Hey everyone, I'm completely new to optometry. Im a junior pre med student but recently Ive become really interested in optometry. I have a great optometrist and started talking to him about this. Anyways I was wonder if somebody could tell me a little about admissions? I don't much about being pre-optometry. What kind of gpa's get you accepted places? What can you do with a 3.0 gpa? Is the OAT similar to the MCAT and how is it used in admissions? Do optometry schools do grade replacements like osteopathic medical schools do? How much emphasis are put on soft experience like volunteer work? And any other info you want to include would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Just like everyone said there are many questions that can be answered just by using the search function or be brave and go through all the old posts.
Optometry school is rolling admissions, the earlier you apply the better your chances. This year is the first year for the optomCAS, a centralized application system which is very similar to the AADSAS for dentistry. This is easier because you can send in all your paperwork (essays, curriculum vitale, LOR, experiences, GPA, transcripts, OAT scores, etc) to one place and they will distribute that information to the schools you applied to. I think the application process starts earlier this year (mid-July).
It is important to apply early, and score as high as possible on your OAT's. AVG score is around a 300 but to be competitive you should aim for a 330/340. If you have a 3.0 I would try for a higher score.
Experience is important but essentially shadowing experience is the most vital. Try shadowing various optometrists in different settings, that way you are exposed to how optometry ranges in different modes of practice. From my experience many questions in the interview are based on what I learned through shadowing. Be aware that some schools have a requirement for a set number of shadowing hours.
Letters of recommendations are important too. You would have to consult with the school to see who they want writing your LOR and how many are needed. Try to get those out of the way as early as possible because sometimes the person writing your letters can be/get busy which might make the process slow and frustrating.
Grade Replacements vary from school to school, you would have to check with the schools you are applying to.
A 3.0 GPA is at the lower end but is certainly doable if you are a well rounded individual who applies early! I think the avg GPA for opt school is ~3.4.
Hope I answered some of your questions. Good luck and watch out for the soup nazi!
