is it easier for a minority student to get accepted?

[socal2014]

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Hi guys,

Sorry to sound dumb but, I'm curious to know if minority students are assed differently. Further, who are minority students?

Since the application pool for optometry is quite small and not that diverse relative to med/dent for example, then I expect the definition of a minority student to be different for optometry.

I checked out the AOA site, and there was nothing there so I'm not sure if there is even a case for minority applicants.

thanks.

 

[Mewcakes]

I suspect that one's ethnicity has no bearing on your acceptance. I don't even think applications ask what you are. Some have an optional survey of ethnicity, but I think it's just for statistical purposes, it doesn't affect an admission decision. I can't remember the word for it. Pro-action? Pro-tractor? Pro-something. But either way, I'm not sure it's still legal. Something about constitutional rights. I know there were some major issues with it in the early 2000s having to do with a big school in Michigan.

The applicant pool for optometry, though less than dental and medical, is not as smal as you would think. It's big enough that plenty of people will have to do two admission cycles before they get in.

 

[eyepdesai]

Perhaps the word you are thinking of is 'affirmative action'?

Mewcakes has a point, the application pool is pretty big and competitive. Some people don't get in the first time around.

I know med schools count only African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians as "minority." I'm not sure about opt schools, and I dunno if each school has a certain quota or ratio of ethnicities they have to fulfill. But I suggest you look at some of the schools' websites and see the class profiles. There are a lot of Caucasion and Asians in this field and a lot more women too.

In terms of having higher chance of acceptance due to being a "minority," I'm not sure that this matters for optometry schools (at least I hope not), because in general they are looking for well-qualified candidates, hopefully despite race. When it comes to deciding between two candidates, it would be quite disturbing to know that for instance, they choose me over a white male because of my ethnicity and their need to fulfill a certain quota. It wouldn't be fair to me because I wouldn't feel like I got in based on my academic and personal merits, but rather my skin color. Lame. And obviously, it wouldn't be fair to the white male candidate. Again, I dunno if opt schools even have a quota, I know some undergrad schools do. If they have a quota, then ya it might be advantageous if your a minority. But my guess right now is that schools are really looking for white males, since the profession already has a lot of minority and women doctors.

Regardless, don't let that discourage you from applying!

 

[Rinny]

Yes, I think that optometry schools do wish to attract minorities and under-represented groups. From what I witnessed during my interview visits to various schools, most students were white (more females than males) and the largest minority group represented was probably Asian. Although I do not recall reading about race or ethnicity on school websites or on any of my applications, this is what I found on Opted:

http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3530

2010 Optometric Education Diversity Mini-Grants
The diversity mini-grants are designed to provide seed money for a specific program/project. They are limited to assisting schools/colleges of optometry with their long-term diversity/multicultural efforts.
This is the fifth year ASCO has received funding for this priority program. Once again, the program/project must assist optometry schools in developing and implementing activities/programs that are designed to recruit and/or retain underrepresented minority students (see Diversity mini-grants application form), financially disadvantage, and first-generation college students into optometry. Programs may include but are not limited to summer bridge programs for undergraduate students, mentoring and guidance programs for first-year optometry students, and partnership with organizations, high schools, community colleges and undergraduate programs to promote optometry as a career among underrepresented groups.




I don't know how this would affect an Admissions decision, but I think that it does show that optometry would like to become more multi-cultural so to speak. Hope this helps to answer your question a bit!

 

[DawgOD]

to answer your question.

No, it is not easier for a minority to get accepted.

Throw that connotation out of the window. Optometry schools want well qualified applicants, regardless of what race you are.

 

[socal2014]

Yes, I think that optometry schools do wish to attract minorities and under-represented groups. From what I witnessed during my interview visits to various schools, most students were white (more females than males) and the largest minority group represented was probably Asian. Although I do not recall reading about race or ethnicity on school websites or on any of my applications, this is what I found on Opted:

http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3530

2010 Optometric Education Diversity Mini-Grants
The diversity mini-grants are designed to provide seed money for a specific program/project. They are limited to assisting schools/colleges of optometry with their long-term diversity/multicultural efforts.
This is the fifth year ASCO has received funding for this priority program. Once again, the program/project must assist optometry schools in developing and implementing activities/programs that are designed to recruit and/or retain underrepresented minority students (see Diversity mini-grants application form), financially disadvantage, and first-generation college students into optometry. Programs may include but are not limited to summer bridge programs for undergraduate students, mentoring and guidance programs for first-year optometry students, and partnership with organizations, high schools, community colleges and undergraduate programs to promote optometry as a career among underrepresented groups.




I don't know how this would affect an Admissions decision, but I think that it does show that optometry would like to become more multi-cultural so to speak. Hope this helps to answer your question a bit!

Hmm, thanks for this info 😀

 

[socal2014]

to answer your question.

No, it is not easier for a minority to get accepted.

Throw that connotation out of the window. Optometry schools want well qualified applicants, regardless of what race you are.

lol you really have no idea what you are talking about, so please, throw yourself out of the window, literally.

 

[FocusOD]

lol you really have no idea what you are talking about, so please, throw yourself out of the window, literally.

LOL. Yeah I hate saying this but it appears a lot of the posters who are saying "Oh no, your race has no effect on your application" are most likely not minorites and are upset at the fact that a minority applicant could get a spot over a white student even if their GPA and OAT are less than the white student. Maybe I am wrong but thats how it looks. Anyway

I personally have talked to two white optometrists who I have shadowed and both told me I would be a good applicant with a "Leg-up" (Their words not mine) due to me being a male and black since most females and asians are taking over the profession.

Don't get me wrong though you still need to be a good student and hold your own but being a minority does help you get into graduate school. Here is an article on ICO and how they offer minority scholarships to minority applicants. http://www.ico.edu/admissions/tuition/ICO_scholarships.html

They are looking for a more diverse school.

Hope that helps

 

[DawgOD]

I'm an african american male. Trust me. I know. You don't. I had to put in extra work to get accepted. My third application was the charm.

Schools have standards, and if an applicant does not meet those standards, there is no way they are going to accept you.. REGARDLESS of Race.

So SOCAL2014... and Optometry1987... Throw yourself out of a window. As a matter of fact.. Don't.. I want you to witness how I change the game of optometry before you do so. So before you start to ASSume who is who on this board. Ask first.

Now. Fact. Minorities.. African Americans to be exact are under represented. PCO is the only school I know that takes an interest in trying to bring some diversity to their school. ICO has a summer program for minorities to introduce them to optometry, but it has no barring on getting accepted except that they get to put a face & personality to an application. And so what ICO has scholarships for minority students.. AND??? Lots of schools do. What does that mean? Nothing.

Some of you all are worried about the wrong thing. Worry about yourself, and not if someone with "color" has a leg up on you. If you want to keep it real.. a lot of "us" have always had to work harder than the majority in this country to meet the "standards" of the majority.

Socal.. you need to grow up. Not sure what your race is, and it really doesn't matter to me.. but watch what you say on this board. I personally have took an offense to your "throw yourself out of the window comment."

 

[Rinny]

Optometry1987, Actually I believe every poster on this thread is considered a minority applicant (minus myself). Some of the posters disclosed their race on this thread and others I have PM'd in the past and know that they are a minority. So, it is actually the minority students who are saying that race does not matter in your application (except for you, lol).

To address the OP again,
DawgOD is correct- if you are a minority student and your stats are not high enough, you are not going to get in JUST because you are a minority. It is not "easier" for a minority student to get in because you are held to the same standards as every other applicant.

However, as I said in my previous post, there are optometry schools who want to attract minority students and ASCO provides grants to schools to assist in efforts to attract minorities. The only way that I think being a minority may help is if the school is deciding between 2 identical applicants regarding stats, experience, etc and one is a minority and one is not. They will probably be more inclined to accept the minority student because this student increases the diversity within the school and clearly this student is from an under-represented group in optometry. Make sense? So yes, I think that it can be advantageous to be a minority in some respects but does not make it "easier" for you to get in. You have to pass a lot of hurdles to get to the point of being accepted, but once you are there and have the grades, scores, experience, etc, then may it make a difference.

 

[Commando303]

I'm an african american male. Trust me. I know. You don't. I had to put in extra work to get accepted. My third application was the charm.

Schools have standards, and if an applicant does not meet those standards, there is no way they are going to accept you.. REGARDLESS of Race.

So SOCAL2014... and Optometry1987... Throw yourself out of a window. As a matter of fact.. Don't.. I want you to witness how I change the game of optometry before you do so. So before you start to ASSume who is who on this board. Ask first.

Now. Fact. Minorities.. African Americans to be exact are under represented. PCO is the only school I know that takes an interest in trying to bring some diversity to their school. ICO has a summer program for minorities to introduce them to optometry, but it has no barring on getting accepted except that they get to put a face & personality to an application. And so what ICO has scholarships for minority students.. AND??? Lots of schools do. What does that mean? Nothing.

Some of you all are worried about the wrong thing. Worry about yourself, and not if someone with "color" has a leg up on you. If you want to keep it real.. a lot of "us" have always had to work harder than the majority in this country to meet the "standards" of the majority.

Socal.. you need to grow up. Not sure what your race is, and it really doesn't matter to me.. but watch what you say on this board. I personally have took an offense to your "throw yourself out of the window comment."

First, using yourself as an example isn't adequate evidence of anything. Second, worrying about "yourself" justifiably may include caring whether the admissions process is fair (albeit, "fair" as defined by you).

 

[FocusOD]

So you tell myself and another poster to throw ourselves out of a window then turn around and say how offended you are when someone tells you to throw yourself out of the window? Hypocrtical much?

And you can get upset at what I said but I was stating what optometrists have personally told me so whether you agree or disagree is your opinion and I could care less about it.

And have you ever heard of a quota? Certain schools want to help diversify their schools by getting underepresented students to apply and thats why they have have these scholarships. If they didn't care about getting more minority applicants then they wouldn't have these scholarships in the first place now would they?

Anyways, I have nothing else to say to you and your elitist snob attitude. You know NOTHING about me so don't ever tell me what I do and don't know. I graduate this year from colllege and I will be applying this summer. As far as you changing the "game of optometry" good luck in accomplishing whatever that is because you don't have anybody convinced. Seems to me you have a lot of growing up to do and I hope you eventually find your way.

 

[Mewcakes]

Well i know that schools offer scholarships to attract minority students to APPLY, but whether or not the minority students are quality enough for admission is another thing. I don't know, it just seems so strange/unfair and so old school for schools to base any part of their admission decision on ethnicity. It's possible that it used to make a difference 10 or 15 years ago but I don't know about now...Hm...But I bet if any of us asked every school would deny it. :-\ I guess we'll never know.

 

[DawgOD]

Anyways, I have nothing else to say to you and your elitist snob attitude. You know NOTHING about me so don't ever tell me what I do and don't know. I graduate this year from colllege and I will be applying this summer. As far as you changing the "game of optometry" good luck in accomplishing whatever that is because you don't have anybody convinced. Seems to me you have a lot of growing up to do and I hope you eventually find your way.

1) Where did I say that you did not know anything?

2) I've found my way. I've done my growing up. That's why SCO has accepted me into their school.

3) Deuces*

 

[socal2014]

haha lets not fight guys, its just really annoying when someone states a claim without any evidence. nothing personal 🙂

 

[DawgOD]

haha lets not fight guys, its just really annoying when someone states a claim without any evidence. nothing personal 🙂

with this topic.. what "evidence" do u want? it's a message board.. not encyclopedia.com

I'm a minority, and gave my opinion. Simple. then i get asked to jump out of a window.

 

[eyer21]

Hey dawgOD,
I am a minority also, and i just wanted to know personally how the application process went for you. Anything you can think of telling me, any advice at all please let me know. what school are you going into, i saw that it was your third try, what are your stats. It would help me out alot if you told me anything from, oat to optomcas to interview? thanks

 

[DawgOD]

PMed you

 

[FocusedOD]

Hey DawgOD, I am a minority as well and I would like to know how your application went. I sent you a PM previously

PMed you