How many interview should I go to?

[AndreaWang]

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Hi Everyone, I got interviews from PCO, SCO, SUNY, and NECO. I am deciding how many interviews should I go? pro and cons of each school? and how competitive each school is? How should I go about preparing these interviews? I heard SUNY's interview is the hardest...

Thanks in Advance!

 

[M281384]

When are the interviews for? What are your stats? If your stats are strong I wouldn't go to more than 3. SUNY and PCO are about an hour and 30 min away from each other by train maybe you can schedule them back to back. Out of your interviews competitiveness is as follows SUNY > SCO > NECO/PCO. For how to prepare I would look up previous posts and the interview feedback section.

 

[AndreaWang]

the interviews are in mid to end of Feb. I have 3.0 GPA and 340 science and 320 total ...... SUNY and NECO seem to have high tuition fee and living cost (btw I'm from canada) I am not sure which school has better clinical experience.. I also value more about the location (what the big cities are like?)

 

[4everyoung]

Hey AndreaWang, when did you apply and when did you find out about your interviews? I submitted my application January 16th, and it still hasn't been mailed out... I'm getting worried... Thank you for your help!

 

[AndreaWang]

hii..I was really panic as you too.. I submit end of nov. (cant remember exact date), however, I delayed my oat exam until Jan 3. then I emailed all my skls to let them know my unofficial scores since the system of delivery is screwed up ( so I was even more worried)..after a couple days..i got interview from PCO first, follow by SCO, then last week i got from NECO ..today I got SUNY ( i was surprised to receive from SUNY since my grades are not very strong compared with their stats)

 

[janedoe88]

Hi Everyone, I got interviews from PCO, SCO, SUNY, and NECO. I am deciding how many interviews should I go? pro and cons of each school? and how competitive each school is? How should I go about preparing these interviews? I heard SUNY's interview is the hardest...

Thanks in Advance!

It's rolling basis, so go to them in order of preference so that you can cancel the others once you get into one.

Personally, based on location (entertainment/nice city) and reputation I'd say:
1. SUNY
2. NECO (PCO has a slightly better rep, but I'd rather live in NE)
3. PCO
4. SCO

 

[optoapp2012]

It's rolling basis, so go to them in order of preference so that you can cancel the others once you get into one.

Personally, based on location (entertainment/nice city) and reputation I'd say:
1. SUNY
2. NECO (PCO has a slightly better rep, but I'd rather live in NE)
3. PCO
4. SCO

I agree with this. Of all of those, SCO is the only one that I applied to and interviewed at and it was actually my distaste for Memphis that made me not want to go there. But that's my own opinion - some people like it. And certainly the school and the clinical experience are both wonderful.

Here's a good link to compare the stats of those schools:
http://www.opted.org/files/public/Profile of the Entering Class 2011.pdf

They all have good reputations for a solid clinical experience. One thing you might pay attention to and ask the schools about though is their patient base. Again, I don't know anything about any of the schools other than SCO. Their patient base is predominantly African American with very few Spanish speakers - I really wanted the Spanish speaking experience, so that was important to me. You would see a lot of eye disease there because it serves a very low income area, and there are certain eye diseases that are more prevalent in the African American population. I personally feel like it's really important to go to a school that sees a lot of eye disease, because you are more likely to have experience with what you might run into in a private practice and therefore actually know what to do. I know some of the schools on larger university campuses, like Indiana, don't see much other than myopes with astigmatism, because so much of their patient base is students. Others like UHCO bus in a lot of people from the community, so you do get a good exposure. I would ask to get connected with a 3rd or 4th year student to ask how their rotation was through the eye disease section (it was an Indiana student and graduate that both told me that rotation was kind of a joke for them). But again, it all depends on what experiences are important to you!

 

[honey0207]

If you don't mind me asking...

I was wondering what your stats were when you applied to the schools. I know you said you had a 3.0 GPA and 320 OAT but I was wondering what extracurricular activities did you do and who did you ask LOR from? Sorry if this seems a bit too much.

 

[Daylooo]

To be honest...SUNY's interview was the easiest....I went to SUNY, ICO, and NECO. It's a panel styled interview but they're all very nice.

 

[shannon804]

It's rolling basis, so go to them in order of preference so that you can cancel the others once you get into one.

Personally, based on location (entertainment/nice city) and reputation I'd say:
1. SUNY
2. NECO (PCO has a slightly better rep, but I'd rather live in NE)
3. PCO
4. SCO

I totally agree in terms of location, but in terms of quality of education, I'd put NECO at the bottom of that list. I didn't apply to PCO so I can't really compare that one, but I'd consider SUNY and SCO to be great schools and NECO to be not-so-wonderful.

 

[AndreaWang]

Thanks..personally that's my preference too...I just got another interview from ICO as well. now I think I am probably going to cancel the one at PCO.

 

[AndreaWang]

not a problem.. I have alot of volunteer work from different places..because originally I was planning to apply for med school, then I decide that my grade probably is not good enough for med school. I work in physician's office for over 4 years..shadow with only one opotometrist..and did a research program with my bio prof.. I think my personal statement is pretty well written because I several persons edit it. yah that;s about it. I was surprised I get so many interviews.. because I was really afraid I won't make it

 

[AndreaWang]

Thank you for your advice.. I have decide to decline their interview invitation. Their board exam pass rate is relatively low and such high tuition fee and living costs, even new york is cheaper.

 

[AndreaWang]

really.?? that's good to know. I think I am going to suny, ico and sco. sco is my back up. I love ico since I watch their days in life videos which looks really good and safe. I don't about suny since they don't have boarding and kinda scary to live on your own in a big city ( sorry, I never really left my parents for undergrad so it's a big move for me if I get in)

 

[Shnurek]

ICO you do rotations in retail. Lenscrafters etc. Its kind of disgraceful.

 

[hockeystar123]

ICO you do rotations in retail. Lenscrafters etc. Its kind of disgraceful.

They have rotations other than retail. Besides, it's realistic considering optometry is becoming highly retail-oriented. The clinical experience at ICO, SUNY, and any other school located in a large city will give you a clinical experience that's unparalleled.

 

[q1we3]

ICO you do rotations in retail. Lenscrafters etc. Its kind of disgraceful.

😱 No Way!!! Is this some kind of a sick joke? How can this be allowed?? And people wonder why optometrist get no respect from MDs. Read the statement again you can do CLINICAL ROTATIONS AT LENSCRAFTERS...... We are all trying to fight commercial optometry and these idiots are integrating it into our education??? What's next mandatory rotations at Walmart, Costco, America's Best, Macdonalds?

From the bottom of my heart ******* you ICO. I am glad i turned down your offer, they have too many seats as well. Avoid this school at all cost. One more step optometry takes towards mediocrity.

 

[AndreaWang]

I am not so sure about ICO now 🙁...maybe suny is better than ico

 

[swtster]

Your interview for ICO is tomorrow, right? I would suggest that you ask them yourself about whether or not the school really does make students do rotations in commercial retail settings, like Lenscrafters and Wal-Mart, BEFORE passing judgment.

This is actually the first time I ever heard of it. Good luck!

 

[Shnurek]

From ODWire.org:

"Optometric Externiships
A past employee of mine who is a 3rd year ICO student has told me that the school has made a change in their clinic rotations. Rotations will now be mandatory at the local Walmart and Lenscrafters in the Chicago vicinity. My understanding is that up to 25% of their clinic experience will come from a retail environment. I have some strong concerns here:

1) Are schools finally selling out to the highest bidder. Donations must be piling in from commercial retailers to get this "free" labor and the groundwork for a foundation of a career in commercial optometry.

2) Do any of you have any concerns or information regarding this? I for one am not comfortable with our new OD's obtaining their clinic experience in a retail setting.

Interested in everybodies opinion."

If this is true q1we3 then this school is a joke and if the profession keeps going this way...its going to suck for all of us. I'd call them and ask them directly and don't let them try to avoid answering you.

 

[hockeystar123]

Your interview for ICO is tomorrow, right? I would suggest that you ask them yourself about whether or not the school really does make students do rotations in commercial retail settings, like Lenscrafters and Wal-Mart, BEFORE passing judgment.

This is actually the first time I ever heard of it. Good luck!

👍

We have a family friend who is a recent graduate from SUNY and she has been teaching at ICO for one year now. She told me that ICO does NOT do clinical rotations in commercial settings.

 

[basel wahib]

I have my interview on March 23rd.
It took me a while to submit my application, that's why the date for the interview is a bit late. I know neco has a rolling admission policy, but would this matter now that I got the interview. I mean would the late date for the interview affect my chances in getting accepted, or is it just a matter of doing good on the interview and I'll be fine.

 

[OpticalBlackOut]

For the last time, ICO does not offer any rotations at Lenscrafters.

The school is backed up by Richard Kattouf (http://kattoufconsulting.com/), who is one of the biggest advocates of private practice in the country. The school scrapped the idea when they realized that they would lose millions in alumni donations. (Dr. Kattouf has an entire wing named after him in the clinic...I believe he is also the president of this year's Board of Trustees)

Someone decided to float across the idea because former students had complained about the lack of contact lens exposure, but it was immediately and vehemently opposed by current students along with donors and alumni. However, the rumor continues to live on...

The key issue here should be a 3.0 getting endless interviews...if only KHE was still here to defend his stance on 3.0 GPAs...

 

[AndreaWang]

Hi just want others to be clarified about this ICO doing rotation at lenscrafter. I ask the lady who interviewed me about where the students go for their rotation and she told me that ico students do not do rotation at commercial setting. I don't know who came up with this rumor and glad it is not true.