- Joined
- Sep 8, 2018
- Messages
- 4
- Reaction score
- 3
Hello all. Before I say anything else, this is going to be a pretty long post detailing my experience.
I took my OAT about a month ago, and I visited this website quite frequently for extra advice and insight about the Test and I wanted to share my experience to further help students who are in the same position I was in over the summer.
I'm currently a junior in undergraduate studies, and I'm applying a year early into optometry school.
I'll start off by going over my study strategy and how I maximized my preparedness before Test Day, and then dive into what I encountered on Test Day.
*Keep in mind while reading that the strategies and habits I used might not be as helpful to other students; everyone learns and retains information a different way*
Studying
Materials Used:
- Kaplan 2017-2018 OAT Prep Book
- OAT Destroyer
- Notes from prior classes (this was more helpful than I had originally thought)
At the beginning of May, I created a plan to study for three months before I took the test. I know what you're thinking, but this can be done in a shorter time period. At the time, I was taking 5 summer classes (3 from May-June, 2 from July-August) and working over 25 hours a week at an optometrist's office, so I felt that doing a little bit every day (even weekends) for a couple hours would be the best route to take in successfully balancing out everything that was going on, not to mention still hanging out with friends and family.
The goal was to study for two weeks on each section, except for biology and reading -- that was three weeks and one day, respectively. In that time period, I went through the book (about a chapter or two a day) and took notes on stuff that I didn't know or that I wanted to refresh upon. Then I would work through the OAT Destroyer problems for that section before moving onto a new one.
When it comes to things to study for each section, a lot of it is reiteration and stuff you've already seen upon doing research or stuff you already know from other classes. But like I said, it's just my take on what's important to study. When I get to my actual test scores, I'll give my reaction on each section and final words on what it entailed.
Biology
Perhaps the sole reason I gave myself three weeks instead of two is because there's just a lot of terms to recall come test day. Key areas of focus include anatomy, physiology, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, cell biology, ecology, and genetics. I haven't had an anatomy/physiology class up until now, and I heavily took notes on those corresponding sections. OAT Destroyer had almost 700 problems on biology, and there's a decent amount on there with the potential to show up on the actual test.
Best way to prepare: repetition of terms and problems.
General Chemistry
I've always been good at chemistry, both inorganic and organic, from the times I was introduced to it. So the key for me was to just familiarize myself by doing problems and going over old notes -- not a great amount of note-taking like biology. Key areas of focus include gas laws, molarity, acid/base equilibria, radioactivity, thermochemistry, and lab techniques. Again, OAT Destroyer has quite a lot of problems and doing them will just reinforce the topics.
Organic Chemistry
I had just completed a full year of organic chemistry when the studying began, so here I was very comfortable with nomenclature and reactions, basically the two main components of this section. Definitely review nomenclature (for bi cyclic conformations too!), all of the reactions, NMR and other spectra, chirality, and lab techniques. This section was where my old notes came in handy because I had all of the reactions and everything I needed right there along with Kaplan. OAT Destroyer problems are a little challenging, but will certainly help.
Reading Comprehension
This section I completed in a day, just a practice exam and reviewed strategies. The strategies given with Kaplan did help, but with total honesty, sometimes it's just easiest to search for the answer in the text without fully reading prior to answering. The nice thing about this section is that the full excerpt is right below each question so you don't have to click between pages -- the paragraphs are also numbered and spaced out for clarity. If the topics of the excerpts are easy, it makes for easier reading and then it might be best to just read through it, but if it's a topic you know will take a while to read, I recommend just skipping the reading and going to find questions as they come up.
Quantitative Reasoning
Math has always been my best subject, and so I virtually didn't take any notes while going through Kaplan except for equations for area, volume, etc. Key areas of focus would be trigonometry, area, volume, probability, statistics, and story problems. This section will press you for time, so finding those loopholes and math tricks in preparation and on the actual test will go a long way. OAT Destroyer had a lot of problems, especially story problems, that definitely encapsulates what the section will look like.
Physics
This was the section I needed the most studying for, even with me being good at math. The problem wasn't the conceptual aspect or actually doing the math, it was just setting up the correct equation and going from there. Major areas of focus would be kinematics (box sliding up/down a ramp), circuits, fluid statics (knowing a fluid will flow faster in tight areas than open areas), gases/pressure, optics, waves, electric field, charge, magnetic field, and radioactivity. Just like biology, there's a lot to remember in this section, at least for me. Also, you don't get a calculator on this section, so if you have to solve problems, getting in the habit of working out problems by hand is really going to help out. Best way to prepare is just to practice a lot. OAT Destroyer has pretty difficult physics problems, but it's all relevant I think.
Quantitative Reasoning
Math has always been my best subject, and so I virtually didn't take any notes while going through Kaplan except for equations for area, volume, etc. Key areas of focus would be trigonometry, area, volume, probability, statistics, and story problems. This section will press you for time, so finding those loopholes and math tricks in preparation and on the actual test will go a long way. OAT Destroyer had a lot of problems, especially story problems, that definitely encapsulates what the section will look like.
Just like physics, getting in the habit of doing math by hand can reduce the time it takes to answer a question, even if you get a calculator. I found this was very evident when you had to do long division.
Practice Exams
I gave myself two weeks before the test to do some fine-tuning on certain topics before taking practice exams. I took the two Kaplan full-length practice tests and then the paid ADA full-length practice test.
Kaplan exams, while very realistic of the actual test in terms of layout, were more challenging than the actual test and ADA (especially both chemistry sections). I took all three in a week's span before the test.
Here are the results:
1. Kaplan 1:
- Biology 270
- Inorganic 310
- Organic 270
- Physics 290
- Reading 330
- QR 310
300 AA, 290 TS
-------------------------
2. Kaplan 2:
- Biology 310
- Inorganic 340
- Organic 340
- Physics 280
- Reading 360
- QR 280
320 AA, 320 TS
-------------------------
3. ADA:
- Biology 360
- Inorganic 370
- Organic 350
- Physics 280
- Reading 360
- QR 370
350 AA, 340 TS
-------------------------
I think the biggest takeaway from these practice tests was that I improved each time I took one, and I felt confident after the ADA test, knowing I was ready for the real thing. I gave extra time to review physics, as that was my worst score continually.
Test Day
Test began at about 7:30 A.M. Normal procedures thereafter -- nothing allowed besides ID beyond the check-in desk. They gave me noise-cancelling headphones which definitely help in eliminating any potential noise, though they can become irritating after a while.
Here are my scores from the actual OAT:
- Biology = 270
- General Chemistry = 350
- Organic Chemistry = 370
- Reading Comprehension = 340
- Physics = 330
- Quantitative Reasoning = 380
- AA = 340
- TS = 330
Biology: It was just very hard for me, and a lot of it had to do with the questions pertaining to anatomy and physiology, which I had no prior course on. Genetics questions, ecology, and everything about the cell was standard though.
Gen. Chem: This section was very straightforward for me. The key areas of focus I highlighted above were all there, but not too in-depth like OAT Destroyer might depict.
Org. Chem: MUCH easier than the practice tests, very straightforward. My biggest headache was NMR, as there were a few questions on that, and I wasn't too sure on any of them. But all of the reactions were things I knew and not a ton of surprises. There was a question (maybe two) on bicyclic structures, and I'm glad I reviewed that because I knew how to answer them!
RC: What I expected. I applied the method of just skipping to the questions and I finished with plenty of time. My passages weren't super difficult either, I know one was about a stethoscope and one was about the brain, can't think of the other one.
Break: Used restroom, ate a protein bar, drank water, walked around. I know some people want to vigorously prepare for the next sections during the break, but I did the exact opposite. I knew looking at more stuff for physics and QR wasn't going to help me as much as I tried. I got my mind off the test and just relaxed for the given time before heading back in.
Physics: Aside from biology, this was still a tough section. Thankfully, there were quite a bit of conceptual questions compared to computing answers by hand. Fluid statics, focal length/optics, and kinematics dominated the field of questions.
QR: This is the section I rocked, despite my mental exhaustion. Decent amount of probability and story problems, but a good amount was just simple math equations or reducing down fractions and things like that.
Spoiler: The actual OAT is not that bad. I felt so relieved afterwards that it was over, but during the test, I really didn't panic at all and finished each section in the allotted time.
Final Thoughts
Things to remember:
- Create a plan and stick to it, this is super important amidst all else that can be going on. You'll thank yourself later when you want to take a break and hang out with your friends or do something apart from studying.
- Actively learn/recall the material when necessary, going through the motions probably won't help that much, if at all.
- You're not going to remember every single thing when it comes time to take the test, so while it's good to get exposed to everything, focus more on things you don't know.
- Don't get discouraged at practice test scores, my first one I was upset but you just have to keep practicing and doing more tests.
- Don't get yourself worked up and don't panic! If you prepare well, you'll be just fine.
Lastly, I recommend going through this process when you don't have a ton of other things going on. I was able to do well while also taking quite a bit of summer classes and working a lot during the week, but I really didn't have a summer: that was my life. However, I don't regret what I did and it's such a good feeling that it's over.
If anyone has any questions for me, you can message me directly or post a question down below this thread. I'm new to this website, so I'm still not familiar with everything, but I'll try and keep up on inquiries and such.
Thanks for reading!
I took my OAT about a month ago, and I visited this website quite frequently for extra advice and insight about the Test and I wanted to share my experience to further help students who are in the same position I was in over the summer.
I'm currently a junior in undergraduate studies, and I'm applying a year early into optometry school.
I'll start off by going over my study strategy and how I maximized my preparedness before Test Day, and then dive into what I encountered on Test Day.
*Keep in mind while reading that the strategies and habits I used might not be as helpful to other students; everyone learns and retains information a different way*
Studying
Materials Used:
- Kaplan 2017-2018 OAT Prep Book
- OAT Destroyer
- Notes from prior classes (this was more helpful than I had originally thought)
At the beginning of May, I created a plan to study for three months before I took the test. I know what you're thinking, but this can be done in a shorter time period. At the time, I was taking 5 summer classes (3 from May-June, 2 from July-August) and working over 25 hours a week at an optometrist's office, so I felt that doing a little bit every day (even weekends) for a couple hours would be the best route to take in successfully balancing out everything that was going on, not to mention still hanging out with friends and family.
The goal was to study for two weeks on each section, except for biology and reading -- that was three weeks and one day, respectively. In that time period, I went through the book (about a chapter or two a day) and took notes on stuff that I didn't know or that I wanted to refresh upon. Then I would work through the OAT Destroyer problems for that section before moving onto a new one.
When it comes to things to study for each section, a lot of it is reiteration and stuff you've already seen upon doing research or stuff you already know from other classes. But like I said, it's just my take on what's important to study. When I get to my actual test scores, I'll give my reaction on each section and final words on what it entailed.
Biology
Perhaps the sole reason I gave myself three weeks instead of two is because there's just a lot of terms to recall come test day. Key areas of focus include anatomy, physiology, cellular respiration, photosynthesis, cell biology, ecology, and genetics. I haven't had an anatomy/physiology class up until now, and I heavily took notes on those corresponding sections. OAT Destroyer had almost 700 problems on biology, and there's a decent amount on there with the potential to show up on the actual test.
Best way to prepare: repetition of terms and problems.
General Chemistry
I've always been good at chemistry, both inorganic and organic, from the times I was introduced to it. So the key for me was to just familiarize myself by doing problems and going over old notes -- not a great amount of note-taking like biology. Key areas of focus include gas laws, molarity, acid/base equilibria, radioactivity, thermochemistry, and lab techniques. Again, OAT Destroyer has quite a lot of problems and doing them will just reinforce the topics.
Organic Chemistry
I had just completed a full year of organic chemistry when the studying began, so here I was very comfortable with nomenclature and reactions, basically the two main components of this section. Definitely review nomenclature (for bi cyclic conformations too!), all of the reactions, NMR and other spectra, chirality, and lab techniques. This section was where my old notes came in handy because I had all of the reactions and everything I needed right there along with Kaplan. OAT Destroyer problems are a little challenging, but will certainly help.
Reading Comprehension
This section I completed in a day, just a practice exam and reviewed strategies. The strategies given with Kaplan did help, but with total honesty, sometimes it's just easiest to search for the answer in the text without fully reading prior to answering. The nice thing about this section is that the full excerpt is right below each question so you don't have to click between pages -- the paragraphs are also numbered and spaced out for clarity. If the topics of the excerpts are easy, it makes for easier reading and then it might be best to just read through it, but if it's a topic you know will take a while to read, I recommend just skipping the reading and going to find questions as they come up.
Quantitative Reasoning
Math has always been my best subject, and so I virtually didn't take any notes while going through Kaplan except for equations for area, volume, etc. Key areas of focus would be trigonometry, area, volume, probability, statistics, and story problems. This section will press you for time, so finding those loopholes and math tricks in preparation and on the actual test will go a long way. OAT Destroyer had a lot of problems, especially story problems, that definitely encapsulates what the section will look like.
Physics
This was the section I needed the most studying for, even with me being good at math. The problem wasn't the conceptual aspect or actually doing the math, it was just setting up the correct equation and going from there. Major areas of focus would be kinematics (box sliding up/down a ramp), circuits, fluid statics (knowing a fluid will flow faster in tight areas than open areas), gases/pressure, optics, waves, electric field, charge, magnetic field, and radioactivity. Just like biology, there's a lot to remember in this section, at least for me. Also, you don't get a calculator on this section, so if you have to solve problems, getting in the habit of working out problems by hand is really going to help out. Best way to prepare is just to practice a lot. OAT Destroyer has pretty difficult physics problems, but it's all relevant I think.
Quantitative Reasoning
Math has always been my best subject, and so I virtually didn't take any notes while going through Kaplan except for equations for area, volume, etc. Key areas of focus would be trigonometry, area, volume, probability, statistics, and story problems. This section will press you for time, so finding those loopholes and math tricks in preparation and on the actual test will go a long way. OAT Destroyer had a lot of problems, especially story problems, that definitely encapsulates what the section will look like.
Just like physics, getting in the habit of doing math by hand can reduce the time it takes to answer a question, even if you get a calculator. I found this was very evident when you had to do long division.
Practice Exams
I gave myself two weeks before the test to do some fine-tuning on certain topics before taking practice exams. I took the two Kaplan full-length practice tests and then the paid ADA full-length practice test.
Kaplan exams, while very realistic of the actual test in terms of layout, were more challenging than the actual test and ADA (especially both chemistry sections). I took all three in a week's span before the test.
Here are the results:
1. Kaplan 1:
- Biology 270
- Inorganic 310
- Organic 270
- Physics 290
- Reading 330
- QR 310
300 AA, 290 TS
-------------------------
2. Kaplan 2:
- Biology 310
- Inorganic 340
- Organic 340
- Physics 280
- Reading 360
- QR 280
320 AA, 320 TS
-------------------------
3. ADA:
- Biology 360
- Inorganic 370
- Organic 350
- Physics 280
- Reading 360
- QR 370
350 AA, 340 TS
-------------------------
I think the biggest takeaway from these practice tests was that I improved each time I took one, and I felt confident after the ADA test, knowing I was ready for the real thing. I gave extra time to review physics, as that was my worst score continually.
Test Day
Test began at about 7:30 A.M. Normal procedures thereafter -- nothing allowed besides ID beyond the check-in desk. They gave me noise-cancelling headphones which definitely help in eliminating any potential noise, though they can become irritating after a while.
Here are my scores from the actual OAT:
- Biology = 270
- General Chemistry = 350
- Organic Chemistry = 370
- Reading Comprehension = 340
- Physics = 330
- Quantitative Reasoning = 380
- AA = 340
- TS = 330
Biology: It was just very hard for me, and a lot of it had to do with the questions pertaining to anatomy and physiology, which I had no prior course on. Genetics questions, ecology, and everything about the cell was standard though.
Gen. Chem: This section was very straightforward for me. The key areas of focus I highlighted above were all there, but not too in-depth like OAT Destroyer might depict.
Org. Chem: MUCH easier than the practice tests, very straightforward. My biggest headache was NMR, as there were a few questions on that, and I wasn't too sure on any of them. But all of the reactions were things I knew and not a ton of surprises. There was a question (maybe two) on bicyclic structures, and I'm glad I reviewed that because I knew how to answer them!
RC: What I expected. I applied the method of just skipping to the questions and I finished with plenty of time. My passages weren't super difficult either, I know one was about a stethoscope and one was about the brain, can't think of the other one.
Break: Used restroom, ate a protein bar, drank water, walked around. I know some people want to vigorously prepare for the next sections during the break, but I did the exact opposite. I knew looking at more stuff for physics and QR wasn't going to help me as much as I tried. I got my mind off the test and just relaxed for the given time before heading back in.
Physics: Aside from biology, this was still a tough section. Thankfully, there were quite a bit of conceptual questions compared to computing answers by hand. Fluid statics, focal length/optics, and kinematics dominated the field of questions.
QR: This is the section I rocked, despite my mental exhaustion. Decent amount of probability and story problems, but a good amount was just simple math equations or reducing down fractions and things like that.
Spoiler: The actual OAT is not that bad. I felt so relieved afterwards that it was over, but during the test, I really didn't panic at all and finished each section in the allotted time.
Final Thoughts
Things to remember:
- Create a plan and stick to it, this is super important amidst all else that can be going on. You'll thank yourself later when you want to take a break and hang out with your friends or do something apart from studying.
- Actively learn/recall the material when necessary, going through the motions probably won't help that much, if at all.
- You're not going to remember every single thing when it comes time to take the test, so while it's good to get exposed to everything, focus more on things you don't know.
- Don't get discouraged at practice test scores, my first one I was upset but you just have to keep practicing and doing more tests.
- Don't get yourself worked up and don't panic! If you prepare well, you'll be just fine.
Lastly, I recommend going through this process when you don't have a ton of other things going on. I was able to do well while also taking quite a bit of summer classes and working a lot during the week, but I really didn't have a summer: that was my life. However, I don't regret what I did and it's such a good feeling that it's over.
If anyone has any questions for me, you can message me directly or post a question down below this thread. I'm new to this website, so I'm still not familiar with everything, but I'll try and keep up on inquiries and such.
Thanks for reading!
