Guides / Interviews

Optometry School Interviews

Every school interviews before it admits, but no two do it the same way. Here's what to expect, how to prepare, and what each school asks of you after an offer.

Last checked Oct 20, 2026.

What an Interview Day Looks Like

Interviews are by invitation, sent after a school reviews your complete OptomCAS application and its own supplemental application. Most schools admit on a rolling basis, so invitations go out from late summer through spring, and an early application usually means an early interview.

The interview itself is short, often 25 to 45 minutes. It sits inside a longer day that usually includes a welcome talk, a campus and clinic tour, a financial aid session and time with current students. Some days run six hours.

The Formats Schools Use

• One-on-one. A single faculty member or administrator. The most common format.
• Panel. Two or three interviewers at once, taking turns asking questions.
• Closed-file or blind. The interviewer hasn't seen your GPA or OAT, and sometimes knows only your name and home state. You'll need to bring up your strengths yourself.
• Open-file. The interviewer has read your application and may ask about anything in it, including a low grade.
• MMI (multiple mini interview). A rotation of short stations, each with a scenario or question. Rare in optometry; one school uses it only for an accelerated track.

On Campus or Virtual

13 of 25 schools list a virtual option this cycle, and 9 list on campus only. Where a school offers both, it's usually your choice, though at least one school decides for you and several say they prefer you visit. A visit is the only way to see the clinic, the city and the students before you commit four years and a lot of money, so go in person if you can afford it.

Casper and Other Situational Tests

Unlike medical and dental schools, almost no optometry school lists Casper. The one exception we found is Detroit Mercy, which asks invited applicants to complete a Kira Talent recorded video assessment before the interview. Check each school's requirements page anyway, since these change.

Questions to Expect

• Why optometry, and why not medicine or another health field?
• Why this school?
• What did you learn from shadowing? Describe a patient interaction you remember.
• Tell me about a time you worked on a team, led a group, failed or handled a conflict.
• Where do you see yourself practicing, and in what setting?
• What do you know about the scope of optometry in this state?
• Do you have any questions for us?

How to Prepare

• Know your own application. Reread your personal statement and experiences, especially for an open-file interview.
• Know the school. Its clinics, specialties, rotations and board results. Every school page here shows its NBEO pass rates and cost.
• Practice out loud. Use your college's pre-health office or career center for a mock interview.
• Prepare two or three real questions about rotations, clinic hours or student support.
• Test your setup before a virtual interview: camera at eye level, quiet room, wired internet if possible.
• Send a short thank-you email afterward if the school allows it.

After the Interview: Decisions and Deposits

Most schools send a decision within one to four weeks of the interview. Once you have an offer, you'll usually have about two weeks to accept and pay a seat deposit, sometimes up to a month early in the cycle. Published deposits run from $500 to $1,500. Most are nonrefundable and count toward first-year tuition, and some schools ask for a second deposit in the spring.

If you're waiting on a school you prefer, a nonrefundable deposit can be the cost of holding a backup seat. Read each offer letter for the exact amount, deadline and refund terms before you pay.

Every School's Interview and Deposit

Sources

• Each school's admissions pages and catalog, checked October 2026 and linked from that school's page
• University of Detroit Mercy, Optometry Handbook 2025 (Kira Talent assessment)

Requirements and dates change each cycle. Always confirm with each school before you apply.

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