Question for UCBSO students (current or future)

[darling]

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I have an interview at UCBSO on the jan 28th. The interview is suppose to end at 5:00PM that day, with the last part of the writting section ending at 4:45. There is a flight out of Oakland airport at 6:10PM that I REALLY need to make, I was wondering if it is possible to leave from Berkeley at 5:00 and make the flight at 6:10PM?

I don't live near Berkeley, so does anyone know what traffic condition is like on a Saturday night ~5PM there? Is going through the airport/lines very long? I think the gate closes ~20 minutes before take off. So basically

5:00 - 5:30 = taxi to airport

5:30-5:50 = hustle to check in and board on time.
Is this cutting it too close?
Does the interview usually on time? finnishes late? or early?
Advice from anyone that knows this stuff is greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help.

 

[bobsacamenoh]

Last year, the tour of the entire campus was the last thing on the interview schedule. I remember a few candidates skipping out early on the tour or skipping the whole thing all together becasue they had flights to catch. I think south bound 880 to the airport might be alright if you leave at 5 PM, but I can't be too sure. I live about 20 mi south of the airport and I think, if I really hustled, I could make it to the 6:10 PM flight with little to no traffic if I left at 5 PM. Berkeley is closer to OAK than my house is to OAK, so I think you could make it, but, like you mentioned, it will be close.

Good Luck!

I have an interview at UCBSO on the jan 28th. The interview is suppose to end at 5:00PM that day, with the last part of the writting section ending at 4:45. There is a flight out of Oakland airport at 6:10PM that I REALLY need to make, I was wondering if it is possible to leave from Berkley at 5:00 and make the flight at 6:10PM?

I don't live near Berkley, so does anyone know what traffic condition is like on a Saturday night ~5PM there? Is going through the airport/lines very long? I think the gate closes ~20 minutes before take off. So basically

5:00 - 5:30 = taxi to airport

5:30-5:50 = hustle to check in and board on time.
Is this cutting it too close?
Does the interview usually on time? finnishes late? or early?
Advice from anyone that knows this stuff is greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help.

 

[darling]

Last year, the tour of the entire campus was the last thing on the interview schedule. I remember a few candidates skipping out early on the tour or skipping the whole thing all together becasue they had flights to catch. I think south bound 880 to the airport might be alright if you leave at 5 PM, but I can't be too sure. I live about 20 mi south of the airport and I think, if I really hustled, I could make it to the 6:10 PM flight with little to no traffic if I left at 5 PM. Berkeley is closer to OAK than my house is to OAK, so I think you could make it, but, like you mentioned, it will be close.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the reply bobsacamenoh. Do you know how busy the Oakland airport is and if how long it takes to go through security? Anymore inputs from anyone else 🙂 ? It's too bad they the last thing on the schedule is the interview AND they move the hours back

 

[jcaco]

really sorry for highjacking the thread, but i also have a question related to the UCBSO interview. for you out of towners (past or current interviewees), where did you stay? and did you fly in the day of the interview or the day before?

any help is appreciated...i'm trying to figure out the best way to cut down the cost. thanks!

 

[Richard_Hom]

Thanks for the reply bobsacamenoh. Do you know how busy the Oakland airport is and if how long it takes to go through security? Anymore inputs from anyone else 🙂 ? It's too bad they the last thing on the schedule is the interview AND they move the hours back

Dear Darling,

Saturday traffic on Southbound 880 is usually pretty tame unless there is an athletic or theatrical event also scheduled nearby. If you are renting a car, then the car rental is not nearby although the shuttles are frequent. If you left exactly at 5pm from the function, I think you will land at the front of the terminal at 5:45pm (generally). That isn't a lot of margin for error.

I'm not too sure what you would consider as being easy about the security checks.

 

[Rosanna]

Hi darling:

As everyone mentioned, you will be cutting it pretty short to make the flight but it’s not impossible. Although the interview day is supposed to end at 5, it may last longer or shorter. If you haven’t already, I would try calling the admin office to request you be interviewed in one of the earlier groups. On interview day, candidates are separated into several groups. If you are interviewed earlier in the day, you can probably skip out early for the other things.

The writing section won’t take the full time, as well. I proctored the section last year and many candidates were finished early.

Traffic on 880S is quite variable, so it’s hard to predict what it will be like. Hopefully there isn’t any traffic on the bridge and no slow downs in Alameda and you should be fine.

Many airlines also offer online check-in up to 24 hours before a flight departs. If that is available for your flight, you can check-in online and print out your boarding pass before the interview day. When you arrive at the airport, you can immediately go to security (make sure you don’t have to check-in any baggage) and go directly to your gate. Good luck!

Also,

Hi jcaco:

This is a website that has a list of local hotels:

http://calparents.berkeley.edu/guide/visiting/stay.html

The smaller inns/motels are not listed (Extended Stay America, Holiday Day Express, etc.) so if you want something less expensive, I would recommend going through this list:

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-191...rt-lowprice;_ylt=AoZeGMR1RFLAw6pAoLmkWfUJ8b8F

If you are going to a less expensive inn/motel, make sure you confirm with the front desk if you will have your own private bathroom (if that’s important for you). My friend who went to one of these motels assumed he would get a private bathroom, and found out when he checked-in that he would need to share the bathroom with the entire floor.

I don’t have experience staying at any hotels in Berkeley since my parents are from the area and I stayed there for interview day. The closest hotel to the optometry building is probably Bancroft Hotel, but it’s also more expensive since it’s across the street from campus.

For interview day, I flew in one day before so I wouldn’t be rushing on the day of the interview. If you do decide to save money and just fly in the day of the interview, the admin office can hold any luggage you have during the day.

Best of luck,

Rosanna

 

[jcaco]

Also,

Hi jcaco:

This is a website that has a list of local hotels:

http://calparents.berkeley.edu/guide/visiting/stay.html

The smaller inns/motels are not listed (Extended Stay America, Holiday Day Express, etc.) so if you want something less expensive, I would recommend going through this list:

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-hotel-191...rt-lowprice;_ylt=AoZeGMR1RFLAw6pAoLmkWfUJ8b8F

If you are going to a less expensive inn/motel, make sure you confirm with the front desk if you will have your own private bathroom (if that’s important for you). My friend who went to one of these motels assumed he would get a private bathroom, and found out when he checked-in that he would need to share the bathroom with the entire floor.

I don’t have experience staying at any hotels in Berkeley since my parents are from the area and I stayed there for interview day. The closest hotel to the optometry building is probably Bancroft Hotel, but it’s also more expensive since it’s across the street from campus.

For interview day, I flew in one day before so I wouldn’t be rushing on the day of the interview. If you do decide to save money and just fly in the day of the interview, the admin office can hold any luggage you have during the day.

Best of luck,

Rosanna

thanks for the info rosanna!!! i really appreciate it 🙂

 

[darling]

Hi darling:

As everyone mentioned, you will be cutting it pretty short to make the flight but it’s not impossible. Although the interview day is supposed to end at 5, it may last longer or shorter. If you haven’t already, I would try calling the admin office to request you be interviewed in one of the earlier groups. On interview day, candidates are separated into several groups. If you are interviewed earlier in the day, you can probably skip out early for the other things.

The writing section won’t take the full time, as well. I proctored the section last year and many candidates were finished early.

Traffic on 880S is quite variable, so it’s hard to predict what it will be like. Hopefully there isn’t any traffic on the bridge and no slow downs in Alameda and you should be fine.

Many airlines also offer online check-in up to 24 hours before a flight departs. If that is available for your flight, you can check-in online and print out your boarding pass before the interview day. When you arrive at the airport, you can immediately go to security (make sure you don’t have to check-in any baggage) and go directly to your gate. Good luck!

Rosanna

Hi Rosanna,

Thanks for the informative reply. I was under the impression that the interview schedule is extremely ridgit, but you make it seem like switching around is possible. Additionally, I know that the process is divided into four "stations", do you mean that we can probably change the order of our appearance at each station? I know the interview and the writting part is mandatory, but I think the tour is also part of this rotation. I plan to tour the campus the day before, so it would be great if I can skip out of that. Do you think this is possible? Thanks again for your help.

 

[Rosanna]

Hi darling:

I believe you misunderstood my reply.

The interview schedule is rigid and you should definitely not switch around from one group to another on the interview day. I was suggesting that you contact the admin office NOW and explain to them your situation and see if they can schedule you in the group which interviews early and perhaps has the tour as the last part in case you need to leave early for your flight. They may or may not allow this because you are not supposed to know which group you are in until you check-in that day. You should not change the order of your appearance at any of the four sections as you are expected to stay in your interview group. One of the sections will be a tour of Minor Hall alone. You could definitely tour the campus the day before as it is an optional part of the interview day (usually happens after the entire formal schedule is over).

- Rosanna

 

[JennyJet]

Hi darling:

... You could definitely tour the campus the day before as it is an optional part of the interview day (usually happens after the entire formal schedule is over).

- Rosanna

Hi darling,

If you are interested in touring the school the day before, UCBSO has a Friday visitation program where you would meet with students in different years and be able to observe a 1st year in pre-clinic. In fact, one of those 1st year students would be me. Here's the link if you're interested. http://optometry.berkeley.edu/admissions/admittours.html. I would call ASAP if they will be having though the day before Interview day.

 

[Rosanna]

I would call ASAP if they will be having though the day before Interview day.

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Unavailable Tour Days

Please note the following days when the academic calendar prohibits the Friday Visitation Program:

* January 20 and 27 (Student Affairs In-Service Days)
* February 20 (President’s Day)
* The week of March 6 (Midterms)
* March 31 (Cesar Chavez Day)
* April 21 (Student Affairs In-Service day)

Friday Visitation Programs for the Spring 2006 Semester will end on Friday, May 5, 2006.
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Unfortunately, the tour will not be available the day before Interview Day.

- Rosanna