I am currently a junior in undergraduate studies. I have a 3.774 gpa and 3.69 science gpa which should only increase or stay the same during my senior year. I have not taken the OAT yet but will in May but I have take a practice one through Kaplan with absolutely no studying and I got a 300. So my real score will hopefully be 320 or above once I study. I am in the marching band, athletic band, I have done a mission trip in Peru, I am shadowing several optometrists, and volunteering here and there. Can anyone please give me an idea on whether or not I would make it into optometry school? Thanks a lot everyone.
What are my chances of getting into optometry school?
- Thread starter Dbecket
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you'll be just fine and can get into pretty much any school you want
I would really appreciate all other responses!
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with your GPA you really shouldnt worry unless you bomb the OAT...i would say email some of the schools you are interested it and ask what makes a competitive application what are your extra curricular activities? i really dont think you need to worry so much
My extracurriculars are marching band, athletic band, I went on a mission trip to Peru, I'm involved with my youth group, I am a lifeguard, I volunteer at blood drives, and I am shadowing several optometrists.
I came from a school called Bowling Green State University in Northwest Ohio.
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I think we all agree you are fine. We haven't looked at your application, but I can't see why an admissions committee would not grant you an interview.
If somebody gets an interview do they have a pretty good chance of being accepted?
Relax! At OSU, with your GPA, if you get 320+ on most OAT sections you will probably get offered a seat on your interview day.
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The real question is not about whether or not you can get in, it's about whether or not you'll be wasting your one shot on a bad career choice. With grad school as expensive as it is, you guys are only going to get one chance to get it right. If you have have a solid academic background, and you waste it on a dying profession, you'll look back with regret. Optometry is not a healthy profession, and it will only be getting worse in the years ahead.
I don't care if you enter optometry school or not, but if you do pick optometry, make certain that you are aware of what you're buying. What you see is most definitely not what you get.
That's great news! Thanks so much for providing me with these answers. I'm just not sure what to expect.
What do you mean by a dying profession?
He means, over saturation, what most optometrist do, commercialization, how bad they view the AOA, the low turnover rate, the overall decreasing demand, etc...
If your here long enough, you will have to decide if you really want to be in optometry or if you are discourage into another field of interest. Its the polarization that Jason K has well established and I think its quite nice since it discourage the less passionate pre-opts + make us plan our future more carefully in terms of what are we going to do once we graduate.
Or in Jason's words: optometry sucks in the dummies while the sensible person will choose something else.
His opinion is more negative than most, so dont take his words as law, its your choice and your career.
If your here long enough, you will have to decide if you really want to be in optometry or if you are discourage into another field of interest. Its the polarization that Jason K has well established and I think its quite nice since it discourage the less passionate pre-opts + make us plan our future more carefully in terms of what are we going to do once we graduate.
Or in Jason's words: optometry sucks in the dummies while the sensible person will choose something else.
His opinion is more negative than most, so dont take his words as law, its your choice and your career.
I dont personally know, I've shadow several optometrist myself, most have lots of debt and are starting a family and I ask them if they are going to buy out someone elses practice in the future, and they told me not in the near future with the debt they have.
One optometrist I've shadow had virtually no debt thanks to his parents, and was working for an OD before, that OD he worked for is retiring and he is in the process of buying it out.
In general, its safe to say that starting out you'll work as an associate or something commercial, and not uncommon if you have to piece together many different part time jobs at different offices in order to have a full income. But after a few years depending on what your aspirations are, as well as what opportunities present itself, you can make your own private practice or buy someone elses. A good portion obtains a full time position as an Associate at their desirable place with a reasonable income.
Again, this is third party information =P.
That being said having debt for a long time isnt necessarily a bad thing. Optometrists (in my views) have very relax schedule compare to say Physicians, spend your time living life and have a happy balance of work and play while paying off your debt.
One optometrist I've shadow had virtually no debt thanks to his parents, and was working for an OD before, that OD he worked for is retiring and he is in the process of buying it out.
In general, its safe to say that starting out you'll work as an associate or something commercial, and not uncommon if you have to piece together many different part time jobs at different offices in order to have a full income. But after a few years depending on what your aspirations are, as well as what opportunities present itself, you can make your own private practice or buy someone elses. A good portion obtains a full time position as an Associate at their desirable place with a reasonable income.
Again, this is third party information =P.
That being said having debt for a long time isnt necessarily a bad thing. Optometrists (in my views) have very relax schedule compare to say Physicians, spend your time living life and have a happy balance of work and play while paying off your debt.
Well thanks a lot for all the information you have given me, I sure do appreciate it.
