Studying for the OAT while in school...

[I-Ball]

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Hi Guys, I have yet another question....

Since school has started/is starting, I was wondering how those who've taken the OAT have balanced studying for the admissions test and studying for your regular courses? I was looking at my sched. and with about 20hrs a week of class I'm wondering how I'm supposed to ration my time between school-work and OAT prep. 😕 Any tips anyone?

TIA,

I-Ball

 

[Katalio]

I have the same problem.. but I guess 2 hrs/day until the test day should be enuogh rite?
Since we know all the stuff from the OAT arleady just need to review..
40 dayz x 2 hrs per day --> 80 hrs of studying? should be ok i guess..
but I've never taken the OAT..so I wouldn't know! heheh

 

[I-Ball]

I have the same problem.. but I guess 2 hrs/day until the test day should be enuogh rite?
Since we know all the stuff from the OAT arleady just need to review..
40 dayz x 2 hrs per day --> 80 hrs of studying? should be ok i guess..
but I've never taken the OAT..so I wouldn't know! heheh

Haha, that's exactly what I was thinking! Man I wish I had studied more over the summer 😱 Oh well, can't change that now can we....

 

[bobsacamenoh]

I had summer school the summer before I took the Oct. OAT last year and I still had so much time to study, but I didn?t. At that point in time, I was not yet fully committed to applying to optometry school. I felt that my spare time was better spent playing golf. Then I had a break before the fall quarter and I played more golf and just relaxed. Then the fall quarter started and I finally started studying. I had a little over an hour between my 1st and 2nd MWF classes so I crammed as much as I could during that slot. I used the MCAT study-guide (Kaplan I think ? the thick one) for those sessions. In the evening, when I was through studying for my classes (and occasional range sessions), I would look over the MCAT study-cards from Exambusters for about 20 minutes and look up the card topics that I was weak with in my textbooks. Tuesdays and Thursdays, I mostly studied for my regular classes and occasionally studied for the OAT. The last couple of weeks before the OAT I used the Top Score CD-ROM and looked up the questions I didn?t know in my textbook. Top Score was just OK ? it didn?t let you know which ones were wrong (just your score). Many of the questions were more "in depth" than the actual OAT questions.

I would guess I studied about 25-30 hours total starting five weeks before the OAT and if it wasn?t for my guessing skills, I would have done very poorly, but I ended up getting a decent score. If you want to get a good score, however, I would say that the 80 hours proposed by Katalio would be about right. If I were to take it again, I would concentrate on Ochem a little bit more because it is a lot of the memorization type problems that you can?t "work out". Also, if you have a chance, talk to a remedial math/Intermediate Algebra instructor and ask for their sample midterms because those are the types of problems on the quantitative reasoning section. Those questions, like the majority of the OAT questions, are not very difficult, but if you don?t practice, they?ll seem like advanced quantum physics and you?ll be screwed. Well, maybe not screwed, but you won?t do as well as you would like and you?ll be hitting yourself on the head.

The OAT was probably the most stressful tests I?ve taken because in the back of my mind I was thinking to myself; "this is my career." You can definitely make it a better experience for yourself if you put in the hours necessary to make it a "simple" test.

Good Luck and I am glad I'm not you right now! j/k 😛

 

[SilleAngyl]

Bob- thanks for your insight on how to study for the OAT! Does anyone else have any insight on this subject? Are MCAT books the best way to go for studying for the OAT? I recently changed my mind about applying to medical school, and now plan on applying to optometry school, so I have been studying the Examkrackers books for the MCAT. Is this a good start? Opinions are appreciated!

 

[jd4me]

I wouldn't say that the OAT is necessarily hard, it's just that you're stressed for time while writing the test. As long as you know the pace you should go at during the test, and you can maintain that and not get bogged down on some questions you should be fine. I found the practice tests mostly helpful for timing and not as helpful for content.

 

[Katalio]

Do they give you the periodic table on the OAT? or is it unnecessary?

 

[kiseki]

Do they give you the periodic table on the OAT? or is it unnecessary?

I took a prep class with Kaplan and they said that the periodic table will be provided on the test and i think it's important for the general chemistry questions in the Natural Sciences portion of the exam. >.< Ahhh! i'm stressing about the physics...

 

[nobodyknows]

Physics Suck!!!

 

[Katalio]

I hate physics too!! Although I think it'll be easier than the biology stuff... seems like we need to know quite a bit of detail on a lot of "systems".

Does anyone know usually what percentage is usually considered "high" in OAT? I know it's a curve system, but do they show like...for example.. quantitative reasoning, what you get out of 45? or do they just give you a score and a percentile rank?

THankx! =)

Katalio

 

[jd4me]

The only scores that you get after you write the OAT are the following:

Academic average
Quantitative reasoning
Reading comprehension
Physics
Biology
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Total Science

Also included will be the percentile that each score corresponds to. They don't report the raw score (ie: how many out of 45 you got right).

 

[Katalio]

Cool... OAT is so stressful to some of us isn't it? with school on one side and OAT on the other.... Would you think pulling up your GPA weighs more than getting high on the oAT or vice versa? Like, would the admission committee accept a student with like..hmm..2.7 GPA with like OAT score of 380? or like a GPA of 3.6 and an OAT of 300? I always wonder are they weighed around the same.

Any 4th yr studying for OAT rite now?

 

[jd4me]

Any 4th yr studying for OAT rite now?

I was in your shoes last year 🙂

 

[nobodyknows]

Cool... OAT is so stressful to some of us isn't it? with school on one side and OAT on the other.... Would you think pulling up your GPA weighs more than getting high on the oAT or vice versa? Like, would the admission committee accept a student with like..hmm..2.7 GPA with like OAT score of 380? or like a GPA of 3.6 and an OAT of 300? I always wonder are they weighed around the same.

Any 4th yr studying for OAT rite now?

I'm taking the Oct OAT and I've been studying on and off this summer. Now, it's time to crank it up cuz it's getting close to test day. I think that as long as your GPA and OAT scores are within the average of whatever school you plan to apply to then you should be fine. But then again, a high OAT score does kind of make up for a below average GPA...

 

[jd4me]

Don't forget that interviews count for quite a lot too!

 

[Katalio]

Right...probably also the recommendation letters as well!! don't have a clue why they want 3 letters of recommendation from profs.. I mean...it's hard enough to get even one (for my school at least).. 300 ppl in a lecture room, Prof suggest you to see their TA before going to see him. I mean..that's almost impossible aside from doing research or directed studies!
I envy those university with Pre Health Committee!! =)

Have fun studying OAT guys! =P

 

[Rosanna]

don't have a clue why they want 3 letters of recommendation from profs.. I mean...it's hard enough to get even one (for my school at least).. 300 ppl in a lecture room, Prof suggest you to see their TA before going to see him. I mean..that's almost impossible aside from doing research or directed studies!

What I did may help some of you who are in these huge lecture halls. I found out which lab sections the professors would be teaching and enroll in those labs. Usually the professor will only teach one lab section and the rest are taught by graduate students. With lab sections being around 10-20 students, it is a lot easier for the professor to remember you and for them to write a letter. Also, the professor can write down that s/he was both your professor for the lecture and lab. I did this for both my microbiology and physiology professors.

Best wishes,

Rosanna

 

[Katalio]

Thanx for your advice!...but the thing is... my university has a "teaching" professor and a "lab" instructor. The professor will never do the lab section as well! =(.. at most we have is the lab instructor (whoz also a PHD) Wouldn't it be a sad thing if a person has like... high GPA, high OAT score etc.. but does not have the min. amount of reference letters? hehe!..

BTW: just wondering, although it's a bit touchy topic, but anyone here who got into Optometry with a GPA less than 3 and willing to share some info? (coz I'm one thatz going to apply probably with a gpa around 3 or less) so..just wondering if it' possible..

Katalio

 

[r_salis]

Seasoned instructors who teach lecture hall-sized classes are often used to having students they barely know approach them for LORs. You won't get a glowing recommendation from someone this way, but if you're looking for a letter or two to "fill out" your LOR requirement it's not a bad way to go. You just need to make sure you approach them late in the semester/quarter after your grade is pretty much locked in, with that grade hopefully being an "A" (or "B" if you really need that letter). The LOR you get will pretty much just say that you're in that course with an expected grade of "A", sometimes with a little more info if you offer to give them a short resume.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[scraders]

How do you go about approaching a professor from a couple years back? I want to ask my physics professor for a letter, but I took the class in 2001. I got an A in the course, but I don't think he remembers me anymore.

 

[r_salis]

How do you go about approaching a professor from a couple years back? I want to ask my physics professor for a letter, but I took the class in 2001. I got an A in the course, but I don't think he remembers me anymore.

(I'm assuming you can't find someone more current?) I'd go to him with a copy of your transcript -- to show you got an "A" in the class -- and ask him if he'd write the LOR for you. There's a chance he might not be comfortable writing a letter for someone from so long ago, but it can't hurt to ask. 🙂

 

[kiseki]

hmm since the topic kinda switched to LORs, i had a few quick questions about them too. i recently asked my professor during the summer to write one for me, and he agreed (even though I don't think he knows me very well 😕 ), but he asked to see my cv and personal statement.

do most professors ask for a personal statement? (I'm going to be a 3rd year, so I haven't started writing mine yet hehee) For a personal statement for optometry school, I would just write about myself and basically what inspires me to want to be an optometrist, right? And a CV is the same as a resume right? (since i'm not applying for a lab job or anything, i don't need to list lab experience or "relevant courses")

ahhh sorry about all the stupid questions. please lemme know if you have any tips or suggestions. thanks!! 😍

 

[r_salis]

hmm since the topic kinda switched to LORs, i had a few quick questions about them too. i recently asked my professor during the summer to write one for me, and he agreed (even though I don't think he knows me very well 😕 ), but he asked to see my cv and personal statement.

do most professors ask for a personal statement? (I'm going to be a 3rd year, so I haven't started writing mine yet hehee) For a personal statement for optometry school, I would just write about myself and basically what inspires me to want to be an optometrist, right? And a CV is the same as a resume right? (since i'm not applying for a lab job or anything, i don't need to list lab experience or "relevant courses")

ahhh sorry about all the stupid questions. please lemme know if you have any tips or suggestions. thanks!! 😍

The reason he's asking for your CV (you're right -- same as a resume) and personal statement is so he can get more information about you to make his LOR more personal. Sometimes instructors also ask to see your transcript to get an idea of the other classes you're taking, what your GPA is like, etc., so you might want to give him that, too. If you don't have a personal statement typed up for apps yet, I'd just type up something short describing why you want to go into optometry. You just want to give him enough material to give him something to work with.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[JennyW]

The reason he's asking for your CV (you're right -- same as a resume) and personal statement is so he can get more information about you to make his LOR more personal. Sometimes instructors also ask to see your transcript to get an idea of the other classes you're taking, what your GPA is like, etc., so you might want to give him that, too. If you don't have a personal statement typed up for apps yet, I'd just type up something short describing why you want to go into optometry. You just want to give him enough material to give him something to work with.

Good luck! 🙂

A CV and a resume are not really the same thing. A CV is more geared towards academic accomplishments and appointments. A resume is more work related. Here is a good article explaining the differences

http://businessmajors.about.com/cs/resumehelp/a/CurriculumVitae.htm

Jenny

 

[r_salis]

A CV and a resume are not really the same thing. A CV is more geared towards academic accomplishments and appointments. A resume is more work related. Here is a good article explaining the differences

http://businessmajors.about.com/cs/resumehelp/a/CurriculumVitae.htm

Jenny

Thanks for pointing out the distinction -- however, for kiseki's purposes, she should still provide a summary of both her relevant academic *and* work experience to give her letter-writers a good perspective on her background.