Reapplicants, what did you do in your year off?

[buddy1]

Hello everyone,
I was waitlisted to the two schools I applied to last year so i will be reapplying this year. For those previously or currently in my situation, what did you do during your year off that improved your application? My gpa and oat scores are fine and I'm currently working saturdays at a private practice (but thats nothing different from last year when i applied) so i feel the need to do something to show improvement. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks! 😀

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[eyestrain]

Hello everyone,
I was waitlisted to the two schools I applied to last year so i will be reapplying this year. For those previously or currently in my situation, what did you do during your year off that improved your application? My gpa and oat scores are fine and I'm currently working saturdays at a private practice (but thats nothing different from last year when i applied) so i feel the need to do something to show improvement. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks! 😀

What is "fine"?

 

[drsax]

What is "fine"?

I agree..."fine" could be something you should check on with the admissions office. Well, one thing that is a common response as far as gpa...if it was/is an issue...is to take a couple of upper level/grad courses. It just shows the school can handle the upper level science course work similiar to optometry school.

If you haven't already, another thing you could possibly do is to shadow another optometrist in a different mode of practice from the private practice you work at (i.e. interdiciplinary, retail settings, etc.) Helps them see that you are familiar with different types of optometric settings.

 

[buddy1]

What is "fine"?

gpa 3.4
oat 360

i applied to berkeley and scco

 

[drsax]

gpa 3.4
oat 360

i applied to berkeley and scco

Those stats do look fine. Maybe it is just the high level of competition between the applicants at those schools. If you do have to reapply, then just make sure you get your application materials in as soon as possible...like first week due, since all the schools have rolling admission. It will might help on getting a jump on the competition.

 

[cpw]

I would also expand the list of schools you're applying to. Also, apply EARLY! Even with good scores, if you apply late you run the risk of being waitlisted.

I'd also ask the schools how your interview scores were. If you interviewed poorly see what you can do to improve.

 

[cpw]

..like first week due, since all the schools have rolling admission. It will might help on getting a jump on the competition.

UCBSO does not do rolling admissions.

 

[ericlemonster]

During my year off to reapply, I worked in a different mode of practice. I went from Lenscrafters to a private practice. Secondly, I took additional courses that were not pre-reqs (at least, at my #1 school), like anatomy and physiology, and even spanish. I also went to hospital ODs, other private ODs, and read a lot of industry journals that I could get my hands on (contact lens spectrum, and others that available free to people in the industry).

Basically, I tried to reaffirm my own belief that I wanted to be an optometrist and that I was ready for the workload.

I think doing some community service would be good too. Try to keep up with legislation, and even read up more about the history of the career.

That's a lot of stuff. haha!

 

[Bhartiben Patel]

nc

 

[lemonhead43]

Hello everyone,
I was waitlisted to the two schools I applied to last year so i will be reapplying this year. For those previously or currently in my situation, what did you do during your year off that improved your application? My gpa and oat scores are fine and I'm currently working saturdays at a private practice (but thats nothing different from last year when i applied) so i feel the need to do something to show improvement. Any suggestions would be great! Thanks! 😀

I jumped from Lenscrafters to a private practice. I also did research and I had more community service. I'm also retaking hte OATs so hopefully with all of this, it will grant me at least interviews again

 

[lemonhead43]

During my year off to reapply, I worked in a different mode of practice. I went from Lenscrafters to a private practice. Secondly, I took additional courses that were not pre-reqs (at least, at my #1 school), like anatomy and physiology, and even spanish. I also went to hospital ODs, other private ODs, and read a lot of industry journals that I could get my hands on (contact lens spectrum, and others that available free to people in the industry).

Basically, I tried to reaffirm my own belief that I wanted to be an optometrist and that I was ready for the workload.

I think doing some community service would be good too. Try to keep up with legislation, and even read up more about the history of the career.

That's a lot of stuff. haha!

haha i did the same, jumped from lenscrafters to a private practice. which lenscrafters were you from?

 

[still_confused]

I am back 🙂. Hopefully this year I can hold my head up high. So last year..I was interviewed at NECO and rejected. I was devasted but soo naive and ignorant to fathom the thought I would get in!

I had like a 2.8 in my undergrad, bad OAT scores and was in the middle of my MS in Gerontology when I interviewed. I had worked as an Ophthalmic Tech for a year with NECO's adjunct faculty members - who encourage me to apply.

Bad Bad idea.

Anyway - After being rejected from NECO - I really got a wake up call that getting into Optometry school was going to be much harder than I ever anticipated. I was a "C" student and I decided to retake my optom pre-reqs in a Post-Bac in Pre Medical Sciences Program praying for better scores.

I got treated for hypothyroidism and started to work out everyday..and I think it worked.

I cleaned up Cs to As in the following classes:

Micro
Organic Chem I

and Cs to B+'s in the following classes:
Biochem
Physics I


I think my greatest accomplishment though was Organic Chem. 94 average - 99 on the final...I dunno it just clicked..and I was enjoying the competition.

Anyway I still have to do my OATs and finish my essay for my app. I also am working now for a practice management company called eclincalworks in which I teach EMR to practices all over the country 3 weeks out of the month. I know...its a lot of traveling.

Plus I am only 23 🙂. Hopefully they'll give me chance this yr. What do you guys think?

wow seems like you made the most out of your time off! congrats!

maybe you should apply to a few more schools this time, to cover your basis! But other then that you are looking good!

 

[terryberryterry]

🙂 Good job. I see so many great improvements

 

[kittyn]

I know this is somewhat out of the topic, but what would you do if you didn't get accepted the second time?

 

[Bhartiben Patel]

nc

 

[drsax]

haha i did the same, jumped from lenscrafters to a private practice. which lenscrafters were you from?

Hey I jumped from lab tech at lenscrafters too 🙂 . Now I am at an eye bank working with eye tissues for transplant.

 

[kittyn]

How does your parents take it when they found out that you didn't get accepted the first time?

 

[Bhartiben Patel]

nc

 

[lemonhead43]

How does your parents take it when they found out that you didn't get accepted the first time?

they were sad but i think it was for my sake. it was my fault for not preparing for the oats (i got 300 AA) which sucked!! but since i got a year off to think things over, im ready to apply again. im retakin the oats this coming monday and im way more prepared for this test then any final i've taken during my undergrad days!! we'll see what happens. good luck to everyone who is applying/re-applying this year!! 🙂

 

[ericlemonster]

I know this is somewhat out of the topic, but what would you do if you didn't get accepted the second time?

I am reapplying my third time. I've gotten accepted to ICO and NECO two times, but declined because I can't fathom moving out of state and away from family (I help out financially at home).

To the Lenscrafters alum, I used to work at the West Covina Lenscrafters.

 

[lemonhead43]

cool, i use to work at the one in santa ana mainplace mall.

 

[kittyn]

I am reapplying my third time. I've gotten accepted to ICO and NECO two times, but declined because I can't fathom moving out of state and away from family (I help out financially at home).

To the Lenscrafters alum, I used to work at the West Covina Lenscrafters.

Three years? What have you been doing if you don't mind me asking.

 

[ericlemonster]

Three years? What have you been doing if you don't mind me asking.

Once I started down the optometry path (which was after I got my BA in sociology), I had to take my science pre-reqs. That first year of gen. bio, chem, and physics, I applied w/ about 90% of my pre-reqs completed; yet, I was waitlisted. This past year, I reapplied with all my pre-reqs finished, however, I turned in my application in late February (no excuse for my procrastination); I got waitlisted again.

During these past two years, I've worked for a Lenscrafters, then jumped over to a private practice. Also, I've continued taking non-pre-req classes like physiology and anatomy, spanish, and accounting; classes I hope will be of some value in the future.

Also, I continue to try to stay up-to-date with current optometric news, and read as much relevant information possible.

I also play some video games and go out here and there.

 

[kittyn]

Hey buddy1,

any luck so far?