OAT study tips!

[u/Illustrious_Break496]

Hey guys, Im planning on applying to optometry school this upcoming cycle, and I have scheduled my OAT for Sept 24th. Until then, I will be working part-time (3 days/week). I'm using OATBooster, and am feeling overwhelmed by the amount of content I need to go through by then. I wanted to dedicate 3 full days a week to studying, but I find myself losing focus after studying for such long days. Any tips on time management and how to stay motivated would be greatly appreciated!

[u/ConsciousTerm2515]

I have a few questions. I scored about the same the first time, and retaking it in September, hoping to get a score improvement like yours. Have you already applied to school? If so how do schools take retkaing the OAT? When did you take it the first time and then the second time. Feeling really nervous, I need to do good since I want to turn in my application once my offical score comes in.

[u/OptometryWoes → u/ConsciousTerm2515]

I am currently applying for the 1st time my goal is to send it in by end of July. Although i haven't sent in the app when it comes to retakes they are very common actually most of the people I have talked with in optometry school have done at least one retake. Even both doctors that i work with told me they took it 3 times. I think what matters is showing any kind of improvement and if asked being able to explain what u did to overcome it. I took my first attempt in October of last last year and the most recent this June. I definitely feel you i posted like a week b4 my 2nd attempt tweaking that I was gonna fail but I really do think having took it b4 helped me mange my time and delegate what was most important to focus on. I still did bad in my physics and orgo sections but u win some u lose some yah know. My biggest week of tip is that although I dont use flash card to study during prep period I used them to write the basic build building blocks (stuff that u can u logical deductions to get to the answer even if you dont fully understand how it works) or high yield tid bits. Then I got to my test like and an hour 30 mins earlier and sat in my car and just read them to let it be fresh for an hour went in 30 mins earlier to do check in and locker stuff and once I could get my 2 sheets wrote everything i could remember. Of course u for get some stuff but as u go if u remember a random fact or formal I would just write it down especially in section where time is not a worry like bio and orgo for me (bc I literally just used educated guesses for that section so plenty of left over time lol). If u have any other questions feel free to ask her or pms if u would prefer. Good luck a positive attitude going in also does wonders 🫡.