An interferometry method and associated system and computerized media for testing samples under test including those with high aberrations, comprising: situating a sample under test between a tilt mirror and a reference mirror, the tilt mirror tiltable with at least one degree of freedom about at least one tilt mirror axis, and further translatable along an axial line defined by a direction of propagation of a test wavefront from a source thereof; propagating the test wavefront toward the tilt mirror; after the test wavefront has been reflected by the tilt mirror, further propagating the test wavefront toward a reference mirror; and deriving a substantially complete first-tilt-alignment wavefront metrology of the sample under test from a plurality of first-tilt-alignment interferograms taken with the tilt mirror held fixed at a first predetermined tilt mirror angle while discreetly varying a displacement between the sample under test and the reference mirror.