SCCO ugh...

[FLCBRUIN84]

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Hey Guys.

So as I might have told many, SCCO is my first choice and almost only choice. With a 2.9 GPA (bio from UCLA) and 320 OAT score I spoke with the admissions officer Dawn Bunch several times to see if I needed to take the OAT over. She said, verbatim "ur scores are fine, just submit recent transcripts at the end of the quarter." After having a great loss (my mother passed away only 2 days before my OAT in October) I was concerned and wanted to make sure I didn't need to take my OAT over since my gpa is below average and she continued to tell me to just improve my grades. She also said that being a part time student (i took time off to be with my family) this last fall would have NO impact on my admissions decision.

Months later, still no reply, so I contacted them again, double checking on my status. Decision: they are waiting on my WINTER term grades, which won't be out till the very end of March. She said they just want a 3.0 due to the increase of applicants this year bc of the computerized OAT transition.

Why am I bitter? If she had told me that the .1 in my gpa was the deciding factor of whether I would have had an interview this year, I would have taken a full quarter of easy A courses to raise my gpa, despite the hardships of losing my mother. But she told me I would be fine, and yet i find myself left in the dark until the end of this WINTER quarter, hoping I'll get great grades to bring that GPA up. But grades don't come out until the very end of March. Seats are filling up so fast, I doubt there will be any spots left by then.

If what Ms. Bunch says is right, they take applications until March 15, 2006, so I guess I can still be intervied until mid April. My employer, an SCCO alumnus, encourages me to write a letter of appeal to Dr. Vorhees, the dean of students. He also said that I should have other sources send in more and more letters of recommendation for my acceptance. I'm bummed, from what Ms. Bunche had told me, I was supposed to be fine considering my endless list of o.d. experience and extra curriculars.

I guess re-applying doesn't seem SO BAD but it just sucks after working so hard the last couple of years. I'm flustered, any insight will be appreciated. 👎 🙁

 

[ariel winter]

i feel you. the applications pocess can be quite frusrating and worrisome at times. i am so sorry about the loss of your mother - i cannot even begin to fully understand. indeed your OAT looks to be alright, in and around the national average of accepted applicants. your GPA does seem to be a bit low, and i can understand your frustration in knowing this so late in the game, but the winter semester is not over yet... you can still pull it up to 3.0 - just try your hardest to get all courses over a B in the classes you are taking now. that should cut you close. have faith that there will be seats left by march - there is nothing you can do about that. it's out of your hands there. have you applied to any other schools? that may not be a bad idea.

i know what you must be going through, and i sympathize with you entirely. good luck.

Hey Guys.

So as I might have told many, SCCO is my first choice and almost only choice. With a 2.9 GPA (bio from UCLA) and 320 OAT score I spoke with the admissions officer Dawn Bunch several times to see if I needed to take the OAT over. She said, verbatim "ur scores are fine, just submit recent transcripts at the end of the quarter." After having a great loss (my mother passed away only 2 days before my OAT in October) I was concerned and wanted to make sure I didn't need to take my OAT over since my gpa is below average and she continued to tell me to just improve my grades. She also said that being a part time student (i took time off to be with my family) this last fall would have NO impact on my admissions decision.

Months later, still no reply, so I contacted them again, double checking on my status. Decision: they are waiting on my WINTER term grades, which won't be out till the very end of March. She said they just want a 3.0 due to the increase of applicants this year bc of the computerized OAT transition.

Why am I bitter? If she had told me that the .1 in my gpa was the deciding factor of whether I would have had an interview this year, I would have taken a full quarter of easy A courses to raise my gpa, despite the hardships of losing my mother. But she told me I would be fine, and yet i find myself left in the dark until the end of this WINTER quarter, hoping I'll get great grades to bring that GPA up. But grades don't come out until the very end of March. Seats are filling up so fast, I doubt there will be any spots left by then.

If what Ms. Bunch says is right, they take applications until March 15, 2006, so I guess I can still be intervied until mid April. My employer, an SCCO alumnus, encourages me to write a letter of appeal to Dr. Vorhees, the dean of students. He also said that I should have other sources send in more and more letters of recommendation for my acceptance. I'm bummed, from what Ms. Bunche had told me, I was supposed to be fine considering my endless list of o.d. experience and extra curriculars.

I guess re-applying doesn't seem SO BAD but it just sucks after working so hard the last couple of years. I'm flustered, any insight will be appreciated. 👎 🙁

 

[S_SEEN2020]

Don't feel discouraged. I am also very sorry to hear about your mom, my mom has cancer so I know the feeling. You are not at a complete loss, when I went on my interview there this one guy didn't turn in his application until the due date and got interviewed in april and accepted. So feel good that your stuff is turned in and they are just waiting on grades which you will pull up. Besides there are plenty of seats left (most schools barely have half of the seats accounted for) and then there is people like me who have been accepted but are declining their seats at SCCO. So stay positive and on them, and I am sure things will be fine. I would advise that as soon as you know your final grades from your classes, see if your teacher will give you a grade report so you can e-mail or send to them, so they will have something. Because I know it takes a while to post final grades and for the registrar to send them. I wouldn't sent an appeal unless you definitely don't get a yes, no or maybe form them by mid april. Stay encouraged!!!! 🙂

 

[S_SEEN2020]

Don't feel discouraged. I am also very sorry to hear about your mom, my mom has cancer so I know the feeling. You are not at a complete loss, when I went on my interview there was this one guy didn't turn in his application until the due date and got interviewed in april and accepted. So feel good that your stuff is turned in and they are just waiting on grades which you will pull up. Besides there are plenty of seats left (most schools barely have half of the seats accounted for) and then there is people like me who have been accepted but are declining their seats at SCCO. So stay positive and on them, and I am sure things will be fine. I would advise that as soon as you know your final grades from your classes, see if your teacher will give you a grade report so you can e-mail or send to them, so they will have something. Because I know it takes a while to post final grades and for the registrar to send them. I wouldn't sent an appeal unless you definitely don't get a yes, no or maybe form them by mid april. Stay encouraged!!!! 🙂

 

[FLCBRUIN84]

Don't feel discouraged. I am also very sorry to hear about your mom, my mom has cancer so I know the feeling. You are not at a complete loss, when I went on my interview there was this one guy didn't turn in his application until the due date and got interviewed in april and accepted. So feel good that your stuff is turned in and they are just waiting on grades which you will pull up. Besides there are plenty of seats left (most schools barely have half of the seats accounted for) and then there is people like me who have been accepted but are declining their seats at SCCO. So stay positive and on them, and I am sure things will be fine. I would advise that as soon as you know your final grades from your classes, see if your teacher will give you a grade report so you can e-mail or send to them, so they will have something. Because I know it takes a while to post final grades and for the registrar to send them. I wouldn't sent an appeal unless you definitely don't get a yes, no or maybe form them by mid april. Stay encouraged!!!! 🙂

i'm sorry to hear about your mother, my mom fought a hard battle w/ leukemia so i know exactly what you are going through.

worst comes to worst, everything happens for a reason so I can just re apply if in the end it definitely is a NO. i'm not worried about bringing my science GPA up to a 3.0, but its just time that is not on my side.

 

[Cal_OD]

what SCCO sends out is a bunch of ****. If all they're looking for is a person with a 3.0, why bother interviewing. I should have gone to an easier school then. Beside my OAT TS and AA is 30 to 40 points higher than their average. To compare a person with 2.7 gpa, 370TS 350AA from UC Berkeley to someone with a 3.0ish and 330TS/AA from a lesser school is ******ed. Whatever.

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To the person who lost his/her mom: I send my best wishes to you on your application process and life. If SCCO doesn't accept you because of a 0.1 gpa difference, then it's their lost. I'm sure other schools will be happy to accept you.

 

[loantrinh]

I am in the same boat as you. My GPA was so very close to a 3.0, but still havent reached it yet. Dawn Bunch also told me they wanted my Winter Quarter Transcript.. which also wont come out until the end of march.

I was having alot of difficulties with school because of some really bad family situation ,and my dad has lung cancer, and i had to work 20-30 hours a week all throughout my 4 years of school, along with interning for optometrists, and holding officer positions ,and I still tried really hard in school, taking 4 classes every quarter. I would get Bs and As and then One C would completely destroy my GPA..

After having to go through so much trouble of getting my grades up just so I can get into SCCO, i no longer feel motivated to go there anymore..
even though I am still very passionate about optometry and still wanting to go to optometry school. I understand that they have alot of applicants,
but I feel so left out.

I hope that i get accepted into SCO and will chose to go there instead.
I feel more welcome there.. despite the fact that I dont have a 3.0.

Yea.. having a high GPA is great.. but there are people who have other obligations that doesnt allow them to spend ALL their time doing nothing but going to school and studying.

We just need to keep our heads above the water.
Good Luck to you and everyone!

 

[still_confused]

what SCCO sends out is a bunch of ****. If all they're looking for is a person with a 3.0, why bother interviewing. I should have gone to an easier school then. Beside my OAT TS and AA is 30 to 40 points higher than their average. To compare a person with 2.7 gpa, 370TS 350AA from UC Berkeley to someone with a 3.0ish and 330TS/AA from a lesser school is ******ed. Whatever.

SCCO is doing nothing wrong, its thier school and they can do whatever they please. the sheet they send out is "averages" so you should know what that means. even if you dont, you should also note that you do not meet thier "average" because your gpa is lower than thiers and thus do not qualify as the "average candidate" no matter your OAT score. I had a GPA and OAT higher then thier average and i was waitlisted. i am upset but i accept thier decision and still think they are a terrific school. and please dont blame anyone but yourself for your grades, especially dont think just because you to to berkeley that you deserve special treatment. using your logic, a 2.0 at harvard with a 350 OAT is should be equivalent if not superior to your score. ppl at "lesser " schools who work hard is just as qualified as you are.

to the OP, your loss is horrible and i will not pretend to understand what you had to go through other then it is something i never want to experience. however, to put yourself in thier shoes, they have thousands of apps, many with stories as sad if not sadder than your own. everyone has special circumstances that they have to go through. whether its work or family business, the cold reality is: you are not alone and stuff happens to people all the time. the key thing is to not give up and concentrate on your grades right now, if you get that 3.0 you should have nothing to worry about. loantrinh, if you do get As and Bs and one C with 4 classes, you should have a 3.0 easy (one A, two B, and one C). regardless, you should apply to other schools ASAP if you havent and good luck in your process!

to my fellow bruin! if desperation kicks in, it might be wise to drop a class you might not do well in to get that gpa boost! if not (i am sure you probably know this) take Mcdb 30 and 40 and maybe Physci 5 in the spring to boost your gpa for the next application cycle

 

[ariel winter]

my thoughts exactly.

ppl at "lesser " schools who work hard is just as qualified as you are.

 

[FLCBRUIN84]

my thoughts exactly.

people at all colleges all have to work hard. there are just other schools that are more competitive than others. i think UC students are just bitter because, for example, UCLA pumps out the most pre-meds in the NATION. my science classes are filled with die hard pre-meds that would do anything to screw over the person sitting next to them in their lectures. there is no concern for the individual at our schools and i would have to say that 80% of my professors could care less about their students (that's why we get tests in our science classes where our averages are roughly around 50% or below). i don't think the person above was entirely being condescending in his response, i can totally see why he would feel that way, coming from such an overly competitive school. but i agree that it is important for us to understand that we all have to work hard. i however, sometimes wish i took another route in deciding which school to attend. with that said, thanks for all your responses, you have shed some light in my tough situation. I am just going to try to pull through with my grades this quarter, and if things don't work out, i'll re apply and enjoy my year off.

 

[ariel winter]

i completely see where you are coming from, and i can agree with you for the most part. i appreciate your posts. i sincerely wish you the best of luck. 🙂

people at all colleges all have to work hard. there are just other schools that are more competitive than others. i think UC students are just bitter because, for example, UCLA pumps out the most pre-meds in the NATION. my science classes are filled with die hard pre-meds that would do anything to screw over the person sitting next to them in their lectures. there is no concern for the individual at our schools and i would have to say that 80% of my professors could care less about their students (that's why we get tests in our science classes where our averages are roughly around 50% or below). i don't think the person above was entirely being condescending in his response, i can totally see why he would feel that way, coming from such an overly competitive school. but i agree that it is important for us to understand that we all have to work hard. i however, sometimes wish i took another route in deciding which school to attend. with that said, thanks for all your responses, you have shed some light in my tough situation. I am just going to try to pull through with my grades this quarter, and if things don't work out, i'll re apply and enjoy my year off.

 

[gsinccom]

due to the increase of applicants this year bc of the computerized OAT transition.

would you care to expound on this quote?

hope all works out well for you.

 

[TarzanBoy]

Why get so fixated on SCCO? Apply to schools in the east coast. Travel. Have fun while studying. You will enjoy your experience. Once you have graduated, your patients don't care if you went to SCCO or not. They only care that you give them a great exam. Don't waste another year waiting for SCCO. Time is $$$. That's one year of lost income. I have friends who got accepted into SCCO and went to the east coast instead. If you study heard, you will do well no mater where you are.