Please advise my situation..discouraged

[Canadakid]

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Hello all

So I've been reading and posting around here for a week or two, and I am a little discouraged. Here is my situation:

I had to pay for school and rent through out my undergrad (And ****ed up here and there - lets be real), so my grades suffered. I took an economics degree, and didn't care a whole lot about grades....Final cGPA was 2.75 or so.

After much volunteer work, and talking to people, I want to get into Optometry or DO program. I've gone back to school, and have redone my lowest score classes, and taken some new ones and I have been kicking ass - straight A's new and old. I will be starting sciences in the fall, and will continue that stretch at any cost - I really want this.

The unfortunate part, is even with retaking my old and lowest courses (about 10-12 of them), I can only get my GPA up to a 3.0. After that, I have made an assumption of receiving approximately an average of 80% in my new sciences courses. The problem is, as n increases, it makes it more difficult for each subsequent course to affect my GPA a whole lot.

So here lies the discouragement... I have a transcript that I ****ed up at the beginning, then a slew of retaken courses, then good performance in new courses. Assuming average to above average performance on the OAT, I sit and ask myself questions I think the interviewer would be thinking. All that comes to mind is

"This guy's GPA barely cuts it, only because he took a victory lap in many of his old courses, and only now hes cleaned up his act...Why give him a shot, when theres plenty of applicants who worked hard the first time around?"

Any hopeful advice or am I wasting my time? 🙁

 

[thecgrblue]

Hello all

So I've been reading and posting around here for a week or two, and I am a little discouraged. Here is my situation:

I had to pay for school and rent through out my undergrad (And ****ed up here and there - lets be real), so my grades suffered. I took an economics degree, and didn't care a whole lot about grades....Final cGPA was 2.75 or so.

After much volunteer work, and talking to people, I want to get into Optometry or DO program. I've gone back to school, and have redone my lowest score classes, and taken some new ones and I have been kicking ass - straight A's new and old. I will be starting sciences in the fall, and will continue that stretch at any cost - I really want this.

The unfortunate part, is even with retaking my old and lowest courses (about 10-12 of them), I can only get my GPA up to a 3.0. After that, I have made an assumption of receiving approximately an average of 80% in my new sciences courses. The problem is, as n increases, it makes it more difficult for each subsequent course to affect my GPA a whole lot.

So here lies the discouragement... I have a transcript that I ****ed up at the beginning, then a slew of retaken courses, then good performance in new courses. Assuming average to above average performance on the OAT, I sit and ask myself questions I think the interviewer would be thinking. All that comes to mind is

"This guy's GPA barely cuts it, only because he took a victory lap in many of his old courses, and only now hes cleaned up his act...Why give him a shot, when theres plenty of applicants who worked hard the first time around?"

Any hopeful advice or am I wasting my time? 🙁

Call admissions departments and ask them.

 

[Optogal]

There's so many new and opening optometry schools, that as long as you're not picky where you go, you'll get in somewhere.

Even with a 2.5, I don't think you'd be even close to being the lowest-GPA that would get an offer this year.

 

[outsidechance]

.

 

[Ryan_eyeball]

There's so many new and opening optometry schools, that as long as you're not picky where you go, you'll get in somewhere.

Even with a 2.5, I don't think you'd be even close to being the lowest-GPA that would get an offer this year.

Agreed....with more announced Optometry schools coming soon, just get qualified for student loans. The schools only care if you can pay their tuition, and passing national boards.

 

[eyestrain]

There's so many new and opening optometry schools, that as long as you're not picky where you go, you'll get in somewhere.

Even with a 2.5, I don't think you'd be even close to being the lowest-GPA that would get an offer this year.

God, that's pathetic.

 

[nc2tarheels]

I've never heard of anyone with a 2.5 and no post bac get in. Could you post a link of someone doing this?

 

[thecgrblue]

There's so many new and opening optometry schools, that as long as you're not picky where you go, you'll get in somewhere.

Even with a 2.5, I don't think you'd be even close to being the lowest-GPA that would get an offer this year.

So true. As long as you like the back country they're gonna love you in VA.

 

[Bioflare]

There's so many new and opening optometry schools, that as long as you're not picky where you go, you'll get in somewhere.

Even with a 2.5, I don't think you'd be even close to being the lowest-GPA that would get an offer this year.

Isn't 2.5 close to academic probation in most Universities?

 

[Hoffy]

In regard to the 2.5 gpa issue, I would think if you had sub 2.5 you better have some AMAZING graduate work, and extensive extensive clinical direct experience optometry. . If you're riding on a 2.5 GPA I would be really concerned about whether or not the future workload is going to be an issue for any potential candidate. Having to settle on any old school that would take you is kind of unfortunate, especially if they are just taking you for the money whether or not they think you are prepared for it.

 

[nc2tarheels]

I don't think a 2.5 has got in (unless you count Puerto Rico). Even the new colleges I don't think would allow a 2.5 bach student. Maybe a 2.5 with a post bach/masters gpa of 3.5-4.0. Until someone shows me a 2.5 gpa getting in, it makes me think that it's just some bitter OD's that are throwing low #'s out there to, once again, feel better about themselves.

 

[socal2014]

Plenty of people with high GPA's, but low OATS (260-290) get in, so an applicant with a 2.5 gpa but 390-400 OAT should also be considered.

 

[blackhole2]

God, that's pathetic.

Heck yeah it is. Although it was a while ago, one time SCO accepted a student with a 2.35.

 

[SIUE optkid]

Plenty of people with high GPA's, but low OATS (260-290) get in, so an applicant with a 2.5 gpa but 390-400 OAT should also be considered.

a 2.5 gpa and a 390-400 oat tells me your very bright and fully capable of learning (as you probably studied your butt off for that test) but you dont aply yourself/dont care enough to do well in school. (3.0 gpa would be a completely different story) if you dont care now, why care later? why let you in the school. I don't mean this as discouragement for people who work hard to get there grades, but i feel that a 400 oat person should have above a 2.5 gpa. on the flip side of high gpa, low test scores, some people have test anxiety and blank, i dont know why, but it happens.

 

[IndianaOD]

To the OP. I think you have a chance at either an OD, DO, or MD school. Your recent higher grades will factor in more than you think. Many admissions offices will see that your grades have trended up significantly.

I have an undergrad friend that failed physics at least once and her GPA was under 3.0. She is a practicing MD at this moment.

 

[bobbio]

If you do decent on the OAT then you certainly have a chance. I saw another thread on the pre-opt forum with somebody in a similar situation as you and they were able to get an acceptance.
Medical school will probably be tougher to get into with that GPA. Plus you'll have to take the MCAT which is more difficult than the OAT as well.

 

[IndianaOD]

If you do decent on the OAT then you certainly have a chance. I saw another thread on the pre-opt forum with somebody in a similar situation as you and they were able to get an acceptance.
Medical school will probably be tougher to get into with that GPA. Plus you'll have to take the MCAT which is more difficult than the OAT as well.

Ah, I disagree. There are some medical schools that are quite easy to get in to. Some don't even require the MCAT.

 

[Commando303]

Ah, I disagree. There are some medical schools that are quite easy to get in to. Some don't even require the MCAT.

Which?

 

[bobbio]

Ah, I disagree. There are some medical schools that are quite easy to get in to. Some don't even require the MCAT.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...go ahead and give us your same old story: you were the cream of the cream of the crop in undergrad but decided to attend optometry school instead of med school (even though you could've made it into medical school), but come on quit fooling yourself. Why are you so insecure?
All I ever see in your posts are how you were the smartest dude in undergrad - even smarter than your friends that are MDs now. Well, guess what? That certainly doesn't change the fact that it's probably a little tougher to get into med school even though you decided against that route.

 

[stoikiometry]

Which?

Some in the Caribbean.

 

[IndianaOD]

Some in the Caribbean.

Yes, for starters.

 

[IndianaOD]

Yeah, yeah, yeah...go ahead and give us your same old story: you were the cream of the cream of the crop in undergrad but decided to attend optometry school instead of med school (even though you could've made it into medical school), but come on quit fooling yourself. Why are you so insecure?
All I ever see in your posts are how you were the smartest dude in undergrad - even smarter than your friends that are MDs now. Well, guess what? That certainly doesn't change the fact that it's probably a little tougher to get into med school even though you decided against that route.

Not insecure, just extremely frustrated that my chosen profession is going down the crap hole. Doesn't help that so many OD students and ODs are so clueless and naive. Cheers! 👍

 

[300ZXNA]

Many schools look at your most recent ~45 credits when weighing your GPA; many also lok at your trend when deciding who to accept. If you have turned yourself around and displayed a new leaf, many schools will take this into account.

As for people getting into Opt school with sub 3.0 grades, if that is the true talent level of the student, I would not recommend optometry school. I have a hard time believing that those students will properly handle the course load or have a high probability of becoming a good clinician.