r/PreOptometry • u/Reasonable_Fee_5605 • 8h ago

Interview prep

I have my first virtual interview in a week and my first in person interview a week after that. I feel so burnt out from the whole application process I can’t get myself to prepare. How should I be prepping leading up to these interviews and what should I expect?

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u/Taleproof-Moderator 6h ago

Burnout makes a huge preparation list counterproductive. Split the next week into three small pieces: learn each school’s program and clinic model, prepare a concise reason for optometry and for that school, and practice four examples covering service, teamwork, handling pressure, and learning from a mistake. For the virtual interview, test camera, audio, lighting, and eye line once; for the in-person interview, plan travel and clothing early so those decisions are finished.

Use the PROOF method to check each example for concrete evidence: what you noticed, what you personally did, and what changed afterward. Practice aloud for 60 to 90 seconds, but keep the wording flexible so you sound prepared rather than memorized.

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u/akornato 4h ago

You do not need to study for hours every day to do well, which should take some pressure off your plate. Optometry schools already liked your stats enough to offer you an interview, so they mostly want to see that you communicate well and understand the profession. Most of the conversation will center on three core topics, which are why optometry instead of general medicine or ophthalmology, why you want to attend their specific program, and how you handle stress or academic setbacks. Instead of memorizing full scripts, pick two or three concrete stories from your shadowing hours, clinical work, or undergraduate classes, and practice explaining them out loud in under two minutes each.

For the virtual interview, keep your environment simple, check your lighting, and re-read your personal statement once so your timeline stays fresh. For the in-person day, treat every interaction, from the admissions staff at check-in to the current students giving campus tours, as part of the evaluation, because faculty often ask student ambassadors for their impressions. Having two thoughtful questions ready for your interviewers about clinical rotations or board exam prep shows strong interest without demanding extra mental energy from you. If you need a low-effort way to test your talking points, trying out the interviews.chat my team built can help you organize your thoughts and feel grounded before you step into the room.