What credentials did you have to get into Optometry?

[mtrlOATgal]

I know this is the forum for OD students
I would like to get some advice from all of you because I am so lost at the moment and this is driving me nuts- not being able to sleep well. as you can see its 4AM now.....

I am in my last year in a health science undergrad and my CGPA is 3.25, but the pre req average should be around 80%, I have two science undergrads- one in bio that's not too high though 3.0 I think and psychology is 3.50.

I will be writing the OAT once in August hopefully and another in November depending on my marks.

I have a lot of community involvement and leadership roles in committees.

I would really appreciate it if you wrote about your own info so that I have a good idea on what I should focus on this year. After I graduate, I will use that year to prepare myself to get into Optometry so PLEASE give me advice.

Should I do a master in vision science or work as an optometrist assistant or work as a research assistant in a vision related lab? What should I do to increase my chances of getting in? I am so lost here.

Please share your stories with us or give me suggestions on how I can improve.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bournehall]

A pulse, patent airway and checkbook is all that is needed. Trust me.

I know this is the forum for OD students
I would like to get some advice from all of you because I am so lost at the moment and this is driving me nuts- not being able to sleep well. as you can see its 4AM now.....

I am in my last year in a health science undergrad and my CGPA is 3.25, but the pre req average should be around 80%, I have two science undergrads- one in bio that's not too high though 3.0 I think and psychology is 3.50.

I will be writing the OAT once in August hopefully and another in November depending on my marks.

I have a lot of community involvement and leadership roles in committees.

I would really appreciate it if you wrote about your own info so that I have a good idea on what I should focus on this year. After I graduate, I will use that year to prepare myself to get into Optometry so PLEASE give me advice.

Should I do a master in vision science or work as an optometrist assistant or work as a research assistant in a vision related lab? What should I do to increase my chances of getting in? I am so lost here.

Please share your stories with us or give me suggestions on how I can improve.

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

 

[xmattODx]

That was quite rude

You expected more? He has never offered more I doubt it will start now.

To the OP. I give practical advice. This is what I did the year before I applied. I went to the school I was most interested in (the only school I applied to in fact) and spoke with an admissions person. They will tell you what to focus on. If you can't visit personally try to set up a telephone "interview". Good luck.

 

[IndianaOD]

Some of the private schools will in fact take almost anyone, sadly. At the school I graduated from it is almost strictly GPA and OAT. The interview will not get you in, but can cause a rejection if it goes terribly. Hope that helps.

 

[ICU23]

who gives a damn, stop insulting people and private school because you went to your little prickly public school

 

[xmattODx]

Some of the private schools will in fact take almost anyone, sadly. At the school I graduated from it is almost strictly GPA and OAT. The interview will not get you in, but can cause a rejection if it goes terribly. My scores were a 3.7 undergrad GPA in Pre-MED and a 350 OAT. Hope that helps.

OK. How does one get any GPA in "pre-med"? (Pre-med is just a cocky way of saying you got a degree in science.) How do you know that other schools are more or less difficult to get into? Get over yourself. Add something constructive to conversations or nothing at all.

My constructive addition: again, OP, contact your favourite school and ask them what will most help your future application.

 

[IndianaOD]

I'm not "getting into myself" Unlike other people I actually answered the poster's questions. I posted my GPA as a guide. Once you get into OPT school then your undergrad GPA doesn't matter (unless you apply for a residency). Oh and get over yourself. My school offered a major called Pre-Medical Science. Low and behold it even says those exact words on my trascipts under "major". Imagine that. Oh and facts are facts. Several of the larger schools are easier to get into. Doesn't mean the education is worse just means they are "for profit". Some people on this thread must be having a bad week.

Oh and tell the ODs in California, a state that will soon have another large private school, how they feel about an extra 160 grads per year flooding the market. That's over 10% of the current entire graduating class of 2007.

There I edited out my scores, hopefully that will make you feel better about yourself.

Oh and I know because I've participated in the interview process.

As far as xmatt: You have 2 negative remarks with your 2 posts on here and basically no beneficial information. Don't be such a hypocrite. Review your 2 posts and tell me they address the posters questions more than mine.

For the origional poster. Since you can't change your GPA, I'd try to smoke the OAT. If you still don't get in then I would recommend a masters degree. You wouldn't have to finish it just do well the first year and you'll have a much better chance of getting into Opt school

ICU23. Are you a student or doc? In another post you say you go to Berkely right? So you are a student. I say good things about Berkely so I don't know what your deal is. We had a student interview with us from California and he was very stuck up about Berkley. Something about they're #1 (in some unknown ranking) and IU is a measly #2. I chose my school based on location, tuition, and the ability to do research if I chose to; though it was really great to hear how well the grads are thought of.

 

[Opii]

bookmark

 

[chrissystar]

Some of the private schools will in fact take almost anyone, sadly. At the school I graduated from it is almost strictly GPA and OAT. The interview will not get you in, but can cause a rejection if it goes terribly. Hope that helps.

Maybe you don't realize it, but your post can make people feel bad. A lot of people apply to private schools (including myself), and when you say "they will in fact take almost anyone, sadly" it makes us sound incompetent and.. perhaps not good enough. Maybe just watch the wording next time

 

[xmattODx]

... Unlike other people I actually answered the poster's questions...

I read the question to be "aside from GPA" what can I do...

Several of the larger schools are easier to get into. Doesn't mean the education is worse just means they are "for profit".

How does telling students that the school you went to is so much harder to get into benefit anyone other than you? So it's easier to get into school X than Y does that really mean that one only needs " a pulse, patent airway and checkbook" to get in? Can you not see how that is insulting to those who are excited to go to those schools? You must remember that this forum is designed for students. I'm all for expressing the realities of optometry and optometry school but do so with some sensitivity. It seems that this forum has been overrun with i) bitter optometrists and ii) egotistical optometrists. Their comments do little to add to the conversation.

There I edited out my scores, hopefully that will make you feel better about yourself.

Keep your scores in. No problem. I didn't have a problem with them. I simply had a problem with this:

Some of the private schools will in fact take almost anyone, sadly. At the school I graduated from it is almost strictly GPA and OAT. The interview will not get you in, but can cause a rejection if it goes terribly. Hope that helps

Can you understand why?

Some people on this thread must be having a bad week.

Actually yes.

 

[cpw]

okay, everybody take a deep breath.

OD schools definitely like to throw around these unsubstantiated rankings. For the record: THERE IS NO FORMAL RANKING OF OPTOMETRY SCHOOLS! Period.

I've said this so many times it's not funny.. or ad nauseum if you will. You will get a great education wherever you attend. Pick the school that's right for you. If you want small class size and low tuition, apply to a state school. If you want (generally) larger class size and (generally) higher tuition... go to a private school.

It is true that the state schools generally have higher OAT and GPA scores, because they can be more selective of applicants due to their smaller class size. This does NOT mean they are better/worse schools.

For what it's worth: I got into UHCO with a mediocre GPA and average OAT scores (330). I worked my ass off and graduated OD school with honors --both scholastically and in clinic.

I saw students at the top of our class with KILLER GPAs who couldn't pass clinic. I saw students at the bottom of our class grade wise who were PHENOMENAL clinicians. OD school is what you put into it... period. If you're dedicated to what you do and love what you do your OD school will make you the kind of doc you want to be. No matter how good the school.. if you don't put in the effort.. you're going to struggle both in clinic, boards, and practice.

*steps off soapbox *

 

[r_salis]

I saw students at the top of our class with KILLER GPAs who couldn't pass clinic. I saw students at the bottom of our class grade wise who were PHENOMENAL clinicians. OD school is what you put into it... period. If you're dedicated to what you do and love what you do your OD school will make you the kind of doc you want to be. No matter how good the school.. if you don't put in the effort.. you're going to struggle both in clinic, boards, and practice.

Well said.

 

[IndianaOD]

I do apologize if I made anyone feel bad. I was relaying the actual process in that one post for the benefit of prospective students. GPA and OAT scores are assigned points. The combined points are compared with other applicants and the computer creates a ranking. Interstingly, undergrad schools are also ranked according to competitiveness and affect the scoring system. For example, a 3.5 at one school can mean more that a 3.6 at another.

I am not an optometric pessimist like many, however, prospective students must know the reality of what all their hard work will end up in. I for one did not turn down med-school to spin dials at walmart. It gets me fired up when other ODs damage the profession I love.

No you don't need my respect, but I will respect any grad who knows their stuff and practices to their full scope of law and fights for the profession.

I and many others like me WILL NOT respect you if you:
1. Work Commercial/Retail
2. Become a spectacle peddler
3. Don't support Optometry (i.e. AOA, American Academy of Optometry, local legislation)
4. Punt everything to an Ophthalmologist (Refer to another OD if you can't handle it and its not surgical)
5. Make optometry look poorly in any other way
6. Don't take care of patients
7. Support, in any way, an increase in the number of graduating OD students. (oversupply is already killing us)

 

[ProZackMI]

A pulse, patent airway and checkbook is all that is needed. Trust me.

He said OPTOMETRY school, not CHIROPRACTIC SCHOOL! MEH, get it straight!

To get into opt school, you have to be pretty competitive...moreso than other health professions, so this is obviously someone who was rejected from the lowest tier OD school...projecting, of course.

 

[ProZackMI]

okay, everybody take a deep breath.

OD schools definitely like to throw around these unsubstantiated rankings. For the record: THERE IS NO FORMAL RANKING OF OPTOMETRY SCHOOLS! Period.

I've said this so many times it's not funny.. or ad nauseum if you will. You will get a great education wherever you attend. Pick the school that's right for you. If you want small class size and low tuition, apply to a state school. If you want (generally) larger class size and (generally) higher tuition... go to a private school.

It is true that the state schools generally have higher OAT and GPA scores, because they can be more selective of applicants due to their smaller class size. This does NOT mean they are better/worse schools.

For what it's worth: I got into UHCO with a mediocre GPA and average OAT scores (330). I worked my ass off and graduated OD school with honors --both scholastically and in clinic.

I saw students at the top of our class with KILLER GPAs who couldn't pass clinic. I saw students at the bottom of our class grade wise who were PHENOMENAL clinicians. OD school is what you put into it... period. If you're dedicated to what you do and love what you do your OD school will make you the kind of doc you want to be. No matter how good the school.. if you don't put in the effort.. you're going to struggle both in clinic, boards, and practice.

*steps off soapbox *

AMEN! I went to medical school at MSU (Michigan State Univ), which has the unique distinction of being the only medical school with an allo and osteo med school. It was hilarious to see my fellow allo students belittle the DO students in the same class (many of our first year classes were the same)...at the same school! One day, one of my professors, who happened to be an MD, overheard this snotty little witch make a snide DO comment and he said something like "What do you call the person who graduated last in her class in med school?" Witch thinks about it and said "I dunno". Professor: "You call her DOCTOR!" His point was, no matter if you're MD or DO, an MSU, Wayne State, UMich, Harvard, or Medical College of Ohio grad, when you're a doctor, you're a doctor...period...

AND...more importantly, when you have a patient in your office who you just helped see again with new lenses after living in a cloudy haze for months/years, or who you helped in some way, shape, or form, who the hell will care where you went to school? Your patient? His insurance company? Your ego?

An OD is an OD is an OD. You have great ODs from PCO and bad ones from UC Berk. Where you went can be important to some, but in general, that and a nickel will buy you a piping hot cup of......