When is too late to apply to optometry school

[Em1850]

I could use as much help as I can get, thanks everyone!!
So, I'm currently in my last year in my undergrad in Ontario,Canada and my GPA isn't the absolute best.. but could be worse.
I am planning on applying to Optometry school this year for the September 2018 year, and I know the registration opened in July. I toke my OAT's once in May and didn't do as well as I hoped, so I plan on re-taking it in December. So I was wondering, if I should just apply to all 8 schools I want to now before I re-take the OAT's with my poor GPA, or wait till I re-write my OAT's hoping for a better score. Also by December, I will have my grades from my current classes I am taking in my last year of undergrad.
I've read that its better to apply as early as possible, but just wondering if that's better than waiting for my better OAT score to out weight my poor GPA and wait for my grades from my current classes of my undergrad which I know will be a lot better.
I have lots of shadowing experience and lots of extra curricular activities that might look good.
Also, I toke a tour of NOVA optometry and when I mentioned that I went to a university in Canada, they say they would "obviously take my average and bring it up a bit because Canadian universities are harder" Any other Canadians get this happen to them? And is this true for all American optometry universities that Canadians apply to?
Thank you all for your help!!

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[skra7]

I could use as much help as I can get, thanks everyone!!
So, I'm currently in my last year in my undergrad in Ontario,Canada and my GPA isn't the absolute best.. but could be worse.
I am planning on applying to Optometry school this year for the September 2018 year, and I know the registration opened in July. I toke my OAT's once in May and didn't do as well as I hoped, so I plan on re-taking it in December. So I was wondering, if I should just apply to all 8 schools I want to now before I re-take the OAT's with my poor GPA, or wait till I re-write my OAT's hoping for a better score. Also by December, I will have my grades from my current classes I am taking in my last year of undergrad.
I've read that its better to apply as early as possible, but just wondering if that's better than waiting for my better OAT score to out weight my poor GPA and wait for my grades from my current classes of my undergrad which I know will be a lot better.
I have lots of shadowing experience and lots of extra curricular activities that might look good.
Also, I toke a tour of NOVA optometry and when I mentioned that I went to a university in Canada, they say they would "obviously take my average and bring it up a bit because Canadian universities are harder" Any other Canadians get this happen to them? And is this true for all American optometry universities that Canadians apply to?
Thank you all for your help!!

My advice would be to apply and email each school informing them that you will retake. They will more than likely put your application on hold until they receive your December score. I have a low GPA and a low OAT and every school I emailed put my app on hold until they receive my retake scores. They will also consider that you were an early applicant once they receive your scores. Good luck!

 

[LUC78]

Hi, I was just wondering what it means when they put your application on hold/how thats helpful.

 

[skra7]

Hi, I was just wondering what it means when they put your application on hold/how thats helpful.

It means they won't make any decision regarding an interview/acceptance until they recieve scores/grades or whatever they're waiting on. It's helpful in cases where your scores or grades will come in late, but at least you would have an early application submitted and they will take that into account.

 

[helpmeout382100]

I also am curious what month is considered too late to submit. I am taking my oat around September and if I needed would have my retake December. I am applying for 2019 and know that it will close for nova around March so would submitting everything around February be too late??

 

[London22]

I also am curious what month is considered too late to submit. I am taking my oat around September and if I needed would have my retake December. I am applying for 2019 and know that it will close for nova around March so would submitting everything around February be too late??

You should try to apply as soon as possible when the cycle opens in the summer, even if you don't have OAT scores,your letters of rec finished yet, or pre-reqs finished when you submit. It lets you add them in later. If you apply before the end of the year you will be considered early which is great. Waiting until February is after the half-way point and you might lose out on some schools that fill up faster, but it's still doable. Since you're going to be taking your OAT in September and plan B OAT in December I would avoid applying late. Also keep in mind taking the OAT sucks lol. You only want to take it once so try to kill it the first time!

 

[helpmeout382100]

You should try to apply as soon as possible when the cycle opens in the summer, even if you don't have OAT scores,your letters of rec finished yet, or pre-reqs finished when you submit. It lets you add them in later. If you apply before the end of the year you will be considered early which is great. Waiting until February is after the half-way point and you might lose out on some schools that fill up faster, but it's still doable. Since you're going to be taking your OAT in September and plan B OAT in December I would avoid applying late. Also keep in mind taking the OAT sucks lol. You only want to take it once so try to kill it the first time!

thanks!! your advice was really awesome !
Would you recommend me not planning a retake then and just pushing the one exam back from sep. to November? or would that be too risky not planning time for a retake?

 

[London22]

thanks!! your advice was really awesome !
Would you recommend me not planning a retake then and just pushing the one exam back from sep. to November? or would that be too risky not planning time for a retake?

No prob! Yeah personally I would avoid taking twice and recommend rescheduling your test if you don't feel ready when September comes. That way you'll only have to deal with the test once, and will only be spending anywhere from $20-$100 (depending on the dates) instead of another $450+ to retake it.
If you have to retake you also get locked out for 90 days to factor in. OptomCas posts a chart with all the schools OAT deadlines that makes figuring dates out a ton easier. The 2017-2018 one is at
Deadlines and Other Information | OptomCAS
however the updated one for your cycle should be out in summer when the new optomcas opens. I'm sure it'll be pretty similar though if you want to use this as a rough estimate before then to figure out any plan B scenarios.

I think if you start studying now then you could definitely be ready for September! That's a big chunk of time even if you don't start studying until summer. You'll know it's time to take when you start feeling confident on each section and you'll want to get it over with haha

 

[Karanj94]

My advice would be to apply and email each school informing them that you will retake. They will more than likely put your application on hold until they receive your December score. I have a low GPA and a low OAT and every school I emailed put my app on hold until they receive my retake scores. They will also consider that you were an early applicant once they receive your scores. Good luck!

how did you go about that? in a similar situation graduated with a 3.0 but did bad on oat first time and now retaking end of November

 

[deleted936320]

how did you go about that? in a similar situation graduated with a 3.0 but did bad on oat first time and now retaking end of November

what was your score/sGPA?

 

[helpmeout382100]

Does anyone know if they take the most recent OAT score/ average/ or take the best? I could only find information for SCO which takes the best but unsure about other schools like NSU and Salus etc...

 

[Karanj94]

what was your score/sGPA?

gpa was 3.06 (already have my bachelors)/ and my score was a 270,(plan on retaking exam). I have shadowed a optometrist and been working for a private practice for about two years now as a optometry technician.