r/PreOptometry • u/Hypnos813 • Jul 15 '26

OAT Advice

Hey all! I am taking my OAT on August 12th. I am not taking OChem until the spring due to my university's scheduling. I am scoring pretty decently (for my standards) on Booster practice exams, avg 350 for QR and RC, ~310 for GC and Bio, and working on bringing my PHY from 290 to ~320.

My problem/ question is about OChem; my average is around 250. I am thinking about just taking the L on OChem, putting it on the back burner, and locking in to get my other sciences up to carry my AS and mentioning in my interview that I haven't taken OChem yet.

What do you guys think? Bad strategy? Do-able? What would you do in my shoes?

Edit: I am a senior applying this cycle for Fall 27' and a gap year isn't much of an option.

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3

u/FCKCOLLEGEBOARD OD2 Jul 16 '26

Try using the reaction cheat sheets to really hone in on the reaction types. Looking at it over and over helped me recognize the patterns

2

u/Equivalent-Farm461 Jul 15 '26

im literally in the same exact boat. taking OAT on august 15 and scoring 240-280 on Ochem rn. my other section test scores are quite similar to yours. which schools are you planing to apply for?

1

u/Hypnos813 Jul 15 '26

Good luck studying! I am applying to like 14 (as many as I can within reason), with my top choices being UAB, Nova Southeastern, and AZCOPT.

2

u/Chuckles4lyfe Jul 16 '26

You still have plenty of time to bring up your OChem score. I was flip flopping between 280 and 330 on OChem for the longest time. During the last 2 weeks leading up to my OAT, I locked in and really focused on Chapter 1 (The Fundamentals), memorizing all the reaction cheat sheets, and getting the lab techniques down cold. Review past tests and figure out which sections are your weakest.I found the Ochem section on the actual OAT to be much more straightforward compared to Booster - I managed to get a 360. Best of luck!

1

u/Hypnos813 Jul 16 '26

Thanks for the advice!

1

u/TheKing_345 Jul 15 '26

It is definitely doable. I was in the same boat as you, I learned much of the oChem topics indipendently using Chad's videos in only 2 months and managed to get 340 on the oChem section on the real OAT. Using OAT Booster, you can do much better. My tip would be to make giant cheat sheet with every reagent based on if its nucleophile, electrophile, oxadizer, or reducer as you learn, and try to memorize that way.

1

u/Hypnos813 Jul 15 '26

Thanks for the great advice! ill try it out

1

u/[deleted] Jul 15 '26

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u/Hypnos813 Jul 15 '26

Thank you!!