2nd OAT attempt= B.A.D

[veyev]

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Hey guys,
So I've been a follower for many years, and want to thank every one for all the wonderful advice and input.

So heres my deal;
Graduated in 2011- Molecular Bio/Chem minor.
Over 9 years of optometric/ophthalmic work experience.
Over 1 year of phase 3 clinical trial research for the development of new drugs to treat ocular disorders.
Undergrad gpa- 3.2 > (Worked 2 jobs and put myself through school)

1st OAT 05/2011= 280 = Denied 2011 admissions
2nd OAT 04/2012= 280!!!!

I wanted to walk into traffic outside the testing center.
I studied so hard for 2/3 months and what a smack in the face : ( I cried the whole way home.

O.K Rant over-------
So I e-mailed admissions my test scores and I'm so afraid I will get denied again.

If there's any re-takers out there, what did you do to turn your scores around?

I used Kaplan Big OAT book and EK- studied about 4-5 hrs a day because I work over 10 hours a day at my research position.

Please I need some real hard advice- Thanks guys.

 

[OATAcer]

Take it again if you really are serious. Use chads videos and oat destroyer and practice exams from Kaplan. Apply for iaupr and see what they say.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

 

[Daylooo]

Maybe you should take the Kaplan course or find a tutor. If you can't score over a 300 the 2nd time, I feel like you're not understanding the foundations... either that or you need to work on time management for the OAT.

 

[Roffles]

It's costly, but I would strongly suggest taking Kaplan's course. As stated above, there is something wrong with the foundation of your studying.. Kaplan makes it their job to fix that and help you perform better. I did the online course and I'd recommend it to anyone asking.

 

[veyev]

Thanks.guys- I think I definitely have difficulties balancing a new career and studying. From experience do you guys think it's possible to study efficiently while working full time? And if so, can you guys give me some tips?

Just for the record I was scoring over 340 on the oat achiever, but throughout the whole test I was physically shaking from nerves. Lol pretty embarrassing, the test proctor kept asking if I was o.k.

Would you guys recommended the Kaplan live course, or online?

 

[Roffles]

I wouldn't recommend working and studying unless your time outside of work is completely devoted to studying.

As far as online or in class, it's up to you and depends largely on whether there is a Kaplan center near you. For me, the online class was tough because there wasn't anything to stop me from day-dreaming or going to other internet websites. If you have the option, I would recommend going to the center for classes.

 

[geebs]

www.***********.com

It is very cheap to subscribe to the videos on that website, which feature Chad, the best pre-med tutor there is!

I watched all his videos as my primary source of study, using Kaplan books, flashcards, and practice tests for further review.

I scored 340 TS 350 AA first time. Good luck!

 

[geebs]

w w w d o t c o u r s e s a v e r d o t c o m

 

[veyev]

Thanks- I will check all the above mentioned resources.

Over the past couple of days I've given thought to my future and I think I need to stop working while studying and preparing for the OAT.

The biggest problem is; what do I do for rent/food/bills? -

I don't want to work in clinical research for the rest of my life. I want to pursue Optometry, but its so difficult and with the economy now a days- its almost impossible. : (

I'm stuck.

 

[Roffles]

I asked my parents to float me, then I paid them back by taking out a bit extra in student loans. I know that's not an option for everyone, but it's worth exploring.

If you absolutely have to work, then just make sure you give yourself some extra time between now and your test date. Also, make sure to spend as much time as possible studying when not working. You don't want to take this again..

 

[851916518]

Thanks.guys- I think I definitely have difficulties balancing a new career and studying. From experience do you guys think it's possible to study efficiently while working full time? And if so, can you guys give me some tips?

Just for the record I was scoring over 340 on the oat achiever, but throughout the whole test I was physically shaking from nerves. Lol pretty embarrassing, the test proctor kept asking if I was o.k.

Would you guys recommended the Kaplan live course, or online?

I worked full time during all 4 years of undergrad. Towards the end, I WAS able to find time for applications and OATs. I don't know if your work schedule would allow it, but I would suggest studying in the morning while you're still fresh. I usually put in about 2hrs of studying in the morning before going to class and then maybe an hour after work at night if I wasn't too worn out. The best option would be to get some short-term financial assistance from family, but if that is not an option then maybe you might want to give yourself more time so that you can prepare for the OAT while working. I would not suggest quitting your job unless you have someone to help you out financially. You seem to have the drive, and that's most important. Best of luck to you.

 

[balltc]

Hey guys,
So I've been a follower for many years, and want to thank every one for all the wonderful advice and input.

So heres my deal;
Graduated in 2011- Molecular Bio/Chem minor.
Over 9 years of optometric/ophthalmic work experience.
Over 1 year of phase 3 clinical trial research for the development of new drugs to treat ocular disorders.
Undergrad gpa- 3.2 > (Worked 2 jobs and put myself through school)

1st OAT 05/2011= 280 = Denied 2011 admissions
2nd OAT 04/2012= 280!!!!

I wanted to walk into traffic outside the testing center.
I studied so hard for 2/3 months and what a smack in the face : ( I cried the whole way home.

O.K Rant over-------
So I e-mailed admissions my test scores and I'm so afraid I will get denied again.

If there's any re-takers out there, what did you do to turn your scores around?

I used Kaplan Big OAT book and EK- studied about 4-5 hrs a day because I work over 10 hours a day at my research position.

Please I need some real hard advice- Thanks guys.

You should probably take kaplan and make it a daily routine to study. There's some practice exams called OAT achiever that are exactly the same format as the OAT which you may want to get. Take your practice exams seriously.

This may sound a bit extreme but when you finally feel absolutely prepared for the exam it might not be a bad idea to take the DAT at an exam center (click through the perceptual ability section). Sure it's not identical to the OAT and you will be missing the physics section but other than that it's pretty much the same. The point is that it will help you with the jitters you experienced during the OAT and you will be able to take the exam in a pressure situation without having to worry about optometry schools seeing your scores. Like I said, this may seem extreme and it will cost you to take the exam, but desperate times call for desperate measures and in your situation you need to do whatever it takes to give you an edge.

I took the DAT a few years before the OAT when I was considering dentistry, later when I took the OAT I sat in the same seat in the same test center which made everything seem a bit more routine. When I took the OAT I was super relaxed and I think that's the main reason I did well. I once had a professor who told our class about some research indicating that students who sit in the same seats during their exams as they do in regular class sessions perform better than other students who dont. Hope this advice helps.

Good luck in your studying.