Waterloo Optometry 2011 Cycle

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How heavily do the reference letters/assement forms weigh in the application process? Who did you guys use as your academic reference? I know a lot of people chose a prof that they did research with. Unfortunately, I haven't been involved in any research before. 🙁

Thanks!
 
as long as they can comment on u personally should be fine. has to 1 opto and 1 academic tho
 
I'm sure they have a scale for comparing marks, kind of like that chart for med schools. Maybe not a chart like that but they do convert it. Sorry I can't be much help here... I'm applying for first time.

Anyway I just got an email for my interview date!! So excited!
 
quackquack said:
I'm sure they have a scale for comparing marks, kind of like that chart for med schools. Maybe not a chart like that but they do convert it. Sorry I can't be much help here... I'm applying for first time.

Anyway I just got an email for my interview date!! So excited!
Click to expand...

OK, thanks! I'm a first-timer too.

And congrats! I also got an email for my interview date today! 🙂 When's yours?
 
Nov 28, 10am. 🙂 When is yours? Congrats also! We're half-way there 😀 (actually I still have to write my OAT ...)
 
Woah, you guys already got the interview dates? Nice!

Hm... I'm thinking if I should submit my app now, or if I should wait until closer to the deadline... does anyone know if there's an advantage to handing it in earlier?
 
same..dunno if I should apply now or not. Im taking my OAT in oct but Im scared their reject me based on my gpa alone if i apply. Anyone get rejection letters yet?
 
Hey, does anyone know if Waterloo (or any optom school) looks only at the OAT averages (total science and academic average), or do they look at every score?
Reason I ask is... my averages are pretty decent, but my bio and math are pretty low (still over 300 though), so I was wondering if those two sections will be... "looked down on" lol
 
as a general rule 300 and over in each section is the acceptable average. I donno if schools compare scores after that point tho.
 
I remember doing a search on these forums. Someone asked and they said that they don't even look at the OAT scores until February when they are reviewing all the files, don't know if it's still like this though.
 
Just posting to say that the deadline for the paper application and for interim transcripts to be forwarded to the school has been extended to October 15! In case no one had seen the website. (And, so you guys don't think I'm trying to screw you over, here's proof: http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/prospective/od/importantdates.html)

Congrats to those of you who have received interview invites already! Hopefully I'll get to see some of you in November...still have to submit the application. 😉
 
They extended the deadline to submit the online application as well, so I'm wondering if perhaps there were technical difficulties or something.
 
has anyone had any difficulty getting an LOR from a prof? i had asked a prof that i had met with after class a couple times to ask questions about lecture content if they would give my a LOR. they advised my to ask another prof that taught me in a smaller class.....unfortunately all of my classes have been over 300 students. any advice?? i have a LOR from an optometrist and another one from another prof but they didn't teach me. any help would be appreciated!!
 
The acadmeic reference doesn't have to be a prof who taught us a class, does it? Just want to make sure...
 
ASA1 said:
The acadmeic reference doesn't have to be a prof who taught us a class, does it? Just want to make sure...
Click to expand...

i asked marie this question and she said that yes the prof needs to have taught us so that they know our academic performance
 
quackquack said:
Nov 28, 10am. 🙂 When is yours? Congrats also! We're half-way there 😀 (actually I still have to write my OAT ...)
Click to expand...

Mine is on Nov 27! 😀 I guess now we have to start preparing for them somehow...

Good luck on your OAT! When do you write? I'm sure you'll do great. 😎 I already wrote mine in the summer, but my scores weren't stellar, so I almost wish I still had yet to write it, haha.
 
Physio101 said:
has anyone had any difficulty getting an LOR from a prof? i had asked a prof that i had met with after class a couple times to ask questions about lecture content if they would give my a LOR. they advised my to ask another prof that taught me in a smaller class.....unfortunately all of my classes have been over 300 students. any advice?? i have a LOR from an optometrist and another one from another prof but they didn't teach me. any help would be appreciated!!
Click to expand...

The committee actually advised you to find a prof that taught a smaller class? Eep!

Yes they have to have taught you ... so they can comment on how well you handle your academics etc.

Well trying to make an impression to a prof who teaches a huge class may be kind of hard (i'm not saying it can't be done). But if all your classes are huge, then just make small talks everyday after class, he/she's bound to remember you that way. I find that though, by upper year, the classes tend to be smaller and it's easier to approach them that way. 🙂

And if you are going to ask a prof to write a letter... make sure you actually did well in that class haha. I had a meeting with a prof once and he totally looked up my GPA and everything before I even showed up... I guess when the professor doesn't remember you that well, numbers and grades still mean a lot.
 
quackquack said:
The committee actually advised you to find a prof that taught a smaller class? Eep!

Yes they have to have taught you ... so they can comment on how well you handle your academics etc.

Well trying to make an impression to a prof who teaches a huge class may be kind of hard (i'm not saying it can't be done). But if all your classes are huge, then just make small talks everyday after class, he/she's bound to remember you that way. I find that though, by upper year, the classes tend to be smaller and it's easier to approach them that way. 🙂

And if you are going to ask a prof to write a letter... make sure you actually did well in that class haha. I had a meeting with a prof once and he totally looked up my GPA and everything before I even showed up... I guess when the professor doesn't remember you that well, numbers and grades still mean a lot.
Click to expand...

my prof suggested that i find a smaller class, i guess i'll just ask him again and bring my transcripts this time. thanks for the advice! 🙂
 
Will they accept a LOR from a TA? Sorry about asking so many questions about references!! I've tried emailing my questions to the school but I haven't gotten a reply yet.

I am not applying until next year, but I just wanted to know the details in advance. Thanks!!
 
Does anyone know whether we could get a committee/pre-health advisor to act as the academic referee for the second letter of recommendation?

Thanks.
 
@Physio101

Oh... if your prof actually told you to find a smaller class, then I wouldn't push it too much. I thought you meant the committee said you had to (which would have been so harsh!). But yeah...if your prof said that, then I think he/she probably meant he didn't know you all that well. As you said, it IS a big class... some profs won't want to bother. Keep trying though, I personally know some profs that are VERY willing to write letters. It depends on the person.

@ASA1

http://www.optometry.uwaterloo.ca/prospective/od/application.html

It specifically says university professor or instructor. I don't think TAs are considered instructors (at least, not at UW).

@folderdh

Is the advisor someone who has taught you a university-level course? Someone above checked and it has to be. At first I wanted my research supervisor to write it but he didn't teach me a course so. bleh.
 
Wait, what?!
I thought it was acceptable to ask the prof you did research for (but didn't teach you) to write you a LOR!
 
eyenerd said:
Wait, what?!
I thought it was acceptable to ask the prof you did research for (but didn't teach you) to write you a LOR!
Click to expand...

That was my understanding as well. Fortunately, my research prof also taught me a class, but in general, I'm pretty sure a research prof would know much more about you (obviously including the types of grades you get) than one who just taught you. Hmm.
 
Err I'm not exactly sure, I was just stating what Marie said when someone above called in to ask. (Check physio101's post about Marie saying that prof has to have taught you.)

I personally had other reasons for not asking my research prof though. He was never there, so there's not much he can write about me, haha.
 
eyenerd said:
Wait, what?!
I thought it was acceptable to ask the prof you did research for (but didn't teach you) to write you a LOR!
Click to expand...

i had emailed Marie about the LOR from an academic professor. i know a few professors (that haven't taught me any classes) but they would be able to give me a far better reference than any of my profs could. Marie said that the LOR from the academic professor HAD to be from someone who has taught you.
 
interesting that they don't clarify that on the application. It just says academic reference...
 
I know right?! They really should.

Maybe they assume that your research supervisor is generally someone you met through classes. But that's not always the case obviously. I know for some US schools they actually say it has to be a professor that TAUGHT you and not your research supervisors (unless, they taught you as well).
 
i just got my interview date today!! is anyone going on the 27th at 1:00 pm?
 
Have most of you already submitted your second application?? I am almost done mine and probably will submit it in the next couple of days but hearing that people have already received interviews makes me nervous that I'm very late :S!
 
@physio101 Do you mind if I ask what your stats are? Thanks 🙂

@ Optomhope
Yeah I submitted it back in August. Best to do it as soon as possible! You're not that late if you are submitting within deadlines. A lot of people actually do it around September when they go back to school to ask professors etc. for letters anyway.
 
I submitted mine last week and just got an interview invitation on Tuesday, for November 27. I don't think they necessarily have some kind of cutoff for how many interviews they conduct, so as long as you submit by October 15 your chances shouldn't be any lower of getting an interview - that seems unfair.
 
why is it unfair? its not rolling admissions?
 
Oh, no, I didn't mean it's unfair if people who submitted later still got interviews, because you're right, it's not rolling admissions. What I meant was, it doesn't seem fair that they would set a certain application due date, but then make it less likely for those who submitted later to get an interview, even if they still submitted on time. I would assume they therefore don't do that.
 
For people with nov 27 interviews... can I ask where you guys live? I heard this rumor that they separate people outside waterloo on certain days. Not that it matters but just curious!
 
i'm from london and i have an interview on nov 27th
 
I'm from Calgary, so I could technically have done the external interview here, but I wanted to see the campus and the city. Mine's at 8:30 am on Nov 27.
 
dawnfirenight said:
I'm from Calgary, so I could technically have done the external interview here, but I wanted to see the campus and the city. Mine's at 8:30 am on Nov 27.
Click to expand...

Mine is 8:30am on Nov 27 as well! 🙂 See you there! I am from the maritimes so I could have done an external interview in Fredericton, but since I've never been to Waterloo before, I definitely wanted to visit and take the tour.
 
Last edited:
Congrats on getting interviews. For individuals who havn't sent in their application yet - you should strongly doing it sooner rather than later. While there is no "rolling admissions", the earlier you send in your application the earlier you will hear for an interview.

Good luck!

UW Optometry c/o 2014
 
Slapshot13 said:
Congrats on getting interviews. For individuals who havn't sent in their application yet - you should strongly doing it sooner rather than later. While there is no "rolling admissions", the earlier you send in your application the earlier you will hear for an interview.

Good luck!

UW Optometry c/o 2014
Click to expand...

I guess I really need to get on that....I almost finished my secondary today. Can anyone tell me what the competitive cgpa's are for admitted applicants and pre req averages?
 
Just submitted my app today!! How long did it take for you guys to start hearing about interviews??
 
OptomHope said:
Just submitted my app today!! How long did it take for you guys to start hearing about interviews??
Click to expand...

i got my dad to drop off my application at the school of optometry and i was invited for an interview within a week of that
 
Mine was received at the school on a Thursday, and I got my invitation email the following Tuesday, but the letter was dated Monday. They're pretty quick.
 
Already heard back! Interview November 28th at 10 am. Do any of you know how this works? I mean i know what the general schedule of the interview is but how is it that more than one of us can have an interview at the same time? Or do we do it in rotations?

I'm so excited!!
 
OptomHope said:
Already heard back! Interview November 28th at 10 am. Do any of you know how this works? I mean i know what the general schedule of the interview is but how is it that more than one of us can have an interview at the same time? Or do we do it in rotations?

I'm so excited!!
Click to expand...

They probably have different interview rooms which can be in operation at the same time with different interviewers. I'm not sure that's how it works, but that's what is usually done with pharmacy interviews (before they introduced MMI to it), etc.

Congrats on your interview! 🙂
 
Hello everyone,

Does anyone know if they look at you differently if you choose to do the external interview instead of the one at the school? As much as I would like to go to the school and check everything out, the whole excursion from where I live in Alberta would cost me almost $1000. I really only want to dish out that kind of cash if going to the external interview will in anyway hurt my chances of getting in. For example, maybe they think I don't care as much about the school or the facilities because I chose the external interview....
 
Man... do you guys have a lot of things to put in the "Special Training" section? I'm struggling to think of anything!
 
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