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Video Interview Process for Brown School Applicants

The Brown School requires applicants to the MSW, MPH and MSP programs to complete a video interview for admission consideration.

The interview is an asynchronous assessment in which you will be asked to submit timed responses to pre-recorded questions. The interview allows us to meet you virtually and gain a clearer sense of all you hope to achieve at the Brown School, while offering you a space to expand on the information shared in your application. You will access the interview online, on your own time, from a computer device equipped with a webcam and microphone. There are no wrong answers to the questions you’ll be asked in this interview.

The Kira platform is fully accessible in accordance with WCAG 2.0 AA standards. If you anticipate extenuating circumstances or experience barriers preventing you from completing the interview, please contact us at brownadmissions@wustl.edu as soon as possible upon submitting your application to discuss alternate interview options

Academic Integrity Warning

This assessment not only helps the admissions committee to determine your fit for the program, but also helps us determine whether your verbal and written communication skills meet the standard to excel in our academic environment.  Please note that we are looking for your own original answers in your Kira assessment, not responses that were written by AI or any other external sources.

The Kira Talent platform will flag any suspicious activities that are monitored on an applicant’s assessment. This includes, but is not limited to, audio or visual of another person present in the room, unusual typing speed, browser refreshes, plagiarism and unusual time to complete the assessment. 

Do not copy and paste text into the text fields in the assessment, and do not refresh the page while completing the assessment. Should your assessment be flagged for suspicious activity, your application will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.   If suspicious activity is deemed legitimate, the Office of Admissions & Recruitment reserves the right to dismiss your application. 

Set-up Instructions:

  • Your personalized link to the online video interview will be generated within the Washington University Graduate Admissions Portal. Note for MPH applicants: you will receive an email invitation to access your admissions portal account after you have submitted your application in SOPHAS.
  • When registering, use the same name and email used in your application for admission.
  • You will need an secure and stable internet connection and computer with a functioning keyboard, webcam, and microphone. Smartphones and tablets are not supported.
  • You can register first and then complete your interview immediately or later.  If you are applying by one of the application deadlines (December 1 – Early Review; March 1 – Priority Review), the interview must be complete by the date of the application deadline.
  • The interview must be submitted for your application to be considered complete. 

What to Expect:

  • You will be asked a series of five questions; four questions will require an oral response and one will require a written response. 
  • Before you answer each question, you will be given a set amount of time to prepare, and then a set amount of time to respond. Your responses will be recorded and submitted to the Brown School’s Admissions Committee.
  • You will only have one opportunity to answer each question.
  • The interview takes approximately 20-30 minutes to complete and may be done on your own time.
  • You must complete the full interview in one sitting.
  • Technical support is available 24 hours a day from the platform host, Kira Talent. If you need assistance, you can click the ‘Need help?’ button or email support@kiratalent.com.

How to Practice:

  • You will be allowed to take unlimited practice sessions before you begin recording your session.
  • Practice questions are designed to increase your comfort using the platform and you will practice submitting a written and oral response.
  • The questions in the actual interview session are designed to help the Admissions Committee determine your fit for the Brown School. Questions are motivation-based, situation-based, and behavior-based. We recommend preparing to answer these types of questions much like you would prepare for a job interview.