With the interview cycle starting, our thoughts go back to when we were anxiously
waiting for our turns to interview. While you’re waiting for your chance to interview, there are many things you can be doing to prepare. In today’s post, we’ll discuss ways you can learn more about dental programs you have applied to or will apply to in the future.
Start with the website. A dental school’s website is a great place to start to learn more about its program. Take at least a few minutes to go through the different tabs. It wouldn’t look great if you ask in your interview a question that is easily found on their website. As you’re reading, ask yourself, “What is the school trying to highlight on their web page?” This will allow you to see their priorities and what is important to the school. Be sure to read through their vision & mission statements also! The website will give you a solid foundation of knowledge about the school.
Social media. Social media is another simple way to get to know more about a program. Do they have Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube accounts? What things have they been posting about? You’ll want to check social media again before your interview to give you great talking points about new events happening at the school.
Ask a former student. If you know someone who went through the program, ask them about it! What did they like and not like? What did they feel were their strengths and weaknesses coming out of the program? What was their favorite experience?
Ask a current student. We would argue this is the best way to learn more about a dental school. There are tons of questions you could. Some of those questions include:
a. Why did you decide to go to this school?
b. What sets your school apart from others?
c. What are this school's top priorities?
d. What do you like most about this program?
e. If you could change anything about the school, what would it be?
f. What does the ideal candidate for this school look like?
These are just a few examples. Think of some more questions that would give you information that is important to you and ask away!
“But how do I find students that attend to the programs I applied to?”
There are numberless ways to find a current student. Some ways we recommend are:
Check social media. There are many dental students on social media & many state the school they are attending in their bio.
Check with your pre-dental society. You could ask if there is a list of alumni and where they went to dental school. Even if they are no longer attending the school, they can likely connect you with someone who is.
Network. Ask a dentist or dental student you know if they know anyone at the program.
Ask us! We are happy to connect you to a student at any program. Just ask!
What did you do to learn more about dental school programs? Comment below to let us know if there is anything we missed!
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