- Joined
- Jul 6, 2015
- Messages
- 8
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 4,726
- Pre-Optometry
So I just took the OAT 2 hours ago... my results were.. average to say the least.
Test:OAT/ADA/Kap2/Kap1
QR: 350/350/330/330
RC: 350/340/340/340
Bio: 270 (gross)/310/320/320
GC: 300/340/310/270
OC: 350/330/320/300
Phys: 310/310/280/270
TS: 310/330/320/290
AA: 320/330/320/310
cGPA: ~3.8
sGPA: ~3.7
Extracurriculars: None at school.. 250 Hours volunteering at a program where you interact with disabled individuals so they don't feel left out. 80+ hours shadowing an optometrist.
Appointment time 9:00, walked in at 8:25AM, and started within 5 minutes.
Biology
I've only taken Bio 1, Bio 2, and Genetics.. haven't taken AP1/AP2/Microbio/Cellular Molcular Bio yet.
Totally did not expect it to be this hard... Kaplan Tests were considerably easier, so I didn't think I needed to study as hard as I should have. The real OAT seemed to be more focused on Anatomy/Physiology/Cell Molec than the practice tests I took. The practice tests had at least half of the questions from college level Bio 1, Bio 2, and Genetics. The real test seemed to have 15 questions on that, and the rest of what I just described. The structure of the questions also felt a tad different. They were much more specific than that of the Kap/OPTED practice tests.
General Chemistry
Mix of easy and hard questions.. half conceptual, half calculations. Easier than chad's quizzes, equal to OPTED, easier than Kaplan. I did alright, I focused my studying on calculations rather than memorizing specific rules etc.
Organic Chemistry
Mostly reactions, had ~4 questions on SN2/E2/SN1/E1. Easier than Kaplan and OPTED, then again, only if you had a good basis. The reaction sheet from Chad's Videos should serve you well. His quizzes are extremely representative of how the OAT will be.
Reading Comp
Used Search and Destroy Method.. really couldn't read and recall, it was better to read the question and then find it. One passage was extremely easy, it literally asked for details and you could find the exact quote from the passage. Extremely similar to the Kaplan, just a tad bit easier.
Break
Went to the restroom, drank some water, went back.
Physics
It had either extremely easy questions or medium/hard questions. I got two questions asking for the magnitude of a sum of the vectors.. both questions had the same exact numbers, different units.. it was funny. Easier than OPTED/Kaplan. Didn't have any rotational motion, 1 momentum conserved, not a single box sliding down a frictionless plane, some basic projectile motion, about 4 on spring questions, no sound intensity, 2 Ohm's Law, 1 Electric field, 1 Parallel Plate Capacitor, 1 magnetic field, 5-6 optics, and the rest scattered.
Quantitative Reasoning
I didn't study for this section.. was too focused on Physics and Gen Chem. Harder than opted and kaplan, however it was weird.. I guessed "C" on the 10 I marked because I had 5 minutes left, and ended up doing pretty well.
How I studied:
Really didn't want to break the bank so I just purchased Chad's Videos and the 2015 KBB. Total 95$
I studied for 1 month. I started with Gen Chem, moved to Organic, and then Physics. I did one chapter a day, so 2-3 hours of watching videos, and another 1-2 taking quizzes and taking notes. I took way too many breaks... After finishing the videos, I went through the Biology section of the KBB, taking notes. I used my last 5/6 days to review, and retake all of Chad's Quizzes. Big mistake.. I underestimated the material that I needed to digest, as everything I learned in the beginning of the month began to disappear. I took 2 Kaplan tests in 1 day, and then the OPTED test 12 hours before my real OAT. The KBB biology is densely packed with information, and every sentence had something that could be testable on the OAT.
Overall:
I wish the Bio section was like Kaplan's, other than that, I deserved the score I received. I didn't really give it my "all" to study.
I'm not really trying to get into renowned school, and I'm trying to stay close to home to lower costs (Nova is 8 minutes from my house). I should be able to get in with my scores and GPA (knock on wood), however, my biology score is worrying me. I don't plan on retaking unless Nova asks me too, then I will.
I'd be glad to answer any questions.
Test:OAT/ADA/Kap2/Kap1
QR: 350/350/330/330
RC: 350/340/340/340
Bio: 270 (gross)/310/320/320
GC: 300/340/310/270
OC: 350/330/320/300
Phys: 310/310/280/270
TS: 310/330/320/290
AA: 320/330/320/310
cGPA: ~3.8
sGPA: ~3.7
Extracurriculars: None at school.. 250 Hours volunteering at a program where you interact with disabled individuals so they don't feel left out. 80+ hours shadowing an optometrist.
Appointment time 9:00, walked in at 8:25AM, and started within 5 minutes.
Biology
I've only taken Bio 1, Bio 2, and Genetics.. haven't taken AP1/AP2/Microbio/Cellular Molcular Bio yet.
Totally did not expect it to be this hard... Kaplan Tests were considerably easier, so I didn't think I needed to study as hard as I should have. The real OAT seemed to be more focused on Anatomy/Physiology/Cell Molec than the practice tests I took. The practice tests had at least half of the questions from college level Bio 1, Bio 2, and Genetics. The real test seemed to have 15 questions on that, and the rest of what I just described. The structure of the questions also felt a tad different. They were much more specific than that of the Kap/OPTED practice tests.
General Chemistry
Mix of easy and hard questions.. half conceptual, half calculations. Easier than chad's quizzes, equal to OPTED, easier than Kaplan. I did alright, I focused my studying on calculations rather than memorizing specific rules etc.
Organic Chemistry
Mostly reactions, had ~4 questions on SN2/E2/SN1/E1. Easier than Kaplan and OPTED, then again, only if you had a good basis. The reaction sheet from Chad's Videos should serve you well. His quizzes are extremely representative of how the OAT will be.
Reading Comp
Used Search and Destroy Method.. really couldn't read and recall, it was better to read the question and then find it. One passage was extremely easy, it literally asked for details and you could find the exact quote from the passage. Extremely similar to the Kaplan, just a tad bit easier.
Break
Went to the restroom, drank some water, went back.
Physics
It had either extremely easy questions or medium/hard questions. I got two questions asking for the magnitude of a sum of the vectors.. both questions had the same exact numbers, different units.. it was funny. Easier than OPTED/Kaplan. Didn't have any rotational motion, 1 momentum conserved, not a single box sliding down a frictionless plane, some basic projectile motion, about 4 on spring questions, no sound intensity, 2 Ohm's Law, 1 Electric field, 1 Parallel Plate Capacitor, 1 magnetic field, 5-6 optics, and the rest scattered.
Quantitative Reasoning
I didn't study for this section.. was too focused on Physics and Gen Chem. Harder than opted and kaplan, however it was weird.. I guessed "C" on the 10 I marked because I had 5 minutes left, and ended up doing pretty well.
How I studied:
Really didn't want to break the bank so I just purchased Chad's Videos and the 2015 KBB. Total 95$
I studied for 1 month. I started with Gen Chem, moved to Organic, and then Physics. I did one chapter a day, so 2-3 hours of watching videos, and another 1-2 taking quizzes and taking notes. I took way too many breaks... After finishing the videos, I went through the Biology section of the KBB, taking notes. I used my last 5/6 days to review, and retake all of Chad's Quizzes. Big mistake.. I underestimated the material that I needed to digest, as everything I learned in the beginning of the month began to disappear. I took 2 Kaplan tests in 1 day, and then the OPTED test 12 hours before my real OAT. The KBB biology is densely packed with information, and every sentence had something that could be testable on the OAT.
Overall:
I wish the Bio section was like Kaplan's, other than that, I deserved the score I received. I didn't really give it my "all" to study.
I'm not really trying to get into renowned school, and I'm trying to stay close to home to lower costs (Nova is 8 minutes from my house). I should be able to get in with my scores and GPA (knock on wood), however, my biology score is worrying me. I don't plan on retaking unless Nova asks me too, then I will.
I'd be glad to answer any questions.
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