West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy Interview Feedback Summary
Morgantown, WV
Pharmacy Schools | Public Non-Profit
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⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
9.1
Exceptional
Outstanding interview experience: exceptionally organized, highly professional staff, strong communication, and very low stress.
Based on 9 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 unfriendly.
No responses
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 unresponsive.
No responses
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about weaknesses, alternative career considerations, and motivations for pursuing a specific profession like pharmacy. Some respondents also mentioned being asked about their reasons for choosing pharmacy as a career path.
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What is one of your weaknesses?
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What careers have you considered other than pharmacy, and how did those choices lead to you choosing pharmacy as a profession?
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Why do you want to be a pharmacist? --> obvious
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy discussed a variety of topics, including societal issues, personal cooking skills, and favorite books. These questions reflect a holistic approach to understanding applicants beyond their academic qualifications.
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Outside the field of pharmacy, what do you think is a major problem in society?
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What is the best thing you cook, and how did you learn to make it? (Essay question)
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What is your favorite book? (Essay Question)
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center School of Pharmacy discussed scenarios involving the correlation between grades and pharmacy school performance, justifying candidacy in a competitive selection process, and proposing solutions to current challenges in the pharmacy profession.
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Do you think that your grades are necessarily a reflection of how you might do in pharmacy school?
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Imagine there is an extremely good class coming in, with academic scores higher than or around yours. Seventy-nine out of eighty have been selected for your class. You and five other people are given the opportunity for a second interview. Why would you make a better candidate than the other five?
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What is a major problem facing the profession of pharmacy today, and how can it be fixed?
✅ 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 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.
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 gathering a list of potential questions, reviewing information about the faculty, and studying possible topics related to the school. Many also mentioned that their preparation methods were not out of the ordinary.
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Got the list of questions they ask for the interview.
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Reviewed faculty information; reviewed list of possible topics on school's website.
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Nothing unusual.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were impressed positively by the large campus, beautiful scenery, and vibrant atmosphere, as well as the unique interview process involving two interviewers with different levels of knowledge about the applicant. Many found this method fair and unbiased, appreciating the opportunity to showcase themselves without relying solely on their academic achievements.
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Huge campus, great scenery, not as "small town" as I initially thought, awesome Rec center.
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The interview is two people, where one knows your grades etc and the other knows nothing about you. My one interviewer, who must have looked at my marks and didn't want me to try to use them as a talking point, told me that he was supposed to have looked at data but he chose not to and would leave it to the admissions committee. It didn't hit me until I was told "no, there's no way he can breach protocol like that!" later on, I actually thought that my entire interview was closed-file. Dr. Higa is very tricky!
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During the "Cross-examination" there were two interviewers, one knows your personal history, one doesn't. I thought it was a good way to get an unbiased tilt.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed dissatisfaction with the cold weather and hilly terrain, as well as a desire for more interactions with faculty beyond the interviewers. Suggestions included providing opportunities for greater faculty engagement and ensuring that essays are reviewed for spelling and grammar errors.
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Cold, lots of hills.
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I wish that we were given an opportunity to meet more of the faculty, asides from the two interviewers.
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The essay was written on a laptop PC equipped with spell check and grammer check.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the specific expectations and nuances of the profession they were applying for, such as industry challenges and career opportunities. They recommend researching thoroughly and demonstrating a deep understanding of the field during interviews to impress interviewers.
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Speed limits travelling to Morgantown are slow until you hit WV.
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They expect you to know about the profession. Know some of the problems with the profession (counterfeit drugs, pharmacists stealing Vicodin, the aging of baby-boomers, whatever), the types of job opportunities available (retail, community, long-term care, post-graduate, etc.), and so on. Having good depth of knowledge about the profession is essential - say something like, "I'm interested in drug research, so while the more traditional aspects of the pharmacy practice are what drew me towards the profession, I'm also investigating the possiblility of continuing on after receiving my doctorate to work on a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry." They'd eat something similar to that up.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally had positive experiences during their visit to the pharmacy school, with some minor challenges in finding the location. They found the interactions with staff and students helpful, and emphasized the importance of professionalism and knowledge in the field of pharmacy during the application process.
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For the most part, the experience was great. Although, I had a hard time finding the pharmacy school until someone told me that it was where the emergency center is. Once I found it, the building is old but this is where other health professions have their classes. I talked to Dean Ridgway who was extremely nice and gave me the low down on the interview process and how the acceptance process is done. I also talked to a first and third year student and they were telling me about the school. I also toured their labs and their "mock" pharmacy which was extremely cool. All in all, I was very impressed with what they had to offer.
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Kind of laid back, kind of formal. The best advice is to dress nice, speak eloquently, use good manners and have a deep understanding of all things dealing with the profession of pharmacy.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
No responses
📍 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 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 Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
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PIT
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 is "Friends Inn."
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Friends Inn
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | N/A | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | Great | N/A |
| 2009-10 | Positively 🙂 | N/A | N/A |
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