Do i still have the chance?

[OATAcer]

.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[oceanblue392]

yes, you have a chance.

unless you have some amazing explanation for your grades, it might involve a couple years of post-bac/junior college work before you might get into optometry school, or any graduate program for that matter... but nothing is out of reach.

as long as you show a trend of improvement, you'll do ok. take some more classes and bring your grade up, closer to a 3.0. You'll want to show you have a strong desire to be in optometry (this probably applies to any profession), so get a lot of shadowing hours, and better yet, work in an optometry office as a tech or assistant. At the same time, you'll want to get A's in your classes and show that you've dedicated yourself to becoming better in the classroom.

also: you'll want to get over 350+ on your OAT, with each section at least 300

 

[achirum]

yes, you have a chance.

unless you have some amazing explanation for your grades, it might involve a couple years of post-bac/junior college work before you might get into optometry school, or any graduate program for that matter... but nothing is out of reach.

as long as you show a trend of improvement, you'll do ok. take some more classes and bring your grade up, closer to a 3.0. You'll want to show you have a strong desire to be in optometry (this probably applies to any profession), so get a lot of shadowing hours, and better yet, work in an optometry office as a tech or assistant. At the same time, you'll want to get A's in your classes and show that you've dedicated yourself to becoming better in the classroom.

also: you'll want to get over 350+ on your OAT, with each section at least 300

Yes, you do still have a chance, but as the poster above mentioned, you are going to have to put in a lot of work to really bring those grades up. Some institutions do heavily weigh GPA and grades, so it wouldn't hurt to have some good marks.

 

[blysssful]

I'm sorry, but until you can bring your GPA above a 3.0 taking post-bac courses at a university (not a community college), I would look elsewhere. If you're struggling to this extent in the undergrad courses, what makes you believe you'll excell in optometry school?

Of course others are citing that good OAT scores will boost your application, which is true, but how can you expect on getting good OAT scores with a minimal understanding of the material?

I don't mean to be harsh, only realistic. If this is really what you want, you need to retake pretty much all those courses and ace them, in addition to taking a few more upper-level bio courses. It can be done, but you need to put the effort in.

 

[JMU07]

I agree with the above posters... you really need to put in some hard work and good effort, though.

PS, sorry if this is a stupid question, but what are E's?

 

[gochi]

why dont you just repeat classes ? the higher mark will be taken into consideration if you repeat.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[oceanblue392]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate you guys lending your opinions at me. Let's think realistic in my situation here, how can I bring a 2.35overall GPA into a 3.0?

If i were to repeat the courses, I would take most of them at a community college. If I attend University, I would have to get a petition to take the general biology course, due to me obtained an "E" which is a "failure grade"

Let's say, I obtain a 4.0 while repeating all of those courses, and a high mark on the OAT, good letters of recommendation, great volunteer hours, extracurricular activities, and my gpa end at a 2.8, the Optometry schools will not even care to look at my whole package, they will simply REJECT it due to me not obtaining the minimum GPA. Is this true?

Simply put: It depends. Some schools will automatically reject you with anything below 3.0 overall GPA (SCCO and possibly UCB...although UCB statistics suggests exceptions). Many other schools, particularly private schools, will take a closer look at your academic performance, and if you work hard maintaining a 4.0 starting, say starting now, it give you an advantage and talking point-you realized you really wanted to go into optometry and it gave you a direction and motivation to succeed. Like I said, having an above average OAT score is a must.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[blysssful]

Thanks for the feedback. I appreciate you guys lending your opinions at me. Let's think realistic in my situation here, how can I bring a 2.35overall GPA into a 3.0?

If i were to repeat the courses, I would take most of them at a community college. If I attend University, I would have to get a petition to take the general biology course, due to me obtained an "E" which is a "failure grade"

Let's say, I obtain a 4.0 while repeating all of those courses, and a high mark on the OAT, good letters of recommendation, great volunteer hours, extracurricular activities, and my gpa end at a 2.8, the Optometry schools will not even care to look at my whole package, they will simply REJECT it due to me not obtaining the minimum GPA. Is this true?

Using the courses you've taken so far, let's consider only your SCIENCE GPA, which you said you're unsure of. You could retake all the courses you got below a B in, plus additional upper-level courses. Yes, it is possible for you to take them at a community college... but you should not. You should take them at a university if you want your improvement to be taken seriously. You mentioned that you changed majors to psyc, so your science GPA is probably an accumulation of the few courses that you've listed... therefore it will be possible for you to get your GPA above a 3.0. This is contingent on you taking several semesters worth of courses.

Like it was mentioned before, some schools like SCCO and UCBSO have specific GPA minimums, but many others will take your commitment to improvement as a good thing. Check out the schools that have lower entering GPA averages and they would be your best bet.

 

[blysssful]

This is a big risk I would take. 1 year of studying the courses and taking the OAT, and being rejected will hurt majorly if my gpa is not at a 3.0 minimum. How do I calculate the GPA's? Go to the school themself and ask them to help me out?

A = 4
A-= 3.7
B+ = 3.3
B = 3
B- = 2.7
C+ = 2.3
C = 2
C- = 1.7
D+ = 1.3
D = 1
F = 0

Multiply the grade by the number of credits for the course, these are your grade points. Add up all your grade points and divide by the total number of credits.

Some schools don't consider +/- so it's just rounded to the full grade.

 

[eyestrain]

It looks like you need to retake college. With all due respect, I'm not quite sure how you expect to make it through optometry school when you barely made it through undergrad. No optometry school on this earth should even consider a candidate with a 2.35GPA. Sorry.

 

[pienfoo]

everyone is being too nice.

the answer is no, you will not make it to optometry school.
if you have a 2.6 or 7 i'd say there's a slim chance that you'll actually take the required courses in a year or two to bring your GPA up to be considered competitive.
With what you have right now, you need to take the same amount of units (or more) that you already have AND get at least 80% of those with As. I know many people sit there and think, "if i get 20 more As I could raise my GPA from a 2.5 to a 3.0!!!". that's great but how did you end up with a 2.3 and how do you expect to get 4.0s from now on? Unless you're absolutely fascinated and obsessed with optometry (haha?) there's no point in spending all this time trying to get in in your current situation. IMO You could do much better financially in some other fields if you were to start now. g'luck.

 

[thanotoriousfob]

Graduate with a BS in Psychology

Overall GPA of 2.35

Science GPA - Unknown

Took General Bio (part 1) - D, Retook for better grade, and got E

Took General Bio (part 2) - C

Gen Chemistry (part 1) - C

Gen. Chem (part 2) - C

O. Chem (part 1) - Took it twice - E
O. Chem part1 Lab - C

O. Chem Part 2 w/Lab - Did not take

Physics part 1 with Lab - B
Physics part 2 (did not take)

Genetics (twice E grade)

This was a horrible, and I switched from Pre-Opt to Psych. I excelled in my PSYCH, ENG, MATH, courses, and brought the gpa to a 2.35 when I graudated.

However, I'm interested in Optometry school and can show the dept. I'm serious this time.

Any ideas what I should do?

It's great you excelled in Psych, English and Math but your sciences are really low. If you look at any optometry school curriculum you will see the majority are science courses. I think your situation is a no go unless you somehow manage to get into grad school majoring in some sort of science, achieve stellar grades, have strong LORs and strong extracurriculars. If you can't do that then be realistic; save your self time, money and stress and go do something else. Good luck.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[jymezg]

with the general gist of this thread, if you want opt school it's gunna take some WORK. possible though. The 4.0 is realistically impossible but really not needed.

You'll need A's not B's in all the gen ed science courses. B's would work the first time but since your retaking the classes, you should get A's no questions asked. Once you get into upper level classes, strive for A's but a B will do fine.

Once you've shown this improvement scholastically you'll need to go all out volunteering and shadowing in optometry as well. If you can grab the grades and show an interest in optometry you should be fine.

Lets keep in mind that this is a LONG term goal, and you won't be applying next year or anything like that. I'd say if you stuck to it apply Summer of 10' THE FIRST DAY EACH SCHOOL ACCEPTS APPS.

If you want it, don't give up and good luck to ya.

my .02 cents

 

[eyestrain]

You have no idea what I have been through in my past. Consider family struggles as one. Thank you.

Don't start with sob stories. I have no tolerance for that BS. Ultimately you screwed the pooch big time in college and it was no one's fault but your own. Now you have to fix it somehow, most likely by retaking lots and lots of classes.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[OATAcer]

.

 

[hurricaneuro]

I dont know dude, you didn't take Physics 2 or Orgo 2 which are required by almost every school, and those are a lot tougher than the ones that come before, which two you re-took twice and didn't get a passing grade. After taking most of these pre-req courses, and watching a lot of my friends get "weeded" out, I think it's safe to say no matter how much you study some people just don't "get" it or think they have the drive and motivation to study but just don't.

Science classes may seem like they "don't relate" to what being an optometrist or a doctor will be like, but they do. They test how well you can manage your time, think critically, and work hard. Not to be cruel, but doctors have family problems too and they have to deal with them as just a part of their life, it wouldn't be a reason to diagnose or treat someone poorly.

General Bio and General Chem are definately easier conceptually then physics/o-chem, and if you didn't excel in them you definately need to re-evaluate what went wrong the first and second time you didn't succeed.

Just from a mental health standpoint and trying to save you time, I would say start thinking of something else.

 

[hurricaneuro]

And more...a 4.0, agreeing with a few other people, in science classes is highly unlikely. I busted my ass and spent 2 to 3 hours per day studying Orgo 1, 3 hours per day on the weekend, and whole weekends studying before tests and I just managed to pull off an A-. I have gotten a mixture of B+ and A's in others, all working super hard...but also learning that sometimes an A just won't happen.

And as for trying out for pharmacy or vet school...forget it I'm sorry, but vet school is probably the hardest and most competitive to get into, along with dental. Pharmacy too...if you aren't cutting the req's for optometry, there isn't anywhere else to go.

 

[blysssful]

Your giving me great amount of motivation. However, there will be 12 courses for me to re-take, how in the world can I bring that to a 3.0, even with an A?

Like I mentioned before, you need to retake the courses you failed or did poorly in, in addition to taking MORE upper-level courses. This is something that is going to take some time to pull yourself out of.

Don't start with sob stories. I have no tolerance for that BS.

This is completely unnecessary. There is a difference between being realistic/honest and being flat out rude for no reason.

...if at the end, I don't succeed with optometry, i can still have these pre-req's and try out dental school or pharmacy school, right?

Med, dental and pharm are out of the picture if you can't succeed with optometry. Nursing might be an option.


Here's my question for you: if you excelled in your psyc courses, why not pursue something with that?

 

[zyg0te]

So E = F?

This is a big risk I would take. 1 year of studying the courses and taking the OAT, and being rejected will hurt majorly if my gpa is not at a 3.0 minimum. How do I calculate the GPA's? Go to the school themself and ask them to help me out?

Don't kid yourself, it will take more than 1 year of retaking courses.

Think about how you will look to the admissions committee. They are looking for someone who can successfully complete their program.

Already failing Bio 1, Orgo, and Genetics twice looks Extremely BAD.
If you're struggling this much in lower division undergrad courses, will you be able to keep your head above water in graduate courses?

If you start this spring, and do well (3.7+) you can probably apply fall '10 (for the fall '11 semester) and have a SLIGHT chance of getting in somewhere.

You're right, nothing is impossible. But think hard about your motivations for becoming an OD. This will be a very difficult task to retake 3-4 loaded semesters of courses and getting a 3.7+, while simultaneously gaining shadowing/leadership/volunteer experience. You will be working your ass off for 2 years to buy a single ticket in the lottery.

 

[Kaxa2000]

[delete].

 

[ODhereicome]

i was at a 2.5 and brought my gpa up to a 3.04 over 2 years, taking the majority of the prereqs during that span, and i got accepted, so if you are serious you will find a way to get in, just show upward trends and shadow like 100+ hours

 

[Habitual Rx]

If at the end, I don't succeed with optometry, i can still have these pre-req's and try out dental school or pharmacy school, right?

This statement tells the admissions committees that you don't know what you want to do with your future. So it is unlikely you are an ideal candidate for any of these professions.

 

[afasano]

This statement tells the admissions committees that you don't know what you want to do with your future. So it is unlikely you are an ideal candidate for any of these professions.

im laughing righ now...
the gpa requirements in dental and pharmacy school are just as strict...

 

[blysssful]

im laughing righ now...
the gpa requirements in dental and pharmacy school are just as strict...

I dunno about pharm, but dental is CERTAINLY stricter.

 

[ph34r]

I know things look grim OATacer, but keep your head up. If you really want it, you'll do what is necessary to make it. I had a rough time in college, but I still made it. A lot of ppl were telling me how hard it would be to get in to med school, and discouraging me to go through with it. They would bring up all the negatives about my grades, mcat, etc. But take all the advice you hear with a grain of salt. It's not the people on here that are making the decision to allow you into optometry school. Do your best, God will do the rest. Keep praying; I'll pray for you, too.