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OAT Discussion: To all optomertry students and pre-optometry students
Dear future ODs:
When it comes to finding good preparation material for OAT, per-optometry students are at disadvantage compare to premeds . For the past few years AAMC has releases a number of their old tests. Since these materials reflect the real MCAT, test preparation programs such as Kaplan, Princeton, ExamKrackers, Arco encourage their students to judge their performance by the AAMC exams, despite the fact that these test preparation courses have numerous of their own full length exams for their students to practice with.
Unlike AAMC, the perparation materials that Association of schools and Colleges of Optometry ( ASCO ) has released is limited to the materials that comes with the application which is not even a full length exam. Thus, we don't have any full length exam that is coming directly from ASCO that we can use to see how well we are prepared for the actual OAT. The OAT prep books that are on the market some of them are too easy and some of them are too difficult.
My purpose in writing the above message is not to complain or to agonize, but to find a way so we can help each other and our future collages who will be taking OAT in years ahead. I encourage anyone who has taken the OAT or planning to take the OAT share their knowledge of OAT under this post. The following is a list of all the topics that is a fair game on OAT provided by ASCO . ( I have to admit the range of these topics is very wide. It is so wide that it covers the entire text book of each subject. If you can recall anything that is tested specifically by OAT share it with everyone.
note: In ur response plz copy the topic and paste it in the subject box as well as in ur message.
I . Biology:
1. Cell and Molecular Biology
2 .origin of life
3.cell metabolism (including photosynthesis)
4.enzymology
5.cellular processes
6. thermodynamics;
7.organelle structure and function
8. mitosis/ meiosis
9. Diversity of Life: Biological Organization and Relationship of Major Taxa (monera, planti, anamalia, protista, fungi, etc.) using the five-kingdom system;
10. Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology: Structure and function of Systems- 11. integumentary,
12. skeletal,
12 muscular,
14. circulatory,
15. immunological,
16. digestive
17. respiratory,
18. urinary,
19. nervous/senses,
20. endocrine, and reproductive;
21. Developmental Biology -fertilization, descriptive embryology, and developmental mechanics;
22. Genetics - molecular genetics, human genetics, classical genetics, and chromosomal genetics:
23. Evolution,
24 Ecology,
25. Behavior -
26. natural selection,
27. population genetics!
28. speciation, cladistics, population and community ecology, ecosystems, animal behavior (including social behavior).
General Chemistry:
1. Stoichiometry and General Concepts -
2. percent composition,
3. empirical formulae,
4. balancing equations,
5. moles and molecular formulas,
6. molar mass,
7. density, and calculations from balanced equations;
8. Gases -
9. kinetic molecular theory of gases, Dalton's, Boyle's, Charles, and ideal gas laws; 11. Liquids and Solids -
12. intermolecular forces, phase changes, vapor pressure,
13. structures,
14. polarity, and properties;
15. Solutions - polarity, properties (colligative, non-colligative),
15. forces, and concentration calculations; Acids and Bases - pH, strength, Bronsted-Lowry reactions, calculations; Chemical Equilibria - molecular, acid/base, precipitation, calculations, and
16. Le Chatelier's principle;
17. Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry- laws of thermodynamics,
18. Hess' law,
19. spontaneity, enthalpies and entropies, and heat transfer; Chemical Kinetics - rate laws, activation energy, and
20. half life;
21. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions - balancing equations, determination of oxidation numbers,
22. electrochemical calculations,
23. electrochemical concepts and terminology;
24. Atomic and Molecular Structure -
25. electron configuration,
26. orbital types, Lewis-Dot diagrams,
27. atomic theory,
28. quantum theory,
29. molecular geometry,
30 bond types,
31. sub-atomic particles;
32. Periodic Properties -representative elements, transition elements, periodic trends,
32. descriptive chemistry;
33. Nuclear Reactions - balancing equations, binding energy, decay processes, particles, terminology;
34. Laboratory - basic techniques, equipment, error analysis, safety, and data analysis.
Organic Chemistry:
1. Mechanism (Energetics, Structure, and Stability of Intermediates)
2. -SN1, SN2,
3. elimination, addition,
4. free radical, and substitution mechanisms;
5. Chemical and Physical Properties of Molecules and Organic Analysis -
6. inter- and intra-molecular forces separation,
7. introductory infrared spectroscopy,
8. 'I{NMR spectroscopy, '3CNMR,
9. chemical identification, stability, solubility, and polarity;
10. Stereochemistry -
11. conformational analysis,
12. optical activity,
13. chirality, chiral centers,
14. planes of symmetry,
15. enantiomers, diastereomers, and meso compounds;
16. Nomenclature - rules, and
17. functional groups in molecules; I
18. ndividual Reactions of the Major Functional Groups and
19. Combinations of Reactions to Synthesize Compounds; Acid-Base Chemistry - 20. resonance effects, inductive results, and prediction of products and equilibria; 21. Aromatics and Bonding -
21. concept of aromaticity, resonance, atomic orbitals, molecular orbitals, hybridization, bond angles, and bond lengths.
II. READING COMPREHENSION
What did u use ( or using ) to prepare for this section ?
III. PHYSICS
1. Units and vectors,
2. linear kinematics,
3. statics, dynamics,
4. rotational motion,
5. energy and momentum,
6. simple harmonic motion,
7. waves, fluid statics,
8. thermal energy and thermodynamics,
9. electrostatics,
10. D.C. circuits,
11. magnetism,
12. optics,
12. and modern nuclear physics.
IV. QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Mathematical Problems:
1. Algebra - equations
2. expressions,
3. inequalities,
4. exponential
5. absolute value,
6. ratios and proportions
7. graphical analysis;
8. Numerical calculations -
9. fractions and decimals,
10. percentages,
11. approximations,
12. and scientific notation;
13. Conversions-temperature,
14. time, weight, and distance;
15. Probability and Statistics;
16. Geometry;
17. Trigonometry,
18. and Applied Mathematics (Word)
Dear future ODs:
When it comes to finding good preparation material for OAT, per-optometry students are at disadvantage compare to premeds . For the past few years AAMC has releases a number of their old tests. Since these materials reflect the real MCAT, test preparation programs such as Kaplan, Princeton, ExamKrackers, Arco encourage their students to judge their performance by the AAMC exams, despite the fact that these test preparation courses have numerous of their own full length exams for their students to practice with.
Unlike AAMC, the perparation materials that Association of schools and Colleges of Optometry ( ASCO ) has released is limited to the materials that comes with the application which is not even a full length exam. Thus, we don't have any full length exam that is coming directly from ASCO that we can use to see how well we are prepared for the actual OAT. The OAT prep books that are on the market some of them are too easy and some of them are too difficult.
My purpose in writing the above message is not to complain or to agonize, but to find a way so we can help each other and our future collages who will be taking OAT in years ahead. I encourage anyone who has taken the OAT or planning to take the OAT share their knowledge of OAT under this post. The following is a list of all the topics that is a fair game on OAT provided by ASCO . ( I have to admit the range of these topics is very wide. It is so wide that it covers the entire text book of each subject. If you can recall anything that is tested specifically by OAT share it with everyone.
note: In ur response plz copy the topic and paste it in the subject box as well as in ur message.
I . Biology:
1. Cell and Molecular Biology
2 .origin of life
3.cell metabolism (including photosynthesis)
4.enzymology
5.cellular processes
6. thermodynamics;
7.organelle structure and function
8. mitosis/ meiosis
9. Diversity of Life: Biological Organization and Relationship of Major Taxa (monera, planti, anamalia, protista, fungi, etc.) using the five-kingdom system;
10. Vertebrate Anatomy and Physiology: Structure and function of Systems- 11. integumentary,
12. skeletal,
12 muscular,
14. circulatory,
15. immunological,
16. digestive
17. respiratory,
18. urinary,
19. nervous/senses,
20. endocrine, and reproductive;
21. Developmental Biology -fertilization, descriptive embryology, and developmental mechanics;
22. Genetics - molecular genetics, human genetics, classical genetics, and chromosomal genetics:
23. Evolution,
24 Ecology,
25. Behavior -
26. natural selection,
27. population genetics!
28. speciation, cladistics, population and community ecology, ecosystems, animal behavior (including social behavior).
General Chemistry:
1. Stoichiometry and General Concepts -
2. percent composition,
3. empirical formulae,
4. balancing equations,
5. moles and molecular formulas,
6. molar mass,
7. density, and calculations from balanced equations;
8. Gases -
9. kinetic molecular theory of gases, Dalton's, Boyle's, Charles, and ideal gas laws; 11. Liquids and Solids -
12. intermolecular forces, phase changes, vapor pressure,
13. structures,
14. polarity, and properties;
15. Solutions - polarity, properties (colligative, non-colligative),
15. forces, and concentration calculations; Acids and Bases - pH, strength, Bronsted-Lowry reactions, calculations; Chemical Equilibria - molecular, acid/base, precipitation, calculations, and
16. Le Chatelier's principle;
17. Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry- laws of thermodynamics,
18. Hess' law,
19. spontaneity, enthalpies and entropies, and heat transfer; Chemical Kinetics - rate laws, activation energy, and
20. half life;
21. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions - balancing equations, determination of oxidation numbers,
22. electrochemical calculations,
23. electrochemical concepts and terminology;
24. Atomic and Molecular Structure -
25. electron configuration,
26. orbital types, Lewis-Dot diagrams,
27. atomic theory,
28. quantum theory,
29. molecular geometry,
30 bond types,
31. sub-atomic particles;
32. Periodic Properties -representative elements, transition elements, periodic trends,
32. descriptive chemistry;
33. Nuclear Reactions - balancing equations, binding energy, decay processes, particles, terminology;
34. Laboratory - basic techniques, equipment, error analysis, safety, and data analysis.
Organic Chemistry:
1. Mechanism (Energetics, Structure, and Stability of Intermediates)
2. -SN1, SN2,
3. elimination, addition,
4. free radical, and substitution mechanisms;
5. Chemical and Physical Properties of Molecules and Organic Analysis -
6. inter- and intra-molecular forces separation,
7. introductory infrared spectroscopy,
8. 'I{NMR spectroscopy, '3CNMR,
9. chemical identification, stability, solubility, and polarity;
10. Stereochemistry -
11. conformational analysis,
12. optical activity,
13. chirality, chiral centers,
14. planes of symmetry,
15. enantiomers, diastereomers, and meso compounds;
16. Nomenclature - rules, and
17. functional groups in molecules; I
18. ndividual Reactions of the Major Functional Groups and
19. Combinations of Reactions to Synthesize Compounds; Acid-Base Chemistry - 20. resonance effects, inductive results, and prediction of products and equilibria; 21. Aromatics and Bonding -
21. concept of aromaticity, resonance, atomic orbitals, molecular orbitals, hybridization, bond angles, and bond lengths.
II. READING COMPREHENSION
What did u use ( or using ) to prepare for this section ?
III. PHYSICS
1. Units and vectors,
2. linear kinematics,
3. statics, dynamics,
4. rotational motion,
5. energy and momentum,
6. simple harmonic motion,
7. waves, fluid statics,
8. thermal energy and thermodynamics,
9. electrostatics,
10. D.C. circuits,
11. magnetism,
12. optics,
12. and modern nuclear physics.
IV. QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Mathematical Problems:
1. Algebra - equations
2. expressions,
3. inequalities,
4. exponential
5. absolute value,
6. ratios and proportions
7. graphical analysis;
8. Numerical calculations -
9. fractions and decimals,
10. percentages,
11. approximations,
12. and scientific notation;
13. Conversions-temperature,
14. time, weight, and distance;
15. Probability and Statistics;
16. Geometry;
17. Trigonometry,
18. and Applied Mathematics (Word)
