Honest opinion wanted

[greeneyedmonster08]

Hello all,

I am new to Student Doctor, but I have seen some of the advice given on here. I am having a hard time deciding if I should apply this year and take my chances. After speaking with my pre-optometry advisor she said she never encountered a situation like mine, so I am taking into consideration all opinions.

Stats:
B.S. in Nutrition Science
cGPA: 2.96
sGPA: ~2.91
OAT (AA, TS): (350,360)

Extracurricular: President of a minority recruitment organization-4 years involvement, founder of a nutrition student organization, founder and president of another organization that raises money for preventative blindness, volunteer in a school nutrition garden.

I have about 60+ hours optometry shadowing and worked 2 years at a Luxottica company where I had exposure to Optometrists. I was also accepted to SCO's Eye on Success program.

My GPA plummeted around the time my mother had a relapse with cancer and again when she died. Although, I do not blame this situation for my GPA, coming from a single household I did sacrifice a lot of time that could have been spent studying driving back and forth from home to school and tending to my mother's needs. I am working on bringing my GPA up now.

I would like to apply this summer to optometry school, specifically SCO. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[blackhole2]

Assuming you're in summer classes and your GPA rises above a 3.0, that will look much better than having <3.0 GPA. I would definitely explain your extenuating circumstances. It would also be in your best interest to call SCO and get their opinion.

 

[EyEnStein 07]

First, I would arrange a meeting with a SCO admissions counselor. The director of admissions would be better if possible, and speak to them about your situation. Bring your transcript and OAT scores with you. Send an email or call and ask to arrange an appointment (assuming youre in the SCO area). If SCO is your first choice, you should definitely let them know that too.

If i were you, I would apply this cycle. It's not like you couldnt reapply if you needed to. Apply to a few schools and hope for the best!

 

[greeneyedmonster08]

Thank you guys for your replies! I actually do have a meeting with the admissions committee this August. I sent them my transcript and they want to speak with me about my grades and my plans to have a solid GPA from here on out. I haven't told them about my OAT scores, so I'm hoping at the between the meeting and my OAT scores they will see more of me and my potential to be a successful optometry student.

I am enrolled in summer classes and the plan is to get my GPA above a 3.0.

 

[optsuker]

Good OAT, so getting the GPA above 3.0 will open some doors.
IMO, sob stories about why performance dropped may harm you. Admisisons hears LOTS of them, some factual some fiction. They may turn it around on you & say, "What if something happens while in Opt school? Will you be able to function?"

If anything, leave it to a simple: Things happening away from school affected my 2nd semester performance. They'll ask if they want more info.

 

[greeneyedmonster08]

You're right optsuker. I am hoping to show them that between this summer and fall they will see that my semester grades have improved significantly.