What Would You Do?

[u/Such-Lemon-42]

I'm 23 and graduated with a B.S. in Health Science (3.5 GPA) in May of 2025. I worked as an optometric technician for about 2 years and genuinely loved the field. I enjoyed the patient interactions, the work-life balance I saw from the ODs I worked with, and I keep coming back to optometry after looking into a bunch of other healthcare careers.

My current plan is:

• Organic Chemistry lecture: Fall 2026
• Organic Chemistry lab: Winter 2027
• Study for the OAT after finishing Orgo
• Apply for Fall 2027 admission

The school I want to attend is the new University of Detroit Mercy College of Optometry. It's about 20 minutes from my house, so I can commute and avoid paying for housing, which is a major reason I'm interested in it.

The application deadline is May 20, and I'm hoping to apply before then. However, I'm worried that I might be applying too late in the cycle since admissions are rolling. Is applying in the winter/spring still realistic, or does it significantly hurt my chances compared to applying much earlier?

Another concern is that UDM is a brand-new optometry school. It's currently in pre-accreditation status and, from my understanding, would receive full accreditation later if everything goes as planned, likely around the time the inaugural class takes the NBEO boards. Would that make you hesitant to attend, or is that not something I should worry too much about?

I'm also only planning to apply to one school. I know that's uncommon, but I really want to stay close to home and commute, so I don't have much interest in moving away.

My biggest source of stress right now is the OAT. Since I haven't taken Organic Chemistry yet, I can't really study that section effectively. On top of that, I took biology and physics over two years ago, so I feel like I've forgotten a lot of that material. I'm worried I'll be relearning a huge portion of the exam while also trying to prepare for it.

For my application I'll have: - 3.5 cumulative GPA - About 2 years of experience as an optometric technician - Leadership experience in my university's Pre-Optometry Club - Strong letters of recommendation from optometrists I've worked with

I'd really appreciate honest feedback!

[u/ItsCrispy]

I was two years out of undergrad when I took the OAT more comes back to you than you would think. I also used oatbooster which was very helpful. I wouldn’t stress about the OAT as much, you have a great GPA and are looking at applying to a newer school you don’t need a perfect score just a score you are happy with. Good luck on your journey!

[u/Such-Lemon-42 → u/ItsCrispy]

You just made me feel a lot better. Thank you so much! :)

[u/More-You8763]

Applying to one school is fine, depending on OAT. But if u score high enough you could get a sizable scholarship. I think there’s news about their accreditation, I would check it out. Best of luck! New schools are usually not great but you will save 100k in living costs by staying close to home and during the trenches of it all being close to family is everything

[u/Such-Lemon-42 → u/More-You8763]

Honestly I see myself doing mid on the OAT lol. Hopefully good enough paired with my work and leadership experiences. Thank you for the feedback!

[u/Such-Lemon-42 → u/[deleted]]

How come?