Vallejo, CA
Pharmacy Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 40% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
6.7
Mixed
Mixed experience; organization and communication appear average with varied impressions and occasional stress.
Based on 415 responses
Score Reference:
9–10 Exceptional
8–8.9 Very Good
7–7.9 Good
6–6.9 Mixed
< 6 Needs Improvement
The SDN Interview Experience Score (SIES) is a composite metric that represents applicants overall impressions of their interview experience, based on multiple factors such as professionalism, facilities, responsiveness, and stress levels.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (70%)
Negatively (15%)
No change (15%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (27%)
Good (44%)
Average (22%)
Poor (4%)
Bad (4%)
What are your general comments?
Overall, applicants highlighted that the interview process at Touro was relaxed and informal, with a focus on group interaction and communication skills. Many emphasized the importance of staying calm, listening to others, and being prepared to share personal experiences during the interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The calculations assessment was easy, no need to stress about it. So was the essay. The interviewers were super nice and asked lots of questions, you were only interviewing for a total of 30 minutes, the rest was info sessions, Q&A, calculations and essay assessments.
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Just relax and you got it. Staying cool is the key, think before you speak. Interviewers will probe bad answers!
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Vallejo is filled with super nice people. And the absence of night-life is a positive thing to me. Tells me the city won't attract certain kinds of people. The quite environment is beautiful and conducive for efficient study and success. Cost of living is low and means I won't rack up unnecessary bills/ loan upon graduation.
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IMPORTANT! READ HERE: Listen, for this school, you will be interviewed alongside 3-4 other students, the same question will be asked and each of you will respond. Try to be the FIRST to answer the questions, it shows confidence and eagerness, and you won't be forced to change your answer because someone else answered what you wanted to say ~~~ The nature of the program is pretty attracting, the 2+2 program is pretty interesting but the school itself and the environment are not to my liking whatsoever.
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I was very nervous initially but the interviewers were very nice and laid back.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
54 Minutes Average
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Number:
2.6 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
1% One-on-One
99% Group Interview
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File Type:
81% Open-File
19% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
TU-CA-COP-COMP interviews are an average of 54 minutes, with an average of 2.6 interviews. 1% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 19% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the motivation for pursuing pharmacy and attending a specific school, challenges and opportunities in the field, ethical dilemmas, teamwork experiences, personal achievements, and views on healthcare and technology. Responses indicate a mix of personal and scenario-based questions, with a focus on assessing candidates' communication skills, critical thinking, and alignment with pharmacy values and ethics. Some respondents mentioned questions related to the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) format, implying a structured interview process where respondents may be subject to a nondisclosure agreement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Why Pharmacy?
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Why Pharmacy, Why Touro
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Why Tour? Why Pharmacy?
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Future of Pharmacy
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What drug fascinates you above all others? Why is this drug so meaningful to you and how did it influence your interest in pharmacy? (For me, it was not a specific drug that interested me in pharmacy, so don't feel obliged to give a direct answer here)
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Touro University California College of Pharmacy discussed a wide range of topics, including situational dilemmas, personal reflections, ethical scenarios, and future visions for the pharmacy field. Many responses indicated that the interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) with questions that required critical thinking and creativity, possibly under a nondisclosure agreement.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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From your current understanding, what does a pharmacist do? - Try to talk about pharmacist roles outside of retail pharmacy, they don't want to hear about filling medications and checking patient charts.
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Situational question: The patient was wanted to take hydroxychloroquine to treat covid. However, it interacted with other medications they were taking. Would you dispense the medication?
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Tell me a short story about anything (pick any topic)
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Imagine if all of a sudden that there were no more pharmacists (as in the dispensing role of pharmacists is gone). What would you do then? (be creative with this one; think of something related to drug monitoring and/or regulation, for example)
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If you could design the front page of the College's newsletter, what would your title be and why?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for their interviews by extensively researching the program, practicing with mock interviews, reviewing questions from interview feedback sources like SDN, and ensuring they understood their own motivations for pursuing pharmacy to confidently answer questions. Many applicants also emphasized the importance of being genuine, knowing the school well, and having a clear understanding of their personal reasons for choosing pharmacy as a career.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I made sure to know everything about the program, and had questions prepared to ask.
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Mock interview
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SDN
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BE EXCITED ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF SOMEDAY, BECOMING A PHARMACIST!!, SDN interview feedback, talked to a pharmacist, LOTS of mock interviews, learn as much as you ca about the school, and learn the various specialities in the profession. For the essay and math section, I read my GRE textbook on analytical writing and several short essays by a favorite author of mine.
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Gather some sample questions, this website has plenty. Develop good answers for them (short and to the point is best). Also be careful not to deviate from your primary and secondary application responses, because this is an open-file interview, and the interviewers knew all of our backgrounds before being interviewed. And of course, research the program and know exactly what you will say when asked "why this school"?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Touro University California College of Pharmacy discussed various scenarios such as conflict resolution in group work, ethical dilemmas with prescriptions, future of pharmacy practice, and personal attributes important for pharmacists. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses indicating multiple scenario-based questions and a focus on critical thinking, with some respondents mentioning potential nondisclosure agreements related to specific questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What does success mean to you?
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I want you to look in your crystal ball and tell me what pharmacy will be like in ten years. They said we could not say technology because it was too easy of an answer lol.
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Aside from your degree/ education, what else can touro offer you? (wasn't really difficult) - talk about network, professional development, serene environment, and opportunity to explore CA
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Name two attributes that you feel are the MOST IMPORTANT for a pharmacist to have? (that's tough because you're being interviewed with 3-4 other students, so try to answer this one FIRST)
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Tell me about a time you were working in a group and had a conflict. How did you resolve this?
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness, warmth, and supportiveness of the faculty, staff, and interviewers at the school. They appreciated the emphasis on early clinical experience, the small group interactions during the interview process, and the honesty about the accreditation status and the school's location.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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They were super friendly and made sure everyone was comfortable.
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Nothing
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The "family" dynamics of the school. Everyone was genuinely supportive of each other.
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The positive attitude and friendliness of the staff and interviewers was a plus.
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The school's early clinical experience and nice interviewers.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed negative impressions about the school's location, campus facilities, surrounding area, and interview process. Suggestions included improving campus aesthetics, addressing safety concerns in the surrounding area, and enhancing the overall interview experience to better reflect the institution.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing really
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The atmosphere of the college impressed me negatively. Some of the buildings of the college were vacant and not in use. Also, the area surrounding college had way many abandoned buildings.
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The old buildings were a bit spooky.
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Where to begin? First, the school itself is rather shanty and outdated (especially the "cafeteria" area and library). The campus is also extremely small, the classrooms were small, the overall feel I got was being cramped. The surrounding area is not so great, housing is hard to come by and more on the expensive side. One of the interviewers and a public health speaker were late, so the entire interview process was held back and some parts were cut short - not a very good impression :(
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The location
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the format of the interview, the need for thorough research on the school, the importance of a hearty breakfast, the location and logistics of the campus, and the focus of the interview on personal qualities rather than just pharmacy knowledge. They also suggested being prepared for unexpected questions, wearing comfortable shoes, and not stressing out too much.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The interview would actually be one applicant with 3 interviewers, not in a group setting like I thought it would be.
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I wish I would have researched the school a little more (specifics on the area, 2+2 curriculum, accreditation status).
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To rent a car for the trip. Do not depend on uber.
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About where to park if you were to take your own car. It's a good thing I did not because apparently the traffic just to get onto Mare Island is a NIGHTMARE in the morning hours. I ended up taking the shuttle from the Mariott (by sheer luck I ran into the driver that same morning)
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To eat a big breakfast, we didn't get lunch until around 1 PM.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as average.
How would you rate the Location and Cultural Life?
0 = Low, 10 = High
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.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggest that the admissions office should improve promptness, organization, and post-interview feedback. Additionally, they recommend providing more timely and clear communication, along with potential improvements to the interview process logistics.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Literally told me day after interview I got in
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Financial aid should come more prepared next time with updated dates on the packets. But overall, everyone was jolly nice and super friendly.
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Be more prompt and organized come interview dates! Also, they should try to speed up their post-interview responses and feedback.
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Perhaps find a bigger room to write the essays in. It felt a little cramped.
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Improve email response time.
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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SFO
31% interviewees used SFO (SFO), with 28% using OAK (OAK) and 10% using oak (oak) and 3% using OKL (OKL) and 3% using SMF (SMF) and 3% using SFI (SFI) and 3% using Oakland (Oakland) and 3% using OAKLAND (OAKLAND) and 3% using sfo (sfo) and 3% using San Francisco International (San Francisco International) and 3% using San Francisco International Airpoirt (San Francisco International Airpoirt) and 3% using Southwest (Southwest).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by automobile to the interview.
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44% Airplane
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55% Automobile
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0% Train or Subway
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1% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Quality Inn (average ranking 7.7/10), with some staying at Courtyard Marriot (average rating 8.8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Quality Inn
7.7/10
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Courtyard Marriot
8.8/10
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Courtyard Marriott
8.3/10
What was the cost and time spent traveling?
Cost: Low Cost to High Cost
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents are in state students.
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
Admissions staff (4%)
Faculty member (9%)
Other (1%)
Student (86%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Discouraging (4%)
Enthusiastic (72%)
Neutral (24%)
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