Congrats on the interview! Did you have to request or apply for the travel award?
anyone get called for an interview yet?
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That's what happened with me! I got a call for an interview on July 26th, only 2 days after my optomcas was submitted (and way before it was mailed). They also gave me a travel grant and the interview process there was great! They are definitely on top of things, especially when it comes to recruiting.
And they called me only 4 days after my interview to tell me I was accepted!
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@AA2
This is just my opinion, but if you can manage an interview, you've passed the preliminary "numbers" portion of optometry school entrance. I've had a few Cs which I had found tragic at the time, but I think it depends what the classes are, if your overall GPA isn't terrible, and if its a course covered on the OAT, how you did on the OAT in those specific subjects. After you have an interview, they want to know about you as a person not you as a number on a scale.
This is just my opinion, but if you can manage an interview, you've passed the preliminary "numbers" portion of optometry school entrance. I've had a few Cs which I had found tragic at the time, but I think it depends what the classes are, if your overall GPA isn't terrible, and if its a course covered on the OAT, how you did on the OAT in those specific subjects. After you have an interview, they want to know about you as a person not you as a number on a scale.
I think C is the bare minimum. I have one C in a science class, it was one part of my organic chemistry but I took two parts and got an A on the other so that's the only I'm using towards my prereqs and I've gotten 4/5 interviews (PCO, SUNY, ICO, NECO). I think if you have one it's okay, if the rest of your grades are good and you have explanation for the poor grade.
I did not have to ask about or apply for the award. I didn't even know it existed before they said they were giving it to me.
Thanks!
OAT: 360 (Total Science: 360)
GPA: 3.3
Science GPA: I'm not sure. Probably a little higher. Maybe 3.4 Still waiting for optomcas to do their GPA calculations.
Of the 4 schools I applied to, SCO was probably at the bottom, but they've really impressed me with their recruiting. I'll definitely be looking at them a little more seriously when I go for the interview
Those are pretty solid! SCO is my first choice but unfortunately they don't interview without OAT scores so I won't be hearing back from them until I take mine in October
That's exactly what happened with me! They were my 3rd choice but now they're tied for first.
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When did you submit your application, AdamT? I submitted mine a week ago so I'm sure it will be another week or two before my GPA is verified, but I'm just curious what the timeframe was for you. It looks like our stats are pretty similar, so hopefully I'll get an interview at SCCO.
^^^^
I submitted my OptomCAS on the same day that I took my OAT, during the first week of August, and it took them two weeks to calculate my OptomCAS GPA. It surprisingly took longer for my OAT scores to arrive, it took 3 weeks for them to arrive at the two schools I applied to, whereas my OptomCAS only took two weeks to process. I've heard back from both schools; I got a call from one today while I was in class so she had to leave a voicemail to which I haven't responded yet, and the other contacted me last week via email... and I have an interview set up for next friday, and then I can set the other one up for the 2nd week of october....
I submitted my OptomCAS on the same day that I took my OAT, during the first week of August, and it took them two weeks to calculate my OptomCAS GPA. It surprisingly took longer for my OAT scores to arrive, it took 3 weeks for them to arrive at the two schools I applied to, whereas my OptomCAS only took two weeks to process. I've heard back from both schools; I got a call from one today while I was in class so she had to leave a voicemail to which I haven't responded yet, and the other contacted me last week via email... and I have an interview set up for next friday, and then I can set the other one up for the 2nd week of october....
so what are you girls going to wear? i am completely clueless when it comes to fashion. i bought a black pants suit. so i'm thinking of wearing it with a somewhat bright colored shirt underneath. is a pants suit too dressy? and a bought a plain leather purse... any advice would be appreciated (i'm used to wearing sweats and carrying a beat up canvas messenger bag, lol)
I'm wearing a black pants suit with a light blue blouse underneath, black close-toed 1.5" heels. I'm thinking of light makeup and my hair pulled back.
At least you make it to sweats! On my days off, I walk around my apartment in pjs all day haha!!
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I'm going to basically rewrite a post that I wrote last year (when I was going through interviews). You always want to err on the side of conservative dressy, but don't be afraid to show a little personality. Too many people perpetuate the black suit, white shirt penguin suit as well. Navy or charcoal suits can be very tasteful as well. Me personally, I wore a black pencil skirt and blazer with a cobalt blue button down underneath to both my interviews. I paired this with black patent platform pumps (around 5" heels) and silver tone Tiffany ball earrings and my matching necklace and bracelet. I straightened my hair and wore my usual makeup (natural but slightly shimmery smoky eye). I feel that a lot of girls wear pants, and at both my interviews, I got compliments on my skirt suit. I personally prefer skirts over pants as I feel they are more feminine anyway, but some older docs that have been around forever are going to feel the same way. The point is to stay away from anything way trendy. Cover tattoos if you have them, if you have pink hair, probably consider dying it back. You never know who you are going to run into and what they are going to think of you before you even open your mouth. A lot of schools are closed file interviews, so your interviewer's comments and opinion of you (which includes your professionalism) can make a large impact on whether you are accepted or not.
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OptomCAS mailed my app. a couple days ago. I have gotten interviews to SCCO and PCO.
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Hey Happymango, congrats on getting interviews at SCCO and PCO! I read from previous posts that you planned to retake the OAT in august, how did that go? I'm thinking about retaking the OAT as well
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It went well! I got 350 in TS and AA. Biology was so random though.
I definitely knew I wanted to take the test again because any score under 300 is just a liability, in my opinion. Also, I knew I could do better - my mentality was too lax the first time. Good luck with you decision making and your OATs (but not too much luck .... haha jk).
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Anyone hear from NECO? I know they usually do interviews later ...
I actually did hear from NECO, and I scheduled an interview with them for next Friday. I electronically sent my application out July 12, 2012, and all materials were received on August 4, 2012. If you haven't heard from them, you may want to call as soon as possible.
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Wow Congrats Happymango! Those are solid scores, glad to hear it well
How did you study the second time around? Did you use Kaplan/ OAT Achiever/ OAT Destroyer??
Also, I was wondering did SCCO grant you an interview once they found out your 2nd OAT score of 350? or did they give you an invite based on your first score + the rest of your package? and on your optomcas application, did you include on there that you were planning to take the test again in August??
Thanks in advance!
I received interviews for PCO, NECO and SUNY!! Since I am from the west coast, is it advisable to schedule all three interviews in the same week? (ie. Fri, Mon, Wed). I hear the interviews are pretty low-key...
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Wow Congrats Happymango! Those are solid scores, glad to hear it well
How did you study the second time around? Did you use Kaplan/ OAT Achiever/ OAT Destroyer??
Also, I was wondering did SCCO grant you an interview once they found out your 2nd OAT score of 350? or did they give you an invite based on your first score + the rest of your package? and on your optomcas application, did you include on there that you were planning to take the test again in August??
Thanks in advance!
Well, the first and second time around, I used the Big Kaplan DAT book + ExamKrackers Physics + OAT Achiever + Kaplan Practice OAT book. The difference between the first and second time besides my effort was that the second time, I started doing practice tests much earlier. The first time, I left practice tests to about the last week of studying thinking that that way, I'd get a more accurate measure of how prepared I was. That was a mistake because there were just too many wrong answers to review and solidify into knowledge. Also, I bought OAT Destroyer the second time around but barely got around to using it with all my other materials to review ... which is so sad considering the cost.
I didn't submit my application until after I took the OATs a second time in August. I talked to an admissions counselor about whether submitting in August would be late but he said that August/September was still really early considering they start reviewing applications late August. I waited to submit because I was afraid that the admissions committee would not notice that I am taking the OATs again and just reject me, which the admissions counselor said sometimes happens. It worked out though; within a week of OptomCAS mailing me app (which took a month after I submitted OptomCAS .. ugh), I've gotten invites from most schools I applied to, which UPDATE is SCCO, PCO, NECO, and SUNY.
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Congrats on the interviews! Besides saving cost on airfare, booking interviews close together saves you money in the deposit sense. Usually, schools give you only a certain number of days (E.g.: 15) to put down a deposit to save a seat in next year's class. If you space your interviews far apart, you may end up losing a lot of money. So schedule your interviews close together! If you want more info., search the forum using the word "deposit." I would be lost without this forum haha.
Thanks for that info!! I didn't think about that, but it definitely makes a lot of sense. Congrats to you too! Are you planning on attending all of those interviews? Looks like we applied to most of the same schools, maybe I'll see you at one of them!
I had an interview at SCCO on 9/15 and was admitted to their class of 2017!
Have an interview at Midwestern on 9/27 and about to submit my secondary to Pacific.
95% set on SCCO
Congrats on SCCO!! I'm still waiting to hear back from them, hopefully it will be soon. *fingers crossed*!
Congratulations!! I had my interview for SUNY and was accepted for the class of 2017! For my experience there, it truly felt low key. I have an interview to PCO this Friday and NECO next Friday. I do think it's manageable to have all of you interviews in one week, but there may be a few stretches (I also may be biased since I live on the east coast)
Best of luck! Maybe we'll be classmates
Congratulations!! I had my interview for SUNY and was accepted for the class of 2017! For my experience there, it truly felt low key. I have an interview to PCO this Friday and NECO next Friday. I do think it's manageable to have all of you interviews in one week, but there may be a few stretches (I also may be biased since I live on the east coast)
Best of luck! Maybe we'll be classmates
Thanks!! Congrats to you too! Will you still be going to your PCO/NECO interviews or have you already decided on SUNY? Yea, my main concern is just coordinating all the travel time, but I think it will end up working out.
Good luck on your other interviews!!Hi! I think it helps to try and schedule them close together. I did ICO this past tuesday and this coming week I will be doing SUNY, PCO and NECO over the week. This way when acceptances come you will be able to make your decision without having to worry about a school you haven't had a chance to be to yet. Also, more travel options potentially (I'm flying to NY for SUNY and then taking train to PCO - it's only 1.5 hours and like, $60 ticket for amtrak).
Good luck!
my stats are similar to yours. They look at upward trends so if you have a few C's in your first year or two but did really well in upper level courses, they consider that. I know because I have a couple C's on my transcript and I've talked to one of the schools (as well as a few students) about that and that's what I've been told!
I have been accepted to PCO with a C+ in Organic Chemistry. I also had withdrawn from 3 classes for personal reasons (and thus had W's on my transcript) and at my interviews at PCO and SUNY, I was never questioned about the C+ or the W's. I have an overall GPA of 3.8 and my science GPA was around a 3.8 as well. PCO accepted me 4 days after my interview and SUNY sent me a letter stating that they are still waiting on my OAT scores which I will be taking in a few weeks. So, in regards to your concern, I wouldn't be worried if I were you. Also, when you are interviewed, you should kinda lead your interview the way you want it to go. In other words, focus on discussing your optometry background/ shadowing, extracurriculars, leadership, etc and try not the mention anything in terms of your grades that may hurt your chances of getting in unless the interviewer specifically asks for you to explain why you got a certain grade in a class (which honestly, they most likely won't ask about). Hope this helps.
Sidenote but has anyone decided on attending PCO starting Fall 2013? I'm planning on attending PCO and was interested in meeting some of my classmates on here!
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