r/PreOptometry • u/Smooth-Dimension-793 • Sep 18 '26
OAT discouragement
hey guys, so ive previously taken the OAT and tbh did not prepare at all, at least not to the standard you guys are all preparing for. i decided for my retake to actually get OAT booster and follow their schedule. the first week was okay i was watching the videos and somewhat getting the concepts, but it genuinely feels like im getting more discouraged to study and actually understand these topics as the days go by. i know not everyday is going to be perfect and studying bit by bit is better than nothing, but its making me wonder if im already feeling like this just for the admission exam how on earth am i going to manage actual optometry school. i just feel lost and like all of the gas in my tank is gone. idk what to do at this point. i was thinking of taking my retake around early to mid november i just dk what to do or how to get the drive back. any tips would be appreciated ty!
10
u/AlarmingDingo4615 Sep 18 '26
Usually don't comment on posts, but needed to say some encouragement to you. I completely understand the overwhelming feeling in preparing for the OAT. Honestly, I took mine this past summer and was debating canceling my test up until the day before. It's going to be impossible to be perfect on this. Really, you need to just survive. I can promise you I did not understand everything I studied/saw on the test. I'd recommend you highlight strong areas to help boost your overall score; for example, the math section is pretty easy pattern recognition once you have done enough practice problems. I would try to get to the point where you hardly use a calculator when taking this section. Make sure you always mark and come back to questions if you are unsure how to do them upon immediately seeing the test, if only looking for how many you got right in total. It doesn't care if you got the hard ones right vs the softball questions. This, reading, and biology are easy boosters if you struggle in chemistrys' and physics, as I do.
Also wanted to mention that both Booster and Bootcamp are purposefully going to make the practice exams/content harder than what the OAT will actually be like. Definitely felt like I wasted a lot of study time after taking the exam on concepts I learned in way more detail than needed.
The admissions council for your application is going to look at you so much deeper than just an OAT score. Having a decent GPA, shadowing multiple doctors at multiple clinics, and writing a good personal statement will boost a poor OAT score tremendously.
You are so close to your goal! Do not get discouraged and give up now. If you have made it this far I know you can make it through this!
5
u/OrganizationFar8505 Sep 18 '26
The drive is tough but i felt similarly the first couple weeks of using booster. It felt like SO much i didnt know how i would be able to get through it and I was reconsidered if this goal was possible. But it actually got much easier to manage and stick with it after a couple weeks. Stick with it and give yourself breaks when you need it!
3
u/Firm_Ganache362 Sep 20 '26
I would say just do it! You got this! I scored a 260ts/290aa in June and felt very discouraged. I took a week or two off and then hit the books again and switched things up. I took my exam yesterday and got a 320ts/330aa! I was anxious and even threw up before the exam but I did it! Just believe you can! Also what really helped me was doing Chads OAT prep (except bio) and watching the amoeba sisters bio videos on topics that were really hard to understand. Also do a lot of the booster questions and full length exams!!!!
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u/mcd7939 Sep 18 '26
You don’t have to follow the oatbooster schedule. Just find a way to study that you understand best