Any post-baccalaureate pre-optometrists

[green velvet]

Hello,
I graduated with a BA in English back in 2003 and am currently taking pre-reqs with the intention of applying to optometry school in fall 2010. Is anyone else here on a similar track? I'll have all of my pre-reqs and OAT taken by the time I apply, but I will not have many upper level science courses like science majors would have. I also took a few of the pre-reqs at a community school at night while working.

Interested in any feedback. Thanks.

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[kkoch]

I got a BA in secondary education in 2005 and taught for a year before coming back to school. Currently I'm finishing pre reqs and also a BS in chemistry. I realize that I don't need the BS in chemistry because I already have a degree, but I started it so I figured I should see it through.

I don't think there are many English majors that have switched to optometry and I think that is kind of cool. It shows that your intrests are wide and varied. I wouldn't worry too much about not having too many upper division science credits as long as you did well in your pre reqs. From what I've hear, the material in most optometry classes isn't exceedingly difficult to grasp, there is just a ton of it. As long as a person can learn to manage their time well and be self disciplined, they should do fine. Since I am still pre-optometry, you should take what I say with a grain of salt because I haven't experienced it yet.

 

[StushOD]

I wouldn't worry too much about not having too many upper division science credits as long as you did well in your pre reqs.

Not true for everyone. I think it depends on what your GPA was when you graduated. Mine was not so hot when I graduated in 2001, so when I had nearly all A's in pre req's the schools wanted me to take more science classes so they would be better at comparing my true academic abilities to other students.

Doing well in additional classes such as Biochemistry, Genetics, A+P 1, A+P 2, Pharmacology, Human Nutrition, Comp Vert Anatomy among others was what they needed to see before I was accepted, not just a near 4.0 GPA in pre reqs.

 

[kkoch]

Not true for everyone. I think it depends on what your GPA was when you graduated. Mine was not so hot when I graduated in 2001, so when I had nearly all A's in pre req's the schools wanted me to take more science classes so they would be better at comparing my true academic abilities to other students.

Doing well in additional classes such as Biochemistry, Genetics, A+P 1, A+P 2, Pharmacology, Human Nutrition, Comp Vert Anatomy among others was what they needed to see before I was accepted, not just a near 4.0 GPA in pre reqs.

I guess you're right. I didn't really think of it like that. Every school is going to have different things that they look at and every applicant is going to have a unique set of circumstances. Perhaps a call to schools that the OP is intrested would be pertinent.

 

[gochi]

Hello,
I graduated with a BA in English back in 2003 and am currently taking pre-reqs with the intention of applying to optometry school in fall 2010. Is anyone else here on a similar track? I'll have all of my pre-reqs and OAT taken by the time I apply, but I will not have many upper level science courses like science majors would have. I also took a few of the pre-reqs at a community school at night while working.

Interested in any feedback. Thanks.

I was just wondering, what made you switch? What's the job market like for students who have a BA in English?

Back on topic now. There are plenty of people who have changed careers etc. I would take all the courses at a community college, to save money etc. However, do expect optometry school to be A LOT more difficult. You will be taking 8 upper level(somewhat equivalent to undergrad according to class descriptions on the respective schools website) including labs. Personally, I do not know how undergrad is supposed to prepare you for such a rigorous schedule.

 

[green velvet]

I was working in HR before deciding to pursue a medical field. I just wasn't happy in my field and knew that an English degree did not yield too many opportunities. I thought about publishing/editing the but the pay is just woeful.

I took a few courses at a community college to get my feet wet, but now I took a leave of absence from work so I could take a few courseload at a 4 year school. Figured that'd look better than having all of my pre-reqs from a community college. My science GPA is currently a 4.0, but that's considering 6 courses (including some from a community college). My overall GPA is about a 3.4. So who knows...

StushOD, can I ask what school you applied to that requested additional courses?

 

[QueenieCSS]

I am also a post-bac. I graduated from a private university with a gpa of about 3.35 and took all of my pre-reqs at a 4 year state school and did pretty well in them. I was an archaeology major so the only upper level science classes I have are my pre-requisites.

Like others said it does depends on the school, but of the schools I applied to I got interviews at all of them and it didn't seem to bother them that I didn't have the traditional science background. I did a lot of shadowing and I would strongly recommend that to you. Not only does it reafirm that you are making the right decision switching career paths, but it also gives you a lot to talk about during interviews and write about in your essays.

I would also suggest if you have the time to try to find a job at an optometry office. It really exposes you to the field plus you get a great optometrist recommendation! I have learned a lot in the past year working in my job and I actually enjoy what I am doing. It has been tough with trying to take all the science classes and working but I think it has really helped me with my time management skills. This way when I start optometry school next year I may have more classes but I won't be working and I will be better at budgeting my time.

Good luck! It is nice to have some other people around who aren't strictly science majors

 

[StushOD]

My science GPA is currently a 4.0, but that's considering 6 courses (including some from a community college). My overall GPA is about a 3.4. So who knows...

StushOD, can I ask what school you applied to that requested additional courses?

Actually all of the schools did..... BUT that was due to my low GPA from 2001 and earlier. We have much different situations, so I wouldnt stress too much about taking a couple semesters of upper level sciences. If your overall is 3.4, you should be fine if you get mostly A's in your pre-req's.

Good luck to you!

 

[asonjay]

I feel like it was to my advantage not being a traditional student. I graduated magna cum laude from UCSD in International Studies, with my major focusing on...Italian literature and Linguistics I've been teaching English to international students for the last 3 years. Love it, still do, but I realized a year into it that I needed a comparable career that actually paid.

I took ALL of my pre-req classes at the community college level, which was no problem at all for SCCO. SUNY was a little more snobbish about where I was taking my classes and didn't even respond to a couple emails I sent them. The key for us non-science people is the OAT. Especially if you take classes at the community college "level." I did better than I could've ever hoped for on the OAT and that's when things opened up from all the schools I had been in touch with. I took practically just the bare minimum pre-reqs for SCCO and got in! The post-bac teaching and life experience benefited me greatly in terms of being able to tell them why I had chosen this career change and helped me project confidence during the interview. It's not all about the science. They love to see people who are well-balanced and who they believe will thrive in the people side of the profession.

Good luck dude.

 

[green velvet]

I feel like it was to my advantage not being a traditional student. I graduated magna cum laude from UCSD in International Studies, with my major focusing on...Italian literature and Linguistics I've been teaching English to international students for the last 3 years. Love it, still do, but I realized a year into it that I needed a comparable career that actually paid.

I took ALL of my pre-req classes at the community college level, which was no problem at all for SCCO. SUNY was a little more snobbish about where I was taking my classes and didn't even respond to a couple emails I sent them. The key for us non-science people is the OAT. Especially if you take classes at the community college "level." I did better than I could've ever hoped for on the OAT and that's when things opened up from all the schools I had been in touch with. I took practically just the bare minimum pre-reqs for SCCO and got in! The post-bac teaching and life experience benefited me greatly in terms of being able to tell them why I had chosen this career change and helped me project confidence during the interview. It's not all about the science. They love to see people who are well-balanced and who they believe will thrive in the people side of the profession.

Good luck dude.

Thanks for this post; it really comforts me to hear your story. I've also worked part-time over the last 3 years as a tutor for high school students. Not exactly being a teacher, but similar.

I have to start studying for OAT now. Did you feel that the community courses prepared you well enough for the OAT? How did you prepare for the OAT?

 

[thanotoriousfob]

Thanks for this post; it really comforts me to hear your story. I've also worked part-time over the last 3 years as a tutor for high school students. Not exactly being a teacher, but similar.

I have to start studying for OAT now. Did you feel that the community courses prepared you well enough for the OAT? How did you prepare for the OAT?

Hey greenvelvet,

I think a good way to study for the OAT is with a mix of study materials. Personally I thought the Kaplan DAT book (the thick one found at any book store) was a good start. If you have any textbooks for the related topics that would also be great. For me, I began by going over the Kaplan DAT and at times would refer to my text books on topics I felt were not covered well enough in the Kaplan book. Once I finished the Kaplan DAT book, I used OAT destroyer (highly recommended). the destroyer has very challenging questions, all multiple choice, but it is great because they give you reasons for why the answer is right and why the wrong answers are wrong. It's a bit pricey but worth it imo.

I then followed up with the OAT Kaplan tests (the thin purple book) and did the practice exams. These are a bit more challenging then the OAT but good practice. I will say however that the physics on the kaplan practice exams are way more in depth than the real OAT so don't get discouraged if you don't get the scores you wanted. And finally I finished preparing by taking the opted exam. It is the most realistic exam you'll find in terms of difficulty to the OAT.

I would not recommend taking the Kaplan courses. Very expensive and does not really help. I've had friends take it for the OAT and DAT and both said it did not prepare them as adequately as they hoped.

Good luck to you.

 

[asonjay]

The fact that I was in the middle of taking the courses that are tested on the OAT helped me not have to study as much. The stuff was fresh in my mind having spent the last two years taking the pre-reqs. So, I bought the thin, purple Kaplan OAT book for like 30 bucks and that was it! I studied on weekends for a month leading up to the test. I also took the Opted one available online and agree that it is closest in degree of difficulty to the real thing. The Kaplan material is harder than what I saw, but was really helpful in showing me how to work fast and effectively.

If you have time to do more studying with more materials, I say go for it. Definitely better to be overprepared than the alternative. The OAT was so important to my application and validated my having taken the courses at community college.