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Interview Feedback

All Questions & Responses

  • California School of Podiatric Medicine at Samuel Merritt University
  • Podiatry School
  • Oakland, CA
Individual Feedback 3 49 Responses
Overall Experience

How did the interview impress you?

Response # Responders
Positively 44
Negatively 3
No change 2

What was the stress level of the interview?

Response Avg # Responders
2.90 49

0 = low, 10 = high

How you think you did?

Response Avg # Responders
8.53 49

0 = low, 10 = high

How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?

Response Avg # Responders
7.70 47

0 = low, 10 = high

Was this interview in-person or virtual?

Response # Responders
In Person 0
Virtual 2

Questions

How long was the interview?

Response # Responders
5 minutes 0
10 minutes 2
15 minutes 10
20 minutes 16
25 minutes 9
30 minutes 5
35 minutes 0
40 minutes 5
45 minutes 0
50 minutes 0
55 minutes 0
60+ minutes 2

Where did the interview take place?

Response # Responders
At the school 41
At a regional location 1
At another location 6

What was the style of the interview?

Response # Responders
One-on-one 41
In a group 8

What type of interview was it?

Response # Responders
Open file 49
Closed file 0

How many people interviewed you?

Response Average # Responders
2.51 49

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?

"Asked about a specific class that I didn’t do well in." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was the most memorable moment of your backpacking trip and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How are you misunderstood?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatric Medicine" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you do differently to improve your grades (upward trend)?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you retake the MCAT (and how did you improve?)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you decide on podiatry as a career?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How did you study for the MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you take the MCAT twice?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry instead of allopathic medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose podiatry over any other profession?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we pick you for one of the 48 spots in our class?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did I perform poorly in two courses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we not accept you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about yourself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think of the MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your worst class and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to go to CSPM if you live in the east coast where there are many schools near you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think the MCAT tests your knowledge or your test taking ability?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you ever failed a class?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why CSPM (3 times)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry? Why CSPM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why CSPM? x 4" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Interview was split into 4 separate ones, with 1 faculty and 3 professors. Was very long, so I'll try to put down as much as I can remember. Why DPM? (times 2) Why Samuel Merritt? " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Elaborate on your personal statement" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to be a podiatrist?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What questions do you have for us?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"We see you have a lot of health care experience, but why podiatry (over other areas)?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why come to school on the west coast when you are from the east coast and have a number of pod schools nearby?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry, how did you learn about podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 2)?

"What is your most proudest moment?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What will your legacy be at this school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you withdraw from a course?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why CSPM" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You took the MCAT twice. What did you to do prepare for the MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain any low grades from undergrad" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/a" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do many withdrawls?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we consider you for one of our 48 spots?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would a family member consider a personal strength of yours?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think your biology section on your MCAT score reflects your knowledge of biology?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are your time management skills like?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is a misconception that people have of you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is one of your weaknesses?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why not allopathic medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How does a podiatrist fit into the medical community?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why CPSM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you do to increase your MCAT score?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about an experience that was particularly difficult, and how did you cope?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you ever withdrawn from a class?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we accept you? (3 times)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me more about your research?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why Podiatry? x4" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I read over your essay, besides the main reason you listed for pursuing this field, what other reasons do you have? Can you explain your undergraduate grades? (times 2)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Besides location, why Samuel Merritt?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you choose to apply to CPSM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you like your undergrad experience?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think you have enough podiatry experience to make an informed decision to pursue a career in it?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why CSPM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about yourself." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why do you want to go to Merritt?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you have enough exposure to the field to be sure that this is what you want to do and do you know enough about the career?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What other schools have you applied to?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why this school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why this school." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you applying to md/do schools?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 3)?

"How have your medical experiences abroad influenced your decision to pursue podiatry over allopathic medicine" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is one weakness/strength that your family or friends might say you have?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/a" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your support system." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think the MCAT is an accurate indicator of your knowledge?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would a family member consider a personal weakness of yours?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would a family member say is your biggest strength?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is one of your strengths?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Some questions regarding grades - study skills, study habits, overcoming adversity" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you do for stress?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you see yourself living in the Bay area?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what are your hobbies?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"With limited seats, why should we choose you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you think you will handle the courseload?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why CSPM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Questions from my Personal statement " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you apply to other schools?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Interview was causal conversation and enjoyable. " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your undergraduate experience like compared to your post-bacc one? What did you think about the undergraduate college you went to? Do you have any questions for me?(times 4)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you look for in choosing a school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are your thoughts on working while in Pod school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you have any questions for me?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we accept you at CSPM?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we choose you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Have you spent any time shadowing a podiatrist?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you have any questions?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What were your GRE scores?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what are your criteria for a top school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Name an event in your life that defines who you are today." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What do you think MD/DOs think about DPMs?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most interesting question?

"You applied to DO schools at one point. How will you choose between DPM and DO?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are you looking for in a school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/a" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I see you've traveled the world, tell me about that." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do your family members realize how busy you will be studying?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do I feel like I deserve to be here?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your least favorite class in undergrad and why?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What has been my most favorite class in undergrad?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is your ejection fraction? Good thing I knew anatomy for that one..." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me what your thoughts about podiatry are." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you receive any interviews from MD/DO schools? (Yes)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing odd at all, I expected everything and anything they could ask." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What are your hobbies??" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"-" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what are the roles of podiatrists in public health?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How do you motivate yourself to study?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What was your most favorite/least favorite course in undergrad?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about your research" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What's the story behind your email address?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"If you were free to take any class, what class would you take? (I had asked if they recommended taking any classes. They said I should enjoy the opportunity to learn about whatever I was interested in during the last year of my undergraduate career.)" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Pretty much only asked the two questions and chatted about a few things from personal statement." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"the undergrad vs post bacc one" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"How well do you think you'll be able to adapt to city life?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think that the MCAT is more based on knowledge or test-taking skills?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Explain why you wrote that you didn't have regular healthcare in your letter of intent." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What lead you to choose podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What can you offer to the class of 2013?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you think of the MCAT?...Do you think it tests more for knowledge or test-taking skills?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you delay your MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you think the MCAT tests more for knowledge or for test-taking skills and why." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I see that you have also applied to allopathic medical schools. Can you tell me why you would be interested in podiatry as opposed to allopathic medicine?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What did you think of the MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I'm sure you're familiar with many of the positive aspects of podiatry. What are some of the negatives?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Did you ever consider becoming a profession piano player? and... " More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Are you applying to DO schools?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

What was the most difficult question?

"What will your legacy be at this school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You applied to DO schools at one point. How will you choose between DPM and DO?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is something your parents would say you need to work on?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Nothing really. Just some really specific questions about my personal statement and extracurricular activities." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None were difficult." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What would your family members say is something that you should change about yourself?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What MCAT score would I give myself based on my basic science knowledge?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we not accept you--really thrown off by that one!" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What is something unique about you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"I noticed you applied to both MD/DO schools, how is (did) that going?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why not allopathic medicine? (make sure you stick to your guns on this one!)." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Tell me about the mcat." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Is our school on the top of your list?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"what are the roles of podiatrists in public health?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None were difficult" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None, really." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"You have been out of school for 2.5 years. Do you think you will have a tough time adjusting to the curriculum?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Can you tell me something about yourself that is not on your personal statement/file that would lead me to recommend you for acceptance?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"No questions were terribly difficult." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Pretty much only asked the two questions and chatted about a few things from personal statement." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"The essay one" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"List three things that a school must absolutely have or else you'd refuse to go there." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why should we accept you?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"none" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"What can you offer to the class of 2013?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why did you delay your MCAT?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"can you explain weak grades/scores" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"None really -- the questions were the typical interview questions." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Favorite/Least Favorite Class?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"See above." More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Do you really think you can keep up with the curriculum, considering you haven't been in school for a while?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"why this school?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

"Why podiatry?" More from this Member | Report Response | I was asked this question too

How did you prepare for the interview?

"SDN, practice with friends" More from this Member | Report Response

"Looked at prior interview questions and researched the school." More from this Member | Report Response

"Practice against friends on adcoms" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, mock interviews, looking over the website and faculty research, and going through my application." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN." More from this Member | Report Response

"I didn't prepare too much. I found lists of potential questions from various sources and rehearsed how I might answer them." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, mock interviews, and research on the school." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN" More from this Member | Report Response

"read on here" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, read my app" More from this Member | Report Response

"My school's pre-professional advisement center" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN and be very honest with yourself and your goals. This way, you will feel relaxed because only you can understand yourself best, and minimize any interview-anxiety you may have on the day of!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Look at the forums on sdn" More from this Member | Report Response

"Mock interview with pre-professional adviser. Read the SDN forums." More from this Member | Report Response

"reading through SDN posts" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN and read about the school" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read SDN" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN Interview Feedback. ;)" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN. Personal Statement" More from this Member | Report Response

"Partied all night in downtown SF. Seriously! Don't rehearse or anything. You come off sounding fake." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read SDN, practice questions online." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, Personal Statement, CSPM website, Instant messaged several CSPM DPM students on SDN about specifics." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, interview feedback, reviewed my application" More from this Member | Report Response

"Sdn, Reviewed app, and personal statement" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN forums / feedback, read over my app, school website" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, reread personal statement" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read the forums, the Samuel Merritt webpage, and had friends interview me for fun." More from this Member | Report Response

"Interview Feedback and reading over LOI" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read over my application" More from this Member | Report Response

"Woke up 6am, worked out, had a good breakfast, just tried to relax before the interview." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, school's website" More from this Member | Report Response

"Just made up questions for the interviewers and got decent sleep the night before." More from this Member | Report Response

"talk to myself on the 1.5 hr drive there" More from this Member | Report Response

"Read their website, AACPM, used SDN" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, read over school info and my application" More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, spoke with podiatrists, read on podiatry websites." More from this Member | Report Response

"Read this website; rehearsed answers to the predictable questions" More from this Member | Report Response

"sdn, website, mock interviews" More from this Member | Report Response

"Talked to myself on the way there." More from this Member | Report Response

"SDN, online" More from this Member | Report Response

What impressed you positively?

"Really nice assistant dean of admission and faculty!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Early clinical experience." More from this Member | Report Response

"Student body and their candid responses about the program" More from this Member | Report Response

"The research center and hospital." More from this Member | Report Response

"The professionalism and enthusiasm of the faculty and students" More from this Member | Report Response

"The campus, faculty, and students were all great." More from this Member | Report Response

"Students and faculty were super friendly. It was a very welcoming environment. Good cafeteria food." More from this Member | Report Response

"The friendliness of Andre and Dean Venson. The willingness of the 1st year students to answer a million questions and share their contact info (they eat lunch with you)." More from this Member | Report Response

"Shadowing current students in the hospital/clinic during the interview day. MARC." More from this Member | Report Response

"Faculty" More from this Member | Report Response

"The clinical experiences at highlands hospital during rotations" More from this Member | Report Response

"Smaller class size, Clinical work starts beginning of second year, nice facilities" More from this Member | Report Response

"facilities, sim lab, busy clinic" More from this Member | Report Response

"The facilities, shadowing students in the clinic rather than just seeing it, being able to interact with patients." More from this Member | Report Response

"Great clinical rotation that we visited (students start 2nd year), new gait laboratory, and very friendly staff/students" More from this Member | Report Response

"Everything! The faculty, students, Highland Hospital, and the campus. The students and their transparent honesty and enthusiam for their school really sold me on CSPM. They did not need to bad mouth other schools, but were thrilled to tell us why they personally chose CSPM. The neighborhood around CSPM is not ghetto or sketchy, it is perfectly fine and slightly urban. Even as I was waiting in the lobby for my interviews, Dr. Dutra came over, introduced himself, and we just made small talk. Everyone speaks highly of him, and he was very frank and honest as to his position in the school and his belief that CSPM does prepare students at a high level of excellence." More from this Member | Report Response

"Really friendly students, small class size, clinical learning and diversity of cases, and biomechanics professor." More from this Member | Report Response

"The friendless of the staff. SMALL class sizes." More from this Member | Report Response

"school facilities and location" More from this Member | Report Response

"The admissions team. Andre and Dr. Tran are very nice people and are willing to help you with any questions." More from this Member | Report Response

"Podiatry is the top program there, so students are very close-knit. They have a lot of scholarships tho." More from this Member | Report Response

"How busy the clinic was, and how many of the students actually new Spanish!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Location, nice people, good faculty" More from this Member | Report Response

"Location of school and clinics. Weather. Early clinical exposure duining P2 year." More from this Member | Report Response

"San Fran! Very low drop out rate compared to some of the other schools. Small class size." More from this Member | Report Response

"The friendliness of the faculty and students. " More from this Member | Report Response

"Clinical rotations, early clinics, San Francisco, faculty, class size, and student population" More from this Member | Report Response

"The location, small class sizes. Students were open to all questions." More from this Member | Report Response

"everything" More from this Member | Report Response

"I liked how we began the interview process by speaking to current students and residents to get more insights on the school. It made the interview day a bit more relaxing. Everyone was so encouraging and kind including the doctors, admissions staff, and dean. CSPM seems to have very strong clinical training. The podiatrists that teaches you in your second year surgical lecture are the ones who will train you during your third year rotation. The new dean really cares about doing w/e to make everyone strong podiatrists. Overall, I was very impressed!" More from this Member | Report Response

"They listened to their students and modified the curriculum for the better. Everyone we met asked us how we were doing so far. We were allowed free reign to ask questions to students, residents, faculty, and staff without anyone looking over our shoulders. You start clinicals in second year and they are taught by the same faculty member as in your classrooms. Small class sizes and open door policy with faculty. Everyone there is soooo nice. " More from this Member | Report Response

"The school is the ONLY one to start clinicals in the second year...right at the beginning. You'll be coming out of this school truly prepared and ready to treat patients and work in a hospital setting as well. Facilities are great.... and of course, LOCATION!!! SF Bay Area is the ultimate cultural experience and is a wonderful place to go to school. BART and MUNI can get you all over the city cheap! At least go check it out if you get an interview!" More from this Member | Report Response

"-Very small class size that is capped at 48 students (Not tuition driven like some pod schools) -Part of a healthcare university -Main building has open-air areas -Located in a better part of Oakland with hospitals and clinics in SF and O-Town -Great weather in the Bay Area!!! -Close to a BART station so amazing San Francisco is only a few minutes away -Begin clinicals early, seem quite diverse -Have a great simulation center (mannequins) which pod students ACTUALLY USE...unlike Temple -Very nice admissions staff and Dr. Tran is awesome -New dean seems great, very forward thinking about podiatry and CSPM -On campus dorms, they will be getting an apartment complex if those are torn down -Awesome scholarships (based on GPA/MCAT) one can get up to $60,000 over 4 years -Diverse class -Pool on campus -Samuel Merritt College will be undergoing a massive expansion/renovation very soon -Legit interviews - with phd and DPM's -Get to see the campus along with a 2nd/3rd year clinical site" More from this Member | Report Response

"almost everything because what I had read on here did not seem to coincide with what I had learned at the interview...small class size, clinicals start during second year (HUGE), the faculty that teaches in the classroom is the same that teaches in the lab, nice campus, great location, the school appeared to do everything possible to keep their students instead of being "survival of the fittest" " More from this Member | Report Response

"Small class sizes (capped at 48 students), earliest clinical exposure compared to the other 7 pod schools (start after first year), St. Mary's and its pod clinic is very nice, on-campus housing, great weather, bay area location, interesting research opportunities ie combining AIDS and podiatry. The area where the school itself was located was not bad at all (like a medical center complex) unlike what a lot of people complain about on the pod forums. The BART train is very good and you can walk or take a shuttle to the station from campus (which gets you to san fran, berkeley, etc)." More from this Member | Report Response

"staff, students, facilities, location, dorms" More from this Member | Report Response

"The fact that everyone was so friendly. Everyone loved the school and was happy to be there. Merritt starts its clinical exposure during 2nd year." More from this Member | Report Response

"Clinical experience starts in second year. The on campus housing is actually really nice. Great Mexican food for lunch." More from this Member | Report Response

"San Francisco! All the students were very laid back and seemed happy." More from this Member | Report Response

"The faculty; the residency program; the facilities on campus & at the hospital; how quickly clinical rotations start in this program." More from this Member | Report Response

"everything..the faculty and students were very nice. a very relaxed atmosphere" More from this Member | Report Response

"The Simulation lab; the faculty's relationship with thier students; the small class sizes; and how they consistently review their program by using student feedbacks." More from this Member | Report Response

"The clinicals seems very strong. There is very early exposure." More from this Member | Report Response

What impressed you negatively?

"Seemed a little unorganized." More from this Member | Report Response

"The gym facilities or lack thereof" More from this Member | Report Response

"N/A" More from this Member | Report Response

"Did not get to see the anatomy lab and the Oakland area." More from this Member | Report Response

"Tour seemed rushed, didn't really see everything. Didn't talk much detail about financial aid/tuition expenses. No on-campus housing, bad area." More from this Member | Report Response

"The rain. Lol! The location initially turned me off, but over time I have found that it's really not that bad. It's right on the edge of the "nice part" of East Bay." More from this Member | Report Response

"Traffic is crazy." More from this Member | Report Response

"Rigors of second year combined with clinicals." More from this Member | Report Response

"the city of Oakland" More from this Member | Report Response

"The cost of living in the Bay Area is extremely high, the board pass rates" More from this Member | Report Response

"no electronic testing, lectures not recorded, location right around school is a little shady" More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing really, but students say there is a lack of study space on campus." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing." More from this Member | Report Response

"Area/ high cost of living" More from this Member | Report Response

"-" More from this Member | Report Response

"does not seem to have the best pre-clinical curriculum compared to other schools" More from this Member | Report Response

"Oakland" More from this Member | Report Response

"Located in downtown Oakland. Not safe. Board pass rates are not very impressive (poor students or poor curriculum?). Small and old facilities. Gym is the size of my bedroom." More from this Member | Report Response

"Way too much construction. I don't like how it doesn't feel like a school since everything is so separated. Also, there were some first year students that we were paired with that just had way too many negative comments to say about other programs." More from this Member | Report Response

"Not as nice facilities as other schools. Small school (not personally my thing)" More from this Member | Report Response

"The school is under a lot of construction right now. Also, the clinics seemed slow when we were there." More from this Member | Report Response

"Second year 1st semester looks challenging. 9 courses plus 2 days in clinic every day. " More from this Member | Report Response

"The location in Oakland." More from this Member | Report Response

"Having to pay for bridge tolls and parking everywhere, the oakland campus" More from this Member | Report Response

"Clinics seemed a bit slow. Thus more time for the students to answer questions. School was fairly far from the clinics." More from this Member | Report Response

"HAving to go from Oakland to SF, high rent" More from this Member | Report Response

"The gym and library was a bit small compared to what I'm used to at a UC, but that's no big deal. " More from this Member | Report Response

"I did feel like I was rushed in and out of the interview. Even though they asked if you had questions for them, you really didn't have time to ask because they were kind of pushing you out the door. " More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing...." More from this Member | Report Response

"-Traffic sucks -Expensive cost of living -Library a bit tiny but is currently being renovated -The "gym" is quite tiny and pretty bad -Area around school not terrible but not amazing -Number of students bitched about a particular 1st year professor -Facilities pretty decent, but not like DMU/AzPod/OCPM -Anatomy lab quite basic compared to some pod schools (cadavers on a metal gurney) -Early clinicals result in LOTS of lecture time in 2nd year (8am-7pm two days a week, one day like that in 3rd year)" More from this Member | Report Response

"school in oakland...clinic in san fran; however, there seemed to be ample modes of transportation between the two loations, on-campus housing is dorm-style, classes are not taped but there is a blackboard for notes " More from this Member | Report Response

"Maybe the travelling between San Francisco / Oakland clinics and the main campus. It seems like you definitely need a car. The good thing is that you have FULL days of clinic/class which is definitely more doable. Some of the students I talked to did not look at other schools and mainly picked this place cause it was close to home." More from this Member | Report Response

"nothing" More from this Member | Report Response

"The fact that St. Mary's (the hospital where the students do their clinical work) is in San Francisco while the college is in Oakland. It is a very long commute (30-45 min. and a very congested)." More from this Member | Report Response

"Living in Oakland, commuting to San Francisco. Very short interview with the 2 main guys (surgeons) and all they asked was 'Why Podiatry' and nothing else. They accept you at the end of the interview so if you have an interview you can count on being accepted. All the 1st year students said that they liked the school but Arizona is better." More from this Member | Report Response

"Oakland, high cost of living, state of some parts of the clinic." More from this Member | Report Response

"I was expecting more difficult "on-the-spot" questions, like why not another medical profession. It was pretty obvious that I was going to get an offer at the end of the day." More from this Member | Report Response

"none really..many may complain about traffic.. but it was no biggie since i'm from the bay area" More from this Member | Report Response

"The fact that their clinic is in San Francisco. Traffic sucks real bad. Their campus is in Oakland which isn't the safest place to be either. " More from this Member | Report Response

"Same day acceptance. The northern california traffic is just horrible. If you are new to this area, take a taxi." More from this Member | Report Response

What did you wish you had known ahead of time?

"How the day would be scheduled." More from this Member | Report Response

"Where exactly to park" More from this Member | Report Response

"You'll spend a lot of time with students so come prepared with questions." More from this Member | Report Response

"A lot of standing time, waiting for interview" More from this Member | Report Response

"Lots of standing, where comfortable shoes. Very low stress, no need to overprepare." More from this Member | Report Response

"That I would have to wait ~2 hours to get interviewed." More from this Member | Report Response

"That the travel time from San Francisco took much longer than expected. Give yourself an extra 30 mins if you're taking the BART because the shuttle is a rate-limiting factor I didn't foresee." More from this Member | Report Response

"Where we were meeting to start the day. I was lost in the rain." More from this Member | Report Response

"n/a" More from this Member | Report Response

"That the interview was at the end of the day, right after lunch." More from this Member | Report Response

"most students need a car, school is not just podiatry (also nursing, OT/PT, PA, etc)" More from this Member | Report Response

"That the interview was at the end of the day." More from this Member | Report Response

"You are standing a lot during the tour." More from this Member | Report Response

"That there were two seperate interviews. At the end of the day, each student will have an interview with either the Dean first, and then a faculty member. Each interview lasted around 20-30 minutes for me." More from this Member | Report Response

"Only 4 students maximum per interview cohort" More from this Member | Report Response

"-" More from this Member | Report Response

"not to worry and relax." More from this Member | Report Response

"Don't wear heels if you're not used to wearing heels because you're on your feet from 9am-1ish." More from this Member | Report Response

"How old/crammed together the buildings in Bay area are. It's almost like a version of NYC with less people. Living on top of each other. If that's what your used to, you won't mind it at all." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interview is the last thing you do." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing" More from this Member | Report Response

"How many times they will ask you "do you have any more questions?"" More from this Member | Report Response

"How exactly to get to the podiatry floor at Saint Mary's medical center. (take the 1st elevator on the left, as soon as you walk into the building)" More from this Member | Report Response

"It was a long interview day, plus it took extra time to travel back to S.F. from Oakland. I would have built more flexibility into my flight schedule." More from this Member | Report Response

"The campus is literally mixed in with a hospital (not what I was expecting) and bring cash for parking, etc." More from this Member | Report Response

"How long the day would be. The sameday decision on acceptance." More from this Member | Report Response

"everything on SDN tells you exactly what to expect..to the dot" More from this Member | Report Response

"Traffic across the bay bridge is horrible all morning!" More from this Member | Report Response

"You would be interviewed by 4 different people at 4 different times throughout the day. It never ends. But it was no where near stressful. They were all candid and genuinely interested in you. " More from this Member | Report Response

"get the chicken burrito during lunch... NOT a spicy chicken burrito! You'll interview immediately afterward with the former dean!" More from this Member | Report Response

"That the dorms were going to be torn down in the near future (no date set yet). Part of Bechtel hall is going to be demolished to make way for a patient tower for the hospital next door. Also making new classrooms/labs/offices. Construction may be annoying during class time. They are looking into buying out an apartment complex in the area, which is going to be much nicer than the dorms." More from this Member | Report Response

"the school is very misrepresented on SDN. it is a great school in a great location!" More from this Member | Report Response

"I did not realize that I was going to like CSPM as much as I did. It seems they made tons of changes/improvements after CSPM merged with Samuel Merritt College in 2001. It really seems like a great school with a lot to offer but gets a lot of flak for its past (The bad part of it) on the SDN forums. Also, I expected the college to have crappy facilities and be in a bad area (as per SDN forums). However, the area seemed quite nice and part of a medical center complex. It is not "inner city" oakland as people make it out to be. Furthermore, the facilities are pretty nice as well including the academic building, which had a very "open air" design. It may be a lot of concrete but still functional and adequate. One of the game rooms even had glass ceilings and wall that were opened on nice days, complete with plants and everything. Def look at the year and a half old patient simulation center. Long story short, don't believe all the hype and BS on these forums. Check everything out for yourself and come to your own impressions of the school. I was very surprised with many things on my interview day as I previously listened to all the negative comments on the interview feedback and forums. " More from this Member | Report Response

"how much walking was involved. Parking costs $18 for the whole day" More from this Member | Report Response

"That they had same day acceptance." More from this Member | Report Response

"Lots of walking and a very long day." More from this Member | Report Response

"Nothing; the interview with the tour, student contacts, etc., exceeded my expectations." More from this Member | Report Response

"That there would be 3 independent interviews." More from this Member | Report Response

"A taxi would be very convient since there are a lot of one way roads and it's hard to get to places if you do not know the area that well. It is a group interview as well with other interviewees." More from this Member | Report Response

What are your general comments?

"They didn’t ask me very many questions, it was more me asking them, so have a lot of questions prepared!" More from this Member | Report Response

"The students genuinely seemed to love the program and all of their professors. The faculty seems wholly dedicated to making sure everyone is able to reach their potential." More from this Member | Report Response

"This is a great school and I wish I get accepted!" More from this Member | Report Response

"N/a" More from this Member | Report Response

"Looks like a really great school! People are nice." More from this Member | Report Response

"Amazing school. Faculty is very involved with the students and most of the students love the school. Anatomy lab was large and the student to cadaver ratio is 4:1. New MARC Lab and early clinical exposure were overall selling points for myself. The opportunities to conduct research was also a plus." More from this Member | Report Response

"I really loved the school and everyone I encountered there was very friendly!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Very friendly and welcoming staff, being able to shadow at Highland Hospital on the day of the interview was very unique and eye opening in a good way." More from this Member | Report Response

"great facilities, great board scores, busy clinic, overall great day and great school!" More from this Member | Report Response

"I really enjoyed my time there, I felt welcome and appreciated by the staff, and the students were the most welcoming and friendly out of all the schools I've been to." More from this Member | Report Response

"I loved this school! Overall, I had a very positive interview experience." More from this Member | Report Response

"A fun, easy day. Do not let what people on SDN say in regards to how "bad" Oakland is. Yes, Oakland in general is not the best, but CSPM is near Oakland Hills which is the better part of the city. The interview with the Dean for me focused on my hobbies, talked about how we both love California, my family, my education, and why podiatry. Second interview with a faculty was a bit more intidimating since he/she did not give me any facial expressions after each question - focused mainly on academics and why I chose to pursue this profession, so it was more cut and dry, but as long as you know and be honest with yourself, you shouldn't even have to sweat it answering those kind of questions. I hope this will help future students and good luck!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Fun easy day" More from this Member | Report Response

"Great school. They cater to the needs of the students." More from this Member | Report Response

"Seem to be a great school. Quality facilities and caring faculty and staff. Woud consider going if accepted." More from this Member | Report Response

"Impressive clinical experience. Student start early with clinical in second year. Lots of diversity, but the school could still use some work despite how old it is." More from this Member | Report Response

"Good school for some but not sure if it fits my liking. Great location tho." More from this Member | Report Response

"Very nice day. Staff and students are nice. If you interview, I feel that the seat is yours to lose. I got the general feeling that they wanted me in every aspect. Not one question about a bad grade or my previous bad mcat score. Just pleasant." More from this Member | Report Response

"Interview day is long, but not that bad. Starts off chatting with Doctor Tran at saint marys medical center, tour facilities, chat with students, lunch, two back to back interviews. Travel to SMU. a 2 on 1 interview with faculty, tour the school, exit "interview" with Dr. Tran... not really an interview though. Just a "do you have any questions for me?" travel back to Saint Mary's medical institute by taxi... takes awhile because you have to fight traffic across the bay bridge. Got home late." More from this Member | Report Response

"Wonderful people, okay facilities. You have to visit the school yourself to accurately judge if it's the right place for you!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Dr. Tran was awesome and all prof./faculty seem nice and have great achievements under them. I liked San Francisco and all the variety of clinical rotations. Lots of opportunity for community service. Had 4 separate 1-on-1 that were laid back. Long day but worth it!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Overall this was the longest interview I went to. It started in the morning around 8am and went until almost 5pm. The interviews were somewhat conversational / laidback." More from this Member | Report Response

"good school and relatively good area...i cant say that for the rest of oakland, though" More from this Member | Report Response

"I think everyone who gets an interview invite should definitely come and check this place out. There's a nice new simulation lab that the school is going to start using more. Since the classes are small, we get our own cadavers to dissect and work with for the year. Basically, the training very well prepare you for your 4th year and residencies. " More from this Member | Report Response

"This school is truly top-notch! Don't believe what people say negatively about this school in the forums... all BS! Great education, great location, and sweet training will be paramount for your future! Dr. Tran is the MAN!!" More from this Member | Report Response

"Overall, I had a very good experience at CSPM. Just realize, the interview day is very long and you will probably be tired at the end. I left for St. Mary's Hospital at 8am and didn't come back to my hotel until nearly 6pm! I really like the class size is small and capped at 48 students. CSPM does not seem tuition driven like a few other pod schools (ex OCPM with 135 students). The location of the campus is an okay part of oakland, a hospital complex...not ghetto like some people on these feedback forums make it out to be. You have pretty good dorms right on campus as well. The weather is awesome, there is a BART station a few blocks away so San FRANCISCO is quite close. You start clinicals early as well which I personally feel is a plus. The 2nd year clinicals are in small groups (4 people) and involve some observation, pallative care, H and P's, simulation center with mannequins, radiology workshops, homeless shelter, etc. Seems to be great for learning how to interact with patients and prepare for 3rd year. The 3rd and 4th years seem quite strong from what I heard. The one negative is that you have a lot of lecture hours during the 1 day of class 3rd year (about 10-11 hours). I feel it would be better off being spread out to another morning/afternoon. The 2nd year also has 2 lecture days which are jam packed (hour-wise) but this seems to be the trade-off for an early clinical experience. I believe the new dean will be addressing this in the near future when curriculum review comes around. Overall, I have visited 8 pod schools and feel CSPM offers a great overall package. I am from the East Coast too and do not care about living close to home. You have a small class, great weather, early and diverse clinicals, located in the bay area, and more. I believe DMU and Scholl are great schools but during the winter...probably a bit rough with the snow and cold. Seems a bit depressing when your stuck inside all the time with so much stress and studying. At CSPM, you have the ocean and Tahoe is only a 3-4 hour drive away (awesome snowboarding). The weather definitely is a plus in my opinion, as you can be outside all year and the surrounding areas are beautiful. Hope this information helps. I got accepted to all the pod schools with good scholarships and most likely going to CSPM. Seems to offer everything I'm looking for in podiatric medical education. My advice for prospective students is to actually interview at CSPM and not believe most of the garbage you see on SDN and the interview feedback forums. Everything I read on here seemed to be complete or nearly opposite when I actually interviewed at Samuel Merritt. It was probably one of the best and most thorough interview days (and I have been to all the pod schools). I really would encourage pre-pods to take a look at CSPM, you will most likely be pleasantly surprised. " More from this Member | Report Response

"long day...met at st. mary's medical center, toured the medical center and the clinic across the street, met some second and third year students, faculty interview (very laid back), had lunch with two students at a mexican restaurant, traveled to oakland and met with financial aid, basic sciences interview (a little more interrogative), quick tour of samuel merrit campus, travel back to st. mary's." More from this Member | Report Response

"First off, it's a very long day. You arrange a cab to go to St. Mary's medical center in San Fran (arrive about 9am). The 3rd year students are rotating through a mainly surgical private practice at these facilities. You get to shadow and ask them questions. After this is lunch at the very good mexican restaurant on Haight Street. Following you have an interview with 2 of the private practice pods. Then you are provided with a cab to samuel merritt in oakland in which you go to the anatomy lab, tour, fin aid + housing presentation, etc. At the end of the day (about 3:30pm) I met up with the Tranman and the director of admissions who said I was accepted to the podiatry program. I def enjoyed my day at CSPM and St. Mary's." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interview was long- started at 9am and ended at 4:30pm. First was a tour of St. Mary's hospital, an hour to mingle unsupervised and shadow/question current students/professors. Lunch at a burrito place on Haight. Interview #1. Go to SMC. Tour the school. Financial aid spiel. Interview #2. Interview #3. Tour dorms. Final exit interview/wrap up." More from this Member | Report Response

"Overall, a very thorough interview day. Bring COMFORTABLE shoes -- there is a LOT of walking. We began by shadowing/talking to 3rd years in clinic, then we were taken for lunch at a yummy Mexican joint on Haight St. After lunch: interviews, travel to Oakland, financial aid workshop, more interviews, tour of campus" More from this Member | Report Response

"You meet at least 5 people that you talk to 1 on 1 including surgeons, Deans & professors. Ask to see everything including housing and class rooms or they may not show you. We also saw the 1st years in the Anatomy lab and spoke with them. The morning is spent in clinic shadowing 3rd years, see as many patients as you can." More from this Member | Report Response

"The school, faculty & students appear to be a very tight-knit, supportive family. This left a very positive impression for me, and am very excited to attend this particular program." More from this Member | Report Response

"great..very relaxed.." More from this Member | Report Response

"Very relaxed. The first interview was at St Mary's Medical Center with the Dean and another DPM. The second was on Oakland campus with the head of Student Affairs and the the big guy of the science dept. They were all very nice." More from this Member | Report Response

"The interview started out at the clinic where you meet the dean. He is a very nice gentleman who later takes you out to lunch and shows you the tour of the school after the interview. Before lunch, you shadow a couple students in the clinic for an hour or two and then you have an interview with the physicians. After the interview, a taxi takes you to the actual school where you have lunch. It ends with the tour. The whole interview experience took 8 hours. " More from this Member | Report Response

Tour and Travel

Who was the tour given by?

Response # Responders
Student 5
Faculty member 12
Admissions staff 29
Other 0

How did the tourguide seem?

Response # Responders
Enthusiastic 46
Neutral 0
Discouraging 0

How do you rank the facilities?

Response Avg # Responders
7.25 48

0 = low, 10 = high

What is your in-state status?

Response # Responders
In state 16
Out of state 28

What was your total time spent traveling?

Response # Responders
0-1 hour 8
2-3 hours 15
4-6 hours 10
7+ hours 12

What was your primary mode of travel?

Response # Responders
Airplane 31
Automobile 12
Train or subway 0
Other 1

What airport did you use?

SFO - BART (subway)

Oakland international

San Francisco

Oakland Airport

Oakland International Airport

San Fran

Oakland

SFO

OAK

sjc

Where did you stay?

Response # Responders
At school facility 0
With students at the school 0
Friends or family 17
Hotel 17
Home 2
Other 1

What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?

Miyako

Castle Inn

Cathedral Hill

Greenwich Inn

Renaissance - Stanford Court

Hotel Whitcomb ($79 online for petite double)

Best Western

America's best value inn

Grand Plaza Hotel

Waterford (the recommended hotel)

Imperial inn

Comfort Inn and Suites

Homewood suites

Yes

No

Would you recommend the hotel?

Miyako

Castle Inn

Cathedral Hill

Greenwich Inn

Renaissance - Stanford Court

Hotel Whitcomb ($79 online for petite double)

Best Western

America's best value inn

Grand Plaza Hotel

Waterford (the recommended hotel)

Imperial inn

Comfort Inn and Suites

Homewood suites

Yes

No

About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?

Response # Responders
< $100 13
$101-$200 6
$201-$300 8
$301-$400 4
$401-$500 8
$501+ 4

Comments on where you stayed

No responses

General Info

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

Response Avg # Responders
7.70 47

0 = low, 10 = high

What is your ranking of this school's location?

Response Avg # Responders
7.18 49

0 = low, 10 = high

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

Response Avg # Responders
8.84 49

0 = low, 10 = high

How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?

Response Avg # Responders
8.97 39

0 = low, 10 = high

How is the friendliness of the admissions office?

Response Avg # Responders
9.51 39

0 = low, 10 = high

How eco-friendly are the school's application materials and interview process?

Response Avg # Responders
7.73 37

0 = low, 10 = high

What are your suggestions for the admissions office?

"good" More from this Member | Report Response

"Keep up what you're doing, I left my interview even more set that CSPM was the program for me" More from this Member | Report Response

"N/A! They were very nice and responsive!" More from this Member | Report Response

"N/a" More from this Member | Report Response

"It would be cool to meet with the dean for a little bit." More from this Member | Report Response

"From the moment I checked in at 8:30AM at the Campus Service Center to meeting Andre, they were all friendly and welcoming, and most importantly, professional. They have all been quick to answer my questions and able to direct me to the proper people/departments without any hassle. Big thumbs up for streamlined efficiency" More from this Member | Report Response

"Continue doing what you are doing! Everything was perfect." More from this Member | Report Response

"I would make sure that the students that are paired with the interviewees NOT be so negative towards other podiatry programs. I would rather hear their opinions about their own school." More from this Member | Report Response

"Perfect the way it is" More from this Member | Report Response

"Admissions was very responsive" More from this Member | Report Response

"Instead of having four separate interviews, they should combine the first two and last two since the" More from this Member | Report Response

"There isn't much to suggest. The school is awesome and the interview process was very positive." More from this Member | Report Response

"-Show the dorm rooms to prospective students -Have a list of recent residency placements available " More from this Member | Report Response

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