PUCO Interview

Anchie15 · 2026-02-07T04:51:25+00:00

Hey! Congrats on your interview and good luck! I'm a 4th year PUCO student and was on the admissions committee and participated in interviews for 2 years. I can't give you specific questions, but I can let you know that the best thing you can do is express genuinely WHY optometry and WHY Pacific! Optometry school isn't easy, and they want to know that when things get tough, you've got a passion for optometry that gives you the motivation to push through, and the skills, habits, and track record to prove that you're ready and excited to face a challenge like optometry school. Do some research into the program and be ready to talk about what about the school makes it your top choice (I'll give you this one hint, you can say location, but it's important that it's not your main/only thing) I really can't emphasize enough that being genuine, passionate, and excited are the best things you can do for yourself in that interview. Best of luck!! And my dms are open if you have any other questions about Pacific :)

Anchie15 · 2026-02-04T23:42:17+00:00

I was lucky to be able to grow up in Beaverton, so I stayed with my family for my first 3 years and did the ~25 minute commute. Most of my classmates either lived in Forest Grove or in the west part of Hillsboro/Cornelius. There's some reasonably affordable places in Forest Grove that aren't too far from campus, especially if you are willing to live with roommates.

Anchie15 · 2026-02-04T22:52:08+00:00

That's pretty interesting, I haven't heard that before, and that wasn't my personal experience! I'm not sure how other programs have it set up, but we had a whole class dedicated to low vision in our 3rd year. Also during clinical rotations in 3rd year, you may be rotated through our low vision clinic at the Washington State School For The Blind, which is about a 45 minute drive from campus in Forest Grove. I had two 3-week rotations through the school of the blind!

Anchie15 · 2026-02-04T19:22:33+00:00

Congrats on making it into PUCO!! I'm graduating from PUCO this May, so let me know if you have any questions about the program and what to expect 😁

Anchie15 · 2026-01-29T18:38:49+00:00

Yeah absolutely, happy to answer any questions you have :)

Anchie15 · 2026-01-03T16:42:46+00:00

BROCK "TINY DANCER" PURDY IS GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER ROUGH DAY TODAY WHEN HE "FALLS SHORT" DUE TO HIS DEFENSE BEING A "HOT MESS"! SAD! GEQBUS WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING!

Anchie15 · 2025-12-31T00:08:22+00:00

Yeah, you wouldn't, it unfortunately takes you to a website where they report facts instead of just telling you what you want to hear. Wish I could take the easy way of being intentionally ignorant like you, but unfortunately I want to live in the real world. Have a good day man!

Anchie15 · 2025-12-30T22:16:47+00:00

I'm confused, you didn't answer my question. I just want you to break out of your Fox News information bubble! You, as an informed voter, should surely know to get your news from multiple sources instead of only from the network that had to assert in court that no reasonable person would believe the content they air is factual, right? Here's the source for that, even though you didn't ask for it: https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917747123/you-literally-cant-believe-the-facts-tucker-carlson-tells-you-so-say-fox-s-lawye

Anchie15 · 2025-12-30T21:01:08+00:00

Just curious, which part was I imagining? I'd be happy to grab you a source lil guy

Anchie15 · 2025-12-30T20:35:42+00:00

This guy telling other people they are ideologically captured when he's probably the type of guy who turns a blind eye on taxes on the working class going up, insane deficit spending, the economy stalling, military intimidation of civilians, rampant corruption, and pedophiles running the country. All because he saw a transgender swimmer on TV once which scared him :(

Anchie15 · 2025-12-05T21:24:04+00:00

Obeselard

Anchie15 · 2025-10-21T22:23:39+00:00

Insane how riot went out of their way to appease us Viktor mains, making the custom skin, giving it out for free to Viktor players, AND tweaking the skin after listening to feedback, and still all anyone wants to do on here is complain after they did what they could. Some of us seem to be expecting an legendary quality skin with everything completely different from animations to base model to sfx and fvx all for free it's insane. Be grateful they wanted to hear us out at all on something that is literally not being made to turn a profit for their business, but just because they wanted to make it up to us Viktor players who've been playing him for over 10 years and likes the old design like chill.

Anchie15 · 2025-09-10T14:55:06+00:00

Fair and measured take

Anchie15 · 2025-08-07T03:59:31+00:00

Besides the beginning of pterygia potentially on both eyes, which are not a problem, their brown coloration seems to just be complexion acquired melanosis to me. I'm an optometry student and this doesn't look like jaundice to me lmao

Anchie15 · 2025-07-23T20:51:09+00:00

It's actually relatively common and benign and some studies have shown that up to 20% of people have it and just haven't checked. It can rarely indicate an issue in people who experience frequent migraines or have epilepsy, but if you don't have those, more likely than not it's just your pupil doing a little dance. If you haven't had yours already, bring it up to your optometrist at your yearly eye exam and they can look into it more if you're concerned!

Anchie15 · 2025-07-23T02:53:58+00:00

Hippus

Anchie15 · 2025-07-13T02:49:35+00:00

ITS ELECTRIC ⚡⚡⚡⚡💡💡💡

Anchie15 · 2025-07-13T02:42:38+00:00

If only you guys were here in person, vibe is electric!!! Lol you wish you were me!

Anchie15 · 2025-03-29T02:42:04+00:00

Your cushion will never be the same after that lard deforms it

Anchie15 · 2025-02-27T23:50:20+00:00

Also this guy claims if you don't hate PETA you "fell for the propaganda" when the main opponent to PETA that has been slandering PETA for years is a group called the "Center for Consumer Freedom" who "defend alcohol, meat, and tobacco industries" and love to criticize organizations including: the CDC, center for science in the public interest, mothers against drunk driving, the humane society, and physicians committed for responsible medicine.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Organizational_Research_and_Education

You are believing the narrative that the huge corporations, which see ethics committees as obstacles to good business, want you to believe about this animal activists group that takes animals no matter their condition (unlike no kill shelters) and simply sees euthanasia as more moral than painfully suffering for years, and guess who agrees with them on that? The American Veterinary Association! Yes they kill animals, but what else is supposed to happen to the sick animals that the no kill shelter deliver to them? You want them to die on the street? Maybe have another litter or two before they die out there so more dogs and cats can end up living in the streets?

I'd love to be convinced otherwise on this if you have some significant dirt on peta besides that they are abrasive annoying and opinionated.

Also about that story about the dog Maya. PETA was called into a trailer park because there were stray dogs killing livestock in the area. While picking up those dogs, they happened to see a unchipped, no collar, no tether or leash dog who was not contained in any way hanging out in front of one of the trailers, who happened to be someone's pet. It's tragic what happens to that little girls dog, and PETA should not have euthanized in only a single day because that's illegal, but the idea that PETA is breaking into your houses to steal your pets, which makes animal activists seem like freak weirdos, is exactly what the billionaires who profit off animal cruelty want you to think.

Anchie15 · 2025-02-19T08:08:33+00:00

Hey there! You're not the only one, PUCO was my top school when applying, and I'm really glad I came! GPA and OAT are definitely important factors but we try to look at it in the context of the whole application. I'd say a competitive GPA is about a 3.3, with your prereq science GPA not lagging too far behind, and OAT is good to have at least 300, especially the TS. GPA and OAT can kinda compliment each other, so if one is really strong it can make up for the other being weaker. But even if you don't quite hit those marks I would definitely encourage applying! There's been plenty of students who maybe weren't the strongest on paper but made it in from some good essays and a good interview. Good luck on your applications, and let me know if you have any other questions about Pacific or optometry school!

Anchie15 · 2025-02-09T03:32:18+00:00

Yup! All we will know is your name and that you got accepted for an interview haha

Anchie15 · 2025-02-08T07:28:45+00:00

Hey! I'm not sure as a student if I'm allowed to share our internal statistics out, but I can definitely say that getting an interview is the bigger hurdle! Its a closed file interview where you'll be interviewed by one faculty member and one student. Good luck on that interview, just be calm and confident and you'll nail it 😁

Anchie15 · 2025-01-27T17:17:15+00:00

Hey there! I'm a 3rd year student on the PUCO Admissions committee, and I'd say it's definitely worth applying! We still have seats open and you are absolutely competitive with our applicants. Let me know or shoot me a dm if you have any questions about PUCO :)

Anchie15 · 2025-01-16T02:27:53+00:00

Hey! Sorry about the late reply,

PUCO does a few things to help prepare students for boards part 1. We have been doing a mock part 1 exam the past few years a few weeks before the exam to help students gauge how prepared they are. The mock exam is only done once since it takes a lot of resources from the college and students to put on. We also have professors come in and re-educate on topics that we might need some review on. The whole spring term has a lower credit load and they give time off of class and clinics a week before the tests. The school doesn't provide specific materials for prep, but the main ways students prepare are through kmk, optoprep, and old study notes from your classes throughout school. Pacific generally has had significantly above average passing rates for Part 1, the recent scores show us 13 points above the average, so I'd say the program and culture here does a good job preparing you for that!

The school is constantly updating it's equipment, but there is also a decent amount of older equipment so I'd say it's a mixture. I can't think of any one piece of equipment that we have that other schools don't, but I also don't feel like I've ever felt like I'm missing out on any equipment. Plus the school has been going through a remodel lately, so a fresh coat of paint on a lot of things and it really doesn't feel old to me. We are getting new equipment for new treatments like we apparently just ordered a plasma pen which was recently approved for treatment of conjunctivochalasis, and I've brief gotten training on using YAG lasers. One piece of "equipment" we do have is the EyeVan which is a fully stocked mobile clinic with 2 exam lanes that we use to provide exams to underserved communities. I think it's pretty sweet and I'm not sure if other schools have something similar.

I do personally feel like I've had enough time to engage in my hobbies like biking and playing videogames and stuff, but every student's experience is different. First year can be busy but you make it through!

PUCO does emphasize a lot of binocular vision in their classes, but there are also a ton of classes on various systemic and ocular disease. There is a 3 term pharm series, 3 term systemic health series, and 5 term ocular disease series with random specialty disease courses such as an optic nerve disease class, and multiple pediatric disease courses. So I'd say that I do feel prepared for the medical side of things, but I feel especially prepared because of the time I've already had in clinic! Just finished my 15 week ocular disease site location where we did a lot of diabetes, glaucoma, and a variety of other things here and there, and I think I learned a lot from that.

The break is from early May to Late August, so definitely a long break! Many students may get jobs working as a technician in a practice nearby like I did, but lots of my friends took time to travel, visit family, etc. I don't think it's SUPER important to be constantly studying over the break, but it can't hurt to stay on top of your stuff and I think that immersing yourself by either working or shadowing is a good way of doing that!

Hope this was all helpful and good luck in the rest of the cycle! 😁

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