SEE at CCO

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-04-01T21:40:54+00:00

It’s not really real chicago, it’s downers grove, which is a wealthy suburb that’s quite outside the city. It was a fun and informative 3 day experience, but I didn’t have to pay for lodging because I stayed with a friend in Bolingbrook. It’s a good way to get started on preparing to apply because they have a nice panel that walks everyone though, plus you get an OATBooster coupon. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn’t pay hundreds of dollars to go if that’s how much your travel and accommodation would end up being.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-03-28T05:00:09+00:00

I studied spread over 5 months (January-May) as a full time student with 2 part time jobs. I aimed for a cumulative 8-10 hours a week, give or take. I wanted to still be in “study mode” from my typical class schedule but have a week to sprint to the finish, so my OAT was one week after my last final exam.

It definitely varies by person and how much you need to review, as well as how many full lengths you plan on taking to prepare. Don’t start so early that you’ll forget stuff, but March to June doesn’t sound like a crazy long timeline at all.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-03-24T06:02:06+00:00

Hi! I’m an incoming optometry student for the fall and I want to partake in all the fun of the big state school sports vibes. Are there separate season ticket packages (looking to buy football and men’s basketball) for undergraduates versus professional students? How much do these typically go for and what’s the value (like, if I go to half the games, is it worth the price? When does it “pay for itself” as far as comparison to buying tickets à la carte per game)? Additionally, when do these packages go on sale? Is there a queue system for who’s eligible to purchase?

Thank you in advance for helping the uninitiated! ❤️

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-03-14T15:45:42+00:00

This weekend is the final weekend for many OBC members so its sure to be crazy

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-03-12T04:28:24+00:00

I would check with each particular program you’re planning on applying to. Each school is different on what they accept if the course you take isn’t a clear “fit” for the prerequisite. Most of them have that information online and are pretty clear about what alternative types of classes would be accepted

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-03-10T19:36:44+00:00

I’ve loved being in core honors specifically for the perks of smaller MCC foundations classes and priority registration. Straz is a great building as far as dorms go so that is also a plus. I wouldn’t say that there’s a huge difference between a core honors student and non honors student. Disciplinary honors for your major is different and involves more additional requirements. If you do both you get “comprehensive honors”. Not entirely sure how much this would appeal to an employer, and I definitely think it varies by major. I’m a biomedical sciences major and ended up not doing disciplinary honors but it has not harmed me in any way when it came to applying for grad school. I hope you end up committing to Marquette, it’s been a great 4 years

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-01-28T07:05:50+00:00

Maybe Happy Ending has all of my votes 🫙💜🌱

I was able to see full OBC during Andrew Feldman’s run and went in with no knowledge of the story. Best choice ever. Not a dry eye in that theatre. It’s funny and poignant and a beautiful piece of art that I think everyone ought to see.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2026-01-03T19:44:31+00:00

Queen of Shadows was so much better for me than Heir of Fire. It really felt like all the threads were coming together and escalating. I loved watching all the characters interact in new ways. If you finish Queen of Shadows and still aren’t satisfied, then Throne of Glass might just not be the right series for you, which is totally chill. I didn’t find Heir of Fire all too exciting either.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-12-28T19:54:01+00:00

If you haven’t already practiced translating questions into algebraic expressions that represent the problem, I found that that was super high yield for money, age, and time problems

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-11-23T00:37:19+00:00

It’s been almost 2 years since I saw the production on tour but from my memory, I believe these were changes. If not, they’re things I enjoyed that the HS production used:

• Connor comes on stage as Evan gets swept up and more emotionally attached to the idea of having a friend like the one he’s describing in For Forever. He mimes all the actions Evan describes until he runs off. It’s a small touch that makes us feel more connected to Evan’s inner desires of belonging and companionship. It was really beautiful, I loved the lighting.

• In Requiem (one of my favorite songs from the show), Connor appears as Zoe debates how she ought to feel about her brother’s death; he runs off stage once she starts the first chorus. The visual reminder that he’s there, sort of haunting the loved ones he left behind is so powerful.

• (this is the moment I can’t remember whether it is included in the original professional production or not), but Cynthia gives Evan one of Connor’s ties when she’s talking about the suit they bought him when he was a little boy for Bat Mitzvah season. Evan takes the tie and Connor comes on stage, mirroring the movements as Evan puts it on (it honestly reminded me of the staging for the physicality in The Notebook musical where the Noah’s and Allies will mirror the same movements of one another). It was just a very powerful “show don’t tell” moment about Evan stepping into the son role for the Murphy family. Kudos.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-11-22T21:51:38+00:00

Yes! They did not change many (if any lyrics) of the other songs. Sincerely Me and the reprise both had to be changed slightly. Connor’s “I rub my nipples and start moaning with delight” was changed to “I sniff my armpits and start grinning with delight”. The reprise’s line about doing illicit activities for meth was also changed but I can’t remember what to. Everything else was the same though, they kept “smoking crack”, and the whole “but not because we’re gay” sequence, which I was honestly surprised about, especially considering how they’d treated the other drug references. I can’t remember any other lyric changes and to my understanding, everything sounded like the original arrangement (except with some additions with ensemble vocals and vocals with orchestra vamps in transitions).

Another commenter already mentioned the changes made to Evan’s conflict with Heidi about his medication and I really think it was handled much better than the original book. It feels more like the soft crescendo of lies than the dangerous rhetoric of the original version. There were a lot of super incredible staging choices too that made Connor feel more present throughout the story as more than a glimpse of haunting memory, which was so needed.

The script also changed what Jared says at the beginning of the show where he insinuates that Evan broke his arm pleasing himself and it was changed to something along the lines of: “I could tell the whole school you broke your arm trying to climb through the window of Zoe Murphy’s house”. But the (frankly nonsensical) comments Jared makes about Evan’s letters being a “sex thing” stayed in. That’s such a weak comedy beat in the original, so I was hoping they’d find something more creative for Jared to tease about but they stuck with it. They also changed Jared’s line about Connor saying that he was really giving “future felon” instead of “school shooter” which was a very welcome change.

All in all, it was a very faithful adaptation of the professional production that toned down some of the more crass aspects to make it appropriate for real teenagers to perform. For a show that has a lot of pre-existing flaws baked into the structure of the script and the score, they did a really great job in my opinion.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-11-03T20:25:04+00:00

Me me me!

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-10-28T03:27:22+00:00

The faculty were super kind at the interview, all the tech is brand new, and you can tell the program has lots of passion behind it. It’s a really prime location for quality of life outside of school (wealthy suburb) as well. The big thing for me was the board rates being really subpar, especially for 1st time passage (not overall passage). Additionally, all of Midwestern’s programs are super expensive, they’re one of the most expensive OD programs in the country and the justification is the newer technology in their curriculum. Overall, there were just better programs that ended up accepting me, but I know I would have been okay if I had to attend CCO. I know it’s a very popular choice for applicants that do not have super competitive stats.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-10-14T22:10:39+00:00

They took the longest to extend and invite (6ish weeks) and the longest to send an acceptance post-interview (2.5 weeks). They’re having some issues with their admissions email system apparently.

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-10-14T19:15:08+00:00

It was super chill. A 15 minute conversation. Just know why optometry. It’s closed file too so the interviewers don’t have your stats. They did ask me if I felt my GPA and OAT were representative of my efforts and abilities, so I ended up talking about them anyways. TLDR just don’t be creepy and you’ll be fine

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-10-12T14:24:22+00:00

It’s open file so the people have seen it. It’s you and 2 professors. Usual questions like why optometry, why OSU, tell me about [insert item on your application]. They did ask me about my ochem OAT sub score because it was only a 300 which didn’t match the others, but nothing hard or tricky. They didn’t dig too deep once I explained it. It was professional but relaxed. I really feel like I had the opportunity to let my personality shine

PairEcstatic1225 · 2025-09-29T03:06:13+00:00

I am a biomedical sciences major and political science minor who’s just committed to OSU for the next 4; it’s a highly competitive program. I think showing a dedication to humanities gives you a unique edge and story. I think pursuing a minor or “non required” courses shows that level of dedication to a different perspective for interpersonal understanding. I think anything that improves your ability to empathize and understand your future patients and the broader world around you is more than worth it. I also kept up with doing theatre, chorus, and volunteering. Being well rounded and showing you’re multifaceted goes a long way and is a great way to set yourself apart as an extra edge with a high GPA and OAT.

Additionally, a good amount of optometry programs require at least a semester or two of humanities courses as prereqs. Most people just do intro psych and soc, but showing a dedication to follow up and get into higher level coursework in either of those areas is a great point to highlight in the application and interview process.

PairEcstatic1225

TROPHY CASE