Do I have a chance this cycle?

[Clovers]

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Hi everyone,

Any suggestions for me would be greatly appreciated.

I graduated from a pretty well know unversity with a cGPA 2.92 GPA in 2005. My sciences is probably lower. Here are my blemishes:

Plant Bio C-
Animal Bio C-
Genetics F, F, C+
OChem II F, C
Biochem D+
Systemic Physio D+

All of my other sciences are around B, B-, B+

After I graduated I worked and was also taking science classes. The past semester I took Anatomy and Physiology I & II, OChem II (repeat for the C I got), and Biological Psychology and earned all A's in those courses. Hopefully that'll help my GPA a bit. I haven't taken my OAT yet. I am planning to take it at the end of the September. I am also looking in volunteering at an optometrist's office soon. Over the past year I did a few volunteering work...mostly did breakfast distribuation for the homeless. With that GPA, what are my chances assuming that my OATs are around 300-320? Realistically, what schools should I be looking into more than others? Should I forget about this cycle and try next cycle?

Thanks!

 

[94GTStang]

Don't know about what schools to apply to, but I say go for it. You really have nothing to loose. If you don't get in the first round, then it will looks better that you reapplied. Shows that you are dedicated and know that optometry is the profession for you.

 

[iiiimonica]

Hi everyone,

Any suggestions for me would be greatly appreciated.

I graduated from a pretty well know unversity with a cGPA 2.92 GPA in 2005. My sciences is probably lower. Here are my blemishes:

Plant Bio C-
Animal Bio C-
Genetics F, F, C+
OChem II F, C
Biochem D+
Systemic Physio D+

All of my other sciences are around B, B-, B+

After I graduated I worked and was also taking science classes. The past semester I took Anatomy and Physiology I & II, OChem II (repeat for the C I got), and Biological Psychology and earned all A's in those courses. Hopefully that'll help my GPA a bit. I haven't taken my OAT yet. I am planning to take it at the end of the September. I am also looking in volunteering at an optometrist's office soon. Over the past year I did a few volunteering work...mostly did breakfast distribuation for the homeless. With that GPA, what are my chances assuming that my OATs are around 300-320? Realistically, what schools should I be looking into more than others? Should I forget about this cycle and try next cycle?

Thanks!

since all schools look at your prereq gpa, you need to figure out your prereq gpa is to get a better picture of what your changes are. some schools do not require biochem or genetics so that will help boost your gpa. you need to find out what schools average retaken classes and what schools replace grades. and you need to figure out what classes are prereq's for where you want to apply

you need at least a 330-350 on your OAT becuase of your spotty gpa. with your spotty academic record you are going to need a lot of shadowing and excellent LOR's and personal statements.

 

[ttran01]

yeah you should still apply anyways. if you dont, you'll probably be like "i wonder if i would have gotten in if i did apply". you'll never know unless you try. just study for the OAT. oh by the way, do all grades in the pre-req have to be C or higher? just wondering.

 

[94GTStang]

oh by the way, do all grades in the pre-req have to be C or higher? just wondering.

From everything that I read, they have to be.

 

[ttran01]

so does that mean clovers grade in plant bio and animal bio wont be accepted?

 

[Clovers]

so does that mean clovers grade in plant bio and animal bio wont be accepted?

I'm wondering the same thing. If I repeat those classes at a CC would it be looked down upon? CC is my only option bc I can't afford university classes.

If I apply in January, does that mean I'm late in the game? I want to repeat plant bio, animal bio, and physics in the fall and have the grades ready by January then apply.

 

[94GTStang]

I know they only want you to have one year of biology so you have taken too much perhaps. That is the same boat I am in. I was a zoology major and quit wasting my time with classes with professors that tried to fail everyone. Plus I didn't need the extra classes for optometry school anyway. So I am left with classes I took that I just don't have a use for. 🙁

And lets hope that they don't look down on CC classes. I took my chem, organic, and physics at a CC. It's funny because we used the same books that the university used.

 

[94GTStang]

If I apply in January, does that mean I'm late in the game? I want to repeat plant bio, animal bio, and physics in the fall and have the grades ready by January then apply.

Depends on the school. Do they do rolling admissions? You might find that there are a few slots left open. But that all depends on the school...

 

[ttran01]

hmm, i havent applied to any schools and not even close to applying yet so im not sure how the application process works. but from looking at some of the websites it says that you have to have those grades before enrolling. this is a total guess but i think that you can apply now and if theres a spot for what your plans are you can put in the classes that you're going to retake just to let them know that you're retaking the a few classes. everyone says that taking classes at a CC is looked down upon. right now im taking most of my pre-reqs at a CC. in my opinion, it doesnt matter where you take the classes, just as long you learn the material.

 

[ttran01]

oh yeah i bet there are teachers at CC's that teach waaaaaaaaay better than ones at a university.

 

[ttran01]

I know they only want you to have one year of biology so you have taken too much perhaps.

i hope im not asking too many questions. but since they only require one year of general biology, can you replace plant bio or animal bio with a different biology class? or is plant bio and animal bio the only general bio classes?

at my CC the only general bio classes accepted for UOP pharmacy school is principles of biology and plant bio/animal bio

 

[ttran01]

hey clovers, talk to your plant bio and animal bio professors to see they can move that C- to a C. i guess explain your situation or whatever. i dunno, just a thought. i mention this because when i was talking to a counselor at my school about writing a transfer agreement with an undgrad school im gonna transfer to. he said that the "C" i got in bio is going to disqualify my eligibility for the agreemnt thing. and he said i should go to my professor to see if it could be changed to a B. lol. that was funny. anyways. i didnt like the counselor i talked to. he didnt know what he was talking about. i guess he just wanted me out of the office.

but if you plan on retaking them, umm im thinking you would only have to retake either plant or animal bio unless you are trying to raise both of the grades to help your GPA.

 

[Clovers]

hey clovers, talk to your plant bio and animal bio professors to see they can move that C- to a C. i guess explain your situation or whatever. i dunno, just a thought. i mention this because when i was talking to a counselor at my school about writing a transfer agreement with an undgrad school im gonna transfer to. he said that the "C" i got in bio is going to disqualify my eligibility for the agreemnt thing. and he said i should go to my professor to see if it could be changed to a B. lol. that was funny. anyways. i didnt like the counselor i talked to. he didnt know what he was talking about. i guess he just wanted me out of the office.

but if you plan on retaking them, umm im thinking you would only have to retake either plant or animal bio unless you are trying to raise both of the grades to help your GPA.

At my university and I'm sure at most universities, there is no such thing as going back after 3 years and telling a professor to change your grade. Thanks for the tip though.

I guess my main question is that would it be looked down upon if I retake plant and animal bio at a cc. I am not looking for an easy way out. It's just that cc classes are all that I can really afford at this time. Do you guys think that if I do well on my OAT then it'll help explain things better to the admission's committee?

 

[JMU07]

i hope im not asking too many questions. but since they only require one year of general biology, can you replace plant bio or animal bio with a different biology class? or is plant bio and animal bio the only general bio classes?

at my CC the only general bio classes accepted for UOP pharmacy school is principles of biology and plant bio/animal bio

I'm using human anatomy and human physiology for my general bio classes. I also did take a year of plant bio though (i'm a bio minor). I imagine it depends on the school as to what counts as general biology.. defintely call the schools you're intererested in! 🙂

 

[ttran01]

i dont think it will be looked down upon if you take a few classes at a CC....that might depend on the person who's reviewing your application though. take it at a CC, and when you get the interview and they ask u about it, u can just explain that it was for financial reasons. but just do well on the OAT and it will show the admissions that you have mastered the material. grades dont really show how much a person knows. if someone had a 4.0 in their pre-reqs one would think that he/she knows the material well, but if he gets a lets say 250 on the OAT, something doesnt seem right. on the other hand, 3.0 pre-req and a 330 on OAT. theres a difference there. people could always cheat their way through for the 4.0 but not for a good OAT score.

 

[drsax]

At my university and I'm sure at most universities, there is no such thing as going back after 3 years and telling a professor to change your grade. Thanks for the tip though.

I guess my main question is that would it be looked down upon if I retake plant and animal bio at a cc. I am not looking for an easy way out. It's just that cc classes are all that I can really afford at this time. Do you guys think that if I do well on my OAT then it'll help explain things better to the admission's committee?

Hi Clovers. I say do your best to get a good OAT score...possibly 320+. That will at least give you 2 out of 3 (out of OAT, gpa, shadowing) shining areas for them to look at when making their decision. As far as your grades...As long as your pre-reqs are pretty stable then I say apply and see what happens.

Those other grades like animal bio, plant bio etc. will be looked at (and included in the total GPA), but they seem to be more concerned with the pre-reqs (some schools want you to calculate your pre-req gpa seperately). Good luck and feel free to hit me up with any more questions.

 

[iiiimonica]

i transfered from CC to Cal and I was accepted to all the school's I applied to. they only time i got any negative feedback for this was during my SUNY interview, but they still accepted me (a week later ).

i did almost all my prereq's at CC, except for those required by Cal's optometry school (Biochem, anatomy w/lab, physiology w/lab, microbiology w/lab) but for the other school's i applied to (SUNY, SCCO, IU, Pacfic, UHCO), pretty much all prereq's came from CC.


to the OP, January is too late to apply with your stats. sorry to sound mean, but to get an acceptance that late in the cycle you have to have stellar stats (gpa above 3.4, oat 340 and above, great LOR, extra curriculars). getting into optometry school is NOT easy and you will be wasting your money. everyone needs to apply EARLY, there are students with way higher stats that don't get accepted who apply to late.

 

[Clovers]

i transfered from CC to Cal and I was accepted to all the school's I applied to. they only time i got any negative feedback for this was during my SUNY interview, but they still accepted me (a week later ).

i did almost all my prereq's at CC, except for those required by Cal's optometry school (Biochem, anatomy w/lab, physiology w/lab, microbiology w/lab) but for the other school's i applied to (SUNY, SCCO, IU, Pacfic, UHCO), pretty much all prereq's came from CC.


to the OP, January is too late to apply with your stats. sorry to sound mean, but to get an acceptance that late in the cycle you have to have stellar stats (gpa above 3.4, oat 340 and above, great LOR, extra curriculars). getting into optometry school is NOT easy and you will be wasting your money. everyone needs to apply EARLY, there are students with way higher stats that don't get accepted who apply to late.

Thanks for all of your advices. At this point, I think waiting until next year to apply is the best thing unless I want to to to Puerto Rico. Do you guys think I should collect my LORs right now. They'll be a year old by the time I apply though. As far as personal statment go, do schools tend to change their topic from year to year. I was planning to write them this year so next year I'll just have to make a few changes.

Great community, thanks!

 

[drsax]

Thanks for all of your advices. At this point, I think waiting until next year to apply is the best thing unless I want to to to Puerto Rico. Do you guys think I should collect my LORs right now. They'll be a year old by the time I apply though. As far as personal statment go, do schools tend to change their topic from year to year. I was planning to write them this year so next year I'll just have to make a few changes.

Great community, thanks!

About collecting the LORs now...YES!!!! 🙂 It can be extremely frustrating trying to catch up with the people you want to write your letters. I know it took a good 2 months to get all my letters to the schools. I started keeping tabs on my LORs back in June, so now they are in for the cycle for 07 already. As for as the PS, from what I have experienced, the only time the topics for personal statements change is if you are a re-applicant (they usually want to know what you have done since your previous time applying to make yourself a better applicant). For 1st time applicants though, the topic usually is the same year after year. I would go ahead and write it, and like you said...make updates as time goes on.