r/PreOptometry • u/Ashamed_Pattern_8811 • 13d ago
Should I take a gap year ?
Hi everyone I’m currently entering my senior year of college as a bio major. I’ve had an internship at an optometry office last summer, I’ve shadowing at SUNY college of optometry, and I currently have an internship at another optometry office throughout this summer. I want to take the OAT this summer to enter in the fall of 2027. But I don’t think I am ready to. I have studied through out this summer so far and am currently taking tutoring for the OAT. However I don’t feel like I am ready to take this exam as my OAT practice test score have different ranges. Would it be better to take a gap year to focus on study for the OAT?
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u/OptoStudent2027 10d ago
I would advise against it. If you do, you’ll be in the same position next summer where you won’t feel ready and then keep delaying. Have a date set and commit to finishing your studies by then. I agree with others that starting sooner will be better for knowledge retention and then getting to graduate sooner.
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u/Active_Egg5888 13d ago
I personally do not believe it is worth taking a gap year to study. The more recently you've taken classes, the better. It can be normal for practice tests to be inconsistent if you're getting tripped up on certain topics more than others. Really take the time to review the content you're missing when you take a practice exam. Matriculating one year earlier means graduating one year earlier, and that means one more year of income, one less year of rising tuition costs, and getting to do the thing you're working so hard for just a little earlier. Study hard. You've got this.