How many people interviewed you?
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.75 | 40 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Positively | 34 |
| Negatively | 4 |
| No change | 3 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 4.64 | 39 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.10 | 41 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.98 | 41 |
No responses
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 0 |
| 10 minutes | 0 |
| 15 minutes | 2 |
| 20 minutes | 7 |
| 25 minutes | 3 |
| 30 minutes | 16 |
| 35 minutes | 2 |
| 40 minutes | 6 |
| 45 minutes | 2 |
| 50 minutes | 1 |
| 55 minutes | 0 |
| 60+ minutes | 0 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At the school | 37 |
| At a regional location | 0 |
| At another location | 2 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| One-on-one | 13 |
| In a group | 23 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Open file | 37 |
| Closed file | 1 |
| Response Average | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 2.75 | 40 |
"Tell me about yourself and why you're interested in optometry."
"What was your favorite class during undergrad?"
"What made you decide to pursue optometry?"
"What are you looking for in an optometry school, and why specifically SUNY?"
"Why Optometry? how did you explore it?"
"How did you get to where you are today?"
"They started off referencing the entrance essay written when you arrive."
"why optometry, why SUNY?"
"How do you explain your OAT scores? (mine were on the low end) How did you prepare for this?"
"Why are you such a late applicant? (Applied in January, interviewed in March)"
"How would a friend describe you?"
"Why SUNY?"
"Do you keep up with the current news?"
"Why Optometry? Why SUNY? What do you want to do after graduating from SUNY?"
"Why optometry? What are your experiences with it?"
"You did really well on your OAT, how did you prepare?"
""You did well on the OATs. How did you study?" (This was an extremely useless question.)"
"What is important to you in an Optometry School?"
"Why not a school closer to home?"
"Why optometry and when did you first hear about it and think about it seriously?"
"What made you choose optometry? And what are your experiences with it?"
"how would you explain the difference between optician, optometrist, and an ophthalmologist to someone who didn't know anything about optometry?"
"Tell us all of the different specialties/modes of practice for optometry."
"Nothing that others haven't posted already: Why Optometry, what did you do to familiarize yourself with the profession?"
"How would your friends describe you?"
"Why optometry?"
"What makes you qualified for our school?"
"Explain extracurricular activities."
"Why is optometry a good fit for you?"
"What do you like to do for fun? "
"Have you considered medicine?"
"Tell me about your time management skills."
"Why SUNY?"
"Talk about your volunteer experiences"
"Tell me about your work with Habitat for Humanity (one of my experiences)"
"Do you have any interest in research? (based on previous research experience)"
"Explain your optometric experiences, and why it led you to choose optometry."
"Would you like to do research?"
"Why optometry? Why optometry as opposed to medicine?"
"Why not a medical dr?"
"asked about an extracurricular activity - picked one to discuss - What qualified you to give advice on entrance essays? (i thought that was a slightly weird question, so i asked for clarification) What advice did you give?"
"what have you considered before?"
"What has gotten you to this point? (Events leading up to the Interview)"
"Explain your low grades in freshman year."
"Explain any grade trends. (Is there a reason why you got a C in ____?)"
"Why your low scores on certain sections of OAT? Trend in grades? Why so?"
"How did you become interested in Optometry?"
"Why your major? Good grades-->school easy or worked hard?"
"What do you propose we do to improve our economy?"
"Explain shadowing/volunteer experiences."
"Explain extracurriculars."
"Asked about my independent research, and a specific extracurricular"
"Why SUNY? Why New York?"
"Explain your shadowing experience. Explain you OAT scores. "
"Tell us why optometry and how you became familiar with it."
"Do you want to do research?"
"If all the presidential candidates were in front of you, what one important political issue would you like them to discuss?"
"what appeals to you about optometry as a profession?"
"How did you get interested in optometry?"
"What do you do in your spare time? Why New York?"
"What specialties are you interested in?"
"Did you apply to other schools? If yes, what important aspects are you looking for in a school?"
"Do you know anything about the history of the optometry profession and its progression to it's current state?"
"How would you decide which optometry school to go to if you were accepted into all the ones you applied to?"
"What experience have you had in the different fields of optometry?"
"What kind of community service/volunteer activities have you done?"
"How were you involved in your extracurricular activities?"
"Why the rush to graduate? What are you going to do for the 6 months that you aren't in school? (I'm graduating early, that's why they asked me about it)"
"What are your hobbies?"
"Tell me about your leadership positions and your leadership style."
"How was Berkeley? (I went to UCB’s Opto-camp)"
"What got you interested in optometry?"
"How do you hope to contribute to the field of optometry and help it push forward?"
"They asked alot about my optometric experiences.. what specialties I've been exposed to, where it was located, etc."
"What do you like to do on your free time?"
"Are you interested in research?"
"Where do you see yourself in the future?"
"What other fields were you considering besides optometry? Would you consider academia in addition to optometry? (Heh, no, one degree is enough, considering all the complaints I hear about how tough optometry school is as it is.)"
"where you have visited in NY, what is your hobbies?"
"What are specialties within optometry that you are familiar with? What experiences have you had with them (if any)?"
"I've noticed you shadowed various optometric settings. What differences did you see between these settings in terms of what they had to offer to patients?"
"What specialties in optometry are you familiar with? Which have you gotten to see firsthand?"
"Talk about your optometric experience."
"Tell us about your shadowing experiences. "
"Why not medicine?"
"Can you explain your OAT scores? (I did very well except for one section)"
"Why optometry? And why SUNY?"
"What issue was important to you in the last election? What do you do to keep up with current events?"
"What have you done in New York since you got here?"
"Why SUNY & why NY?"
"What is it you look for in an optometry school?"
"What are the different specialties within Optometry and what types of practice opportunities are available for Optometrists?"
"Your gpa is very good. Is that because your school is easy or because you worked hard?"
"What are the criteria that you are looking for when you are deciding on which school to attend?"
"What are your hobbies? "
"how did you become interested in optometry?"
"How do you feel about the immigration laws?"
"What do you think a typical day is for an optometrist who doesn't have a particular specialization?"
"What community service activities have you done?"
"Should the scope of optometry continue to expand?"
"Have you ever been to New York before?"
"What is your most memorable college experience?"
"Hobbies/passions"
"Why did you not choose medicine or dentistry?"
"Explain your extracurricular activities."
"What are your experiences with optometry?"
"How did you improve in biology for the OAT and how would you study in optometry school? (I struggled during undergrad but did well on OAT)"
"One of the interviewers was curious about one of my extracurriculars (instrument)."
"Are your parents OK with you moving so far away from home? (I'm from Southern California)"
"Explain your trend in grades"
"How do people your age feel about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict at your university (it was related, but i was surprised)"
"None."
"What can you offer to SUNY that other students probably can't?"
"Which mode of practice do you think you're most suited for? (prvt practice, hospital, corporate, etc.)"
"If you get in to all the schools that you applied to, how would you choose which school to attend?"
"What would you advise the Senator regarding the health care reform?"
"How have your experiences changed you as a person?"
"Why did you leave Florida? (Lived in NY, moved to FL, but came back)"
"Did you vote?"
"Are you interested in research?"
"Mentioned a huge compliment from one of my LORs and asked if I could explain it"
"What is an important topic for you in the upcoming election?"
"I was asked to explain my infant cognition research. When I was obviously very interested in the topic, they asked why optometry and not developmental psychology."
"What is the difference between the scope of optometry in Canada and the US?"
"How do you think you will fit in in new york city?"
"What is the last book you've read?"
"They asked what I do in free time and I said I like being outdoors at which point they asked ''Why New York then?'' "
"Suppose all the presidential candidates were sitting in front of you. What one issue would you like them to discuss?"
"Why choose SUNY over a school closer to home?"
"Besides school what are your hobbies?"
"What will you remember the most about your undergrad school outside of the classroom?"
"What did you think of the local election results?"
"If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?"
"What issue is important to me for this upcoming election?"
"They were all pretty straightforward questions. "
"What do you think about United States' status in the world right now?"
"Have you ever seen anything while shadowing that you didn't like or had negative feelings about?"
"What makes you a competitive applicant for us to choose you over other applicants?"
"How do you hope to contribute to the field of optometry and help it push forward?"
"Why SUNY? I sort of blanked out during this question >_<"
"Nothing really. Very general questions"
"Why were you working part-time? What else were you doing? (when i said i had a baby, they immediately congratulated me and backed off)"
"None of them is difficult. The interview is very conversational."
"no one question was particularly hard."
"How would the individuals who submitted a recommendation on your behalf describe you? (in terms of character)"
"Do you see the new health care bill as positive or negative?"
"Explain bad grades."
"After explaining myself, they asked again well what are the reasons...you should have known the difficulty of college before going in..."
"How have your experiences changed you as a person?"
"What would you do to give back to the community once you are an established optometrist? "
"Question 2 about our economy."
"None. They only asked general questions to get to know you."
"none"
"How would a friend describe you?"
"None were very difficult because aside from explain my research, pretty much everything they asked me was already posted on sdn. "
"30 years from now, what will be the most memorable event from your undergraduate years?"
"what do you look for in a school- not real difficult, all the questions were pretty straight forward. "
"To explain my pre-req GPA.... "
"Nothing that challenging. Dr. Johnston wanted to know in depth how I went about researching/familiarizing myself with the practice of optometry. "
"What would you change about your personality?"
"Political questions"
"What do you think the future of optometry will be like?"
"Was there any issue in this last election that you felt particularly strongly about?"
"None."
"Explaining grades."
"None at all."
"I work at a doctors office (MD, not OD) part time over the summer, and I mentioned in my essay that patients complained about their visits being very quick and impersonal, and that I wanted a profession that would allow me to spend more time with my patients. So they asked me if I thought ALL doctors were like that, and then why I thought that they spent a significantly less amount of time with their patients (it caught me off guard because the doctors in that specific practice are money-hungry, but of course that wouldn't be too appropriate to say in an interview haha). But other than that, none of the questions were all that difficult. "
"A lot of other jobs also offer low-stress working environment, ever look into those?"
"SDN feedback"
"Lots of research, have a list of questions ready to ask, reviewed notes from attending tours and webinars"
"I looked up interview questions on SDN."
"student doctor network interview feedback. (wasn't very helpful though, because it made me more nervous than I should've been)"
"Read over SDN questions and they were pretty much from what you read here"
"I prepared myself by knowing why I wanted to go to optometry school. Thought about different questions they could ask me."
"Read SDN. Nothing like what i read on SDN. NOT INTEREGATING PROCESS! Very relaxing."
"SDN, youtube med-school interviews and searched the internet for interview advice for professionals in general."
"SUNY optometry website. AOA website for current issues. a checklist for myself ( why optometry, challenges, hobbies, experience in this field...)"
"SDN, reviewing student handbook, review the curriculum, reread personal statement, used the website and looked over everything to devise questions."
"SDN browsing, talked to students who had interviewed in previous years"
"SDN interview feedback"
"optstudent.com and studentdoctor.net"
"Questions compiled from past interview feedback on SDN, other websites, role-playing. "
"Looked at questions asked over the years using the SDN Interview Feedback section."
"read sdn questions, answered questions out loud, had friends interview me"
"SDN interview feedback. Researched about the school."
"wikipedia"
"Read questions from SDN & optstudent.com"
"SDN, practice interview at my university"
"SDN"
"practice answers for questions on sdn"
"SDN forum questions, practice with admissions counsellor at undergrad institution, practiced in front of a mirror, talked to med friend who was on the med school admissions committee to find out what to say and what not to say...."
"looked over my whole application, came up with questions they might ask and practiced answering them, looked over some questions on this website, read more on political issues-especially concerning presidential election"
"Researched info about the school and was familiar with different specialty programs. also did some research on current events in optometry but never was asked about that. "
"Read SDN, re-read my statement of purpose. Should have prepared more!"
"Printed out and practiced questions from SDN."
"Collected questions from this site and friends. Prepared brief answers. Looked over resume/activities. Read up on current issues. Look up school info."
"Gathered interview questions and practiced answering them."
"I just knew what the profession of optometry was and why I wanted to pursue it."
"Thought of sample questions and reviewed information about the school."
"This site and asked some other students at my school who are applying."
"Had friends interview me."
"Browsed through the SDN forum and read through the school's pamphlet. "
"I made a list of potential questions, came up with answers, and had friends and relatives interview me. "
"Prepared possible interview Q&A."
"The school tour and how friendly everyone was"
"location, clinical facilities, faculty and staff were not intimidating at all"
"Clinic located in same building as school"
"Overall location, clinic, everything is in one building, cheaper than most other schools."
"How prestigious the campus is... As a student you'd be exposed to almost all optometric specialties, work with a small class size, get to know faculty really well, and explore NY culture.. all for a relatively cheap tuition!"
"Very nice people. They did NOT intimidate me in any way and the interview was like a conversation"
"Interviewers were incredibly nice. They made it incredibly stress free. No interrogation."
"Everything in 1 building. New labs."
"They were so warm, friendly, and nonjudgmental - very unlike I expected. Basically, much, much much less stressful than anticipated. I was still careful with my responses, but i felt mostly at ease. I think i rambled on one question, but their faces were forgiving. They gave encouragement with their head gestures to clue me into how i was doing and did not seem formidable at all."
"People in SUNY are very friendly and helpful."
"Everything is in one building smack in the middle of Manhattan. The UEC is 3 floors covering all optometric specialties. Parts of the building are under renovation (adding new rooms, expanding student commons/lounge, updating the facilities)"
"location, location, location! Also how everything is located within that one building"
"Clinic seems to get a wide range of rare diseases. Small class sizes."
"The tour - The school seemed huge! The University Optometric Center is the largest eye clinic in the US. You would definitely get awesome clinical experience here."
"the location is great! Right in Bryant Park and middle of downtown with Times Square like a few blocks away."
"The friendliness of the admission staff and of the educators we met throughout the tour in the clinic. Everyone seemed very friendly. And the financial aid officer was very helpful. "
"The friendliness of the committee!"
"Friendliness of the admissions committee when they were interviewing me, the location of the school is across from Bryant Park and in the middle of everything!"
"The interviewers were very friendly and welcoming. "
"the facility, especially the clinic"
"The clinic is awesome."
"Facilities"
"Enthusiasm of everyone encountered."
"Amazing facilities! Everything is in one location and every floor is so different in terms of patient population and specialty! It is great- patients may need vision therapy for their children but low vision for themselves- and they can get all this with the coordination of specialists in the same buildling- makes eye care more accessible to everyone! Student guide was really honest and nice. SUNY is not as competitive as it shows to be- they are really nice ppl- but definitely very ambitious and intelligent! Dr. Johnston is so amazingly kind and approachable! Plus the school is in the heart of Manhattan,,,can't get better than that! We also had the best swiss cheese, turkey sandwich!!!"
"The interview was pretty low stress and friendly. the whole day felt pretty relaxed."
"The clinical exposure. You get to work with the Laser Eye Center and scrub in on surgeries during certain rotations! Great opportunity!"
"Friendly interviewers, student led tour and faculty led tour. "
"N/A"
"The clinic and facilities"
"New York City itself was impressive."
"The school is located near Times Square in downtown New York, which I thought was cool. The clinic is new and big. We also had lunch with a student of whom we could ask questions."
"A student took all the interviewees to lunch and answered all our questions."
"The students and admission board were very friendly and welcoming. "
"Everyone I met was very friendly, and all of the facilities are very impressive. "
"The school and clinic location is amazing. They are literally right next to Time Square - which is the brightest and busiest location in the country ---"
"Nothing, interview was casual"
"Nothing - SUNY really is a world class optometry school"
"Nothing."
"out dated library."
"nothing bothered me, but maybe a more developed description of how academic support works would have made me feel less anxious. Also there's no gym in SUNY, but its all in one amazing location, so a very minor complaint."
"None."
"Looks a little old right now. Building closes at 11:45pm and has truncated hours over the weekend (according to students)"
"Lack of student life (in terms of extracurriculars and clubs offered)"
"Close by housing is pretty expensive, streets and sidewalks are super busy, campus felt cramped and small - not only the hallways and elevators but clinic too. Classrooms looked really old school (individual desks, chalkboards). Interviewers seemed to enjoy poking at weaknesses in my application (and with the other applicants' applications). NO GYM"
"One of my interviewers looked disinterested and as if she wanted to be somewhere else. She didn't ask my any questions and was slouched over in her chair. It was a bit distracting. However, she did answer my questions in the end. The panel kept asking me about a few bad grades and method of studying for the OAT. I felt like I was brought there just to defend myself."
"The whole interview process was not personable at all, and wasn't about getting to know me and what I can offer the school, but more an interrogation of my grades and scores and dates and they recalculated my grades right infront of me."
"One of the interviewers made a negative comment about ophthalmology and then quickly rescinded it. It was recognized as a mistake by that interviewer. "
"There was one student that gave us a brief tour of the school--it wasn't very thorough. I wish I had more time to see the classrooms, etc..."
"When waiting between activities, it felt a lot like sitting in a doctor's office. "
"Dr. Johnston was not there - there were three other interviewers, and the whole process seemed so rushed. I think they were running late, but they just sped right through the interview."
"NYC's subway system is the most complicated ever, like Toronto's....."
"I didn't like the way the campus was set up- a vertical campus so there were many trips on the elevator. not something i would want to have to do everyday."
"The facilities are a little run down in comparison with other schools that I've seen. Also, the elevators that you must use to go between floors - they are always crowded and its hard to transfer between elevators to get to the right floor! Also, a 3rd year acquaintance told me ''Don't go here, the teachers are terrible. Go to school X instead.''"
"Nothing"
"N/A"
"There is no cafeteria on campus, only snacks."
"The group of interviewers I had kinda had an attitude. I think they must have missed lunch or something but they kept asking difficult questions and questioning my answers trying to break me but I stood strong. I must've impressed them because I got a call the following Monday telling me I was accepted."
"The tour was rushed because we got a little behind on the interviews. Also, the school is located in one building in downtown, so there's not really a ''campus'' like most schools. This may be negative to some people."
"The financial aid department was closed (because of Thanksgiving)"
"The poor TV reception in the waiting area. "
"Nothing. "
"The waiting room has poor TV reception. "
"The interview was really not bad! I have a feeling they must have rehauled the process because there's also no essay anymore."
"How low stress the interview would be. There was no essay writing. The faculty interviewers were very conversational and asked pretty basic questions. None of the current events/specialities questions mentioned on SDN were asked. Just know why optometry, why SUNY and you should be fine."
"That it would be very low stress"
"how low stress it would be."
"i think i was very prepared for this interview. Due to the letter description of interview day and the admission receptionist's version of things ahead of time, I was able to anticipate every detail, down to where they were ordering lunch from. I had a time constraint, and the receptionist was kind enough to schedule the latest appointment so i would only have to be present for 3 hours. One thing though: I didnt know we'd be visiting the cadaver room on the tour; that was interesting/weird."
"None."
"That NY is a very expensive place to live and there is a 20 minute writing sample."
"That we had to write an essay before the interview."
"That SUNY doesn't replace any retaken grades, they'll incorporate all your grades in your gpa. "
"That I would be there for a total of 3 hours. I was thinking more. That I needed to bring a picture. The interview confirmation letter is not explicit enough that you need to bring a photo. "
"That because Dr. Johnston was out that day, that I would not find out the status of my application at the end of the interview/day. "
"Not to freak out, it wasn't as bad as others say."
"Since I walked 10 blocks from my hotel, I wish I had brought other shoes. There is a closet in the admissions office in which you could store your bag of shoes."
"There would be this essay beforehand- about who or what influenced you to go into optometry... and that it was not a grilling of questions...."
"There was a 20-min essay to write. But it was pretty simple, only a page"
"that there is a train stop across the street- made getting back to LGA pretty easy (you do have to catch a bus at one point though)"
"That it was so cold! I ended up having to buy a scarf and gloves while I was in NY. "
"Be prepared to write a one page essay on a simple topic before your interview. For the ladies: the walking aspect of the interview is not that intensive so don't worry too much about shoes during the interview, but I definitely recommend having comfortable back ups for your trek to and from subway if you need to do that. "
"N/A"
"To bring comfortable, water-proof walking shoes."
"I wish I knew how much walking you have to do in New York so I would've brought more comfortable dress shoes."
"Nothing really."
"Don't stress about the interview, even though it was three-on-one, they were not intimidating. "
"None at all."
"Nothing- the interview went smoothly and was much less intimidating than I thought it was going to be! "
"The amount of emphasis placed on my knowledge of optometry was great."
"Overall a great experience"
"Results are mailed out via snail mail 1-2 weeks after your interview."
"I didn't realize why SUNY was such a great/competitive school until I visited the campus. SUNY's comprehensive clinic, reknown faculty, involvement in research, rigorous academics, prime location, and cheaper tuition price is really the best I've ever seen for an optometry school."
"The interview was not interrogation style like many people have said. I was not badgered on anything. It was very stress free. The facilities are amazing. They have started a lot of new programs to help the students. I don't think any school can possibly beat SUNY in terms of academics, patient diversity, faculty, facilities. SUNY is world class."
"The interview flowed like a conversation. I was expecting a cross-examination or interrogation due to comments on this site, but they were approachable and down to earth. At the end of the interview day, the 3 of us interviewees found out that we were in, which supposedly only happens when all interviewees of the day are accepted! also, notice my interview was in February, and i took the oat at the end of December, so there's definitely hope for late applicants despite rolling admission. Also, as far as dress goes, one applicant was dressed very plainly, another was rocking a silk top with her pants suit. In the end, I was happy that my outfit had a few quirks besides the strictly professional dress suit, and I think it was the right decision to go for a balance of interesting yet polished."
"It was a very relax interview, but get too casual because every word counts in an interview."
"There are way too many people to memorize if you're used to doing interviews that way. You may see the President walking around the building as he usually does (so I'm told) so make sure to say hello. He's super nice but he knows you're there for an interview so he's supposed to be pleasant. haha"
"Look over your application before the interview! They pick on details from your application and the 30 min. writing piece (EACH of the interviewers literally have a copy of your application in front of them as they are asking you questions!)"
"Students can expect to have class/be on campus 4 to 5 days a week from 9AM to 5PM. The interviewers did not seem very friendly. Talking with the other applicants, after answering a question that did not seem that hard or surprising, they would constantly ask why.. why.. which made answering their questions difficult."
"Be ready to explain your poor grades. On another note, the school doesn't have a gym (not that I saw, or it wasn't mentioned). It doesn't have a cafeteria either. You'd have to bring your own lunch or leave the building (but chipotle is nearby and plenty of other places)."
"SUNY was my top choice before the interview, but the staff was not friendly or welcoming. The tour seemed rushed also and I didn't get a feel of what SUNY offered their students and seemed like little effort was made to impress students..more so like we should already be impressed and thankful we got an interview. "
"There is a brief essay and then the interview is laid-back. There is a financial aid rep available to speak to, and then there is a student who takes you on another tour once you tour the facilities with one of the admissions committee members. Lunch is also provided and you get to talk with the SUNY student and others who interviewed that day. "
"The key to this school's interview, at least from my experience, is to be yourself. It is important to come into the interview relaxed, confident, and enthusiastic. The questions they ask seem to me like they just want to know more about me and if i could handle the coursework and being away from home."
"I heard that SUNY interviews are very intimidating and hard compared to other schools and I was really nervous at first, but they were really nice. I had a great time =) They offered me a seat at the end of the day."
"Interview is very laid back. They have you write a quick essay when you arrive, then do the 30 min interview. A financial aid/housing session. Then a tour of the facility and lunch with a current student. Dr. Johnston wasn't there the day I interviewed but normally he will tell you your status at the end of the interview."
"Four people interviewed. We each had different interview times, so those with earlier interview times had more time waiting while the later interviewers took their turn before we went on the tour together. We had lunch with a student. After lunch we returned to the admissions office where we were each given an update on the status of our application. Some were admitted on the spot."
"It was open file and really chill- they were really nice and wanted to get a feeling of whether I was sincerely and passionately interested in optometry and I was- just be totally honest and professional while maintaining your character- whether you are a generous, funny, enthusiastic person! Just be yourself and I was most relaxed at this interview and it worked out great! They told me I was accepted two hours afterwards!!! :)"
"The interviewers were very friendly, the questions asked were straight forward (most of the questions on this website were pretty much what was asked), the facility is very nice (although much smaller than what I expected), the place itself is in a good location, close to the subways"
"overall it was a great experience. there was an informative tour by an admissions person and lunch with a 4th year student where you could ask a ton of questions. I did find the layout of the school confusing though. "
"The interviewers (all faculty) were all relatively nice. They weren't the most personable people, but I wasn't too uncomfortable. I had a hard time understanding one of the profs, and had to ask him to repeat himself a few times. Also, I wish I hadn't mentioned some things in passing, as they quickly caught what I said and asked for further explanation - so I had to think quick! They are very thorough in their review of your file and experience - so know exactly what you wrote in your app!"
"It's a little daunting to walk into a room of 4 interviewers but they were all very nice and I calmed down a bit half way into it. There is a 20 minute essay before the interview, which also helps calm the nerves I think. It's not too challenging of a topic, I think you just need to write clearly. They break tour into two parts, one of academic areas with one of the interviewers and the other of student areas with a student. Once you're done with the interview the rest of the day is kind of fun. =) "
"Dr. Johnston came to my school for the interview. He was very nice. It was very relaxing. If you do your research ahead of time, and remember to smile, it should go smoothly."
"My interviewers were nice and friendly. It was a bit difficult to determine what their opinions were on my answers though. The interview went by quickly with lots of general questions about optometry, grades, and politics."
"I felt I did very well at the interview. I came prepared and had already gotten accepted to another school so I was very relaxed. New Yorkers are very brash and rude. Some of the faculty were very nice and some acted like their pood didn't stink. In the end I picked another school over SUNY."
"First, there was a 20 minute, one page written question. It was something to the effect of, ''Explain a time when you had to use effective communication skills.'' Then was the actual interview with three faculty members, including Dr. Johnston. They asked a lot of questions and did not do much talking themselves. Things they asked about included: my undergrad school (why I went there, what I liked about it, campus issues, etc.), my experience with optometry (what kinds of optometrists I shadowed, how often I shadowed, what kind of practices/specialties I saw), extracurricular activities (what they were, what I did in them), classwork (I was asked about a Bioethics course I took, poor grades), political issues (recent or upcoming elections, voting). I am not into politics at all, so I didn't do too well answering my question about the last election. I also had only shadowed general practitioners, so I thought these points reflected negatively of me. I was still accepted, though, so don't let one or two tough questions bring you down."
"The building is in a great location, but it must be annoying going up and down an elevator a couple times every day."
"Very positive"
"From the security guards to the admission board, the school's atmosphere seems very welcoming and friendly. Although a 3 on 1 interview may be intimidating, it was actually laid-back. "
"All of the questions are very straightforward. Just be yourself and you'll do great! Any questions, let me know!"
"I had an enjoyable time at SUNY. I was offered lunch at the end. Be confident and composed during the interview. It will bring you good luck. "
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Student | 16 |
| Faculty member | 12 |
| Admissions staff | 5 |
| Other | 2 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Enthusiastic | 27 |
| Neutral | 8 |
| Discouraging | 0 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.24 | 37 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| In state | 8 |
| Out of state | 29 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hour | 12 |
| 2-3 hours | 4 |
| 4-6 hours | 13 |
| 7+ hours | 9 |
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| Airplane | 19 |
| Automobile | 5 |
| Train or subway | 11 |
| Other | 3 |
LaGuardia
John F. Kennedy International
La Guardia, NY
JFK
LGA
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| At school facility | 0 |
| With students at the school | 0 |
| Friends or family | 8 |
| Hotel | 14 |
| Home | 3 |
| Other | 1 |
The Algonquin
Hilton Times Square
Carlton Arms
LaQuinta, Manhattan
Doubletree Metropolitan at 51st and Lexington
Radisson
1291 Bed & Breakfast
Holiday Inn Express
Americana Inn
best western plus
Yes
The Algonquin
Hilton Times Square
Carlton Arms
LaQuinta, Manhattan
Doubletree Metropolitan at 51st and Lexington
Radisson
1291 Bed & Breakfast
Holiday Inn Express
Americana Inn
best western plus
Yes
| Response | # Responders |
|---|---|
| < $100 | 7 |
| $101-$200 | 3 |
| $201-$300 | 2 |
| $301-$400 | 3 |
| $401-$500 | 6 |
| $501+ | 8 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.68 | 41 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 9.40 | 40 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 9.73 | 40 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.73 | 26 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 8.92 | 26 |
| Response Avg | # Responders |
|---|---|
| 6.22 | 23 |
"The tour process should be more standardized. I was disappointed when the tour consisted of just going from floor to floor. The only thing I felt I saw of the school was the elevators and the signs that showed what floor we were on. Our tour group only saw an exam room in the clinic (vision therapy) AFTER one of us asked, and even then the tour guide was a little dismissive. Also, there is a gym on site. It would have been nice to see it. The only reason why our tour group found out about it was because someone in my group spotted it on the 3rd floor. Suny is a great school. show it off a little more"
"Email notification of acceptances in addition to snail mail would be helpful.. I'm worried I won't receive my letter since I'll be traveling for a couple weeks after my interview."
"none"
"Having an exit interview to go over the application file. I'm unsure if they do have that and forgot to do it with my group or they don't offer this at all."
"The interview confirmation letter should be more explicit that you want applicants to bring a pictur"
We help students become doctors. TM
What is one of the specific questions they asked you (question 1)?