Desperate For Some Advice!!!

[evelycious]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi guys,

I'm bio undergrad at UCR who recently decided to go into optometry. I honestly didn't know I wanted to be an optometrist until I volunteer at a hospital and realized blood and needles are SO not my thing. I've been working at a private OD office for a few months now and still continuing with the volunteer program I started at the hospital back when I was a freshman just because I like the patient care interaction there(I'm about to be a junior now by Fall 07) I was wondering if I should stop my volunteer work and devote more time into working at other optometry offices? Also, I have a VERY low science GPA...and I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I need some advice. I didn't know how much enjoyed this field until I started working at the optometry office, so now I REALLY want to be an optometrist and is getting horribly concern whether or not this will happen. Is there anyone who has gotten admitted but did not have a GPA both science and overall under 3.0? I'm really worried about not being able to get in. I have not taken the OAT yet, but I have a feeling I'm not going to do PERFECT on that either...so does anyone have some advice for me, possibly more than just the usual "study harder to raise your GPA"?

I'd be grateful for any constructive replies. Thanks!


-Evelyn

 

[asmaka19]

so does anyone have some advice for me, possibly more than just the usual "study harder to raise your GPA"?

-Evelyn

Actually, considering you have two whole years left, that really is the best advice! Also schools look at the trends in your transcript if you have a low GPA but your grades significantly went up in the later part of undergrad that's a plus.

Volunteering, shadowing, and what not is all good-it shows you're really interested and know what optometry is about but it's also important to show that you're capable of going through OD school. Anyway, when it comes to admissions the numbers (GPA and OAT) do hold more weight, and I know for at least some of the some schools (if not all) your pre-req GPA holds more weight than your overall.

 

[362.04]

Hi guys,

I'm bio undergrad at UCR who recently decided to go into optometry. I honestly didn't know I wanted to be an optometrist until I volunteer at a hospital and realized blood and needles are SO not my thing. '...

Dear Evelyn,

Your last year and your OCATs will most likely be the most important. Another critical factor are alumni recommendations from some of your volunteering.

At our office of 4 ODs, we have had 5 student volunteers get accepted to UC Berkeley, SCCO and SCO. All of the ODs each wrote a relevant and focused letter supporting their admission. Each of the 5 have graduated now and are either working part time in our office or full time at one of our colleague's office.

1. Do not despair.
2. Stay focused
3. Have a plan

 

[eyestrain]

Quit at the ODs office, stop volunteering and HIT THE BOOKS.

Also, doesn't this belong in the pre-optometry forum?