Is GPA or OAT the most important indicator of success in optometry college ?

[Apple_Pie]

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hi guys,

I have been accepted to an optometry school with a 3.0 overall GPA. And my over all OAT score was a 300, but my total science OAT score was 330 and my Biology OAT score was 360. I had a 230 on reading comprehension part of OAT, which lowered my score.

Now I am kind of worried that even though I got in to Optometry school, I may not have all the academic abilities, because of 3.0 GPA in undergraduate, however, my OAT score was decent with a amazing OAT biology section score of 360 and a total science score of 330.

1) My question is : Is OAT score or undergraduate GPA the best indicator of how successfully a student would pass the optometry school and the boards exam ?

2) In optometry school which subject (between biology, physics, genral chemistry and organic chemistry) would be the MOST important, because I am very good in biology ( shown by my OAT biology score of 360), but I think I am not good in organic chemistry. should I not worry about organic chemistry because it might not be covered that much in optometry college.

3) In reading comprehension part of OAT I had a 230, because I didn't study alot for it, does it show that I don't have the reading skills required for optometry school ? In undergraduate I did not have any reading problems.

 

[4Eyes]

Congrats on your acceptance. 🙂

1) My question is : Is OAT score or undergraduate GPA the best indicator of how successfully a student would pass the optometry school and the boards exam?

They say there's a correlation between OAT score and NBEO score...but it's just a correlation. It's not like you're doomed to fail. Plus, NBEO doesn't have a reading comp section...part I is Basic Sciences, which you seem to excel at.

As for success in school itself, I don't think there's really much of a correlation. The students who get an overall score of 360+ don't always seem to have to work as hard, but everyone else can do well by putting forth the necessary effort.

Also, for the reading comp section, do you think time was a major factor for you? If time was a factor...pretty much no one runs out of time on the board exam. I'm usually one of the last ones to finish an exam, and I finished Part I with time leftover.

The OAT score is kind of like ACT/SAT scores in that no one really talks about it once you're in school. You might hear some murmurings of it the first week...maybe. But that's pretty much it.

2) In optometry school which subject (between biology, physics, genral chemistry and organic chemistry) would be the MOST important, because I am very good in biology ( shown by my OAT biology score of 360), but I think I am not good in organic chemistry. should I not worry about organic chemistry because it might not be covered that much in optometry college.

I think there's a LOT more biology in optometry school. Especially histo, anatomy, physiology, etc. Micro, not so much. Plant biology, not at all (obviously 😛). I was okay at organic in undergrad, but I remembered VERY little by the time I got to optometry school. I don't think it really comes up much except for maybe some in biochem (if you have to take biochem at your school...I think at some it's just a pre-req?).

3) In reading comprehension part of OAT I had a 230, because I didn't study alot for it, does it show that I don't have the reading skills required for optometry school ? In undergraduate I did not have any reading problems.

My vote is no, especially if you had no problems in undergrad. Granted, there's a lot more material in optometry school, but my guess it that you'll get the hang of it. It might take a little extra time, at least at first, but I'm sure you are capable. You had to have a pretty good level of reading comprehension in the real world to learn the biology material you rocked at. 🙂 If your non-science classes are what kept your overall undergrad GPA from being a little higher, that would also be less to worry about (not that a 3.0 is bad, but you'll probably want at least a 3.0 in optometry school, and it is harder...at least more work...at least at some points in the curriculum).

Good luck! 🙂

 

[alferec]

Don't forget that a large part of optometry school is involves working with different instruments and learning several techniques. And these require much patience and hours of practicing. You can do really well with book related stuff but the proficiencies ultimately test your ability to perform techniques under pressure.

 

[KHE]

1) My question is : Is OAT score or undergraduate GPA the best indicator of how successfully a student would pass the optometry school and the boards exam ?

2) In optometry school which subject (between biology, physics, genral chemistry and organic chemistry) would be the MOST important, because I am very good in biology ( shown by my OAT biology score of 360), but I think I am not good in organic chemistry. should I not worry about organic chemistry because it might not be covered that much in optometry college.

3) In reading comprehension part of OAT I had a 230, because I didn't study alot for it, does it show that I don't have the reading skills required for optometry school ? In undergraduate I did not have any reading problems.

I do not have any statistics to back this up but anecdotal evidence suggests that the number one predictor of success in optometry school is the same as the number one predictor of success in undergraduate and high school...

It's not GPA, its not OAT, or SAT, or any other test....

It's your ATTENDANCE RECORD.

The people in my class who ditched alot of school were the poorer performers. Obviously we all know that one guy who never went to class and still passed with flying colors but on the average...your biggest predictor of success in a school of any kind is your attendance record.

 

[Sight5]

hi guys,

I have been accepted to an optometry school with a 3.0 overall GPA. And my over all OAT score was a 300, but my total science OAT score was 330 and my Biology OAT score was 360. I had a 230 on reading comprehension part of OAT, which lowered my score.

Now I am kind of worried that even though I got in to Optometry school, I may not have all the academic abilities, because of 3.0 GPA in undergraduate, however, my OAT score was decent with a amazing OAT biology section score of 360 and a total science score of 330.

1) My question is : Is OAT score or undergraduate GPA the best indicator of how successfully a student would pass the optometry school and the boards exam ?

2) In optometry school which subject (between biology, physics, genral chemistry and organic chemistry) would be the MOST important, because I am very good in biology ( shown by my OAT biology score of 360), but I think I am not good in organic chemistry. should I not worry about organic chemistry because it might not be covered that much in optometry college.

3) In reading comprehension part of OAT I had a 230, because I didn't study alot for it, does it show that I don't have the reading skills required for optometry school ? In undergraduate I did not have any reading problems.

What school did you make it into? I don't put too much emphasis on the OAT scores in any section as a strong indicator of how you will perform in optometry school.

I think the OAT tests mostly how well you take the OAT.