Is my application strong enough?

[apollomr2]

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Hello everyone, I'm currently a Junior going on Senior majoring in engineering and I'm looking to apply to optometry school like everyone else here on the forum. My overall gpa is between a 3.1 and 3.3 (due to a mistake in grading 🙁) I've failed a class along the way and re-taken two. A rough estimate of my science gpa would be a 3.25. I'm very involved in school in terms of being a student ambassador and getting involved in research which allowed me to get a paper published about my vision research at a regional engineering conference (I'm not sure if this really helps though).

Anyhow, I've yet to shadow an optometrist and I intend to take my OATs this summer. Provided I shadow an optometrist for approximately 40 hours this summer and score approximately 300-330 on my OATs, would my application seem strong enough?

Granted I've yet to take the billion other pre-reqs that optometry requires as I already expect to graduate with 150+ worth of credits. Also, I intend to take biochem and microbio, one which I intend to take at my school and another I intend to take at CC, would this look good or bad? Credits certainly don't come cheap so I figure I can take whatever courses I can at a CC to save myself the thousands of dollars I will need for Opto school. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

[WaMi]

The first thing I have to say is to "Never reject yourself, let the school reject you" and that is a quote I got from another member on here who had a 3.07 GPA and a 310 OAT and got NECO, NOVA, UIW, and AZCOPT. Optometry schools are usually understanding if the student slacked off their first and second year of undegrad but if set their priorities straight and worked hard during junior and senior year.

A published research paper is an excellent application booster and especially one on vision. Add to that the fact that you are involved on campus and have participated in extra-curriculars, as well as planning to shadow, then I don't see where you can go wrong. Although I would advise that you shadow at several different optometric practices instead of spending a lot of time at just one.

Although you don't have the pre-reqs as long as you are taking them or are going to take them before graduating then that is fine. Optometry schools want you to have taken those classes before you enroll so as long as you have them done by that time, it's not a problem. Although some say that taking ANY pre-reqs at a CC is a big red flag, I don't think that taking a course or two at CC would change the way they look at the application. If anything, they may ask during the interview why you did and you can always say because of your financial situation or because of scheduling conflicts (I assume you may run into conflicts if you are trying to fit 18 or 19 credits into each semester).

So, let's recap: 3.25 GPA, 330 OAT, published paper on vision research, 40 hours of shadowing, 150+ credits (including pre-reqs), and involved on campus/extracurriculars = a good looking applicant in my eyes 🙂
Like what another member said, let the school reject you. I think you should just focus mainly on doing well on the OAT this summer and just apply and see what happens!

I'm also in the same boat, and plan to take the OAT this summer and apply. If any members think I am wrong, feel free to put me in my place 😀

 

[kiwi5frog]

The first thing I have to say is to "Never reject yourself, let the school reject you" and that is a quote I got from another member on here who had a 3.07 GPA and a 310 OAT and got NECO, NOVA, UIW, and AZCOPT. Optometry schools are usually understanding if the student slacked off their first and second year of undegrad but if set their priorities straight and worked hard during junior and senior year.

A published research paper is an excellent application booster and especially one on vision. Add to that the fact that you are involved on campus and have participated in extra-curriculars, as well as planning to shadow, then I don't see where you can go wrong. Although I would advise that you shadow at several different optometric practices instead of spending a lot of time at just one.

Although you don't have the pre-reqs as long as you are taking them or are going to take them before graduating then that is fine. Optometry schools want you to have taken those classes before you enroll so as long as you have them done by that time, it's not a problem. Although some say that taking ANY pre-reqs at a CC is a big red flag, I don't think that taking a course or two at CC would change the way they look at the application. If anything, they may ask during the interview why you did and you can always say because of your financial situation or because of scheduling conflicts (I assume you may run into conflicts if you are trying to fit 18 or 19 credits into each semester).

So, let's recap: 3.25 GPA, 330 OAT, published paper on vision research, 40 hours of shadowing, 150+ credits (including pre-reqs), and involved on campus/extracurriculars = a good looking applicant in my eyes 🙂
Like what another member said, let the school reject you. I think you should just focus mainly on doing well on the OAT this summer and just apply and see what happens!

I'm also in the same boat, and plan to take the OAT this summer and apply. If any members think I am wrong, feel free to put me in my place 😀

I just wanted to chime in on CC. the attitude towards CC varies from school to school. SCCO is one of those schools who says it's all the same and they fully support CC because of cheaper prices and smaller class size. other schools like western are very clear: they dont like CC and WILL rank a CC student lower than university student granted ALL other factors equate.

So, call up your school of choice and find out. 🙂