Downers Grove, IL
Pharmacy Schools | Private Non-Profit
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Ask questions about this school. Answers use aggregated data and are subject to error.
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 29% of interviews, indicating it is moderately regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a moderate stress level and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.8
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 498 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 (74%)
Negatively (10%)
No change (15%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (30%)
Good (39%)
Average (27%)
Poor (2%)
Bad (2%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants commonly highlighted the group interview format, the positive interactions with faculty and staff, the relaxed atmosphere, and the emphasis on the writing exercise as key aspects of the interview day. Suggestions included being prepared with unique answers, managing time effectively during the interview, and taking advantage of the optional tour and lunch. Some applicants expressed concerns about the group dynamics during the interview and the effectiveness of the admissions process in getting to know individual candidates.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I can see now why their NAPLEX pass rate has gone way down.
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I really enjoyed everything about my interview at the campus. It's location was nice in the suburbs of Chicago (so I bet living costs are high), the campus was high tech and beautiful (especially in the fall when I went), the faculty and staff are super nice and welcoming. The tour guides that I had were also super nice and excited that we were there. They gave off a good vibe about the school and answered all the questions that needed to be answered.
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Really good day, overall.
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Just be yourself!
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I don't think you can really get to know a candidate if you have 5 interviewers and only 2 interviewees. People get really nervous in group interviews.. it's much harder to concentrate on your answers in a group interview :/
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
42 Minutes Average
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Number:
2.4 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
5% One-on-One
95% Group Interview
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File Type:
3% Open-File
97% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
MWU-CCP-COMP interviews are an average of 42 minutes, with an average of 2.4 interviews. 5% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 97% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include introductions with background information, reasons for choosing pharmacy and the specific school, handling stress, decision-making scenarios, future challenges in the field, qualities of a pharmacist, and personal experiences demonstrating these qualities. Some respondents mentioned an MMI format, potentially subject to a nondisclosure agreement, and emphasized the importance of knowing oneself and articulating unique aspects during the interview process.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Tell me About yourself
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Introduce yourself, where you’re from and an interesting fact about you
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Why MWU, why pharmacy
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Why Pharmacy? Why Midwestern?
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Introductions: Where you're from, which college you completed pre pharm classes, why Midwestern, Why Pharmacy?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy discussed various topics such as handling rigorous academic coursework, solving pharmacy-related problems, qualities of a pharmacist, facing future challenges in pharmacy, and motivating oneself for a rigorous curriculum. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses mentioning nondisclosure agreements and a structured series of questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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How do you handle rigorous academic coursework
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What is a goal you accomplished and how you accomplished it. Pharmacy school consist of a robust and rigorous curriculum, what study techniques will you bring with you to pharmacy school?
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Not many questions asked, nothing interested me
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Name a problem in pharmacy today and how would you fix it?
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What are you going to do if you don't get accepted into pharmacy school?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources such as Student Doctor Network (SDN) for feedback and questions, practicing mock interviews, reviewing personal statements, and researching the school's website. Many emphasized the importance of being prepared for a variety of questions and avoiding sounding rehearsed in their responses through practice and natural delivery.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Practiced and SDN
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Interview link provided from the University and SDN
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I asked other students who had interviewed with the university about their experience.
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SDN Interview Feedback.
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I looked at the SDN feedback page. It was my first interview so I was really nervous, but this was probably one of the least stressful interviews I've had.
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy discussed various topics including challenging situations in pharmacy practice, ethical dilemmas, leadership qualities, teamwork dynamics, future challenges in the pharmacy field, and personal characteristics essential for pharmacists. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) as respondents mentioned nondisclosure agreements, with questions ranging from ethical scenarios to future trends in pharmacy.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Describe a challenging situation you were in
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In your first job as a pharmacist in the hospital, a physician prescribes a medication in a dose that may be harmful to that patient. You notify the physician of the possibility for harm, but the physician asserts that the dose is correct and you should dispense as ordered. What would you do? (Writing)
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Nothing
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Describe an ethical situation you've been in and how did you face it? We were all struggling to come up with an answer.
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All pretty basic questions
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and welcoming atmosphere of the faculty, staff, and students at the campus. They also appreciated the beautiful and new facilities, the organized interview process, and the emphasis on student success and support throughout their academic journey. Suggestions for improvement were limited, with some applicants mentioning minor issues such as food quality or weather concerns.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The faculty was nice
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Nothing
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The faculty and students felt very welcoming and the campus was beautiful.
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The staff really cares about the students, campus as a whole is nice.
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The campus was absolutely beautiful. The admissions staff and my interviewers were very nice and welcoming. The facilities/labs were very high tech. Food was delicious. Instead of buying books, professors sell lecture notes which apparently make it sooo much easier to study for exams and also is cheaper for students.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about the long and tiring interview process, large class sizes, high tuition costs, lack of detailed information during the application process, and the school's location being far from urban areas like downtown Chicago. Suggestions included streamlining the interview process, providing more detailed information upfront, addressing concerns about class sizes, and potentially improving campus facilities and amenities.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing
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The length of the interview, it was for over four hours
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They are over using the marketing tactic where they send you information over and over to get their brand stuck in your head. The quick encounter with the amdin counselor followed by the quick interview seems like they're hiding something and don't want you to ask many questions.
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N/a
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They didn't really wow me. It seemed as though none of the staff prepared well for the day.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the high tuition costs, the quarter system schedule, the large class sizes, and the lack of personal interaction with professors at the school. They also highlighted the importance of being well-prepared for the interview and being aware of the weather conditions in Chicago.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Relax nothing to worry about
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That I didn't have to worry much about the interview.
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I felt as though I did fairly well, I just wished I had a little more practice since it was my first interview.
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Nothing
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Just to make sure your answers are the best they can be to avoid repeating another student's answer.
🤝 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 could improve by providing quicker responses to admission results and being more thoughtful in selecting student ambassadors for campus tours. Additionally, applicants appreciate when the admissions office shows genuine care for current and prospective students.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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N/a
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They seem more like business people then human beings.
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Maybe a quicker response to the admission result? 4-6 weeks of waiting for a result is a very long time.
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Keep up the good work!
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None!
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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Midway
17% interviewees used Midway (Midway), with 13% using ORD (ORD) and 13% using MDW (MDW) and 7% using ord (ord) and 7% using O'Hare (O'Hare) and 7% using midway (midway) and 7% using O'hare (O'hare) and 7% using Chicago O'Hare (Chicago O'Hare) and 3% using chi (chi) and 3% using O Hare International (O Hare International) and 3% using US airways SUCK! (US airways SUCK!) and 3% using O-Hare (O-Hare) and 3% using ohare (ohare) and 3% using Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport) and 3% using o'hare (o'hare).
What was your primary mode of transportation?
Most interviewees traveled by airplane to the interview.
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48% Airplane
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47% Automobile
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4% Train or Subway
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1% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Holiday Inn Express (average ranking 8.6/10), with some staying at Comfort Inn (average rating 8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Holiday Inn Express
8.6/10
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Comfort Inn
8/10
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Red Roof Inn
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 out of 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 (2%)
Faculty member (1%)
Other (1%)
Student (95%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Discouraging (3%)
Enthusiastic (64%)
Neutral (33%)
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