The Optometry School Interview

The interview is a very important step in the selection process. It allows (1) the school to learn more about you, (2) elaboration on your application, and (3) you to learn more about the school. The latter is very important since your next four years may be spent at this institution. It is important that the school you choose be a good match for your needs and interests.

If a school offers an interview, it means they are seriously considering you for a place in the class. By the time you get to this step, the majority of the applicants have been screened out, but there is still an excess number of people in competition for a limited number of seats; you can "make it or break it" on this last step. Prepare for the interview and know yourself.

If you are granted an interview, read about the school (they may ask why you applied there), reflect on your qualifications (self-evaluation, work experience), and think about some of the questions they may ask. You should re-read your application and know it completely. Do not prepare set answers; questions can be phrased in many different ways. Be flexible in your answers and, most of all, be yourself. If you feel a question is unfair, you have a right to say so; however, evaluate the situation and use careful judgment when you respond. Unfair questions are sometimes asked to elicit a spontaneous answer. The interviewer is probably more interested in how you respond than in what you say, i.e. seeing how you react and how you think "on your feet."

Appearance
First impressions are very important. Your personal appearance is the outward expression of your manners and personality. Wear clothes that are in good taste. Appearance also includes cleanliness, neatness, a sense of composure, at-ease conversation, and other intangible things that convey confidence--the very traits you like to find in other people.

Interview Manners
Above all, be on time.And don't be a "no show" because this reflects very poorly on you and UC Davis if you do not meet your interview commitment. If you change your mind about an interview, please let the school know as soon as possible so that their interviewers are not inconvenienced and another applicant can be scheduled for your time slot.

Be sure to pronounce the interviewer's name correctly. Ask to have it repeated if you are not certain. Take your cues from the interviewer. Greet him/her in a friendly but formal manner with a firm handshake. Do not slouch, tap your feet, or nervously play with pencils or other objects. Do not smoke. Maintain eye contact but do not stare. If looking directly at the interviewer's eyes makes you uncomfortable, look at the area between her/his eyebrows or at her/his nose.

If a question or comment is unclear, ask to have it repeated or clarified. If a question is particularly difficult, ask for some time (not too long!) to think over your response. Demonstrate that you have good listening skills. Listen to the question/comment and do not ramble; be specific. If you cannot answer a question, it is better to say "I don't know" than to make something up. The interviewer will usually indicate when s/he wants to close the interview--do not attempt to extend it. S/he will probably ask if you have any questions. Intelligent questions about the school and its environs are in order but do not make up questions just for the sake of asking (see below).

Keys to Successful Interviewing

Do
1. Review your entire application.
2. Act natural.
3. Be prompt, neat and courteous.
4. Express yourself clearly and make yourself understood.
5. Give direct answers to questions.
6. Discuss yourself in a positive manner (turn negatives into positives).
7. Allow the interviewer to express him/herself.
8. Show interest in the school.
9. Help guide the interview by being forthcoming. (The interviewer should not have
to persist in his/her questioning to obtain information from you.)
10. Tell the interviewer if you have relatives or friends in the area. The presence of an "outside support group" may be a helpful factor, particularly for a minority student who may feel more alienated than the "majority" student.
11. Be prepared to address any discrepancies in your school record (e.g. low grades, low OAT scores, leaves of absence from school).
12. Be prepared to answer specific questions about any research projects in which you participated. Know your research!

Don't
1. Take notes.
2. Criticize yourself.
3. Be late for your interview without a good reason.
4. Freeze or become tense.
5. Oversell or undersell your case.
6. Make elaborate promises.
7. Be overbearing.
8. Be passive or lack enthusiasm.
9. Be cynical.

Interviewing
The following list consists of sample questions that may be asked in an interview. It is not necessary to prepare an answer for each question. However, you should formulate well-organized and logical responses for selected questions that are somewhat related. Select those questions that can help you learn more about yourself and practice answering them with friends. If necessary, use a tape recorder and speak in front of a mirror. Preparation and rehearsal will enhance your relaxation and, thereby, your self-confidence.

1. Why do you want to be an optometrist?
2. What are your specific goals in optometry?
3. What motivated you to pursue your career goal?
4. What do you see yourself doing eight years from now, and how are you preparing yourself?
5. Which is more important to you, prestige or the type of job you do?
6. How would you describe yourself?
7. How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well would describe you?
8. What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
9. What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful in optometry?
10. In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to optometry?
11. Pretend you are me, and I am you. What would you look for in an applicant?
12. What value can you be to our school?
13. What aspects of your life's experiences do you think make you a good candidate for optometry school?
14. What are the best and worst things that have ever happened to you?
15. Why do you consider yourself disadvantaged?
16. What is your relationship with your family?
17. Why should I select you over other equally qualified applicants?
18. What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? (Why?)
19. Why did you select your college or university?
20. What college subjects did you like best? (Why?)
21. What college subjects did you like least? (Why?)
22. Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic achievement? (Why or why not?)
23. What have you learned from participation in extracurricular activities?
24. In what part time or summer jobs have you been most interested? (Why?)
25. What are your plans if you do not get accepted?
26. What book have you read in the last month?
27. What do you do in your spare time?
28. Why did you apply to this particular optometry school?
29. What current event in the world is most important to you and why?
30. What comes first, your family or your commitment to your patients?
31. What do you think are the most pressing issues in optometry today?

Close of Interview
Usually at the close of an interview, the applicant is given the opportunity to ask questions. It is a good strategy to formulate several questions in preparation for the opportunity. Do not ask questions that can be easily answered by Web sites or catalogs. However, it is appropriate to ask for clarification or elaboration of information contained on Web sites or other locations. Some examples of other types of questions you might want to ask are:

1. What do you consider to be the salient feature of your school and its curriculum?
2. How will my application be processed after this interview?