Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 19% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did well.
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 are scenario-based and ethics-focused, particularly in an MMI format where respondents may be subject to a nondisclosure agreement. Questions revolve around ethical dilemmas, personal application highlights, future goals, reasons for choosing the school or profession, and scenarios related to patient care, professionalism, and healthcare policies.
So the interview questions haven't really changed so read the previous posts. They have prompts, about a 1/2 page each, that describe a dilemma and you talk about it. Don't worry, they give you all of the background info on the prompt. Ie: What's your take on using amalgams? amalgams are... So you're going to be given that stuff.
They are all scenerio based. Scenerios included a cosmetic dentistry procedure, insurance issues, government insurance, insurance company control, amalgam fillings, etc...
They ask 10 different questions at 10 different locations/stations. I will write some that I remember: Question about insurance policies, what would you do if you see your class mate talking bad about school or professor or a class mate in a public area, tell me something about you you want the add comm to know that is not in your application, I dont remember exact question, but it was something about vaccines +/- of it,
Explain things to the interviewer that might not be explained in your application. What do you want the admissions committee to consider when looking at your application?
Ethics of Cosmetic Dentistry, Ethics of Overseas Dental care, Ethics of performing osteopathic medicine if you do not believe in it, Ethics of Confidentiality issues, Ethics of Students acting unprofessionly out of class, Ethics of Dental care to the Underserved, Ethics of Higher Insurance premiums for smokers
There are mini interviews that test you ability to think ethically (again, i was incredibly nervous for this portion but honestly we can all think ethically)!!
question 1: you are very close to a patient, however, it is your fourth year so your patient will be handed down to someone else... however, you hear bad things about the student your patient gets handed down to...what do you do?
question 2: how do you feel about the trend towards cosmetic dentistry?
question 3: How do you feel about using live patients during board exams?
question 4: how do you feel about raising premiums in medicaid for smokers?
I already mentioned the MMIs earlier. In my personal interview: How did you manage to do so well in you grad. program. Give me an example of how you handled things differently that undergrad
The only question I was asked was "Do you have any questions about the school?" I had several questions to ask. It seemed more like my interview of the faculty member rather than the opposite.
This organization you are an officer for at school-are you just an officer but not actually involved with the organization? Why isn't this a national organization?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Michigan School of Dentistry discussed a variety of topics, including ethics of HIV testing in dental settings, taxing sugar, and the impact of cosmetic dentistry on the profession. The interviews included Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) scenarios and some respondents mentioned nondisclosure agreements, with questions ranging from ethical dilemmas to personal aspirations and career choices.
There is a 20-minute saliva test that checks for HIV. Millions of patients don't know they are at risk for HIV contraction. Should dentists offer this service?
Scenerio about insurance companies getting your information somewhat "illegally" before you even apply for their insurance so they can create a "risk" factor for you, that way they can rank you and decide whether to deny you coverage or not.
"Why did you choose to go to a different school for undergrad when you were accepted at U of M? If you were too good for us then, how do we know you're not too good for us now?" I think that tied with "Do you know the queen of the night's aria? Will you sing it?"
I wasn't asked ANY questions so really I can't say. My interviewer literally just answered questions the whole time and had no questions for me. It was almost awkward because it was so laid back.
this interview consisted of four mini interviews where they ask you ethical questions and then you have one standard interview where they ask you the basic questions (why dental, etc)
I thought all the MMI questions were interesting. 4 ethical and 1 personal. 1.Your thoughts on a plan to have higher medcaid premiums for smokers. 2.How does the current trend towards cosmetic dentistry impact the profession, good and bad. 3.If a former patient of yours is assigned to student who you heard has poor grades and poor hand skills what would you do. 4.What do you think about live patients being used for boards since med students don't to pass theirs. Ethical concerns.
question relating to how their seems to be 2 seperate tiers of dentistry, medical and cosmetic, and whether I thought it was detrimental to the future of dentistry.
Not really anything particularly interesting. The one-on-one interview was way too short (5-10 minutes). They were extremely basic, why choose dentistry, why michigan.
at the beginning, we were to do a mini intro to ourselves....besides the name, school, major....our question was "what was the highlight of the last month?"
The essay question - they give you 15 minutes to write on an unusual question about dentistry. Not as tough as "is amalgam safe to use in dentistry", but it made you think
the essay question (had to do with a current event in dentistry). all of the one on one interview questions were pretty standard, it was really more like a conversation than an interview.
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Michigan School of Dentistry discussed multiple scenarios including ethics of recertification, insurance sharing patient information, ethical dilemmas, and the use of live patients for exams. The interview format seemed to be an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on the variety of scenario-based questions and responses indicating possible nondisclosure agreements.
Insurance companies (who follow HIPAA) collect practice data from dentists and pass the info on to third party companies (who don't necessarily follow HIPAA) so they can analyze the data. What are the pros and cons of this?
Practical was difficult. they asked for PFM on premolar, MOD cavity prep & restoration & class 3 composite. their typodonts were in very bad condition.
How did I feel about having middle tiers - people who are slightly above dental hygienists in rank, but not dentists - being able to perform procedures (extractions, etc...) for patients in areas where dental access is poor
Why dentistry over medicine? (I was then accused of being a high stats medical diehard... followed by I don't think I should recommend you) I would've thought it'd be good thing if I was qualified enough to get into med school as well, but instead chose dental, guess not...
The question about whether live patients should be used for boards and the ethical concerns (making pts. wait for tx so you can use them for your boards), is it necesary, can you use sims?
My interviewer really challenged me with questions she asked i thought they we're all challenging in a positive way that did not put down any of my accomplishments
MMI: The senario was about an insurance plan that discourages smoking by offering benefits to non-smokers, and another plan that discouraged smoking by threatening to fire smokers from jobs.
Upon arriving, we were required to write an essay on the topic "What is the most important challenge facing dentists today?". This was to "weed out those who may have cheated on their AASDAS apps.
no really difficult questions, the most stressful part of the day to me was at the very beginning you had to stand up and say a few words about yourself to the whole group (~40 pre-dents and 3 or 4 admission team members).
Tell me about your research. I know the faculty member you are talking about very well, actually did research with her. Do you think she's is someone who would give you a good evaluation? (I didn't see eye to eye with this professor)
Most respondents had an interview of more than 50 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 1 person.
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.
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?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by reviewing ethical principles, practicing analyzing various sides of a topic, reading the school's website, reviewing their application and personal statement, and seeking information from Student Doctor Network (SDN) and current dental students. Many also emphasized the importance of staying up-to-date on current healthcare and dental issues, talking to friends and alumni, and engaging in mock interviews to feel more confident and informed.
For MMI, you can't really prepare. I did do some reading on basic health care issues and issues in dentistry today. It would behoove you to be up to date on current debates.
looked through the interview feedback, talked to some friends at the school, looked through the michigan website, took notes during the presentation about any programs that seemed particularly interesting to me, sat in a coffee shop the morning of for about an hour and just went through my resume and applications/secondaries
SDN, my app and what I felt i needed to highlight that wasn't highlighted as well as what was left out that needed to be added...those will be prompts btw
Listen to NPR or or watch house a little if you only watch family guy all the time :)
Read SDN forums and had previous interview experience so I was familiar with what questions might be asked. They went over most of the questions I had in their extremely long powerpoint presentations so it was hard to think of anything else I really wanted to know.
SDN, talked to current students, talk to alumni, talk to dentists, mock interviews with dental students, talk to peers who interviewed at other schools
Read reviews on this website, contacted a graduate of the school, contacted a professor of the school, contacted another applicant with an earlier interview date, studied the university's school of dentistry website, read my application and personal statement, etc.
I had a few interviews under my belt and was confident. I read up on the school, talked to a few students who had gone there and also asked some faculty from my school about the dental program.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and enthusiasm of both students and faculty, the advanced technology and facilities, the emphasis on clinical experience, the opportunities for research, and the overall positive atmosphere and sense of community at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor. Suggestions included improving clinical experience for those seeking specialization and further enhancing technology integration.
everyone that i met at the school seemed sooo nice. i actually ran into someone who was a dental student on the street, the day before my interview. i simply asked her for directions for the dental school, and she walked me all the way there, and even showed me around in a mini-tour! many of the people there seem so happy, and the campus has awesome school spirit. great energy!
technologically forward school (facebook, podcasts, youtube channel, etc), innovative curriculum including 3 different pathways and "flex time" built into your day. Exposure to patients in D1.
Everything.
1) Go Blue. School spirit makes it fun
2) Technology is amazing, just like Maryland's
3) They listen ANND act on student needs/concerns (the latter is important)
4) Clinical experience is 2nd to none. Comprehensive, start 1st yr, vertical integration (different yr students working together, helping each other)
5) #1-#3 in NIH funding (this is probably why specialty programs love their students..they have great research faculty/opportunities)
6) sick ortho residency..not that I'm interested ;)
7) pretty much everything
The staff were very friendly; the camaraderie among the students - they all liked to joke to and banter; the school pride - the students i spoke with said they loved the University of Michigan; people love Ann Arbor - it's as if it's on its own and separated from the rest of Michigan; the organization of the whole interview day; the technology at UMich is top notch since they pioneered a lot of it (itunesU, etc..); the facilities and the building were really nice; really cool history of dentistry exhibit
I really liked the big campus feel, I also liked the suburban atmosphere. It was a cool older but clean campus. Their sim lab seemed to be pretty good, clinics were a little above average. You have a lot of opportunities for great research, if you are into doing d-school research and if you aren't, they are cool with that too. Right now they rank 3rd in the country for research, based on NIH grants and publications.
the school's emphasis on providing a great clinical experience to its students. i entered thinking it'd be all about research, but i feel like they really tried to first sell themselves by describing the myriad of ways to immerse yourself in the community as a michigan dental student. awesome place.
Specialization rate (~30%) many students don't care for it and just pass (reduces competitiveness). High match rates for those who apply for a specialty program. Early clinical experience. Technology!!!! Research... if I feel like it. Integrated curriculum, so they reduce overlap. Closeness to Canada and gambling (only 35 mins!).
Cool sweatshirts. Oh yeah, and Michigan football and hockey. Apparently UMich has a Tim Hortons on campus a block away from the dental school. Ann Arbor is also very clean and SAFE!! Ann Arbor is not NYC...
The students were very honest, upbeat, and friendly. The faculty was not intimidating and made me confortable throughout the duration. The pre-clinic was impressive.
At first walking into a huge conference room with 35 people was very daunting. After awhile, however, it was pretty cool. We could talk to the people next to us and relax. The meal was good. The interview was easier than some of the others I went to. The professor that interviewed me was normal and seemed interested in me. The Multiple Mini Interviews were definetly engaging and quite fun.
Friendliness of the faculty and students, facilities and technology (SIM lab, podcasts, etc.) available to undergraduate dental students, access available to undergraduate dental students to graduate labs and clinics.
I was treated with respect. The architecture of the school was completely different than what we have in New Mexico. The students were courteous, knowledgable and enjoyed being there. I got there several days early and explored the entire campus. I was impressed with the school and the clinical area was impressive. In talking with the students and instructors it appears that the graduate programs and research possibilities are exactly what I am looking for.
I was treated with respect. The architecture of the school was completely different than what we have in New Mexico. The students were cpurteous, knowledgable and enjoyed being there. I got there several days early and explored the entire campus. I was impressed with the school and the clinical area was impressive. In talking with the students and instructors it appears that the graduate programs and research possibilities are exactly what I am looking for.
the school is really nice, the students were very friendly, sim lab is really nice (brand new), research oppritunities (even for those who want clinical research)
Ann Arbor is awesome...that's definately an appealing aspect that would possibly make me lean more towards this school than another. Also, the research that the school does is impressive and the opportunities for anyone who wants to do it.
Facilities are great, and technology is improving although it is still behind other schools I've seen... They are very friendly to you but at the same time treat you professionally and want to convince you to attend Michigan over other schools. They prepare you to be a good clinician but at the same time allow you to keep doors open for research or specialization.
Vertically Integrated Clinics, Integrated Medical Sciences, early exposure to clinc work, beautiful campus, very friendly students and staff, new preclinic was amazing!
My interviewer had actually looked at my file before I came in, and was familiar with it. At a previous interview in another school, my interviewer was looking through my file for the first time during my interview.
So many things. Everyone was really friendly and welcoming: the students, the Dean, my interviewer. The day was well-planned and informative. The city is great.
The office staff are very much appreciated within the school. I think it's important that they're acknowledged for their behind the scenes work. It looks good for the school, and made the atmosphere seem more friendly.
The lecture rooms seemed nice.
basically everything, ann arbor is a great city, campus is beautiful, i liked their curriculum, the facilities were nice and they are moving towards adding more technology within the next year which would make them as up to date as any of the other schools i visited.
Students and staff were very friendly, how many students liked Ann Arbor, pre-docs can get grant money for research, interdisciplinary curriculum, brand new pre-clinical lab with whip-mixes for impressions, and the many resources (the dental library subscribes to every dental journal in the US and many international ones too).
They did a great job of selling their school and telling us about the great curriculum. I was definately impressed with their curriculum and their outreach program for the students. I liked Ann Arbor as well.
Just about everything. The faculty and staff were excited about their school and very down to earth. U of M students actually get a lot more clinical experience then what I heard from rumors. The faculty is also very receptive to student feedback.
The students were nice. They seemed really down to earth. A lot of the people i met there were pretty cool, unfortunately my interviewer wasn't one of them!
Applicants were negatively impressed by long, tedious presentations, lack of personal interactions, high tuition fees, outdated facilities, and a focus on research over clinical experience. Suggestions included improving the interview process, providing better student engagement during tours, addressing patient flow issues, and enhancing the overall student experience.
Renovation/construction the next 4 years, students have to schedule their patients, dean of clinic presentation did not agree with what students told us at lunch
The boards passing rate is low compare to other schools. It's right at the national average. In addition, their failing rate is high compare to the national average. If you're OOS, you pay 82k a year for 4 years. :(
1)I love the cold but some ppl don't..I asked a D3 student if it ever gets below 0 and he laughed. It's cold through April, but they do get seasons.
2) board scores are average, but they still have a decent specialty rate. Their research opportunities make up for this if you're worried about specializing, and I think most students just wanted to pass to do general dentistry so it's really a matter of if you want to do well. Besides its going to be P/F soon anyway.
presentations ran a bit too long - it was very hard to pay attention; didn't get too meet/speak with many students (I could be biased since my last interview was at Buffalo and we were able to speak with A LOT of students)
It seemed like they have issues scheduling and getting patients to show up. They said patients dont show up 1/3 of the time and you have to find other stuff to do. This seems like it happens at some other schools but it seemed like an especially big problem here.
I didnt like our tour guide. She didnt really know whats going on and asked us what we havent seen. Also, I wasnt too impressed with MMIs - didnt like them at all, I think you can't really find out anything about a person from them
lake tahoe feeling, not used to such a suburban college town feel. pretty much a matter of if the school was in nyc, sf, boston, etc it'd be my #1 or 2.
The tour negatively impressed me because we only got to see two areas of the dental school. Gee, how am I suppost to determine if I really want to go to michigan.
They focus too much on research. That's not a bad thing, but if you aren't interested in doing research...not exactly the greatest school. I've heard numerous complaints about their lack of clinical experience at the school and this was confirmed by my visit.
The interview. It was fun, because it was different and interesting, but I felt they had no idea who I was and that they didn't learn anything about me.
the faculty was over confident about the school...at my other interviews the school was trying to impress me just as much I was trying to impress them, but at u of m it was more of the concept that we are great and so it was just left up to me to impress them.
too many students (around 40) were invited to be interviewed and they didn't talk about what happens next (in terms of when decisions would be made, etc.)
Kinda depressing environment (no windows). Fear of being sucked into "Michigan" and staying there. My entire interview minus 3 cool people. Not crazy board score (i.e. Columbia or UConn) but then they accept 105-110 people.
Ann Arbor is not NYC... and graduate dorms seem to suck (Northwood?!) compared to Columbia (I'd rather live with the undergrads). Offsite community outreach and only in Michigan.
Too many people at the interview. Didn't like the essay (is warning label on toothpaste regarding swallowing fluoride and calling poison contro to harsh). I felt like the faculty were kind of snobby about UofM and the students weren't as friendly as other schools. Seemed snobbier as well. I went here for undergrad, but after having visited other dental schools, this one doesn't seem as friendly even though I know people here.
Write an essay??? Everybody loves this school because it's "Michigan", but I just didn't see why it was so great. And they make very little effort to make it appealing to you.
Simulation labs are crowded, not very spacious, feel like I'm going to hit my classmate with my elbow. Clinics are not well lit, and they look old. Students couldnt answer our questions during the tour.
Michigan is a big party/football school and I wouldnt be able to do well at dental school there and probably wouldnt end up specializing, they arent big on specializing.... all about producing dentists that do research.
Send work to be made in commercial labs so not as much hands on experience as at other schools.
They are toooo into themselves!
No mission trips to other countries.
Out of state is $70,000 a year and you can't get in-state NO MATTER WHAT! AND tuition is going up for next year.
Ann Arbor is great, but the actual school was a pain to get at in terms of parking. No student parking either. The total length of the day was a little much as well.. a few of the presentations could have been given at orientation, or even compressed into emails or other mailings.
The presentations took over 3 hours. Also given its location it seems like you would not get the kinds of cases you could get at more inner-city or rural locations.
The fees! It is ridiculous for anyone to pay $62,000 (out of state) for a school like Michigan, which is probably not worth more than $40,000 (in-state). And, establishing residency is impossible, the financial advisor said so herself at the presentation.
The dental school. I can only guess that they are so over-rated because of the research opportunities.
I was told that my chances of getting accpeted as a white male were laughable.
The entire staff seemed either outwardly rude and/or arrogant or simply just fake. They were very prideful in their school...a little too much. I thought the closing comments regarding "If its meant to be you will decide to go blue" were designed to make me feel ill, at best.
The number of interviewees that were there and how different faculty lectured with powerpoint. We were in an uncomfortable location, so some people had to strain their necks to see that powerpoint. We got to learn a lot about them, but they couldn't have learned a lot about us.
The technology level in terms of in the clinics...even though they got some new stimulation models, but it's considered far behind compared to other schools. The school is old-looking. Not as modern-looking as I hoped.
The students were a little blah...we were taken on a tour by two students: one was a frat boy who was playing his role fairly accurately, the other an already burnt out, un-enthusiastic second year student. Actually, its not that I was negatively impressed...it's more like i just WASN't impressed. There were so many people in our group that I felt like i was run through the whole day. They were rushing everyone along basically trying to get through a bunch of dry presentations all day.
The students who led the tours were not enthusiastic about the school at all. Also a student walked by during our tour and told us not to come to the school... Some students expressed concern that they would not get to handle enough tough dental cases as 3rd and 4th year students.
The patient base is not the greatest; Ann Arbor is a fairly affluent city. Therefore, all students are required to do an externship at various sites throughout michigan to complete their clinical requirements.
That they have ~40 people interviewing at the same time during lunch. I had a hard time hearing what the interviewer was saying because of all the commotion.
I did not like the way interviews were conducted. Speaking with someone for 15 minutes in a crowded room while eating lunch is not laid back but more stressful than the traditional interview. Also, my interviewer threw a barrage of questions at me in the 15 minutes and did not give me adequate time to answer.
I'm not so sure about the whole interview process. Everyone interviewed during lunch which seemed really wierd. We were all in the same room just having conversations in different corners.
my interviewer. also the fact that the interviews are conducted in the middle of lunch and for only 15 min! Even if you can talk, it makes it tough. Esp when the other person really doesnt make an effort...arrogant man!
Many applicants wished they had known ahead of time about the lack of personal questions, the need to practice less, and the overall laid-back and lengthy nature of the interview process at the University of Michigan. Suggestions included arriving early, bringing warm clothing, and being prepared for a long day with presentations and an essay component.
Leave yourself enough time to get to the interview room. It's confusing coming from the parking garage to get to the school, and the interviews aren't at the school itself but an attached research tower.
the whole MMI wasn't going to be too bad, but it was really long though...by the time you get to your 6th or 7th station, you're counting down when it'll be over; also, if you're from out of state like me, be warned that it is COLD in Michigan haha
make sure you get there early otherwise you will not get to sit around the table. It was very nice to be at the table so I had something to write one when we had to write the essay!
That Mapquest gives horrible directions and I ended up lost in a snowstorm randomly driving on Ann Arbor Dr. for 45 mins (plus I was looking for a gas station). About the school, I did not know it would be this big and how everyone would be wearing Michigan gear.
I knew there was an essay because of SDN, but the school doesn't warn you ahead of time. It was no big deal, just a paragraph about an ethical dilemma.
Presentation was VERY informative... it took 3.5 hours!.. tour was the longest i've ever had.. a full hour!!!... so girls, don't wear heels!... expect to go up and down the stairs!!
Essay. But dont worry guys, although the prompt may seem to be a technical one, all they want to know is if you can write. So just bullshit the answer to the situation they present to you, provided that your bullshit is worded well.
There is no (free)parking. All of the students must walk or use public tranportation, as opposed to other schools where professional students get total parking privileges.
I found out the night before that there was an essay. Mine was the pros/cons of using live vs. manequins (sp?)for regional boards. Pretty easy... some other essays I heard about included amalgams vs. composites and the #1 issue facing dentists today.
nothing really...SDN covers it well...oh- for people interviewing during the winter monthes and you're from somewhere warm..like CA....BRING A COAT! There was someone in our group from CA and didn't bring a coat...we just had a snow storm that dumped 12 inches of snow not too long ago. Check the weather from www.weather.com! The zip code is 48108. Parking is $1/hr. Bring at least $7-8 for parking.
How much I would enjoy the visit. Also, the exact location of the dental school (I have a horrible sense of direction and just made it to the interview on time).
i had heard rumors that the facilities were not as nice as other schools and you don't get as much clinical experience, but after visiting i do not think that is true. the building is older and of a more 'traditional' look than the newer and more modern schools, but i actually really liked it and they will get more technology before or soon after i would be there if i got in. the curriculum seemed to incorporate plenty of experience.
There are some scary interview reviews for this school. However, most applicants (including myself) and past students had non-stressful experiences, so don't be too nervous. The 1 hour allotted for lunch, the interviewer has to interview 3-4 applicants. There is a short essay, but that's the most stressful part of the day.
That the interview process and tour were going to be so laid back. I got pretty worked up over nothing. The interview is held during lunch. You just sit with a faculty member for five minutes during lunch and just talk. Also, they make you write a short essay when you get there.
Applicants generally found the interview experience at U of M to be less stressful than expected, with positive feedback on the virtual format, the MMI process, and the opportunity to discuss current issues. Some applicants appreciated the school's research opportunities and reputation, while others expressed concerns about the interview format, crowded conditions, and aspects of the school's presentation.
I think this was my favorite type of interview and was actually a lot less stressful than I thought it would be. I was able to stay home and do it virtually, so I didn't have to worry about traffic.
michigan's mission to go mobile with apps and stuff is really cool. i hope other schools also implement that. overall, my interview day was pretty stress free! one thing that bothered me was that with the MMI, we were all sitting in a lab room(about 30 of us? plus 30 interviewers) and the talking would go from this awkward silence (at the beginning of the question) and then crescendo to this buzzing roar as applicants tried to make sure their answers were audible and came across to their interviewers.
MMI was a fun experience - it was really cool being able to speak to many different people at the stations; UMich wasn't really on my radar as a top choice, but it definitely is now!
Overall, I really liked the school and to my surprise I really liked the interview format, unlike most others in my interview group. I thought they were fun and gave you the opportunity to think critically and discuss current issues, which I thought was really fun. I do agree though that it may be hard to gauge an applicant solely based off of that interview format. Some people thought they were very stressful but by the 2nd to 3rd station I was pretty relaxed and started enjoying it. As long as you keep up on current events, there shouldnt be any major concerns. Oh yeah and the interviews last for almost 2 hours! Dont worry, that time actually does fly by!
School is great! It has a great reputation and program. Dont be discouraged with the interview or a tour guide as it doesnt represent the school. I didnt like neither MMI or how I did, as well as the tour but never the less was admitted to the program. Good luck!
A lot of ethics questions: you spend eight minutes interviewing with someone at each of ten stations. At 9/10 stations, you read a prompt off a laminated sheet of paper and then proceed with the simple direction of "discuss." Essentially they're giving you medically and dental-related issues and scenarios from which they're gauging your knowledge of the profession (and issues of), your goals in being a dentist and your basic personality as it pertains to acting in a professional setting. While this sounds stressful, it really isn't. I could tell some of the interviewers were trying to grill me, but in the end all 10/10 of them turned out to be very supportive. You won't get a smile from all of them, but they won't bully you around like they might at some other schools either. In preparing for the prompts, I'd just recommend really knowing why you want to be a dentist, have a defined role of "what a dentist is" in your head, and really be able to describe (rather succinctly) how as a dentist you'll be able to ACTUALLY HELP others. Good luck!
All-in-all I had a really bad time and decided not to go to U of M based on it. Everyone was so rude, I really was uncomfortable, and my interviewer asked me to refill his coffee, twice, how rude! On my way out a homeless guy was puking on the steps... how classy!
Overall, I think the MMI sucks!! I think it's a waste of time. I was expectations for this school were a 10 but I left with an impression of about a 6. I don't think I will choose this school b/c the students weren't excited aobut what they were there for. That tells it all...
It was informative, interesting and even a little bit fun. At first it seemed intimidating but after talking with the interviewers I felt much more comfortable.
Decent. The process is different than anywhere else, but not effective, in my opinion. It needs to be more personal to the student. The point of an interview is to learn who the applicant is behind the numbers, and they missed the point.
This was an interview for the ITDP..It was very exhausting...First day morning we had an intro and then the MMI's..4 of em..2 with faculty and 2 written.This was pretty easy.Then there was lunch break and we had the OSCE's.About 10 stations and it was so tiring!! So much to write but very lil time....case scenarios were given and we had to give our opinion/treatment plan for each.Ppl came out looking like something had just hit them!!No wonder Umich has the reputation of having the toughest interviews among dental schools!! The second day was the bench exam.They gave us a columbia typodont and we had to do 2 class II preps..one to be restored..and one cl III and one PFM crown. We were give 3.5 hrs for finishing the preparations which was ample time. They gave us all the instruments including mask and protective eyewear.Overall..it was a stressful but very different experience.
The overall interview was verry long. Everything is very drawn out. The day begins by sitting around a conference table where you do an icebreaker. Then different faculty members come to speak to you about the school and program. After that they give you an ethical situation and you have to write a couple of paragraphs about it. (It isnt as bad as it sounds...I thought I did horrible but I still got in...so im not sure how much emphasis is given on that part)! Then we split into two groups and one group went for interviews while the other had lunch and thier tour. After the interviews and tours were completed we all met up in a room and someone came to speak to us about research opportunites. I was incredibly nervous about the interview but it is actually pretty laid back... they do things a lot differently at this interview but dont let that intimidate you!
Though MMI was interesting and made me think about ethics, current issues, etc., overall I was disappointed because there were just too many students there to be interviewed... very difficult, if not impossible, to find out more about each candidate in 10 minutes per interviewer...
Make sure you get there EARLY!!! I was 15 minutes early and there was nowhere to sit. Also stay at a hotel the night before, I felt so terrible for the West Coasters who flew in the morning of the interview. Morning was an endless stream of talking and presentations, but at least we got "breakfast", which was a Nutri-grain bar. Then had lunch... it was a sandwich platter (which I would rate a 6.5/10 compared to the stuff they fed us at NYU... mmmmmmmmm). MMI was an interesting method of interviewing... kinda awkward to have 2 minutes of silence as you try to figure out when you should say SOMETHING!!! As stated later or before, the 20 min interview itself went horribly. Still got admitted into the school on Dec 1... therefore I have NO idea how the University of Michigan ranks their dental applicants.
They day was too long. I didn't think the MMIs were so bad, but they were kind of disorganized. Too many unnecessary presentations--save it for orientation! I had a pretty good experience over all aside from the boredom.
I was deffinatly challenged but never degraded. The MMI's give the interviewee a better chance to get a feel for the school. Some of the interviewrs were really unique
Very relaxing environment. Nothing to worry about, but it seems like Michigan is trying to use all of these cute, orginal ways(Mini Monitored Interviews) to get to know applicants and whether they are committed to dentistry. Theyre a waste of time if you ask me. You really only have 20 minutes, if that, to sell yourself and tell them what youre all about. make the most of it.
This was my first interview experience, and I was incredibly nervous beforehand but I can say now that there was really no reason to be. The interview was incredibly relaxed and casual. My interviewer took the time to study my application beforehand and asked me about really ineresting things from my application. I was happy to speak about things that really mean a lot to me--not all related to dentistry. The MMI's were a good exeperience, but some of the interviewers were quite intimidating, others really cool. Overall I liked my experience there but it snowed--in October!!
It appeared to me that Michigan's philosophy of the whole interview process was much less about ranking or scoring the prospective dental students and more about helping them know more about the program and making the right decision. The interview is very casual, during the hour lunch break. Mine was conducted standing up, really just a friendly casual conversation. It was fun to visit with the other predents (there was a group of 35!). Everyone had a great time. The faculty were friendly and tried to be honest about the school. They did not go on and on about how great their school was like I have seen at other dental schools.
I was impressed with the school. I really enjoyed the MMIs as they were more conversational than I expected. All the faculty/students participating in the MMIs were great.
A lot of people there, so make sure you arrive there early. Since mine was the first group interviewed, the whole day was a little bit disorganized. Their Lunch wasnt as good as I expected, I saw many other people didnt finish their plate. MMI is unique compare to other school interviews, but I am not sure what's the point of doing that if the person u discuss with doesnt seems care about the issue?
Initially I was very nervous, but the atmosphere was very laid back and eventually I was able to relax and express my personality and my professional goals.
The morning was filled with presentations about the programs at the school from 9am till lunch. We had lunch and were interviewed, then broke up into groups for MMI's and the tour.
Overall, it was a very informative experience. The faculty seemed to really care about the students.. hey they live by constant feedbacks from students..
I would say it was a very positive experience, no single part of it was that bad... but be prepared to sit for 3 and a half hours and listen to people talk at you.
It is a good school. Dean Woolfolk was very nice and friendly. I thought I was ready for the 3 hrs presentation in the morning since I really like the research theme of Michigan. but I have to admit that it was just tooo long. We then split into two groups. toured the campus ( The student who gave the tour really didn't give a good impression to us I wish they had someone more entheusitic)and then the MMIs. Overall I wish the school was better than the other schools I have interviewed.
Went in, got seated around a conference room table. The interviwees started spilling out to the surrounding chairs as the time approached 9:00 am. After this, was a couple of presentations, and then the 15 minute Essay. Then, a couple of more HOURS of presentations (It was getting ridiculous). Then, lunch, where the interviewers would just pull you away for 5 mins and interview you. Then the tour/MMIs (we were split in two groups, one went to MMIs, and the other went to the tour). After that, another speech by Dr. Woolfolk for closing and then you were free to go. Pretty stress free experience overall, just seemed really long with all the presentations.
I was in contact with Mrs. Katcher and she says the interview process at Michigan is going to change...in a positive way for both students and admissions committees. She didn't give me specifics but just letting anyone reading this know.
As expected for U of M, they spent the entire 5 hours bragging about themselves. Their facilities were ancient. My high school science labs were bigger, better, and more up to date than theirs. The personal interview was more like a conversation in a bar, as most other reviews warned me. In comparison to the other schools where I interviewed, U of M definately had the oldest of everything. Not to be so negative, but that's exactly how it was.
The interview was awful...it was very short and in a room full of other candidates who could openly hear everything that was being said...not only is that unnerving, but the sheer noise was deafening..I could hardly concentrate on the questions at hand. I was totally unimpressed. It made me feel as though the staff was not making a strong effort to get to know their candidates. In addition, there were far too many people at this interview...there were about 40 people...either they do not have enough interview dates...(I was offered a choice between 2 days)...Or, they are just interviewing too many candidates...it was just overall a cold day compared to my other interviews.
YOu can get teh clinical experience, but it wont come to you. If you go out and get it by showing interest, it is there. If you want to do some research... they get some 1 out of every 3 NIH dollars (Dont quote me on that)
Overall, my opinion of the school did not change much. I know Michigan has a great reputation, and I wouldn't let something about the interview process change my mind.
Be prepared to sit and listen for a while. The day goes by quickly, you start by giving a writing sample, you have 15 minutes, our topic was "list the pros and cons of using manikins on the state licensure exams." The interview is dependent on the faculty member you draw. I had a research oriented person that really pounded home that I'd get bored with dentistry and should do research, i thought that was a little weird but sometimes you play along.
i went in with a negative attitude, the admissions department had not been too friendly with me through the process, so i figured that i would not like the school. however, i was completely wrong, i really enjoyed it. after speaking to multiple people i realized that what people say about umich not being a good clinical school is wrong. you will not get as much experience as at a small clinically based school, but you get more than enough to be a competent dentist. umich has one of the best names in the country, and now i know why
Overall, the interview was very relaxed. It's over lunch. They do ask you to write a short essay in 15 minutes. It's no biggie. Everyone at the interview is pretty friendly. Do make conversation with others, they are watching you...how you interact socially. (I mean...do that anywhere you interview....you never know who's watching you)
The information sessions do get a bit long...but they just wanted to make you stay informed- so bear with it.
Not impressed. Following my interview, my interviewer informed me that my application was very strong, but their strict affirmative actions policies often make it nearly impossible for a white male to get in. In which case, I shouldn't be dissapointed if my application is not accepted. This was a bit of a slap in the face; I was accepted anyway, but so insulted that I turned U of M down.
I walked in not really knowing what to expect, hoping to walk away with more of a desire to attend this school, but didn't really get that. It just came across as another dental school trying to pound into your head how wonderful they are. THe whole day goes by pretty fast, just expect to be sitting in a room with about 35 other students listening to presentations. The actual interview is (i'm sure you all know by now) over lunch when one of the faculty members pulls you aside. No biggie.
This was probably the most interesting interview I attended. There were about 30-35 people crowded around one large conference table. Interviews were conducted during lunch in the same conference room. That said, Dr. Ester gave a great presentation on the school, and I was highly impressed with the extensive research opportunities available to students.
They made the whole process way too long. It lasted from 9-2, where we had to sit through all these presentations. Some were very informative about their program, others were useless. We also had to write an essay on a given topic (ours was pros and cons of amalgam vs. composite). We were given a tour by students and then we all came back to eat lunch and be interviewed. The day ended with a financial aid session.
The interview is stress free. The most difficult part is the essay, and even that was not very hard. The faculty seemed genuine. I really liked the facilities. The University of Michigan is a great school and my first choice.
It was great, I'm glad I made the trip. It is now my first choice after my state school. I really liked their opportunities for research, and the fact that they teach you the latest about dental implants.
Introducing ourselves to the 35ish other candidates, 15-minute essay on a dental issue, presentations about the school/curriculum/research opportunities, student-led tour, lunch/mingling/interview, financial aid workshop.. All this from 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
It was a really long day, 8am- 4pm. The first activity was a short essay, then 3 hours of presentations. During lunch there is a short interview. After lunch are the MMIs. After MMIs there is a tour and a short Q&A.
I had a really nice time, all the faculty and staff seemed extremely friendly and approachable, the interview was very informal over lunch and nothing to worry about. i think my interviewer and i had a really nice conversation, it was all standard questions and i was asked several times if i had any questions for them. the series of presentations that they had at the beginning of the day really answered a lot of questions i had. the students were all very friendly too and really wanted to answer questions. students said that most people have more or less of a cooperative attitude and are not overly competitive.
If you want to do research, this is a great school. My interviewer and the admissions staff were very warm and helpful. The interview was nothing to worry about
It was a great experience the interview is conducted during lunch which I really enjoyed. Everyone was very attentive and showed a genuine concern for our making our visit a memorable one.
It was crowded (about 40 of us). I felt as if my interview was a lot harder than the other applicants because we all had different faculty members interviewing us (and I happened to get one of the more stringent ones.) Also, I did not like how they crammed so many questions into such a short little time. I really like the school's curriculum though, but an interview should not be crammed into 15 minutes like that b/c it's not fair to the applicant. I was asked close to 25 questions in 15 minutes.
Overall, I was very impressed. The other SDN reviews were very negative, but the actual visit to the school gave me a MUCH better picture of what the school is like. The whole day is very laid back. I wouldn't be worried at all if I had to do it again. U of M is definitely my number one choice now.
Be prepared to sit for awhile. We were all cramped (like 40 students) in a hot room to listen to presentations all morning. And then it's kinda crazy for interviews. I just got through getting my lunch and I had my interview before i even ate. I bet it only lasted 8 minutes, and was nothing more than a casual conversation. Others lasted 15 minutes and seemed much more difficult.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office focus on getting to know the person beyond academic achievements, provide more exposure to clinical experiences, be friendly and less hyped during interactions, and offer a more extensive tour of the facilities.
More questions about getting to know the person and not just how they think.
Nothing, You are all great and proud to go BLUE! Very prestigious and academically focused school on both aspects of research and clinical skills. I Love IT!
