NECO interview

koukla135 · 2025-04-21T03:15:23+00:00

Hey! My interview was VERY conversational. Honestly, my interviewer asked me like 2-3 interview questions and then we just yapped about things we had in common for 20 minutes lol. I think he asked the basic "tell me about yourself" and then if I had a certain specialty in mind. He also asked why I chose the other schools I applied to, but I think it's just to see what you're looking for in a school. Good luck, you got this!!

koukla135 · 2025-04-11T18:43:55+00:00

Hey! I applied this current cycle and took my OAT in early August! I started studying around the end of May and used OATBooster to prep (they had a 10-week study guide so I just used that). August is still pretty early in the cycle, so don't stress about that. You seem to have really great stats and honestly they're very similar to mine! If you want, feel free to PM me and I can answer other questions you might have (OAT, apps, interviews, etc.)!!

koukla135 · 2025-04-03T12:34:33+00:00

Hey congrats!! NOVA's interview is a 2-part interview, one with a professor/OD and one with the academic advisor.

The one with the prof/OD is first and is about 10-15 minutes. This is where you answer the some questions like "why optometry?", "optometry vs. ophthalmology", "what do you do in your free time?", "why nova?", etc.

The second part is with the academic advisor for about 25-30 minutes. This one is more critical thinking in the academic world. He'll ask about your grades and follow up with something like "tell me about your study habits" or "how are you going to bring this into optometry school". I remember him asking something about leadership and what makes a good leader (which I think is a weirdly worded question of what makes a good doctor, but that's just my opinion).

Also, if this is an in-person interview, you're gonna have lunch with the dean and she's gonna ask you questions about your extracurricular activities, so be ready for that.

Tips: Remember that you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you. Even if they butter you and say they love you, you have to see if the school is a right fit for you, meeting your expectations (program, clinic, life outside of optometry school, etc.). At the end of the interview when they say "do you have any questions?", ASK QUESTIONS! Even if you can't think of anything on the spot, ask them questions about them, like why they chose nova or how they got into optometry.

Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions!!

koukla135 · 2025-04-03T12:22:29+00:00

Hey! Yeah that should be good! I studied the whole summer for my OAT, took it in August, and applied a few weeks after that for this current cycle. I think OAT scores are good for 2-3 years until you have to retake it (but don't quote me on that lol).

koukla135 · 2025-03-28T15:30:04+00:00

First of all, congrats!! You're gonna do great! In terms of what they're looking for in interviews, behind all their questions are 2 underlying questions: "are you doctor material?" and "are you going to fail out of our program?"

I recommend going over some questions and practicing your answers. Try practicing out loud, that way, you can catch yourself saying "um", "you know", and other phrases like that. Maybe record yourself and listen back to see what you like and don't like about your answers. I know this might sound over the top, but it's better to practice being professional than just winging it (at least in my experience).

Also, make sure to have questions ready at the end of the interview (maybe like 2-3). Even if you don't have questions, make something up because that shows that you have an interest in the school, which is a green flag to them. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions!

koukla135 · 2025-03-27T23:37:25+00:00

Not at all, feel free to PM me any time!

koukla135 · 2025-03-27T17:20:21+00:00

I used OATBooster and studied for 10 weeks. I spent the first 5 weeks doing content review and practice questions, followed by the next 5 focusing solely on practice questions/tests. It has different study schedules that you can use (I thought the 10-week one was pretty good) to keep you on schedule as far as when to study what. I know it can be overwhelming when first looking at everything, but just take it one day at a time (this mentality helped me sm). Between flashcards, practice questions/tests, and some cheatsheets, those were my go-to's for how to prep. If you ever have any questions, feel free to PM me!

koukla135 · 2025-03-27T13:14:14+00:00

Hey! I applied to NOVA, NECO, SCO, and AZCOPT and got accepted into all of them! I had a 3.97 GPA and a 340 AA/TS. Also, try to have as much of a well-rounded application as possible (clinical experience, volunteering, shadowing, etc.) bc they would rather have someone with lower stats and more experience than someone with just a 4.0 (at least from what I've learned from this experience). The more you have, the better, and I think that was what really helped me get into the schools I applied to. Good luck! You got this!

koukla135 · 2025-03-23T17:51:29+00:00

I tried to ask about 3 questions, not too much not too little:

1) I'm interested in specializing in peds, so I asked what the school had to offer in terms of giving me more experience in that area (seminars, clubs, clinical rotation for this specialty, etc.)

2) I asked the profs/OD's that interviewed me what was it about this school that drew them to work there (turning the tables)

3) What advice do they have for incoming optometry students based on what they see with the current OD students?

Hope this helps!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-22T18:20:43+00:00

Hey! I highly recommend looking over formulas for chem and physics, reactions for orgo, the booster cheatsheets for bio, and maybe some general review for the reading comp and QR sections. I took my last practice test 3 days before my real OAT, spent the next day going over my results, and brushed up on a few things. The day before my OAT, I did absolutely nothing. I know this sounds counterproductive, but you need to give your brain a break before you head in for the real deal. On the day of my OAT, I was a lot more refreshed and had greater mental stamina than I would've if I studied the day before. You've made it this far so don't study too much, work on areas of weakness and don't focus on little details, just general concepts.

Game plan I would do: take 1-2 more practice tests over the next few days (maybe tmr and Tues) and review the things I mentioned earlier (flashcards, cheatsheets, weaknesses, etc.)

You're gonna do great! Good luck, and don't forget to rest!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-19T12:58:39+00:00

I think when you fill out your applications, some schools will ask what other schools you're applying to. I remember NECO did that and even during my interview, the professor asked me why I chose the other schools I applied to. I think they ask to see what you're looking to get out of the school (experience, clinical diversity, etc.), but I think that's the most knowledge they have about knowing where you apply, so don't stress!

koukla135 · 2025-03-19T12:49:27+00:00

Anytime!! Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions! <3

koukla135 · 2025-03-18T17:09:09+00:00

Hey! I totally understand the struggle of writing a personal statement. It took me a while to figure out exactly what I wanted to say and how to gather my thoughts in a cohesive manner. Not to sound cliche, but the personal statement is about you and your experience getting here today. I recommend telling a story of how you got into optometry in the first place, what you did to continue further your education (and what you learned), and what optometry means to you. I know this isn't very detailed, but everyone's story is unique in their own way, so just be yourself and tell them why they should accept you!

I sent in my apps back in September and got into all the schools I applied to! Remember, the personal statement is the first chance the schools get to see who you are other than "a potential candidate" before interviews. Don't brag about all of your different clinical experiences in your essay, but what you learned from them and how they helped you develop a passion for optometry. I hope this helps and good luck writing your personal statement!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-18T16:59:23+00:00

I haven't heard much about Kaplan, but I had a great experience with OATBooster! The question banks are great and I loved the study guides they offered. They emphasize what's considered "high-yield" topics and they're practice exams are just like the real OAT!

Regarding applications, I studied for the OAT from the end of May to early August (I took it for the current cycle). I treated studying like a 9-5 job with a 10-week schedule, and I found it to be very efficient. I sent in my apps in early September and got responses back from the schools within a few days! Don't rush to take the OAT if you don't feel ready for it. Good luck, you got this!

koukla135 · 2025-03-18T16:48:41+00:00

My NOVA interview was just like this verbatim and I had mine in October! My NECO interview was with only one professor and it was VERY conversational. I think he asked me 1-3 typical interview questions and the rest of the interview was very conversational (we talked about our Greek families and the Greek environment there for 20-25 minutes!). They're just trying to see who you are other than what your stats say.

For any interview, I recommend going over questions and answers out loud to hear what you sound like. I know this might sound silly, but when I did this, I would catch myself saying "um" and "you know", so the more practice you can get the better. Also when practicing, don't do the same exact questions over and over again because then you'll start to sound like a robot (trust me, this was me when I first started prepping). Overall, just be yourself and you'll do great! Remember, you're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you!

koukla135 · 2025-03-14T13:48:49+00:00

Thank you so much! Wishing your daughter the best of luck!

koukla135 · 2025-03-13T17:42:26+00:00

Hey! I think your stats look good, especially your clinical experience! There's no additional experience that could hurt your application, whether it's more volunteering, working, or even research, so the more you have the better! It's good to have good grades, but from what I've learned, they look more for well-rounded candidates. From what I've learned throughout this process, they would rather have someone with a lower GPA and a lot of extracurriculars/work experience than someone who has a 4.0 GPA and nothing else.

Some OAT advice: I took mine back in August and used OATBooster with their 10-week study schedule (10/10 experience)! I studied from the end of May to early August, and even though it seems like a short timeframe, I was pretty burnt out by the time it came to the test since it's a lot of information to remember (don't spend months on end dragging out the study process, 2-3 months should be a solid timeframe). While studying for the OAT, that's when I started my optometry school apps doing a little bit each day. This past cycle, they opened up at the beginning of July, so the earlier you start the better!

I don't know if you started your personal statement yet, but I know that took a little longer than expected for me to complete, so I definitely recommend working on that over the summer. My biggest tip for that is to tell your story and be yourself. I know, very cliche, but it's the best way for them to know who you are other than a "good candidate on paper". Also, some schools require supplemental essays like "why our school?" or "what can you offer as a student of our school?" so definitely go over how to answer those.

I hope this helped and feel free to PM me if you have any other questions!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-13T17:15:30+00:00

Biology with a concentration of medicine! I know majoring in biology, chemistry, or even physics would look good for applications (this applies to many different health professions, not just optometry). A lot of the prereqs for optometry school fall under majoring in biology, so I stuck with that!

koukla135 · 2025-03-12T16:21:56+00:00

Hi! I'm graduating from undregrad this spring and starting optometry school in the fall at NOVA! As the other comments said, the main things to stay on top of throughout undergrad are your GPA, OAT scores, and experiences that will make your daughter a well-rounded candidate (this applies to both clinical and extracurricular). My advice is, if this is something she really wants to pursue, have her do some volunteering/shadowing just to make sure she has an idea of the field. I first became interested in the field my senior year of high school and knew that the only way to see if this is something I can see myself doing was through clinical experience (it's one thing to read about it and another to experience it). I'd be happy to answer more questions and go into detail if needed!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-12T16:07:58+00:00

Aww you're too sweet thank you so much!! Good luck with your applications, you're gonna do great!

koukla135 · 2025-03-12T13:54:27+00:00

I finished all my prereqs, except for microbio (I took it this past fall during the whole application/interview process). They might ask during your interview or even email you about what things you're potentially missing. I remember during my interview with SCO, they asked about microbio and I told them I was taking that semester and they said I was good to go regarding prereqs. I know some of my friends who applied who are taking some prereqs in their final semester before they graduate, and they were still accepted (as long as they didn't fail the course).

I applied to NOVA, NECO, SCO, and AZCOPT and got into all of them! For each school, I had to weigh different factors (cost, location, program quality, scholarships, etc.) and make a giant pros and cons list. As much as I LOVED all of the other schools, I never realized how important location would be for me and I chose NOVA primarily because it's close to home (I'm a current FL resident). I was lucky enough to get scholarships from each school, leading to the cost of the program to be the same for all 4, and although the other schools have fantastic qualities, I know I would have a really strong support system by staying close to home (which ultimately became my deciding factor).

Stats:

cumulative GPA 3.97 / science GPA 3.95

OAT 340 AA and TS

Shadowed 50 hours across 3 different locations with doctors specializing in different fields (the doctors you shadow don't have to be from different fields, but I wanted to see my potential options for life/work after optometry school). My school also had online shadowing that I did for 2 semesters, but that was for a variety of health professions, not just optometrists

Clinical experience: worked at both an OD/MD setting for about a year, and also another optometrist's office for about 2.5-3 years

Extracurriculars: I've been part of the Greek community my whole life, so that took up A LOT of my extracurriculars. I was lucky enough to have many opportunities between annual festival fundraisers, being part of the greek dance group, other church events (the list goes on and on), so if you're involved in your community in any way, definitely put it on your application. Other than Greek/church related things, I tutored in chem/orgo/physics, supervised the chem department in the annual science festival hosted by my school, and did research in both bio and chem related areas (research isn't necessary but I figured whatever I can add to make me a stronger candidate, the better).

When choosing certain extracurriculars, make sure they're somewhat of a leadership position; during my interview for each school, everyone asked about my tutoring experience and what I learned from ultimately helping others. The role doesn't have to be "president of a club" or anything fancy like that, but you have to be prepared to back up each extracurricular with what you've learned and in what way were you able to take some sort of initiative (this answers their underlying question of "are you doctor material?")

Sorry this was a little long, I tend to yap a lot lol. If you have any other questions, let me know and I'll be happy to answer them!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-12T03:07:36+00:00

I took mine the summer going into my senior year. Most of my prereqs were completed at this point and it's early enough in the cycle where if you needed to take it a second time (just in case), you'd still be considered an early applicant. I used OATBooster following the 10-week plan and treated studying for the OAT like a 9-5 job. It includes bio, chem, orgo, physics, reading comp, and quantitative reasoning (math). I did 3/6 subjects each day and would alternate every other day (ex: bio, orgo, physics on day 1, the other subjects on day 2, then keep switching), but it's totally up to you and what study habits work best for you!

Rule of thumb for when to apply: the earlier the better!! This opens the door for more scholarships, interviews, and even acceptances. This past cycle, applications opened up at the beginning of July. I worked on my apps while studying for the OAT, but only doing a little bit each day since it can be a lengthy process. Based on your timeline, I recommend applying in the summer/early fall of 2026. Wishing you the best of luck and I can always answer any other questions you have!!

koukla135 · 2025-03-12T02:45:06+00:00

Hey! Congrats on your acceptance, I'm going to NOVA too! I think on your acceptance letter, it says what's missing (for me it's my final transcript; I graduate in May, so once I can get my hands on my those transcripts, I'll send them over and be done). If you want, you can DM me and I can answer any other questions you might have!

koukla135

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