Pre Optometry Grades

[preoptomstudent4444]

Hello Everyone. Im currently a junior in college and I am interested in applying to Optometry schools. I am taking Orgo 1 this semester and I am not doing so well. I currently have a 3.6 gpa and it might go down after this semester. If I have to retake this class should I do it in the summer during the time I will be applying for early admissions? I was planning on taking the summer off to study and take the OAT at the end of summer. If I do end up retaking this course in the summer, will I still be able to do well on the OAT? Should I take the whole summer off to study for it? How will a bad grade look at the time of applying if I decide to retake it in the fall of 2021?


Will taking the OAT after I apply be okay with admissions as well? I am planning on taking it in the last week of August 2021 and I am planning on applying as early as I can the summer of 2021.

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[WillEyeAm]

If your GPA is currently 3.6, and you don't foresee any other future courses to drop your GPA, I don't think the one bad grade in Orgo will greatly affect your admission chances – granted you still achieve the minimum grade required (I believe for most schools it is a C). I personally would advise trying to do the best you can the first time and avoid repeating it since OptomCAS changed their repeat policy this year to include both grades (vs. replacing the initial grade from before). If you don't do so hot on Orgo, you also always have the opportunity to show you've improved on your OAT OC section, which is relatively easier than repeating the entire course.

I think taking the OAT after applying is fine – worst-case scenario, the school(s) will just put your application on hold until they receive OAT scores, which at the last week of August/September is still pretty early in the cycle. Good luck!

 

[preoptomstudent4444]

If your GPA is currently 3.6, and you don't foresee any other future courses to drop your GPA, I don't think the one bad grade in Orgo will greatly affect your admission chances – granted you still achieve the minimum grade required (I believe for most schools it is a C). I personally would advise trying to do the best you can the first time and avoid repeating it since OptomCAS changed their repeat policy this year to include both grades (vs. replacing the initial grade from before). If you don't do so hot on Orgo, you also always have the opportunity to show you've improved on your OAT OC section, which is relatively easier than repeating the entire course.

I think taking the OAT after applying is fine – worst-case scenario, the school(s) will just put your application on hold until they receive OAT scores, which at the last week of August/September is still pretty early in the cycle. Good luck!

Thank you so much! Good luck to you as well!