Format of OAT

Survey of natural science - 90 min
Reading Comprehension Test - 50 min
Break - 15 min
Pretest (Not scored) - 25 min
Physics test - 50 min
Quantitative Reasoning test - 45 min

No calculators allowed


Does anyone know what the Pretest is?

 

The pretest varies for everyone. So, on your test day, you may get a biology section, and someone next to you might get reading comp.

 

To add to what Christie said, I believe the pretest is there as a test-bed for future OAT questions. The answers to these questions do not count toward your final score.

 

yep.. I had an extra bio section (not very many questions) and was done WAY earlier than people who got stuck with reading comp. (ugh) It doesn't count toward your score in anyway (so feel free to take a nap and bubble in C for every answer)

 

Geez cpw, why didn't you do that when you took it? If enough people filled in all "C"s (or whatever) the OAT people would've thought students these days have gotten really dim so they might have cut us some slack on this year's OAT...

 

So my question is, do I really have to put forth effort on the pretest if it's something hard like reading comp... or physics (god forbid)? I am thinking about conserving mental energy...

 

Eyegirl2007,

You can think of the pretest section of the OAT as a small contibution to the profession. Attempting these questions and answering them to the best of your ability could indeed lead to a better OAT, which may qualify better and more worthy candidates for optometry school, etc. This idea is a stretch, but it is the line that our Director of Student Affairs used to get us 1st year students to take a sample verbal OAT test a few weeks ago. Everything in our profession is based upon making small improvements upon our solid foundation, and I think that this is one of them. Granted you are not fully invested in the profession until you have been accepted, but it is likely you will be accepted given your ambition to do so. My advice: take the pretest, help your future profession.

TAL
UHCO 2006

 

What TAL.. you didn't like my answer "C" all the way down and take a nap approach??

And, by the way, don't you have exams next week like I do.. what are ya doing here???!

Back to ocular pathology! study study study.. seems like it's all I do lately. grumble grumble ..

 

LOL cpw, yeah yeah, exams.....I'm taking tonight off. I need it. Plus I'm still a little dilated in one eye right now, and have a headache from the direct being shined in my eye for 3 straight hours earlier today. Just be happy that I'm home now instead of out and about. I'm gonna wake up and start Physiology early in the morn'. I couldn't make myself bubble "C" all the way down under any circumstances, who knows what they are looking at (paranoid)?

TAL
UHCO 2006

 

yeah well, I didn't say I actually did that.. but it's fun to think about. I didn't take last night off because I had to type note service notes for pharm. After that I took a small half hour break and then started on ocular path. I meant to get up early and run before i started studying..but the gravitational pull between myself and the bed kept me there until 830am. Stupid bed. Good luck with Physio!

 

TAL, you convinced me. Pretest, bring it on...