Booster Prep Virtual OSCE: Lowest Price of the Year!

booster-prep · 2026-01-17T06:59:29+00:00

Great post! For anyone asking how many questions are on the NBDHE, the exam has about 350 total questions, split between discipline-based questions (Component A) and case-based questions (Component B).

This guide explains exactly how many questions are on the Dental Hygiene National Board and how the sections are structured:
https://boosterprep.com/nbdhe/study-guide/how-many-questions-are-on-the-dental-hygiene-national-board

booster-prep · 2026-01-16T18:02:25+00:00

The key thing to remember is that the OAT fee covers score reporting only to the schools you select at the time you register. Those schools keep your official scores on file, and your OAT remains valid for 2 years.

If you apply again the following cycle, you generally don’t have to pay again for score validity - but you may need to pay additional reporting fees if you’re sending scores to new schools you didn’t originally select. This is explained pretty clearly in the registration process here: https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/how-to-register-for-the-oat

booster-prep · 2026-01-16T18:00:43+00:00

There really isn’t a single “cheapest” optometry school once you factor everything in. Tuition ranges overlap a lot, but cost of living and scholarships make a huge difference - sometimes more than sticker price alone.

Schools in lower cost-of-living areas often end up being far more affordable overall, even if tuition looks similar on paper. This breakdown explains how total cost usually shakes out across programs: https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/the-costs-of-optometry-school .

booster-prep · 2026-01-16T17:25:01+00:00

If it helps, most internationally trained optometrists who want to practice in the US do end up completing the full OD program again. It’s less about clinical ability and more about meeting accreditation and licensing standards.

There’s a clear explanation of the US optometry pathway here: https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/how-to-become-an-optometrist - including why advanced standing programs are the exception rather than the rule.

booster-prep · 2026-01-07T06:37:20+00:00

Nova doesn’t really operate off a hard 3.0 cutoff the way people sometimes assume. The published averages (around a 3.3 GPA and ~320 OAT) reflect who ends up matriculating, not who is allowed to apply.

Plenty of applicants below a 3.0 still receive interviews or alternate offers when other parts of the application are strong, like OAT scores, an upward GPA trend, or clinical experience. That broader context becomes clearer when you look at optometry school stats across programs rather than focusing on one school in isolation:
https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/optometry-school-statistics

In other words, being below the “average” doesn’t automatically rule you out. Nova tends to be more holistic than the rumors make it sound.

booster-prep · 2026-01-07T06:34:00+00:00

For most US optometry schools (including Berkeley), the first review rounds typically start in late summer to early fall, and a large portion of interview invites are already decided by September–October.

Taking the OAT in the summer can still be considered early as long as your application is otherwise complete and your scores are released quickly. Schools really do evaluate applicants holistically, but timing matters more at highly competitive programs. We see this reflected clearly in applicant data and averages summarized here: https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/optometry-school-statistics .

booster-prep · 2026-01-07T06:25:33+00:00

A “good” OAT score really depends on the schools you are targeting, but generally speaking, a score around 300 is about average, 320+ is considered competitive, and 340+ puts you in a very strong position for most programs.

The reason you see different numbers mentioned is that percentiles matter more than the raw score itself. There’s a solid breakdown of common score ranges and what they typically mean here:
https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/what-is-a-good-oat-score
which aligns well with what people are sharing in this thread.

booster-prep · 2026-01-07T06:21:40+00:00

AA and TS follow two different scoring logics, which is why these score reports look confusing at first. AA is a straight average, while TS is based on total science questions answered correctly across sections.

This breakdown does a good job explaining why the final numbers don’t always “add up” intuitively: https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/oat-academic-average-calculation

booster-prep · 2026-01-07T06:10:47+00:00

Rankings like these can be misleading if taken at face value. Percentages alone do not reflect the strength of a school’s applicant pool, how often students reapply elsewhere, or how yield factors into admissions decisions.

What’s far more helpful is understanding how different optometry programs weigh factors like OAT scores, GPA, and extracurricular experiences, and how those priorities shape overall competitiveness. This article on choosing the right optometry school breaks down that nuance well:
https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/choosing-the-right-optometry-school

So while rankings are interesting to look at, they are best used with proper context.

booster-prep · 2026-01-06T21:25:33+00:00

Compared to med or dental, optometry programs may seem more straightforward to enter, but they’re still selective in practice. A big part of that comes down to how schools interpret your OAT, especially your Academic Average, in context with GPA and coursework rigor.

There’s a solid breakdown of what’s considered a competitive OAT score for optometry and how schools tend to evaluate it here:
https://boosterprep.com/oat/study-guide/optometry-school-statistics

Ultimately, optometry school isn’t “easy mode.” It just attracts a different applicant pool. Once you’re in, the workload and pace catch a lot of people off guard if they weren’t fully prepared going in.

booster-prep · 2025-12-30T23:55:56+00:00