I'm here in Fullerton and have come full circle since last October! School starts in less than 2 weeks. Explore, explore, explore are the things on my to do list. Oh, and also giving details on my last interview!
I haven't mentioned this, but my 4 interviews occurred within 1 month's time during October of 2011. It was a crazy month, so when SCCO came up I was happy it was coming to an end. The interview process is one of the best parts of applying to schools since your goal is so tangible, but it is very draining at the same time. Being your happiest, most engaging self is more challenging if you have an introvert personality like myself.
Anyways, SCCO was my last optometry interview. It was during the middle of the week and not one of their bigger Saturday/weekend interviews. This meant I was alone again. Not a terrible thing since I had already experienced this, but it probably would have been more fun with other applicants.
Here is the break down of my Interview Day at SCCO
9:20am - check in at the administration office
9:30am - given 30 minute written prompt
10am - financial aid meeting
10:30am - official interview with 2 current faculty members
11:20am - file review interview with Director of Student Affairs
12pm - campus tour including lab rooms, Eye Clinic, lecture halls, library, and student center
12:30pm - said goodbyes and thank yous before heading off to the airport for my flight back home.
This was my shortest interview day which was nice in some ways. By this point I was confident with my interview skills, but also drained from the whole experience. The schedule above is slower than the actual pace of my actual interview day since I was the only one, and I didn't take the full 30 minutes to give my written response.
For my review, I would say SCCO was very welcoming and inviting the entire time I was there. The main assistant in the office, Betty Sanchez, was extremely good at keeping me calm by simply smiling and engaging me in small talk. If you're at all aware of SCCO, you're aware of Dr. Munroe. She is as sweet and helpful as she appears online! Yup, got to meet her and have a good chat... I think before my actual interview? Anyways, everyone was nice and low key - not what I was expecting since it is Southern California!
I did wish, in a strange twisted way, for the day to be slightly longer. The campus tour seemed a bit quick, but since I got almost all of my questions answered it worked out. Also, I love food. There wasn't any provided for me, but I wasn't torn up about this since, again, I was the only applicant that day and it was a half day interview.
So, overall, it was a good final interview! I think my favorite part was the official interview and viewing the student library. SCCO was awesome at providing tips and even a mock interview on youtube that I was able to review before attending! Likewise, the library faces a beautiful green belt and seemed so inviting. I actually had about an hour to spare before I was to be picked up by the airport taxi, so I just chilled in the library to wait!
Now, this is the end of my interview series, but I can add one final installment. The decision process. Unless you have a top choice from the get-go, this is the ultimate step (especially when you consider the schools typically only give up to 2 weeks before you have to accept or reject their offer).
However, before I add that post I'm going out to explore Fullerton! It is suppose to be 91 today!
Until Next Time,
powerkat
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Interviews. Show all posts
August 8, 2012
July 30, 2012
Pacific University College of Optometry Interview
3rd Interview and it was by far the cheapest! Though I was really set on moving to a different state for professional school, I knew it was a good idea to check out Pacific. The university is a mere 40 minutes from my parents' house and in an area that I feel naturally at ease.
Pacific University was the only Optometry program that was part of the typical university campus. It is a private school for undergraduates, graduates, and professional students, so you are surrounded by the feelings of youth, new idea, and possibilities. It doesn't hurt the school is situated amongst tons of trees. You feel like you're in a forest! Ok, enough about the look and feel of the campus (I really love nature and the NW if you can't tell). On to my interview day at Pacific!
7:45am - arrive and check in at the student union centrally located on the campus. Get name tag and meet fellow applicants.
8:00 - attend a morning lecture with current students!
9:00 - brief rundown of schedule for the day before given a 10-15 minute writing sample
9:30 - introduction/welcome to Pacific University and the College of Optometry by the Dean
10:00 - financial aid meeting as a large group
10:25 - 4th year clinical rotation information session
11:00 - Q&A session with student panel
11:30 - break for lunch; eat with students from panel and faculty (you'll be interviewing with these people!)
12:30 - break off into 3 groups for interviews, campus tours, or free time (1 hour for each)
3:45 - finish up final rotation before meeting back as a large group for social hour
4:00 - social hour with sweets, coffee, tea to chat with other faculty, students, administrators, and fellow applicants
5:25ish - feel the drain of the day and head back home
Pacific's Interview day is long, but you get a lot out of the experience. You have the option of sitting in on a lecture (awesome! triple brownie points!), chat with students, eat with the people you're going to be interviewing with (aids in feeling more at ease once you have your interview), and are given a full hour to just relax. At the end of the day you are exhausted, but feel like you're already a part of the Optometry program's family. They really do an excellent job of making you feel comfortable and at ease. When I first saw that interviews weren't going to be held until the afternoon I mentally freaked. I had to be anxiety-ridden until 2pm?! Maybe it was because I was already starting to get drained, had food in me, or had talked with students earlier, but I felt very relaxed when I entered the interview room.
An important note about the afternoon when they divide you into 3 groups: if you are not the first group to be interview, you will have to find your interview location on your own. This is somewhat scary, but your tour guides can point you in the right direction. My campus guide actually walked me to my building because she didn't even know where it was! I guess it was a brand new building that isn't used yet, so if she hadn't assisted me I would have missed the interview.
Next time I'll wrap up my experiences with my final interview at SCCO.
Until Next Time,
powerkat
Pacific University was the only Optometry program that was part of the typical university campus. It is a private school for undergraduates, graduates, and professional students, so you are surrounded by the feelings of youth, new idea, and possibilities. It doesn't hurt the school is situated amongst tons of trees. You feel like you're in a forest! Ok, enough about the look and feel of the campus (I really love nature and the NW if you can't tell). On to my interview day at Pacific!
7:45am - arrive and check in at the student union centrally located on the campus. Get name tag and meet fellow applicants.
8:00 - attend a morning lecture with current students!
9:00 - brief rundown of schedule for the day before given a 10-15 minute writing sample
9:30 - introduction/welcome to Pacific University and the College of Optometry by the Dean
10:00 - financial aid meeting as a large group
10:25 - 4th year clinical rotation information session
11:00 - Q&A session with student panel
11:30 - break for lunch; eat with students from panel and faculty (you'll be interviewing with these people!)
12:30 - break off into 3 groups for interviews, campus tours, or free time (1 hour for each)
3:45 - finish up final rotation before meeting back as a large group for social hour
4:00 - social hour with sweets, coffee, tea to chat with other faculty, students, administrators, and fellow applicants
5:25ish - feel the drain of the day and head back home
Pacific's Interview day is long, but you get a lot out of the experience. You have the option of sitting in on a lecture (awesome! triple brownie points!), chat with students, eat with the people you're going to be interviewing with (aids in feeling more at ease once you have your interview), and are given a full hour to just relax. At the end of the day you are exhausted, but feel like you're already a part of the Optometry program's family. They really do an excellent job of making you feel comfortable and at ease. When I first saw that interviews weren't going to be held until the afternoon I mentally freaked. I had to be anxiety-ridden until 2pm?! Maybe it was because I was already starting to get drained, had food in me, or had talked with students earlier, but I felt very relaxed when I entered the interview room.
An important note about the afternoon when they divide you into 3 groups: if you are not the first group to be interview, you will have to find your interview location on your own. This is somewhat scary, but your tour guides can point you in the right direction. My campus guide actually walked me to my building because she didn't even know where it was! I guess it was a brand new building that isn't used yet, so if she hadn't assisted me I would have missed the interview.
Next time I'll wrap up my experiences with my final interview at SCCO.
Until Next Time,
powerkat
July 25, 2012
Illinois College of Optometry Interview
I really liked my experience with ICO. Why? Because they have this awesome program where you can spend the night before your interview in one of their dorm (called the Residential Complex) rooms for free. Did I mention the dorm is right across the street from the campus building? And they give you a free breakfast? As I am a cheap gal, I loved this! However, it is a first come, first serve deal. Make sure you call as soon as you know the date of your interview.
Since I took advantage of this overnight program, my morning was interesting as I woke up, got dressed, and went to the school cafeteria for breakfast which was completely empty. I thought this was really weird, but it turned out the students were taking an exam that morning. This was realized as I walked back to my dorm room after breakfast and encountered an entire hallway of stressed out first years reviewing notes with each other. 'Hey everyone! Check out the awkward applicant in her professional clothes!'
Anyways, I went back to the dorm, packed up my luggage, and headed back over to the main building to officially check in for my interview. My flight back home was later that day, so I was "that kid" and brought everything with me. Thankfully, the security staff took pity on me and let me store my gear in their office.
Turns out? I was the only applicant scheduled for that day. At first I thought it was a little weird since at ICO they have a large room where the financial aid officer, admissions director, and tour guides come meet you. Because of this, I mostly was sitting on a couch waiting for the next person to arrive and talk with me. Though, I got all the free cookies, tea, and water to myself. :)
So, in terms of how the day went:
9am - checked in at main lobby
9:15 - received by a student doing work study in the admissions office and lead upstairs to applicant room.
9:20 - introduced to admissions officer, reviewed academic file, filled out lunch card, and did 15 minute written prompt
10:25 - Welcome to ICO conversation by admissions director on couch
10:45 - financial aid meeting on couch
11:30 - official interview with a professor in his personal office. finally got to leave the applicant room!
12:15pm - lunch with ICO students in applicant room. Chatted about student life, Chicago living, academic/social balance, and how they all wanted to move to Portland because it was so green, sustainable, and had no sales tax.
1:00 - student tour guides picked me up and lead me around the building, residential complex, fitness center, EyePod, and lecture/lab skills rooms.
2:00 - said good bye to admissions officer, picked up my luggage, and went on my merry way to the airport.
As you can see, I was slightly annoyed by the fact that I was stuck in one room, but it worked for the best since I was the only person interviewing that day. Being the only applicant seemed daunting, but worked out ok. I didn't have to compete with anyone to ask questions. Though, it would have been nice to meet other applicants and have a better idea of who ICO was looking for their program. The student lunch was a great way for me to get a better sense of this and they were all extremely nice. They gave tips on what they experienced and gave honest thoughts on what they liked/disliked about the program which was really refreshing.
Hopefully the break down of my day was easier to follow this time? Anyways, like I mentioned in my Salus post, this is merely what I experienced and does not reflect how you or someone else will experience an ICO interview. Take my comments with a grain of salt.
Where am I headed next? Why, my local town of Forest Grove, OR and my review of Pacific University's Optometry Interview!
Until Next Time,
powerkat
Since I took advantage of this overnight program, my morning was interesting as I woke up, got dressed, and went to the school cafeteria for breakfast which was completely empty. I thought this was really weird, but it turned out the students were taking an exam that morning. This was realized as I walked back to my dorm room after breakfast and encountered an entire hallway of stressed out first years reviewing notes with each other. 'Hey everyone! Check out the awkward applicant in her professional clothes!'
Anyways, I went back to the dorm, packed up my luggage, and headed back over to the main building to officially check in for my interview. My flight back home was later that day, so I was "that kid" and brought everything with me. Thankfully, the security staff took pity on me and let me store my gear in their office.
Turns out? I was the only applicant scheduled for that day. At first I thought it was a little weird since at ICO they have a large room where the financial aid officer, admissions director, and tour guides come meet you. Because of this, I mostly was sitting on a couch waiting for the next person to arrive and talk with me. Though, I got all the free cookies, tea, and water to myself. :)
So, in terms of how the day went:
9am - checked in at main lobby
9:15 - received by a student doing work study in the admissions office and lead upstairs to applicant room.
9:20 - introduced to admissions officer, reviewed academic file, filled out lunch card, and did 15 minute written prompt
10:25 - Welcome to ICO conversation by admissions director on couch
10:45 - financial aid meeting on couch
11:30 - official interview with a professor in his personal office. finally got to leave the applicant room!
12:15pm - lunch with ICO students in applicant room. Chatted about student life, Chicago living, academic/social balance, and how they all wanted to move to Portland because it was so green, sustainable, and had no sales tax.
1:00 - student tour guides picked me up and lead me around the building, residential complex, fitness center, EyePod, and lecture/lab skills rooms.
2:00 - said good bye to admissions officer, picked up my luggage, and went on my merry way to the airport.
As you can see, I was slightly annoyed by the fact that I was stuck in one room, but it worked for the best since I was the only person interviewing that day. Being the only applicant seemed daunting, but worked out ok. I didn't have to compete with anyone to ask questions. Though, it would have been nice to meet other applicants and have a better idea of who ICO was looking for their program. The student lunch was a great way for me to get a better sense of this and they were all extremely nice. They gave tips on what they experienced and gave honest thoughts on what they liked/disliked about the program which was really refreshing.
Hopefully the break down of my day was easier to follow this time? Anyways, like I mentioned in my Salus post, this is merely what I experienced and does not reflect how you or someone else will experience an ICO interview. Take my comments with a grain of salt.
Where am I headed next? Why, my local town of Forest Grove, OR and my review of Pacific University's Optometry Interview!
Until Next Time,
powerkat
July 23, 2012
Salus Optometry School Interview Day
My day at Salus University (Penn. College of Optometry) began by taking a taxi ride from my hotel 2 miles down the road to the school. The taxi driver was actually a really sweet man who lived across the street from the school with his wife. He had shuttled applicants visiting from Oregon, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, basically every state in the US. He chatted with me the whole way there, so by the time I paid him a generous tip my nerves had disappeared.
This was my first interview. Therefore, I got to the school at 9am when we weren't suppose to check in until 9:15. I walked around the campus, checked out the blue pond with the fake swans (really cute!), and realized how peaceful the setting was! The building was in an odd location, more suburban, and looked more like a business office than school. However, the pond, gazebo, and fake swans made me feel comfortable. Almost tranquil.
Anyways, around 9:10 I couldn't take it anymore and walked into the main office to check in. I was the second applicant to arrive! There were 4 girls, including myself, and we all were wearing pants. Not really an inside scoop, but an interesting tid bit.
At 9:30 our interviewers picked each of us off and whisked us to a secret location. Mine was a room dedicated to pain and torture, but they referred to it as one of their interview rooms. Hmm, maybe I got that wrong? It was my first interview and I was starting to feel those nerves again.
The woman who interviewed me was really nice and we actually had a great conversation about traveling to other areas around the NE and entertainment in Philly. There was some talk about eyes and how I REALLY like them, but it was a very smooth transition. Apparently we got along really well because by the time I was lead back to the main office it was 10:25! I held up the group by having a long interview (which is a good sign for those of you preparing for interviews...), so we were quickly rushed through the financial aid meeting and our academic file review. The file review was really simple. You basically sit there and confirm what you have completed is correct and if there are any weaknesses in your file this is your moment to explain. After a quick water break, we were introduced to 2 student tour guides who we chatted with about student life over lunch in the cafeteria. I think all 4 of us applicants were starving, so this was great timing! After the lunch break and chats with the students, they took us on a tour around the campus that included the library, eye clinic (yes, it is a 10 minute drive away), the fitness center, student lounge, bookstore, lecture/skills labs rooms, and the cafeteria.
At the end of the tour we were finished! By that point I think it was early afternoon? Maybe 2-3pm? I spent roughly 6 hours at Salus and it was a great way to start off my month of interviews. The nerves were scary, but Salus did a great job of keeping us actively engaged with the experience. We weren't sitting around very much, so there wasn't time to be too concerned about what we had/hadn't said.
However, when I left the school I went right back to the hotel, jumped into comfy jeans and had a mixed drink in the lobby (they had a happy hour in the hotel!!! how awesome is that?)
This was slightly condensed since I can't remember every moment of the interview (it still seems like a blur almost a year later), but hopefully this gives you interviewees another perspective. I should note that this is only what I experienced and may not be what everyone else experiences. This post, along with my future school interview posts, is only here to give my perspective and not a definitive answer to what to expect. Do not limit your expectations of a school from one person's comments or you could end up more confused, disappointed, or frustrated.
With that note, I hope you enjoy! Next interview post will be on ICO!
Until Next Time,
powerkat
This was my first interview. Therefore, I got to the school at 9am when we weren't suppose to check in until 9:15. I walked around the campus, checked out the blue pond with the fake swans (really cute!), and realized how peaceful the setting was! The building was in an odd location, more suburban, and looked more like a business office than school. However, the pond, gazebo, and fake swans made me feel comfortable. Almost tranquil.
Anyways, around 9:10 I couldn't take it anymore and walked into the main office to check in. I was the second applicant to arrive! There were 4 girls, including myself, and we all were wearing pants. Not really an inside scoop, but an interesting tid bit.
At 9:30 our interviewers picked each of us off and whisked us to a secret location. Mine was a room dedicated to pain and torture, but they referred to it as one of their interview rooms. Hmm, maybe I got that wrong? It was my first interview and I was starting to feel those nerves again.
The woman who interviewed me was really nice and we actually had a great conversation about traveling to other areas around the NE and entertainment in Philly. There was some talk about eyes and how I REALLY like them, but it was a very smooth transition. Apparently we got along really well because by the time I was lead back to the main office it was 10:25! I held up the group by having a long interview (which is a good sign for those of you preparing for interviews...), so we were quickly rushed through the financial aid meeting and our academic file review. The file review was really simple. You basically sit there and confirm what you have completed is correct and if there are any weaknesses in your file this is your moment to explain. After a quick water break, we were introduced to 2 student tour guides who we chatted with about student life over lunch in the cafeteria. I think all 4 of us applicants were starving, so this was great timing! After the lunch break and chats with the students, they took us on a tour around the campus that included the library, eye clinic (yes, it is a 10 minute drive away), the fitness center, student lounge, bookstore, lecture/skills labs rooms, and the cafeteria.
At the end of the tour we were finished! By that point I think it was early afternoon? Maybe 2-3pm? I spent roughly 6 hours at Salus and it was a great way to start off my month of interviews. The nerves were scary, but Salus did a great job of keeping us actively engaged with the experience. We weren't sitting around very much, so there wasn't time to be too concerned about what we had/hadn't said.
However, when I left the school I went right back to the hotel, jumped into comfy jeans and had a mixed drink in the lobby (they had a happy hour in the hotel!!! how awesome is that?)
This was slightly condensed since I can't remember every moment of the interview (it still seems like a blur almost a year later), but hopefully this gives you interviewees another perspective. I should note that this is only what I experienced and may not be what everyone else experiences. This post, along with my future school interview posts, is only here to give my perspective and not a definitive answer to what to expect. Do not limit your expectations of a school from one person's comments or you could end up more confused, disappointed, or frustrated.
With that note, I hope you enjoy! Next interview post will be on ICO!
Until Next Time,
powerkat
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