University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry
St. Louis, MO
Optometry Schools | Public Non-Profit
⭐ 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 revolved around the applicants' motivations for choosing optometry, their study habits, their understanding of the field, and where they see themselves in the future. The interviews may have been in an MMI format, and respondents may have been subject to a nondisclosure agreement based on the mentions of 'MMI' and 'nondisclosure' in their responses.
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Tell me about how you ended up choosing optometry?
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They asked about a specific optometric experience listed on my resume
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
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What does the optometrist do during an eye exam?
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How did you study for OAT?
What was the most interesting question?
Students said most interesting question asked at University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry discussed a variety of topics including balancing academics and extracurriculars, the impact of EMT experience on their decision to pursue optometry, qualities gained from work/volunteering, advancements in optometry, and the application of research in nanotechnology to the field. These questions reflect a holistic approach to candidate assessment, with no specific mention of MMI format or nondisclosure agreements.
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Tell us about how you balanced academics and extra-curriculars in undergrad
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What do you like to do in your free time,
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They asked me about my science classes, and how my grades were usually lower in them compared to other types of classes, & how am I going to study in order to make it through science classes in optometry school.
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How has being an EMT strengthened your decision to be an optometrist?
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What qualities/experience have your work and extracurricular activities given you that will help you as an optometrist?
What was the most difficult question?
Students said most difficult question asked at University of Missouri-St. Louis College of Optometry discussed various topics including explaining transcript discrepancies, types of medicines administered by optometrists, and advancements in optometry over the years. The interviews seemed to be more conversational for some, while others mentioned questions about medications used in optometry practice. No specific mention of MMI format or nondisclosure agreements was reported.
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There weren't any
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There’s a couple of W’s on your transcript can you explain this
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What are some types of medicine that optometrists administer?
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None really. It was more like a conversation than an interview and it moved pretty quickly. The staff was really encouraging and settling throughout the whole process.
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None
🤝 Interview Format and Logistics ▼
How long was the interview?
Most respondents had an interview of 30 - 40 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 an open 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 0-1 hour traveling to the interview.
What was your primary mode of travel?
Most respondents traveled by automobile 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 St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL)
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St. Louis International Airport
Where did you stay?
Most respondents stayed either Hotel or at a hotel.
What is the name of the hotel you stayed in?
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Ramada
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Quality Inn
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Holiday Inn Exprss
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?
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?
Applicants commonly prepared for the interview by conducting mock interviews, reviewing school websites, reading through forums like Student Doctor Network (SDN) for interview feedback, and practicing answers to potential questions. Many also sought advice from professionals in the field and focused on understanding current events and information relevant to the program.
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Looked at school website, reread my personal statement, SDN
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Reviewed common questions ask in optometry school interview, looked at this forum.
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Read the UMSL Optometry yearly bulletin, talked with my optometrist about current events in optometry and looked through SDN feedback.
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Read SDN interview feedback, mock interviews.
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SDN and the questions from the interview powerpoint on the UMSL website
What impressed you positively?
Applicants were consistently impressed by the kindness and friendliness of the interviewers, staff, faculty, and students, as well as the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere during the interview process. Additionally, the modern facilities and the convenience of having all facilities in one building were highlighted as positive aspects that left a strong impression on the applicants.
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The interviewers were so kind. It was a virtual interview due to COVID, but they made it very relaxed and low-stress.
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The new clinic facility and the ease at which the interview went.
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The friendliness of the staff, faculty and students. Also the new clinic.
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The faculty! Loved how personable the doctors were. I walked in the office to get a parking pass and one of the doctors (Dr. Bennett) knew me by name already without any introduction.
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The friendliness and expertise of the staff
What impressed you negatively?
Applicants commonly expressed concerns about outdated facilities, particularly the building being old and in need of renovation. Suggestions included investing in updating facilities to enhance the learning environment and overall appeal to potential students.
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Nothing
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The building is a little old
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Facilites were old and run down, and the atmosphere didn't seem as professional as some of the other schools.
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The building is old and small. The technology seems to be update but the building is on the smaller side.
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Didn't get to see the clinic
What did you wish you had known ahead of time?
Applicants commonly shared that they wished they had known more about the interview process in advance, including the type of questions that could be asked, the interview format, and the individuals they would be meeting with. Many also noted the importance of doing research on the interviewers and the location of the interview to avoid any surprises on the day.
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Nothing I can think of
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Nothing- Everything was straight forward!
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Nothing really surprised me. Just make sure you do some research on the type of questions you could be asked so you're not caught off guard.
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How many people interview in one day? --> 4
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That the interview would be like a conversation about myself and my motivations.
What are your general comments?
Applicants generally found the interview process at UMSL to be smooth and positive, with friendly staff, faculty, and students. Some feedback mentioned the facilities and building could use improvement, but overall, the experience was laid-back and welcoming, with interviews feeling more like conversations.
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UMSL seems like a great school, and the interview process went very smoothly
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Very great interview day, nice people, easy going.
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Staff, faculty and students were extremely friendly and attentive!
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Liked the students, faculty, and small class size. Facilities were a deal breaker.
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Great staff but the building and facilities are behind the curve. Didn't get to see much of the clinic. Housing locations are 20-30 minutes away from the school
What are your suggestions for the admissions office?
Applicants commonly suggested that the admissions office should streamline their information sessions to avoid redundancy and reduce the length of presentations. They recommend focusing on more interactive and engaging content rather than reading out printed materials for hours on end.
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Their information meeting was a tad long. They basically spent 2-3 hours reading to us information about the city, housing, finances, and the program that they already printed out for us.
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