University of California Berkeley School of Optometry
Berkeley, CA
Optometry Schools | Public Non-Profit
Overall, applicants ranked the school in the top 14% of interviews, indicating it is highly regarded. They found the interview mixed with a moderate stress level, and felt they did okay.
⭐ Overall Impressions ▼
How did the interview impress you?
Most respondents felt positively about their interview.
What was the stress level of the interview?
Most respondents rated their interview as average stress.
How you think you did?
Most respondents thought they performed well at the interview.
How do you rank this school among ALL other schools?
Most respondents rank this school above all other schools.
How do you rank this school among other schools to which you've applied?
Most respondents rank this school above other schools they applied to.
0 = Below, 10 = Above
💬 Interview Questions ▼
What is one of the specific questions they asked you?
The most commonly asked interview questions at medical schools include behavioral questions, inquiries about volunteer experience, motivations for choosing a specific institution, research topics, handling stress, and discussing negative aspects of the profession. Some respondents mentioned being asked about conflicts, future plans, distinguishing optometry from other healthcare professions, and the future outlook of the field. It appears that some interviews were in an MMI format with potential nondisclosure agreements due to references to 'MMI' and 'non-disclosure' in the responses.
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Asked me about my volunteer experience
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Behavioral questions
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why optometry?
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What is a defining experience you had in optometry?
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What is your research about?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said the most interesting question asked at University of California Berkeley School of Optometry discussed a variety of topics including ethical scenarios, patient relationships, and the future of optometry technology. While some respondents mentioned MMI format and nondisclosure, others highlighted questions about handling patient relationships, ethical dilemmas, and the impact of technology on the field of optometry.
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The behavioral question
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What do you do for fun?
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What TV show I watched
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In your opinion, is it ever acceptable to get into a romantic relationship with a patient?
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You're a first-year optometry student. Your grandfather has been diagnosed with a disease that will kill him in 5 years. There's a procedure that can be done to cure him, but there is a 10% mortality rate. He wants to do it, but mom does not want him to. What would you do?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of California Berkeley School of Optometry discussed a range of topics, including behavioral questions, what sets the school apart, differences between optometry and other healthcare fields, discussing personal failures, future goals, and essay questions on topics like changing the presidential election process or banning hate speech. Some responses indicated an MMI format with limited interaction and a focus on essay content, suggesting possible nondisclosure agreements in place for these interviews.
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The behavioral question
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What sets Berkeley apart from other schools?
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N/A
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Name how optometry is different from other healthcare fields. (I was only given three minutes to answer this question during the MMI portion, and the interviewers didn't interact with me at all..)
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They asked a lot about my ESSAY. Know yours well!
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 40 - 50 minutes.
How many people interviewed you?
Most respondents were interviewed by 2 people.
What was the style of the interview?
Most respondents had a one-on-one interview.
What type of interview was it?
Most respondents had a closed file interview.
Was this interview in-person or virtual?
Most respondents had a virtual interview.
Data includes both pre- and post-COVID interviews.
No responses
Where did the interview take place?
Most respondents were interviewed at the school.
📍 On-Site Experience ▼
Who was the tour given by?
Tours were most commonly given by a Student
How did the tour guide seem?
Most tour guides were enthusiastic about the school.
How do you rank the facilities?
Most respondents rank the facilities as above average.
What is your in-state status?
Most respondents rank the facilities as below average.
What were your total hours spent traveling?
Most respondents spent 2-3 hours traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by airplane to the interview.
About how much did you spend on room, food, and travel?
Most respondents spent between $101 and $200.
What airport did you fly into?
Respondents who flew to the interview generally used Oakland International Airport (OAK)
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none. I walked.
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SFO
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Oakland
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OAK
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Friends or family or with friends or family.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Holiday Inn Express
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Faculty Club
How would you rate the hotel?
Most respondents rated their hotel as average
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
Would you recommend the hotel?
Most respondents would recommend their hotel.
What is your ranking of this school's location?
Most respondents rate the school location as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What is your ranking of this area's cultural life?
Most respondents rate the area’s cultural life as good.
0 = Bad, 10 = Great
What are your comments on where you stayed?
No responses
✅ Interview Preparation and Impressions ▼
How is the friendliness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was friendly.
How is the responsiveness of the admissions office?
Most respondents said the admissions office was responsive.
How did you prepare for the interview?
Most applicants prepared for the interview by utilizing resources like the Student Doctor Network (SDN), reviewing their application essays, and practicing answering potential questions out loud. Many also sought advice from current students or professionals in the field to gain insights into the optometry profession and enhance their confidence during the interview process.
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Looked through SDN
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Took questions from SDN and answered them on a word doc Looked over my essays
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Looking at SDN questions and coming up with answers typed up in a google doc
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student doctor network, re-reading my optomcas personal statement + experiences, talking to my optometrist about the future of optometry, BREATHING and making sure I was confident and not nervous
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SDN, reading sample MMI questions
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were overwhelmingly impressed by the organization of the interview day, the friendliness and enthusiasm of both students and staff, as well as the beautiful campus. Many applicants also appreciated the delicious food provided and the high level of organization despite the large number of interviewees.
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The organization of the whole day The friendliness of everyone there
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The introductory presentation given by the dean, the organization of the entire day, and the mock class given
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I was surprised at how organized the day was. 115 students, 4 color groupss, 4 subgroups within the colors, all who had different schedules.. it was all very crazy but the timing worked very well. The campus is also very pretty: other grad school campuses are nearby, berkeley has alot of good restaurants, and SF is really fun too!
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The school shut down to give us interview day. There were plenty of student volunteers and faculty that wanted to partake in the experience.
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Students really seem to like the program, the campus is beautiful.
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed dissatisfaction with unresponsive interviewers, cramped interview rooms, long and stressful days, outdated facilities, and lack of personal attention. Suggestions included improving interviewer responsiveness, reducing the number of applicants per room, updating facilities, and providing healthier snacks.
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I felt as if my interviewers were not as responsive, causing me to freeze from time to time
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MMI interviewers were stone-faced
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Buildings were slightly old, but not too big of a deal
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How they crammed so many students into one small room during the intro and conclusion of the day. I was definitely stressed seeing all the competition right next to me, knowing that 50 of us in that room weren't going to get accepted 0__0.
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The one set of interviewers from the MMI had a really stern, upset look on their face. It was the only interview portion that made me nervous and stutter. The other MMI interviewers were far more welcoming with positive body language to make me feel comfortable.
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly wished they had known ahead of time about the MMI format and preparation, the level of stress involved, the importance of comfortable shoes for the day, and the semi-open/closed file nature of the interview. They also mentioned bringing more snacks for the long day and being aware of potential delays in the interview schedule.
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Just advertise yourself
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The essay question is really not that deep
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MMIs are not as stressful as I thought
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How to prepare for an MMI. I've never interacted with anyone like that before, where you're given a max of 4 minutes to answer a question and the interviewer doesn't interact and just blinks at you until you're done talking. I felt like I was rambling in a monologue
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How awkward the first MMI would be. You have 3 minutes to read a prompt in front of a door. You open the door, sit, and have 4 minutes to answer. You leave when you are done answering even if 4 mins isn't up yet.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally shared positive feedback about their interview experience at Berkeley, highlighting the rigorous yet rewarding nature of the process, the supportive and welcoming atmosphere of the school, and the emphasis on being genuine and confident during the interview. Some suggested shortening the day to avoid exhaustion and overcrowding during activities.
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this was the best interview day experience I had
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Berkeley is an amazing program!
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Berkeley's interview was definitely the most stressful interview I had, with a group project, essay, traditional interview, and MMIs. BUT it makes it all the more glorious when you get accepted. Key is --don't be nervous/stressed! You made the first cut to the interview, now just be confident :)
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The school itself has not seen much remodeling since they first opened, so the equipment is much older. The Berkeley education is unparalleled and they are clinically superior with the almost 100% board passing rate. You start vision science courses immediately and see about 2500 patients by the time you're done. The pros outweigh the cons!
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I was very impressed with Berkeley after Interview Day. I was so nervous and stressed since it was my first interview, but everyone at the school made me feel very comfortable and relaxed. I felt that there wasn't a competitive atmosphere at Cal and that the students were very laid-back and friendly.
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants generally praised the admissions office for their organization and efficiency during the interview process. One common suggestion was to consider using a larger space for interview days to accommodate the large number of applicants and reduce stress levels.
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Nothing really. Did a great job.
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N/A, great job donw
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Maybe use a bigger room for interview day? Cramming 115 applicants and 30+ current students/faculty was probably a fire hazard, and also added to the stress level of the interview.
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Nothing. For such a large interview group, the interview day was conducted with as most organization as possible.
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