How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.08 | 80 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 75 |
| Negatively | 1 |
| No change | 7 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 3.06 | 81 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.77 | 83 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.25 | 83 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In Person | 0 |
| Virtual | 5 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 0 |
| 20 minutes | 2 |
| 25 minutes | 1 |
| 30 minutes | 8 |
| 35 minutes | 12 |
| 40 minutes | 27 |
| 45 minutes | 21 |
| 50 minutes | 7 |
| 55 minutes | 0 |
| 60+ minutes | 4 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 75 |
| At a regional location | 0 |
| At another location | 6 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 61 |
| In a group | 18 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 81 |
| Closed file | 0 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.08 | 80 |
"A current issue in veterinary medicine"
"I noticed your extracurriculars in your application, do you still [insert extracurricular]?"
"What kind of problems do you think are affecting the veterinary community right now?"
"Why did I want to go into vet med"
"Tell me about your current job? what is a typical day like? what do you like and dislike about it?"
"How do you feel? My answer: a little nervous (and this response was ok!)"
"How I planned on paying for vet school?"
"Are you aware of/prepared for debt after vet school?"
"Tell us about your veterinary experience"
"Asked about my research experience"
"They didn't really ask me any questions, strangely enough. They just talked about themselves and the program and then asked what questions I had. Be prepared with at least 6 good questions. By question 4 I ran out of things to ask and we sat in silence for awhile... awkward!"
"You mentioned in your extracurriculars *this*, explain more about it.."
"Did you like playing *insert sport here*? How do you de-stress?"
"What challenges do you think you'll have in veterinary school?"
"Why did you choose your undergraduate college?"
"They mostly just wanted to know about me and my experiences. The interview was more of a dialogue among three people, than two people drilling you with questions"
"What are your research goals within food animal science?"
"Why not go to a school that tracks? (I talked a lot about my specific interest)"
"Explaining my extracurricular activities in more detail."
"Why veterinary medicine and not human medicine?"
"Have you contacted a zoo veterinarian? (Because I said that I was interested in zoo medicine)"
"Asked about my TA experience"
"What do you do for non-veterinary fun?"
"It was more of an open conversation than formal interview: they talked about themselves and then asked me to tell them about the path that took me here interjecting with follow up questions and statements about the school and how the program fits with my interests."
"Tell us about your experience with laboratory animals at the college (animal technician, animal husbandry at the college vivarium)."
"About my research, and extracurricular experiences, why I applied to tufts, where I see myself 5 years after graduating vet school"
"What would you like to talk about? (we were waiting on one of the interviewers)"
"Where do you see yourself in 15 years? & Who inspires you the most?"
"How did you like ____ (my undergrad institution)?"
"Tell us about your research."
"What is your opinion on the use of antibiotics?"
"Why Tufts? What did you like and dislike about working in a small animal practice? How did you deal with people who couldn't afford care?"
"Tell us about your experience in Italy."
"What do you see yourself doing in five years?"
"To be honest, they didn't ask me a lot of specific questions. We just had a conversation."
"Explain the grades on your transcript."
"Tell me about yourself and how you ended up here."
"You've worked with many different species of animals. Tell us about a case that was meaningful/memorable to you."
"So since you are interested in conservation medicine, how do you feel about animals for entertainment such as zoos? How about circuses?"
"Tell us about your alpaca research."
"They asked me about my research. "
"What is your feeling about lab animals? Race horses and dogs?"
""Tell us about your honors thesis""
"Asked me about a summer program I did at the school back in high school."
"Let's say that you are completely stressed out. The electricity is out, you have 5 tests the next day and all of your underwear is dirty. How would you handle this stress?"
"Tell us about yourself/why do you want to be a vet"
"Tell us about yourself--this is your chance to "sell us" on you! "
"The first thing they asked me after looking at my experiences, looking at your experiences, you have a lot of exotic/zoo animal experience, is that the area you're interested in?"
"Tell me about yourself."
"You went to Cornell and now work at Penn, our biggest competitors in the region; why Tufts?"
"They basically were just asking me questions from my personal info on my application"
"how do you cope with stress?"
"All of the questions I was asked had to do with my specific situation. Although, they do expect you to come prepared with questions about their program and school, and that exchange comprised a majority of my interview time."
"''How did you decide to pursue veterinary medicine?''"
"why did you decide to not pursue an m.d?"
"Why Tufts?"
"Tell us about [a class I took]"
"Where do you see yourself five years after finishing vet school?"
"General Questions: Why veterinary medicine and why Tufts? Tell us about your research. How much do you think a small animal vet makes right out of school? (I answered correctly, and then...) Do you think that's too much or too little? What do you do to relieve stress?"
"How do you plan on preparing yourself for, or do you foresee any difficulties in, beginning a heavy science course load?"
"Tell us about yourself."
"Why veterinary medicine?"
"If you saw a fellow student cheating, what would you do?"
"What did you think of our Adventures in Veterinary Medicine program? (I attended last spring)"
"Why do you want to go to tufts"
"Tell us about [my senior capstone course]."
"what my interests are in vet med"
"How do you deal with stress? Then sub question of- what if you were to do poorly in a class, how would you approach that type of stress?"
"How do you de-stress?"
"How I deal with stress"
"where do you see yourself after graduating?"
"Tell us about your undergraduate university. What do you think of the horse-slaughter industry?"
"Why I wanted to be a veterinarian?"
"Vet school is a stressful time, how will you deal with it?"
"How do you handle stress"
"Are you interested in any particular type of vet med?"
"Why Tufts?"
"Why do you want to be a vet?"
"Tell us about yourself."
"Where do you see yourself in 10 years?"
"How do you think you will handle the stresses of such a rigorous program?"
"Tell me more about *specific experience* you talked about in your essay."
"Why are you interested in large animal?"
"Why do you want to go into veterinary medicine?"
"Where I saw myself in 5 years."
"Can you tell us about your research? What clinical research interests you here at Tufts?"
"What kind of research are you interested in doing as a zoo veterinarian?"
"Asked about my research experience"
"Tell me about your experience with the vet you shadowed."
"Your friends are around a table at a bar. What are three words they use to describe you?"
"How do you deal with stress?"
"What are your time management skills?"
"What is something you are excited about for vet school, and something you are afraid of?"
"If you could have had any job in the world, regardless of circumstances, salary, etc, what would it be?"
"Not really a question. "What I really like about your file is that you have a lot of teaching experience, and I find that being a veterinarian/vet student requires just as much skill in teaching as in learning." I was expected to respond to that in a more conversational way I guess?"
"What do you think of your undergraduate school's biology department?"
"Say your lights are out, you have dirty laundry, and an exam tomorrow. How would you handle the stress?"
"Tell us about your research."
"They talked to each other a lot. It hardly felt like they were asking me questions."
"What was (the research I did during undergrad) like?"
"What do you think is the vet's role in the animal-owner bond during euthanasia?"
"Where do you see yourself 5 years after graduating from vet school?"
"What did you like and dislike about working in a small animal practice?"
"If you had to choose between a friend's wedding and an exam, what would you do?"
"You are in small animal practice and a family brings in a dog that has been showing aggressive tendencies and they have a small child at home. They ask you for advice. What do you say?"
"Why Tufts over you IS school, which is a very good school?"
"What is your opinion on raw milk? "
"How would you handle a client who wanted a convenience euthanasia?"
""Why this corner of the country?" (I'm from the west coast)"
"Asked me about my personal research experience."
"What is your greatest weakness?"
"I really can't remember the rest of the questions...they were so typical and not stressful in anyway..they genuinely wanted to get to know you"
"Describe a character flaw that you have."
"I honestly can't tell you a second question they asked, it was really a conversational style, so we started talking about stuff I'd done at the zoo and then began discussing shelter medicine and the new program at the school for that. "
"Why veterinary medicine instead of research or human medicine?"
"What field of veterinary medicine do you want to go into?"
"How did you decide to make the switch from a completely unrelated major to veterinary medicine?"
"Tell me about your time at the ____ and how it influenced you. "
"What questions do you have?"
"Explain a research project I was involved in."
"''What would you do if you couldn't go to vet school?''"
"why did you decide not to pursue a phd?"
"Have you ever encountered a class that you had some difficulty in? (They followed my answer by letting me know they just wanted to make sure I have had to work hard for a grade before)"
"How do you relieve stress"
"When and how did you first become interested in veterinary medicine?"
"Ethics Questions: How do you feel about euthanasia? What is the ethical difference between euthanizing a mouse and euthanizing a dog? Lately wild coyotes have been attacking pets in the area. The locals have taken to just shooting the coyotes. How would you fix this problem in both the long and short terms?"
"How do you handle stress?"
"Why veterinary medicine?"
"Why Tufts, specifically?"
"Tell us about your work in surgical research (I worked in an SRL)."
"Explain about different volunteer activities."
"What field of vet med are you most interested in"
"What subfield of veterinary medicine do you want to go into?"
"A class I struggled in, how I got over it"
"What would you say are some of the biggest problems within veterinary medicine?"
"Why did I choose tufts"
"what are of vet med are you interested in?"
"Tell us about your current job."
"Why I decided to change from psychology to veterinary medicine?"
"Talk about thoughts and experience with euthanasia"
"What are some current issues in vet med? Followed by what would you do if one of your friends in vet school was contemplating suicide?"
"Tell us about your research."
"Your app says you have *this* experience, can you elaborate on it more?"
"What are some negative aspects of veterinary medicine?"
"What do you think will be the biggest challenge that vet medicine will face in 10-20 years?"
"No other questions"
"Why vet med?"
"Does it worry you that certain veterinary hospitals are struggling financially?"
"They asked about my non-animal related employment."
"What type of veterinary medicine I saw myself going into."
"What would you like to do with this degree in 5 years?"
"Tell us about yourself."
"Asked about my trip to Peru volunteering with alpacas"
"What do you think of the negative aspects of being a vet?"
"How do you feel about mice used in your research (I said that I was ethically ok with it because we were working towards treating diseases, but that I still felt uncomfortable and that there are some procedures that even though I am ethically ok with them I emotionally would not want to do myself--they said it was a good answer and that it's good for researchers to be a bit uncomfortable with this)"
"There's another student applying this year who had gone abroad and got the opportunity to neuter a cat under a veterinarian's supervision. We believe the owner was not informed who performed the surgery. Is that ethical? What if owner's consent was obtained?"
"What makes you happy?"
"No more questions were asked. We spoke a lot about their international program and why I am so interested in it."
"You've done a lot of small animal experience but suggested there were some downsides. Tell us both good point and setbacks for the profession."
"Tell us about a volunteer program I am involved in."
"Tell us about yourself/why veterinary medicine."
"Asked about my involvement in several extracurricular activities."
"What would you do if a classmate had a concept wrong but was convinced they had it right?"
"How was England (study abroad experience during undergrad)?"
"Have you had experience with animals with cancer?"
"They asked about my athletic background and other extracurriculars that I had marked on my activities."
"Tell me about your research."
"Who is your hero and why?"
"Tell us about this ____ study abroad activity you did? What was involved when you did _____?"
"Stuff from my application. Since I am a non-traditional student... Would I be able to cope with the work load?"
"How will you handle the rigorous curriculm with _______? (I have a chronic illness that i mentioned in my application)"
"What do you think is the biggest welfare issue in the dairy industry? "
"Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?"
""You had an interesting historical figure for your essay: tell us more about her""
"Commented on how they loved a particular part of my essay that discussed my good time management skills - then asked if I had any tips!"
"Tell me how you decided veterinary medicine was right for you."
"Nothing specific--mostly conversational throughout the bulk of the interview (and fun)!"
"I asked if there was anything else they wanted to know about me, she asked about my courses I'd taken in addition to the prerequisites, and said those courses will really prepare me for the course load. "
"Given your experience using lab. animals, how do you feel about horse racing? Follow up, dog racing?"
"Why not human medicine?"
"More in-depth discussion on laboratory experience"
"How would you handle the stress of vet school given your anxiety condition?"
"Do you think you will pursue lab animal medicine?"
"What can we answer for you? (Every school will ask this!)"
"''Explain your college grades.''"
"how is some of your past research related to veterinary medicine?"
"Tell us about yourself"
"Where do you see yourself in x years."
"Tell us about [specific research project]."
"Conservation Medicine Questions: What are some of the challenges facing the veterinary medical profession? Where will veterinary medicine be in 20-30 years? What would be necessary to cause a shift in the veterinary medical field towards Conservation Medicine? Another way to go into Conservation Medicine would be to get an MD. Why a DVM?"
"What are some examples of ethical issues veterinarians see?"
"Do you have any questions?"
"Where will you be in ten years?"
"So are you going to make documentaries, and if so, would you drop them if they affected your studies?"
"Do you think not having any clinical experience will be a disadvantage compared to the other students if you are accepted? (All of my animal experience is with laboratory animals)."
"what do you want to know more about"
"Tell us about [various hobbies]."
"Off the bat, they asked about my research"
"What would you do if you weren't a vet?"
"How do you plan on overcoming difficult situations, having had the training but being unable to use it?"
"What was my favorite animal at the zoo I volunteered at"
"what do you do for fun?"
"What do you think about the ratio of males to females in the veterinary profession?"
"How I handled ethical disagreements and mistakes working at a vet clinic?"
"What is your 10 year plan after vet school?"
"Have you ever had an ethical disagreement at work"
"Why are you interested in this species?"
"You answered my question, now can you ask me one?"
"They wanted to know about the person I chose for my essay and asked me a lot about my major in English Literature! They wanted some book recommendations haha"
"Did you ever feel heartache releasing a wildlife patient that you became attached to?"
"Why do you think there is such a disparity in the number of men and women in the veterinary field?"
"About my previous research experience?"
"Explaining unique/non-veterinary extracurriculars."
"What was the last book you read?"
"Have you ever disagreed with any of the ethical opinions of the veterinarians you have worked with? (I said I disagreed with convenience euthanasia and they had a lot of follow-up questions)"
"What questions do you have for us?--I asked them what they would tell me that I haven't heard from admissions or already told them that would make me want to come to Tufts."
"Who inspires you the most? & How will you incorporate your second major (philosophy) into your profession?"
"Really can't remember any specific questions they asked..."
"How would you justify the slaughter of cattle to a vegan or vegetarian?"
"Tell us about your artwork. Do you think there is anything from art that you can apply to vet med?"
"You seem pretty musical. Do you still play much music? Do you play classical guitar?"
"What do you think is the vet's role in the animal-owner bond during euthanasia?"
"Introduce yourself."
"What kind of impact are vets able to make? What impact did you make on your trip to Peru?"
"Tough- the interview was very conversational and interviewers were engaging and warm."
"Since you want to do some conservation research in your career, what kind of research training do you think you need for that?"
"They asked me some questions about my research and mentioned their own."
"Compare vet medicine between Country A (which i lived in) and country B (which I studied abroad in)."
"What do you think should be done with excess males in the goat and dairy industry? "
"If I told you that the best way to be prepared for research was to go into a phd program and skip vet school, what would you say?"
""How did you come to combine your mom's interest in horses (she's a dressage trainer) with your dad's profession in human medicine? How do they feel about your decision?""
"I told an anecdote about having to put a dog down - they asked me if I was a veterinarian, what would I do in that situation?"
"They asked me about a Drum and Bugle Corps I marched in. I thought is was interesting that they asked about it."
""you seem optimistic...tell us the dark side of your self""
"See #2. "
"A lot of interesting conversation, not really any questions specifically. "
"Because the interview style was so conversational it is difficult to say there were any interesting "questions". Tufts matches you up with interviewers who have similar interests/backgrounds as you, so that lends itself to interesting conversation."
"What do you like and dislike about your current job? (They were both familiar with the place where I work, so this allowed for more of a conversation.)"
"Have you talked to many large animal veterinarians about their economic situation? What are your thoughts? (Interest provided was equine)"
"Exactly what kind of job do you think you could get that would match your interests?"
"Most dealt with my very specific experiences. "
"How would you get younger students interested in veterinary medicine?"
"This is what we're doing with our small ruminant program...What do you think?"
"I am leaving a 10-year career in public policy research to start a career in vet med. They had some interest in that transition."
"''How did you end up pursuing veterinary medicine?'' (The path here has not at all been linear or obvious! :)"
"why did you decide to not pursue an m.d.? (this question was probably based on my past medical research experience)"
"How do you believe animals help people with disabilites and how well are these animals treated? (In reference to a specific expierence I had)"
"About a class I took."
"What are some of the challenges you see facing the profession in the next 5 or 10 years?"
"Why do you like reptiles?"
"If all the vet schools burned down, what would you do next year?"
"The only question I was asked was, If you saw a fellow student cheating, what would you do?"
"Are you going to make documentaries? (I have a BA in screenwriting..)"
"Since you are getting married soon, how do you think you and your husband will deal with the stress and time commitment of vet school?"
"I wasn't really asked anything specific, we mostly just talked and they gave me a chance to tell them about what I had been doing since I applied. "
"I was asked about a passage I had written in one of my essay questions, which impressed me because they had actually read it. "
"Differences in private vs corporate vet med."
"How do you deal with clients that are verbally abusive? What would you do to protect your technicians when in practice?"
"How do you plan on overcoming difficult situations, having had the training but being unable to use it?"
"How the vets and I deal with rude/ difficult clients and what we do afterwards. (Do we discuss it, do we ignore it etc)"
"give a two minute pitch on yourself"
"How much do you think is the cost of hay for one year?"
"Why I was interested in IVM and what an IVM does? I was thrown off guard because I completely forgot I put that on my application."
"Tell me about an uncomfortable situation you’ve been in, and how did you deal with it?"
"We see you have a lot of work experience. How, at work, do you gain respect from your boss"
"How could you use a degree in conservation medicine in a way other than rehab and release?"
"You answered my question, now can you ask me one?"
"I mentioned that I liked Tufts ethical approach to teaching and they asked "Are other vet schools not ethical?" I floundered a bit because I didn't want to insult other vet schools, but wanted to show that Tufts is relatively progressive in their animal use policies."
"Why not be a wildlife biologist instead of a wildlife veterinarian? Why didn't you apply for a PhD?"
"Given your lack of experience with farm animals, how will you handle the curriculum of a school that does not track?"
"Honestly, I was not asked anything difficult or unexpected. It was pretty conversational. Though I do feel I had a difficult time phrasing why exactly I want to go into vet med and probably didn't state it as eloquently as I would have liked!"
"Why do you think there is such a disparity in the number of men and women in the veterinary field?"
"They asked about the names of the the veterinarians at one of the large organizations I volunteered at and I couldn't remember"
"About my research goals?"
"All of the questions were fair and straightforward, but the most difficult was probably "how do you deal with euthanasia? Are you prepared to enter a part of the profession where you will need to deal with death?""
"Where I saw myself in 5 years and why I would go into that part of veterinary medicine."
"What do you think will be the biggest problem faced by the veterinary field in the next 5 years?"
"What are your strengths and weaknesses? (followed by give me an example of your weakness in your life outside of veterinary medicine)"
"Nothing really difficult, asked mostly about my application"
"What would your friends say is the worst quality about you?"
"How, in your opinion, should the problem of feral cat overpopulation be resolved?"
"After looking at my application they asked if I tend to over-commit myself to things, it wasn't too hard but I wasn't expecting it"
"Tell us about your research."
"I was only asked two questions, the rest was conversational."
"We see you have a strong application. Tell us something that you would change or that you struggle with. (I gave 2 responses)"
"None! Very conversational, they do not try to trap you or challenge you in any way."
"Say a group of your friends are together, what would they say is the worst quality about you?"
"Why do you like volunteering abroad? This sounds straightforward but I had never really thought about it or phrased it eloquently before."
"None of them were really difficult. It was very conversational."
"So you have all this exotic animal experience, why do you want to do small veterinary medicine?"
"Explain your grades"
"What kind of work do you see yourself doing?"
"The case."
"In your volunteering in clinics, tell us about something you have seen that really troubles you. (I kind of blanked)"
"There were no difficult questions!"
"The compare between countries. I actually couldn't answer it because i had not really seen much of vet medicine in the country i had lived in due to the fact i moved wheni was just over 10 years old."
"What is your opinion on BST being used in milk?"
"What is your weakness?"
""Based on your clinical experience, what do you think would be your favorite and least favorite parts of the job?""
"None, really."
"Same as above"
"Given your experience using lab. animals, how do you feel about horse racing? Follow up, dog racing? I didn't really see the relevance of this question within the context of a conversational interview. I couldn't tell if they were just making conversation or if it was some kind of test- this caught me off guard."
"Talk about yourself. (Not really a question, but it's hard to build yourself up in their eyes without feeling like you're bragging.)"
"Coming up with questions to ask them - everyone was so friendly that I had all my questions answered before I walked into the interview!"
"How would you describe your character? Greatest weakness?"
"Most dealt with my very specific experiences. "
"I wasn't asked anything not directly related to something discussed in my application, which made all of the questions easy to answer."
"You're an older student and we worry about your ability to cope with going back into a very difficult curriculum after so long out of school. How do you plan to handle it?"
"see above"
"There were no difficult questions."
"''Explain your college grades.'' They asked this in the nicest way possible and acknowledged that I've done really well in my pre-vet courses (taken after college). But I still had to walk a fine line between explanation (good) and excuses (not so good)."
"why did you decide to not pursue an m.d.? "
"None really"
"None of the questions were difficult; it was a very laid back interview"
"Same as above."
"What are some of the ethical issues that veterinarians face?"
"Why veterinary medicine?"
"What will you be doing ten years from now and how will you get there?"
"What would your co-workers say about you?"
"''what questions do you have for us'' is always challenging if you're not prepared, so read about the school ahead of time and come up with questions!"
"We ended up talking about sourcing of teaching cadavers, and they asked me about what I thought about Tufts's unique donor program. Make sure you know about it before hand!"
"SDN, looked over my full application- including my personal statement, used other interviews to prep"
"1. Went through my application thoroughly 2. Prepared a lot of questions to ask the interviewers"
"Read other SDN reviews; looked over my transcript, my application, and thought about what made tufts stand out to me. I also had an entire list of questions already prepared so I had plenty to ask them as they had about a 10 minute period where I could ask questions."
"reading SDN and reviewing all of my application materials"
"Read SDN, googled common vet school interview questions, read AVMA articles, read over my application"
"This website"
"SDN questions"
"Practiced all of the questions on here and went over my application"
"Found questions from here and prepared for them."
"Re-read my application and read previous interview questions on SDN."
"I read previous questions asked to candidates and studied their program."
"Took notes on my answers to possible interview questions, reviewed my application, reviewed journal entries I had written about my animal experiences as a refresher."
"SDN, reread PS, reread supplementary essay"
"I went over my VMCAS application since most of the stuff was similar. Reviewed my recent research projects, and read up on a number of different things in the curriculum."
"Read my application, senior thesis, prepared answers to "tell me about yourself" and "why Tufts", read website descriptions of dual degree programs, selectives, etc."
"Reviewed past interview questions on SDN, reviewed my application, read more about Tufts and its curriculum on the school's website"
"Reviewed application materials and essays. Looked over website and curriculum."
"Read over my application and SDN interview feedback."
"Reviewed my application, talked to a current Tufts vet student, read interview feedback on SDN"
"Reviewed what I had mentioned on my application and information on the school website to come up with questions to ask."
"Looking through example questions on SDN."
"Used the tufts interview feedback and googled vet school interview questions. Determined what my ethical beliefs are and what my career plans are. Read Tufts Vet Magazine which taught me a little more about the school"
"Read SDN, went over my application"
"SDN"
"Read this forum, including previous interview feedback; studied up on recent events and ethics, practiced answering popular questions out loud"
"relaxed and tried to be as confident as possible. I looked over some SDN questions, but didn't prepare answers because I didn't want to seem rehearsed. Just know about your experiences and be confident that this is what you want and you'll be fine!"
"Reviewed my application etc"
"Read feedback, talked with students who interviewed there, reread my application materials and knew them well."
"Interview feedback on SDN, current/previous students/interviewees"
"Reread my application, looked at my old research papers, read some of the questions on this website."
"Read SDN responses, talked to students who had previously interviewed there"
"Learned about the school, read SDN, spoke with the vets I work with about interviewing, made answers to common questions. But I think, as a 2nd time interviewee, that the most important thing you can do is to just really feel confident about why you want to be a vet and how you are going to save the world! Not in a pompous, flashy, kind of way, but one that leaves you self-assured and happy."
"Looked at old interview questions"
"Read the reviews on here SDN, read practice questions and practiced outloud on a few"
"prepared answers (loosely) for MANY possible questions"
"Did a mock interview, read SDN, talked to people."
"Read about the school and prepared some questions to ask, read questions here."
"Over months, I learned everything I could about the school and specifically the programs that interest me."
"Read SDN Interview feedback, read over my application, prepared tons of questions, read up on veterinary news, read through the brochure they gave me again and read their website"
"Went through the website, reviewed SDN's questions, practiced in front of friends and family."
"SDN interview feedback, REviewed application, talked to a vet i work with that is alumni of the school, Research the school, wrote responses to possible questions"
"Read SDN, read about the school, looked over my application."
"I read their website. I looked at the questions on here. "
"Reviewed by application, school's website, and SDN."
"Read about the curriculum, research opportunities, the animal use policy, selectives. Re-read my essays and my application."
"Used this interview feedback, thought about why I loved Tufts, various interview tips and websites."
"Read over my application, really thought about the reasons I want to go to veterinary school and Tufts specifically."
"Did other interviews :D"
"Reviewed my application, read over some SDN info, thought up questions they might ask based on my personal info, and tried my best to RELAX."
"Thoroughly researched the school and everything about it on the website, looked at SDN feedback, reread my application, prepared a few answers from questions listed as asked at other schools. "
"I re-read my Tufts application. I spent a good amount of time on their website reviewing faculty members and programs. Also, I emailed with a current student."
"Read Tufts materials. E-mailed back-and-forth with a current student. Reviewed my essays. Googled my interviewers."
"Read through school's material, reviewed application, talked with current students"
"Read school info materials, SDN, journals, vet magazines. "
"I read about the signature program I was interested in, read admissions brochure, read about interview questions past years on SDN, prepared basic why tufts, strengths/weaknesses answers, PREPARED LOTS OF QUESTIONS TO ASK THEM "
"Reviewing my application (most important!) and reading questions online from previous interviews."
"Read this forum. Prepared possible questions. Met with family to discuss."
"read my VMCAS looked through their website and made a list of questions"
"Read about Tufts program on their website and came up with a list of questions to ask my interviewers to clarify points about their program."
"Read SDN pre-vet forum! Thoroughly reviewed application and essays. Mentally rehearsed answers to questions that were likely to be asked (and in fact, were): ''Why vet school?'' ''Explain your college grades (not too hot).''"
"read over my app, read through Tufts website"
"look over past interview questions, research the school"
"Read over the Tufts website"
"Read the website, talked to current students, read over and thought about common interview questions."
"Reading the website and about the signature programs"
"Read every studentdoctor.net interview feedback and thread i could get my paws on, and reviewed my application essays."
"Read website."
"Read the website (!!), talked through some questions out loud"
"Reviewed my personal statement, reviewed my senior thesis and all my research done since then."
"Went over prior experiences, motivation, current events re: animal health"
"Read through practice questions online and practiced my answers outloud."
"reading tufts website...a lot. concentrate on signature programs, teaching alternatives, selectives program etc. "
"Reading over old interview questions and talking through my answers ahead of time."
"Both interviewers were beyond nice, and seemed genuinely into learning about who I am as a person. Definitely more conversational than most other interviews. They were very willing to answer any questions that I had for them"
"The interviewers had a very genuine / caring vibe. I felt like the interview was more of a chat with friends."
"The two interviewers were really nice and eased my nerves almost immediately by introducing themselves and then asking a nice simple question for me to answer. There weren’t any awkward pauses as whenever I finished speaking they had another question for me. They were very knowledgeable about the school and both taught courses throughout the program."
"interviewers were very friendly and made me feel more comfortable, asked several times what questions I had for them"
"Seeing the baby sheep on our tour, seeing students actively examining a cadaver in the anatomy lab, speaking with a student on my overnight stay"
"The interviewers were very relaxed."
"The faculty panel, all the opportunities they have for a variety of fields"
"The laid back environment. The whole day was informative and fun but the interview also was laid back and like a conversation. I even stumbled on my words a bit once and paused and they kinda helped me through it"
"Everyone was so nice and friendly. People were happy to answer questions and give suggestions."
"How amazing the entire admissions team is!"
"The small size of the campus and the wildlife rehab clinic."
"Everyone was so nice and welcoming, it made you feel a lot more relaxed before going into the interview."
"The interview was extremely conversational and laid-back. Both professors were funny and kind, making for an awesome atmosphere. They asked questions they genuinely wanted to know about me and my application and never tried to trick me or ask me very difficult questions."
"I was thoroughly impressed by the passion and support of all the students and faculty as well as the opportunities for intl vet med and wildlife and conservation med. The other applicants were also super supportive/friendly."
"The campus is beautiful, the facilities look great, and I like how the campus is small and spaced out, not all scrunched together. The Tufts community seems really tight - knit, and I was impressed that so many of the faculty there were residents who liked it too much to leave! Further, the curriculum at Tufts really tries to get students interacting with animals from the start - not every day, but once every few weeks you'll spend some time learning how to handle every species. A particular emphasis is put on getting first years experience with farm animals, as they assume that most of their students come in with little to no FA experience."
"Friendliness of interviewers and students, emphasis on keeping the day low stress, integrated campus facilities, very busy hospitals."
"The enthusiasm of the students and faculty. Everyone seems so genuinely happy to be there! The professors really seem like they care about the success of all of their students."
"The welcoming atmosphere, top notch facilities, and many opportunities for research."
"How welcoming the students and faculty were, and how low-stress the interview was"
"The interviewers were so friendly and open and so were all of the students I talked with."
"The friendliness of everyone! Also the curriculum and the NUMEROUS opportunities for the students."
"Research opportunities and other programs."
"The students were very laid back and easy to talk on the tours."
"The admissions office was really friendly and the interview day was very well-organized."
"Everyone, from the students, to the admissions reps, to the faculty is incredibly nice."
"Everyone was so friendly! Ridiculously so."
"The interviewers were very friendly and had good humor."
"The faculty seemed incredibly dedicated and friendly and really wanted to get to know me and make me want to come there"
"The faculty's involvement"
"By far the most relaxed interview I have had in this entire process. The interviewers spoke about funny stories from their past and i was only asked one or two straightforward questions."
"Their kindness and interest in my responses. I felt like I was talking to the 2 coolest people :) (With my experience, I love talking with my profs, so that might have helped). The school, the student life, the extensive programs & specialties available for me."
"How friendly they were & how enthusiastic about the school & its programs all the staff/students/admissions are. How they don't try to trick you or ask anything random just to see how you respond. The events on interview day--panels, tours, financial aid talks, etc. to really get you interested in the school. Connected LA & SA hospitals. No terminal procedures to teach surgeries, other invasive procedures"
"Tufts put together a great day, got me excited about their school."
"Everyone was very friendly."
"Everyone seemed so happy that we (the interviewees) were there. I also love the open-minded philosophy of the school."
"The faculty members who interviewed me. They were very interested and the interview was super conversational."
"Everybody was so incredibly friendly and genuinely interested in making interviewees feel comfortable about the day. I was a nervous wreck approaching this interview and I'm a pretty shy person in general, but I assure anybody out there that's like me in that regard, they are there to make YOU feel at ease, and really welcome you to their institution."
"warm/welcoming environment; attitude of 'we can do that!'; facilities were gorgeous; campus is beautiful and impressive"
"Enthusiasm of faculty and students."
"This was a VERY friendly, very relaxed interview. They provided a lot of information about the school during the day and tried to sell us on the school, instead of the other way around."
"The faculty's passion and warmth."
"The hospital, the wildlife clinic, the scenery, the atmosphere"
"The atmosphere! Everyone knew all the interviewees and were so friendly!"
"The overall atmosphere of the interview. I never felt drilled or uncomfortable. Even when i was asked a question that i couldn't answer, I didn't feel like it hurt me to admit that i didn't know the answer."
"They match you up with interviewers who share your interests and areas of expertise. I got a goat reproduction specialist and a bovine ambulatory doctor. We got to talk a lot about the large animal industry instead of just nitpicking at my application, which was fun and interesting. I ended up getting in and they were even nice enough to sign the bottom of my letter. The only thing that was strange was that they asked me so many dairy questions! Luckily, I had just covered a lot of the hot topics in my Dairy Herd class, but hadn't really focused my entire undergrad on dairy cows."
"The students were so friendly and enthusiastic. They seemed to sincerely love their school and teachers. "
"The students were very friendly, new student center, high small animal case load, and lots of research opportunities. "
"I like that Tufts doesn't track, and I talked to my interviewers about the advantage/disadvantage of that approach. All of the students and admissions staff were extremely friendly and willing to answer questions."
"Everything! The campus is beautiful, the community feels small and friendly, and the facilities are great."
"The interviewers made me feel very comfortable which allowed my personality to really come through. There were many moments of laughter!"
"They seemed to know my file pretty well and were genuinely interested in me and making me feel at ease."
"Everything-- I love the school, the facilities, the friendliness of the staff & students....Several first-years hung out & told us about their experiences, which was a nice perspective."
"I think it really varied depending on the interviewers, but mine were VERY laid back. It was a conversation, not an interview. I overheard others' conversations and think they were asked such things as 'what is your favorite book' and such. "
"Their progressive curriculum and interest in their students."
"The friendliness of the interviewers and students, the efficiency of the admissions staff, and the timing of tours/presentations through the day. The facilities are decent. "
"There were quite a few students mingling throughout the day - and it was really nice to be able to talk to them before going into the interview. Everyone was so friendly and it seemed like they really want you there and want to make the experience as comfortable as possible. "
"Interviewers were responsive and encouraging. The stress of it was not due to their style or demeanor at all. One of them especially was enthusiastic about animal welfare (related to his work) and gave info about what's happening in that area at Tufts. "
"The interviewers had both read my file and so it was a lot easier to talk to them. They asked really specific questions, so it was clear that they had really read it. They were really easy to talk to and really positive about their school. They didn't try to trick me at all.Everyone was extremely friendly. The financial aid talk was frighteningly honest. The administration is great and really tailors things to your interest and provides $$ to go abroad for summer research. No elitism. Broad curriculum. "
"It was VERY casual and everyone was so nice."
"The students were pretty enthusiastic."
"Interviewers were fantastic!!"
"The facilities (classrooms, hospitals) were great and the people (students, administrators, faculty) were very friendly. Some current students talked very favorably about opportunities afforded to them through the selectives program. They are also building a new student center on campus that will have a gym! "
"The welcoming ''committee'' of students and admissions officers. The laidback and conversational style of the interview."
"how nice admissions staff was, range of opportunites in curriculum "
"How nice everyone was, and the laid back conversational format of the interview!"
"How connected the faculty and students are to each other. The wildlife clinic is gorgeous"
"The area is beautiful, the students seemed nice, the interviewers were relaxed and friendly. The facilities are good, and the teaching hospital seemed reasonably busy. They have a lot of opportunities for research."
"The wildlife clinic"
"The compact facility; consulting with any vet on the campus is no more than a walk across the street to the wildlife clinic at the furthest."
"The facilities and campus are beautiful."
"People were ridiculously nice, the campus was beautiful"
"How relaxed the overall interview was."
"The first year students came in and ACTIVELY sought to de-nerve the interviewees and the interviewers were wearing jeans"
"The interviewers were very friendly and laid back, both were in jeans and sweatshirts :)"
"animal use policies, beautiful campus, enthusiastic students. amazing wildlife clinic. "
"Everyone was SO friendly and helpful. "
"I wish we had more than 45 minutes to talk. I felt like I did not get to ask them enough questions."
"they didnt ask too many questions and I wonder how these interviews are rated to determine who gets in and who doesnt"
"How many students there were on interview day and how we did not have enough time to fully see everything we were supposed to on our tour."
"I didn't answer the IVM question "correctly""
"It’s literally perfect"
"Not really a big deal or much they can do about it but the activities for the day started at 8:45 but my interview wasn’t until 3:10 at the end of the day. I was the last person there and my guests got kicked out of the conference room because they had to clean"
"The large animal program is not very strong."
"My tour guide seemed rather aloof and very unenthusiastic about the school."
"The buildings are old and the facilities are not very clean/organized."
"One of my interviewers was late, so my interview was cut short by 15 minutes (not completely their fault since the weather wasn't ideal that morning)."
"Nothing that I can think of! I guess just that it was so much easier than I had anticipated, so I was overprepared?"
"Rural location and takes 1 hr 15 min by train to get to Boston/city life."
"Large animal hospital doesn't really take too many cattle, so student experience working cattle cases are with the ambulatory rotation, although that's extremely hands-on from what I gathered. However, students do get a lot of experience getting handling experience with the dairy cows there."
"Some applicants said they felt 'grilled' by their interviewers, so I might have just gotten lucky."
"As many people have said, the surrounding area isn't the greatest, but all in all it's a great school and program, and if accepted I will definitely attend."
"It was a little far away from Boston and there is not much else in North Grafton"
"The fact that the vet school is so removed from the main Tufts campus in Boston"
"The tour guide kept mentioning things they haven't done yet and how they haven't touched animals a lot (she was a 2nd year)"
"The location, lack of on campus housing"
"High tuition compared to other schools."
"It felt a little disorganized -- especially the tours."
"The school appears to be in the middle of nowhere (it's still only and hour away from Boston though). I would have liked them to try to sell the area and talk about what there is to do in Grafton."
"The way their anatomy lab works. Groups of four dissect animals but their space isn't big enough for everyone to go to every class. So, you're supposed to only go to half of the classes and meet with your labmates to get info from the other half--so you aren't actually there for all (only half) of the hands-on learning. Also some classrooms they said were too small for the class."
"Nothing really; maybe got a bit intimidated by how tough the schedule will be, but that's nothing against the school, just the hurdles of the profession"
"Students giving the tour weren't as enthusiastic about the school as I would have liked, but it was the end of the day and everyone was tired"
"Location"
"Nothing. Tufts is absolutely fantastic."
"Not one thing. Even all of the snow I viewed with a positive. Some people mention the area isn't the greatest but it's right by Boston and I'd watch my Celtics all the time ;)"
"Nothing to do around there, no on-campus life."
"LOCATION! Middle of nowhere, campus is small and secluded. Students all said that their least favorite part of Tufts is that it's a commuter school"
"It was raining on the day of my interview, so my originally straighten hair was very frizzy."
"The hospitals seemed old and run down. The new student center is nice, but I don't think students even get to use the new lecture hall for most classes."
"The remote location of the school and the deathly boring tour."
"It's kind of in the middle of nowhere, which is a downfall for me because I would LOVE if it were in Boston, I like city life."
"location (very rural) and the fact that it is so isolated from the med school and other graduate programs; I was in the last interview slot and I could tell that my interviewers were rushing me a bit"
"Nothing, really. I didn't like how the interview was done during school vacation - I don't have a sense of how the campus would feel while classes are in session."
"Not too much-just the snowy weather."
"Not much"
"The location. It is more rural than I had thought it would be."
"Nothing! The area isn't the most glamorous, but its not horrible. Tufts is nestled in its own little backwoods area."
"The faculty wasn't has welcoming as I would have hoped. The facilities (teaching hospital) were not as new as other schools."
"the commuter rail train I was supposed to take got canceled, but there wasn't really any way to know so me a few others sat there for an hour and half. When the sun goes down it gets quite cold. Also, the ice covered sidewalks between the station and the school were kinda hard to navigate, not that that is their fault."
"Nothing!"
"I got lost both getting there and trying to leave. Luckily people around the North Grafton area were very nice!"
"The interviewers seemed like friends and would often talk to each other more than they talked to me"
"Single-digit wind chill temps + outdoor tour = :("
"Believe it or not, I would have actually liked to be asked a few more questions! From our conversations I'm sure they did learn a lot about me, it was just a different environment than I was expecting. "
"The campus is very small and isolated. It could be maddening. Also, I thought I did poorly (but I got accepted). They told a couple of students they were accepted in front of me but didn't tell me anything- I found this a little unprofessional and it made me very worried/stressed out."
"My interviewers, though friendly and polite, seemed REALLY hungry and tired. A disadvantage to having an interview later in the day, I suppose."
"Nothing to do with the school at all - but getting stranded in Boston for the weekend wasn't the most convenient thing ever. "
"The campus is isolated, only transit is the commuter rail. Students indicated that unless you live along the rail line, it is necessary to have a car. "
"The hospitals aren't as nice as Cornell or Penn's by a long shot, but you get hands on animal work early. But the classes are smaller and the administration actually cares. Grafton is very small, probably hard to meet non vet students. "
"The cold weather! We had an outdoor walking tour of the campus and it was 4 degrees outside and windy."
"Facilities looked a bit old and run-down. The roof was leaking in the hospital!"
"There is nothing for a 15 mile radius around the campus except for farms...and the 3 feet of snow on the ground didn't help."
"One of my interviewers started her career in clinical vet med and then moved more towards policy research. She couldn't quite grasp the idea that I was moving in the opposite direction as she, and unfortunately, the interview sometimes became more about her and her evolution than about me and my goals. I felt like she wanted the job that I was leaving! My other interviewer, however, was not nearly as self-focused."
"Financial aid. The representative was very nice and helpful. But it's not her fault that the debt-to-earnings ratio of freshly minted vets is so poor."
"the weather"
"The location is kind out in the middle of no where, but Boston's only a train ride away."
"Nothing"
"Not a very diverse student body. Location's a little expensive. The cost of attending the school is enormous."
"The location was a little further from Boston than I thought."
"The snow, ha. Not a fan of being snowed in in the middle of nowhere for four years. "
"No lunch!"
"nothing... except the financial aid session"
"I wish a lunch would have been provided. My schedule didn't afford time for a lunch between interviews/fin aid sessions etc."
"The long pauses between info sessions. There was an hour in between each activity."
"not a lot of men around..."
"The foot of snow on the ground."
"That they would ask specific questions regarding my personal statement and why I wrote about what I did"
"I wish I had known that 45 minutes is not a lot of time. I would have asked different / more important (a/c to my own preference) questions."
"That they would focus more on me and who I am/ the actions I make rather than the experiences I have at work. They really seemed to want to know how I am with interacting with clients and how I am dealing with stress/ things going wrong."
"I wish i had been better prepared to talk about what I have done since applying, was focused more on remembering things from my undergrad"
"It's difficult to tell after the interview how well you did. I left thinking I failed and didn't answer their questions well/wished I answered things more fully and in a different way. It is a conversation so the interviewers give their opinions on the questions they are asking. Try to take a deep breath. They understand this interviews are stressful. It is ok to say you are not sure in response to a question they ask. It's difficult to know how the conversation is going to go in regard to topic since there is not a standardized list of questions. Meaning preparation can be a crap shoot in what to prep. I've heard many students say they were asked "Tell me about yourself" for which you can talk about something non-veterinary related that you like to do in your free time and how that makes you different and interesting and an interesting reason why you like doing it. I did not receive this question but it is still important to think about what you would say in response if you do receive this question."
"I wish I would have looked over my VMCAS application ahead of time, I was thrown off track because I forgot specifically what I had stated."
"The food for lunch. No one in my party liked it and we would have brought lunch or grabbed some somewhere else. It was a long day and we didn’t end up eating."
"Nothing was really surprising to me."
"That I would be asked about any questions I had throughout the interview, not just at the end.."
"How laid-back and conversational the interview would be. I was way more stressed and nervous than was necessary."
"Who my interviewers were."
"I was a little thrown by just how low stress the interview was. At the end I asked them if they had any other questions about my application, which I worry may have come off as a criticism of how casual the conversation was. I really like how committed they are to evaluating you at your calmest/best."
"Nothing, really. I think I went into it pretty prepared. As everyone else has said, it is a very laid back atmosphere. I still was quite nervous going into it, but there really wasn't any need to be. Just be yourself and you will be okay :). If you get an interview they are confident you can handle the program, they just want to get to know you a bit more as a person."
"DON'T STRESS! It goes so much better if you go in actually believing this"
"That the interview was going to be so open and low-key!"
"JUST RELAX!! Technically I knew this ahead of time since everyone on SDN says it, but obviously it's much easier said than done. I was very nervous while I waited to go into my interview, but once I sat down the nerves were gone. Tufts tries to match you with interviewers who share your interests, which helps immensely. Just take a breath, be yourself, and you will do great!"
"How low stress the interview was going to be so I wouldn't have worried during the information sessions."
"Who I would be interviewing with."
"Nothing. The admissions office did a great job providing information on what to expect. Do keep in mind that this is a low stress interview. One of the professors who talked during the faculty panel even said that if any interviewer tries to make you feel like you don't know what you are talking about they should not be on the admissions committee there."
"The program ended at 2:30pm. There was a train to Boston at 2:18 and the next one wasn't until 5pm. They are fine with you leaving a bit early to catch the train but I did not know that. As such I sat around in the library for a while. Luckily for me I found a student willing to take me to places not on the tour and talk to me about the school."
"How relaxed everything would be so that I didn't stress a ton beforehand!"
"The interview is extremely conversational. Be yourself, and show your personality from the start. If you've done research, make sure you know it inside and out - I felt like I was in a thesis defense panel."
"I don't think there's anything I wished I knew earlier. I felt quite well prepared. I asked straightforward questions, but I would have maybe read up on the school even more."
"Nothing...no surprises. I had a great experience."
"Everyone says not to stress out about Tufts, but I did anyways. My stomach was in knots all week before and the morning of the interview, but as soon as I got into the room with my interviewers, all my nerves went away. Don't stress about this interview!!!"
"Nothing, I was familiar with the school and felt confident about my interview."
"As stupid as it sounds, I was really worried about my shoes for the tour. There was supposed to be a snow storm and I wore heels for the interview, but changing into weather-appropriate, comfy shoes was not a big deal at all. No one cared about my feet, haha."
"What time the commuter trains returned to Boston."
"Probably that the admin building is where everything takes place, I was fortunate and just walked in their first thing but that's where you are for most of the day."
"Can't think of anything. It really is in the middle of nowhere but I knew that. Take their advice and bring extra clothes or at least shoes!"
"To bring comfortable shoes for the tour (although they did warn us of this, I chose not to listen)."
"I wish I had known that the tour would take so long because I didn't end up getting to see all of campus and I also spent most of the time worrying I would be late for my interview."
"I think i was pretty well prepareed"
"Nothing really, I felt prepared from reading stuff off of SDN."
"Nothing, the day went exactly how the admissions office stated in the schedule that they send out."
"nothing in particular that I can think of."
"Nothing specific--the day went as I'd expected."
"Cabs in North Grafton are incredibly expensive. I paid $20 to get to the hotel (Days Inn) from the train station. It cost $15 to get to campus the next morning. I used up all my cash and there were no working ATMs to be found on campus..."
"I wish I had not stressed quite as much, and maybe had less caffeine. More coffee didn't really help the nerves."
"That the interview would be that laid-back! I could have spent more energy on my finals, and not as much worrying about the interview. "
"Don't rely on taxis! I tried to use them twice, neither time did they show up, the first time they got lost, the second, I don't even know. Fortunately I hitched rides. I really don't know how someone without a car is supposed to get around. Maybe it's better to stay in Boston and take the rail to Grafton in the morning- then you can walk or get a ride with campus police."
"The campus police will give you a ride from the train station to campus."
"Tufts doesn't track AT ALL. This leaves less opportunity for electives as an upperclassman."
"nothing"
"I didn't really discover anything new. I had already been fairly familiar with the campus and general surrounding area, all of which I felt very positive about."
"That there would not be any bottled water available in the snack room! (Maybe I just got there too late...) I really could have used a cold drink prior to my interview, but somehow I managed to talk almost non-stop for 60 min.!"
"how long the interview day would be"
"How low stress the interview would be!"
"Can't recall anything."
"People were not very dressed up."
"How great their lab animal medicine program is... I should have researched that before"
"You were given profiles of the faculty that would be interviewing you along with their interests= good thing!"
"Nothing."
"how to get to the school! the roads are crazy and I was almost late"
"The donor program for teaching cadavers."
"This is probably the most chill interview you'll ever do. Just take a deep breath, and be yourself - they just want to get to know you. The best thing you can do to prepare is to come up with questions you want to ask about the interviewers / about the school."
"I thought this was a good interview and I appreciated them taking the time to introduce themselves as it made them seem more sympathetic to what I was going through as they’ve been in my shoes before."
"come up with lots of good questions to ask and be ready with them as soon as the interview starts!"
"I definitely recommend taking Tufts up on their offer to stay overnight at a current student's house. There is "Lunch with Current students" during the interview day but there are so many other applicants and it feels so much more formal to ask all of your questions. It was nice to see the host's living environment, class material, the curriculum and Tufts in general. The interview is more conversational than other interviews by design. Keep that in mind."
"Relax, it is very casual! Do a power pose in the bathroom before (1 min) and that will naturally decrease your stress!"
"Be yourself, it’s probably the most laid back interview you’ll have"
"The day is full of tours and info sessions and it’s a great way to learn about the school. My interview wasn’t until 3:10 while the events started at 8:45 so I brought my suit to change into later and wore comfortable clothes in the morning. It was a great choice."
"Great school, I fell in love with the school after the interview!"
"Overall, I am in love with the school and program..I just hope the short amount of time I spent talking was enough to show that."
"I loved that the goal of the interview seemed to be to sell Tufts to me and to get to know me as a person. It didn't feel evaluative at all. Just be yourself and you will be great!"
"Being from rural New England, Tufts felt very home-like, from the land to the architecture. A beautiful campus, nicely tucked away with a great community of veterinarians and researchers alike, with similar goals."
"Overall, it seems like a fantastic (albeit expensive!) program, and I will absolutely be attending if I get accepted."
"I would have liked to learn more about where students live."
"I loved the campus and friendliness of the students and faculty."
"Tufts has so much to offer. While I'm not crazy about the location, the staff (admissions, professors, etc.) seem PHENOMENAL. They seem genuinely dedicated to students and their success. There are so many opportunities for students to take advantage of. The program is one-of-a-kind, which I feel is more important than the location."
"Great school!"
"It was most definitely an extremely laid back interview, and absolutely nothing to stress over. Overall, pretty good feelings were received at the interview. I felt as though the atmosphere didn't really foster too much interaction between the students and interviewees (the ratio of students to interviewees was very lowwwwww). But I did like the setup of the information sessions."
"The admissions office was great and very responsive. You are provided short bios on your interviewers when you arrive that morning and they try to pair you with interviews who work in your area of interest. There are tours of both the hospitals and classrooms as well as information sessions on financial aid, research and dual degree programs, a faculty panel, and a student Q and A during lunch."
"The school gives you an information sheet about your interviewers. Ask them questions about their research and get a conversation going"
"I love this school. If you want a big city environment, it's not for you, but if you're looking for a tightly knit community, this is it. Tons of opportunities available here."
"Tufts is a great place to interview; it's not stressful at all, feels more like a conversation than a test."
"GREAT school! Wonderful faculty! Overall friendly and welcoming vibe which means a ton to me when making my decision"
"Relax and be yourself. The school is clearly interested in you, so take the time to see if you're interested in them and show them who you are outside from your application."
"Honestly, Tufts is a great fit for me. I'm considering professors, administration, the location, cost, and anything else I can think of. I can truly picture myself there and am hoping for the best."
"Really friendly atmosphere. Just like everyone said, the interview's like a conversation. I honestly wasn't sure how I did coming out of it because I didn't really get to talk much, the two interviewers talked a lot more about their work, research, programs, etc. than I did about myself. I remember being asked that one question about how I liked my college. The rest of it was conversational. I asked questions throughout the interview, so I kind of got awkwardly choked up at the end when they asked (twice) if I had any additional questions. A few of the conversations they started I wasn't sure if I responded well. I guess it was good enough though since they ended up taking me! One of the interviewers wrote a little note on the letter I received a few days later saying congrats."
"Fun day overall!"
"Tufts interviews are very conversational. The school provides you with profiles of the interviewers shortly beforehand, so you'll know who is interviewing you and a little bit about their background/interests."
"I was really excited about this school when I was applying, but after visiting, I'm pretty sure it's not for me."
"All of the other interviewees were completely friendly (at least my group was) and it's a help to talk to them and great for relaxing."
"Very chill interview. Conversational and easy going."
"It was a really nice day!"
"Great Interview Day! Very comprehensive-faculty panel, student panel, campus tour, financial aid info session, dual degrees info session."
"My interview had a lot of awkward pauses. They would make a comment about something on my application without asking a question leaving me clueless on how to respond."
"I loved the school and their programs. The only negative is the location. But Boston is close by and you can live in one of the neighboring cities."
"Great process! Even if i don't get in, your process made me feel confident about my application. Loved that you match my interviewers with my interests."
"It was a very enjoyable interview and tour. The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They just hung out in the waiting room and talked to everyone between tours. The small animal hospital was equipped with a brand new oncology ward and had tons of nifty machines. The large animal hospital wasn't huge, but had a very cool sport medicine testing center. There was also a wildlife center, and lots of farm land! If you aren't from New England and aren't used to blisteringly cold weather, make sure to wear extra clothing."
"Ask a lot of questions to the current students who will be around before your interview. My tour was not done by a student and there is no general information session, so it really is the only time that you have to learn about the school. The interview itself is very conversational and they really just want to get to know you. They will ask questions based on your application and possibly some general questions but 90% of the interview was based on my application."
"Some of the sidewalks were a bit icy, so dress appropriately (i.e., be careful in heels)! My boots had a wide heel, so I did OK."
"Make sure to have questions prepared to ask them, it was only fifteen minutes into my interview when they asked me if there was anything I wanted to ask about the school. VERY casual! When you check in, they give you the profiles of your two interviewers so you can read about their interests and area of expertise. A student came by and asked me who my interviewers and told me they'd be really laid back, so that was nice. "
"The admissions committee at Tufts is so nice. I wish I'd been able to take a better look at the campus while I was there but there was a blizzard! In preparing for the interview try to stay relaxed- it's fairly low-key so there is no need to stress too much!"
"Wear waterproof boots for the campus tour (it was snowing) and a heavy coat. "
"Everyone was so friendly and accommodating! It was really impressive."
"My interview was a better experience than I could have ever imagined. The admissions crew made me feel so comfortable and the interviewers were really casual and relaxed. It was much more of a conversation about my application than a question and answer session."
"Laid back"
"It was great! They really didn't even interview me, but rather asked me questions about their small ruminant program (my area of interest) and we talked about improvements that could be made, etc etc. My interview was about 15 minutes longer than other people because we got so into the conversation that the interviewers lost track of time!"
"Overall, I would say it was a positive visit despite the fact that one of my interviewers couldn't get past herself and her own experiences to appreciate a different approach to the field of veterinary medicine."
"Excellent. Tufts' interview style is one that allows students to sell their strengths and honestly discuss their weaknesses. No ''hot seat'' questions here!"
"My interview did not go as conversationally as others have reported theirs went, so I think it depends on your interviewers. It felt more like a Q&A. They spent about half the time asking me 2-3 questions and to my surprise, didn't go into any details about my past experiences or any other ''typical'' interview questions. Then, the other half of the time, I was expected to ask questions. I was very prepared for this part, so be sure that you are too."
"So positive! The interviewers were both very nice and asked mostly questions about my application specifically, the interview was more of a conversation really."
"Very laid-back and informal; conversational interview. Lovely facilities."
"Good experience. I liked pretty much everyone I met, and I liked the facilities and location."
"My interviewers were nice and laid back, but they asked me really difficult questions! Because I had to reschedule my interview due to the weather, they had all the time in the world to grill me. I was really nervous for the first five minutes, but fortunately I had good answers for all of their questions."
"As you can guess, my interview was just as laid back as every one else's. The two doctors were already laughing when I popped my head around the corner, and our conversations were constantly interrupted with comments and laughter. I had a few more straight-up interview questions than I was anticipating, but nothing that caught me off guard. The only complaint I have is all the down time they scheduled in between seminars, tours, and interviews. I guess I was supposed to ''mingle'' and chat with other applicants and current students, but I had no interest in ''mingling'' so there was a lot of down time. To each his own."
"It was a very relaxed, calm atmosphere. The students were friendly. The interviewers were very nice. "
"The interview was, like everyone says, laid-back. Students actively sought us out to chat before we went in for interviews, and they answered questions with great honesty. The campus was lovely and the facilities were impressive. There are so many opportunities for reasearch and experience there-- my interviewers emphasized that they want to give everyone a taste of everything and don't push students to ''pick something'' the way some schools do. Their internship placement rate was also quite impressive."
"If you are planning on taking out loans, the financial aid session is definitely worth attending. There is definitely no sugar coating of anything, but its information that you definitely need to plan financially for vet school."
"Very well organized, laid back, and definitely less pressure than the previous interview I had there. First year students always around to answer Qs re: anything was really helpful."
"The interviewers were very friendly and really tried to get to know me. Unfortunately I was not very articulate and forgot most of what I had practiced... so I didn't do really well."
"awesome! so laid back and easygoing. no stress"
"Extremely positive. My interview was more of a chat than a question-answer session. They spent more time asking me about hobbies and passtimes than actual academics, and I felt like this really gave me an opportunity to express myself beyond being a ''prospective vet student''. "
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Student | 64 |
| Faculty member | 0 |
| Admissions staff | 7 |
| Other | 2 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 57 |
| Neutral | 15 |
| Discouraging | 0 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.38 | 79 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In state | 17 |
| Out of state | 62 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hour | 15 |
| 2-3 hours | 10 |
| 4-6 hours | 26 |
| 7+ hours | 24 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 30 |
| Automobile | 39 |
| Train or subway | 6 |
| Other | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| < $100 | 31 |
| $101-$200 | 9 |
| $201-$300 | 12 |
| $301-$400 | 4 |
| $401-$500 | 2 |
| $501+ | 11 |
Logan airport in Boston
Boston
Logan Intl Airport
US Airways
Providence, RI
Boston Logan
Logan International
Logan
Manchester
HPN
BOS
PVD
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At school facility | 1 |
| With students at the school | 9 |
| Friends or family | 18 |
| Hotel | 25 |
| Home | 7 |
| Other | 1 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.11 | 83 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5.84 | 82 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 4.98 | 82 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.91 | 65 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 9.40 | 65 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 7.40 | 62 |
"They are quite perfect, honestly."
"Having a longer tour (important!), having less applicants on the same day (felt so impersonal and felt more competitive), making it more clear that you only need to be their for your interview and you can leave/come at any point."
"None"
"Everything was great!"
"Change nothing. You are perfect!"
"N/A - they are great."
"I can't think of any suggestions right now."
"Longer tours and tour of the library and classrooms would be nice."
"Personally, I'm a fan of the separate application for Tufts. It was 1) cheaper, and 2) asked some interesting questions, and I think it's a benefit that it filters out people that would apply just because it's a click away."
"None. You were great!"
"None -- they are extremely friendly and easy to work with!"
"Increase number of students giving tours, or decrease number of interviewees on tours... it was difficult to interact with students because we were on such a large tour. Also, larger panel of students to speak with during lunch."
"They were truly wonderful to work with and made my interview day a fantastic experience."
"I wish they would call or email us about acceptances rather than snail mail!!!"
"The admissions office is great! No need to change."
"I would have really like to get an email or phone call about the admissions decision - it came on Ch"
"Nothing! You're system and responsiveness is great! You made the process so much easier and were qui"
"Nothing! They were the friendliest and most helpful of all the admissions people."
"Have an information/welcome session. Have more activities throughout the day."
"Don't wait 4-6 weeks to mail decision letters especially when the first interviewers found out quick"
"I've heard that some schools let interviewees sit in on a class--I'd love this!"
"Perhaps have the interview day survey available to complete via email after the day of the interview"
"Admissions office was incredibly friendly and extraordinarily helpful. I felt there could have been"
"Some food or beverages other than coffee and cookies would have been appreciated."
"Maybe a bit more help for non-locals to get to the school. An info session on student life. Maybe in"
"Provide free lunch like some other schools do. Other than that, you did a great job!"
We help students become doctors. TM
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?