Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine Interview Feedback Summary
Pomona, CA
Dental Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 35% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a low stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.9
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 338 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?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
Positively (81%)
Negatively (7%)
No change (12%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (33%)
Good (48%)
Average (15%)
Poor (5%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally appreciate the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, with an emphasis on being oneself during the interview process. Some applicants noted concerns about the surrounding area, clinic facilities, and the interview experience, suggesting areas for improvement and expressing varying levels of enthusiasm about attending Western University.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The humanistic culture is great and the simulation lab is very high-tech albeit cramped. However, the patient care area is not as renovated and the former strip mall aspect of the school really stands out. This is a school that I would be willing to go to if accepted but the cons and surrounding area would make me have a second thought, ESPECIALLY considering the tuition. Also, the interview was made up of about forty students or so (enough to fill the first few rows of the room that we were in) which was HUGE. Overall, I was not very chuffed by the whole experience, especially because it cost me in excess of $500 to fly down here from NorCal. The interview day was not coordinated well (multiple occasions of "changing plans") and the group interview itself was also soulless and did not feel like they were trying to know me as a person. There was a weird vibe overall about the student body which was a stark contrast to some other schools I interviewed at where the students were really welcoming and seemed to enjoy being there.
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Great program, they really care about wanting you to succeed. Nobody is trying to "get you", just be yourself and have a few anecdotes or situations to draw off of
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Everyone is very nice and they emphasize over and over the importance of relaxing and being yourself. My interview felt more like a conversation than anything, so much to the point that the 30 minutes felt like 5 minutes by the time the interview was over.
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Western U has a very friendly and down-to-earth vibe. Just relax on the interview and let your natural self shine through.
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Great experience overall. This was my top school so the nerves were definitely there, but great faculty, staff and students. Great vibe overall.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
29 Minutes Average
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Number:
1.8 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
89% One-on-One
11% Group Interview
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File Type:
60% Open-File
40% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
0% Virtual
100% In-Person
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Interview Location (for In-Person):
100% At the School
0% Other Location
WUHS-CDM-COMP interviews are an average of 29 minutes, with an average of 1.8 interviews. 89% of interviews are one-on-one, 100% are in-person, and 40% are closed-file. Of the in-person interviews, 100% are held at the school.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include inquiries about the candidate's motivation for pursuing dentistry, their experiences in the field, how they handle stress, conflict, and criticism, as well as their understanding of social responsibility and problem-solving skills. Some responses referenced an MMI format, suggesting that respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement regarding specific questions asked during the Multiple Mini Interview.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Tell me about yourself, Why WesternU
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Do you have experience learning virtually?
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How do you manage conflict?
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How do you deal with stress?
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Why dentistry?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine discussed a wide range of topics, including social responsibility, personal attributes, role models, and problem-solving scenarios. The diverse list of questions indicates a holistic approach to evaluating candidates and preparing them for the field of dentistry.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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N/A, they almost solely asked questions pertaining to a form they were asked to fill out.
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N/A
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What is the social responsibility of dentists?
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Tell me three deep things about yourself (This came from the student interviewer. Upon this moment I am still thinking about how I could answer this question better haha)
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I heard this question from another interviewee: what would be the title of your life song?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by using resources like Student Doctor Network (SDN), conducting mock interviews with friends or family, reviewing their AADSAS application, and researching the school's website. They also emphasized the importance of practicing answers to common questions, being themselves during the interview, and preparing for questions related to social responsibility.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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No prep just thought of answers to Why this school and Why dentistry
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SDN.
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Sdn
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SDN and roadmap prep
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Write sample answers
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine discussed a wide range of topics including personal experiences, problem-solving scenarios, ethical dilemmas, and teamwork challenges. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) as some responses hinted at nondisclosure agreements, while questions focused on personal values, past decisions, inter-professional education, and social responsibility among others.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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N/A.
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N/A
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Nothing, they ask you straight forward questions. My advice is just know yourself well and be yourself.
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Tell me three deep things about yourself.
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Nothing really- if you know everything from this website, you are all set.
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were positively impressed by the friendly and welcoming atmosphere at the school, the state-of-the-art facilities, small class sizes, the humanistic approach to teaching, and the emphasis on comprehensive care and clinical exposure. They also appreciated the conversational interview style, the innovative curriculum featuring interprofessional education, and the collaborative and supportive community at the school.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Huge clinic, great sim lab, everyone was super friendly
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The humanistic culture and simulation lab were great. I was also appreciative of the free food (catered Panera) but that's something other schools have too haha.
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Everyone was so nice
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Everybody was very nice and the interview was conversational
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The faculty and students are very friendly.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants were commonly unimpressed by the campus facilities, particularly the appearance of a repurposed strip mall, lack of tours of the clinic, and the surrounding neighborhood. Suggestions included improving the campus aesthetics, providing more informative tours, and addressing safety concerns in the surrounding area.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I felt that the area where students work on patients was a little run down. It wasn't "run, run" down in the greatest sense but not as great as some other schools I visited. They state that the campus is a repurposed strip mall and it really shows which I felt was kind of meh. Only two students showed up for the Q&A panel and I left with somewhat of a soulless impression. It did not really seem like they were happy to be at the school.
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N/A
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Nothing was a nice setup
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Nothing really.
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The clinic was closed that day, so the campus was very quiet.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known about the relaxed and laid-back nature of the interview, the need for comfortable shoes due to lots of walking, and the variation in interview styles. Many also mentioned the industrial surroundings, the mixed groups of interviewees, and the surprise elements like the closed-file interview and the school's emphasis on minorities.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The surrounding area is not that great. It feels very industrial and the impression is still super fresh on my mind. On the way to the interview (from Doubletree Pomona), there were just stretches and stretches of warehouses, train tracks, etc. If you're from the Bay Area then it feels very much like a lite version of the worst parts of Oakland but industrialized.
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Maybe practice not going so fast when answering questions.
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Lots of walking during the day
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I knew everythnig
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N/A. The admissions counselors did a great communicating to us everything we needed to know prior to the interview.
🤝 Campus and Facilities ▼
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above 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 schedule fewer interviews on the same day to reduce stress for both applicants and interviewers, consider organizing more interview days, provide a clearer itinerary of the day, and offer tours of the clinic to showcase the program. Additionally, some feedback highlighted the need for better communication and a more professional approach.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The day was a little disorganized since there were groups that kept on being swapped to interview / tour and at times even Dr. Turchi was confused.
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N/a
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Overall I had a very nice experience there. But I felt bad for the students that are going to have the interviews after the tour and around lunch time. Maybe in the future, set up some more interview days so that less students are interviewed on the same day, and they could all enjoy the tour after the interview and lunch.
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They did a great job!
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No other suggestions!
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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LAX
31% interviewees used LAX (LAX), with 31% using Ontario (Ontario) and 10% using ONT (ONT) and 7% using ontario (ontario) and 3% using Ontrio (Ontrio) and 3% using santa ana/john wayne (santa ana/john wayne) and 3% using phoenix (phoenix) and 3% using SNA (SNA) and 3% using American Airline (American Airline) and 3% using N/A (N/A).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by airplane to the interview.
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58% Airplane
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38% Automobile
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4% Train or Subway
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0% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Comfort Inn (average ranking 9.3/10), with some staying at Sheraton (average rating 5.5/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Comfort Inn
9.3/10
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Sheraton
5.5/10
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Shilo Hilltop
5.5/10
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 (29%)
Other (2%)
Student (69%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Discouraging (6%)
Enthusiastic (85%)
Neutral (10%)
All Responses
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