Uh I want to go to Optometry School!!

[SarahLorraine]

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I know...you guys are like, "no kidding, so do we!" I just decided this and I have 3 years of prereqs to complete...I am sitting at my office job just waiting for January when I can go back to school! All I can think about is becoming an Optometrist or going to school or taking the OAT or applying. It is making me nuts. I want it so bad!

Here is my 3 year plan...any advice? I already have a BBA in Business Management.

Is there anyone out there like me?

Spring 2007
• MATH 1111 (College Algebra)
• CHEM 1151 (Survey of Chemistry I) CoReq: CHEM 1151 L
• BIOL 2221 (Anatomy & Physiology) CoReq: CHEM 1151 and 1151 Lab
• BIOL 2221 L ??? – PreReq for BIOL 2261

Summer 2007
• Find a job at an optometrist AND/OR volunteer/shadow

Fall 2007
• MATH 1113 (Precalculus) / MATH 1112 (College Trigonometry)
• CHEM 1211 (General Chemistry I) CoReq: CHEM 1211 L, MATH
1113/1112
• CHEM 1211 L (Lab)

Spring 2008
• MATH 1190 (Calculus I)
• CHEM 1212 (General Chemistry II) CoReq: CHEM 1212L, MATH 1190
• CHEM 1212L (Lab)
• BIOL 2107 (Biological Principles I) PreReq: CHEM 1211/1211L
• BIOL 2107L (Lab) ???

Summer 2008
• CHEM 3361 (Organic Chemistry) PreReq: CHEM 1212
• CHEM 3361 L

****** TAKE OAT ****** APPLY FOR OPTOMETRY SCHOOL ******

Fall 2008
• BIOL 2108 (Biological Principles II) PreReq: BIOL 2107
• PHYS 1111 (Introductory Physics I) PreReq: MATH 1113/1112
• CHEM 3362 (Organic Chemistry) PreReq: CHEM 3361 – Not required
• CHEM 3362 L (Lab) – not required, only 1 semester req.
• CHEM 3500 (Survey of Biochemistry) PreReq: CHEM 3362

****** TAKE OAT (If needed) ******

Spring 2009
• BIOL 2261 (Fundamentals of Microbiology) PreReq: BIOL 2221/2221L
• PHYS 1212 (Introductory Physics II) PreReq: PHYS 1111
• MATH - Statistics

Summer 2009
• Work at optometrist / Get ready for Optometry School!

Fall 2009
• Begin Optometry School




How does this look?

 

[JMU07]

I'm not sure if fundamentals of micro will be enough, I know we have that class here too and I was told by a couple schools that I needed to take the standard microbiology class for my prereq. that's something that depends on the school though, I'd check into it at the schools you're interested in!

 

[iiiimonica]

How does this look?

Hey Sarah,

Three things stick out from your plans.
1) you should volunteer/get a job with an od NOW. you should try to volunteer with a couple of different settings to get a good picture of what you are really getting into. make sure this is what you really want to do.
2) it looks like you are planning to take your oats before you have taken the classes that are tested on the oat - while this is doable, it will be very hard for you because you will not be reviewing for a test, you will be learning for the first time (you should have at least the 1rst semesters of ochem, physics and both semesters of biology and gen chem done before you sit for the test)
3) it also seems that you will have quite a few classes left to take when you actually apply - this will make your appplication weaker (compared to other students who are either complete or near complete with thier prereq's)

Good luck with you plans

 

[SarahLorraine]

Thanks guys! I will check on the microbiology question!

iiiiMonica ~ I have thought about that...the only other thing I know to do though is wait an entire extra year. I guess it is possible to do it this way, maybe just harder? I will definitely see if I can squeeze those classes in before I take the OAT...maybe I can rearrange it differently.

 

[illuminate]

Taking organic & biochem in the same semester might kill you. Especially since you've got some other courses to think about also. I'd space it out if it were my schedule. Best of luck!

 

[JMU07]

ooh, i agree with this. right now i'm taking organic, physiology, and microbiology plus 2 health classes for my major and it's REALLY overwhelming (luckily organic is the only one that's even remotely hard for me). i'm just glad that the 1st sem. of organic here doesn't have a lab, or else i might be dead. haha

 

[jc812]

At my school, Organic Chem (I and II) are both pre-req's before taking BioChem.

I wouldn't even attempt to take it at the same time.

 

[cpw]

At my school, Organic Chem (I and II) are both pre-req's before taking BioChem.

I wouldn't even attempt to take it at the same time.

It was at mine too. Organic is usually a pre-req to Biochem.

Also, make sure all the classes you're taking COUNT at the OD school's you're looking at. It would be really awful to take all these things and then find out they don't count as pre-reqs.

Call some admissions couselors at the OD schools you're interested in. They're usually more than willing to help you out. They'll tell you what counts and how to make sure you're a good candidate.

Good luck!

 

[Noemimi]

I'm not sure if fundamentals of micro will be enough, I know we have that class here too and I was told by a couple schools that I needed to take the standard microbiology class for my prereq. that's something that depends on the school though, I'd check into it at the schools you're interested in!

is this true b/c most schools only require 1 semester of biochem, and at my school you either take fund. of biochem (1semester) or biochem (1 yr). Berkeley and SCCO said it was fine... hopefully it is for the other schools..


a quick question ... my school offers both calculus based physics and non-calculus physics as GENERAL physics. Does anyone know which the opt. schools prefer? I enrolled in calc. based just in case, but if I don't have to.. I really don't want to 🙁

 

[eyelectric]

is this true b/c most schools only require 1 semester of biochem, and at my school you either take fund. of biochem (1semester) or biochem (1 yr). Berkeley and SCCO said it was fine... hopefully it is for the other schools..


a quick question ... my school offers both calculus based physics and non-calculus physics as GENERAL physics. Does anyone know which the opt. schools prefer? I enrolled in calc. based just in case, but if I don't have to.. I really don't want to 🙁

I'm not aware of any optometry schools requiring calculus-based physics; those courses are generally reserved for engineers and scientists. If you know the schools where you intend on applying, you should check their websites just to make sure. I know that Pacific, ICO, Berkeley and SCCO only require general physics.

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Oh my... do NOT take calculus based physics unless you have to. Which, to my knowledge, you won't because none of the schools require it.

 

[JMU07]

is this true b/c most schools only require 1 semester of biochem, and at my school you either take fund. of biochem (1semester) or biochem (1 yr). Berkeley and SCCO said it was fine... hopefully it is for the other schools..


a quick question ... my school offers both calculus based physics and non-calculus physics as GENERAL physics. Does anyone know which the opt. schools prefer? I enrolled in calc. based just in case, but if I don't have to.. I really don't want to 🙁

None of the schools I'm applying to require biochem. SCO lets you take molecular biology instead, so that's what I did. I'm not interested in the socal schools so I don't know what they require. I definitely know that intro to organic and intro to micro were not enough for SCO, and since it wasn't good enough for one of my schools I didn't check the others and didn't take the lower level. And no, you don't need calc-based physics!

 

[Noemimi]

yea ... i was unsure so i signed up for the calculus based one and my school even sent me an email letting me know that i really shouldn't take it unless i HAVE to b/c it is intended more for the physics majors. Thanks everyone, I will change my class now. The only reason I got confused was because opt schools said GENERAL physics were required. General physics in my school = calc based. Intro is the non calc one....