MY SCORES and test feedback*long post

[beatnik10884]

Ok, So I was stressing out for some time. The exam was not at all like I expected. The OAT achiever is indeed much more difficult, but the questions on the real exam were much more random.

QR 290 I ran out of time, a lot of inequalities..brush up on those.
R.C. 310 This was a shock.I was scoring 380 on all the practice exams (Achiever & Sample test). The passages were about crocs,bridges, and addiction,just as everyone mentioned. I didn't really pace myself well, because by the last passage I had not much time left. I got to into the first passage. Next time I would read the question and start a brief review of the passage.
Bio 320 ok this section was NOT AT ALL like for what i prepared for. I mean I reviewed so much A&P and hardly encountered N E of. Tip: Study Plants and Heart. The picture was so random, luckily I remembered it from Bio I. Still I was very disappointed with my score, I mean I'm a bio major.
General Chem 340 I'm happy with this score, because I seriously had to reteach myself everything;it had been four years since I took Gen. Chem. There was not that many calculations. Molarity and % comp. study interpartical forces.
Organic Chem 330 I don't know how I feel about this. In college I loved O. Chem and recieved two awards for it, but just like everything else, I was rusty and had to cover everything. A month is not enough to cover what I needed to..well so I thought. Study: SN1/SN2 as far as substrates and properties of mech. make sure you can point out what substrate will likey undergo these types of mech. Of course named reactions.
Physics 300 I honestly was stressed out so much for this section. I memorized a lot of equations. I kept hearing everyone say that there was a lot of kinematics, but I didn't think there was. Study Forces & Liquids!!!The questions were not as I expected but I'm ok with the score. I had only two weeks for this section.
TS 330
AA320

So what do you guys think? I have a 3.64 Biology, really good LORs and some shadowing experience. I'm applying to NOVA, SCO, and ICO (Ranked in level of preference).

Note: I have Physics & Gen Chem Examkracker books (I have the ochem that I'll throw in FREE since theres some writing on the first few pages).
I made a very concise O.Chem review sheet for myself with the named reactions/mechanism I can email to you, If you want.

Thanks all for your responses to this and my previous posts.

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[JMU07]

Sunnie, the admissions lady at SCO told me that they recommend retaking it if you get a 320 or below, because it's below average (their average is 330 I think). Average at Nova is 320, ICO is 330. (I got these numbers from a profile of the 2006 entering classes that my pre-optometry advisor gave me.) You have a good GPA though. My situation is the reverse... my GPA is below average but my OAT is above average.

I would recommend retaking it just in case, I'm not saying it's impossible to get in with a 320 but a higher score will make you more competitive.

Best of luck to you!

 

[EyeQ]

Sunnie, the admissions lady at SCO told me that they recommend retaking it if you get a 320 or below, because it's below average (their average is 330 I think). Average at Nova is 320, ICO is 330. (I got these numbers from a profile of the 2006 entering classes that my pre-optometry advisor gave me.) You have a good GPA though. My situation is the reverse... my GPA is below average but my OAT is above average.

I would recommend retaking it just in case, I'm not saying it's impossible to get in with a 320 but a higher score will make you more competitive.

Best of luck to you!

Are those numbers TS? Isn't SCO a public school so they favor in-state applicants?

 

[brownyeyed]

Are those numbers TS? Isn't SCO a public school so they favor in-state applicants?

sco is a private school.

 

[brownyeyed]

to the op....hmmmm your situation's a little tricky where your OAT is slightly below average and your gpa is slightly above average....best thing to do is to call up the schools and tell them your situation on whether to retake or not, but also know that they consider your EC's and LOR's, so if those are great you might not have to retake but like someone else said you would be more competitive if you retook it and brought it up.

 

[JMU07]

Are those numbers TS? Isn't SCO a public school so they favor in-state applicants?

Yeah, TS. And it's private.

 

[beatnik10884]

I called SCO and they said that last year they accepted 20 people with my exact score (AA 320) and 6 people with scores lower than that. I was told I didn't need to take it again, especially with my GPA.

 

[JMU07]

Thats good! I wasn't trying to say that you had to take it again, just that they recommend retaking it. Like I said, you have a good GPA so you're in good shape.

 

[beatnik10884]

Oh I know you weren't. I was concerned about my scores so I did just what was suggested and contacted the schools. I emailed NOVA but have not heard back. Hopefully they agree with SCO. Where are you applying to?

 

[Gogi]

I'd like to thank beatnik10884 for his/her time and info on the test. I am scheduled to take my OAT on Nov. 12. I need to start focusing on my preparation....which haven't been as I would have liked it to be.

 

[JMU07]

Oh I know you weren't. I was concerned about my scores so I did just what was suggested and contacted the schools. I emailed NOVA but have not heard back. Hopefully they agree with SCO. Where are you applying to?

I've applied to SCO and Nova. If they don't work out, then I'll apply to two others. I have interviews scheduled for both so hopefully one will accept me!