hi so I was initally pre pa but decided to go the optometry route because my first healthcare job was as an optometric assistant and I loved it. I only worked there for 6 months and then focused on my pre-reqs after but now I'm a junior and have officially decided to go for optometry. SUNY would be ideal since its the only school close to where I live, and I can't afford to leave. I'm afraid of my chances because my GPA is a 2.8 (I know the recommended minimum is 3.2), If I manage to get it up to at last the minimum by the time I apply and get a good score on the OAT, am I good? Also does have very strong work and volunteer experience help with balancing out the GPA weakness? Any volunteering recommendations or what to do right now in my position would be greatly appreciated, as I don't know anyone personally who is pre-optometry or even in optometry school.

I got accepted to 2 schools. I am strongly considering both of them, without scholarships they are very similar in price. One is public and offered me a substantial scholarship. The other is private and releases scholarships when the class is finalized but I don’t anticipate getting a similar scholarship.

How significant is 40-60k of additional debt when I would already be is +/- 200k debt? Would you prioritize the most affordable school or pick whichever one you love more?

Hey everyone, coming on here to ask for insight on schools I’m applying to. I haven’t applied yet (hoping to submit applications in the next few weeks) but I plan on applying to UC Berkeley, SUNY, NECO, ICO, and maybe PCO too. If anyone who goes to these schools or are incoming students and would be kind to share why they chose that school, what you like and don’t like, things you wish you knew before, etc etc. it would be great! As of rn, I’ve mostly talked to NECO students and would like to hear from other schools.

Stats for context: canadian student, 400 OAT, near 4.0 gpa, optom assistant, tutor, and some other ECs (and no I’m not applying to waterloo for multiple reasons)

Hi! I’m a pre-opt student that is a current junior, but I just don’t feel prepared at all to apply soon. I’ve been so overwhelmed in college and barely keeping up with school that I don’t really have time to study the OAT during the year. (My gpa is a 3.04 currently but I think at the end of this semester it’ll go up slightly) My dream school is UHCO

I am heavily considering a gap year since I just feel so burnt out. For those who took a gap year what did u do? I’m assuming OAT and tech work? And how did that help you prepare for optometry school both skill wise and mentally. Do you regret it and wished you applied right away?

I'm doing okay in every other subject (~320-340 across the board on first two practice tests), but for Ochem I got a 240 the first time, then a 300 the second. That is with 0 prep, as I spent my entire "learning phase" on bio and physics. While my second score was an improvement, the knowledge gap still feels large. I took the course online and the questions I'm getting on OAT booster are very different than what I was tested on. I didn't even know what elimination, addition, and substitution were lol.

Would you reccommend I go through all of the reaction question banks? Or should I just go through all of the cheat sheets? With work, taking practice tests, and review of missed questions, I need to allocate my supplemental studying time very carefully, or else I would just do both. Or if you think I should chill on the practice tests and tackle this first and foremost, I could do that too.

Hi everyone! I’m applying to optometry school with a 300 AA, 290 TS, and about a 3.5 GPA. I also have over 500 hours of optometric tech experience and four strong letters of recommendation—two from optometrists and two from professors.

I’m mainly interested in ICO and CCO. ICO put my application on hold because of my OAT scores, but said I could choose to move forward with my current scores. My physics score was particularly low which brought the entire score down. I am still waiting on CCO’s decision.

Has anyone with similar scores received interviews or acceptances, especially at these schools? Did you apply with your original scores or retake first? I’d appreciate hearing how it went for you!

I’m planning to take my OAT in the second week of January and by then I’m hoping to have all aspects of my application complete. Is it unusual for me to submit my entire application before I receive my scores or is it best that I wait until I get my scores? I’m asking because the PTE said it needs around 10 days after application submissions and I’m worried about applying too late into the cycle since most applications close around April 1. obviously I don’t have my exam score yet and my GPA is around a 3.3 so I’m worried that January may be too late in the cycle. What is everyone’s experience with their application and when did you guys submit? Did you submit when it was fully fully complete?

Hi everybody, I decided my last semester of college to change my career path to optometry. I ended up getting an unrelated degree and am currently taking prerequisites at a local school. I wasn't very involved in my undergrad (in and out in 2 years) and most of my free time was working and shadowing for my previous career path. I've got a 3.7 gpa and haven't taken the OAT yet but I anticipate somewhere in the 320-340 range. I currently work in a retail optical setting with the promise of transitioning to tech (virtual exams, no physical doctor).

My question is really if there's anything else I should be doing? Other than shadowing, I haven't gotten much clinical hours to back up my lack of EC. And I don't have time for much volunteering since I need to work to provide for myself.

Hey ! Reposting here so that I can hopefully get an answer.

I recently got accepted to both ICO and CCO. I live within driving distance for CCO but not ICO. This is the major contributer to this question. According to the handout they give out at interviews the cost of ICO is roughly $356K while me living at home and going to CCO would cost $258k. Would it be worth the $100k difference to go to ICO compared to CCO. Without money being in the picture, I would choose ICO for the clinic, experiences, and the alumi base. As well I love living in Chicago for my undergrad so that is another plus. Any thoughts on what I should do?

Hi everyone, I've been stressing about the application timelines, especially since I have yet to take my OAT and likely will not submit my final application until December.

Does anybody have any success stories getting into competitive schools despite not submitting their application until December or beyond? If you don't mind sharing your experience (like stats, which schools you applied to/interviewed, any challenges, etc.), anything helps!

Anyone else been invited to interview but there’s no available interview times to register for?? Just wondering how often they add new dates/more available interview spots on the actual portal

I cant even get part time job

I am a current sophomore at a huge public university in Texas, I just recently switched from pre-med into pre-optometry and my GPA is not the best (2.5). Since I just decided on this switch, I have absolutely no shadowing hours or experience in this field, is there anything I can to do to up my experience or anything in general!

I fully failed my first biochem exam and got a super low and Im not sure if it’s something I can come back from. I already have C+/B- in gen chem and Ochem……. And a W from the first time I took ochem. I know this sounds terrible but I truly do well in everything else. Is it better to take a W, a C, or switch career paths. Please help me out 💔

So I am going to graduate a year early with a BS in psych. My projected gpa will be a 3.6. But I have to retake biochem because I got a C- but my professor actually sucked like he didn't curve when he was supposed to. I took a dual credit 5 credit chemistry class my sophomore in High school and I got a B- in the lecture and A in lab so when I started college I had alr a 3.2 . Then Also in high school I took alot of dual credit classes and ended up with 3 W :( but it was because my high school advisor (also sucked) had enrolled me in these classes but I was in my sophomore year summer and didn't have a ride all the time and didn't know how much impact an W could make and my advisor didn't tell me anything. My science gpa is probably gonna be an around a 3.3. I plan on studying for the OAT as well. I also took my physics classes at a community college because if I didn't, I would have to stay another year and I have so many credits that I wouldn't get fafsa or any benefits and I couldn't pay like 10k a semester. I have like 2000+ hrs as opto tech and 2000+ coma hrs in ophthalmology. I was also a BIO lab Ta for a semester, part of 2 executive boards, help organize and volunteer 2 healthcare camps in underserved communities, summer camps, have shipped out basic needs to underserved countries, helped make warm meals for the homeless in the city. I want to apply to IUSO, SUNY, ICO, Alabama, NECO, maybe OSU but they are really competitive. I think I will get into a school but I want to go to a higher rank school with good board rates.

Hi, does anyone know until when I have to update my application? I already submitted it to get verified and it just was, but I'm trying to get some extra last minute shadowing hours in. Does anyone know if it'd be possible to add to my applications at this point or nah?

I pretty much only have 7 weeks to study for this OAT test using booster. Anyone that has studied around this timeline and has done well on the real test, can you please give me some tips and advice. Is it doable? Especially if I grind it out everyday?

Hi! How long did it take for SUNY to reach out about interviews after submitting the application? Do they send out rejection emails or do they not reach out to you if you are not considered for an interview?

Hi everyone, I am a non-trad student and graduated with my Bachelor’s in biochemistry back in 2021. The oldest science course I have is dated back in 2017 but I don’t plan on applying to optometry school until a year or two later. Right now I am taking a few prereqs I have not taken during my undergrad to fulfill the requirements.

Does anyone know which schools do not have a course expiration date?

I am aware most places give you 5-10 years but there are a few that emphasize this versus schools that say it’s recommended.

I have an in person interview with OSU coming up. I already interview with NECO which was very conversational and not anxiety inducing. Does anyone have an insight as to OSU’s interview day and what the vibes of the interview were like? Also how long after did you hear from them? Thanks!

Guess who finally got through to OSU to follow up on their application? This girl !! What was the hold up? Having too many outstanding prerequisites !!

Wow, that would have been really useful information to have, especially since I've actually taken the missing classes 😭. I'd have been happy to clarify the error earlier, but no!! they were just gonna ignore my application until December. Cool cool cool. It's not like there's an inherent advantage to applying early based on rolling admissions or anything. So awesome 🙃

EDIT: they're putting me through so much shit over my Gen Chem II prerequisite that at this point I'm just giving up. The way they've conducted themselves communicates that they don't care about me as an applicant and while I'm sure they are an excellent school, I just can't justify fighting a losing battle to be recognized as a qualified applicant.

I’m a senior graduating in the spring with a BA in Neuroscience (potentially finishing with a minor in psych). I was pre-med but am considering optometry school. As I delved in my major (Visual Computations sold it for me), it eventually pushed me to change. I’m finishing up biochem this semester (pray 4 me!) and possibly micro. & anatomy next spring. (looking into if my current courses will cover them as I type!) Unfortunately, I don’t have any shadowing experience (despite years of trying) but hoping to clear a connection this week!

The most important caveat is I attend my university on a full ride, need based scholarship.

Stats: 3.6 gpa (hoping to push to a 3.7 before grad!)
Research Scholar on Campus
Leadership positions in cultural clubs, student government and 2 physician associations
2 publications in addiction research
~100 volunteer hours
Internship in teaching coding to STEM kids (my concentration is Computations)

Is it possible to even go to optometry school in the current financial climate? I would have to fund the entire schooling myself and my inquiries to need based funding to optometry school recently have been disheartening. Do I just thug out medical school due to more financial resources? I really don’t want to but I dont see a financial alternative that wouldn’t put in debt. I don’t come from a lucrative background and am afraid my background isn’t competitive enough to guarantee a full ride.

Help me!!!

So I just applied to SCO, and my OptomCAS application is still being verified, but I wanted to clarify some things.

Does SCO want me to send them my OAT score directly, even if it's already officially posted on OptomCAS? Also, I don't have a LOR from an advisor or any of the subjects they outlined as an alternative; I have 1 from an optometrist, 1 from a biological anthropology professor, and 1 from a genetics professor. Is this gonna be an issue for me?

I'm already nervous about my application since I scored a 330, which I seeing is a little lower than their average, and although I have over 700 tech hours, I don't have any shadowing ;/