Non-Trad Student

[chee01]

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I have been out of school for ~5 yrs now and have hit a rut in my current career. I have a BS in Chemical Engineering, and I am currently working in the oil industry. I find the work very challenging, but not fulfilling. Just wondering if with my science background getting accepted would be difficult. Does the fact that I have some real world experience help or hurt me? How typical are non-traditional students in optometry schools? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[rkl_OD2be]

I have been out of school for ~5 yrs now and have hit a rut in my current career. I have a BS in Chemical Engineering, and I am currently working in the oil industry. I find the work very challenging, but not fulfilling. Just wondering if with my science background getting accepted would be difficult. Does the fact that I have some real world experience help or hurt me? How typical are non-traditional students in optometry schools? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I'm a current first year. I worked as a software engineer for 12-13 years before I decided to pursue a career in optometry. If anything, being an older, non-trad student has helped me...I've got a wife & 2 kids at home, so that helps provide the proper motivation to study: failure is not an option!!!

Seriously, if you have a good science aptitude, and the genuine desire to use your given skills and talent serving others as a doctor of optometry, the fact that you're older & more seasoned will only help you...


rkl_OD2be
UMSL College of Optometry class of 2010

 

[RSSC]

I have been out of school for 12 years going on 4 kids with a good paying Pharmaceutical Sales job (Which I really hate some days). Am I TOTALLY crazy for considering Optometry school?

 

[swiftiii]

Nova is filled with non-trad students. I myself had been out for 5 years and have my MBA. One of my good friends is almost 40 with two kids. He tells me that it is a stuggle to do it all, but totally worth it since it's what he wants to do and since Optometry can be such a "long" profession (as in you can practice till you're dead 🙂 )

Non-trad backgrounds definitely accentuate your application. I've talked with our administration a bunch of times, and I can tell they love students like us. I mean, think about it. You're successful in your own right and have a solid career at your feet. Yet you're willing to, dare I say, throw it all away for a chance to be an optometrist. The only possible thing that will stop you from getting in is not having the prerequisites (see the word require in there?) (and I will mention with a decent grade so no one thinks I am saying you'll just slide into a slot.) If a chemical engineer had anatomy, or biochem or whatever, then no problem!

Good luck!

 

[KHE]

I have been out of school for 12 years going on 4 kids with a good paying Pharmaceutical Sales job (Which I really hate some days). Am I TOTALLY crazy for considering Optometry school?

No, you're not totally crazy for considering it. The oldest person in my class was 41 when he started.

However you have be 100000% sure that optometry is what you really really want to do because optometry school is incredibly expensive and incredibly time consuming.

Most people who contemplate a career switch do something that they can casually train for part time, picking up a few night courses here and there at the local CC or University and maybe doing some online work to pick up an MBA or a second degree. Optometry is not like that at all.

If you're dissatisfied with your current career, its easy to look at optometry (or any other career) with rose colored glasses. Getting paid decent money to help people see better sounds great in theory, but just make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into.

 

[r_salis]

However you have be 100000% sure that optometry is what you really really want to do because optometry school is incredibly expensive and incredibly time consuming.

Most people who contemplate a career switch do something that they can casually train for part time, picking up a few night courses here and there at the local CC or University and maybe doing some online work to pick up an MBA or a second degree. Optometry is not like that at all.

If you're dissatisfied with your current career, its easy to look at optometry (or any other career) with rose colored glasses. Getting paid decent money to help people see better sounds great in theory, but just make sure you know exactly what you're getting yourself into.

I agree 100000.1%. I spent a dozen years in a completely different career before returning to school full-time in 2001 to pursue my OD. It's been a long road and a lot of work. Be sure it's what you really want, because there are a lot of other options.

 

[eyedoc1991]

I have been out of school for ~5 yrs now and have hit a rut in my current career. I have a BS in Chemical Engineering, and I am currently working in the oil industry. I find the work very challenging, but not fulfilling. Just wondering if with my science background getting accepted would be difficult. Does the fact that I have some real world experience help or hurt me? How typical are non-traditional students in optometry schools? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I am happy that you are considering Optometry as a career. Your undergraduate major does not restrict you from entering Optometry. You just need to have enough background in Biology and Optic to take the OAT entrance test. I do want you to think carefully before you enter since the cost of Optometric education is not cheap. You will have a great amount of debt. I hope it is what you want. Have you volunteer in some practices to see what life is like for an Optometrist? This would help you to make the decision. I hope you love to take care of people and be around people.