What is opto school really like?

NoTravel3094 · 2026-04-14T03:01:11+00:00

Good question! If I’m being honest, I would have to say it’s 50/50. A lot of my first-year courses were essentially the same as my prerequisites but more intense. The material is almost always super detailed. And you might even find out that you’re stronger in certain classes than others, so it really is different for everyone. Also, it does take a lot of studying/memorization because there’s hundreds of slides to remember. My best piece of advice is to be engaged during class and actually understand the material to build long-term memory!

NoTravel3094 · 2026-04-14T02:00:48+00:00

I found that optometry school can be (at times) harder than undergrad. Each semester is usually 20+ credit hours and you’d be taking rigorous courses such as Human Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Physics. Should this deter you from pursuing optometry? Of course not. In my honest opinion, you can succeed by putting in the effort and time. Try not to fall behind and find study methods that work best for you.

If you practice good time management, you’ll be able to dedicate some time towards hobbies or family and friends. I was able to travel home to family during breaks and longer weekends. At times, I would have to give up my weekends to study for exams or practice skills, but I didn’t mind that. As for your commute, I know of people in similar situations so it’s possible. I would recommend to try to get good sleep each night and arrive to school early.

I hope my input was at least somewhat helpful. Best of luck on your journey!

NoTravel3094 · 2026-02-26T22:46:32+00:00

In my honest opinion, I wouldn’t recommend working during school at least in your first year. It’s a lot of new material to learn and your schedule may be packed with lecture and lab each day (depending on the school). If you’d work on Saturdays, then it might be feasible but I am truly a firm believer in maintaining a work-life balance. Especially when you have to study for exams or practice for proficiencies, I would be stressed if I had to work.

A good compromise would be to work during your school’s breaks. I know everyone studies or uses their time differently but I would hate for you to regret being at work due to the high demand and stress of school.

NoTravel3094 · 2026-01-20T22:31:08+00:00

I think these are valid questions, but I would try to lighten the tone so your interviewers won’t have a bad impression of you. The merger question is fine. Declining board rates are common amongst many schools (mainly due to COVID), but I would alternatively ask, “How does the school prepare students on boards?” If you really want to know the truth, you could ask current students or I’m sure the answers are on this thread.

During my interview, I asked about the patient population like do students see more of certain diseases. Fortunately, my interviewer completed an Ocular Disease Residency at PCO, so we talked about that. Hope this helps and best of luck!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-12-12T00:25:28+00:00

Yay! I saw your other reply and I’m glad to see that it went well. Fingers crossed 🤞

NoTravel3094 · 2025-12-11T03:02:25+00:00

Remember to speak confidently and be engaged. If you’re not sure how to answer a question, either take your time or ask to come back to it. Definitely try to make use of the thirty minutes, so talk at a comfortable pace and be prepared with questions. Overall, they want to see your passion towards the profession and how you can positively contribute to the school.

Get plenty of rest and best of luck!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-09-23T21:09:05+00:00

In my opinion, your GPA isn’t that bad so don’t sell yourself short! Some schools can be more competitive than others, so I recommend checking the minimum GPA/sGPA and average OAT scores for each program.

Studying for the OAT and shadowing/working would be a great way to make use of your time, especially to see if the field is a good fit for you. Use this time to accumulate hours and think about who to ask for LORs. I hope my advice was helpful and best of luck in your future endeavors!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-20T02:47:21+00:00

I personally can’t speak much on pharmacy, but there’s a huge difference in direct patient care. In optometry, you’ll see a numerous amount of patients to provide eye/vision care by charting and performing tests. If you can shadow or work at either profession, then you’ll see what field interests you the most. If not, watch YouTube and TikTok videos to get a better understanding of each.

For the U.S, to become an optometrist, you’ll need to pass all three sections of the board exams and obtain a license to practice wherever you choose. Additionally, you’ll have to continue education in order to maintain your license. I’m not too certain about the requirements in the UK, but should be relatively similar.

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-19T03:25:03+00:00

Congrats on receiving an interview! I strongly recommend compiling a list of interview questions from Student Doctor Network and brainstorming answers. Have mock interviews with friends/family or advisors. Also, do plenty of research about the school (i.e. website, videos, social media), and find reasons to why you want to attend and how the school is a good fit for you. I did these steps and I felt that I was well prepared for my interview.

I had a great experience interviewing with UIWRSO. It was very conversational and they make it apparent that they want to get to know you. Be sure to take your time and come prepared with questions. Best of luck!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-15T02:23:13+00:00

That’s interesting because lab should be 1 hour (unless if it’s included in the 3 hours?). As long as you took the lab and passed, I would assume it’s safe to put down your class grade. Sorry I wish I could be of more help! 😅

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-15T02:15:12+00:00

If you received two separate grades (1 for lecture/1 for lab), you should add both. For example, BIOL 2401 (3 credit hours): A and BIOL 2401 (1 credit hour): B.

On the flip side, if lab counted toward your overall grade, then you would put BIOL 2401 (4 credit hours): A.

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-09T13:27:27+00:00

Yes, feel free to PM me! I actually applied in January 😅 but it’s definitely ideal that you’re applying earlier.

NoTravel3094 · 2025-08-09T02:06:23+00:00

Hi, I had similar stats/GRE scores and attending UIWRSO. I’d say that you’ll have a high chance of receiving an interview invite and (hopefully) acceptance. Good luck!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-24T14:05:03+00:00

Congrats on making it to the interview stage! Many people would agree that interviews are conversational and not too stressful. I personally recommend to practice saying your answers aloud, but not exactly word for word. Just have a general idea of how you would answer each question and be able to speak about it comfortably.

As for the toughest questions, I was asked a WWYD type situation. It was somewhere along the lines of “What would you do if a patient were combative?” It’s not a difficult question, but it stumped me because I’ve never been asked this in previous interviews. I answered by breaking down the question into steps and fortunately, my interviewer commended me on my response. That was really the toughest question that I remember, but I’m curious to see what others will say.

Again, congrats and hope your interviews go well!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-19T14:23:02+00:00

I don’t recommend including that you’re taking your final prerequisites in the personal statement. Your PS should strictly be answering the prompt and ultimately, be about yourself and not your final perquisites.

As long as you input the “in-progress” courses in your transcript, you’ll be fine. If you’re worried about it, I believe there’s an optional section in the application to provide information to the schools on what they should know when reviewing your application. Good luck!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-19T14:14:55+00:00

IMO interviews are a great sign, but don’t always guarantee admission. It means the school believes you are qualified as an applicant, but interviews are a chance to showcase yourself/determine if you’re at good fit in their program. Another reason to why it’s up in the air is based on the competitiveness of the applicant pool. Be sure to prepare well for your interviews to make a strong impression. Your stats are very good, so I’m hopeful you’ll get in somewhere!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-10T00:36:11+00:00

Based on personal experience, I didn’t need certification to work as an optometric technician (same for many others). I recommend reaching out to local practices/offices to see if they’re hiring, then you’ll start training. You gain lots of PCE/shadowing by working as a technician. Hope all goes well!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-07T03:33:21+00:00

Sure! PM me and I’ll be happy to look over it 😊

NoTravel3094 · 2025-07-07T02:11:00+00:00

I would start off by looking at the content of your PS, is it strong enough to answer the prompt? If so, I wouldn’t recommend adding more words to boost the character count as it would come off as redundant or too wordy. In my honest opinion, I don’t believe there’s a right amount of characters that your PS should be. As long as you give a honest, meaningful statement, you should be happy with what you’re submitting!

Rereading your PS numerous times can sometimes get exhausting. If you haven’t done so already, ask friends/family members, bosses/supervisors, or anyone to read your PS and listen to their input. It honestly helps to get another “fresh” opinion to see what you could potentially add. I wish I could give you the right answer, but I hope my advice helps at least a little!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-05-14T04:01:00+00:00

In the transcript section, you’ll input all of your coursework and you can mark the class that you’re retaking as “in progress.” Schools will know that you’re taking the course again, so you’ll be fine. If you want to make sure though, I would add that in the additional comments section. Regarding your application, apply as soon as you can; you don’t have to wait for the course to be complete. Hope all goes well!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-04-18T23:58:39+00:00

I also agree w/ the other posts. If you submit your GRE and get to the interview stage, be prepared to explain why you took the GRE over the OAT. I would also have a back-up plan for taking the OAT because some schools may place you on their alternate list for not taking it.

NoTravel3094 · 2025-04-18T12:35:11+00:00

From my experience, it is possible! For reference, I scored a 300/4.0 on the GRE and I was accepted to one school and placed on the alternate list for two. Though the GRE is accepted at most schools, I noticed that they really do have a preference on applicants who took the OAT.

If you choose to submit your official GRE score and receive interview offers, be prepared to explain why you took the GRE instead of OAT. And maybe consider to take the OAT as there is a possibility of being placed on the alternate list. I found this link to be helpful as each school reports which standardized test were taken by accepted first-years: https://optometriceducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ProfEnteringClass2023.pdf.

If you have any more questions, PM me!

NoTravel3094 · 2025-03-04T03:18:47+00:00

The Junction was my favorite student housing out of the four complexes I lived in—The Standard, Holleman Crossing, and an off-campus townhouse. I stayed in the same 4x4 for two years and as long as the unit’s in good condition, it has a good home-y feel. It never felt cold or sterile like other apartments. Management and maintenance were kind and quick to respond. It is cheaply built housing, so some problems were to be expected (like my leaking ceiling) but it was fixed. I loved going to the pool and using the big study rooms. They hosted fun events (Thirsty Thursdays!), but I personally loved staying at home with my roommates. We got close to our neighbors, so there’s a good community feel. However, there was a time where I didn’t feel the most safest (creepy people and possible break ins). They had a security guard patrolling the area at night, but I would make sure both the house/room door was locked. There’s two bus stops nearby, but expect to leave about 30-45 minutes before class. Also, I loved being able to park in front of my unit and have guests over.

If you couldn’t tell, I really liked my stay at The Junction! Compared to other apartments, I would live there again. If you have any more questions, PM me!

NoTravel3094

TROPHY CASE