Berkeley Interview

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I'm glad someone started this thread!! I'll be there and I'm going for the tour at 10 anyone else?? 😀!!
 
I'll see you at 10am Jen!
 
I'll be there too! Does anyone know any additional info about those four hours...in particular the "classroom simulation" and "student panel"?
 
i'll be there at 10am as well! 🙂
guys, im excited!! see you all thereeee
 
haha yay!! we are all gona be there!!! I m skippin out on the tour (YIKES!! ahH) I know but dood i took that tour 3 times =). see u guys there! woo hoO!
 
Hey guys, I am currently a first year student at Berkeley Optometry, I will be volunteering on interview day, so see you guys soon...regarding the statement above, the student panel is just a division of the interview day where current first, second, third or fourth year students form a panel to answer any one of your questions-so come prepared with questions!!!! Good luck everyone 🙂
 
I'll be there too! I am so excited right now. I think this year they don't have as many interviewees as last year, but this could be a rumor.

I'm also skipping the tour, I took the tour twice already and attended berkeley for undergrad, honestly, i don't even know why i took the tour, maybe I just wanted to took to current students.

See you guys there!:luck:
 
I'll be there too.

Is it true that early acceptance is discontinued at Berkeley? In order words, will we be trying to get the last spots in the incoming class or will the whole class be open?
 
hey, this is my first post!

yeah, i'll be at the interview day too. i've been to berkeley hundreds of times but i haven't actually seen the facilities of minor hall and the optometry center, so i'll be there for the tour.
 
Hi Sine eye and any others that can help--

How is everyone getting from the airport to their respective hotels?? I am contemplating the BART or just getting a shuttle. The BART is only $3 and the shuttle is $23 or so, but is the BART fairly easy to maneuver? If not maybe I'll just go with the safe shuttle to get from A to B. Good luck everyone!! See you in a few 🙂
 
I'll be there too for the tour, even though I went there for undergrad as well (I guess I need some extra time to relax before the interview).

I think BART is pretty easy to use, although I've never taken one from the airport, but I used to take it to go home and back on weekends from Berkeley. If you do end up taking the BART, make sure you get off on Downtown Berkeley and not North Berkeley. From Downtown Berkeley, if you walk up like a block, you'll see the campus. The only downside is that Minor Hall is on the very opposite side of campus and it's uphill.
 
violin10 said:
Hi Sine eye and any others that can help--

How is everyone getting from the airport to their respective hotels?? I am contemplating the BART or just getting a shuttle. The BART is only $3 and the shuttle is $23 or so, but is the BART fairly easy to maneuver? If not maybe I'll just go with the safe shuttle to get from A to B. Good luck everyone!! See you in a few 🙂
Click to expand...

From San Francisco International, there isn't a direct train from the airport to Berkeley. You'll have to take the Dublin/Pleasanton, or the Pittsburg/Baypoint, and transfer at MacArthur stop and hop on the Richmond train, and get off at Downtown Berkeley. You'll be on Shattuck, and want to head uphill towards the campus. I have no idea which hotel you're staying at, but since you'll be walking uphill, I hope you pack light. Minor Hall is on the Southeast side of campus, so it's pretty far up hill.

From Oakland, there is a shuttle from the airport (AirBart) that you can take for $3 to the Oakland Colesium/Airport stop, and you'll want to take the Richmond train, or if needed transfer at MacArthur (common stop for all routes).

Hope this helps. Also you can check out http://www.bart.gov

Where are you coming from?
 
FYI, you guys can also take the AC transit from Berkeley Bart up to campus, in case you might be packing a little extra luggage or running late. Just make sure to hop on the 51 or 7 (on the side with Gelato Milano and Peet's Coffee Shop) and take it all the way up to college, and the campus would be to your left. I think the bus fare is a bit less than 2 bucks? 🙂
 
What is the UCBSO known for? Like, SUNY is known for their program in vision therapy (or sth like that), is there any area where Berkeley is particularly specialized in?

Also, is it true that UCB opt students have to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA? I thought I read that on their website...
 
well that was fun, now it's time for the agonizing wait!!
 
i agree completely goomba. omg i can't believe we have to wait until the end of february, and, on top of that, how are they going to choose between all of us?? :scared: EVERYONE i met yesterday was so AMAZING and so friendly!
 
Now I will begin checking my email every 2 minutes for the next month......................

And now I'm back in Canada in a blizzard 🙁...it was so lovely at Berkeley .. 🙂 !
 
the interview day was pretty awesome. just listening to the faculty talk about the applicant pool this year make me think that narrowing down those 60 students will be pretty difficult.

the whole interview day experience was great though, i really like the program and the attitude there fits what i want to experience in the field of optometry. but yeah, waiting till the end of february will definitely be difficult. good luck to everyone!
 
seriously! that was so much fun 🙂
plus i got to meet so many cool kids! and the free cookies + snickers were just the best idea ever! 😀DD
the program overall was so amazing, i was completely impressed. and the mock class? lol!!! that was my favorite.

i wish everyone the best of luck and that we will all be there together next year!!!!! YAY

now.......can't wait to find out!
 
Haven't been on these forums in a while! Glad to see some of you guys enjoyed the interview day experience (especially the free snacks, eh? lol). I'm another first year that was helping out (there were lots of volunteers, I'm glad everything went smoothly!) and got to talk with a lot of you and even saw a few people I knew. Every candidate I met was friendly and personable, so I really wish you the best of luck and know you'll do great no matter which opto school you end up at. =)

With that, I hope the interview went well for all of you and that you'll highly consider coming here if you are accepted! I'm really looking forward to meeting the Class of 2012 even though I'll be drowning in 2nd year studies.

Any specific questions feel free to PM me!

I noticed some questions went unanswered on this thread:
...

I'm actually not quite sure what UCBSO is "known" for...I think we get a really well-rounded education in all aspects of clinical practice. This school is definitely known for a strong research program. We do frequently participate in experiments as paid subjects since we all need a little extra cash and love free stuff. =D And if you're from Berkeley undergrad, you know what X-Lab (over at Haas Business School) is...=D =D =D I must say that's definitely one of the unexpected perks of coming to Berkeley! I keep finding more reasons why I'm glad I chose UCBSO.

...
...

Oh, one more thing - last year, they called us in alphabetical order (last name). I'm the last person in my class, so they called me around 5 or 6 pm. So if you have a last name way near the end of the alphabet, and you see on the forums that other people have gotten their calls of acceptance already, just be patient until the end of the day before you give up hope. Seriously, I was so worried I hadn't gotten in when my friend called me at 3 pm and said he received his call at 11 am and asked if I had received a call yet. I guess Sharon must've just taken a lot of breaks between 11 and 6 calling all of us. =P (I think it was just her that called everyone)

GOOD LUCK!!! And now I have to go to bed for my daily 8 am class...(the only thing I don't like about optometry school, but you can't do anything about it since that's what the working world is like!) 😴
 
Hi there everyone. Interview on Saturday was really fun, bizarre (seeing all 124 interviewees gathered in one room, etc) and exhausting. I woke up Sunday with a backache, haha! I, too, will be checking my email non stop. 👍
 
That was an amazing experience. To be surrounded by all of these well qualified aspiring health professionals was an amazing experience. I too felt at home on campus. I think optometrists are really cool people and no matter what happens I am excited to know that one day I will be a contributing member of the optometry profession.

But I am so glad that is over! Now I can get back to the business of living. I didn't realize how concerned I was about my trip to Berkeley and my interview until I woke up the next morning feeling like a huge weight was taken off of my back.
 
same here!! biggest relief ever now that its over ! now we just have to the play the waiting game... *crossin fingers* =)
 
CherryberryMint said:
seriously! that was so much fun 🙂
plus i got to meet so many cool kids! and the free cookies + snickers were just the best idea ever! 😀DD
the program overall was so amazing, i was completely impressed. and the mock class? lol!!! that was my favorite.

i wish everyone the best of luck and that we will all be there together next year!!!!! YAY

now.......can't wait to find out!
Click to expand...


yea that was fun...until I got the laser pointer!!!!
 
i really do hope we can find out by the 15 th .... I feel like i can;t move on with my life until then ! :meanie:
 
Me too! I have a feeling/I'm hoping that the reason why they said the acceptances might not be out until late Feb was to give them a cushion of time just incase they are running behind, and so we don't get worried and start contacting them if they are a few days late. I really hope we find out soon because I can't sleep at night and I have this constant anxious/nervous feeling in my stomach all the time!!!!!! hahahahaha!!!! 🙁 .
 
CherryberryMint said:
ohhh! haha were you in the yellow group?? 🙂
the professor was so random and so entertaining!!
Click to expand...

haha nope go red group! We got to interview first although I think going to the mock class first would have helped my interview.
 
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