hand it to me because I had a certain GPA or certain DAT score. Oh, and to rebut a few concerns about UF's interest in only top scores. Mine were very mediocre and I was accepted.
Awkward, uncomfortable, demeaning. The interviewers tried to make me feel small and dumb. That's okay though, I'm going to a better school on scholarship!
I guess i had much easier time at the interview since i was from UF... but for out of state students, it seemed like the flying to Gainesville for an interview was not worth it since they were told that they have like 7% chance of getting accepted... I felt bad for the out of state people bc they looked kind of shocked... But interview itself was really good.. I was interviewd by 3 people and all three of them were nice and friendly... they were wearing just a plain polo tshirts(no suits or anything) and they were sitting down on the couch... which made the entire atmosphere more relaxed...I really enjoyed it.. i was vvery nervous becouse it was my first interview but i got a lot of confidence after this interview
A complete waste of my time and money, the interviewers are rude, condescending, and don't care about you as a person. They look only at your scores (and will comment on them if they are not within the top 3%, no exaggeration) so that when the "Entering Class Information" is published in next year's Barron's Book, their school will look good. Plain and simple.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants overwhelmingly praised the admissions office for their excellent work and the kindness of the staff, with many stating that no changes are needed.
