HELP! Bad GPA overall

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So I have a 2.6 overall undergrad GPA and a 2.4 GPA in my biology physiology major and I'm graduating this week so I'll be completely down with undergrad schooling.

I have no research experience and only a few hours of job shadowing. What can I do to build my application and get into optometry school?

Study harder.

I'm going to be done with undergraduate school this week. I'm graduating.

Post-bac

Originally Posted by OPTfinder

I'm going to be done with undergraduate school this week. I'm graduating.

Take upper level science classes after graduating. You may be an intelligent person that is capable of handling a rigorous optometry curriculum but your GPA does not reflect that. There is no way around it other than taking more classes, even repeating some classes you did poorly in, and doing really well. If you really want to do it then you will put in the work and time required to pull your gpa up and have something to show for yourself. You could have a million hours shadowing, excellent rec letters and a really good oat score but that doesnt compensate for a weak gpa. They look at gpa's because it shows a long term trend and you need to counterbalance that by creating an upward trend. Once youve got some recent coursework in which you do well then you can even contact schools you are interested and ask them what you can do to get in. you could even contact them now and explain your situation then ask them what you need to do to get in. They are usually pretty honest and helpful. hope this helps, good luck.

Originally Posted by OPTfinder

So I have a 2.6 overall undergrad GPA and a 2.4 GPA in my biology physiology major and I'm graduating this week so I'll be completely down with undergrad schooling.

I have no research experience and only a few hours of job shadowing. What can I do to build my application and get into optometry school?

Even with a killer OAT score, unless you do a post bad or a master's program with damn near a 4.0, your only hope would be PR and even that might be a stretch with 2.4 science. Sorry to be blunt pal, but it's the truth.

Originally Posted by balltc

Take upper level science classes after graduating. You may be an intelligent person that is capable of handling a rigorous optometry curriculum but your GPA does not reflect that. There is no way around it other than taking more classes, even repeating some classes you did poorly in, and doing really well. If you really want to do it then you will put in the work and time required to pull your gpa up and have something to show for yourself. You could have a million hours shadowing, excellent rec letters and a really good oat score but that doesnt compensate for a weak gpa. They look at gpa's because it shows a long term trend and you need to counterbalance that by creating an upward trend. Once youve got some recent coursework in which you do well then you can even contact schools you are interested and ask them what you can do to get in. you could even contact them now and explain your situation then ask them what you need to do to get in. They are usually pretty honest and helpful. hope this helps, good luck.

I second this. You're going to have to do post-bacc. That will allow you to retake the courses where you scored low. Redo anything lower than a B in the sciences. It might be worth doing a year or two of retaking things if it matters that much to you. I know someone who had low scores like you and spent a year re-taking things and still the only place she was accepted was PR (but I think she never got higher than a 300 on the OAT either). Maybe if you retake enough undergrad classes and get A's in them after one year, you could apply for a 1-year masters in something science-related. Then do awesome in that and apply early in the next cycle and you might have a shot. But I agree with balltc that you should most definitely contact the schools and get their input. They deal with these scenarios all the time and are the best to tell you what they are looking for in someone in your position. If you are committed to optometry, then I think you should really consider postponing your application by 2 years.

If you have a GPA like that in optometry school, they would've kicked you out already...EVEN IF you're paying them tens of thousands of dollars.
You'll be taking 6 science courses all at the same time in one semester, think about that...

Originally Posted by OPTfinder

So I have a 2.6 overall undergrad GPA and a 2.4 GPA in my biology physiology major and I'm graduating this week so I'll be completely down with undergrad schooling.

I have no research experience and only a few hours of job shadowing. What can I do to build my application and get into optometry school?

you can retake the classes at a community college. just be aware that you'd have to get an "A" in everything because they average your grades...some people this cycle got in with a 2.9 (one person at Berk!) and PR accepted a 2.8. I'd aim for a 3.0 and apply next year.

Originally Posted by OPTfinder

So I have a 2.6 overall undergrad GPA and a 2.4 GPA in my biology physiology major and I'm graduating this week so I'll be completely down with undergrad schooling.

I have no research experience and only a few hours of job shadowing. What can I do to build my application and get into optometry school?

Apply to the new school in Virginia.

Originally Posted by CL Doc

Apply to the new school in Virginia.

lol

Originally Posted by CL Doc

Apply to the new school in Virginia.

I have it on good authority that a banjo and/or fiddle audition is required for entrance into the new Appalachian school.

Originally Posted by Tippytoe

I have it on good authority that a banjo and/or fiddle audition is required for entrance into the new Appalachian school.

Wonder what their mascot will be...

Originally Posted by CL Doc

Wonder what their mascot will be...

I don't know. But I'd imagine that home-made moonshine will make for some killer weekend study parties.

Originally Posted by OpticalBlackOut

If you have a GPA like that in optometry school, they would've kicked you out already...EVEN IF you're paying them tens of thousands of dollars.
You'll be taking 6 science courses all at the same time in one semester, think about that...

I think this is the point that needs to be driven home. If you can't handle an undergrad course load in a physiology major, even if you do get into opt school, you will get the ass kicking of a lifetime assuming you don't drop/get kicked out.

Might be able to do some coal mining on the weekends for a little extra cash, although in that town, you might not have much to spend it on. Gotta keep those student loans at a minimum, though. Heck, if you're set up with a union, you might just ditch the OD half way through and just keep doing that. You'd get to wear overalls, a hard hat, and everything.

As a bonus, if Owe-bama gets re-elected, he'll make sure that your coal-mining union is well taken care of - probably get $100/hr with a triple lifetime pension and daily backrubs from out-of-work non-union members. He looooooooves those unions!

Originally Posted by Optomchick

you can retake the classes at a community college. just be aware that you'd have to get an "A" in everything because they average your grades...some people this cycle got in with a 2.9 (one person at Berk!) and PR accepted a 2.8. I'd aim for a 3.0 and apply next year.

IF you decide to retake coursework and improve your GPA before applying please do NOT take them at a community college. (I say IF because if you plan to do this you need to make sure you can actually improve your GPA - otherwise you will just be wasting your time).

Retaking courses at a community college won't prove you can handle a rigorous course load. Even if you managed to get A's in all your classes there, admissions committees will always wonder if you could handle the load at a more academically challenging school.

That doubt will still be there when they are reviewing your application so if you retake courses, take them at a 4 year school and it will be necessary for you to improve in every class.

Originally Posted by Jason K

Might be able to do some coal mining on the weekends for a little extra cash, although in that town, you might not have much to spend it on. Gotta keep those student loans at a minimum, though. Heck, if you're set up with a union, you might just ditch the OD half way through and just keep doing that. You'd get to wear overalls, a hard hat, and everything.

As a bonus, if Owe-bama gets re-elected, he'll make sure that your coal-mining union is well taken care of - probably get $100/hr with a triple lifetime pension and daily backrubs from out-of-work non-union members. He looooooooves those unions!

: womp womp....

Originally Posted by QueenieCSS

IF you decide to retake coursework and improve your GPA before applying please do NOT take them at a community college. (I say IF because if you plan to do this you need to make sure you can actually improve your GPA - otherwise you will just be wasting your time).

Retaking courses at a community college won't prove you can handle a rigorous course load. Even if you managed to get A's in all your classes there, admissions committees will always wonder if you could handle the load at a more academically challenging school.

That doubt will still be there when they are reviewing your application so if you retake courses, take them at a 4 year school and it will be necessary for you to improve in every class.

How would you take classes at a 4-year after you graduated? Wouldn't that cost like thousands of $$$ when you could spend like $100 at a community college. And this is complete BS, I've talked to many admissions counselors and they actually don't care if you retake them at a CC.

OPTfinder, I totally agree with balltc, call the specific school you're very much interested in and talk to an adviser from that institution. Every admission committee have certain standard and it's best to know what they want. (ie: improving sGPA, taking courses in CC vs 4yearUniversities, etc).

Originally Posted by optoapp2012

: womp womp....

Funny coincidence.....that's EXACTLY what Grundy's first graduating class (and all subsequent classes) will be saying on graduation day.

Originally Posted by Jason K

Funny coincidence.....that's EXACTLY what Grundy's first graduating class (and all subsequent classes) will be saying on graduation day.

I'm betting they'll be saying, "thank God. Get me the hell out of these woods. I haven't seen a mall or a patient with all their teeth in 4 years".

Oh wait, my bad. They are all going to stay in Grundy and the surrounding moutains to serve all the underserved people.

This would all be funny if it wasn't destroying the profession. But hey, what'ca gonna do. Laugh instead of cry, I guess.

I have a small private college across the street from my office. They have a fast growing PA school and just added a nursing school. I think I will go over and propose an optometry school. Maybe I can get in as the dean at $300,000/yr. Just got to think of a cool name. Probably, The Einstein College of Optometry . I'll just say we are the best school because if you say things in optometry, it makes it true.

I'll make the curriculum half correspondance over the net maybe.

Originally Posted by Tippytoe

Just got to think of a cool name. Probably, The Einstein College of Optometry.

How about the Helen Keller College of Optometry? (No disrespect to Helen Keller, I am in awe of her accomplishments).

Originally Posted by jblil

How about the Helen Keller College of Optometry? (No disrespect to Helen Keller, I am in awe of her accomplishments).

who is that

Originally Posted by Shnurek

who is that

You don't know who Helen Keller is? Seriously, what do they teach in schools these days?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller

And I didn't even attend K-12 in this country...

Originally Posted by Tippytoe

I have it on good authority that a banjo and/or fiddle audition is required for entrance into the new Appalachian school.

You can moonlight as a moonshiner after taking the undergrad MNSH 201 course. I hear they'll let you take ugrad classes after you've paid OD tuition.

Originally Posted by jblil

You don't know who Helen Keller is? Seriously, what do they teach in schools these days?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Keller

And I didn't even attend K-12 in this country...

I heard the name before just Einstein > almost anyone else.

Originally Posted by Optomchick

How would you take classes at a 4-year after you graduated? Wouldn't that cost like thousands of $$$ when you could spend like $100 at a community college. And this is complete BS, I've talked to many admissions counselors and they actually don't care if you retake them at a CC.

You can do post-bac work at a lot of 4 year colleges. Some of them don't even have official post-bac programs - that is what I did when I went back to do my pre-reqs. Plus you can go to a state school instead of a private institution and it isn't like you are paying $15K a semester that way.

As for BS - I can only speak for my own experience. I worked in Admissions before I went back for my pre-reqs, I was involved in admissions in opt school and even some of the schools impressions when I was applying was all - 4 year schools are all considered to be more rigorous academically than a CC.

The OP's issue is that they need to boost their GPA and prove they can handle a tough science course load. Taking classes at a CC won't do that for them. It will just prove they can handle mediocre coursework and that won't help them out. It is different if you take a class or two at a CC because they don't offer it where you are or to complete undergrad sooner. I think the OP has a completely different situation.

Originally Posted by QueenieCSS

You can do post-bac work at a lot of 4 year colleges. Some of them don't even have official post-bac programs - that is what I did when I went back to do my pre-reqs. Plus you can go to a state school instead of a private institution and it isn't like you are paying $15K a semester that way.

As for BS - I can only speak for my own experience. I worked in Admissions before I went back for my pre-reqs, I was involved in admissions in opt school and even some of the schools impressions when I was applying was all - 4 year schools are all considered to be more rigorous academically than a CC.

The OP's issue is that they need to boost their GPA and prove they can handle a tough science course load. Taking classes at a CC won't do that for them. It will just prove they can handle mediocre coursework and that won't help them out. It is different if you take a class or two at a CC because they don't offer it where you are or to complete undergrad sooner. I think the OP has a completely different situation.

It's still really expensive compared to a CC...isn't that kind of unfair that you worked in Optometry school admissions to then apply? lol

Originally Posted by QueenieCSS

You can do post-bac work at a lot of 4 year colleges. Some of them don't even have official post-bac programs - that is what I did when I went back to do my pre-reqs. Plus you can go to a state school instead of a private institution and it isn't like you are paying $15K a semester that way.

As for BS - I can only speak for my own experience. I worked in Admissions before I went back for my pre-reqs, I was involved in admissions in opt school and even some of the schools impressions when I was applying was all - 4 year schools are all considered to be more rigorous academically than a CC.

The OP's issue is that they need to boost their GPA and prove they can handle a tough science course load. Taking classes at a CC won't do that for them. It will just prove they can handle mediocre coursework and that won't help them out. It is different if you take a class or two at a CC because they don't offer it where you are or to complete undergrad sooner. I think the OP has a completely different situation.

Which optometry school did you work for? Are you in optometry school or apply?

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Originally Posted by Optomchick

How would you take classes at a 4-year after you graduated? Wouldn't that cost like thousands of $$$ when you could spend like $100 at a community college. And this is complete BS, I've talked to many admissions counselors and they actually don't care if you retake them at a CC.

A four year institution will most likely charge tuition at the same rate as they charge seniors, It would obviously be cheaper to take classes at a community college but it would kinda defeat the purpose of what this person would need to achieve: convincing an admissions committee that they can handle a rigorous courseload. The last thing anybody would want after taking a bunch of classes is for someone to call into question where they took them at. Some schools have detailed ranking systems in place in order to distinguish between programs so it definitely does matter. Also, like I said before, it is best to call the school and see what they have to say, not sure why people seem so scared to do that sometimes. They'll gladly tell you what you need to know so that they can take your money, I mean, so that they can help you pursue your dreams.

Unfortunately, after demonstrating poor academic performance as an undergraduate student, it's not going to make much of a difference whether you take a make-up course at a 4 year institution or at the CC level. If what you're trying to demonstrate to the committee is that you can handle a rigorous course load, you're not going to do it by taking a class or two at "Fill-in-the-blank" University. There is absolutely no comparison between taking 26 credits in optometry school (with courses, exams, labs, and practicals all going at the same time) and taking even the most difficult one or two classes together at even the most challenging university.

Save your money and take your classes at the CC level. It's not worth the extra thousands of dollars it will cost at a 4 year institution. You need to interview well to explain yourself. It's cheaper and much more effective. It won't, however, change the fact that you'll be skating your way into a dying profession.

Originally Posted by Optomchick

It's still really expensive compared to a CC...isn't that kind of unfair that you worked in Optometry school admissions to then apply? lol

I worked at a completely unrelated school 3000 miles away recruiting for a post-undergrad business program after I finished undergrad. I decided to go back into school and into optometry after I realized I didn't like where I was in my career. Then I was involved as a student in admissions in opt school - I never actually was paid to work there. It's a little different than working for admissions for the school you got in to.

I know business school isn't opt school but either way - we still looked at community colleges credits way differently than credits from a 4 year school. It won't do them any good to just take one or two classes at a time at a 4 year school but if they can prove they can handle a full 16-18 credit hour science load for multiple semesters the OP may have some advantage. But the OP needs to have a serious heart to heart as to if that is possible, otherwise they are going to waste a lot of money.

Originally Posted by Jason K

Unfortunately, after demonstrating poor academic performance as an undergraduate student, it's not going to make much of a difference whether you take a make-up course at a 4 year institution or at the CC level. If what you're trying to demonstrate to the committee is that you can handle a rigorous course load, you're not going to do it by taking a class or two at "Fill-in-the-blank" University. There is absolutely no comparison between taking 26 credits in optometry school (with courses, exams, labs, and practicals all going at the same time) and taking even the most difficult one or two classes together at even the most challenging university.

Save your money and take your classes at the CC level. It's not worth the extra thousands of dollars it will cost at a 4 year institution. You need to interview well to explain yourself. It's cheaper and much more effective. It won't, however, change the fact that you'll be skating your way into a dying profession.

I dont recall anyone advising the op to take 1 or 2 classes. If they took that many credits even if it were at a top university it wouldnt make a difference. As I stated before this person needs to establish a trend of stellar academic performance and that will take more than 2 semesters taking a challenging, full course load at the very least. If the op does this it's pretty much guaranteed that an admissions committee will still look at it and wonder how this person did poorly in undergrad, but still managed to perform at such a different level now. Taking all these classes at a CC will make it look less like this person was actually challenged. Also, most community colleges don't offer some of the higher level biology classes that the op will need to take anyway.

Originally Posted by OATAcer

Which optometry school did you work for? Are you in optometry school or apply?

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I didn't actually work for the optometry school (other than work study at the clinic) but I am a 4th year at Pacific. PUCO actually has 4-5 students who are on the Admissions Committee as student members every year. Everyone who gets an interview is interviewed by a student and a faculty/staff member.

Thank you for all of your advice. I will contact the schools and ask them if a post bac or taking courses at a CC is better.

any advice on what degree to get when i do a post bac?

you dont necessarily have to be in a formal post bacc program, you can just take classes "post bacc" aka post baccalaureate (it just means after bachelors degree has been completed). The one year programs some people take are called post bacc programs because they are just that, one year of studies after baccalaureate degree has been completed. Hope this helps