Applying at age 55 to Optometry Shool

[evan98gt]

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To make a long story short I completed all the coursework and OAT back in 1990! My gpa for science courses is 3.571. OAT scores were:

AA 330, QR 310, RC 350, Physics 310, Biology 360, Gen. Chem 360,
Organic 300 & TS 340.

Did not attend Optometry school because I thought had a great career and pay. After numerous mergers & layoffs I now doubt I made the right decision. I was accepted by UAB & SE Univ. of the Health Sciences.

Would any school accept 20 year old grades & OAT scores or would it mean starting over again? Any other health careers where I could use all this education?

I tend to agree it is not possible to redo all of the prereq coursework due to my age. The increase in tuition since
1990 is mind boggling! At UAB I was accepted as in state thru the SREEB and tuition was then $2,400- per year.
It was a very difficult decision as to whether to forego what seemed to be a promising career at the time to spend another 4 years in school and how to pay. Also had negative feed back from several graduates who were unhappy working at vision centers such as Eye Med, Wal Mart etc. Pursue professional school in your 20's, it will be an easier decision to make.

 

[avatarftw]

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[danielallen2008]

I know for a fact that you would have to retake your OAT as most if not all schools require that your OAT scores are not more that 2 years old. As for your grades, it might behove you to take your prereq's over for 2 reasons 1) they will help you to prepare for your oat and 2) once you do get accepted your study skills will be up to par for professional school (20 years away from school is a LONG time needless to say)

 

[lkg2837]

OAT scores need to be current, as do pre-requisite courses for some, if not at all, optometry schools (as in within last 10 yrs or so?)... so you would probably have to re-do all that.

Good luck!

 

[Commando303]

I don't know I have much to add to what's been said. Admissions committees are composed of human beings, and if you explain your situation, they might be lenient about your coursework, though I think you'll surely have to re-take the O.A.T.

You didn't ask, so I won't advise to whether you "should" do this. If you decide to, good luck; if you don't, so be it.

 

[GDR]

I'm surprised there isn't more compassion among future health care providers about a non-traditional student making a life changing decision. I think it's phenomenal to start doing what you want after so much time in an otherwise successful career. Maybe you wont be able to practice for sixty years, but even as little as twenty years of work could be more meaningful now that you know what you want to do.

An admissions committee will be the best barometer for the feasibility of your career change. If you get accepted, then anyone telling you it isn't worth it doesn't know what they're talking about.

 

[Optogal]

The OAT even exited in its present form 20 years ago?

I don't think your prereqs are invalid (although I can't confirm I've ever seen literature one way or another about it).

If they do accept your prereqs, and you get accepted, then I don't see why you can't do it. Afterall, you may never in your lifetime pay back your debt, but at the same time, you may not have to....

 

[lkg2837]

As I said, I'm not sure for how many/which schools this may be true, but here is a quote from OSU Optometry's website:

"Ten Year Rule Due to continuous advances in the scientific field, the Admissions Committee requires applicants to demonstrate recent competence in science prerequisites. This is automatically demonstrated if all science prerequisites have been satisfactorily completed within ten calendar years immediately preceding the year of application. If any science prerequisites are older than ten years, the applicant must either repeat course work in that specific area or submit convincing evidence of current mastery in the appropriate science to the Admissions Committee."


So be sure to double check with each school you're considering. Good luck!

 

[CaptainSSO]

You'd be a fool to apply. What are you thinking?

Yea man, **** following your dreams. That's for idiots and posers.

 

[opwe]

Go for it! I'm 50 and I'm in the optometry application fun now. Some of the comments in this thread are simply self-centered. (Probably the kind of people I would not want as my healthcare professional.) I have four friends all over 50; three are in med school and the other in dental school. They were all like me. Retired from 20 years in the military; worked in the aerospace sector for about 10 years; wanted to do more than budgets; invested all their savings; enjoying every minute of what they're doing now.

It's not about your age, but what experiences you are bringing to the table. 12 years ago I seriously looked into optometry at age 38. I visited 5 schools and each said that although I had a GPA well above the average applicant, they thought my age would be a factor. This has all changed for the better. Now, ad coms at the schools realize that students that are 40+ are bringing much more than good grades and test scores. Career-changers bring life skills, maturity, professionalism, and real-world leadership experiences.

They also realize that you're giving up a lot to make this happen. This isn't about going back to school to get your MBA or something. This is a life commitment to service. The commitment and service above self components sometimes get lost in these blog-type sites. Just look at some of the comments in this thread.

The decision is yours. But, if you really want it, just do it.

 

[QueenieCSS]

It's a little late to start following your dreams...

It's never too late to start following your dreams. I knew a girl in her 40's that was a lawyer for years and hated it and is now in dental school. We have a few older people at our school and they seem to enjoy it.

Ultimately it is up to you to weigh the advantages and disadvantages (cost, time, reward, experience), but if you are interested in pursing it I say go for it. Don't let anyone else convince you that you can't do it.

Good luck!

 

[avatarftw]

a

 

[physicslover]

The way I see it, there is no harm in applying. Everyone makes sacrifices for things that they believe in and if you believe that pursuing optometry at your age will outweigh the costs, then I think you should go for it. And I think it's up to the optometry schools to decide whether you are too old or not..

 

[CaptainSSO]

It's a little late to start following your dreams...

Not possible to be too old to start following your dreams IMO.

 

[KHE]

You need to check with the schools you are interested in but it is highly UNlikely that any school will accept 20 year old pre requisites and OAT scores.

Also if you have not done so already, this is the kind of thing you need to really sit down and talk with a financial planner about. If everything goes as well as it possibly can, you would almost certainly be 55 before you graduate. If you are independently wealthy, then do whatever you want. If you are not, then you need to tread lightly because the amount of time and money you would sink into this endeavor will be huge. From a purely financial standpoint, does it make sense for you and your family?

Secondly, if you have not I would also suggest you speak to either a career counsellor, a psychologist, or both. Often times, people making second career decisions are searching for some type of fulfillment. You need to be crystal clear on not only what it is you're looking for, but that optometry will in fact provide you with it. Sometimes the void you're trying to fill is not quite so obvious to you or it's not really what you think it is. You may come to find that there are other viable career options that will require less of a time and money commitment than what you're considering doing which will give you the same sense of fulfillment.

To make a long story short I completed all the coursework and OAT back in 1990! My gpa for science courses is 3.571. OAT scores were:

AA 330, QR 310, RC 350, Physics 310, Biology 360, Gen. Chem 360,
Organic 300 & TS 340.

Did not attend Optometry school because I thought had a great career and pay. After numerous mergers & layoffs I now doubt I made the right decision. I was accepted by UAB & SE Univ. of the Health Sciences.

Would any school accept 20 year old grades & OAT scores or would it mean starting over again? Any other health careers where I could use all this education?

I tend to agree it is not possible to redo all of the prereq coursework due to my age. The increase in tuition since
1990 is mind boggling! At UAB I was accepted as in state thru the SREEB and tuition was then $2,400- per year.
It was a very difficult decision as to whether to forego what seemed to be a promising career at the time to spend another 4 years in school and how to pay. Also had negative feed back from several graduates who were unhappy working at vision centers such as Eye Med, Wal Mart etc. Pursue professional school in your 20's, it will be an easier decision to make.

 

[CaptainSSO]

I think you forget we live in reality and not make-believe. I'd love to travel to the moon some day. But I've accepted that's not going to happen.

I think sentiments like this are usually the result of people trying to make themselves feel better because they themselves never went after what they wanted.

Some people do actually go to the moon -- maybe if you had bigger balls you would have tried to do it.

Of course this guy might not make it, he might fail -- that's part of ****ing life. But the only "foolish" decision would be to resign himself to complacency and not try.

 

[avatarftw]

a

 

[Commando303]

The original poster hasn't even commented since his question. Maybe he doesn't care for all the "advice" being offered.

 

[CaptainSSO]

That's pretty big talk from a 'pre-med' student. Maybe when you join the league of us in professional school you'll realize what I'm talking about (assuming you even get in). Man, if I had a dime for every 'pre-med' student in this country, I'd have my loans paid off in no time. Secondly, your government has cut pretty much all funding for sending a man to the moon. And I'm from a country where we put our money towards things like health care and social programs. So, no matter how big 'my dream of going to the moon' is, reality dictates its not going to happen. Go back to your communications classes where you belong and please don't make such childish comments here in the Optometry threads.

Yea you're right--I shouldn't be wasting my time talking to pessimistic losers in optometry school. I'll get back to my research, science courses, and 4.0 gpa.

 

[achirum]

Yea you're right--I shouldn't be wasting my time talking to pessimistic losers in optometry school. I'll get back to my research, science courses, and 4.0 gpa.

Don't flatter yourself. 4.0, research, science courses.... nearly a dime a dozen nowadays.

 

[Phys]

After all that friendly banter, here is some optimism!

The average age of acceptance to Pacific College of Optometry is 24 and the age ranges from 20 - 54.
http://www.pacificu.edu/optometry/admissions/program.cfm

Of course, I don't know what experience this person had, but this proves that there is at least a chance. If the original poster is willing to overcome some inevitable prejudices and the hefty application fees, there's no harm in trying.

 

[Commando303]

After all that friendly banter, here is some optimism!

The average age of acceptance to Pacific College of Optometry is 24 and the age ranges from 20 - 54.
http://www.pacificu.edu/optometry/admissions/program.cfm

Of course, I don't know what experience this person had, but this proves that there is at least a chance. If the original poster is willing to overcome some inevitable prejudices and the hefty application fees, there's no harm in trying.

How is this supposed to be encouraging? All it reveals is that someone as old as fifty-four has been accepted. The fact seems meaningless, to me.

 

[GDR]

How is this supposed to be encouraging. All it reveals is that someone as old as fifty-four has been accepted. The fact seems meaningless, to me.

With so many bright students on here, I'm amazed at the lack of critical thinking involved with such clear statements. Clearly the fact that someone who is 54 has been accepted as a non-traditional student, and this whole post is about being 55 and giving it a go. I can see no other more clear connection between the above post and the topic.

As for criticism of non-traditional students, the statistic reads for itself: if optometry schools are willing to accept someone into their fifties, it seems relevant that this school found the non-traditional student to bring some merit to their program and sees no qualms with the prospect of the future career of that student.

Further, it is also clear that someone who has had a remotely successful career in business would be able to do some math and calculate the opportunity cost of pursuing a health degree at 55 than staying the course. That opportunity cost includes more than brute cash is relevant only to those posters who are not set on ageism.

 

[Commando303]

With so many bright students on here, I'm amazed at the lack of critical thinking involved with such clear statements. Clearly the fact that someone who is 54 has been accepted as a non-traditional student, and this whole post is about being 55 and giving it a go. I can see no other more clear connection between the above post and the topic.

As for criticism of non-traditional students, the statistic reads for itself: if optometry schools are willing to accept someone into their fifties, it seems relevant that this school found the non-traditional student to bring some merit to their program and sees no qualms with the prospect of the future career of that student.

Further, it is also clear that someone who has had a remotely successful career in business would be able to do some math and calculate the opportunity cost of pursuing a health degree at 55 than staying the course. That opportunity cost includes more than brute cash is relevant only to those posters who are not set on ageism.

No one's suggested an older applicant would be less likely to be accepted into an O.D. program than a younger one simply because of his or her age; the question of whether ageism is part of the admissions process has not been raised in this thread. So, who cares if someone of a certain age was accepted? It's irrelevant to the original poster's concerns. "Critical thinking" — .

 

[74ponderosa]

evan98gt,

you've gotten some stupid remarks here, unfortunately...if OD schools could eliminate people like them we'd all be better off.

i'm a non-trad starting this fall. i'm 35. i had pre-reqs 17 yrs old that were accepted. i went to a top 10 undergrad, which i'm not really sure how much that helped. i also did very well on oat, which you will certainly have to retake. i think the statute of limitations on that is just a few years.

bottom line is, call the schools, talk to the admin folks see what THEY say. some of the people here are just immature, i am embarrassed to be future colleagues with them.

its your choice to decide whether or not you can afford it and if that is important to you. if you want to do it, its never too late. one thing that attracted me to optometry is that there are alot of OD's in the field who stay on into their 70's because they enjoy it that much. we are fortunate that we are in a profession that we can do that. not one that shows you the door at 65.

if you want to do it. the do it. you are never too old! some of these people may have book smart, but they have no life experience and really, as i'm sure you acertained, really dont know what the hell they are talking about.

pm me if you have any questions.

 

[74ponderosa]

Go for it! I'm 50 and I'm in the optometry application fun now. Some of the comments in this thread are simply self-centered. (Probably the kind of people I would not want as my healthcare professional.) I have four friends all over 50; three are in med school and the other in dental school. They were all like me. Retired from 20 years in the military; worked in the aerospace sector for about 10 years; wanted to do more than budgets; invested all their savings; enjoying every minute of what they're doing now.

It's not about your age, but what experiences you are bringing to the table. 12 years ago I seriously looked into optometry at age 38. I visited 5 schools and each said that although I had a GPA well above the average applicant, they thought my age would be a factor. This has all changed for the better. Now, ad coms at the schools realize that students that are 40+ are bringing much more than good grades and test scores. Career-changers bring life skills, maturity, professionalism, and real-world leadership experiences.

They also realize that you're giving up a lot to make this happen. This isn't about going back to school to get your MBA or something. This is a life commitment to service. The commitment and service above self components sometimes get lost in these blog-type sites. Just look at some of the comments in this thread.

The decision is yours. But, if you really want it, just do it.

amen!

 

[avatarftw]

a

 

[74ponderosa]

"if you want to do it. the do it. you are never too old!"

Well, what if you are 90 years old and in poor health? Does it make sense to apply to a four year professional school?

I don't think that they are "stupid remarks", just trying to offer some realism into the discussion. Some people are just so idealistic and think that anything is possible. They believe, amongst other things, that we can just throw money at economic crisis without inflation setting in.

Personally, I offered the disclaimer that if the original poster had the financial means to undergo optometry school, it might be fulfilling for him. However, if one does not have millions saved and has children to support (while maintaining a relatively high-paying job), it *may* not be feasible.

Since you are 35, if both you and the OP retired at the same age, you would have had 20 more years of earning power. That's a big difference.

you are thinking about this too abstractly. the original post asks for no opinion about whether or not we think it is a good idea financially. that's obviously at the poster's discretion. the original question is about whether or not the scores and pre-reqs would be accepted. its not a matter of idealism vs. realism. its not a matter of economics. thats not what was originally asked. its a matter of whether or not it is possible. you are just spouting off what you think is good for that person, not responding to what the poster is really asking.

and your rhetorical about going back to school at 90 is ridiculous. don't be a jerk.

 

[Absolute Vision]

It really is up to you if you want to pursue a career in optometry. Like some of the posters above, do your homework and find out if it's really for you. If it is, then by all means do it. I'm 38 and switched from a teaching career to optometry because it suits my personality and lifestyle. If you do decide to take the leap, and get accepted, it's going to be a challenging road. IMO, after working for such a long time, it's really difficult to be a student...sitting in class for long hours, and not getting paid. It's also difficult if you have a family and kids. You're going to have to manage your time well and make some sacrifices along the way. For instance, there are times when I have to study for a midterm on Monday, and I have to postpone taking my kids out during the weekend. But in the end, I know it will be worth it. All I can say is do what's best for you.

 

[Commando303]

So, yeah, I really don't think the original poster gives a further damn about this thread — he's been absent from it since his initial post (I mention this because people still seem to be replying to his particular case).

 

[avatarftw]

...

 

[NewJersey555]

It really is up to you if you want to pursue a career in optometry. Like some of the posters above, do your homework and find out if it's really for you. If it is, then by all means do it. I'm 38 and switched from a teaching career to optometry because it suits my personality and lifestyle. If you do decide to take the leap, and get accepted, it's going to be a challenging road. IMO, after working for such a long time, it's really difficult to be a student...sitting in class for long hours, and not getting paid. It's also difficult if you have a family and kids. You're going to have to manage your time well and make some sacrifices along the way. For instance, there are times when I have to study for a midterm on Monday, and I have to postpone taking my kids out during the weekend. But in the end, I know it will be worth it. All I can say is do what's best for you.

Hi - I don't know if you will ready this post, but I am 38 now trying to go back to make a career change. I am going back to take my prerequisite courses before I apply to the school. It seems from your above post, you were in the same situation as me with family and kids. I just want to know if this is something that is possible and whether the optometry school will hold my age against me. Did you finish the school? Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you.