Advice for Making Good Resume

[leighg]

Hello everyone (This is going to be a long post but please take time to read)
So I am a sophomore at the College of Saint Benedicts (a small well known private school) and I am biology major and pre-optometry. My course load at this school is extremely rigorous, so my GPA is currently 3.0. Being that I'm a sophomore, I have lots of room for improvement of my GPA which is comforting! I'm actually retaking a class that I got a CD in last semester (physics) and I currently have a B so it's guaranteed to go up as that grade replaces the awful CD (I had a really bad family situation that semester). I'm currently working on getting my hours in for job shadowing, I have about 15 hours done with one optometrist in my hometown who is in her first year out of optometry school and is very successful already. She has already offered to write me a letter of recommendation and to be my mentor. I have also contacted an alum from my school who said I can job shadow with her, so I'm going to go visit her town for a week and stay with a friend and shadow her for as many hours as possible. The third optometrist that I've contacted is one that is overseas with my father and is an optometrist in the military (which I am hoping to pursue as I enlist if everything works out). I am extremely involved in my college and community.

Here's a list of what I've done in college so far as involvement:

Summer before First Year:
-nannied
-A&W (I've worked there since 2010)
-Local Legion bussing
-Park Lane Resorts Cleaning cabins

First Year:
-Dynamix a cappella group
-First Year Forward (Had a mentor)
-Intermural Volleyball
-Special Olympics Bowling Coach
-STLF Spring Break Mission Trip
-Job at Food place on campus
-Sang at 50+ events
-Benedictine Friends (Paired with nun on campus as mentor)
-Art Club
-Biology Club

Summer before Sophomore:
-Studied abroad in Spain for 5 weeks to complete language requirement
-nannied
-A&W
-Camp Counselor at local Prepatory School for Global Leadership Camp

Sophomore Year (Currently):
-Special Olympics Bowling Coach--Coleader
-Optimist Club (similar to NHS in hs)--Coordinator on Board
-Art Club--Executive Board
-Biology Club
-STLF Spring Break Mission Trip
-Stop @ Buzzed on campus job (promote safe drinking habits)
-Set up Crew on campus job
-Plant Science Alliance Club
-Extending the Link (very well known, create documentaries about under spoken social justice issues all over the world then bring those back and act locally by being involved with all relevant subjects to the issues; super intense and competitive to even get it VERY PROUD!!)--Outreach Intern
-Men's Development Institute --Advisory Board (and yes I am female I know yes men's yes grl pwr)
-Sustainability Alliance
-Local Town Table once a month I volunteer (free meals to those in need)

This Summer I will be:
-going to Dominican Republic for a 3 week service trip and hopefully job shadowing an eye doctor there!!!!
-Camp counselor again at the prep school at the Global Leadership Camp

and Next Year:
-I will be studying abroad in Australia for Spring Semester and job shadowing an optometrist there!!


So this all being said,
I know quality over quantity and I should be more focused on my GPA, but I really enjoy everything that I'm in and I'm staying on top of everything very well! I think that I can get my GPA up and I will only have more job shadowing coming in the future. However, I have little actual medical experience besides that. I mean I'm CPR certified and I'm looking to become an EMT or first responder certified. I wanted to get my CNA but I'm never anywhere long enough because I travel so much. The ultimate goal is to be an optometrist in the military or at least one that is successful enough to be traveling the world providing my services to those in need. I am extremely passionate about helping others and traveling, which is why I do all the things that I do.

This honestly has so much information, thank you so much if anyone takes the time to read this. I'm just looking for advice and seeking comfort that my involvement makes up for my GPA and if anyone knows what schools value that more, let me know. I also am going to be purchasing OAT studying materials this summer and will be studying those until I take the test my senior year, because I will be taking a gap year to be in americorps (hopefully).

Thank you!!!!!
Any Advice or comments is strongly appreciated

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[Reececups]

Your current application seems to be filled with many involvements which is good, however it's difficult to accurately judge your projected acceptance without an OAT score. However, a 3.0 is the bare minimum for many schools so it'll barely be enough but your shadowing opportunities are amazing and will make for great content for your essay and interview. Based on what I've learned from admission faculty at numerous schools they look more favorably upon volunteer extracurriculars(homeless shelter, food bank, etc.....) and not those you are paid for, but this all comes secondary to essentially 2 factors: GPA and OAT scores which gets you the interview and the rest material for the interview. This is just my input, but you look like you're still in an ok place but I'd focus more on getting that higher gpa to make your application process much easier for you in the future.

 

[SunA21]

Given that you want to be an optometrist in the military, have you considered the Health professions scholarship program? I agree with Reececups in that GPA/OAT is what gets your foot in the door for interviews. If you can get your GPA to a 3.2 and similar-level OAT (maybe 320+ for every section) AND apply as early as you can in the admissions cycle, I think you'll have no trouble getting interviews and then an acceptance. As for OAT, you don't have to spend a lot on study materials - I borrowed one book from the library and another one on amazon for less than $20, and did just fine.

 

[leighg]

Any advice about gap years?

 

[leighg]

Your current application seems to be filled with many involvements which is good, however it's difficult to accurately judge your projected acceptance without an OAT score. However, a 3.0 is the bare minimum for many schools so it'll barely be enough but your shadowing opportunities are amazing and will make for great content for your essay and interview. Based on what I've learned from admission faculty at numerous schools they look more favorably upon volunteer extracurriculars(homeless shelter, food bank, etc.....) and not those you are paid for, but this all comes secondary to essentially 2 factors: GPA and OAT scores which gets you the interview and the rest material for the interview. This is just my input, but you look like you're still in an ok place but I'd focus more on getting that higher gpa to make your application process much easier for you in the future.

Thank you very much for the reply! It's comforting to hear from someone else that I'm doing okay. I've been struggling a lot with the GPA and my physics classes have really screwed that over. However, I'm determined as ever and eager to improve my GPA.
I'm taking a gap year and recently got a job opportunity at a non-profit in Georgia at an elementary school. I think that this will help out my application being that I'm hoping to specialize in pediatric optometry.
Thanks again!

 

[leighg]

Given that you want to be an optometrist in the military, have you considered the Health professions scholarship program? I agree with Reececups in that GPA/OAT is what gets your foot in the door for interviews. If you can get your GPA to a 3.2 and similar-level OAT (maybe 320+ for every section) AND apply as early as you can in the admissions cycle, I think you'll have no trouble getting interviews and then an acceptance. As for OAT, you don't have to spend a lot on study materials - I borrowed one book from the library and another one on amazon for less than $20, and did just fine.

When you say Health professions scholarship program, which branch do you mean through and when would I need to join? I've contacted the army and navy about doing the scholarships with them, but being a sophomore, it's hard to figure out things this early. I will definitely try for the GPA to be a 3.2 at least, and as for OAT scores, I really think that I will be able to do well on those being that I do really well on standardized tests. I definitely will apply as early as I can in the admissions cycle, but I'm not sure how that timing will work with my gap year. Would you recommend that I take the OAT before, after, or throughout my gap year? And I will look into getting some study materials now so that I can study over the summer.

 

[SunA21]

There are 3 branches you can apply for: Army, Navy, Air Force. For the past few years the Air force hasn't taken applications though. You would apply the same summer you apply for optometry school, and you start by contacting a medical professional recruiter (though it may take a while to find one). You should be able to apply with your gap year just fine (I took a gap year this year). I took my OAT in my senior year of college. You can do that as well, or wait until your gap year, either is fine. You'll be applying during your gap year though, so don't wait too long!

 

[Loptometriste]

I was similar to you in stats and I went to St. Scholastica. Happy to see a fellow Benedictine in optometry!

 

[leighg]

I was similar to you in stats and I went to St. Scholastica. Happy to see a fellow Benedictine in optometry!

That's good to hear! Where do you go to school now?