- Joined
- Oct 9, 2018
- Messages
- 13
- Reaction score
- 20
Hi Everyone!
I always said I would post on here when I got my acceptance into optometry school, so here we are! I didn't know literally anyone personally who wanted to get into optometry, so I relied very heavily on this forum and all of you. With that being said, I'm here to tell you that if you have a low OAT score and a low GPA, it's 100% possible to get into optometry school. The way I did this in undergrad is very unconventional and if I can succeed, I know so many of you can too.
I had started looking into optometry school shortly after I started working at my local optometrists office as an OD Tech. I honestly had no intentions on doing that, I just really needed a part time job to get me through undergrad. I didn't know the doctor too well at first and I was nervous to ask him questions to be completely honest. That's what led me here. I was a health administration major and I thought I was 100% crazy, but I couldn't shake how quickly I became so passionate about it. So, I googled everything. I made a list of things I needed to do and I brought it to my advisor to make it happen. It really helped that she was so supportive, as were my family and friends.
There was a huge flaw in my plan (more so something I personally struggled with) which was that I had two choices: graduate on time, take all of the pre-reqs for opt. school, but take hard classes together that wouldn't normally be together, and switch my major to liberal studies in order to fit it all in. or, graduate a year later, pay the extra year in tuition, finish HADM major and take my pre-reqs for opt. school.
It might not seem like the obvious choice to you, but I decided on the former. It was really hard. I took the OAT twice and I also applied to school twice.
The first time I applied (to start Fall 2020), I applied before I took the OAT and once I did I felt that there was no chance that I could get in. My OAT score was AA 260. I sent my score in anyway, and by that time it was already January 2020 and I didn't think they'd even respond. They did. They encouraged me to retake my OAT and apply early for the next cycle, so I did. I was bummed, but I was not about to give up. In June, I retook the OAT. I scheduled it earlier but it kept getting pushed because of course... COVID 🙁 You'd think I'd be happy but I was so ready to get it over with.
I retook it and was so disappointed that on my second try, I was only able to bring my AA up 30 points. I retook my OAT and my AA was 290. I graduated with a 3.3 GPA. At this time I read about some other people getting in with stats like that, so I just went with it. I only applied to three schools, but I only got interviews at 2/3. I was waitlisted at the other. Another piece of advice that I read on here that really got me through the interviews was: BE YOURSELF. If you're passionate about this, let that be known. They will definitely be able to sense that! I was on cloud nine after my interview at MCPHS. I prayed that I would get accepted there because the person I interviewed with made me feel so comfortable and really sold me on the school. About a week later I found out that I was accepted. It was such a long journey and felt so surreal, but I was thrilled.
To sum that up...
I applied to school twice. I took the OAT twice. I was an OD Tech for three years and had plenty of volunteer experience. I had a low GPA, low OAT score. I applied at MCPHS, Salus, and ICO. I interviewed at MCPHS and Salus and was waitlisted at ICO. I have yet to receive a decision from Salus, but I was so excited to get my acceptance to MCPHS that I paid my deposit right away!
Long story short: don't give up. If you needed a sign to keep going, THIS IS IT. You can do it!
Sorry this was so long, but if it helps even one person I'll be glad I wrote it!
I always said I would post on here when I got my acceptance into optometry school, so here we are! I didn't know literally anyone personally who wanted to get into optometry, so I relied very heavily on this forum and all of you. With that being said, I'm here to tell you that if you have a low OAT score and a low GPA, it's 100% possible to get into optometry school. The way I did this in undergrad is very unconventional and if I can succeed, I know so many of you can too.
I had started looking into optometry school shortly after I started working at my local optometrists office as an OD Tech. I honestly had no intentions on doing that, I just really needed a part time job to get me through undergrad. I didn't know the doctor too well at first and I was nervous to ask him questions to be completely honest. That's what led me here. I was a health administration major and I thought I was 100% crazy, but I couldn't shake how quickly I became so passionate about it. So, I googled everything. I made a list of things I needed to do and I brought it to my advisor to make it happen. It really helped that she was so supportive, as were my family and friends.
There was a huge flaw in my plan (more so something I personally struggled with) which was that I had two choices: graduate on time, take all of the pre-reqs for opt. school, but take hard classes together that wouldn't normally be together, and switch my major to liberal studies in order to fit it all in. or, graduate a year later, pay the extra year in tuition, finish HADM major and take my pre-reqs for opt. school.
It might not seem like the obvious choice to you, but I decided on the former. It was really hard. I took the OAT twice and I also applied to school twice.
The first time I applied (to start Fall 2020), I applied before I took the OAT and once I did I felt that there was no chance that I could get in. My OAT score was AA 260. I sent my score in anyway, and by that time it was already January 2020 and I didn't think they'd even respond. They did. They encouraged me to retake my OAT and apply early for the next cycle, so I did. I was bummed, but I was not about to give up. In June, I retook the OAT. I scheduled it earlier but it kept getting pushed because of course... COVID 🙁 You'd think I'd be happy but I was so ready to get it over with.
I retook it and was so disappointed that on my second try, I was only able to bring my AA up 30 points. I retook my OAT and my AA was 290. I graduated with a 3.3 GPA. At this time I read about some other people getting in with stats like that, so I just went with it. I only applied to three schools, but I only got interviews at 2/3. I was waitlisted at the other. Another piece of advice that I read on here that really got me through the interviews was: BE YOURSELF. If you're passionate about this, let that be known. They will definitely be able to sense that! I was on cloud nine after my interview at MCPHS. I prayed that I would get accepted there because the person I interviewed with made me feel so comfortable and really sold me on the school. About a week later I found out that I was accepted. It was such a long journey and felt so surreal, but I was thrilled.
To sum that up...
I applied to school twice. I took the OAT twice. I was an OD Tech for three years and had plenty of volunteer experience. I had a low GPA, low OAT score. I applied at MCPHS, Salus, and ICO. I interviewed at MCPHS and Salus and was waitlisted at ICO. I have yet to receive a decision from Salus, but I was so excited to get my acceptance to MCPHS that I paid my deposit right away!
Long story short: don't give up. If you needed a sign to keep going, THIS IS IT. You can do it!
Sorry this was so long, but if it helps even one person I'll be glad I wrote it!
