CSU CSU Dentistry: Q&A and General Discussion

[toilet]

Does anyone know what they use the year 12 reports for?

I'm going to hope they don't bother reading the summaries that my subject teachers have wrote about me, otherwise it won't look good

First line for Chemistry: "Gant never committed himself to Chemistry."

SMH..

Hey gant, um from personal experience i think they use it to determine early round offers, my year 12 report had something similar so hmm :S

 

[mighty]

Not sure if they really use it much to determine early round offers, maybe it's a part of the app but I'm not really sure how much it plays a part. Maybe it helps as a character judge or confirmation of ATAR prediction or something...

 

[lexpix]

Hi Guys, I've read that CSU uses the written app + predicted ATAR/GPA when deciding interview offers.

However, since my GPA is from a completed degree and so won't be changing pre- and post-interview, after the interview is my GPA still an issue or has that hurdle already been jumped? As in, if I were to be rejected after the interview, the rejection would only be based on the interview itself because my GPA was always high enough. (I suppose this all depends on the other candidates' ATARs/GPAs turn out to be.)

I guess more generally, what's the criteria to get an interview? And after the interview, what's the criteria to get an offer?

 

[mighty]

Heyy [MENTION=14794]lexpix[/MENTION],

For an interview: application + GPA
For an offer: interview + GPA

so for final offers your GPA definitely still counts. There is the threshold of 5 but the higher your GPA the better. I hope that answered your question

 

[Equilibrium]

Heyy @lexpix ,

For an interview: application + GPA
For an offer: interview + GPA

so for final offers your GPA definitely still counts. There is the threshold of 5 but the higher your GPA the better. I hope that answered your question

Are you sure that is correct? Because I always thought that it was:

For an interview: application + GPA
For an offer: interview + application

In other words, the GPA is just a "hurdle" to get an interview (i.e. you just need to satisfy the minimum requirement, which is 5.0, and then it is no longer regarded).

 

[Hutcherson]

The GPA is not just a hurdle. It is still used when making offers especially when non-standards are competing against each other. The 5.0 minimum requirement is just saying as long as you have 5.0 and above, your application will be considered.

 

[Equilibrium]

Thanks for clearing that up Hutcherson

 

[Light Weight]

After speaking to Judy on the phone, she said everyone who receives an interview is on a level playing field, does that mean Atar/GPA will only be used if there is a tie in the interviews between people?

 

[Articuno]

Hi everyone, Im currently waiting for an interview offer for the BDSc. If I was lucky enough to get one I was just wondering if you had any advice for the Interview such as the types of questions they ask at the three stations, how many questions and how long each answer must be? Thank you so much guys, I appreciate it

 

[Deleted member 15192]

After speaking to Judy on the phone, she said everyone who receives an interview is on a level playing field, does that mean Atar/GPA will only be used if there is a tie in the interviews between people?

Yes. Who would you be more inclined to take if you were boiling down between two people, one with a GPA of 7.0 or one with 5.5?

 

[Deleted member 15192]

Hi everyone, Im currently waiting for an interview offer for the BDSc. If I was lucky enough to get one I was just wondering if you had any advice for the Interview such as the types of questions they ask at the three stations, how many questions and how long each answer must be? Thank you so much guys, I appreciate it

JKS13, they will ask simple questions to start off, just to get you to relax into it i.e. how did you travel here today, where are you from, tell us a little bit about yourself etc. Then they scenario questions will take place, e.g.
"Your best friend and class member is caught cheating on a test, and get's a better result than you do, how do you feel and what do you do?"

There's no way to state "how long" each answer must be, because that depends entirely upon the question. You answer it at the length it takes you to answer it, and when you're happy with your answer. They may provoke you into explaining further, if you seem too brief.

 

[Articuno]

Thanks so much for the reply so theres definitely no time limit like 5 minutes? And last year there were 3 stations I heard from a friend already doing the course?

 

[Deleted member 15192]

Thanks so much for the reply so theres definitely no time limit like 5 minutes? And last year there were 3 stations I heard from a friend already doing the course?

You're most certainly welcome.
I haven't sat the interview myself, yet! But I am well informed, I believe there is still three panels, and I can't imagine you'd need five minutes purely to answer a question.

 

[mighty]

Thanks so much for the reply so theres definitely no time limit like 5 minutes? And last year there were 3 stations I heard from a friend already doing the course?

You get 5 minutes per station. It goes remarkably quickly so make sure you are concise in your answer. Definitely pause and think before you answer the question. Like Rickman said there is no specified amount of time that you should spend on a question, per se, but the aim is to say everything you want to say in the smallest amount of time. They will cut you off if you are taking too long.

 

[DrWho]

Yo peeps,

Just on this interview stuff; Does CSU mainly put its focus on scenarios as Rickman stated, or do they make the focus the applicant?

 

[mighty]

Yo peeps,

Just on this interview stuff; Does CSU mainly put its focus on scenarios as Rickman stated, or do they make the focus the applicant?

It depends. I've spoken to people and they've said that they had a few scenarios whereas I only had one. In general I'd say 50-50.

 

[atptsoi]

I'm going to apply to CSU for the 2014 intake, for the supporting documents there are 5 spaces. Thing is I've interned at a dental clinic but 2 at medical clinics instead because they are more opportunities to shadow there where I live. Would those be alright too?

 

[C2H6]

I'm going to apply to CSU for the 2014 intake, for the supporting documents there are 5 spaces. Thing is I've interned at a dental clinic but 2 at medical clinics instead because they are more opportunities to shadow there where I live. Would those be alright too?

Hmm. This one is debatable.

I 'shadowed' at 2 dental practices and put those both down and i got accepted. So you obviously do not need to fill up all 5 so dont stress about that.

In terms of putting down a medical center it could work a few ways
1) They see your keen for the medical field more broadly
2) They get the impression you are also keen on medicine

Now i know it would be silly of me to think that they only think dent applicants are solely applying for dent (because look at me). However i would still be hesitant about putting that idea in their head.

My choice would boil down to these two things
1) how good the reference is. Remember the aim is to improve your application: so if the reference is just generic and doesn't really help you..ditch it.
2) whether or not i could shadow at any more dental clinics instead.

One more idealistic statement: It shouldn't make you worse off. And if you get an interview they would likely ask you about them. So you would have to explain why (as you have already done, experience within a medical practice)

 

[mighty]

I would try get more dental work experience. Unless it was a medical clinic for a max fac or something I don't see how that experience is directly relevant and how they could give you a reference that would look favourably upon you as a strictly dental candidate? With these things my advice is to always play it safe and to think about all the other applicants out there - many other people will be applying with purely dental work exp., so while having medical work exp doesn't preclude you from a spot, your aim is to really try and improve your chances in any way possible.

I don't think the interviewers ask you questions based on your application. I'm not even sure of whether they read your application or not tbh.

 

[Matoj]

If the medical practice was in a rural location I think you can integrate it into your application. It also depends what the reference from the practice is like.