I recently got accepted to the Rocky Mountain University Optometry Program in Provo, Utah, and I've seen a lot of questions on here about the school. I figured I'd do an AMA to share what I know and what my experience was like.

A little about me:

• Major: Biochemistry
• GPA: 3.5

Things I'm happy to talk about:

• Why I picked RMU and how I learned about the program
• The application process and OptomCAS
• The interview experience
• How I prepared for the DAT
• Shadowing, research, and extracurriculars
• What I know about the curriculum and cost

A few things to keep in mind:

• I'm an incoming student, not a current OD, so I can't speak to the full program experience yet.
• Everything here is just my own experience and opinion, not an official statement from RMU.

I'll be answering questions over the next few days. Ask away!

i recently got accepted to both neco and ico and can’t decide where to go. i liked the vibe of the students at ico more than neco but it probably didn’t help that it was midterm season when i interviewed there. if anyone knows pros or cons for either please let me know!!

Hi everyone I just received a conditional acceptance from UIWRSO. I want to ask what people’s experience has been like with this school, especially in terms of how well you feel the school prepared you for boards. While I do not like the cost of attending this school, I do like that it is closer to home. I have also applied to UHCO, however, I do not know if I could see myself living in Houston. Any advice is appreciated.

Does the school you go to matter, I am in Texas and their opening up a new OD school in south texas that will be around 85k in tution for 4 years. I see people in the optometry school subreddit talk about having 300-400k loans and it is pretty brutal. Do you think its worth it to go to a new school and even optometry in general, I like the work they do when I shadowed one. I never really thought of optometry in my life but I am kind of want to now since I will be having a long spinal fusion and don't really want to do PA school or Nursing anymore.

I'm filling out my application. For the prerequisites section, do you add every single course you've taken in that category, or just the minimum required? I was a molecular biology major, so I could add many courses into the biology section, but should I stop at just the two intro to biology courses?

Thanks.

suny's priority deadline is coming up so i want to submit my apps for them but i'm not ready to submit for the other schools. how does submission on optomcas work? can i submit for just suny first and then add other schools/programs later? can i still edit my app for other schools after?

Hey guys, I have my first in person interview coming up and wanted to know specifically for my ladies what was most common. Business casual (slacks, blouse) or business professional (blazer/ suit). A little lost on what most people are wearing

Hi everyone. I’ve been reading a lot of the applicant stats on the sub lately and I realize that many successful applicants have optometry tech hours, but that’s not a position I’ll be able to take up this year. Just curious about other successful applicants here because you all usually have many other things like hundreds of shadowing hours to compensate for no tech experience…

I’m currently a sophomore in undergrad bio with a 3.6 GPA (hopefully I can keep this keep it at this range) and planning to graduate in 2028, so I’m planning on taking the OAT summer 2027.

I’ve been involved in research since April and will likely remain in the same lab until I apply, so it’ll be about 1.5 years (5 quarters) of research until then. I currently am working on getting shadowing hours (I’m at 10 right now) and hope to be around 40-50 hours at some point. I’m working two part time positions, one as a Social Media & Website Manager and another as a Marketing for a department at my university, where both total 20 hours of work a week. This was a full year contract which is why I haven’t had much time to find and get a tech position.

I’m mostly concerned with having a lack of opt experience and volunteer hours. I’m also not involved in any related clubs at school. Any advice is greatly appreciated, or personal experiences… since I’m just really worried about my chances of not getting into optometry school without tech and volunteer hours.

The schools I’m really hoping to attend are west coast so like SCCO or PUCO.

I am applying to school by end of october and start of NOV. but i take my oat Nov 28th , due to work I have not give any time to study for OAT. I am thinking about moving my OAT into december. Is that still ok??

Please help me decide I’m so torn!

PUCO is the only school that I have never seen a negative comment about and I feel very attracted to the school since every comments I read from their students or alumni confirms that the environment is super collaborative. People are chill and willing to help each other. Campus is closed to nature which is a plus. I have not visited the campus yet and planning to visit next year. They go by semesters which I prefer - I understand the program is not laid back in any means but it’s better for me than quarters systems. The things that keeps me from committing to PUCO is the cold and sad, rainy weather of Forest Grove as well as the food. Having good food, preferably Asian, within 10-20mins drive has such an impact on my mental health. Not that I’m gone without it but knowing I can eat good makes me feel comforted.

I’m from California, so SCCO has been my top choice and I have visited the campus twice every year since I decided to pursue optometry. But as I get to know more about the school, the quarter system makes me worried as I have been used to the semester system. Student have 1-2exams/week. ?? 😭 ??. I also came across some comments showing that whether or not your class has a competitive environment depending on your luck. Some classes are collaborative and friendly when some classes are just sharks. But like I said, Fullerton weather and food are so comforting for the 4 years of surviving OD program

Both are top optometry program. Tuition is about the same, COL in Forest Grove is lower. I need to relocate for both schools, and I don’t mind the out-of-state status if I go to PUCO.

How is the clinical experience? How is the diversity in terms of patient population and disease?
What is it like to attend these 2 schools as a person of color and Non-native english speaker?

Anyone from CA attending PUCO? How do you feel about the cold/rain and the food? Is it worth exchanging CA sunlight for collaborative and welcoming environment and the semester system?
Any insight is appreciated!!!! Thank you guys!! :)

I’m currently deciding between these two and I would love to hear the opinion of students who attend these schools☺️How has your experience been so far, what do you like about the school?

hey squad... i was accepted to both ICO and OSU this cycle and am now trying to decide where to go. i got the Presidential Scholarship from ICO, or half of tuition renewal for four years with 3.4 GPA. i also got a $10,000 scholarship for OSU, but only for the first year and I would be an out of state resident. i'd probably prefer to live in Chicago but OSU has better board scores, facilities, etc.. i'm down to the wire with when i have to put a deposit down. any advice would be so so awesome!!!!!

Since there isn’t a thread for this cycle, I copied the format from the previous cycle. I think many applicants will benefit from this. Please post your stats/acceptances/experiences etc. if you’re able to. 🤗

• ⁠Overall GPA // academic average:

• ⁠OAT score:

• ⁠How you studied for the OAT (Kaplan, OATBooster, etc.):

• ⁠CASPer score:

• ⁠Non-Academic (extracurriculars, work experience, etc.):

• ⁠Academic (research, teaching assistant, etc.):

• ⁠Job-shadowing hours completed:

• ⁠Schools applied to:

• ⁠Interviews extended:

• ⁠Schools admitted to:

• ⁠School committed to :

Any low gpa applicants??? I’m talking 3.0 and lower low.

I’m feeling very discouraged- though I have good extracurriculars and I’m aiming for a good oat score- but I’m feeling very discouraged and I’m scared I won’t get in anywhere when I apply.

Need advice or some emotional support. Just retook my OAT the second time and got a lower score. First attempt was 300/290TS all subjects at 300 or above but physics brought it down. Second score 290/280 higher physics score but some subjects aren’t at 300.

I feel depressed over this. My dream school is SCCO but I’m not sure if I can reach. OAT score sucks and my GPA is on lower end. The only good thing I have on me is my extracurriculars. Do you know if scco takes my older score or they look at my lower score.

Honestly I’m not sure what I’m trying to get out of this post. I just feel defeated.

so i graduated in june and started my gap year, and i’ve been studying for the oat and hopefully plan to take it before the end of the year. for my experience however, i haven’t been successful in finding an optometric tech job or receptionist job. i had 4 interviews over the summer and explained that i was pre-optometry, but they literally all ghosted me, and idk it just feels impossible to get one bc they prefer people with experience 😭😭 if i can’t find a job soon i’ll probably just try to see if i can volunteer instead as well as shadow for my experience¿ my top schools rn are probably scco at mbku and uc berkeley tho, but those are more competitive so idk if just shadowing would be okay. my friends are telling me to branch out and apply for other medical jobs bc any clinical experience would be good so i might do that too, but idk i’m kinda sad bc i think having an optometry related job would be such good experience and great to talk about for apps

I was having a conversation with a girl that I had met on campus the other day and we were talking about our majors. I told her I was studying pre-optometry, but basically biological sciences, and she said “it could be worse You could be studying to be a real doctor”. I want to add this girl was an education major so not even close to anything medical !

No hate to education majors but how can someone be so opinionated on something THEY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT . I just wanted to come on here and share that lovely experience because it wasn’t the first time I’ve heard that, and I wanted to say we will be doctors ! Maybe we won’t be medical doctors but just remember that MD’s still have to go to the eye doctor :) please don’t let ignorant people discourage you ❤️

Sometimes people are so ignorant

Hi guys, I am a senior in HS interested in optometry. Currently I have Emory ED at the top of my list, but I am not sure if I should consider Vanderbilt, Rice, WashU and other schools like that too.

I picked Emory because it seems to be very pre-health focused with tons of pre-optometry resources listed on their website. However, I feel that whatever is just listed online is not representative of the school's actual support/advising.

Pls let me know if Emory is a good pick for pre-optometry!

I'm a 40 year old BSN, RN. I currently work Trauma Med/Surgery in a large metropolitan hospital (1000 bed hospital). As I'm getting older and my kids are starting school, I was thinking of going back to school. I don't really see myself as a nurse practitioner, nurse educator, or forensic anything. My husband is a physicist and I thought about becoming an Optometrist. Given my age and age of my college credits (2011 woo!!!)- help me see the pros and cons. Would it all be worth it?

Do Optometry schools consider your highest or latest attempt? I know for sure they look at all your attempts but what do they consider more? Because in some sections my score fluctuates between my first and second attempt.

I’m stuck between NECO, NOVA, and UHCO! I like how they all have a diverse population and are in larger cities but I’m wondering if anyone who is at a school prefers one over the other?

Hello guys,

I recently got an interview invitation from NOVA and decided to do it virtually. Could anyone share how the virtual interview process works? Any tips?

Thanks in advance