Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ames, IA
Veterinary Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 24% of interviews, indicating it is highly 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 revolve around scenarios requiring candidates to demonstrate problem-solving skills, leadership abilities, decision-making under uncertainty, and ethical considerations. Many responses indicate a focus on past experiences where applicants had to think creatively, handle unexpected changes, uphold commitments, and navigate challenging situations, emphasizing traits like resilience, adaptability, and integrity. Additionally, several references to 'MMI' or 'Multiple Mini Interview' format suggest that respondents may have encountered a structured interview setup with potential nondisclosure agreements.
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Tell me about a time that you had to think out of the box.
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Tell me about a time you had to be creative to solve a problem.
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Describe an object hidden in a bag to the interviewers sufficiently so they know what it is when you pull it out. (Mine was a screwdriver, another applicant had a fork).
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Tell me about a hard lesson that you learned.
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Name a time when someone challenged your beliefs. How did you respond and what was the result?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine discussed a wide range of scenarios such as facing forks in the road, making tough decisions, handling unexpected changes, and demonstrating problem-solving skills. The interview format seemed to focus on behavioral-based inquiries, with some respondents mentioning questions related to standing up for beliefs, creating innovative solutions, and dealing with emergencies, possibly indicating an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements.
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The thinking out of the box, but it was from the follow up questions to my response that made it interesting.
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When was a time you had to face a fork in the road? How did your choice turn out?
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How do you feel being a non-traditional student is positive and negative for your application?
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When did you have to make a decision that you weren't sure was the right one? How did it turn out?
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Tell me about a time when something changed in your life that was out of your control. How did you handle it?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said the most difficult question asked at Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine discussed various personal experiences, such as solving problems creatively, fulfilling commitments, handling emergencies, maintaining integrity, and dealing with conflicting viewpoints. While some found questions repetitive or challenging due to the need for specific examples, others noted the difficulty in thinking outside the box or recalling unexpected situations during the interview process.
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The follow through question.
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Tell me about a time you had to be creative to solve a problem. (They asked this question twice in a row)
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What is your greatest strength and weakness.
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Name a time recently when you could not fulfill a commitment. How did you deal with that situation and how did the other party respond?
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Tell me about a time when it was difficult for you to keep a commitment.
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 40 - 50 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 3 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 a closed 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.
📍 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 7+ 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 more than $500.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
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STL
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Omaha
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Midway, IL
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MCI
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Kansas City, MO
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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Microtel Inn and Suites
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Microtel Inn
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Microtel - Ames
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Microtel
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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?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing behavioral questions, particularly from sources like the Student Doctor Network (SDN) and online resources. They focused on practicing answers to these questions and reflecting on personal experiences to showcase desired qualities, often engaging in mock interviews to prepare effectively.
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Reviewed the SDN questions! They asked me 5 questions and they were all from on here!
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I studied behavioral interview questions.
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I looked at a lot of behavioral questions. The Nebraska interview was a lot different then the interviews reported for the main Iowa State campus.
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I reviewed behavioral questions prior to the interview.
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Looked up questions on SDN, talked to my academic adviser, and spoke with other pre-vet students.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and warmth of the interviewers, faculty, and students at Iowa State University's College of Veterinary Medicine. They appreciated the personalized attention, state-of-the-art facilities, and the supportive and cooperative environment that made them feel welcomed and valued during the interview process.
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The interviewers were really nice and took the time to tell me things about Iowa State that they thought I would personally like.
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The campus and the hospital were all connected and updated.
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Interviewers were very friendly and obviously prepared having read my file. Several of the questions were very specific regarding things I had put in the application.
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My interviewers were very personable, and made the interview far less stressful than it could have been.
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The interviewers were very friendly and we had a nice conversation.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the lack of opportunities for hands-on experience, unimpressive facilities, unfriendly staff interactions, and the school's location and weather. Suggestions included improving the student tour experience, enhancing faculty and student engagement, providing more information about the facilities and programs, and addressing the unfriendly staff behavior.
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Nothing!
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Vet students are not in the hospital really at all until 4th year.
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Nothing.
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Neither of my interviewers were from Iowa State, so they said it wouldn't make sense to ask them about the school.
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The only thing I could say was that I wish they had more of an opportunity for a meet-and-greet, although the student panel was so informal it kind of seemed that way.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known more about the specific interview questions and process to better prepare, such as the number of questions, emphasis areas, and the relaxed nature of the interview. Suggestions included arriving early, asking alumni questions, bringing comfortable shoes for the tour, and being aware of the school's facilities and schedule.
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Nothing! Iowa provided a lot of details about the process ahead of time, which I was very grateful for. It made the day of less stressful.
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They only asked me 5-6 questions. Spend time on your answers since the interview is scheduled to be an hour you can go into more detail. Come with lots of questions for alumni (it seemed most interviewers were).
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More about the differences between the Nebraska interview process and questions compared to the main campus.
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I felt fairly prepared
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I wish I had come up with more examples of how I had been creative and thought out-of-the box.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience positive, with friendly interviewers and a conversational atmosphere. Suggestions included reviewing interview questions in advance, emphasizing specific experiences, and being prepared for potential weather challenges in Iowa.
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Review the SDN interview feedback questions! All my questions were from those on here so I already had my answers prepared for them.
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They were really friendly and tried to make it less stressful, while still being a formal interview.
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Overall I had a really positive experience. Told some stories to get the interviewers laughing and generally had a good experience with the interview.
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If you take the time to look over the types of questions that will be asked you should do fine. The interviewers are very friendly and make the experience pleasant.
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Had a nice time, very low stress. Excited to hear back from admissions!
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly praised the admissions office for being helpful, friendly, and providing a low-stress environment during the interview process. Suggestions included showcasing the campus more effectively, improving communication about interview dates for out-of-state candidates, and offering more opportunities for prospective students to engage with current students and programs.
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Keep up the great work! You were all very helpful and provided a low-stress environment for us throughout the interview process!
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As a west coast person I think having the interviews in December was a great move. I know that January weather in Iowa can be a bit harsh, and negatively influence some applicants.
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None!
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Impress your potential students better, show your campus off and have more pride about your school, research facilities, and teaching hospitals
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ISU admissions did an excellent job!!
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