Palo Alto, CA
Allopathic Medical Schools | Private Non-Profit
Application Cycle: 2009-10
⭐ Overall Impressions
How did the interview impress you?
Positively 🙂
What was the stress level of the interview?
3 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress
How you think you did?
10 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
9 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
9 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above
What are your general comments?
Overall the school was amazing! I always knew from the reputation of the school that it's a great place to be, but actually seeing the campus and the students really made me like it even more.
💬 Interview Process
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
What do you know about Prop71 in California? What are some of the ethical concerns raised by people about human embryonic stem cell research and are they valid points in science? (I work with hES cells, so I assume that's why he asked such a direct question)
What was the most interesting question?
Nothing super-exciting...just the standard questions.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Mostly just knew my AMCAS backwards and forwards, as all of my interviewers notes were based on interesting little facts and things I said in my essays and activities sections. Also read up on a lot of the schools achievements and interesting facts.
What was the most difficult question?
We have many of the top candidates in the country apply here...what do you bring to the entering class that makes you a better choice than many of the other candidates we have this year.
What impressed you positively?
The amount of money that this school has! It's a private university with tons of huge donors that make most of the school look amazing. Med student resources top-notch.
What impressed you negatively?
The location is really the worst thing about the school. It's a beautiful area, don't get me wrong. But it's such a small little city that there's hardly anything to do. I personally would rather live in NY, SF, Boston, or LA...somewhere with lots of culture and endless possibilities. Palo Alto is just really small and somewhat isolated...which might be exactly what some people want, but not me.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
I did a lot of research about the school ahead of time...nothing came as a suprise.
🤝 Campus and Facilities
How do you rank the facilities?
10 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this school's location?
8 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
📍 Travel and Logistics
Who was the tour given by?
Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Enthusiastic
What is your in-state status?
In state
What were your total hours spent traveling?
4-6 hours
What was your primary mode of travel?
Automobile
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
$101-$200
Where did you stay?
With students at the school
How would you rate the hotel?
10 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
yes
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