How To Get Into Optometry School

Submitted by: Claire Beicker

Optometry is one of the most important “industries” in the world, because many people have vision issues or they simply need to make sure that they don’t. Becoming an optometrist could help a lot of people as well as help you make more money. It doesn’t matter whether you are selling eyeglasses st. Louis or Manhattan; this is a job that always needs filled.

First thing’s First:

In the beginning, you are going to have to go to your choice undergraduate school. It seems to not really matter what major you select as long as you have the mandated prerequisites dealt with while taking your classes. It is always a good idea to have a back up plan however, so I’d recommend picking a major you can apply to another profession just in case. Many say that biology related majors have most of the prerequisites that are needed for optometry school.

Take the test:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enr2LRctqzQ[/youtube]

The OAT test is important to take. You need to study and make sure that you can pass it. This test is generally taken after the second or third year. When you take this test, they give you an option to send the test results to all schools you are interested in going to. I would take advantage of that if I were you. Another thing to remember is that you are going to need at least thirty hours of observation with professional optometrists. Standards are different dependent upon the school, so it is important to make sure you know all of the expectations. Getting this out of the way helps preventing some lag in getting your degree. The best part is that it helps you realize whether you want to do this for the rest of your life or not.

Send Out Your Applications:

Once you hit the 4th year of college, you are going to need to send out your applications. Applications vary, but they typically involve essays and a personal statement. You are going to need to make sure that you have your transcripts and one of the most important parts would be references. They need to be personal, professional, and educational. They need to be people that can best support your work ethic and personality. They take references very seriously, this is not the time to lie and oversell yourself. This is the best way to be accepted into a good college.

The interviews:

Make sure that you save some money for travel, food, and whatever else is needed when traveling to your schools for interviews. Schools begin calling potential students in January. Make sure that you haven’t applied to a huge load of schools and make sure you practice when it comes to interviewing. We all get nervous and feel stress, but once you have a fantastic interview things could very much fall into place for you. Keep some paper towels or tissues in your pockets, so you don’t give them a clammy handshake!

Selecting the best school:

Dependent upon your interviews, you are going to get several offers back. Pick the school that fits you best. Eventually you will be working and don’t forget that it doesn’t matter whether you end up selling eyeglasses st. Louis or running a practice, you will be doing what you love!

About the Author: I’m an optometry assistant with a passion for writing about the best St. Louis eye clinic. Visit

clarksoneyecare.com

to learn more.

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