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Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine

Hershey, PA

Allopathic Medical Schools | Public Non-Profit

Application Cycle: 2009-10

⭐ Overall Impressions

How do you rank the facilities?

9 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

7 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above

How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?

8 out of 10
0 = Below, 10 = Above

What is your ranking of this school's location?

7 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?

5 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
💬 Interview Questions

What is one of the specific questions they asked you?

Did they ask questions? I guess the only one I can think of that was a direct question was asking me to clarify something in my academic record.

What was the most interesting question?

Nothing out of the ordinary

What was the most difficult question?

Explain your MCAT scores being lower than one might expect based on your academic performance (had good GPA, including graduate study)
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions

How long was the interview?

50 minutes

How did the interview impress you?

Positively 🙂

How many people interviewed you?

2

What was the stress level of the interview?

1 out of 10
0 = Low Stress, 10 = High Stress

How you think you did?

10 out of 10
0 = Bad, 10 = Great

What was the style of the interview?

One-on-one

What type of interview was it?

Open file

Where did the interview take place?

At the school

How did you prepare for the interview?

read website, school viewbook, SDN, applciations

What impressed you positively?

The facility was MUCH better than I expected, and is expanding rapidly. The faculty I spoke with were real people, brilliant and kind. The day itself was very laid back.

What impressed you negatively?

The students who ate lunch with us and gave us the tour seemed kind of "frat-boy" and joked a lot about how nobody felt like they worked too hard. Now, granted, they were 1st-years.

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

That Penn St was so much better than I thought. They have a great commitment to education and seem to listen to their students.

What are your general comments?

The day itself was good. I chose the early shift (8:30-2) and I'm glad I did. That way, the interviews were out of the way in the morning and I could relax and enjoy the lunch and tour. The faculty interviews are nothing to be scared of-- they are very nice and interested in knowing you better and clarifying things in your application. The tour was a little longer and slower than it needed to be (done by a volunteer) but it was a good chance to see highlights of non-patient areas. Oh, and if you have the third morning interview slot and miss the beginning of the admissions presentation (which starts around 11), don't stress too much. Everything they talk about is on the website.
📍 On-Site Experience

Who was the tour given by?

Other

How did the tour guide seem?

Neutral

What is your in-state status?

Out of state

What were your total hours spent traveling?

2-3 hours

What was your primary mode of travel?

Automobile

Where did you stay?

At school facility