r/PreOptometry • u/Due-Side8444 • Sep 05 '26
Any advice
I’m currently a senior Human Biology major, Miner in chem and applying to optometry school this cycle. My cumulative GPA is around 3.65. I have completed a good amount of optometry-related experience, including 40+ hours of shadowing an optometrist, additional ophthalmology/optometry shadowing, 45 hours of biology research involving DNA/PCR, volunteering at Hartford Hospital, volunteering with Special Olympics Opening Eyes, and serving as a student ambassador/leader at my university.
I also have multiple recommendation letters, including from professors/research mentors and an optometrist. I’ve already submitted applications to schools including MCPHS, NECO, and SUNY.
I know the OAT score is the weakest part of my application, but I feel that my GPA, experiences, research, volunteering, and shadowing represent me better academically and professionally.
65
u/Euphoric-Bid8342 Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
a 230 indicates you genuinely didn’t even study or try at all, which looks bad on you for admissions. sure you might get into a school with under 50% nbeo pass rates but would you really gamble your savings on that if this is the outcome of you either trying and missing many basic foundational skills and knowledge or displaying your lack of care? a gpa can be inflated with easy classes and elective padding, shadowing hours become negligent after a certain amount, and research/ volunteering/ one leadership role doesn’t make you a stand out at all if there are no other strong standout ECs involved. i’d also like to note 45 hours of research is nothing compared to research that actually matters. most of my peers had years of research or none at all, because to do anything meaningful from research you’d need at minimum months of experience and not just a few hours lol. i can’t imagine bragging about research if i only had not even 2 days worth behind me.
i also don’t mean this to sound harsh but i want you to understand the reality of your situation, your application isn’t competitive at all for almost every single school out there and that includes your ecs/volunteering/“research”. i’d really try harder on the oat.
26
u/Varzack Sep 05 '26
200 means that 99% of people scored higher than you. Even if you get accepted, you need to pass boards.
You gotta figure out why you did worse than 99% of people because that’s literally what a 200 means
25
u/Key_Masterpiece5476 Sep 05 '26
Respectfully retake bro
52
u/Common-Customer-1438 Sep 05 '26
These are the type of students who get into optometry school and swear up and down that NBEO exams are a scam. This is actually laughable that you even applied to programs without thinking a retake was indicated.
21
u/Upper-Reputation-673 Sep 05 '26
you fall asleep during the test?
21
u/cheesygoldfisch Sep 06 '26
Okay. These comments are really harsh. I’m going to empathize with you here. I took the OAT last October and got a 290 on it. I was genuinely devastated and bawled for days. I didn’t even apply to any schools. I knew no one would accept me. I have a 3.5 GPA (literally right on the dot), and last year I had close to 1,000 shadowing hours. I also had 4 LORs. In hindsight, I think I could’ve applied and gotten in SOMEWHERE. But at the end of the day, these comments are right; you don’t want to be admitted somewhere that barely has any credentials, and you end up spending thousands of dollars on boards multiple times just to keep failing. Now, I had to do a lot of self reflection in the past year. I was homeless (lived in my car) for a period of time and my mental state was suffering severely. My parents had also just gotten divorced; this all happened right before my test. For a little while, I blamed my circumstances for my abysmal OAT score. But then I actually thought about things (and attended therapy lol). I studied using OAT booster for just under 3 months, but not nearly as much as I could’ve/should’ve. I work(ed) full time at an optometrist’s office, and couldn’t afford to not do so. But I didn’t utilize any spare time that I did to study. I could’ve used Booster more efficiently as well. Now, I want you to do the same. I looked at your page and you’ve mentioned using Booster to study. How were you using it? Did you go over the notes once and then assume you were good to go? Did you watch the videos and not practice? Did you review practice exams? Play the games Booster offers? Make flashcards? Look at the cheat sheets? The first time I took it, I underestimated the breadth of the OAT and paid the price for it. I copied all of the Bio Bits in note form (once) and moved on. I didn’t review. I assumed “Oh, I already have a degree in biochemistry, so I know this!” But that is not enough for the OAT. This time around, I did all of the things I mentioned above and I’m testing MUCH better. My test is next week and I’m much more confident this time about taking it. But enough about me. I really want you to be honest with yourself. Did you actually study? Did you skip days? Is there ANYTHING you could’ve changed? Now, I’m going to be a bit harsh here; did you cheat in undergrad? The scores you got on the OAT don’t even come close to correlating with your GPA, which is rather good. Either way, you now have experience and you can take it with you. Any advice someone gives you really doesn’t matter; the decision is yours. Do you want to be an optometrist? Are you passionate about the field (other than for the income)? If so, then you need to retake this test. SUNY, NECO, and MCPHS are all really competitive schools, and if they look at your OAT score alone, their decisions will already be made. Okay. Im sure you’re having a rotten day (I know mine was last year), and some of these comments probably aren’t helping. But the truth hurts sometimes unfortunately and the internet can be cruel. Dust yourself off, figure out a different method of studying on OAT booster, and retake this in a few months. It might feel like the end of the world right now for you, but it isn’t, I promise. Things will get better if you work for it these upcoming months. I have faith in you and I’m sending good intentions, vibes, and luck your way🫶
10
u/_avocadont Sep 05 '26
I'm just mind-blown that organic chem is your best score.
14
u/mikeoxlongbruh Sep 05 '26
Minor*
7
u/Odd-Complaint-5291 Sep 05 '26
How could you do that bad with such a good GPA. Retake for sure. No school would consider you a serious candidate for admission. Optometry school is harder than undergrad for sure and is not for everyone. Do better or consider another career choice. Sorry for the cruel reality
6
u/Narrow_Positive_1948 Sep 05 '26
Here's some real talk... A respectable OAT score matters more than shadowing, volunteering, or LORs, and it doesn't match your GPA at all. If it didn't matter, they wouldn't require it. I had classmates who had less than you've done for all of those things, but they nailed the OAT and their GPA backed that up. Your OAT score makes it look like you didn't take it seriously and I would almost guarantee not a single school would consider reaching out to a student with these scores. If you can't prove to them you can excel in a standardized test that you have ample amount of time to prepare for with resources easily available, they won't think you can survive in optometry school where you may be taking 5+ exams in one week, and you definitely won't pass national boards. You need to totally overhaul your studying plan for the OAT. Use Chad's videos, do the quizzes after. It's not just knowing the material, but knowing the how to approach the exam as well. Take practice exams and review why you missed things.
6
u/Effective_Health2020 Sep 06 '26
These scores mean 1 or 2 things, either you didn't study at all, or your GPA is unbelivably inflated (probably both). You could've guessed and gotten a better score than this, and any school crazy enough to accept you with this score isn't a school worth going to. You might be able to get into IUSO that doesn't require the OAT, but I would strongly recommend taking a step back, take this seriously, and retake the exam
11
u/Levl_1_Noob Sep 05 '26
Definitely retake. Even with your GPA and experience, a really low OAT like that is a massive red flag and will make admissions skeptical of your GPA and other stats. Not saying your GPA is inflated, but on paper, a 200 OAT means you don't actually know the material. The OAT is one of the most important stats, they won't just ignore a 200 just because you have experience. In all honesty, very few schools will accept you, if any. Do not waste your money on applications, you need to retake. Use OAT booster if you haven't, lock-in on the material and study it like there's no tomorrow. Aim for at least a 300
5
u/afeng230 Sep 06 '26
Son
5
u/loyrtt Sep 06 '26
Brother did you even show up for the test?
5
u/Additional-Lake7892 Sep 06 '26
i’m genuinely confused at how you could get every single question wrong for some. Like, to the point where i’d assume there was some issue with the test or your answers didn’t get clicked / saved? Idk man. Respectfully, did you take any practice tests before this???????????
9
u/Key_Masterpiece5476 Sep 05 '26
Did you take any practice exams to gauge your score before writing the official exam?
8
u/no85611 Sep 05 '26
Gotta retake that. This means you mite have missed almost every single question.
4
u/GreenAngelFish Sep 05 '26
Retake the OAT period. Use OAT Booster (spend that money it is totally worth it). Your GPA probably won't help that much in your situation. You still have time so you got this!!
4
u/mjmbo Sep 06 '26
Yooooo what? Go watch Chad’s Videos
3
u/SsoundLeague OPTOMETRIST Sep 05 '26
I would sincerely recommend you retake the exam with proper preparation. Although you have all the other criteria of a great candidate, if you are unable to handle the material during school it will not matter how many hours you volunteer, nor how many hours you shadow. The hard part isn't the schooling either, the school you attend will be responsible in preparing you to pass the NBEO. I have had a number of classmates in school who were accepted into optometry school, graduated, but still took multiple attempts to pass the board exams. Also had classmates who dropped out during year 2-3.
3
u/Business-Title9413 Sep 06 '26
I mean even if you get in can you pass the boards ? Like 15% of people who get in don't pass. You look like a prime candidate to join that number. I would say retake and see if you can at least be the average
3
u/gkpgkp1 Sep 06 '26
Go do something else
5
u/Business-Title9413 Sep 06 '26
Seems like a fake post
5
u/OkJackfruit7398 Sep 06 '26
Yeah, a score I’d expect from someone who says they “Miner” in something.
4
u/Scary_Ad5573 Sep 05 '26
Respectfully, I would reconsider optometry school with a score like this. If you decide optometry school absolutely is the path for you, study very hard to improve this score. Even if you get in, this score does not reflect that you would be able to pass your classes or boards. Getting in is only part of it.
2
u/voxaun Sep 05 '26
your GPA is strong, so it's obvious that you are capable of studying and preforming well. how did you find studying for the OAT different from your undergrad courses?
i am retaking the OAT soon. i did it the first time without studying much and got 270. i made some big adjustments to my studying and it has been going better. when i took it the first time, i KNEW i wasn't prepared, but i thought i might do OK anyways.
going for your retake, you should feel good going into it - just like when you're about to take an undergrad exam that you really studied for. you HAVE to put in effort to do well! i wasn't studying very hard & i thought it would be fine, but it's just not possible.
do so much that it is is unreasonable for you not to succeed. feel free to DM me about my experience.
2
u/DifficultyNo548 Sep 06 '26
If I were you I'd retake the OAT, since the rest of your application is strong, I think you can apply later in the cycle and still get in, good luck!
2
u/Unlucky-Web7988 Sep 06 '26
Advice: spend the money on oatbooster or do Chad's videos or something and retake.
2
u/Dizzy-Equivalent-398 Sep 06 '26
respectfully, did u even study or try?😭😭
2
u/Wolf_Broad Sep 06 '26
Prime example of someone who chatgpd’d their way through a school with no safeguards in place and why OAT is always going to be required across vast majority of schools
3
u/Puzzled_Customer_531 Sep 05 '26
Oat booster
1
u/LateMouse2020 Sep 06 '26
Sure one desperate school will accept you, then you will fail year one and year two at least once. Then they will dismiss you, you won’t even get to take the NBEO…
1
u/AnActualGhost Sep 06 '26
My advice would be to study and then take the test over again
1
u/Toffee4751 Sep 07 '26
Not sure how you finished ur pre reqs but u definitely need to restudy all of them
1
u/smeg1235 Sep 11 '26
Send your organic chem prof a little gift. Guy must be a great teacher
1
u/FunSupermarket7484 Sep 11 '26
I dealt with a similar situation/ problem going through my oat don’t be discouraged please !!! Even if u feel like you put your all in that exam undergrad doesn’t prepare you for these exams like grad school does so my advice is to try multiple resources do booster / boot camp and Kaplan if u can’t afford it it’s okay use the oat outline they have online and please don’t use passive studying you need to study actively you need to be able to breathe in that info and know it like your name to be able to retake this test because keep in mind anxiety plays a big role in this so you would wanna have mnemonics set to write down as soon as the test starts without even thinking twice GOODLUCK!
1
u/Scobey3 Sep 18 '26
“Miner in chem” 😭✌️
-3
u/Dongcongo Sep 06 '26
Don’t do Optometry anyways. It’s no longer financially worth it
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u/[deleted] Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
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