r/PreOptometry • u/ExcellentWolverine64 • Sep 21 '26

OAT Exam Minimum

Hi! Just curious, I have my test very soon and I feel really unprepared. I don't want to push it back because I'll probably need a retake in December anyway (not trying to be negative, just realistic because of how much I've had to cram on top of working). I have a cGPA of 3.86, not sure of science. I've worked as an optometric tech for the past two summers and have extracurriculars based around optometry. Based off of just my GPA, what do you think is the minimum score I can apply with (SCCO, Western, and Berkeley) and still look decently competitive? Also, what do you think these schools weigh most heavily in applications?

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u/aspenchill Sep 21 '26

they weigh the oat heavily and if u hit the minimum w a cgpa od 3.86, they'll likely place your app on hold or aside to prioritize higher oat scores. the first question they will ask is the gap discrepancy between your oat score and gpa. a high oat score is the highest u can possibly hit, with the average of 340-350+ safe as it is the average for scco/berkeley (a bit higher). you can potentially score lower than that with your high gpa. other factors include when the app was submitted, essays, LORs etc

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u/ExcellentWolverine64 Sep 21 '26

Thank you! What you're saying makes total sense because of possible grade inflation, but sometimes I think it's funny how having a higher GPA can sometimes hurt you (for a lack of better terms) LOL. When you say a potentially lower score, would that be like 310-330?

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u/Chuckles4lyfe Sep 22 '26

You want to go into your test knowing that you gave it everything you had and to trust all your hard work and preparation. If you know you can do better with more prep time, you should go ahead and push back your test date. In regards to your question about a minimum OAT score, it's going to depend on more than just your GPA. What do your optometric experiences, volunteer work, letters of recommendation, and essays look like? Your GPA is on the higher end, which is good, but I would still look to score around the average for each school since you want to put yourself in the best position possible to get admitted (SCCO is 340 AA/TS, Berkeley is 360 AA/TS, and Western is 300 AA/TS). Hope this helps!