Px,
This is my second year applying and things have started to look better...here's my story in a nutshell:
My first application year (entering class of 2004):
Status: Undergradute
Focus: Biology/Sociology (Double Major)
CUM GPA: 2.87
OAT AA: 310
OAT TS: 290
Applied to: SCO, PAC, UAB, IU
Interviews: NONE!
My second application year (entering class of 2005)
Status: Graduate Student (currently enrolled in a M.S. program)
Focus: Applied Biology
CUM GPA: 4.0 (actually 4.11 due to +/- system, but reported as 4.0
OAT AA: 290 (yes, it actually went down)
OAT TS: 270
Applied to: UMSL, IU, PAC
Interviews: UMSL
(at least someone wants to see me)
Decline letters: None yet!
Major applicaton differences:
When I didn't get in last year I called the advisor that I felt most comfortable chatting with (IU) and she basically gave me an earfull of information about what the admissions committee didn't like about my applicaton, and what I could do about it. They told me to:
Take more science classes, not necessarily retaking what I had problems with in the past, just taking anything that was "hard core science" (I questioned her about applying for an MBA as the knowledge would be practical post-OD school). She said, "the admissions committee sees anything that is not hard core/traditional science as fluff. Remember, these are science-minded people who are on the board." - I thought that was really great information.
If I could get into a graduate program, that would look better than just taking random classes.
Make sure that I could improve my GPA.
Retake the OAT (although I didn't do that well the 2nd time).
More about me:
I believe that they told me these things because my appliction was super strong concerning extracurricular optometry-specific actitivties, and had a lot of leadership roles...just not that strong academically. Their biggest concern was that I got a "D" in BioChm the fall semester of my senior year. They said "the committee doesn't like to see you flop in a major science course that close to graduation, it makes them question your ability in optometry curriculum". I understood where they were coming from, and, truth be told, I had no business taking BioChm after barely eeking by in O-Chm with C's in lecture.