Anyone got accepted before taking OAT?

[Jacey]

Hi all!

I have applied to PCO. I have submitted everything except the OAT. (nontraditional student with a solid GPA, 3 ROLs, nursing experience in the military, 30+ shadowing hours).

The application was verified on 12/05/2020, and I got the invitation email today to choose the interview date.
The available date for the interview is 12/18/2020 and the next year.
I have been studying for OAT which I will be taking on 12/30/2020. So, I want to spend my time on studying than preparing for the interview.

However, I was wondering if people get accepted without taking the OATs. If so, I could risk myself preparing for the interview in December than studying the OATs because I can reschedule OAT later (if I get a provisional acceptance)

I read a few threads and found someone who had similar to my situation. That person did not hear the result of the interview because the admission was waiting for him to take his OAT.

I am leaning toward taking OAT then, worrying about the interview later. But I want to know for the chance that I might not need to take the OAT.
What would you do if you were in my situation?

Thank you for your advice in advance!

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[FutureOptometrist01]

Hi! Congrats on applying. It is such an exciting time! It sounds like you have a lot going for you in your application. I do believe that you need to take the OAT first in order to be accepted, besides IUSO this year, since they have decided to make the OAT optional. You can get interviewed before you take the OAT, but I haven't heard of anyone actually being admitted into a program without an OAT score. Anyone - feel free to correct me if I am wrong! Definitely plan a date for your OAT and give yourself enough time to prepare for it, but you can interview without an OAT score. They will just wait until you have one to accept you!

 

[Jacey]

Hi! Congrats on applying. It is such an exciting time! It sounds like you have a lot going for you in your application. I do believe that you need to take the OAT first in order to be accepted, besides IUSO this year, since they have decided to make the OAT optional. You can get interviewed before you take the OAT, but I haven't heard of anyone actually being admitted into a program without an OAT score. Anyone - feel free to correct me if I am wrong! Definitely plan a date for your OAT and give yourself enough time to prepare for it, but you can interview without an OAT score. They will just wait until you have one to accept you!

Hi! Thanks for your response
I saw your threads somewhere and CONGRATS on your new chapter for class 2025! You have come along way.
You had interviewed with PCO right? Could you share your interview experience with PCO? How did you prepare your interview?

 

[FutureOptometrist01]

Thank you! I am really excited and looking forward to the future. I did interview with PCO. My interview experience was unlike the other interviews I had at other schools. The other two schools I interviewed with made each of the interviews into full interview days, including tours, meeting with the dean, etc. With PCO, I just got on the virtual meeting link, and the interview started right away. It only lasted about 15 minutes if I remember correctly! I would recommend being prepared with not only strengths and weaknesses and things you could bring to the program, but brush up on your optometric knowledge as well. That is how I best prepared, and it served me well!

 

[Jacey]

Thanks for sharing! A 15 min-long-interview sounds really nice. Unfortunately, I don't have the guts to get interviewed next Monday, which is the only available date for December. I probably gonna schedule for January.

 

[FutureOptometrist01]

If it makes you feel better, the interviewer did a great job of making the interview conversational and just really wanted to get to know me as a person

 

[clopto]

Hi all!

I have applied to PCO. I have submitted everything except the OAT. (nontraditional student with a solid GPA, 3 ROLs, nursing experience in the military, 30+ shadowing hours).

The application was verified on 12/05/2020, and I got the invitation email today to choose the interview date.
The available date for the interview is 12/18/2020 and the next year.
I have been studying for OAT which I will be taking on 12/30/2020. So, I want to spend my time on studying than preparing for the interview.

However, I was wondering if people get accepted without taking the OATs. If so, I could risk myself preparing for the interview in December than studying the OATs because I can reschedule OAT later (if I get a provisional acceptance)

I read a few threads and found someone who had similar to my situation. That person did not hear the result of the interview because the admission was waiting for him to take his OAT.

I am leaning toward taking OAT then, worrying about the interview later. But I want to know for the chance that I might not need to take the OAT.
What would you do if you were in my situation?

Thank you for your advice in advance!

Hi! I was accepted into PCO before taking the OAT! I received my acceptance at the beginning of October after interviewing in late September and didn't take the OAT until October 21. My acceptance was provisional assuming I would send them my OAT scores upon receiving them, but that was the only condition to my acceptance. This means I couldn't have simply canceled my OAT upon being accepted -- I was still required to take it. But it did take some weight off my shoulders going into the exam knowing I already had an acceptance!

If you have any questions about my experience, let me know! Good luck with everything!

 

[Jacey]

Hi! I was accepted into PCO before taking the OAT! I received my acceptance at the beginning of October after interviewing in late September and didn't take the OAT until October 21. My acceptance was provisional assuming I would send them my OAT scores upon receiving them, but that was the only condition to my acceptance. This means I couldn't have simply canceled my OAT upon being accepted -- I was still required to take it. But it did take some weight off my shoulders going into the exam knowing I already had an acceptance!

If you have any questions about my experience, let me know! Good luck with everything!

HAPPY NEW YAR! Thanks for sharing and congrats on your acceptance! I finally took the OAT last week and It went well.
If you wouldn't mind, can you share your interview experience with PCO? How did you prepare for your interview?