Frustrated!! :(

[EyeGirl16]

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I really don't know what to do guys. I was rejected from SUNY and Pacific. I had an interview for Western and I just found out I didn't get in there either 🙁 I'm kind of losing hope... I don't want to wait another year to apply. What should I do??

 

[gochi]

what was ur gpa.....if its low, then id recommend taking extra credits, or perhaps repeating any C's you may have gotten. If this is the option you take, you should apply to more schools, to of course increase your chances for acceptance.

if it was more of a deadline thing that you did not meet, such as completing your app, sending out oat scores etc. then id recommend just working. Maybe even volunteering or something, which is pretty useless and downright overrated. 😴

 

[Brightereyez]

When did you have your interview at Western? I didn't think it'd be that hard to get into a NEW school even with less than average scores. If it's your OAT score that's low, you can try to retake it and apply to schools you haven't already.

 

[oceanblue392]

Could you elaborate a little bit more about your gpa/oats/extracurricular/optometry experiences (shadowing, work, etc). that'll help the people on the board get an idea of your situation and give you better feedback

 

[Star2008]

so, from the posts above, it's not too late to take the OAT this month and add schools?

 

[blysssful]

so, from the posts above, it's not too late to take the OAT this month and add schools?

Dude, if you want to go to med school, then keep trying for med school and don't apply to optometry. If you're only trying to apply to optometry schools because you didn't try hard enough for med schools and it's your second choice, you're just going to be unhappy, and you're going to take the spot of someone who's willing to work for their first choice.

To the OP: both SUNY and Pacific are more competitive schools to get into. I don't know what the deal with Western is, but try applying to some of the not-as-competitive schools.

 

[Pre Opt Student]

What schools are considered 'less' competitive?

 

[EyeGirl16]

hey guys.. thanks for the replies.. to elaborate my situation, i turned in all my apps early so deadline is not the problem.. my oat score is really loww.. only 290 but i did mark that i will be retaking it (which i am registered to take it in a couple of weeks)..also my GPA is 3.2..other than that, ive been working in the optometry field for a year and a half. before that i was an intern/shadowed an optometrist.

 

[afasano]

hey guys.. thanks for the replies.. to elaborate my situation, i turned in all my apps early so deadline is not the problem.. my oat score is really loww.. only 290 but i did mark that i will be retaking it (which i am registered to take it in a couple of weeks)..also my GPA is 3.2..other than that, ive been working in the optometry field for a year and a half. before that i was an intern/shadowed an optometrist.

Why did you decide to apply to SUNY and Pacific?

....also is 290 AA or TS?

 

[gochi]

imo, you would be accepted to any private schools, had you applied to them.

 

[EyeGirl16]

AA 290 and TS 280... and i decided to apply to those schools because i think they're good schools and so i could have more options...

 

[xmattODx]

imo, you would be accepted to any private schools, had you applied to them.

I was rejected from...Pacific. I had an interview for Western and I just found out I didn't get in there either

🙄

OP: Call the schools that rejected you and ask why. Fix that quickly and apply to other schools (albeit you'll be applying late) or fix it and reapply in a year. Not having gone through the process in a great number of years I can only guess but I would assume your very low OAT score is whats holding you back.

 

[Absolute Vision]

I would recommend applying to other schools, and improving your OAT scores, so that you'll be a more competitive candidate at the other schools.

 

[blysssful]

imo, you would be accepted to any private schools, had you applied to them.

Uh, I definitely disagree. SCCO and NECO are the only private schools I applied to, but SCCO has strict minimums of a 3.0 GPA and 300 TS, AA, and RC scores. The other schools may not state their minimums, but it's not as though they accept just anyone. All the private schools (NECO, SCCO, PUCO, and ICO) have higher (or par) average entering GPAs and OAT scores compared to PCO, NOVA and Puerto Rico, based on the 2007 data provided by opted.org.

 

[JimmyEyes]

AA 290 and TS 280... and i decided to apply to those schools because i think they're good schools and so i could have more options...

I suggest you call Wetern's counseling hotline to find out why you didn't get accepted and what you need to improve on. Did you get an interview with SUNY and Pacific and got rejected? If so, then I would definitely prepare more for the interviews. If you are really passionate about being an optometrist, DON'T GIVE UP! You will get accepted somewhere.

 

[Brightereyez]

I think your gpa is considered somewhat competitive for most schools, except sunny and berkley maybe; 280 TS is really low though regardless of the gpa. What was your undergrad major? Honestly i don't think OAT is the most challanging exam, especially if you have a science background. If you really wanna get in this year then your best bet is to study for a whole month and re-take the oat. you were rejected by 3, 15 to go.

 

[Brightereyez]

Also one other thing, i know that people suggest taking practice tests and using destroyer/acheiver type study guids, but if you scored below a 300 IMO you should stick to reading those key topics that will be on the test and perhaps even wait a couple more weeks until you're more prepared instead of rushing to send the scores in as soon as you possibly can...just my opinion.

 

[EyeGirl16]

yea..ive been studyin for the oats with the kaplan material which is really nice because it really breaks down the material.... hopefully i do better! wish me luck guys.. i know its not that hard of a test but i guess i was jus reallly nervous the first time and should probably have reviewed my material more. also, the only school that invited me for an interview was western so far...

 

[hautecouture]

Good luck EyeGirl! Just keep studying and don't give up! I haven't taken the OAT or even started college yet, but I know how hard it is! The main thing is to follow your heart and you can acheive anything! I know its cheesy, but it's true! =)

 

[EyeGirl16]

aw thank you very much. im gonna try my best for sure 🙂

 

[KHE]

Good luck EyeGirl! Just keep studying and don't give up! I haven't taken the OAT or even started college yet, but I know how hard it is!

You haven't started college or even taken the OAT, yet you "know how hard it is?" HOW??

The main thing is to follow your heart and you can acheive anything! I know its cheesy, but it's true! =)

Yeesh. Here's a slight dose of reality. NO YOU CAN'T ACHIEVE ANYTHING YOU WANT JUST BY "FOLLOWING YOUR HEART!" That's a quaint notion for Molly and Kit and the rest of the American Girl dolls, but in the real world, it simply doesn't work that way.

Eyegirl...here's the deal. Your GPA isn't horrible but it's mediocre. Your OAT scores are terrible. You need to get your GPA up a little bit and your OAT up a LOT. Do that, and you'll get in.

 

[JMU07]

Yeesh. Here's a slight dose of reality. NO YOU CAN'T ACHIEVE ANYTHING YOU WANT JUST BY "FOLLOWING YOUR HEART!" That's a quaint notion for Molly and Kit and the rest of the American Girl dolls, but in the real world, it simply doesn't work that way.

Eyegirl...here's the deal. Your GPA isn't horrible but it's mediocre. Your OAT scores are terrible. You need to get your GPA up a little bit and your OAT up a LOT. Do that, and you'll get in.

I agree with this. My GPA was a 3.1 and I KNEW I'd have to get high OAT scores to get in anywhere. Definitely work on your weakest areas. You have a lot of work to do, but you can do it!!

By the way, you will have options no matter where you go, if that's how you meant it. Pretty much all of the schools are good in their own different ways, whether it be because of their clinical program, research, etc.

(and there are more private schools than the four that were listed. SCO is private!) 🙂

 

[optsuker]

The fact that you were rejected by Western U (an unacredited school that will be most people's fall-back & the easiest to get into) is the scariest point.

 

[blysssful]

(and there are more private schools than the four that were listed. SCO is private!) 🙂

Eeek, sorry! My bad! I'm sure we don't even need to mention the fact that SCO is more competitive than some of the other schools though 😛

 

[optmania]

How about
PCO is that very competitive too?

 

[afasano]

I think your gpa is considered somewhat competitive for most schools, except sunny and berkley maybe; 280 TS is really low though regardless of the gpa. What was your undergrad major? Honestly i don't think OAT is the most challanging exam, especially if you have a science background. If you really wanna get in this year then your best bet is to study for a whole month and re-take the oat. you were rejected by 3, 15 to go.

@ this point, I wouldnt waste any more money, by applying to 15 more schools, especially cause its getting later and later in the application cycle !!! Applying to schools among the ranks of SUNY and Berkeley wasn't smart on your part... you need to do more research on each school's GPA/OAT scores from the previous entering class....w/out doing this essential research, you are setting yourself for failure... ie rejection!!!!
By applying to these schools (SUNY & Berkeley), you wasted time filling out applications, when you could have been studyin to bring up that BELOW AVG OAT score, wasted time going to interviews, and you wasted especially $$$!!!!


Below, I have included the link for the Profile of Entering Class of 2008 into Optometry School. USE IT!!!!

http://www.opted.org/files/public/Profile_of_2008_Entering_Class.pdf



im sorry if this is coming off harsh, but really...I think a lot of people are thinking it, just not saying it...and I finally said it!