Pittsburgh, PA
Dental Schools | Public Non-Profit
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Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 24% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview generally impressive with a low stress level and felt they did well.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
SDN Interview Experience Score
7.9
Good
Generally favorable experience overall, applicants reported positive interactions with some minor issues noted.
Based on 330 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 low 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 (76%)
Negatively (12%)
No change (13%)
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
Great (57%)
Good (32%)
Average (8%)
Poor (4%)
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview experience at Pitt to be laid-back and welcoming, with friendly interviewers and a relaxed atmosphere. Some mentioned long interview days and varying interviewer experiences, but overall, applicants left with a positive impression of the school and program.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Very great and friendly interview
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Loved this interview and left feeling very confident
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Pitt has a great program with great professors and great students. Can't wait to attend in the fall!
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No preparation necessary.
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Be physically ready. The whole interview/tour took 7 hours. At the end of the day, I was so exhausted. I wish I knew that before hand.
💬 Interview Process ▼
Length, number, and type of interviews
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Length:
28 Minutes Average
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Number:
1.2 Interviews Average
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Interview Type (Interaction):
99% One-on-One
1% Group Interview
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File Type:
78% Open-File
22% Closed-File
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Interview Modality:
100% Virtual
0% In-Person
Pitt-COMP interviews are an average of 28 minutes, with an average of 1.2 interviews. 99% of interviews are one-on-one, 0% are in-person, and 22% are closed-file.
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools based on user responses include inquiries about reasons for pursuing dentistry, motivations for choosing a specific school like Pitt, personal interests and experiences, ability to handle challenges, and future career goals such as specialization after dental school. Many respondents also mentioned engaging in conversations rather than a formal question-answer format, indicating a conversational approach to the interviews. It is important to note that some responses suggest an MMI format with nondisclosure agreements in place for certain questions.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What do you see yourself doing after you graduate dental school
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Why Pitt Dental?
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Why dentistry
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Why do you want to go to Pitt?
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Are there any last things that you would like to tell me about you?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine discussed various topics including specialty choices, reasons for pursuing dentistry, personal reflections on life and family, research experiences, ethical dilemmas, and future career aspirations. The interview format may have been an MMI (Multiple Mini Interview) based on responses mentioning nondisclosure agreements, with questions ranging from personal values to hypothetical scenarios related to dentistry and beyond.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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If you had to choose a specialty which one would you choose?
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Asked me about my time abroad.
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They asked me about my research
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"Why do you want to be a dentist?"
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How were the private practices run, that you observed?
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by reviewing their application, reading feedback on Student Doctor Network (SDN), and researching the program's website. Common suggestions included knowing why they want to pursue dentistry, being familiar with the school's mission and vision, and engaging in conversational interviews rather than scripting answers.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Using SDN and going over my application
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Sdn
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SDN interview feedback,
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Read up about the program online: the mission statement, the vision, and what they look for in candidates
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Read over my application, not too much preparation was necessary, extremely conversational interviews
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine discussed a range of topics including unique applications, hypothetical scenarios with a billion dollars, ethical dilemmas in dentistry, dedication to the field, and handling potential rejection from dental schools. Many responses indicated a conversational tone during the interview, with some mentioning the interviewer's attitude as a challenge, while others highlighted questions related to personal attributes and motivations in dentistry.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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What makes your application unique?
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None
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No difficult questions
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"What would you do for work if you had a billion dollars?"
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N/A
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the friendliness and approachability of the faculty and students at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. They appreciated the welcoming atmosphere, state-of-the-art facilities like the simulation clinic, research opportunities, and the school's commitment to providing a comprehensive and supportive educational experience.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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The friendliness of the faculty
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Asked questions based on my file and not just the usual interview questions, and was very conversational
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The faculty were extremely nice and made sure we were not stressed or anxious
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The faculty was incredibly impressive; they were intelligent, laid-back, and genuine.
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Everything. Was sooo impressed by the friendliness of the faculty that we met throughout the interview day. It's obvious that they go out of there way to make this a low pressure day for interviewees and I got more information about this school during the interview/tour than I did at any other school. They have several selectives and certificate programs (anesthesiology, public health, etc). Was also impressed by their special needs clinic. Smaller program with only 80 seats. They take NBDE part 1 the summer after first year. You get experience with standardized patients. Felt a really good vibe at this school, most enjoyable interview experience that I had.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants expressed concerns about disorganized interview days, short interview times, lack of facility maintenance, unfriendly student interactions, and issues with clinical experiences and faculty consistency. Suggestions included improving organization, extending interview times, enhancing facilities, promoting student diversity, and addressing clinical and faculty-related issues.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Nothing
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They separate the info session from the interview with two different Zoom
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They were a bit late starting for checking in.
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Interviews were 13 minutes long, so we only got to talk about 2-3 things before the zoom room cut out
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The facilities could use some rehab
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the relaxed and conversational nature of the interview process, the length of the day, the requirement for a writing sample, the collaborative relationship with UPMC, and the potential financial implications of the early interview invitation. Comfortable shoes for walking and shuttle options for transportation were also highlighted as useful tips for future applicants.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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I wish I had known more about the city of Pittsburgh
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That it is is two 15min interviews and then a student Q&A session
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It was very casual. You're split up into three different sections, and you'll have two separate one-on-one interviews. The third section is a student QnA panel.
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How conversational it truly is
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I wish I wasn't so nervous. The faculty at Pitt are awesome!
🤝 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 suggested the admissions office to improve organization and efficiency during interview days, provide better communication and faster responses to applicants, and reduce the number of applicants during interview days to enhance individual interactions with faculty and students.
Top 5 Responses: (Click below to see additional responses)
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Keep doing a good job!
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Please give better directions for interviews. I personally felt the organization for student interviews were a bit messy.
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I wish that there were fewer applicants during the interview day (I was with 50 other students!) It was hard to stand out and get to know the school's faculty and students
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Wish they had better/faster response to applicants and more organized interview day.
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Get more answering machine storage! Haha =p
📍 Travel and Logistics ▼
Airports Used
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PIT
62% interviewees used PIT (PIT), with 10% using pit (pit) and 10% using Pittsburgh International (Pittsburgh International) and 5% using Pittsburgh International Airport (Pittsburgh International Airport) and 5% using PITT (PITT) and 5% using Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh) and 5% using Pittsburgh international (Pittsburgh international).
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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39% Automobile
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7% Train or Subway
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7% Other
Hotels Recommended by Other Interviewees
Most interviewees stayed at the Holiday Inn (average ranking 9/10), with some staying at Hampton Inn (average rating 8/10). (Top 3 displayed)
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Holiday Inn
9/10
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Hampton Inn
8/10
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Wyndham
8.5/10
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 (1%)
Faculty member (1%)
Student (97%)
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
Discouraging (2%)
Enthusiastic (80%)
Neutral (18%)
All Responses
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