Hello

[idoc2b]

Hello,
I've been reading through this board and it has been very helpful. I'm interested in applying to optometry school for 2006 but am not sure how to strengthen my application.

I graduated with a BS in Biology 3 years ago, my gpa is approximately a 3.0. I'm studying for OAT now and am planning to take it early june. I am going to begin shadowing an OD later this month.

I'm concerned because I recevied a C- in orgo II and biochem as an undergrad. I went to a competitive college (an ivy league, and i hope this will help). I would like to retake those but I work full-time and cannot find a way to do it that fits into my schedule. If I continue working the soonest I would be able to take these courses is in the spring of 2006.

What are you suggestions? I've thinking about quitting my job and moving in with my family for the summer to take these courses and possibly wait tables in the evenings for extra income. But it seems very drastic, I would be losing income and health insurance.

Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks!

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[cunikki]

HEY! welcome to sdn! So yeah; i would love to help you but i dont know where you want to go to school? I graduated 2 years ago with a 3.0 in molecular bio and I had no problem getting into schools; so i dont think you should be too worried about the c- i got a c in orgo 1 just do good on the oat (i would say 330-350 overall to be safe) unless you are trying to get into a really competitive school (think waterloo or berkeley) then you should be fine; just go shadow a few times. it seems unnecessary to quit your job and move home to retake classe s you got c's in
good luck!

 

[idoc2b]

HEY! welcome to sdn! So yeah; i would love to help you but i dont know where you want to go to school? I graduated 2 years ago with a 3.0 in molecular bio and I had no problem getting into schools; so i dont think you should be too worried about the c- i got a c in orgo 1 just do good on the oat (i would say 330-350 overall to be safe) unless you are trying to get into a really competitive school (think waterloo or berkeley) then you should be fine; just go shadow a few times. it seems unnecessary to quit your job and move home to retake classe s you got c's in
good luck!

Hey there,
Thanks so much for replying. I'm not looking at very competitive schools - my top choices are PCO and SUNY (I live in NC and therefore am not technically an in-state resident for either, but PCO has some kind of contract with NC regarding in-state tuition, but I dont know if the adcomms would consider me a resident).

If it were Cs, I wouldnt be too concerned, I'm concerned because they were C-s. SUNY's website says 'Letter grades should be awarded for all required courses and should be completed successfully with a grade of C or better.'
PCOs website says, 'These credits must include the following pre-optometry courses completed with a 2.0 (C) or better.'

It also doesnt help that I had a couple of Cs in the heavy biologies esp in the beginning but i do hope the adcomms will take the fact i went to a competitive school and that my later grades were better than my early grades into account (i know these are not excuses).

I'm toying with the idea of retaking orgo II this summer - i'm pretty sure i would do well the second time- and waiting tables on the weekends to support myself so i wouldnt have to move back home. After the class was over, I could look into possibly doing reseach work at one of the universities or working in eye care clinic.

What schools were you accepted to? Did you work after undergrad or go straight to opt school? Did you have a lot of experience shadowing?

Thanks!

 

[akwong44]

Hey there,
Thanks so much for replying. I'm not looking at very competitive schools - my top choices are PCO and SUNY (I live in NC and therefore am not technically an in-state resident for either, but PCO has some kind of contract with NC regarding in-state tuition, but I dont know if the adcomms would consider me a resident).

If it were Cs, I wouldnt be too concerned, I'm concerned because they were C-s. SUNY's website says 'Letter grades should be awarded for all required courses and should be completed successfully with a grade of C or better.'
PCOs website says, 'These credits must include the following pre-optometry courses completed with a 2.0 (C) or better.'

It also doesnt help that I had a couple of Cs in the heavy biologies esp in the beginning but i do hope the adcomms will take the fact i went to a competitive school and that my later grades were better than my early grades into account (i know these are not excuses).

I'm toying with the idea of retaking orgo II this summer - i'm pretty sure i would do well the second time- and waiting tables on the weekends to support myself so i wouldnt have to move back home. After the class was over, I could look into possibly doing reseach work at one of the universities or working in eye care clinic.

What schools were you accepted to? Did you work after undergrad or go straight to opt school? Did you have a lot of experience shadowing?

Thanks!

Hey i got into PCO and I am also from NC. I too had 2 (C-)'s on my transcript one in Organic I and one in physics II. They still admitted me and didn't even question either during my interview! Hope that helps some.

 

[idoc2b]

Thanks - that's encouraging. Are you starting PCO this year or have you started already? I'm excited about the idea of possibly living in philly but i heard the school is in a quiet part of the city.

I'm nervous after reading threads about. I wouldnt want to put off starting another year since i am already 3 years out of undergrad.

thanks

Hey i got into PCO and I am also from NC. I too had 2 (C-)'s on my transcript one in Organic I and one in physics II. They still admitted me and didn't even question either during my interview! Hope that helps some.

 

[polkadot]

I don't think you'll need to retake those classes. I had a similar dilemma ("CD" = halfway btwn C and D) in a couple classes. All the schools told me as long as "C" was a part of the letter grade, it was fine. You might want to contact the admissions offices of the schools you're applying to for confirmation (email is good, then you have it in writing). Also, it gives them a heads-up that you're interested in their school - added bonus!

I would consider getting more opt-related experience and focusing on the OAT v. redoing any classes. I didn't have much experience, but they were very interested in my interviews about what I had seen of the profession. No one really cared what I got in OChem in 1995.

Sidenote on residency for SUNY - you can apply and qualify for residency after your first year, so you'll only pay out-of-state tuition for 1st yr.