Interview Day Preparation

Hi there, prospective Buckeyes!

It’s Victoria here with a few words on “Interview Day preparation!” For the last two years, I’ve worked in the Office of Student Affairs – the same office that coordinates and hosts interviews for our PharmD program. I’ve gotten to see the application process from start to finish, from both the student and the administrative point of view. As a result, I’d like to offer up some “Do’s” and “Do NOTs” so that you arrive in Columbus feeling confident for your interview!

DO take the time to prepare for your interview. Go to pharmacy.osu.edu and click around. What remaining questions do you have about our program? What about Ohio State is interesting to you? Consider practicing responses to common interview themes. But…

DO NOT be too rehearsed. Solid interview preparation is key, but more importantly you should be yourself! Have confidence in your own abilities and experiences, and simply be ready to tell your interviewer more about them.

DO stick to the facts. For example, I once took a cable car up a mountain in the Swiss Alps and walked around at the top. I would not want to claim I “hiked the Swiss Alps” in an attempt to impress my interviewer. What if they were an avid hiker and asked me what type of boots I wore?!

(Notice my poor footwear choice…I know nothing about hiking and wouldn’t want to be caught in an exaggeration of the facts. Shameless plug, I was in Switzerland for a College of Pharmacy study abroad trip this past spring break!)

DO NOT skip breakfast because you don’t want to spill anything on your suit. If anything, just pass on the cream cheese and have a plain bagel if you’re worried about it. You’ll feel so much better throughout the day if you’re not on an empty stomach.

Finally, DO remember that your interview day is for you to evaluate if the College is a good fit for you. If you were on a date, you’d pay attention to if your date was a good match for you at least as much as you’d be trying to make a good impression. This applies to PharmD interviews as well! Do focus on putting your best foot forward, but take note of if the school is a good fit for you in return.

As always, please feel free to comment here or email me with any questions you might have. Interviews are intimidating, but they don’t have to be! You were invited to campus for a reason, have confidence and the rest will fall into place!

That’s all for now! Go Bucks!

-Victoria

williams.4020@osu.edu