Your Interview
Preparing For Your Interview
Congratulations on making it to the next step in the admissions process!
By now you should have received an electronic confirmation of your interview day and time. If you have any questions or need to reschedule your appointment, please contact Associate Director of Admissions, Mrs. Marisela Avila, who will be happy to assist you.
Please carefully review the information below to get a sense of what to expect on the days, how to prepare, and additional resources available to you. Contact your Admissions Counselor if you have any questions.
We look forward to getting to know you better at the interview!
Office of Admissions
Western University of Health Sciences
About the Interview & Interviewers
To help ease the stress of the interview, we want to give you a brief overview of what to expect for the day and specifically share with you the structure and composition of the interview team. While on campus you will hear from students, faculty and administration about the curriculum, admissions process, as well as chat with students over lunch and take a tour of the campus.
You can expect to be interviewed by faculty, administrators and/or a student. The interview will serve as an opportunity for you to demonstrate qualities that could not be fully assessed by your application alone. The interviewers wish to learn more about you and to determine your compatibility with our program.
Writing Sample
As part of the interview process, you will have 30 minutes to complete an essay on a general topic selected by the College of Pharmacy Admissions Committee. This exercise is designed to assess your writing skills.
Interview Location
Health Professions Center
Address: 521 E 3rd St, Pomona, CA 91766
When you arrive at the Health Professions Center, please check in at the main entrance located along the University Esplanade, and facing north towards the mountains. Please do not wait at the entrance on the 3rd Street side of building.
Check -In
A valid photo ID is required when checking in for your interview (please see ID Verification Policy below). During the 25-30 minute interview your interviewers will ask a series of general and behavioral-based questions (which require you to draw from personal experience to formulate your answers).
On-Campus Interview Schedule
| Time | Activity |
| 8:30-8:40AM | PIP Applicant Check In and Enjoy Breakfast |
| 8:40-9:30AM | Writing Sample |
| 9:30-10:00AM | PIP Program Orientation |
| 10:00-10:30AM | Interviews |
| 10:30-11:30AM | Campus Tours with Student Ambassadors |
| 11:30-12:00PM | Lunch with Student Ambassadors |
| 12:00PM | Event Concludes |
Proper identification of individuals allows WesternU to provide a safe and secure campus environment. In addition, the United States Federal Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), Public Law 110-315, requires that University confirm that a person enrolling in the University is the person who is completing the enrollment form, and that the student taking an examination is the student who participates in, completes, and receives credit for the course.
It is the policy of Western University of Health Sciences that applicants to the University are required to provide a government issued ID when checking in for an Admissions interview. Applicants who are unable to provide an acceptable form of identification may reschedule their interview if space is available. For more information on acceptable forms of identification and the University’s Identity Verification policy, please visit: /registrar/policies/.
Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare for your interview:
- Make sure your best business professional attire is ready to wear
- Review the Admissions pages
- Review the College of Pharmacy Catalog
- Curriculum Overview on page 69
- Have a few questions ready for the interviewers in case they ask
- Print directions and plan to arrive early
- Bring a fully charged laptop to complete your writing sample
- Bring a pen and notepad in case you need to take notes
- Bring a valid photo ID (drivers license, passport, etc.)
- Get a good nights’ sleep so your body and mind are refreshed
Useful Resources
There is no way of telling what type of questions will be asked at your specific interview. It is a good idea to have thought through a few general questions prior to interviewing. Please keep in mind that it is likely that you will be asked questions that do not appear on this list, and it’s possible that you will not be asked any of these questions. Whether these specific questions are asked or not, reviewing them is a good exercise to help prepare you to present yourself to the interviewers.
- Tell me about yourself? (Be prepared to articulate what’s important to you, your interests and goals
- What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives?
- When and why did you establish your goals and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them?
- What do you see yourself doing 10 years from now?
- What do you know about WesternU?
- Why do you want to be a student at WesternU?
- What do you think it takes to be a successful student at WesternU?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What are you doing to overcome your weaknesses?
- What kind of support network do you have?
Financial Aid
If you have any questions please contact us at:
800-346-1610
Airports & Hotels
When scheduling flights, we recommend flying in and out of Ontario International Airport (ONT), which is approximately 10 miles east of our campus. Additional options include Santa Ana/John Wayne Airport (SNA), which is approximately 30 miles south of our campus or Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) which is approximately 40 miles west of campus. If you’re an out of town guest, you may also wish to reference some conveniently located hotels.
Directions & Parking
All guest parking on campus is City of Pomona public metered parking, and spaces are available in Daily Permit Lot 12 (located at First and Gibbs St.)
Instructions for Public Metered Parking: (7:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M. and Weekends)
- There are payment machines located in Paid Permit Lots at First Street & Gibbs Street and Third Street & Gibbs Street. When parking you must note the space number and enter it in the machine.
- Enter the number of hours you expect to park there (plan for six hours).
- The machine will give you your cost and ask for payment. It accepts coins, bills, Visa and MasterCard
- You will receive a receipt but it is not necessary to put it in your vehicle.
