When to apply?

[chaudm]

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Hi, does anyone have advice about if its better to apply early in July but without my OAT scores or wait and apply with my OAT scores. I should be taking my OATs in aug so I would have the application done my late aug. I called Ferris state and the lady said they put aside applications without OAT scores until they get them, I tried calling ICO but no one answered. Does anyone know what other schools perfer? Im confused of what I should do so any adice is appreciated!
thanks 🙂

 

[physicslover]

same..shoudl I apply with my old OAT scores or wait till I retake them?

Hi, does anyone have advice about if its better to apply early in July but without my OAT scores or wait and apply with my OAT scores. I should be taking my OATs in aug so I would have the application done my late aug. I called Ferris state and the lady said they put aside applications without OAT scores until they get them, I tried calling ICO but no one answered. Does anyone know what other schools perfer? Im confused of what I should do so any adice is appreciated!
thanks 🙂

 

[TNgal21]

same..shoudl I apply with my old OAT scores or wait till I retake them?

I've heard with some schools, you can call right after you take your test to give them your updated score and fax a copy of your unofficial report. They can update the numbers and possibly re-visit your app. Obviously, they still wait for the official to come in before offering interviews but I was told it would be a step ahead of those who wait the 3-4 weeks for the official copy to be sent to the schools. Call the schools you're interested in though!

 

[cloud99]

Apply as early as you can, then fax OAT scores to the schools as another poster recommended - many will allow you to do this and some will even contact you and tell you to do this, then give you an interview before receiving your official score report, which usually takes 2-4 weeks. Remember, optomcas needs time to calculate gpa's, etc...and I remember this taking several weeks last year.

Last year, Optomcas didn't mail the first batch of apps to the schools until september 10th, but schools could somehow look up your info as soon as your app was complete. It's to your advantage to be in the first round of applicants.

 

[BrownEyes2011]

Apply as early as you can, then fax OAT scores to the schools as another poster recommended - many will allow you to do this and some will even contact you and tell you to do this, then give you an interview before receiving your official score report, which usually takes 2-4 weeks. Remember, optomcas needs time to calculate gpa's, etc...and I remember this taking several weeks last year.

Last year, Optomcas didn't mail the first batch of apps to the schools until september 10th, but schools could somehow look up your info as soon as your app was complete. It's to your advantage to be in the first round of applicants.

So what if you take your OAT's and don't do well...but you applied early in July? Will they reject you early? Or wait until you take the OAT's again to look at your application again? How would that work? 😕

 

[physicslover]

So what if you take your OAT's and don't do well...but you applied early in July? Will they reject you early? Or wait until you take the OAT's again to look at your application again? How would that work? 😕

Yup exactly what I am concerned with. Don't understand what they do. If you tell them you are re-takign the OAT will they hold ure file for revaluation or just automatically reject.

 

[Mewcakes]

You can say when you plan to take the oat, so I guess if you said once in august and once in November, they might wait. But they MIGHT not. PUCO ended up passing decision on me before they got my new oat scores. If they don't think your oat score will save you (like you got a 300 last time and nothing but a 400 would save you), then they may not wait.

My advice, do well this time. Do not make it an option to fail. Consider this the LAST oat you'll be taking, because it very well may be if they pass decision after seeing it.

 

[cloud99]

Here's an example of a friend of mine who applied last cycle.

-Optomcas app. submitted late july.
-First oat taken mid-september. Her score was either a 300 or a 310.
-Called schools to tell them she planned to retake - all but one (SUNY, who rejected her right away) said "ok - send us the new scores when you retake".
-got an invite from one school in october.
-took second oat in january and got exactly the same score!
-got invites to 2 more schools in january, and another in march.
-was ultimately accepted to her 2 top choices, rejected by 2, she turned down an interview to one, and withdrew an application to one (one of the new schools that was her "backup").

She had about a 3.3 gpa after repeating 4 or 5 classes that she got c's in. She also had good leadership, community service, extracurriculars, and shadowed at maybe 4 different places. She never worked optometry.

 

[raleighzia]

Cloud I am retaking classes as well. Did your friend retake at university or cc. Which schools accepted her?

 

[cloud99]

she retook at the same university. Was accepted at nova and pco, rejected from suny and another I can't remember, declined neco interview, withdrew app. from one of the new ones (not sure which one.)