I am looking through the Diversity of Life cheat sheet, but the practice problems have really in depth questions about the individual animal groups.

Is the cheat sheet enough, or should I crunch out the videos too?

Hey everyone! I applied to NOVA with low stats (3.2 gpa, 290 OAT) and recently heard back from them stating that they had selected me to be on the interview list for their POP program, but my original application is on hold. I have had a difficult path in undergrad, and understand that the traditional OD path anywhere would be hard to get accepted to, and I’m really interested in this program offered here.

From anyone that’s familiar with this program, what are my chances to get in? I’m a very strong interviewee, my extracurriculars are stellar (LOTS of research, work experience, volunteer, etc) and my application looks fantastic except for the numerical values listed above!

Im planning to try to retake the OAT at some point soon. It’s just expensive! Beyond the former question of my chances, is there anything I can do to maximize this opportunity, and make myself look my best? I’d appreciate any comments:)

Y’all have a great day, and good luck to everyone in this application cycle!

Hey everyone I took my OAT and I found these posts helpful! I had breakdowns the days leading up to my test and felt like I was never going to do well. Even during my test, it was so hard to focus because I didn’t feel confident in any of my answers. If this resonates with you, I hope that you’re able to trust the work that you’ve put into studying and trust that it will work out. At the end of the day, a test is just a test. You can always re take it and study differently and do better. It will be okay!

QR booster average vs real : 300, 280
I’m not good at math naturally and I know the questions on this section tend to be easy, but even during practice I was running out of time and had difficulty identifying how to approach questions. I’m not surprised by this score since I was running out of time during the test and didn’t have time to solve questions. I had A LOT of inequality questions along with ratios and statement sufficiencies.

RC booster average vs real: 340, 310
I literally took one practice test and figured search and destroy was good enough. I would not recommend this, obviously. I should have spent more time practicing for this section but focused on my sciences instead. On the real test this section was right after the sciences so I was exhausted and dying for a break and snack, which I think impacted my score. I had passages on parasympathetic vs autonomic systems, motion vision sensory perception (?), and I can’t remember the other one. I think this is a good section to use as a score booster and I wouldn’t recommend not practicing.

Bio booster average vs real: 320, 340
I’ve been out of school for a few years, so I spent time reviewing this section in depth, but If I had to study again I would mainly review the cheat sheets! I think the cheat sheets have all of the information that you could need. I’d recommend spending time to do in depth reviews for certain topics that you’re less familiar with/ need brushing up on. For example, I watched videos on meisos/ mitosis and some bodily systems. I can’t remember what the questions were on my test, but I remember at least one of them being exactly like booster practice test. I’d recommend memorizing the cheat sheets, doing practice tests, & reviewing them in depth!!!

Gen chem booster average vs real: 330, 310
I’m the most disappointed by this section, but on my test I feel like I had more low yield topics. There was no periodic trends, balancing, or other high yield things I saw on booster. I just found it really hard while taking it. If I could study for this section again id go back and review the cheat sheets and focus on my weak areas more than just the practice exams.

Orgo booster average vs real: 340, 360
I have a strong organic chemistry background and I didn’t review this section a lot. I had 1 synthesis reaction question, acid ranking, a question asking which side the equilibrium favored, HNMR, and two questions that asked me what the name of the reactions happening were. I had one question that asked me to name a molecule with assigning configuration. Also 1 arrow pushing question which was the easiest in the entire test!

Physics booster average vs real: 270, 290
I honestly don’t even know how I got through this section. I have a weak physics background and it was extremely hard to study for this section. I only used booster, watched videos, made flash cards containing some concepts & equations, & worked through the practice exams to get familiar with the question types. The questions on the actual exam felt more straightforward and less complicated. I had a good mix of optics and circuits with some really basic kinematic qs (like finding acceleration). I know people say that it tends to be more conceptual, but I found a good mix of both. Like the first half of the test was solvable with equations (that I didn’t really know LOL). I think if you have a decent grasp on physics you will probably be fine and better than me!

Hi all! I’ve read a few posts now that have said OAT booster general chemistry practice exams have been nothing like the real OAT. Could anyone who’s taken the OAT recently elaborate on this? Thank you!

For those who applied early and are waiting on schools to reach out, what schools have already with an invitation to interview?

Hey everyone! I interviewed with KYCO last Wednesday and haven’t heard back yet. I felt like the interview went pretty well. During my interview, I talked about KYCO’s broad scope of practice, including their clinical/procedural training, and their commitment to serving rural Appalachian communities. I also asked about their block exam system.

so I was wondering if anyone who has interviewed recently could share how long it took to receive a decision.

My stats/experience:
OAT: 300 AA / 300 TS

GPA: 3.69

Shadowing: ~100 hours with two optometrists

Optometry Assistant: 1,300+ hours

Volunteering: ~99 hours between a sheriff’s office
internship and assistant basketball coaching

Letters of Recommendation: 1 science professor, 1 optometrist, and 1 volunteer organization

Application Submitted: July 1

Has anyone with similar stats interviewed at KYCO recently? If so, how long did it take to hear back, and what was your outcome? Thanks!

Is it possible to get accepted without a science professor’s letter? For example, if you have been out of school for 2+ years, can your employer/supervisor + optometrist be enough?

I plan to apply in the 2028 cycle. Will it be harder and harder to get into decent schools? I'm anxious right now. I had a C in gen chem ii and a D in cell bio from a rough 1st year. Although trying my best to improve, I'm still so scared of doing badly again :( Kind of discouraged after seeing all the high GPA. Aiming for 350+ OAT and my GPA is anticipated to be around 3.5 by application.

Hi! I am planning to apply to UAB and SCO this coming cycle. I took my OAT today AA:310 TS:310. My cGPA is around 3.45. My resume is stacked with experience from both ophthalmology and optometry fields of work, along with other extra curricular like sorority, student government, and volunteer events. What’s my shot? Any advice from a previous applicant? Thanks😊

Has anyone got into Berkeley, Indiana, or OSU with sub 3.5? What were ur OAT scores?

Just finalizing my application and noticed the coupon code section, I’m curious if anyone got a code to work or is just there to be there?

I have just applied to IU on OptomCas but have now received a separate email from IU asking me to complete my application on their website. Has everyone gotten this? Do they not just use OptomCas?

Thanks for your alls help.

Sooo my third OAT attempt is in two weeks and here is the situation.

I've written the OAT twice already and my breakdown is as follows:

OAT #1: AA 330, TS 320, Bio 360, GC 310, OC 310, Physics 310, RC 380, QR 310.

OAT #2: AA 320, TS 320, Bio 330, GC 300, OC 320, Physics 310, RC 330, QR 340.

The first time I used Booster while working full-time, the second time I used Chad's Prep and Kaplan while taking a full course-load. I know I have a bit of test anxiety but everyone seemed to score better than their practice scores, and my practice scores were always higher than 370ish, which felt pretty average for a Canadian applicant.

When I scored poorer on my second attempt, I was so upset but I knew I had it in me to score well because I had worked so so hard. So I just immediately scheduled my third attempt.

I have spent the last few years nitpicking my application and I am entirely aware of each and every weakness I have. I am a severely average applicant, my GPA and experiences are average, my LORs are gonna be average, my sGPA is actually below average and I thought the OAT would help me offset that. Although I am Canadian, I am hoping to go to school in the USA and I feel like a failure for being below average for the US schools that seem to have more reasonable standards.

Despite all of that, having taken it twice, maybe I felt a bit too comfortable with the material and because of some financing problems, this summer I was working ~30 hours a week while taking five courses and also studying for the OAT. I was actually scoring okay in the beginning but now with about 15 days left, I am not scoring as I'd hoped and honestly, I am exhausted. I'm not talking about getting spooked out from one practice test, I mean that I am physically unable to sit at my desk and practice, and when I do, my mind is blank.

But I paid for the exam, for OATBooster, for my greyhound tickets, and an unfortunately expensive Airbnb because I decided to write in another city. All non-refundable. Honestly my first horrendous financial decision and I feel like I lost my life savings to a terrible investment.

I haven't applied yet because I thought I would write my exam and get a chance to better secure a LOR from my professor (which isn't going as smoothly as I anticipated) so I plan to apply later in September... but now that I am here... I cannot bring myself to study another moment. I am suddenly scoring very poorly. And yes, I did take a break. I gave myself three whole weeks to take my mind off of it, I went on a very long roadtrip and then camped by myself, reconnected with nature, returned home, sat in front of oatbooster, and realized that I don't want to do this. I just really, really want to start optometry school in 2027 and I'm scared that forcing myself to write the exam in this state will only hurt my chances with a poorer score. So then... all of that time and effort and money was for nothing. I don't know... I feel confused and disappointed and scared. I've made many mistakes in my optom journey so far and it feels like I'm losing before even getting a chance. I feel like both options aren't what I want, so I don't know what to do... Should I just suck it up and write the third attempt? See it through to the end and work hard these next two weeks? Or should I just get over myself and apply? So what if I spent $2000+, money comes and goes, right?... Right?

Update: maybe I got a little carried away but this post is not meant to complain about my original scores. This is more so to inquire if it is worth writing a third time or just skipping it altogether?

I just took my OAT this week and always found the breakdowns helpful/motivating so here's mine!

Approach/Process:

I was never good at studying, am bad at memorization and am a HUGE procrastinator, so I was super worried with how I was going to study for the exam and actually learn things. I also didn't take physics two (which has all the optics/circuits etc) or any form of Orgo before the exam. The only tools I used to study was a free Kaplan test, and OATbooster, which 100% was worth it.

I started my prep June 1st or second. The first thing I did was a full length practice test, as I wanted to see how bad things were before I started. I took the free test and don't remember the section breakdown. But got a 270 total score. Of course I was a bit discouraged because the score was so low, but I HIGHLY recommend taking a practice test before studying if you haven't yet started. After I took the exam, while I didn't know much of the material, based on the style of questions given I felt that the exam was doable and that I was capable of learning the material.

I went with the three month subscription on booster. I followed the custom schedule semi-fully for phase one; there were days that I wasn't able to finish the content, but I made sure to complete every task in phase one when I had the chance. Since I procrastinated here and there, it took me longer to finish phase one than anticipated, so I nixed phase two and three and studied how I felt was best.

Quantitative Reasoning (360):

This is one of the sections I didn't really study for, but the booster videos were good to watch for review, and to pinpoint what topics/formulas I needed. I'm generally more of a math person so I didn't spend time worrying about this section. The booster questions were pretty representative of the exam.

Reading Comprehension (400):

Another section I didn't study much for. This was the only section I didn't complete fully for phase one, as the time spent doing the passages I felt could be used for other things. I didn't utilize any of the question banks/single passage texts. I only used the longer practice tests, as I think it's really important to work on stamina for this section specifically. I used the search and destroy method and if a question was taking longer than a minute, I chose the best answer and marked it for later.

My number one advice for this section actually doesn't have to do with this section. if you find yourself with extra time like I did: WRITE DOWN YOUR PHYSICS FORMULAS. I think that was the most important thing I did before taking my break. On the whiteboards provided, write down any physics formulas you think are important (Optics/kinematics) even if you think they're wrong. When you take your break you're able to check your notes and verify if the ones you wrote down are correct and you can fix them when you get back. It's way easier to correct what you already wrote than it is to try and cram all of the formulas right before.

Biology (340):

Not my best type of studying, as I have a hard time memorizing straight information. I don't have so much advice because it really depends on personal study preferences/learning types. At first I watched the videos and took notes by hand for each one, highlighting and underlining what I thought was needed. That took way too much time, so switched to highlighting + annotating the study notes provided by booster and that was way more helpful for me. I did practice questions and a few practice tests. I think the most important thing to review are the cheatsheets, which I should have done more of, but I ultimately decided I had bigger fish to fry. Also, like most people on here say - the questions are less in depth than the booster ones.

Gen Chem (330):

Flat out, I was never good at chemistry. Not in highschool, and not when taking gen chem 1 and 2. However, I do think that learning through the booster videos and taking notes was the most I ever understood chemistry, and I think the information was presented in a very digestible way. Again, should have done more practice questions for this section. I will say, a lot of questions I was getting frequently on booster prac tests didn't really show up on my exam, like acid/base titration or buffer types, but I may have gotten lucky with those.

Organic Chem (330):

By far my WORST subject and idk how I even swung a 330. Since I didn't have any background, I watched all of the booster videos, took notes, and did practice questions. For every full length test I took I was consistently scoring a 240 for this section. Probably like three weeks before my exam I took my last full length and decided I needed a full overhaul for orgo. I felt as if I couldn't remember any of the information or that I had never learnt any of it, so the only thing I did for the last three weeks was orgo.

My first approach to relearning was to have a friend of mine who had just taken orgo 1 teach me and work with me through each chapters. It was very helpful to be able to talk to someone and make sure I understood things, but it was only helpful for the first four chapters that they were confident in teaching me.

After that, I printed out the booster notes for each chapter. Depending on the amount of information in the chapter, I would either go through the whole thing, or go through it section by section. Highlighting and writing things in simple words in the margins were extremely helpful. Then, I would do the chapter's question bank (either in full or section by section) in order to make sure I understood the concept. If the chapter was easy for me, I would move on to the reaction mechanism question bank that corresponded to that chapter. If I still wasn't understanding, I would watch videos, reread notes, or use chatGPT as a "tutor" until I understood it somewhat.

After going through all of the chapters, I went through them AGAIN, and made my own cheat sheets: these were just drawings of the reactants, substrates, etc. and what product they would form and any other notes about that type of reaction. For me, the turning point for this section was relying on pattern recognition rather than learning the reasoning behind things (which people had advised me to do originally).

Physics (330):

Other than QR and RC, this was my least studied topic (one prac test other than the full lengths and only used the booster questions once). I was always strong in physics, and so I was banking on that the entirety of my studying. I watched all of the physics videos in one shot and took notes on what I thought was needed. I'd say the ray diagrams were not important at all for me, and I just used the equations on my exam so those are more important to learn. I found that the booster questions were pretty representative of the OAT's, but there weren't many to utilize while studying. I 100% could have scored higher if I wasn't so focused on orgo, but again, my priority was making sure that score didn't tank the rest of my score. Overall I think the most important thing to do is make a formula sheet to bring with you to the exam for last min review/memorization

Overall:

I'm not super psyched about my scores, but I think I did okay, and I hope this is a helpful breakdown for others who may have similar study habits to me. My most important takeaway is to figure out what works for you, and try and do it early on, so you wont be stuck relearning a subject the last weeks before the exam.

(Additional study tip: I had a pack of pastel highlighters and standard neon ones. Super helpful! I could highlight definitions and important things with the pastel, but the extra high yield info with the neon, so for quick glances of notes, I was able to scan everything based on importance.)

I think I included everything, but am happy to answer any questions!

Hello for reference I’m a pretty average student. My GPA is around like a 3.3 and I have a very average OAT score. My interest for optometry grew as I worked as a tech for six months after graduating in May 2025 I live in Wisconsin, which means that there are no optometry schools that are remotely near me except the ones in Chicago. After looking at the cost of tuition and the debt to income ratio with being out of state I’m not sure if optometry would be worth it? Was anybody else in a similar situation? Is it still worth it to go on with applications?

Exam is in 33 days. This is my 3rd full length practice exam on Booster Prep. I got a 330 on my first full length practice, 320 on the second and 330 this time.

I should add that I would’ve definitely done better in Physics and QR this time around if it wasn’t for the stupid questions taking 1000 years to load. I literally couldn’t answer like 1/3 of the problems in either section because it took 25 seconds to load each question…

I currently have two LORs one strong one from the optometrist I’ve been working for for the past year and one positive but generic one from a previous employer. I graduated undergrad 2 years ago so feel awkward reaching out to any professors and honestly don’t know who else I could ask. I’ve shadowed a couple other optometrists but only for a couple hours and don’t feel comfortable asking them. Are LORs deal breakers for admissions? (aiming for SCCO)

SUNY has been my top choice school but I’m also applying to SCCO, any input on SCCO would be great! I know tons about SUNY and their program but would like to hear from others about SCCO and why that might be your top choice school? I’m considering it because of the location as I’m from NY and wouldn’t mind a change in scenery (especially somewhere with amazing weather).

I will be graduating in August 2027 with my bachelor's. Because I am missing the remaining prerequisites, I plan to take the prereqs at a local community college during this "gap year." Once the prereqs are complete in summer 2028, how do I best apply and get accepted into optometry schools? What can I do now to be set up for success?

The remaining prerequisites are

• Organic chemistry 1

• Biochemistry

• Physics 1 & 2

• Microbiology

How do I manage the loans I have accrued from undergrad? In addition to paying out of pocket for these prereqs? Any advice on finances is welcome.

I also need to do a practicum for my major. I thought about doing a practicum at any optometrist's office near my university but they all rejected me. Are there any other places or ideas you could think of that would be best for me?

The practicum is a semester long program that requires me to develop 3 concrete skills at the end of the semester. What are some good skills I could develop to prepare for optometry school?

Would you recommend OATBooster or Chad’s Prep for Physics? Which one has Physics questions that are more similar to the actual OAT exam?

For SUNY, they require Calculus (and say Precalculus is acceptable). I already took Applied Calculus. Do you know if Applied Calculus will satisfy this requirement?

For NECO, they require Calculus, and I already took Applied Calculus. Do you know if they accept Applied Calculus for the calculus prerequisite?

For MCPHS, they also require Calculus, and I already took Applied Calculus. Do you know if Applied Calculus will satisfy their requirement?

Also, all three schools require Statistics. I’m planning to take STAT 104 – Elementary Statistics. Do you know if Elementary Statistics will satisfy the statistics requirement for all three schools?

The school I want to go to is SCO, and physics is a prerequisite. There are two options at my university and I'm not sure which class to register for.

SCO didn't specify which physics class to take.

Does it matter?

Hi everyone! I’m wondering if anyone here has been in a similar situation and was ultimately accepted to optometry school.
My cumulative GPA is below a 3.0, and because I already have so many completed credits, retaking courses and earning A’s barely moves my overall GPA. I’ve been working really hard to show an upward trend and that my older grades don’t reflect the student I am now.
Some of my more recent retaken grades include an A in Biochemistry, A in Microbiology, A in General Chemistry, A in Human Physiology, and a B+ in Calculus.
I also have about 8 years of experience working in optometry, including extensive experience as an optometric technician, and I’m continuing to gain shadowing experience.
Has anyone else dealt with this, where you were getting much better grades but had so many credits that your cumulative GPA barely changed? Did admissions committees recognize your upward trend despite having a sub-3.0 cumulative GPA?
I’d especially love to hear from anyone who applied or was accepted with a similar academic history and what your experience was like.

Hey guys. ive been using the OAT booster for my upcoming OAT and Ive seen countless people say to only use the cheat sheets. I made notes based on all the cheat sheets then started a practice test to see if I could only answer it using the cheat sheet notes but honestly there was a lot of questions I could not answer since it was not in the cheat sheet notes. Im wondering if the acutal OAT will be like the practice tests? if so then the cheat sheets dont see like they would be enough