Master's degree?

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Runningman85

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Hi all,

Do you guys recommend pursuing a master's degree if one doesn't get into optometry school? Or do you guys know of anyone who has gotten their master's and then got accepted into optometry?

I'm just considering options if I do not get into the school of my choice. I realize that the States have many schools. However, I would prefer to stay in my own province (I'm from Montreal) - the idea of living alone in the States frightens me a bit haha.

Thanks/ merci!

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I think it's just a personal preference of what you want to do. If you don't get accepted and don't want to continue pursuing optometry, would a masters degree be helpful with what you will be doing instead? And I believe that are lots of people that get accepted to optometry with a masters degee (it can only help you on your application-provided that you get good grades), so if you want to do that and then try again that would work too. Either option is up to you, it's really a matter of what field you want to go into or it you will try a second time.
 
I can't imagine myself in another field besides optometry. I've wanted to pursue this since freshman year of high school.

Ideally, I'd like to get in after my undergrad but seeing as the choices are so limited in Canada, I think I will have to apply to the States. But if I don't get into both schools in Canada and perhaps get into a US school, I think that's where my parents would start to worry. I've never been far away from home, even in uni right now, so I guess that's understandable but still...

That's just one scenario though. If I do not get into either Canadian schools, please forbid, and did not apply to US schools, that's where my question about the master's degree comes in :/

Like I said, I'm considering different options just because it's so competitive.
 
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Hi all,

Do you guys recommend pursuing a master's degree if one doesn't get into optometry school? Or do you guys know of anyone who has gotten their master's and then got accepted into optometry?

I'm just considering options if I do not get into the school of my choice. I realize that the States have many schools. However, I would prefer to stay in my own province (I'm from Montreal) - the idea of living alone in the States frightens me a bit haha.

Thanks/ merci!

I've talked about this in other posts so I'll basically copy and paste what I've said in the past. I'm an applicant for the entering class of 2013 and have devoted the last 1.5 years of my life to completing a master's degree. Before my MS, I was an average applicant (GPA 3.3, shadowing, etc). If a school had 5 applicants and 1 seat left, there was no reason they should've chosen me over anyone else, there was nothing above and beyond about me. A lot of people will say that going 1.5 years out of my way to get an MS first was a waste of my time because I would've "gotten in anyway", but no one knows your situation or your time better than you do. This cycle I applied to 7 schools, was invited to all 7 for interviews, ended up attending 4 of those interviews and got into all 4 schools with some scholarship offerings, including my first choice school. I honestly feel that my MS really helped me out. It shows another level of professionalism, the fact that you've already made that transition between undergrad and grad. Schools don't have to worry about whether you'll be able to handle the course load in optometry school because you've already been in grad school and proven the amount of work you can handle. In my personal experience, getting an MS first was the best thing I could do. My stress level during my application process was minimal, I knew I would get into schools. Whether you do it now or as a back up plan, it's a great thing to have especially in this economy. You just never know where time will take you. Anyway with all this said, I did get into my first choice school and will be attending this fall :D I hope this helps and best of luck to you!
 
Wow, congratulations! I can't imagine how happy you must've.
You've definitely convinced me. I've been considering pursuing a master's but I was still teetering since I didn't have any assurance. Thanks for your response!
 
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