Advice -- Pleease Read

[rprasad1]

So...It's almost May and I'm still not getting any definitive answers from Optometry Schools.

Does anyone have any feedback regarding what I would have to do to enhance my application because the new cycle for 2008 applicants is coming around (September'ish time) and if I have to re-apply then the only thing I have to show them is improvement in GPA (with grades from this semester because I'm graduating). I have all my essays well written according to people that revised them, etc. New LOR's maybe?

1) Should I look in to Post Bacc Programs?

2) PCO is my top choice and although they take Apps till June 1st, does anyone know when they stop interviewing? or How much of the class has matriculated?

2) Should I retake the OAT while having a 320AA and 330TS?

3) I am currently signed up to take the ABO Certification Exam May 20th (I haven't been preparing as much as I should be because of schoo, but I may just wait till November, cause I don't wanna take a risk of not passing it)

I dunno...I have two years Lenscrafters experience and have shadowing an Optometrist for a few months now...Don't mean to waste peoples time but I hate this worry feeling because most of my Med School Applicant friends are seeking Post Bacc's, but I don't know if Optometry Applicants follow this track per se...

Experience or Suggestions anyone?

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[cunikki]

did you apply late? is your gpa below a 3.0? if both these answers are no i really dont know how to help you.. did you get interviews and then get rejected? if so it probably has somehting to do with your interview/people skills. if you did apply late apply as early as possible next year.. if you have below a 3.0 take some grad classes and pull it up
your experience sounds fine, as does your oat scores so i really dont think those are the issues

 

[AwesomeSauce]

Maybe quit lenscrafters nad get a job at a private practice?
Nobody likes commerical optometry and the schools might not bee keen on graduating more and more commerical ODs if they can help it.

 

[eyestrain]

Nobody likes commerical optometry and the schools might not bee keen on graduating more and more commerical ODs if they can help it.

From what I can tell, the schools have no problem with graduating more and more commerical docs.

 

[AwesomeSauce]

Oh I think they at least think about it during the admissions process, they cant really control your mode of practice once you graduate of course.

Who dident get a "in what setting do you see yourself practicing" question on your interviews?

of course experiance is important, and lenscrafters experiance is probably better then nothing, I just can't imagine the committee saying "ooh good! lenscrafters!"

This might not be it at all, I've noticed that many accepted students have had lenscrafters or similar commerical experiance.

 

[eyestrain]

Oh I think they at least think about it during the admissions process, they cant really control your mode of practice once you graduate of course.

Who dident get a "in what setting do you see yourself practicing" question on your interviews?

This is true, but I'd guess that almost 100% answered "private practice".

 

[AwesomeSauce]

Back to the origonal point. Yes, post-bac would be an option. That's actually what I did. I wasn't in a post-bac program per se, but I spent the summer and the next school year retaking classes I did poorly in and taking more upper level sciences and I got in. as for retaking the OAT, I don't know, your scores arnt bad, they are certainly scores that people get admitted with. I have been told that if you retake the OAT and the scores go down, its "the kiss of death" So if you do retake, make sure you are very well prepared.

 

[rprasad1]

I'm gonna be honest here, I have heard that the OAT is not an issue for me but my GPA is so atrocious that I'm beginning to consider myself a failure.

I have a 2.66 gpa as of now including my last semester and if i get a 4.0 (projected) it'll hit about a 2.9 or so, if that happens. The PCO admissions counselor said that retaking the OAT should be a last resort type thing but she said not to push the idea away yet. I had some bad experiences with those 4 credit science classes freshman and sophomore year and bad professors, I'm not gonna lie. I should have dropped the classes with a "W" while I could have. But what's done is done and my upper level bio courses are looking promising this semester. I applied in October/November of 2006 took my OAT in January and then everything was closed after that.

The thing is, i'm questioning myself if I have to end up taking 2 years off now, because the schools won't see my post bacc status until it's over and while i'm workin on the pos bacc if I choose to. Simultaneously, people are going to be getting in through the rolling admission.

Am I paranoid or no?

 

[cunikki]

honestly; if you really want to be an optometrist; you need to go get a masters or something. take a year of hard bio classes and get your gpa above a 3.0. lots of schools wont even lookat you if you are below that.... in the end that extra year or two wont make a big difference in your career. if i were you i would probably take some classes over the summer and in the fall and pull my gpa up and try to apply again right after your winter grades come out if you get above a 3.0 cum

 

[AwesomeSauce]

I'm not sure that the master's is the best approach. the classes you will take to get a masters are not nessesarily what the schools want to see. Talk to someone in admissions before making any decisions.