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 well.
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as low 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 include inquiries about motivations for pursuing dentistry, career goals, personal attributes that set applicants apart, experiences in the field, challenges faced, and future plans within the profession. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format and potential nondisclosure agreements, indicating a structured interview process with specific scenarios or ethical questions may have been included in their interviews.
There were no real questions, just questions based on the conversation we were having. The interviewer did most of the talking and I asked a lot of questions. Really laid back.
Students said the most interesting questions asked at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including research, personal motivations for dentistry, future aspirations, ethical dilemmas, and personal experiences. Some responses indicated an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements possibly in place, while others highlighted standard questions about personal background, academic pursuits, and career goals.
If you were to pass away 20 years from now, what would be in the 3rd and 4th paragrahs of your eulogy (the 3rd paragraph being background information about my life and the 4th paragraph being those who I would leave behind to mourn).
This question wasn't exactly asked during the actual interview, but we were asked the following: "What would you be doing if money were no object?"
I don't remember - unfortunately, the interviewer barely had time to ask me any questions because she had a medical emergency to attend to at the time of my interview, which only lasted for 5 minutes (but she basically told me that I was a shoe-in, which was nice)
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine discussed various topics such as hypothetical scenarios, personal reflections, ethical dilemmas, and motivations for pursuing dentistry. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format and potential nondisclosure agreements, while others highlighted questions about personal attributes, future plans, and familiarity with the school.
Interviewer didn't really ask many questions, but the attitude of the interviewer made it difficult. Loved the school but the interviewer gave me a bad impression.
None, it was conversational and I didn't even feel like he was asking me questions because he told me stories about when he first went to dental school "100 years ago". He was really funny and sooooo nice.
How would your friends describe you? (He read this directly off the sheet he was given. I ended my answer with "If they're my friends, I would hope they would say nice things about me" to which he replied, "Yeah, that was stupid question. I've only known you for ten minutes. How would I even know if your telling me the truth. The answers that we are looking for a are [and then he read off the sheet])
Interviewer (a professor) questioned my ability to perform in dental school when some of my prereq. work was performed at a community college. Asked me comment.
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
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 researching the program online, reading feedback on SDN, reviewing their application materials, and practicing common interview questions. The overall advice shared was to be familiar with the school, stay relaxed, know why you want to pursue the profession, and engage in a conversational interview style.
Sdn, school website. It wasn't even necessary. Don't script yourself, it's such a relaxed interview they just want to talk to you. Just know why you want to be a dentist and why you want to go to their school.
SDN, practiced interview questions, printed out copies of some research stuff I've done to give to my interviewer. They give you the name of the person who's interviewing you before lunch, so be sure to ask the students you eat with about your interviewer - gave me additional interesting things to talk about with my interviewer.
Read the schools website, read reviews on SDN, wrote out my answers to a bunch of sample questions that I thought I might be asked before hand (not to memorize it, just to get thinking in that mode)
This was my first interview, so I checked out their website, reviewed my application material and picked up a book from the library on dental assisting to help me familiarize myself with dentistry. In all of my interviews, no one asked me a question that probed how much I knew about the technical aspects of dentistry. So, although it was useful to learn this material for myself, it was not helpful for getting accepted.
I read up a bit on the school, and hung out with some first year students (stayed with a buddy from undergrad) the weekend before. I asked them tons of questions.
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and approachability of the faculty and students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. They also appreciated the school's facilities, including the simulation clinic, research opportunities, and the emphasis on providing a low-pressure interview experience. Suggestions include continuing to invest in modern equipment and technology, maintaining the supportive and welcoming atmosphere, and highlighting the school's strengths in specialty programs and clinical experiences.
The faculty were extremely nice and made sure we were not stressed or anxious
Everything. Was sooo impressed by the friendliness of the faculty that we met throughout the interview day. It's obvious that they go out of there way to make this a low pressure day for interviewees and I got more information about this school during the interview/tour than I did at any other school. They have several selectives and certificate programs (anesthesiology, public health, etc). Was also impressed by their special needs clinic. Smaller program with only 80 seats. They take NBDE part 1 the summer after first year. You get experience with standardized patients. Felt a really good vibe at this school, most enjoyable interview experience that I had.
The fact that they have a new implant center and have a program where they are trying to get every dental student to place an implant before graduation.
The friendliness of the faculty and interview committee. Rose is very down to earth, and so are the rest of the admissions staff members. I also look forward to working in the state-of-the-art simulaton clinic. Pittsburgh invested over $2million in the facility.
-Awesome facilities, not the newest, but modern. All digital X-rays, all digital paperless filing.
-Tons of research opportunities (something I'm interested in).
-They find you patients
-You get your own sim lab station and do on and off day sharing with a chair in the clinic.
-You can get your Anesthesia certificate
-In the Clinic from week 1, doing assisting and another patient care things to prepare you.
-More specialty residency seats than many other schools (11 ortho, 12 OMFS)
-Great admission staff, after I emailed to get some additional info on specialty numbers because I was trying to decide between Pitt and Columbia, Dr. Etzel actually called me and talked to me for like an hour.
-Everyone who applied to Ortho last year was accepted somewhere (Big Pro for me)
-Very positive students.
The school seems very professional and has their med school/nursing/pharmacy/etc. right across the street. The facilities look very nice and they're proud of their 80-chair sim lab. They have some good research opportunities and specialties available. All the students I met felt good about the quality of the education they were receiving.
the students seem very happy; the surrounding location is beautiful; the program is in the process of updating equipment; students are exposed to all specialties
The friendliness of students and faculty. The school's want to continue changing with technology--new implant clinic, electronic charting, and special needs clinic.
Everyone was very honest. They talked about the bad as well as the good. The sim lab. According to the students, classes are not taught towards the board exams, they are taught towards being a knowledgable dentist. They have all of the dental specializations here. The classes are taught by dental school faculty, so you won't have classes with med school students.
Interview was very laid back. The are currently building a new implant area and seemed as though future improvements were in progress. Students were very relaxed and well-rounded. Great food too :)
The sim-clinic was great. They have 80 seats. The facilities were clean and seemed up to date. The school also appears to be constantly plowing money back into itself to always stay up to date. Oh, also, the steel mills that people generally associate with pittsburgh aren't actually here anymore...It's actually a cute city.
The facilities are very nice, it is next to the new Peterson center (basketball arena/workout facility) and is in a great medical community. The simulation clinic is fairly new, and new facilities are going up in the area.
The people. My goodness was everyone so enthusiatic about being there, and being there together. The faculty and students not involved in the interview day were stopping me to make sure it was going well. And, the Sim-Lab is amazing! They really strive to make the transition smooth from simulation to clinical. They also have selection courses where you can choose a specialty to work with in your fourth year.
Nice campus, with some new facilities. The schedule and order of the day were well-planned. The staff was very hospitable. Clearly a solid academic environment and the students enjoyed each other's company.
The whole day at the school went by smoothly and everything was pertinent to dental applicants. The school has a wonderful simulation clinic and has a good reputation if you are looking for a more clinical experience oriented school.
They have lots of students from different years that are there to for you to ask questions during brunch and the student panel. Brunch is a great idea!
Everything, I have feeled weloce ot Univeristy of Pitsbburgh Shool of Dental Medicine. Faculty and students were extreamly freinldy, it was a long day, but very, let me repeat very orgonised. Rose Mangold is super nice, everyone was very nice. Pittsburgh is a nice place to be at, campus is beautiful, outtors are great in Pennsilvania...not as expensive to live at. Branch was great, very good food....Stimulation lab is very cool, it looks like University does spend time and money on facilites. All students were very open and honest about their experiances at
School's facilities were nice. They seem to take care of their students well. School is very well established. Area/location is beautiful- buildings are nice, looks like a mini-metropolitan area, lots of greenary. Great fitness center.
--Faculty--> They were all very friendly yet professional. The students also had good things to say about most professors. I was most impressed by the fact that most of the faculty also have their own practices, so you know they're actually competent in the procedures they're teaching.
--Students--> Everyone was extremely friendly and eager to answer questions. They seem like a close-knit group.
--Facilities--> The building is top-notch...modern and well-maintained. They have a Sim pre-clinic, and apparently it actually works (unlike the Sim labs at some schools).
--Curriculum--> The module system used 3rd and 4th years sounds useful.
--Military Scholarship Info--> I hadn't really thought about this before, but the information presented by the miliary liaison was quite interesting.
Their labs are very nice, but you pay for them. My interviewer was a very impressive person and we basically talked for 50 minutes, good research school (tissue regeneration). Offer MBA/MPH/etc.. “for free.†Brunch was good.
the friendliness of the people; the receptiveness of the faculty to the students and applicants; the obvious desire to serve the needs of the students as best as they can; the facilities
The people are super-duper friendly. The facilities are amazing. The professors are helpful and very qualified... they seem to really want to be there. Everyone seemed very happy.
Between all the schools i interviewed at i was most impressed with the genuineness and approachability of the people at UPitt. The facilities are sparkling. Also UPitt really takes pride in their students, campus and you see the love the st
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about short interview times, disorganization on interview days, lack of integration with students, negative or unprepared interviewers, and issues with facilities. Suggestions included longer interviews, more organized interview days, better integration with current students, and improvements in facilities and interview quality.
the city of pittsburgh, just didn't give me a good feeling. No student housing HUUUGE minus. Students were all married, didn't seem like they went out together much.
-No set time to study for boards.
-In talking to some students, they had a few complaints about some of the clinic staff, that some want you to do something one way, and another prof wants you to do it completely differently.
-If you don't confirm that your patient has paid half up front, you can be on the limb for the price of the work you do.
Facilities are just ok. The interview day was very unorganized and
there were at least 50 applicants that day. Lots of unnecessary downtime. Admissions office emphasized listening to
students about why you should come here - then students lamented about
the super competitive nature of the classes, difficulty finding patients, and lack of study time for boards. Admissions office was not particularly helpful during the day and strangely unfriendly.
Nothing negative really about the school. Pittsburgh, the city, has very cold weather and lots of hills to walk up, which may deter some people. It's a pretty isolated city but it seems self-sufficient in terms of social activities and there's lots of universities around; decent college town. The tuition is fairly high but not so bad for in-state.
I was not really impressed at all with the facilities, the SIM lab although hyped up to be amazing was nothing spectacular in comparison to facilities at NYU, Case, or Buffalo(places I have seen), Board scores were low for part 1, concerns about seeing enough patients
The current students prefer their classes not to be geared towards the boards, but some of the staff and faculty apparantly want to teach towards the boards. I side with the students.
I was not impressed with what is offered at the school. They seem to think their sim-clinic is everything. I talked to students about the sim-clinic and found out about some issues. Yes they have 80 seats, but they are for all the students including hygiene; so that is 160+ students with limited hours of availability. Also, the patient care facility was EMPTY. The students that were there were discouraged about being able to meet their requirements. As far as classes go, students told us that they are having problems with the way the school handles issues with professors. The students feel the school is more interested in its research than about teaching dental students. I only found 1 student that said they would choose this school if they had to do it again.
They interview sooo many students at once! I think there was about 60 students there for an interview that morning. It was just insane! Also, the interviews are sooo short! and my interviewer didn't really ask me any questions. It seemed as if he didn't know which questions to ask.. so I just kept on talking until we ran out of time. I don't feel that the interviewer got to know me very well within that short period of time.
The shortness of the interview. Some of the faculty were very young and seemed likely to lack experience. Some of the facilities seemes a little dark and dingy.
Gloomy weather. Students said it was very hard the first two years, but then I guess every dental school is. They almost seemed to put down their own school and speak highly of other schools. It confused me as to what they were trying to portray.
What's up with the essay, and the 70 degree hill outside the building......I don't know how everyone can go up that hill during winter when there are ices every where.
--The Endurance Test--> The day is way too long. Four hours is more than enough time to get a sense of what a school is all about. Honestly, after the 5-hour mark I began to wonder whether the day would turn into some kind of quasi-Survivor Last Man Standing competition, in which only the few weary applicants still on their feet at day's end received admission. Be sure to eat a large breakfast and drink lots of coffee beforehand.
--Financial Aid Presentation--> Why did we need to spend 30 minutes listening to a woman read aloud a packet we'd already been given? Note to Pitt: We know how to read.
--Essay--> Like all on-site interviews, this was an utter waste of time...
--Terrain--> I didn't realize how hilly the campus was...combined with the haphazard street layout that must make for real pain in the ass commute.
Their clinics are modest, and a bit outdated. I got the feeling that most of the advanced cases went to post-grads and the staff was a bit under prepared during my interview. It was finals week, but my tour guide got us lost on the way to my one-on-one interview and no students were around the school. The area around the school was a bit urban, thank god the brunch was good.
Other school employees were not very helpful, some rude (Secretaries and other low level workers; professors seemed nice). Comparatively, students did not seem very excited about the school.
The students I spoke with did not seem to be of a very high caliber...often when asked why they chose to attend Pitt the answer was that this was the only school where they had been accepted....Students also spoke loudly about how much money one can make in the field of dentistry while walking through the clinics, clearly in ear-shot of patients being treated....There were a million other interviewees there the same day
the poor attitude of the students towards developmentally disabled patients, homogeneous student body, city of Pittsburgh in general, students constantly talked about how nice it was to work out in the new gym, dental fraternities dentistry in the air force and not enough about the curriculum/school/dentistry in general.
The lack of diversity in the student body.... in general, the pittsburgh area is homogenous. Also, the school seemed dead, I didn't see a single patient being treated. The school seemed like a second class institution located in the middle of nowhere.
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time that the interview process at the school was very relaxed and conversational, with a focus on getting to know the school as much as the school getting to know the interviewees. They also mentioned the importance of being prepared for a long day, including a timed writing sample, and advised future applicants to wear comfortable shoes for walking.
It was very casual. You're split up into three different sections, and you'll have two separate one-on-one interviews. The third section is a student QnA panel.
They give you an envelope at the beginning of the day. Right below your name (on the sticker on the envelope) will be the name of your interviewer. I thought it was in the folder. It's on the envelope, not on the folder. Ask your student guide about your interviewer. Maybe they'll tell you that your interviewer hates dentistry and is really negative so you can be prepared for that if that happens to you.
That I did not have to stress out so much about the interview itself. I was a bit nervous going into the interviews, but I left feeling very relieved that it was very relaxed. Remember that the interviewee is trying to get a feel for the school just as much as the interviewer is trying to get a feel for the interviewee.
how relaxed it was going to be, I thought i was going to throw up waiting in the the office for my interviewer but when he came in he brought a cheerful warm atmosphere with him and it was like sitting down with an old friend. seriously guys, STOP STRESSING!!!!!!!!!!!
If you are flying to Pittsburgh:
Do NOT take a taxi to get to your hotel. Take a shuttle. Taxi = 40 bucks, shuttle = 24. After the interview, on the way back to the airport, if you can catch the X28 shuttle from Fifth Avenue, that will only cost you $2.25 (that is not a typo)...
The school collaborates a lot with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) which I thought was really cool. Also, we had an essay to write at the end of our interview which they sort of sprung on us. We had a time limit of 20 minutes.
It is possible to get a student rate from a shuttle from the airport. It was only $5 one-way. Although there is bus that is $3.
There are a lot of interesting things to do there in the university area. They have a big natural history museum an art museum and a plant conservatory right next to campus. Also within close walking distance is Carnegie-Mellon. There are some large open areas close by where one could go running.
That the very few SDN posters that negatively rate Pitt are about as informed on good dental schools as a cow is about headlights... neither know how to recognize either for what they are! And that is no bull.
I learned later (from others who had applied in the past, and also from admissions staff at other schools that I interviewed at) that Pitt invites many many people to interview early in the process, particularly west coast students, in an attempt to get them to put down a deposit early and then drop out later when they get into better schools. The deposit is 750 dollars and is non-refundable--a pretty good money making scheme for the school, but not very considerate of financial situation of most applicants. I was invited for an interview--and accepted--even before my application was complete, which I originally was flattered by, but now see that they just wanted my money.
Applicants generally found the interview process at Pitt to be relaxed and informative, with positive interactions with faculty and students during the day. While some interview experiences were more challenging due to the interviewer's approach, most applicants appreciated the welcoming environment and the opportunity to engage with the school's community.
Loved this interview and left feeling very confident
Wish they had more 3rd and 4th year students for the brunch/tour. Makes me wonder about the happiness of the 3rd and 4th years. Wish they had organized things a little better. Was late to my interview because they were disorganized. My interviewer was not in his office and was busy -- made me feel like they didn't even care about me and wondered why they even bothered to invite me to interview. Interviewer was very negative and preoccupied. Thought the school was great but left with a little bit of a bad impression. Wasn't able to see clinic either except through a window -- what's with that?
relax, and just be yourself, seriously. The interviewers are mostly dentists, some of them have 25 years of practice in making people feel calm, let them do their job and tell them why you want this.
If you already have an acceptance and have no particular reason for
going to Pitt, I wouldn't waste your money on an interview here -
there are much better schools out there.
The day started out with a presentation by numerous faculty and administration. Although the presentations were very long, it was a great learning experience. This was followed by a brunch with current students, and they encouraged us to ask as many questions as we wanted. Next, the students took us on a tour of the facilities. The interview followed the tour, and lasted 30 minutes. Since there were so many students there, you were interviewed by either a faculty member or administration, but there was only one interviewer. The interview was extremely layed back and was more of a conversation than an interview. They expressed that the purpose of the interview isn't to grill the students, but rather to get a sense of whether you have personal skills and can communicate well in person. Overall, I was greatly impressed by the school, and the program definitely exceeded my expectations.
My interview was with the dean who was very veryyy nice and laid back. It was definately more of a conversation than a interview. He seemed more interested in answering my questions than asking me them.
The only thing I would say is probably the interview and tour went too long. In the beginning one of the faculty members spoke for an hour about the student's schedule which I think could have been shorter.
Pitt is pretty laid back, had breakfast, wrote a lil bit, interviewed, toured the area, had some Q and A and left, overall though, I am from Pittsburgh and they really took some creative liberty in describing Pittsburgh and all the "things" to do, I love pittsburgh too but they really were trying to spin everything into a positive
I enjoyed it. He started off very professional but near the end seemed much more laid back. He also filled out all of the paper work about me right in front of me, and at the end told me that he gave me a good review because I was very honest and because he thought I would make a good dentist.
My interview experience at PITT was wonderful. Although there were about 50 applicants, there were many first- and third-year students with which I could interact while eating brunch and touring the facilities. The interview itself was not difficult by any means. My interviewer was an oral pathologist from the south with the most amazing accent. It felt more as if I was having a conversation with a new and interesting person, not being interviewed. I definitely stressed too much, but this is most likely because it was my first interview.
The interviewer was rude and uninterested. He did not bother to look at my file (he was supposed to) and while I was speaking he looked through his mail without paying attention to me. He then picked up the phone and called about a parking ticket he just received, without even an apology for his interruption. Not a great interview, but I heard the other interviewers are fairly congenial.
I was only asked two questions:
Tell me about yourself?
Why do you want to come to Pittsburgh?
The interview was very casual and the professor that interviewed me was very friendly.
The area is really nice.. I really enjoyed walking around. The school doesn't seem to offer much that's different from other schools. The faculty seems nice. The BRUNCH IS SO AWESOME! it's just too bad that the students there didn't know how to engage in conversations during that time.. and she spoke so softly during the tour. The student wasn't too friendly, obviously. It seems like a pretty good school tho.
Basically, the day is very relaxing until it comes time for the interview, but do not stress. Whether your interview will be laid back or stressful depends on who your interviewer is, there are probably 20-30 interviewers and basically all are extremely nice except like one or two who try to make you interview miserable. I interviewed here twice, last year my interviewer was horrible and totally degraded me and my application, but this year my interviewer was awesome, totally laid back and we just had a conversation. I got my acceptance letter three days later. So don't stress, if u get one of the mean interviewers stay positive and don't let him intimidate you.
I was one of about fifty other interviewers. We had presentations then brunch were we got to know each other, the staff, and students, and then a tour followed by brief interviews and more presentations.
My interview experience pretty much sucked. It was the hardest one I've had so far. I went into the interview completely relaxed b/c i figured it was going to be pretty easy, but that was not the case. My interviewer had zero sense of humor. He had a list of 18 questions and he just went right on down the list. It wasn't conversational at all even though I was attempting to make it that way. He was getting down to business. They were all really random questions. He seemed to try to criticize my background, like where I went to school and the sports I played. He didn't crack a smile the entire time and was impossible to read. I just didn't have good luck b/c everyone else i talked to had a really slack interview. You pretty much have a 1 and 40 chance of having a crappy interviewer. Decent odds.
The interview was a well-organized event. The communication from the school was excellent both leading up to and after the interview.
After arriving and meeting a few fellow interviewees, we were formally greeted by Rose Mangold, the Dean, and various staff. We had a presentation on the curriculum by the dean and two professors. Students then arrived and took us for brunch in the student center, showing off the workout facilities and basketball arena. The food and conversation was very good.
Brunch was followed by a tour of the clinic and dental school. Then we had individual interviews (20 min each). We then had a session with students only, where we could ask any questions we wanted. Finally, we had a financial aid presentation and a tour of the simulation lab.
Overall a nice experience. The staff told us to relax, enjoy, and learn -- and I could tell they meant it.
When you get there you will be overwhelmed because they interview about 50 people on the same day, but don't stress. It's actually really laid back, the students and faculty are super friendly. They talk a lot, so when you go to brunch eat a lot and grab a drink to go because it ends around 3 and you're going to be hungry by the end of the whole day experience. Also there is an essay that you have to write, but don't stress they give you 15 minutes and they just want to see how you think, nothing too serious.
Do not be stressed.(unless you are interviewing in February, then you might be in a DO OR DIE situation)
Most of the other students that interviewed that day did not even talk about dentistry during their interview.
There were many different interviewers. So, my experience might not apply to you. There were about 50 students here on this interview day.
I was told they have the 2nd highest building on any campus in the world. It looks like a medieval skyscraper. There are classes actually held in it. It's 40 stories tall. You can take the elevator to the top for great views!
The students seemed to like there school and were friendly. They've got a real nice "sim-lab" and another nice pre-clinic lab. There is a gym in the big sports complext right next to the dental school. The cost of living is quite cheap. This might be a real nice place to go to school.
I didnt speak much during the entire interview b/c my interviewer kept talking. He was a great guy and we clicked right away! So, the rest was history. I was notified of my acceptance within a week or two of interviewing there. The interview was just a casual conversation of my past experiences, thoughts, letters of recommendation, and future goals. Therefore I dont really remember distinct questions being asked.
It was very laid back and low stress by open file standards, though not so easy as a typical closed file interview. YMMV depending on which professor you interview with.
Overall the day was great and definitely improved my impression of Pitt. I just wish they would trim an hour or two off the bloated itinerary.
Overall, I think Pitt is a great school in a nice area. One of my top choices, for sure. Every one was friendly and the my time at Pitt was very enjoyable.
I am extremely impressed by Pitt. This school really has it together. I was prepared to see "nice facilities." But I was not prepared for the relaxing, friendly atmosphere. The faculty is wonderful, including ROSE! She is like that aunt you only see every few years, but always remembers your name and gives you a heartfelt hello at the family reunion! This is a great school-I have no clue how the negative posts arise. Don't take their word, but don't take my word for it either... apply and go interview. I will probably end up at Pitt.
The preclinical labs, the simulation clinic, the clinic, the classrooms are top-notch. Pitt is a dream school. Compared to the overpriced schools in the Northeast, Pitt is superior in every way. See for yourself, I'm sure you'll agree. (the weather isn't as bad as people make it out to be either) =)
The school seemed nice. However, the interview was like mass interviewing there were about 60 students that were being interviewed the same day. The interview was very laid back. However, the interviewer had no idea about me, I don't even think she had seen my file.
The interview process itself was fine---very low-key and not designed to be stressful. My interview experience was negative because of what I learned about the school while I was there, as well as what I learned shortly after leaving the interview. Also, although the admissions staff was great on the day that I interviewed, they were less than helpful in the weeks to come in answering my questions. Several people I spoke to, including Rose Mangold, were blatantly rude to me when I called or e-mailed seeking additional information.
We were all packed into a giant lecture hall ass-early in the morning. The dean of the school spoke, and told us that for recreation in Pittsburgh, we could "ski...and...ski" :) As for the interviews (which we had at different times) we were all rushed in, and rushed out. I felt as if I hadn't had an interview at all. I basically sat down, she told me that my stats were good, and that was the end.
Overall, the inteview was ok.. At first when i got there, i was surprised by the number of people who were there for the interview.. there was like 80 people in the auditorium.... I was interviewed by this one dentist and for about 10 minutes of my 15 minute interview, he did most of the talking.. he started off by telling me how he loves Florida(where i came from), it's weather and the Disney.. Then he kept going on and on about his last visit to disney with his children..... i didnt care much.. I think he did that to make me feel comfortable.. He asked me what other schools i applied to.. One of the school i applied to was Nova and he asked me if i knew anything about nova dental program.. Of course, I said "no" and he talked about 3 minutes about nova... By the end of the interview I felt like I didnt say much throughout the interview... And before i knew it, the interview was over...
For the above reasons, I immediately turned down their acceptance and would recommend future applicants not to apply to pitt as one of the back-up schools because it is not worth it.
It was a beautiful little school. I like the way they are retaining full-time faculty who are dedicated to the school only. The students seemed happy, and their selectives programs was refreshing and unique.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office improve organization for interviews, reduce the number of applicants during interview days for better interactions, provide faster responses to applicants, and streamline the overall process to minimize downtime. Additionally, some applicants also mentioned the need for clearer directions for interviews and questioned the requirement of a writing sample.
I wish that there were fewer applicants during the interview day (I was with 50 other students!) It was hard to stand out and get to know the school's faculty and students
