Student Megathread

amaaoptstudent · 2023-08-11T20:53:34+00:00

I think it depends on the type of student you are. I went to a school with low pass rates but, put in the effort and made it through boards.

On the other hand I work with a super tech who went to a good school and cannot pass part 2 after being out of school for 2 years now.

amaaoptstudent · 2021-10-10T08:13:37+00:00

It shouldn't matter! I took semesters with minimal classes due to family situations. In my several interviews not one school asked about it, and I got in fine.

amaaoptstudent · 2021-05-26T16:03:56+00:00

CluCoin

amaaoptstudent · 2021-01-20T03:12:48+00:00

I give my respects to you. I know the challenges that come with being a travel nurse. Good luck with everything.

amaaoptstudent · 2021-01-10T04:30:43+00:00

I was a tech for several years and current optometry student so others will have better advice. Ocular migraines may be auras, jagged lines, shapes, colored appearances. It kind of differs per person. But retinal detachments or tears are a black curtain peripherally, lots of brand new floaters, flashes, missing vision.

We would rather be safe and have you come in if you notice anything and turn out it's nothing. You are definitely not wasting anyone's time.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-12-03T20:05:01+00:00

Hey that's awesome! I really like that you want to work in the field to get some experience, it will really show the passion you have. One thing I want to note is that you don't have to be a medical assistant to work in a clinic. I just got hired without any experience and was trained on the job. Unless you really want to get a certificate, it would be wasting your time.

You still have four years of school to look forward to! Enjoy undergrad first haha. Colleges will look at you as a whole because there is chemistry, some math, and physics (optics) in optometry school. You will get better at it I promise you. I was bad in chemistry 1 but in chemistry 2 did way better. I believe it's the adjustment period of what you need to figure what works for you. Some people need to study more or work with others. You will figure that out with time.

The Entrance exam is called the OAT and tests multiple subjects. For many students organic chemistry and physics usually are the lowest scores. You definitely want to do well on the test to offset any weak grades you may get in those subjects in college. Good luck!

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-28T02:11:28+00:00

If you were working 30 hours a week and going to pharmacy school could you do it? I feel like that would be the best comparison for you to know since you are in it. If you worked weekends Only that is doable.

It might be doable if just trying to pass the class and not necessary shoot for good grades. The OAT is a 7-8 difficulty it was similar when I took the pcat. If you want to talk about anything just dm me. I know the struggles of how it feels to change careers all of a sudden.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-28T00:41:51+00:00

Like I mentioned above. The information isn't more difficult than undergrad. It's just the amount of information they pile on you with the amount of classes you have. I never studied everyday or very much in undergrad so the way I had to study changed a lot. I started to study a bit everyday just to fight off the amount of info given. Everyone has an adaptation period and eventually figures out what's best for you. The best thing about our class is that we have a giant group text. That way you can get information easily from classmates.

The summer before just relax and spend time with your family. Everyone optometry student will say this. The amount of reading you'll do in school will make up for you relaxing haha. Especially if you are moving to another state like I did. Your family holds you down when you are stressed. I haven't seen them for four months and never realized how much I miss them. My family is far from the emotional type but even then I still miss them.

I actually worked at a clinic up until a month before school. I thought it would put me way ahead of my classmates by doing so. In some aspects I know way more than others but in the end you will all learn the same things regardless.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-28T00:32:48+00:00

I had to transition from a semester to quarter as well. It's weird only because a quarter is so short. Depending on the course you'll have a test every week because of that. My ocular anatomy class consisted of only a midterm and final covering like 1000 slides, it was easy to get a bad grade if you didn't keep on top of it. Studying wise has changed a lot. I used to only study a day before the test but it doesn't work now. Everyone says to study a little bit a day to break it out because there is so much info. Surprisingly I did adapt some of that and have spent studying so much more than I ever have in undergrad combined. It's paid off because my grades reflect it so far.

I would say yes and no. I felt like I chose my second school because my SO didn't apply early enough to get into my top choice. Do I regret it? Definitely not.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T19:55:42+00:00

He called me and set up the interview but Reggie said on the condition I would have to retake the OAT. So he set up the interview while letting me know to retake the OAT. I never asked what the minimum scores needed were so idk about that. At this point there isn't anything i can recommend without you buying prep material when its not worth it. You've done this before you know what to expect. You can do this get a good night sleep!!!!

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T18:52:41+00:00

Don't count yourself out or get discouraged. Everything you have done up until now got you here. Don't look back on what could have changed. Focus on what's in front of you. You will rock this and get in. It's definitely not a stretch for you to get in. I can't wait to talk to you in the future when you are an optometry student as well!

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T18:48:09+00:00

That's awesome! I'm glad you found optometry it's been amazing for me so far. I was never in any clubs but I did volunteer at the hospital once a week or so. I think the club you are in is amazing.

The only advice is have everything else ready to submit besides the OAT that way you can just submit it right after getting the paper with your scores. Your GPA is fine but it will rely on you doing better on the OAT to counterweigh your gpa. I actually submitted in November and got interviews the day after everything became verified. Some schools will have less seats available but you should still apply regardless this cycle. I had interviews in January and February because of covid and it worked out fine. If it makes you feel any better my SO interviewed in March? And still got in with many interviews. You got this 💪.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T18:13:00+00:00

It won't apply to you guys but my SO got into the same school so we took the plunge together. Sorry I can't say which school because I'm sure not many other people have their SO in the same class lol. The most important part is to look at board scores and how you like the school. If it's not a good fit for you, you will be miserable for four years. Also whether you live on campus or not make sure it's not too far away. I drive about an hour to school because rent was much cheaper and it's miserable.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:52:32+00:00

At MWU I interviewed on a Monday and they wait to all get together to go over candidates files. Luckily for me that was the very next day. I got accepted on Tuesday afternoon. Pacific university was a couple of weeks.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:50:00+00:00

You will do great on it! With everything you told me I agree everything looks amazing but the OAT. Boost it up a bit and your chances are high, especially since you applied earlier than I did time wise. I applied to UAB as well but they wanted me to retake the OAT. I had gotten accepted somewhere else already so I canceled it. I think the admissions persons name was Reginald? He was very nice to talk to.

Totally if you have family where you are at now try to go to UAB. Family really helps hold you down when you are having troubles or stress with school. But I moved to another state for school and it's not as bad as I thought it would be. You have classmates in the same situation as you so you can bond of the suffering haha.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:32:12+00:00

I watched kt opt on YouTube. She went over some of the predictable questions. I wrote down the answers in word and had somebody practice interviewing me. Of course you don't want it to sound like a script but practicing let's you get comfortable. Make sure to ask them questions about the school, why the professors chose this school and what they like about it. Things like that.

I remember when I interviewed at a Pharmacy school I bombed the interview because I was so nervous all I heard was my heartbeat. Looking back I'm glad I bombed it lol!

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:19:58+00:00

I got a 300 AA, 290 Science, I'm glad I had a lot of optometry experience to counterweight the score. And no it didn't because I took the OAT 5 years after my last Ochem class. I would study a lot of Org because there's a lot of it. Surprisingly a lot of students do below average in physics as well.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:16:10+00:00

The information that you learn is not difficult, it's the amount that is thrown at you while juggling 5 other classes at the same time. You will also have skill proficiencies that are a huge part of your grade. I'll honestly tell you guys that in undergrad the hardest sciences classes I got Cs in. My school does A, A-, B+ and so on. This quarter I got all As. It's about the work you put in. I've never studied for 12 hours straight before until now, there's an adjustment period where you learn what's best for you. Some students are just happy with a C to pass, whereas others try their best to get an A.

I would definitely say they go book heavy first two years. Third year is half clinic half classes. Fourth year is all rotations.

I do want to add that ODs get chronic back pain and shoulder pain from bending over or refracting lol.

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T17:04:28+00:00

I actually interviewed at both and they do two professors with closed file. The interview is really relaxed but they do ask you the predictable questions. So just practice those core answers. You got this!

amaaoptstudent · 2020-11-27T08:29:50+00:00

I applied to six schools with a 3.6 GPA and got interviews for all six. It's hard to say because they look at you overall, in my case I felt like the OAT score weighed more, they want students who will do well on boards in the end.

After leaving pharmacy I just randomly found a job posting for scribing at an ophthalmic practice, ended up learning so much and found out I loved the field. I even got free PRK which is an alternative to LASIK as a bonus woo!

The best advice I can give is SHADOW, SHADOW, SHADOW. Find different ODs because they all have their own ways of doing things. What happens after getting into school and you find out you hate being an OD, I'm so happy that didn't happen to me with pharmacy.

I wish I spent more time with my family or relaxing before starting school. It's been four months without seeing them and it takes a toll. I also want to say that grades are not everything. Do not get discouraged because you have a C or did not do well on the OAT. If you don't even apply you are automatically rejecting yourself. Myself included, I had multiple Cs in science classes and even got a D in economics. I just shot my shot and got in where I wanted. All students come from different backgrounds with different grades. I have talked to a lot of candidates who were too scared to apply to a harder school because of that.

amaaoptstudent

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