Career change - considering optometry

[tweedlediva]

Hi everyone,
I am so glad to have found this forum. I am 25 with a useless BA from USC. I need a career change, and I was drawn to the prospect of Optometry. I have a ton of questions.
1) Can I do the science/math prerequisites at a community college, and how will that contribute to my GPA? My undergrad GPA is not great (around high 2 or low 3).
2) Is it possible to get a list of prereq classes at a specific community college that would satisfy the requirements for all the Optometry schools, or do I need to compile a list based on the schools I want to apply to?
3) How do colleges evaluate someone who hasn't done a Pre-Opt/undergrad science degree? Do you know people in a similar situation, and how has the process worked out for them?
4) Is it possible for someone (me) to apply to most of the optometry schools and not get into any of them? Any other notes about the competition aspect?
5) What draws someone to Optometry? I want to make sure I am considering this for the right reasons.

Thanks so much for any guidance you can provide.

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[Oogilily]

Ok, first of all every school is different. I know that at least one of the schools will only accept credits from the past 7 years from the time you apply. So make sure you take that into account.

1) You can take classes at a community college as long as you take a certain amount of credits at a University, which you have already done. Getting good grades there will only help your lower GPA. A high 2 or low 3 gpa is not very good and schools (I think) require permission if you are below a 3.0. So truthfully, that isn't a very competitive GPA for optometry school. I'd say at least a 3.2 or 3.3 would be good.

2)I'd get a list of the pre-req classes at the community college and if there is any question whether any of the classes will fit or not, then call each college of optometry and ask each of them if that will be ok for their school.

3)You can get a degree in anything as long as you meet the pre-req classes to get into optometry school. You'd stand as good of a chance as somebody else with a science degree.

4)Competition is high in optometry school, especially if you are not in a contract state for the school. Good GPA and an excellent OAT score (especially if you have a low GPA) will make you more competitive. In your case with such a low GPA, you would need great OAT scores to stand a chance at your school of choice.

5) For me, I want to go into optometry because I want a job in health care that doesn't involve the rest of the body. The eyes are enough for me. There is a chance to own my own business too. I also want to work with people and be able to have one-on-one patient care. The pay is ok, but not the best as compared to other health care fields. It's enough for me, but you'll find that TONS of people complain about the pay in optometry. But, that's why I want to do it.


In the end, with a low GPA such as yours, you will need to do pretty darn good on the OAT to show that you have the academic ability to stand up in optometry school. Extracurricular activities also look good on an application (they like well-rounded people). Anyways, if anybody has something to add or disagree with, go ahead. I don't know everything!

Hope that helps a little....

 

[lakewood]

1) You can take classes at a community college as long as you take a certain amount of credits at a University, which you have already done.

I have found that each optometry program has a separate policy for this question. Generally, from what I have gathered, it is discouraged; though it usually won't in itself disqualify you from consideration.

 

[tweedlediva]

Regarding letters of recommendation: Since I finished my undergrad in Dec '02, I doubt any of my professors would remember me (perhaps one of them would). I am planning to get at least one LOR from an optometrist, but what is my best course of action here - since getting LORs from professors is a little farfetched at this point? I am working now, but I'm not sure my employer will be the best person to ask 1+ years after I quit (after finishing my prereqs). Would LORs from my community college teachers have the same weight?

 

[kse928]

You're not in it alone I'm in the midst of re-routing my career as well. I'm taking my science pre-reqs at the local com. college since I have no science classes under my belt from undergrad. I spoke with a few schools and you should be ok taking the pre-reqs there. I've been corresponding with UCB and they're ok with it...just be sure you contact them and ask them if your cc classes will transfer over. The JC route is def. more cost efficient. My old roomate graduated from SCCO and she took all her science pre-reqs. at a JC. Just do well in those classes Best of luck to you!

 

[ecstyle483]

You're not in it alone I'm in the midst of re-routing my career as well. I'm taking my science pre-reqs at the local com. college since I have no science classes under my belt from undergrad. I spoke with a few schools and you should be ok taking the pre-reqs there. I've been corresponding with UCB and they're ok with it...just be sure you contact them and ask them if your cc classes will transfer over. The JC route is def. more cost efficient. My old roomate graduated from SCCO and she took all her science pre-reqs. at a JC. Just do well in those classes Best of luck to you!

I am in the same position. I graduated from ucsd with an economics ("useless" background and now want to get into the science field. I am currently taking classes at bio and chem at a community college and hope that this is sufficient enough to get into optometry school.

I never heard of SCCO but I just checked up on it at its website. How is this school ranked compared to others and how is our old roomate doing? Is he/she currently employed???