Retook OAT 2nd time and disappointed

[thisboy]

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I just took the OAT the second time (first time was in January) and got

QR 340 (330 first time)
RC 320 (300 first time)
BIO 290 (300)
GC 320 (340)
OC 320 (310)
Physics 300 (290)
TS 310 (300)
AA 320 (310)

Did only marginally better this time and actually did worse in bio and gen chem. I felt I studied a lot more (~4 months) and more extensively and used WAY more resources than the first time. I used Chads videos, princeton review, Kaplan, and Topscore where last time I only used a Princeton Review book.

What's really weird to me is that all the mock tests I did be it Topscore or Kaplan I was scoring around 350. Especially for QR and RC, I would get 380 or 390. The QR on the actual OAT is most definitely harder than any mock tests out there. Not harder per se, but the questions are 3x wordier and require you to do a crapton of calculation (I found myself running out of time) whereas Topscore and Kapaln give you easy algebra and proportion problems that you can solve in ~15 seconds. Both times I felt I really killed the reading comprehension, as in get at least 90% of them right without question, but both times score 300 and 320 even though I felt the passages were easy and straight forward and completely similar to Topscore and Kaplan. As for doing worse in bio, I think I would just chalk it up to anxiety or nervousness at the beginning of the test, I don't know.

Completely angry with myself and don't even know if I should apply this cycle considering my science GPA in university wasn't too good (<3.0).

 

[roush137]

Your OAT isn't outstanding, but it is definitely good enough to get accepted. With your GPA, you should consider taking a year off. I'm not saying it's impossible to get accepted, but if I were you I would want to give myself the best opportunity possible and have my application ready on July 1st next year. For me, money was also a huge consideration. I don't think I could have afforded the application fees 2 years in a row.

There are also some great things you can do for you application during a year off. You can work for an optometrist or join AmeriCorps. Americorps is a great option because it's only one year, and then you get money to pay off undergrad loans (optometry loans if you don't have ug loans).