Applying early, good or bad?

[Chad8501]

Hi all,

I am curious as to whether or not a school will look at a previous rejection badly or not. I am still a year and a half from my bachelors degree, but by the end of next year I can have my pre-reqs done for Western University. So, my question is, should I apply early, this upcoming June, with two courses left to take? There is an " in progress" option on Westerns application. It still leaves me well away from my Bachelors, but it puts me matriculating a year earlier than I had planned. I really like Western, so I do not want to apply early and get rejected, and them look badly upon that when I do graduate with my Bachelors and go to apply again. Any tips would be great! Thanks!

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[EyeCaptain]

It is pretty common to apply to schools before completing undergrad. You just have to tell them when you will be taking your classes so that you will graduate before matriculation into Optometry school. If Western is the school you want to attend, I would definitely apply.

 

[kleronomia]

Hi Chad8501,

There is no con to applying early! Applying early shows interest and also presents less competition because the pool of applicants is smaller when the cycle first begins. You will have an opportunity to submit an academic update in the winter, so you can show schools your grades from the fall term.

I submitted my OptomCAS app within the first two weeks of it opening, and I was at Western's first interview day, and was accepted, despite a less impressive GPA (but good app, otherwise, in my opinion). Competition for slots for interviews and the class will obviously get tighter later in the cycle when schools can be pickier with applicants to select from and fewer spots to offer.

 

[steviey2493]

Apply early!! I know most schools pretty much will still accept you early and hold that acceptance as long as you C or better in those pre reqs you haven't done yet! Obviously assuming your OAT, GPA, and the rest is on point! Good luck!