switching from engineering to optometry. what should i do to repair GPA?

[cougarden]

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I am close to graduating as a mechanical engineer but realize that it wasn't my calling after doing some internships. Despite realizing this I have been dragging on and will graduate soon. I want to do something that has a more direct impact on people and enjoyed shadowing a optometrist. My main concern however is that my GPA is very low. I basically have average a C through undergrad and have a 2.1 gpa (I also had a very bad year as I dealt with death in family 2 consecutive semesters and had to pick up a job to help pay for family expenses since my dad had to fly overseas for the funerals)

I realize that I am going to have to retake some courses (at the same university for gpa replacement via optomcas) but was wondering if i should take "useless classes" at a community college to boost my gpa some more? classes such as calculus 1, stats (AP-ed out of those), nutrition, maybe even some business classes (figure itll help whenever i open my own practice assuming i get in)

im also planning to take the oats before the year ends and will apply to the texocop summer at uh to hopefully boost my chances.

 

[thisguy88]

Do you have any of the prereqs for optometry school fulfilled (gen chem, gen bio, ochem, etc.)? My guess would be no since you are a mechanical engineering major (correct me if I'm wrong).

If this is the case, I think you should just finish your degree and do a post-bacc fulfilling the optometry pre-reqs. Get good grades in those courses, do well on your OAT and you should be accepted no problem.

 

[Hofner500/1]

I'm in the same predicament as you. I'm graduating with a low GPA around 2.5.

What I'm doing is re-taking some pre-reqs this summer in an effort to boost my GPA to as close to 3.0 as I can for the coming cycle. I did apply to schools this cycle, but got rejected from all of them, saying my GPA was too low to be considered but that my other things (OAT, letters etc) were fine.

I got a 320 on the OAT and I'm definitely trying to boost that to 350 or above. Bottom line is get a high GPA in pre reqs and kill it on the OAT

 

[KHE]

I would not make any sort of decision like this based on the advice of anonymous internet strangers.

You should phone the schools you are interested in applying to, tell them your story and ask them what they would recommend as the best course of action.