What have you done to learn about this school, beyond reading the website?
Effort. Anyone can skim a homepage the night before — they want to know whether you cared enough to talk to a human being.
How to structure your answer
- 1Name what you actually did
- 2What you learned that surprised you
- 3How it changed your view of the school
- 4What you still want to know
- Best answers involve a person: a current student, an alum, someone you met at an open day
- Mention anything you attended — a virtual info session, a tour, a webinar
- Say something you learned that isn't marketing copy
- Be honest if your research was limited, and say what you'd want to ask today
A strong answer
What lands
I emailed four students off a student organization page and two of them wrote back. One, a third-year, gave me 20 minutes on the phone and told me the thing I couldn’t have found anywhere, which is that chasing clinic requirements makes third year feel like a scavenger hunt, and she wished somebody had told her to get to know the front desk staff early. That was worth more than the whole site. I also sat in on the virtual info session in October. What I’d still want to ask is how supported a busy clinic afternoon actually feels.
A real person, a real conversation, something unmarketable learned, and a question still open.
A weak answer
What most people say
I've read a lot about the program. I know the clinical curriculum is strong and that students start seeing patients early, and the community outreach opportunities really appeal to me. The faculty are well regarded and I've been impressed by the research coming out of the school. From everything I've seen it looks like a great fit for me.
Every sentence could have come off the admissions page in ninety seconds flat.
The trap
⚠Reciting facts anyone could find in ninety seconds. If everything you say could have come from the admissions page, you've answered the question badly no matter how accurate you are.
Reading it isn't the same as saying it.
Most people can explain a good answer and still fall apart saying one out loud. Admitted asks you all 100 questions in a faculty voice, records you, and scores your pace and filler words.
Try one interview freeGet the guideMore fit questions
- Why did you apply to our school?Fit
- What will you contribute to our class?Fit
- If we admitted you, what would you want to get involved in here?Fit
- What other schools are you considering? If we accepted you today, would you come?Fit
- What concerns do you have about dental school?Fit
- Is there anything we haven't asked that you'd want us to know?Fit