advice needed!! PLEASE help!! am i a competitive candidate?

[angeleyes86]

so heres the deal.. i've been dreaming of going to optometry school forever but my gpa sucks right now...barely a 2.5 i've had to repeat some of my pre-reqs too...

BUT...
im heavily involved in extracurriculars:

VP of Unite for Sight club
Optometric Assistant for 10 months (job shadowing, already got req. letter!)
Magis Scholar
Psyc Internship (volunteering work)
and involved in 2 other clubs

I haven't taken my OAT yet though..im going to be a junior so i'm planning on taking it next summer..is that a good plan? i REALLY wan't to go to either SUNY opt, NECO or Nova Southeastern... what do you think my chances are of getting into those schools..and others??

please help me with any advice!!! it would really mean a lot!!

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[eyestrain]

You better get your GPA up. If you're going to be a junior, you have two years to work on it.

 

[Oogilily]

Take more science classes and study really hard for them! You do need to get your GPA up. A 2.5 isn't very competitive.

 

[asmaka19]

Ditto

You have 2 years-aim to keep your gpa at least a 3.5 from now on so you have atleast a 3.0 by the time you graduate-do what you have to do but prioritize your GPA (even if it means cutting back on those extracurrics)

With a 2.5 you're really not competitive anywhere and with anything under a 3.0 it's really difficult although I've heard of people getting in with 2.9ish scores.

 

[angeleyes86]

thanks for the replies! if i apply to schools during my senior year...will the schools base my acceptance on what my GPA is at that moment?

i want to hopefully get my GPA to a 3.0 by the END of my senior year..so when do you think i should start applying??

 

[4Eyes]

I agree with the previous comments. The extracurriculars are great, but you may need to cut back on some to get in some extra study time. Not only do you want around 3.0, but an upward trend will look good. Good grades in more science classes will demonstrate that you can handle the course material in optometry school.

When you apply, IMO, depends on where your GPA is by the end of your junior year. I don't know how much your GPA can go up since I don't know how many credit hours you have under your belt.

Many schools have formulas (based on GPA and OAT) to determine whether or not you get an interview. People who don't meet the formula requirements may occasionally get an interview, but it might be a good idea to contact the schools you're interested in and see if they'll tell you what their requirements for an interview are. If you meet the requirements (or you're very close and you think your extracurrics will help), apply as early as possible! If you don't meet the requirements, but you think you will by the end of the fall semester, maybe wait until then.

If you don't think it's possible to get that GPA high enough when most people are applying (fall/winter), develop a sort of relationship with someone in admissions...ask lots of questions, get a dialog going, make sure they understand your situation, the fact that your GPA is on the rise, and that you're very dedicated to becoming an optometrist. That may help get their attention if they don't take notice just glancing at your application/stats.

That's what I think...other posters feel free to correct me if I'm off on this.

Get those grades up, rock the OAT, and you can still be a competitive candidate. Good luck!

 

[asmaka19]

thanks for the replies! if i apply to schools during my senior year...will the schools base my acceptance on what my GPA is at that moment?

i want to hopefully get my GPA to a 3.0 by the END of my senior year..so when do you think i should start applying??

From what I understand-and maybe the rest of you know more-if you're borderline as you are, acceptance will be based on your final grades but if you apply with such low current stats (as you still will have by the end of your junior/beginning of senior) if you get an interview it's going to be a late one.

Plus, if you haven't been doing great in your pre-reqs chances are the OAT is not going to be a breeze for you.

My suggestion is-and it's totally up to you- you should wait until you graduate to apply, especially if your junior year doesn't go great. With that year off in between you can get a job in the field or consider doing a 1-year post-bac/masters (that's what I did). Working on the applications your senior year is really going to take you away from schoolwork which is something you don't need.

It's true that you'll be delaying your entrance a whole year but you're also going to be much more relaxed and confident about the application cycle, you will be doing something to increase your chances, and you're buying yourself more time to prepare for the OAT. It's worth considering!