Optometry App Process

[Popoy]

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I know this may sound silly to most of you, but I'm not the optometry guru.... Just a curious individual....

Can someone explain the process to me? Which test you have to take, when to take it, when to apply, what is the application called... it would interesting to know.

Thanx, Popoy

 

[mpp]

Schools begin taking applications in September/October with a deadline of around January to March. The test you take is the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT)...a much more straightforward test than the MCAT. The main difference between OAT and MCAT is the OAT has a math section, no writing section, and the science sections are more question-based rather than passage-based. OAT is administered in October and February. You can apply in September and take the October OAT. I even got interviews at schools before I took the OAT, so apply early. Otherwise it's pretty typical application process with essays and standard interviews. There is no central processing like AMCAS so you must get an application from each school you wish to apply. There are only 17 schools in the U.S.

 

[cpw]

I'll add a little to what mpp said:

The OAT sections are:
Reading Comprehension
Qualitative Analysis (speed math)
Physics
O-chem
Gen Chem
Biological Science

It's scored on a scale from 200-400 with 300 being average.

Each school does require a seperate application. All require at least THREE letters of recommendation. Some require all three to be from PROFESSORS (like UHCO) which was really hard for people like me who've been out of school three years. I also sent in letters from OD's (always good to have an OD in there), and maybe someone from a volunteer oganization that you worked for. I also got one from a former employer at the biotech. company I worked for.

All the schools also require written essays in their applications. Some require two.. others require three. They're usually all different too, but I could cut and paste some essays into new ones for the three schools I did. (this was the most annoying part of the application process after the OAT)

Some schools accept on rolling admission and some don't. APPLY EARLY!! This is the same as medical school. Like mpp said some ppl will get interviews before their OAT scores come in. (they'll just hold your acceptance for scores)

Interviews in my opinion were a very relaxed part of the whole process. Some schools interview for an hour (SCCO did) and some 30 minutes (berkeley and UHCO). All three schools I interviewed at had one student and one professor interviewing. They generally just want to make sure you can communicate effectively.

After the interview most schools will make you do a written essay ON SITE! I think this serves two purposes. making sure you wrote your own essays.. and making sure you communicate effectively in english.

Well, that's all I have to say about that. feel free to ask more specific questions if ya got 'em. 🙂

 

[mpp]

The two interviews I went on (SUNY and Pacific University) were committee interviews. At SUNY there were four professors asking questions; at Pacific one professor and the Assistant Dean of Professional Programs asking questions. Both interviews were fairly relaxed and both had me write an impromptu essay. At SUNY it was an essay in the health field at Pacific I had a choice to answer one of four essay qustions. They were bizarre questions such as "Do you use an umbrella in August?"

At SUNY, the interviewers asked questions that were obviously their own -- one interviewer always asked odd questions such as "Do you think you are a good person?" and "Are first impressions important to you?", etc. The other questions were just standard educational-type interiew questions. At Pacific all the questions from both interviewers were prepared in advance (I am assuming they asked all applicants the same exact questions) but the questions were pretty open-ended allowing you to freely discuss the attributes that make you a good candidate for admission. At the end of the Pacific interview they gave me a clinical scenario and I had to explain how I might go about solving the problem presented.

At SUNY there was time to talk with students. I interviewed at Pacific during the inter-semester break and therefore there were no students around to talk with but I think normally I would have gotten a chance to tour the campus with a student and ask questions abou the school.

 

[Popoy]

Here's a question:
Is there a sight devoted to Optometry interview type questions? Something similar to interviewfeedback.com?

Thanks btw to all you responses, I'm getting a better picture.... Let me absorb it more and I'll probably come up with more questions. 😀

 

[cpw]

there's no sight like that that I'm aware of.. maybe someone else knows something. I know some schools make you sign confidentiality things saying that you won't tell other students what you talked about. But, I think they do this mainly on the on-site essays since some schools dont change them til the next year. (so .. if you applied early and your friends apply late...)

 

[mpp]

I think that www.interviewfeedback.com is good to use as a resource anyway. Many of the questions you see posted there are similar to the questions you'll get at an optometry school interview.

 

[Popoy]

I see, I guess some schools are a bit hush, hush about the interview process.... 😀

mpp thanks for the suggestions and comments you've given me.

I wonder if anyone can start a website for optometry interview feedback? They would make tons of money.... I think?!

I just notice, only two away from 200 post, the dream is almost at reach!!! 😎