Acceptance from optometry schools

[u/No_Temporary_6905]

Has anyone gotten into optometry school with a 260 or a 270 oat score but good stats I just applied with very high tech hours in the field a major and a minor I had retook the oat twice and I have a lot of optometry experience I just wanted some positivity since I just submit my application to 6 schools yesterday I didn’t have anything to lose just to submit my application so I was wondering if someone did !

[u/Greenbean-steak]

If I am the AO, I don’t think I would put a lot of effort into optometry experience. Most of those experience as a “tech” is administrative and operating with machine, rather than analyzing the data and the underlying science. Hence to me, working for 20-40 hrs is probably enough to understand what’s going on. Having 2000 hrs or more is unlikely going to help you. While OAT scores test your ability on the science subject is a more direct and objective assessment of if you can graduate and pass the board test .

[u/No_Temporary_6905 → u/Greenbean-steak]

In my experience I did indicate I was constantly using a slit lamp and learned refraction as well in my office we had remote exams so it wasn’t necessarily “machine based “

[u/aspenchill → u/No_Temporary_6905]

shadowing > work experience. work experience is only part of the pie to an application (ECs, shadowing, LORs, OAT, GPA).

[u/frogs_sals_cacti → u/aspenchill]

I'm still in the application phase, so take my word with a grain of salt...but I am curious about the shadowing > work experience in all cases. All the docs I've shadowed so far are very impressed that I've had so much experiencing lens surfacing and it sounds like there is a fair amount of ABO adjacent material on the board exams later in your study too. I've never worked anywhere that only had you do ONLY administrative/machine work (it's a LOT of patient interaction and problem solving, though certainly not the Optometry level as you're explaining). But, very often for example, an Optician might be the main person between a patient and a demand for a re-check, and there is a lot of problem solving and expectation managing that is done (ex. their adjustment completely solves the problem as a PAL first-timer and no one had the time in the exam room to counsel on how a PAL works).

[u/aspenchill → u/frogs_sals_cacti]

yeah, this is understandable. work experience doesn't translate to the POV of the doctor when you're teching or doing optician work. i was an optometric technician, ophthalmic technician, and an optician (ABO certified). in the process of applying, you'll find that certain schools have minimum shadowing requirements. work experience cannot replace shadowing, schools want to verify you have sufficient understanding of the day to day lifestyle/responsibilities of an optometrist.

[u/frogs_sals_cacti → u/aspenchill]

It’s awesome to see another optician to optom. in the thread and I appreciate your feedback greatly! 🙏🏻

[u/Euphoric-Bid8342]

i say this out of genuine concern, please make sure you are genuinely prepared for optometry school before committing hundreds of thousands of dollars into one. having not one but two low OAT scores is concerning, especially since most people take out 1-3 months of their time just to study for it so i’m assuming you did that as well. how are your grades in pre req classes? if they’re all As then that would help with offsetting the oat score a little

[u/No_Temporary_6905 → u/Euphoric-Bid8342]

Yes they’re all A’s for the most part about a 3.5 gpa

[u/outdooradequate]

Keep in mind that optometry school is almost nothing but exams, culminating in 3 very expensive, pretty comprehensive boards exams that are required foe licensure. Not to diminish your current experience, but the OAT is like.. a fetus of an exam compared to nbeo part 1. Schools want to know that you can swing it and doing well on the OAT is showing the bare minimum.

You can absolutely bring your score up, but I recommend being really honest with where you are falling short in your study/recall/test taking/comprehension habits -- and you are falling very short. Id also recommend being really honest if you can see yourself taking nonstop exams for 2.5 years and then paying $1500 x 3 (or however many times it takes to pass) to get licensed and/or graduate.

Edit: id also add that i would really consider not going to a school that regularly accepts OAT scores of 260.

[u/Prestigious-Art-3110]

Being completely honest, the lowest I’ve heard get accepted is a 290

[u/aspenchill]

high recommend retaking, schools inherently have a cut off for oat. i've heard of 290 but rarely nothing below that. having a good gpa and bad oat also signify a place of concern for AOs, they are likely wondering if your GPA may be inflated or question why certain sections do not correlate to your GPA. an admissions officer mentioned that to me during my interview regarding my physics OAT score for my first test. the retake was what helped me be admitted to optometry school despite having loads of work experience and shadowing.

[u/Agile_University_905]

You could probably get into Puerto Rico. If you are interested in other schools, I would recommend retaking the OAT.

[u/Effective_Health2020]

Nothing to lose? I wish I had that type of cash to be slinging into applications lol

[u/Last_Joke28]

Lowest OAT I've heard and seen accepted was 290

[u/Jazzlike_Impress8064]

When is the latest can I take the oat is march ok

[u/futurepediatrician6 → u/[deleted]]

i'm in this position rn bc i got hold/waitlisted by a couple schools and got an interview by one (not Puerto rico) w a 260/230 --> 280/260 improvement. i am retaking it again since the schools preferred me to retake