https://www.reddit.com/r/PreOptometry/comments/xd05m7/what_are_my_chances/
created by Rx-Beast on 13/09/2022 at 06:33 UTC*
24 upvotes, 49 top-level comments (showing 25)
To participate, fill out the form below so others can comment:
OAT Score:
GPA:
Shadowing Hours:
Masters/PhD:
Application Submission Date:
Extra Curricular Activities:
Comment by [deleted] at 30/09/2022 at 14:50 UTC
5 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT score: did not take yet.
GPA: 3.1 cumulative , science is a bit lower than that.
shadowing hours : 50 total ( 40 optometrist, 10 opthalmologist )
healthcare hours: 1800 hours as a patient attendant (observe patients for safety and bring them water, blanket, etc.)
volunteer hours: 200 hours volunteering at a nonprofit clinic for people with visual disabilities.
other volunteer hours: 10 hours doing vision screenings at daycare centers
tutoring: paid Teaching Assistant for 1 year&3months for middle school and high school
no clubs.
what schools can I possibly get into on the East Coast? Thank you! :)
Comment by champagne_pisces at 02/10/2022 at 03:55 UTC
7 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Hi, wanted to hear people's opinions.
OAT Score: 280 AA / 250 TS (just took Sept 30th)
GPA: 3.36 / sGPA: 3.2
Shadowing Hours: 80
Masters/PhD: none
Application Submission Date: August 31st for some, Oct 1 for others
Extra Curricular Activities: Undergraduate Researcher in a lab on campus for 3 years (it'll be 4 when I graduate), Group Fitness instructor (spin instructor), Science Residential College ambassador, was apart Alpha Epsilon Delta for a year before deciding on optometry, and apart of pre-optometry club.
Applied to Nova, UIWRSO, UHCO. Wanted to send an app to ICO as well.
I know my OAT is so low. I just don't know if I have the time this semester to study and retake. Should I retake? Take it next year and wait until next cycle? Or is it possible I can get in with a 280?
Comment by FutureOD_LD at 13/11/2022 at 14:38 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT Score: TS 380/AA 370
GPA: 3.77
Shadowing Hours: @40
Masters/PhD: No
Application Submission Date: mid August
Extracurriculars: some intramural sports, membership in some clubs, University Ambassador, University Tour Guide
I received offers to interview at all my schools - ICO, NECO, SUNY, PCO, Nova and Houston. Attended in-person interviews at ICO and NECO, virtually at SUNY. Received offers from all three plus an offer from PCO. Accepted ICO! I think one of the things that worked in my favour was putting a lot of effort into making sure my personal statements and essay questions were well written and filled with as much of my personality as possible.
Comment by gom1414 at 02/01/2023 at 20:55 UTC
3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
What are my chances? OAT score: 300 AA / 290 TS GPA: overall ~3.1, science ~3.0 Shadowing hours: 288 shadowing an optometrist, just started a new job as a optometrist tech/receptionist (8 hours LOL) Extracurriculars: 550 hours PCE as a CNA, President of psych club, Exec for sorority, teaching assistant and research assistant for psych department (1 year) Application submission date: this past week!
Applying to ~8 schools, mostly along the east coast but I’m super stressed while I’m waiting right now!
Comment by Relevant-Willow-3662 at 14/09/2022 at 02:26 UTC*
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT Score: 400 AA 400 TS
GPA: 3.6 overall 3.6 science
Shadowing Hours: ~70
Masters/PhD: no
Application Submission Date: August 14th
Extra Curricular Activities: On club sports team (treasurer for the team), help train guide dogs, started club on campus that now has 200 members and events every weekend, genetics TA, sew my own clothes for fun.
Want to know if I can get into Berkeley specifically. Already interviewed (went very well) and waiting for response.
Comment by Khannn2001 at 14/09/2022 at 04:31 UTC
3 upvotes, 2 direct replies
OAT Score: 350AA/380TS
GPA: 3.6 or 86%
Shadowing hours: 80ish (gotta double check lol)
Masters/PhD: None
Application Submission Date: By end of September (Waterloo) or end of October (American schools)
Extracurricular Activities: High school table tennis for 4 years, Mcmaster Intramurals, McMaster IMPACT team leader, Club that raises awareness of disabilities, Tutored for 2 different companies, private Tutor, Covid volunteer at vaccination Center, customers experience associate, teaching assistant, Biology McMaster mentor, shadowed optometrist, work as an optometrist assistant for year, and volunteer at optometry clinic.
Im Canadian so my main goal is Waterloo but due to its competitiveness I’ll probably also be applying to American schools, kinda unsure which ones to apply to cuz my main thing is tuition is high lol, so if someone could help out with that, that be great!
Comment by [deleted] at 14/09/2022 at 21:26 UTC
3 upvotes, 3 direct replies
OAT: taking in October
Gpa is 3.0 sgpa 3.1
First option is SUNY
Shadowing: 2000+ hours as a technician at ophthalmology clinic, shadowed suny optometry clinics and resident optometrists, shadowed cataract extraction surgery, prior experience at a physical therapist clinic.
Extra circulars: Surveyed transit customers for the mayor, volunteered at local mosque to hand out food to the needy, volunteer at therapy clinic
Comment by LittleL3o at 20/09/2022 at 06:25 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT Score: AA 350/ TS 340
GPA: 3.3/3.2
Shadowing hours: +1000? I’ve worked at two offices over the course of three years with multiple doctors as an exam technician & unlicensed optician
Extracurricular activities: VP of pre-optometry club & VP of 1 nationally recognized organization that had many volunteering opportunities, micro biology TA, alzhiemers home volunteer
Application Submission Date: 9/23
Trying for OSU, SCO, UHCO, NECO, MCPHS
Comment by Midnight1131 at 20/09/2022 at 21:39 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I'm only applying to the University of Waterloo
Full time work - 8 months each in two life science R&D companies. 4 months at a health software company.
Volunteering - 172 hours split between two hospitals, 32 hours doing free tutoring for grade school kids, 200 hours at a food bank, 120 hours at an annual festival I've been volunteering with for the past 6 years.
​
The low GPA is what's really worrying me. I took the CASPER last week, haven't gotten results back, but I feel like I did well.
Comment by Werplus29 at 09/10/2022 at 00:53 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT Score: 370 AA / 400 TS
GPA: 3.61
Shadowing Hours: ~150
Masters/PhD: N/A
Application Submission Date: October 4th (Waterloo) / End of October for American schools.
Extra Curricular Activities: 2 Undergraduate Research Projects, Graphic Designer for Biology Student's Association, Event Photographer, Cinematography/Lighting Assistant, Aquatics Supervisor, Swim Coach.
Applying to Waterloo, SUNY, NECO, & ICO.
Comment by Significant_Drop_940 at 01/11/2022 at 03:25 UTC
3 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT AA 340 TS 340
GPA 3.8
Shadowing Hours: 40, includes private practice with peds doc, contact lenses specialty fit doc, a surgery center with ocular disease.
application submitted sept 30th
extra curricular: ultimate frisbee, anatomy lab TA, Private tutor for anatomy, physiology, physiology lab , and immunology.
I applied to, SCO,SCCO,AZCOPT and Berkley.
I got interviews at all of them and they are all early November, my biggest concern is the timeline. I know Applications open at the end of July so I didn’t know if there are still a fair amount of spots by mid to late November? The Application cycle is so long kinda hard to know where I am in the timeline. Thanks!
Comment by No_Compote9423 at 14/08/2023 at 20:36 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT Score: 280 AA/ 260 TS
GPA: 3.89
Shadowing Hours: 35
Masters/PhD: Currently doing masters in public health
Application Submission Date: submitted 8/3/23
Extra Curricular Activities: Too much to list/ had 13 extra curricular entries that involved volunteering, shadowing, tutoring, programs, teaching assistant
Comment by Healthy-Guide at 31/10/2022 at 05:30 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT Score: Not taken yet but averaging 300 or so OatBooster practice tests
GPA: 3.6
Shadowing Hours: Worked full time as an optometry assistant/lead technician for over a year and going (32hr a week). Worked with pretty much every instrument from an autorefractor to performing iLux/OCTs.
Masters/PhD: None, just a B.S in biology from UCSD
Application Submission Date: planning for next cycle
Extra Curricular Activities:
Mainly worked other jobs: architecture assistant, optician, market analysis, and food service \
I'm mainly concerned since I had a hard time getting academic letters of recs during quarantine and I'll probably only have one to show for, if none, before I graduate. I do have three letters from different optometrists I've worked with, but the academic letter of rec requirement has me worried. Thank you for any words of advice!
Comment by lishyyyy at 28/11/2022 at 23:24 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT score: 320 AA 310 TS
GPA: 3.4
Shadowing hours: 92 hours and working as an Opto Tech since Aug 2022
Masters/PhD: none
Application date: December 1st 2022
Extracurriculars: Co founded a pre health fraternity Heavily involved in student government and biological honors society Community service through school organizations
Comment by [deleted] at 27/12/2022 at 16:34 UTC*
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT: 310AA 300TS
GPA: just under a 3.4 Shadowing Hours: 20( also worked at LensCrafters)
Masters/PhD: None
Submission Date: 12/22/2022
Activities: Organization Leader & Graphic Novel Club
Applying to Ohio, NECO, Salus, MCPHS, Midwestern(Chicago), & Indiana.
Comment by Tierra2499 at 09/01/2023 at 03:02 UTC*
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Oat Score: 320 Gpa: 3.45 cumulative 3.3 science Shadowing: 60 hours Masters/PhD: none Extra curricular activities/jobs: small Group leader for InterVarsity, regional leadership team member for InterVarsity, lab monitor supervisor, lead cashier Volunteer hours: 100 non clinical hours, 25 hours volunteering at a Covid vaccination site for Ut southwestern Submission date: as soon as possible but hopefully by the end of January My top choice schools are UHCO and UIW
Comment by preoptometry00 at 05/03/2023 at 00:23 UTC
2 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Overall GPA - 2.64
Overall Science GPA - 2.85
OAT (second attempt) - 260 AA, 240 TS
Work experience - 5 years pharmacy tech, 1 year of optometric tech & optician
Comment by kan123p at 19/06/2023 at 19:44 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT Score: 370 AA 380 TS
GPA: 3.0 but I retook a lot of classes so my optomcas GPA might be lower :(
Shadowing Hours: Over 150. Private practice, target and vision therapy clinic
Application Submission Date: Planning to apply in July for the 2024 cycle
Extra Curricular Activities: On board for pre-optometry club, captain of dance team for two years, tutor for kids at under-resourced schools
I'm planning to apply to a lot of school but my top choices are AZCOPT and ICO. I know my GPA is low :( Wanted to know if anyone got into these school with the same stats?
Comment by poppyfriedchicken28 at 07/03/2024 at 01:18 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT Score: didn't take yet
GPA: 3.47 BS in Biology
Shadowing Hours: New to this so I'm unsure if this counts as shadowing but I worked as an ophthalmic tech at a private clinic during winter/summer breaks for ~2 years and then fulltime for 6 months post grad. Currently (aug 2023 - present) working as a fulltime tech at a retinal specialist clinic.
Masters/PhD: none
Application Submission Date: aiming for sept 2024
Extra Curricular Activities: President of chinese cultural club (held 2 other positions in other academic school years), in 3 dance orgs (director of one), volunteering at church and soup kitchens.
Ideal school is SUNY Optometry, would that be possible? What other schools would I likely be accepted into?
I graduated may 2022 and have spend this time in between travelling and thinking about what I actually want to do with my life. I've recently (3 days ago) decided on optometry so I am quite lost. I'm gathering all the info I can on OAT studying resources and the requirements to apply for schools so if anyone has tips or words of advice, please send them my way!!
Comment by Initial_Assist_9771 at 15/03/2024 at 16:26 UTC
2 upvotes, 2 direct replies
OAT: 300AA 280TS
GPA: 3.3
Shadowing hours: worked as an optometric technician full time for a summer; interned for a school year at a private optometry practice and have now worked full time at an ophthalmology practice for a year and a half where I have shadowed various types of surgery and worked as a doctors assistant and technician
Masters/ PhD: none
Application submission date: this is worrying me since I am later in the cycle but I submitted some of them back in November and some of them in February but none of the schools would look at my application until I took the OAT last week.
Extracurriculars: was on division I track and field team in college, founder of pickleball club in college
I was offered an interview for NOVA on May 3rd, curious what my chances are getting in if I have a decently good interview. Applied to MWU, ICO, SUNY, Salus and SCCO as well and wondering what my chances are there, thanks!
Comment by Flaky-Shoulder-3765 at 17/04/2024 at 21:31 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I’m in pre-pharmacy track, just shadowed an optometrist for two days and feel like wanna do optometry instead, but all my experience is related to pharmacy, so what are my chances?
OAT: did not take it yet
GPA: 3.80/ sGPA: a bit lower
Shadowing Hours: in progress, just 8 hrs rn
Volunteer: 100
Application Date: planning on 2025 cycle
Extra Curricular: pharmacy technician for one year
Comment by fhopz at 14/09/2022 at 02:03 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
OAT: TS 360 AA 370
GPA: 3.3
Shadowing hours: phone interview w one optometrist (during covid) and i’ve been working at an optometrist’s office for 6 months and have sat in on a few patient’s exams.
Masters/PhD: none
Application date: aiming for end of october
extra curriculars: very randoms ECs but volunteered for various short term events around campus, tutored high school kids who were new to canada, worked part time abt 20 hrs/week all throughout university in customer service roles, volunteered at an animal shelter for 1.5 yrs
ofc as a canadian i would prefer waterloo but other schools I’m wanting to apply to are Pacific, SCCO, Western, ICO, and Midwestern in arizona
Comment by [deleted] at 25/09/2022 at 18:23 UTC
1 upvotes, 3 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by Decent-Map-3286 at 20/05/2024 at 02:19 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
To participate, fill out the form below so others can comment:
OAT Score: have not taken yet
GPA: 3.57
Shadowing Hours: I worked for an optometrist as apprentice optician for 2 years
Masters/PhD: none (possibly going to apply if my stats don't sound to good for applying this upcoming cycle to mph if I have too)
Extra Curricular Activities: volunteer teaching students for 7 + years, crc traning program, continuing learning another language 2 years, dental assistant 4 mo., member in school clubs pre dental (before i switched to opto) women leadership club, muslim association, president leadership fellow program, worked at a science musueum for kids in highschool, peer asisstance for learning science program. i took anatomy/phsyio classes
I am looking at berkeley, sco, and ico. what are my chances?
Also I am missing prereqs is it easy for them to take higher upper division courses in lieu of the intro classes. and do schools accept online lab courses? if so where can i enroll?
Comment by GroundbreakingQuail8 at 02/10/2024 at 02:31 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
OAT score: 330 AA, 320 TS
GPA: 3.4, the thing I'm worried about is that my science GPA is around 3
Shadowing Hours: well over 1000 hours working as optometric assistant
Application Date: I'm planning on submitting before Nov 1st
Extracurriculars: ~100 hrs volunteering at a hospital, ~100 volunteering through a prehealth student org, president of a prehealth org for 1 year, 2 yrs of lab research, 1 year of humanities research, multiple internships in public health
I'm hoping to get in to UHCO and UIW, should I retake the OAT?