Madison, WI
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
8.1
Above Average
Higher scores indicate a smoother, more positive interview experience with professional staff, organized logistics, and a supportive environment.
Based on 110 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
Applicants commonly reported being asked about their attributes, reasons for choosing pharmacy over other health professions, strengths and weaknesses, ethical dilemmas faced, and their views on current healthcare issues and the role of pharmacists in solving them. Some responses indicated that the interviews were MMI format, possibly involving a nondisclosure agreement due to limited details shared.
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Use 3 adjectives to describe yourself and explain why.
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Why pharmacy instead of any other health profession?
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Describe a current issue with the healthcare system and how do you think pharmacists could solve it in the future? This question basically tests how well you keep up with the news and how much you understand about the pharmacy profession.
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What are your strengths/weaknesses?
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What are some of your attributes that would make you a good pharmacists?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy discussed a variety of topics such as defining pharmacy, unique roles in pharmacy, ethical problems in the field, past mistakes, and personal interests like hobbies. Some responses indicated a focus on personal reflections and decision-making processes, while others mentioned more general and basic questions.
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Do you have any mistake or missed opportunity in the past that you could've benefited from had you not chosen to miss out on it? This question was kinda confusing to me at first, but all it really means is "Do you have anything you wish you could've done differently?" The follow up question for this was then: "Do you regret any of your past mistakes" or something along that line.
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They were all pretty general
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What is your definition of pharmacy? How will that definition change?
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none.. they were all pretty basic.
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What will be your unique role in pharmacy?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics including personal opinions on the healthcare system, defining pharmacy and its future use, unique roles in pharmacy, integrity scenarios, and challenging decision-making situations. Some respondents mentioned a structured series of questions in an interview format, possibly indicating an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) setup where nondisclosure agreements may have been in place.
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Seeing your personal experience dealing with it, what is your opinion on the healthcare system? Do you think it is a fair system for everyone?
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If I didn't prepare ahead of time, it would've been: "Define pharmacy and how you will use this definition in your career as a pharmacist in the future."
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Define pharmacy
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None they were pretty easy
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None.
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as 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 a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
No responses
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 studying sample questions on platforms like Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing with family and friends, researching the school and current pharmacy issues, and reviewing their application materials and program information. Many emphasized the importance of staying calm, relating answers to pharmacy, and engaging in mock interviews to feel more prepared.
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studied questions from this site. also, read a few current issue articles about pharmacy
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The interview itself was a conversation. It did not feel like an interview at all. So calm your anxieties and just be open. Don't forget to relate what you're saying to pharmacy though, that is the reason why we are there!
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Had a panic attack (j/k)...read a bunch of SDN interview feedbacks...practiced with family and friends...got some really good advice from a pharmacist...had a good time to reflect on all of my answers and a good breakfast + coffee the morning of the interview.
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Researched the school
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SDN, friends, looked at interview websites, looked at the school website
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness of the staff, faculty, and students, as well as the beautiful campus and facilities. They appreciated the well-organized events, the tight-knit community feel, and the direct communication about the interview process. Suggestions for improvement were minimal, with only one applicant expressing a negative experience with the interview process.
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staff, campus and facilities
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Everything. The event was organized extremely well. The facility is very new and high tech. It is connected to the medical school and library through an indoor bridge. The faculty was beyond impressive in their research and speaking skills. Everyone was supremely nice and the Pharm D.program at Madison just seems like it is simply the best.
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I'm impressed with how tight-knit of a community the whole pharmacy school really is. It felt almost as if everyone's a big part of an extended family to each other. The pharmacists who interviewed me were also very cordial and nice. The friendliness of everyone there has left me with a very positive impression of the school.
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The friendliness of the faculty and students
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All the faculty, students and interviewers are very friendly. The interviewers are local pharmacists that volunteered their time to interview us. The admissions coordinator is extremely friendly and helpful, contact him if you have questions or need help.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed frustration with lack of interaction with faculty, closed-file interviews, rushed schedules, absence of campus tours, and non-academic interviewers. Suggestions include incorporating faculty/student interaction, more informative interviews, providing tours, and ensuring a smoother, less rushed interview experience.
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Nothing.
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Hmmm...nothing really. It was cold, but it's not UW's fault.
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NOTHING
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The cold weather and no discounts on hotels
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nothing I had a very positive experience
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Many applicants wished they had known more about the interview format and process in advance, such as the brevity and structure of the interviews. They also expressed a desire for more information on what to expect during the interview day and the importance of preparing questions for interviewers.
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I should have had a big breakfast
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I thought I packed enough for a cold weather. Boy, was I wrong...If I get in, I'm contemplating on making an outfit out of heat packs.
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Nothing. They provided all important information prior to the interview.
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they give you basically any information you need for the interview and prepare you for your time there
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Nothing.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally expressed positive feedback about the interview experience, highlighting aspects such as the well-organized day, friendly staff, and the school's desirable qualities. Some suggestions included improving the essay portion by allowing computer typing, providing clearer expectations for interviews, and enhancing opportunities for interaction with faculty and staff.
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So pleased with this interview. Madison quickly became my first choice after the visit.
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If you have any question, Jeremy is such a great resource to get your answers from. He's very responsive and his emails are hilarious! With the holistic method of assessing applicants at UW, I felt honored to be selected even for an interview since it shows that at least my application fee's not being spent on someone who'll treat me like a list of stats. In terms of the interview day, I thought the hardest part was the extemporaneous essay portion. We were given with only 25 minutes to complete 2 essays (everyone's split up into different groups and rotated through different parts of the schedule) and I was barely done with my first essay when there was only 5 minutes left. I wish we could've done it on a computer coz now I don't even know if my handwriting's even legible..lol. If you're an out-of-state applicant, stay at the Best Western Inn towner since they have an excellent free shuttle service + free breakfast + complementary late check-out. The staffs there are supernice and accommodating!
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I understand WHY the admissions process takes so long, but I sure wish it was quicker!!
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seems like a great program and place to attend
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The school is great and I hope to get in. They are really friendly too!
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally praised the admissions office for its communication and responsiveness, particularly mentioning the helpful updates and promptness of the director. Suggestions included providing a longer break for lunch during admissions events and offering a timeline for making admission decisions.
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None! Everything was simply perfect. Except, maybe include a longer break for lunch. It was a long day and I got really hungry about halfway through.
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I really admired the thorough updates that the director of admissions (Jeremy Altschafl) has sent out to us applicants. He's very responsive and has done a good job at keeping us in the loop of things.
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To keep Jeremy A.! He is so friendly and prompt. The best I've worked with thus far!
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Offer at least a general time line for making admission decisions.
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None because everything went great.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are out of state students.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 4-6 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent less than $100.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Madison Dane County Regional Airport (MSN)
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Milwaukee
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msn
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
The most commonly mentioned hotel among the responses is "Best Western Towne" with two users staying there.
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Best Western Inn Towner
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Best Western Towne
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Madison Concourse
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Motel 6
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The Concourse Hotel and Governor's Club
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
All Responses
| Application Cycle ▿ | Impression | Performance | Interview Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-13 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2012-13 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2012-13 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2011-12 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2010-11 | N/A | Average | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2010-11 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | No change 😐 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | No change 😐 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Negatively ☹️ | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Poor | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | No change 😐 | Good | N/A |
| 2009-10 | No change 😐 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
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