I'm a junior (about to be senior) in high school. What the heck should I do if I want to become an optometrist? Thanks in advance.
I'm in high school
- Thread starter Doofus
- Start date
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2003
- Messages
- 236
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi Doofus:
You are at a very advantageous stage where you still have a lot of time ahead of you to make your decision about your career.
Becoming an optometrist requires a huge time and financial commitment. Before making any decision, you need to know if you are prepared to commit your time and money towards the profession.
Please review this thread about a student who has just become interested in optometry:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?threadid=65406
Like all the responses, I would highly recommend shadowing optometrists in different practice settings. The experience will give you a very good idea about the lifestyle of an optometrist. In addition, the optometrists will hopefully provide their insight into optometry schools and the profession.
I would also start looking at the different requirements for optometry schools:
http://www.opted.org/pdf/2002_enteringprofile.pdf
When you are deciding which college to attend, you may want to factor in if they offer all the classes you?ll need for optometry school or will you need to take some classes at a community college.
You can also review if the schools you are interested in require a bachelor?s degree (look under the column labeled ?B.A. REQ?)
http://www.opted.org/pdf/2002_classprofile.pdf
If you are serious about pursuing an O.D. degree, you can potentially just take the prerequisite classes and enroll sooner than people earning their B.A. You?ll need to check with each school their requirements for enrollment without a B.A. Most students do get their B.A. (look under ?% WITH B.A.?) regardless because it is usually preferred.
You can also send your name and address to be added on the mailing lists for each optometry school. By doing that, you will receive notices about open houses and any other events at the optometry school that may interest you. Also, you have plenty of time to go on tours of the schools and develop your own opinions of them.
Once you start college, you should consider joining a pre-optometry or pre-health club. You?ll meet a lot of students who can help you prepare for the application process and provide you with a lot of advice. If you join and participate in a club during your freshman year, you can likely run for a cabinet position the next year. Your commitment and dedication to your club will reflect very well on your character.
Furthermore, you should look through the ASCO?s webpage:
http://www.opted.org/
The website provides a lot of information about each optometry school (including contact information), and has an applicant and advisor information center.
Best wishes,
Rosanna
You are at a very advantageous stage where you still have a lot of time ahead of you to make your decision about your career.
Becoming an optometrist requires a huge time and financial commitment. Before making any decision, you need to know if you are prepared to commit your time and money towards the profession.
Please review this thread about a student who has just become interested in optometry:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?threadid=65406
Like all the responses, I would highly recommend shadowing optometrists in different practice settings. The experience will give you a very good idea about the lifestyle of an optometrist. In addition, the optometrists will hopefully provide their insight into optometry schools and the profession.
I would also start looking at the different requirements for optometry schools:
http://www.opted.org/pdf/2002_enteringprofile.pdf
When you are deciding which college to attend, you may want to factor in if they offer all the classes you?ll need for optometry school or will you need to take some classes at a community college.
You can also review if the schools you are interested in require a bachelor?s degree (look under the column labeled ?B.A. REQ?)
http://www.opted.org/pdf/2002_classprofile.pdf
If you are serious about pursuing an O.D. degree, you can potentially just take the prerequisite classes and enroll sooner than people earning their B.A. You?ll need to check with each school their requirements for enrollment without a B.A. Most students do get their B.A. (look under ?% WITH B.A.?) regardless because it is usually preferred.
You can also send your name and address to be added on the mailing lists for each optometry school. By doing that, you will receive notices about open houses and any other events at the optometry school that may interest you. Also, you have plenty of time to go on tours of the schools and develop your own opinions of them.
Once you start college, you should consider joining a pre-optometry or pre-health club. You?ll meet a lot of students who can help you prepare for the application process and provide you with a lot of advice. If you join and participate in a club during your freshman year, you can likely run for a cabinet position the next year. Your commitment and dedication to your club will reflect very well on your character.
Furthermore, you should look through the ASCO?s webpage:
http://www.opted.org/
The website provides a lot of information about each optometry school (including contact information), and has an applicant and advisor information center.
Best wishes,
Rosanna
Hey thanks for all the info...a few questions:
1. Would it be beneficial to attend University of Houston for undergraduate studies, since they have an optometry school? Also, I'm ashamed to say, I've actually planned on going to a local (community) college for 2 years then transferring. It's not as if I cant get into a university but a community college is much cheaper and convenient. Does kill one's chances at getting into optometry school?
2. Exactly how important is it to to shadow multiple optometrists? Does it have much bearing on acceptance? I'm shadowing one next year in a class called mentorship.. would that be sufficient?
3. I noticed on enteringprofile.pdf University of Houston has 1 course for all of the classes (calc, anat, etc.). What does that mean, a year of each?
4. On acceptance rates, the ratio is much lower on residential students than non. I live in texas, which school(s) am I a "res" for.
1. Would it be beneficial to attend University of Houston for undergraduate studies, since they have an optometry school? Also, I'm ashamed to say, I've actually planned on going to a local (community) college for 2 years then transferring. It's not as if I cant get into a university but a community college is much cheaper and convenient. Does kill one's chances at getting into optometry school?
2. Exactly how important is it to to shadow multiple optometrists? Does it have much bearing on acceptance? I'm shadowing one next year in a class called mentorship.. would that be sufficient?
3. I noticed on enteringprofile.pdf University of Houston has 1 course for all of the classes (calc, anat, etc.). What does that mean, a year of each?
4. On acceptance rates, the ratio is much lower on residential students than non. I live in texas, which school(s) am I a "res" for.
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2003
- Messages
- 236
- Reaction score
- 1
Hi again:
1. I don?t know if attending University of Houston for undergraduate studies will be advantageous or not when you apply to their optometry school. I know there are some optometry students at UHCO on this board, so hopefully they will respond to you later on.
I graduated from a university that has a medical school, and I have rarely heard of any pre-medical students receiving preferential status because they attended the school for their undergraduate years. I can foresee that the admission board at the medical school may know the professor who wrote the student a letter of recommendation, and therefore personally know if the professor was challenging and taught a difficult class. Some of my pre-medical friends researched under a professor at the medical school and received letters of recommendation with greater influence. Overall, I do not think that it will be that much more beneficial if you attended UH for undergraduate studies as long as you are a strong applicant with great letters of recommendation.
You do not have to worry that attending a community college will hurt your chances when you apply to optometry school. Most people understand that attending a community college for two years before transferring is more financially feasible. I would always double-check that the classes you take at the community college are transferable to UH (or wherever else you may go). Also, I would recommend that you start corresponding with a with a transfer counselor at UH and at your community college to make sure that you?ll stay on track and are taking the necessary classes.
2. I think it is very important to shadow different optometrists. It will be very valuable to you if you can shadow various optometrists because not all doctors work the same. If you have diverse experiences with different optometrists, you?ll have a broader knowledge of the profession and of the lifestyles of an O.D. Also, you should consider shadowing each optometrist in a different setting (solo practice, group practice, commercial, private, etc). I understand that you probably won?t have the time to shadow several doctors while attending school, but you should try at least shadowing two different ones. When you do apply to optometry school, you?ll be a stronger applicant if you are able to say that you have encountered the extensive range of optometry. Most schools will ask you what kind of practice you would like to work in after graduation. If you had volunteered at different practice settings, you can state the pros and cons of your decision, and you will sound very knowledgeable.
3. The exact classes needed for UHCO can be found here:
http://www.opt.uh.edu/prospective_students/academics/od/academic_prerequisites.htm
You can see what the minimum semester hours are for each course that is needed for acceptance.
4. Here are the definitions of a resident and non-resident according to UH?s website:
>>>>>
Residency Status-
The following information is from the Rules and Regulations for Determining Residency Status, published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Definition of Terms-
"Dependent" means an individual who is claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes by the individual's parent or guardian at the time of registration and for the tax year proceeding the year in which the individual registers.
Nonresidents-
An individual who is under 18 years of age or is a dependent and who is living away from his family and whose family resides in another state or has not resided in Texas for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of registration shall be classified as a nonresident student.
An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and whose family has not resided in Texas for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of registration shall be classified as a nonresident student regardless of whether he has become the legal ward of residents of Texas or has been adopted by residents of Texas while he is attending an educational institution in Texas, or within a 12-month period before his attendance, or under circumstances indicating that the guardianship or adoption was for the purpose of obtaining status as a resident student.
An individual who is 18 years of age or over who resides out of the state or who has come from outside Texas and who registers in an educational institution before having resided in Texas for a 12-month period shall be classified as a nonresident student.
Residents-
An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and whose parents were formerly residents of Texas is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee following the parents' change of legal residence to another state, as long as the individual remains continuously enrolled in a regular session in a state-supported institution of higher education.
An individual who is 18 years of age or over who has come from outside Texas and who is gainfully employed in Texas for a 12-month period immediately preceding registration in an educational institution shall be classified as a resident student as long as he continues to maintain a legal residence in Texas.
An individual who would have been classified as a resident for the first five of the six years immediately preceding registration, but who resided in another state for all or part of the year immediately preceding registration, shall be classified as a resident student.
An individual who is a resident of Texas who marries a nonresident is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee as long as the individual does not adopt the legal residence of the spouse in another state.
An alien who is living in this country under a visa permitting permanent residence or who has filed with the proper federal immigration authorities a declaration of intention to become a citizen has the same privilege of qualifying for resident status for fee purposes under the law as a citizen of the United States. A resident alien residing in a junior college district located immediately adjacent to Texas boundary lines shall be charged the resident tuition by that junior college.
>>>>>
Best wishes,
Rosanna
1. I don?t know if attending University of Houston for undergraduate studies will be advantageous or not when you apply to their optometry school. I know there are some optometry students at UHCO on this board, so hopefully they will respond to you later on.
I graduated from a university that has a medical school, and I have rarely heard of any pre-medical students receiving preferential status because they attended the school for their undergraduate years. I can foresee that the admission board at the medical school may know the professor who wrote the student a letter of recommendation, and therefore personally know if the professor was challenging and taught a difficult class. Some of my pre-medical friends researched under a professor at the medical school and received letters of recommendation with greater influence. Overall, I do not think that it will be that much more beneficial if you attended UH for undergraduate studies as long as you are a strong applicant with great letters of recommendation.
You do not have to worry that attending a community college will hurt your chances when you apply to optometry school. Most people understand that attending a community college for two years before transferring is more financially feasible. I would always double-check that the classes you take at the community college are transferable to UH (or wherever else you may go). Also, I would recommend that you start corresponding with a with a transfer counselor at UH and at your community college to make sure that you?ll stay on track and are taking the necessary classes.
2. I think it is very important to shadow different optometrists. It will be very valuable to you if you can shadow various optometrists because not all doctors work the same. If you have diverse experiences with different optometrists, you?ll have a broader knowledge of the profession and of the lifestyles of an O.D. Also, you should consider shadowing each optometrist in a different setting (solo practice, group practice, commercial, private, etc). I understand that you probably won?t have the time to shadow several doctors while attending school, but you should try at least shadowing two different ones. When you do apply to optometry school, you?ll be a stronger applicant if you are able to say that you have encountered the extensive range of optometry. Most schools will ask you what kind of practice you would like to work in after graduation. If you had volunteered at different practice settings, you can state the pros and cons of your decision, and you will sound very knowledgeable.
3. The exact classes needed for UHCO can be found here:
http://www.opt.uh.edu/prospective_students/academics/od/academic_prerequisites.htm
You can see what the minimum semester hours are for each course that is needed for acceptance.
4. Here are the definitions of a resident and non-resident according to UH?s website:
>>>>>
Residency Status-
The following information is from the Rules and Regulations for Determining Residency Status, published by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
Definition of Terms-
"Dependent" means an individual who is claimed as a dependent for federal income tax purposes by the individual's parent or guardian at the time of registration and for the tax year proceeding the year in which the individual registers.
Nonresidents-
An individual who is under 18 years of age or is a dependent and who is living away from his family and whose family resides in another state or has not resided in Texas for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of registration shall be classified as a nonresident student.
An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and whose family has not resided in Texas for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of registration shall be classified as a nonresident student regardless of whether he has become the legal ward of residents of Texas or has been adopted by residents of Texas while he is attending an educational institution in Texas, or within a 12-month period before his attendance, or under circumstances indicating that the guardianship or adoption was for the purpose of obtaining status as a resident student.
An individual who is 18 years of age or over who resides out of the state or who has come from outside Texas and who registers in an educational institution before having resided in Texas for a 12-month period shall be classified as a nonresident student.
Residents-
An individual who is 18 years of age or under or is a dependent and whose parents were formerly residents of Texas is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee following the parents' change of legal residence to another state, as long as the individual remains continuously enrolled in a regular session in a state-supported institution of higher education.
An individual who is 18 years of age or over who has come from outside Texas and who is gainfully employed in Texas for a 12-month period immediately preceding registration in an educational institution shall be classified as a resident student as long as he continues to maintain a legal residence in Texas.
An individual who would have been classified as a resident for the first five of the six years immediately preceding registration, but who resided in another state for all or part of the year immediately preceding registration, shall be classified as a resident student.
An individual who is a resident of Texas who marries a nonresident is entitled to pay the resident tuition fee as long as the individual does not adopt the legal residence of the spouse in another state.
An alien who is living in this country under a visa permitting permanent residence or who has filed with the proper federal immigration authorities a declaration of intention to become a citizen has the same privilege of qualifying for resident status for fee purposes under the law as a citizen of the United States. A resident alien residing in a junior college district located immediately adjacent to Texas boundary lines shall be charged the resident tuition by that junior college.
>>>>>
Best wishes,
Rosanna
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2002
- Messages
- 3,767
- Reaction score
- 7
Ditto what Rosanna said. I do know that schools are somewhat biased about community college classes in terms of their degree of difficulty -- all that means is that you're going to want to get great grades at your 4-year institution to show that you can handle the rigors of graduate school.
Again, ditto what Rosanna said! I'd add that this is just as much for your benefit as it is for the admissions committee. I spent a lot of time talking to as many optometrists as I could find in as many different practice settings as possible to find out what the profession was like, what the people in it are like, what the patients are like, etc. You don't necessarily have to "shadow" a zillion people officially, just walk into a couple offices and introduce yourself -- most optometrists love to talk about their jobs (if they're not super busy...
). I have also met a lot of optometrists by going with friends to their appointments. A side-benefit of meeting/visiting a lot of optometrists is that you can keep yourself motivated in school by seeing first-hand what you'll be doing. Good luck!
Similar threads
