Optometry Student Applicant Panel: Lillian Trinh, Ryan Hoekstra, Laura Wang, Aimee Ho, Judy Rivera, Abby Hsu, Andera Carillo
Prereq + OATs:
- What classes helped you the most on the OATs?
§ Ochem, the bilds, not just classes but study FOR the OATs
- How did you prepare?
§ Practice Kaplan quizzes
§ Kaplan Course and the test on the computers online, instructors just okay
§ A lot of self-studying so Kaplan helpful for motivation
§ Kaplan book
§ MCATs practice tests
§ OAT Destroyer
- Test center in
- Sign-up early if you know which date you want.
- Score known right away.
- Recommend to take Ochem 140C.
- MamPhys Lab – can take here or somewhere else even at JC which is extremely easy
- Studied OATs hardcore 1 month.
- 2 steps to take OATs: apply at www.ada.com then get code and sign up for date and test center
Letter of Recommendations:
- 2 or 3 Science teachers, pre-health advisor, and 1 optometrist
-
§ $20 service fee
§ Go online with $5 extra to
- Give professor personal essay, transcript, resume, etc.
- Ask some lab professors and do it soon.
- Send in Letter of Recommendation with your applications
Application:
- Start in summer
- Comes out in August – September
- Usually due March or April with rolling admissions
- Try to apply early: spots can be filled, can tell you if you’re missing something
- Parts of Applications: Personal Statement, resume, extracurricular, some things not optometry related (like to see commitment) etc.
-
- Shortest Essay – 500 words (ICO, SUNY);
- Transcripts from high school, SAT scores (SUNY), AP Scores (NECO), etc.
- Rolling Admissions: apply early Sept. or Oct.
-
Interviews:
- How do you prepare:
§ Read your essay before hand.
§ Student Doctor Network: studentdoctor.net
- Question from
§ What are the 2 most important international events that effect
§
§ What was your biggest failure?
§ What did you do for fun?
- Most important: BE YOURSELF and LET IT ALL OUT
- Pacific was completely blind and ethical questions.
- Stick to what you’re staying, but acknowledge their point.
- Browse the school’s website.
- Have questions to ask each school:
§ How was the program?
§ How many student works?
§ Don’t ask about
- Know the optometry profession: current events, why not optician or ophthalmology?
- SUNY: asked about current events and politics
- Legislative questions: what optometrist can do based on how many ophthalmologist
- Timed essays: UCB (Drs. Malpractice, ethics questions, freedom or speech) , SUNY, ICO
Setting:
- PCO: one person, not even optometry field
- UCB: 2 ppl, student and faculty member; interview all in one day (about 100)
- ICO: one person
- SUNY: 3 faculty or 4 ppl; if turn in early then with Dr. Johnston here in SD
Experience:
- Worked for optometrist: working with patients, working with different staff
- Showed that you what to do this
- What to see that you’re committed and that you know what you want to do
- Different modes of practice and the fields
- Can shadow each field a short amount of time, doesn’t have to be long
- HMP3 mentor programs,
- Most doctors find it interesting to have a pre-optometry students
- Interested in private office, shadow one since there’s more aspect to them than just optometry: business sense, work with others, billing, etc.
- 2 or 3 quarters good for solid letter or recommendation
- Doesn’t matter how long, but what you get out of it and the quality of it
- When shadow, have a list of questions, be observant, ask questions
1 comment:
Those are some good guidelines for preparing for optometry school. I did most of my studying on my own but the effectiveness of that depends on your ability for self discipline. I think the general recommendation is to have 500 hours of study to prepare for the OCT. Clear View Eye Care
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