Need help in application process timeline

[biostarjay1]

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Hi All SDN members:

I am going to apply for year 2007. I got one question about timeline taking OAT. I am registered for OAT at sep 5th. If I submitted my application at early september, will I get interview before december? My idea is that if I did not do well on spe 5th, I am going to retake on dec 5th since I need to wait for 3 months. But if I already got rejected before dec 5th, there is no point to retake OAT 😱 So what should I do? When should I submit my application? Tks so much!

J

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Hi All SDN members:

I am going to apply for year 2007. I got one question about timeline taking OAT. I am registered for OAT at sep 5th. If I submitted my application at early september, will I get interview before december? My idea is that if I did not do well on spe 5th, I am going to retake on dec 5th since I need to wait for 3 months. But if I already got rejected before dec 5th, there is no point to retake OAT 😱 So what should I do? When should I submit my application? Tks so much!

J

The window during which a school grants an interview varies from school to school. Some will let you know about getting an interview within a few days of receiving your app, others take up to a month or more. Planning to take the OAT in September is good, because you will have plenty of time for a retake if necessary. Also, getting your application to every school you are considering as EARLY as possible is essential, regardless of when you are taking the OAT. If you take your test in September and have already sent your app to the schools, I would think that every school with the exception of Berkeley (no rolling admissions) would let you know about an interview, because some schools will grant interviews without OAT scores, and the others will have the scores around October.

As for whether you should retake the test in December if you are already rejected, that depends on how much you want to get in next year.

Right now, you should focus on two things: getting your app ready for each school (meaning essays, personal statements, LORs, etc) and studying to get the best grade possible for the OAT on the FIRST try! Good luck!!!

 

[biostarjay1]

Tks a lot! Prettygreen eyes. Do you know which schools can offer interview earlier than others? My schools of choice are: UCBSO, UHCO, UMSL, (public) ICO, PCO, SCCO and Pacific (private). The reason I am thinking about retaking is because I have a much higher OAT scores in dec since I only have one month left to take one in sep. How do you think? Should I delay taking OAT? My first OAT is Science 350 and AA 340. I think I can get a higher scores next time. Are you applying now?

J

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Tks a lot! Prettygreen eyes. Do you know which schools can offer interview earlier than others? My schools of choice are: UCBSO, UHCO, UMSL, (public) ICO, PCO, SCCO and Pacific (private). The reason I am thinking about retaking is because I have a much higher OAT scores in dec since I only have one month left to take one in sep. How do you think? Should I delay taking OAT? My first OAT is Science 350 and AA 340. I think I can get a higher scores next time. Are you applying now?

J

J,

If the scores you got are on the actual OAT and not a practice OAT, I would say...your scores are good... very good! They are at or above the averages for most of the schools, except maybe Berkeley (but they are close!). Are you hoping that your scores will compensate for a lower GPA? Really, I wouldn't retake if I were you, unless, you feel that you are weaker in other areas. Don't retake the test unless you KNOW you can do better!

UCBSO doesn't have rolling admissions, so you turn in your app before a certain time, and then everyone finds out together when interviews are offered, and generally it is all on the same day! (Perhaps a UCBSO student like iiimonica or Roseanna can give you more advice.)

The rest of the schools you mentioned all have rolling admissions, so you turn in your app and find out shortly after if you got an interview. I am part of the Class of 2010, so I have already been accepted. I interviewed and was accepted at ICO and Pacific, so they are really the only schools I know well. I turned in my primary app to ICO mid August, was offered an interview middle/late September, interviewed on Halloween, and was accepted mid November. As for Pacifc, my app was complete mid December, offered interview mid January, interview Feb. 3rd, and accepted Feb. 9th.

Really the best advice is to apply early, and having early OAT scores will help. If you have TS 350 and AA 340, then you should be fine if GPA is average as well.

Please let me know if you have anymore questions... I'm happy to help!

pge

 

[biostarjay1]

Hi Prettygreeneyes,

Tks so much! My problem is my GPA is only about 3.3. 🙁 I cant change it unless I retake courses, but it is too late to do it. Thus, I am thinking geting a higher OAT score may help it out and I am studying really hard for my weak areas such as orgo and physics. I will apply ICO and Pacific aroung september and I might ask you more questions about it. Good luck on starting optometry school. 🙂

J

 

[iiiimonica]

apply early to SCCO and Pacific, ask them how to update scores once you get your new scores (if you don't get an interview bu then)


for Berkeley wait until after your higher scores have come in but you must apply before the deadline (i think it's december 1rst). so all of your materials must be recieved by12/1. don't sumit your app until after your scores have come in,but make sure all your transcripts and LOR's have been received


also i would call/email Sharon Joyce the admissions director and ask her if you can submit updated scores after you apply and if applying earlierr in the cycle is better.

good luck 😍

 

[O.D.-2-B]

Hi Prettygreeneyes,

Tks so much! My problem is my GPA is only about 3.3. 🙁 I cant change it unless I retake courses, but it is too late to do it. Thus, I am thinking geting a higher OAT score may help it out and I am studying really hard for my weak areas such as orgo and physics. I will apply ICO and Pacific aroung september and I might ask you more questions about it. Good luck on starting optometry school. 🙂

J

I think I should interject here! I applied to 7 different schools last year with the following stats : GPA 3.42 and OAT TS 320. I decided to not rewrite the OAt and give the application process a shot. I applied to all of the schools before the end of december and by March I had interviewd at 5 of the schools. I got into 5 of the schools and withdrew from one other and did not get acceptance from the last. So, my advice to you is apply to your desired schools with the scores you have, I would imagine most schools, if not all will get back to you before december.

I did have quite a bit of optometry experience but as long as you have good references I am sure you will have no trouble.

😳

 

[Rosanna]

Hi biostarjay1:

I would encourage you to send in your application as soon as they are accepted. Although UCBSO does not do rolling admissions, it is to your benefit to have your file made and forms filled out. For Fall 2007 entry, the application will be available on the UCBSO website on September 7. Your GPA and OAT scores were similar to mine when I applied. If you are worried your OAT scores will not be high enough, you can always call Sharon Joyce at the admissions office for her to put a note in your file that you may retake the exam in December so they will not make any rush decisions based on your September OAT scores.

I spoke to one of my clinical professors (who lurks on this board ... hi!) who said that Berkeley is fading out early admissions. This past application cycle had ~20 early admissions applicants who were accepted compared to higher numbers in the past. All regular applicants will be interviewed on our one interview date (usually in the beginning of the year), and even early admission applicants were all phone interviewed in the last cycle. Because of the success of our first ever “admit day”, less applicants are withdrawing their acceptances this year. Each school usually gives out a few more acceptances than the class size because several students are expected to withdraw before the school year begins. From what I’ve heard a month ago, the wait-list has not moved this cycle.

UCBSO also has a Berkeley Optometry Ambassadors Program (BOA) which allows applicants to contact current students. The list of participating students are listed here: http://optometry.berkeley.edu/admissions/admitboa.html

I’m not a BOA member, but my “little sib” and “grand sib” are, but feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.

Good luck!

Rosanna

 

[biostarjay1]

Tks rosanna

Actually I was at UCB in Feb but got rejected after the interview. 🙁 I guess my gpa and oat are not good as average which increases everyyear. It is a good news to know that early decision is fading out. 🙂 I am gonna reapply this year!

J

 

[Clovers]

Hi everyone,

I am a little bit confused about the timeline for optometry schools. So each school has a different date when their application is available? When people say apply early, does that mean from August-December? Are their any optometry schools that require secondaries?

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Hi everyone,

I am a little bit confused about the timeline for optometry schools. So each school has a different date when their application is available? When people say apply early, does that mean from August-December? Are their any optometry schools that require secondaries?

I know that ICO has a secondary. By applying early, it generally means within a month or two of the applications being available. Your timeline of August - December is probably good for most schools. Each school varies in when their app is available. ICO's app is available August 1st, and other schools probably release their apps September. (Sorry, my experience is limited to Pacific and ICO... others will probably have more insight!)

Another aspect of "applying early" is having all of your proverbial ducks in a row. Every school requires letters of recommendation, so start gathering those now. Schools generally require shadowing, so you should be doing that as well. (Even if they don't require shadowing... do it anyway so you KNOW what you are getting into!) Take a crack at a personal statement. Not every school requires one per se, but all require the standard "Why optometry" and "Why _______ College of Optometry". Know which schools you are going to apply to and start the process of getting your transcripts sent to each school, because that can sometimes take a LONG time!

If you are doing all of this stuff now... you are ahead of the game!

Good luck!
PGE

 

[Clovers]

I know that ICO has a secondary. By applying early, it generally means within a month or two of the applications being available. Your timeline of August - December is probably good for most schools. Each school varies in when their app is available. ICO's app is available August 1st, and other schools probably release their apps September. (Sorry, my experience is limited to Pacific and ICO... others will probably have more insight!)

Another aspect of "applying early" is having all of your proverbial ducks in a row. Every school requires letters of recommendation, so start gathering those now. Schools generally require shadowing, so you should be doing that as well. (Even if they don't require shadowing... do it anyway so you KNOW what you are getting into!) Take a crack at a personal statement. Not every school requires one per se, but all require the standard "Why optometry" and "Why _______ College of Optometry". Know which schools you are going to apply to and start the process of getting your transcripts sent to each school, because that can sometimes take a LONG time!

If you are doing all of this stuff now... you are ahead of the game!

Good luck!
PGE

PGE, thank so much for responding. I was also wondering if it is common for opto schools to require high school transcripts from all applicants? I think it's so tedious for students that opto schools don't have a system that collects all letters and transcripts from students. So I was also wondering if I should have my hs and college send my transcripts directly to opto schools or should i have them send it to my house then i'll send all of my transcripts at once to opto schools? Also, do schools tend to change their personal statement topics from year to year. I won't be applying to opto school until 2007 so to prepare I think I should write my personal statement before hand.