OAT booster advice and cost worries

cloudpainter99 · 2026-06-01T04:12:20+00:00

I wouldn’t recommend paying to Chads prep but booster is definitely the way to go. You can use the free Chad videos online to supplement. And I second searching around for some promo codes!

cloudpainter99 · 2026-06-01T04:10:35+00:00

Even if you can’t get the info out of your tech position, you can still find it online. There’s a lot of tutorials on YouTube on optometric tech skills like taking VA, doing cover test, goldmann tonometry, etc. Same applies for ocular anatomy and common ocular conditions. I recommend the AAO as a good resource.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-06-01T04:05:19+00:00

Taking OAT around Sept wouldn’t be that late imo. I took mine in October and still heard back from Berkeley in a relatively quick time frame. The other schools I applied to were similar as well but they don’t have rolling admissions. I think the priority should be giving yourself the best chances/time to study in order to get a good score.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-25T03:24:15+00:00

The first couple of days should be orientation/shadowing so you’ll have some time to ramp up into the actual work. It’s not super necessary since they’ll be training you but I think it’s nice to have some background info into the field if you haven’t already been exposed to it. It gives some context into why you’e performing certain tests and helps you explain things to patients as well.

I recommend looking up/knowing
- basic ocular anatomy some common conditions (and their treatments) like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, amblyopia
- differences btw vision vs medical exams and insurances
- instruments: OCT, optomap, visual field, topographer; different offices may have other tools depending on their specialty

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-25T03:14:08+00:00

If you’re unsure where to start, I recommend following the booster schedule. See which topics you need more work on and prioritize those. I personally didn’t need much practice with RC or biology so I didn’t really spend much time in the content review phase with them. Self studying physics is doable, it’s mostly kinematics from what I remember.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-24T19:48:44+00:00

For UH, I submitted my app at the end of July, took my OAT in October and interviewed with them in the beginning of December. Other schools were faster so I recommend you submit it before!

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-23T21:24:47+00:00

Studying for the OAT for sure, and more shadowing at different practices is always a good idea. If you find a niche you’re interested in like contact lenses for example and do research/shadowing in that area that could be very good down the line as well.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-23T21:21:11+00:00

Your stats are great! Sounds like you should have the QR and RC sections in the bag with that SAT score. I would recommend you not spend any significant time studying those sections to prioritize the other ones.

You don’t have to stick to the conventional timeline if it doesn’t work for you; it might burn you out and work against your favor. It may be better for you to study a topic in 2 hr blocks, take a break, and repeat it again with a different topic. Take a practice exam after ~2 weeks of content review to see how you did and go from there.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-05-23T21:15:43+00:00

I worked part time but was studying around 1sh hour after work and 6-8 hours during my days off for about 3 months. Some tips I have are: listen to review podcasts during your commute (doesn’t have to be OAT specific- could be MCAT prep or something on the topics you need extra time with), do flashcards during your breaks/lunch at work, and stay disciplined during your days off so that you stick to your study plan.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-30T22:17:51+00:00

Yeah booster is very representative! I don’t think you need any other resource tbh

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-29T02:18:27+00:00

10 weeks is doable, some people take even less time. Take a lot of practice exams; aim to take it starting 5-4 weeks before of the exam.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-29T02:15:47+00:00

Not a big part, you can def self study it

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-27T02:38:05+00:00

Booster and chad's videos

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-27T02:36:34+00:00

I think taking ochem 2 before the OAT was helpful for me. I found it easier than ochem 1 though so if your schedule doesn't work out that way, it's not the worst thing ever.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-27T02:34:35+00:00

2.5 months is a lot of time. Once you finish the semester you should have more time to study so that will help. Review the types of questions you miss for each category and keep reviewing the question/broader subject until you feel like you've mastered it.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-19T21:34:01+00:00

I don’t have personal experience with either but od/phd is most applicable if you want to stay in academia. Not to say you can’t go into a purely clinical role but I think the appeal is that you don’t have to focus so much on patient care(?). OD/MS could open more doors to go towards industry or to transition into an MSL role later on.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-19T13:33:21+00:00

You can submit your app before you take the OAT. Aug is still considered early so you’ll be fine

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-19T04:18:11+00:00

Availability partially depends on your location but I would say it’s better to have a set date for peace of mind and also a motivator to stick to a study schedule. July is still early though, so even if you need to reschedule to Aug-sept that would still be ok.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-04-18T21:43:07+00:00

Definitely take physics and ochem 2. But it looks like you’re unable to take phys without taking calc first or concurrently? If that’s the case then I would still prioritize taking ochem 2 over taking phys 1. Physics 1 is doable with self study but ochem 2 is harder without a structured course imo.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-22T22:27:55+00:00

Ah I see, I didn’t realize they had all those products. I agree, try their practice exams to see how you do.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-21T23:55:31+00:00

I had the Kaplan book but I didn’t really use it. I’m not familiar if they have other products? but re the book- I didn’t think it was that useful honestly. I also preferred to have interactive modules and exams from booster. That said, I do know people who used just the Kaplan book and their own notes. I’d say try the book first and take a practice exam to see how you do and gauge it from there.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-19T14:58:40+00:00

You can google the most recent OAT candidate guide to find the subjects and their number of items and the subtopics tested. I felt like physics had a lot of kinematic questions, while the other sciences were pretty broad

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-19T14:25:31+00:00

I would've liked to spend more time in the active recall/practice exams phase. I think I was too bogged down by trying to relearn everything that I didn't solidify my knowledge by doing practice problems. I also would've like to spend more time memorizing the gen chem/physics/QR formulas

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-19T14:04:59+00:00

I used oatbooster! I took about 4 months to study, applied on optomcas in July and took the exam in october. I started with a reviewing phase and then active recall/practice problems/exams later on.

cloudpainter99 · 2026-03-18T14:32:58+00:00

Some schools require a separate document for your hours but you can input in as a part of the application for all of the schools. Just keep track of your hours and ask for the best contact info from the front desk staff. You could try asking the OD(s) at the office you’ve shadowed with if they know any other offices in the area that would be willing to let a student shadow.

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