Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
Pomona, CA
Dental Schools | Private Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 36% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview mixed with a low stress level, and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
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 include inquiries about conflict management, ethical dilemmas, decision-making, leadership experiences, learning styles, personal challenges, social responsibility, and specific scenarios related to dentistry or healthcare. While some responses mentioned an MMI format and nondisclosure agreements, the predominant focus was on assessing applicants' problem-solving skills, teamwork experiences, motivations for pursuing dentistry, and their fit for the institution.
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Do you have experience learning virtually?
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How do you best learn (learning modality)?
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Why WesternU?
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How do you make sure you finish everything in your 9-5
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How do you manage conflict?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including social responsibility, personal attributes, problem-solving scenarios, and uniqueness. Some responses indicated the interview format might be MMI, with questions like "What is social responsibility?" and "If you could be any tooth, what would you be and why?" Respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement regarding specific MMI questions.
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N/A, they almost solely asked questions pertaining to a form they were asked to fill out.
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N/A
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What is the social responsibility of dentists?
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Tell me three deep things about yourself (This came from the student interviewer. Upon this moment I am still thinking about how I could answer this question better haha)
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I heard this question from another interviewee: what would be the title of your life song?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including describing personal challenges, decision-making scenarios, teamwork experiences, and social responsibility. Some respondents mentioned questions related to specific situations where they had to demonstrate problem-solving skills or explain their strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, several responses referred to an MMI format, possibly involving nondisclosure agreements, indicating a structured interview process with standardized questions.
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N/A.
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N/A
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Nothing, they ask you straight forward questions. My advice is just know yourself well and be yourself.
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Tell me three deep things about yourself.
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nothing really- if you know everything from this website, you are all set.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 20 - 30 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
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.
📍 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.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane 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 Ontario International Airport (ONT)
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santa ana/john wayne
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phoenix
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ontario, ca. highly recommended over LAX since LA traffic is terrible. ontario airport is about 15 mins from the school.
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SNA
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Ontrio
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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comfort inn, 1 mile from the school
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Shilo Hilltop
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Sheraton Fairplex Hotel & Conference Center
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Sheraton
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Residence Inn by Marriott
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 is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as average.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN), practicing mock interviews with friends or family, and reviewing their application materials and the school's website. Additionally, many emphasized the importance of being themselves, preparing sample answers to common questions, and researching topics related to dentistry and the specific program to demonstrate commitment and interest during the interview.
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SDN.
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sdn
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SDN and roadmap prep
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Write sample answers
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I was invited the night before so I didn’t have time to prepare. My advice is just be yourself because it was more like a good conversation then a interview
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were most impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, including the faculty, staff, and students. They also appreciated the state-of-the-art facilities, humanistic approach to teaching, and the opportunities for comprehensive clinical exposure provided by the program.
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The humanistic culture and simulation lab were great. I was also appreciative of the free food (catered Panera) but that's something other schools have too haha.
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Everyone was so nice
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everybody was very nice and the interview was conversational
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The faculty and students are very friendly.
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My interviewers were so sweet. Was the most relaxing interview ever
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were mostly concerned about the school's location and surrounding area, describing it as run-down, unsafe, or lacking in amenities. They also expressed disappointment with the campus facilities, organization of interviews, and interactions with staff and students, suggesting improvements in communication, campus tours, and overall experience.
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I felt that the area where students work on patients was a little run down. It wasn't "run, run" down in the greatest sense but not as great as some other schools I visited. They state that the campus is a repurposed strip mall and it really shows which I felt was kind of meh. Only two students showed up for the Q&A panel and I left with somewhat of a soulless impression. It did not really seem like they were happy to be at the school.
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N/A
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Nothing was a nice setup
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Nothing really.
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the clinic was closed that day, so the campus was very quiet.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed and laid-back nature of the interview, the need for comfortable shoes due to lots of walking, and the variations in how interviews are conducted. Suggestions included practicing slower responses, being more relaxed, and ensuring comfortable footwear.
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The surrounding area is not that great. It feels very industrial and the impression is still super fresh on my mind. On the way to the interview (from Doubletree Pomona), there were just stretches and stretches of warehouses, train tracks, etc. If you're from the Bay Area then it feels very much like a lite version of the worst parts of Oakland but industrialized.
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maybe practice not going so fast when answering questions.
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lots of walking during the day
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I knew everythnig
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N/A. The admissions counselors did a great communicating to us everything we needed to know prior to the interview.
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly mentioned positive aspects like the friendly and welcoming atmosphere, emphasis on being oneself during interviews, and the school's humanistic culture. Some concerns were expressed about the surrounding area, the size of the interview group, and the lack of clinic tour.
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The humanistic culture is great and the simulation lab is very high-tech albeit cramped. However, the patient care area is not as renovated and the former strip mall aspect of the school really stands out. This is a school that I would be willing to go to if accepted but the cons and surrounding area would make me have a second thought, ESPECIALLY considering the tuition. Also, the interview was made up of about forty students or so (enough to fill the first few rows of the room that we were in) which was HUGE. Overall, I was not very chuffed by the whole experience, especially because it cost me in excess of $500 to fly down here from NorCal. The interview day was not coordinated well (multiple occasions of "changing plans") and the group interview itself was also soulless and did not feel like they were trying to know me as a person. There was a weird vibe overall about the student body which was a stark contrast to some other schools I interviewed at where the students were really welcoming and seemed to enjoy being there.
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great program, they really care about wanting you to succeed. Nobody is trying to "get you", just be yourself and have a few anecdotes or situations to draw off of
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Everyone is very nice and they emphasize over and over the importance of relaxing and being yourself. My interview felt more like a conversation than anything, so much to the point that the 30 minutes felt like 5 minutes by the time the interview was over.
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Western U has a very friendly and down-to-earth vibe. Just relax on the interview and let your natural self shine through.
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Great experience overall. This was my top school so the nerves were definitely there, but great faculty, staff and students. Great vibe overall.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested the admissions office to schedule more interview days to reduce overcrowding and stress, separate the clinic tour from the interview day, provide clearer communication and itineraries for interview days, and offer tours of the clinic to showcase the program effectively. Some applicants also mentioned the need for a shorter interview day and more professional communication from the office.
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The day was a little disorganized since there were groups that kept on being swapped to interview / tour and at times even Dr. Turchi was confused.
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n/a
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Overall I had a very nice experience there. But I felt bad for the students that are going to have the interviews after the tour and around lunch time. Maybe in the future, set up some more interview days so that less students are interviewed on the same day, and they could all enjoy the tour after the interview and lunch.
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they did a great job!
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No other suggestions!
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