Optometry Will past academic dismissal hurts chances of optometry school?

[Catalystik]

Will being dismissed from a University and college over 10 years ago be a problem, for me now applying to Optometry school? I wasn't a person to party or skip school, I was just lost and has a hard time navigating through college. I was / am first year first generation college student and I literally had no idea what I was doing. I was mostly lost, had low self esteem and was in over my head. Many years later I got a 4 year degree at the University I had trouble in and did very very well. I am older now and learned a lot about myself, especially how I can now help others who were as lost as I was. I am just afraid that since that was my past I won't get an interview. Thankful that I am older and wiser now, and was able to earn my degree. I took those years for me to gain maturity and grow into my own skin and not be afraid of failing and what people think. I was always so timid and that really took its toll on me, I was so afraid to ask questions and being looked down on.

What was the reason for your dismissal? Some reasons are highly forgetable, a few stick with you forever, and others are forgivable if enough time has passed with no further issues.

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[Catalystik]

My dismissal was academics. I had a difficult time and didn't know how to study correctly and I was just so anxious about it all I could never get back up it felt like. I know it sounds hard to believe but coming from no helming and going in blind I struggled so hard. Years after I went back I did so good, but I also gained self confidence. I learned that I could do it and that I didn't have to carry my family and all those who didn't go to college on my back, I had to do it for my self first. The pressure to do well as a first generation is hard and I couldn't handle it because I didn't know who to talk to. No one in my family could give advice because no one ever had been in college.

An academic dismissal will not be held against you when it's clear from your more-recent grades that the person you were in the past is not the YOU of today. What might hurt you would be the GPA baggage you carry that would bring down your overall application GPAs. What are your GPAs if you combine all undergrad grades earned? Have you taken the OAT yet?

 

[Catalystik]

Currently 2.8 but will be taking one more semester to lift it. OAT will be taken soon. When I graduated with my degree it was higher, they did a reset on my grades it was like a forgiveness type program.Also since so many years passed I had to retake science courses since they were old.

A GPA of at least 3.0 should be your goal, though some with lower GPAs have gotten in with strong OAT scores and solid ECs. Regardless, an upward grade trend will work in your favor.

Be aware that you'll be expected to enter all grades earned on the application, though I've heard that some optometry schools have recalculated GPAs based on their own internal policies. Retakes with better grades are helpful, not just with improving one's GPA, but also in solidifying information you may need for the OAT.

I'm not clear on how a reset of grades through a forgiveness program would result in a lower GPA. Can you explain?