r/OptometrySchool

this may be a silly question, but i’m expecting to graduate optometry school with 220k debt max (my parents pay for living expenses and everything so i’m only dealing with fafsa loans); i’m fortunate enough to have the option to move back in with my parents once i graduate in order to pay off my student loans as aggressively as possible. has anyone had experience with this? like would it be possible to throw 100k at my debt first year if i have little living expenses (assuming im making ~130k first year)? i’m really looking into the idea of living at home for maybe 1-2 years if it means i can get rid of 50-70% of my debt. i’d love to hear other perspectives/get humbled over my wishful thinking lol.

Hi!!!! I was recently accepted into ICO!!! I’m so excited but I want to know from a financial standpoint if it is smart to just go, or take the gap year and reapply to other schools! Bc I want to go bc I have the opportunity but I don’t want to make a wrong decision

For those of you that have taken part 1 and have used group studying, how did you go about this. Did you just explain concepts to each other, did you make up questions or go throught optoprep questions? what was your method of doing it?

I am retaking part1 and have heard many people stating that this has helped them with their retake or even intitial take. If i am going to do it i want to do it right and not have moments wasted trying to figure out what is the best way

Do optometry students get the school health insurance?

I’ve taken both part 2 and part 3 and have not yet passed either (have come close). I haven’t taken part 1 yet and wondering what your thoughts are about studying after work (don’t have the option to take time off) for the next month and a half and passing? Should I wait until March 2027 instead?

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some honest perspective on my situation from people who’ve gone through optometry admissions or are currently in or completed the program.

I’m in my late 30s and have been working in clinical optometry for about 12 years total, under two different optometrists in two different clinical settings. Alongside that, I’ve also spent around 7 years teaching various biology courses part-time at the university level. During this time, I’ve stayed very interested in optometry, and have always felt this is the career I should have pursued earlier.

Academically, I have an Honours BSc and a Master’s in Biology. I’ve also done 7+ years of university-level biology teaching, so I’m comfortable explaining concepts and helping others understand material in an academic setting. That said, I wouldn’t describe myself as a strong traditional test-taker — I’ve always been better at applying concepts and understanding how things work rather than memorizing large amounts of information under pressure - a fear which has always deterred me from applying.

I’ve written the OAT and my scores are mostly in the 300 range, with a couple sections in the high 200s. Nothing disastrous overall, but not perfectly balanced either.

My main questions are:

How long are OAT scores realistically considered valid for most U.S. optometry schools?

Given a non-traditional background like mine (12 years clinical experience across two optometrists, graduate degree, university teaching experience, but average-ish standardized test performance), how do admissions committees usually view applicants like this?

Do schools tend to weigh long-term clinical exposure and experience heavily enough to offset weaker sections of the OAT?

And honestly, am I still competitive for U.S. programs, or would I likely need to significantly improve my OAT before applying?

For those already in optometry school: how heavy is the coursework overall, especially the anatomy, biochemistry, optics, and physics side of things? How math-heavy does it get compared to undergrad biology, and how manageable is it for someone who’s stronger in applied understanding than memorization?

Any insight would really help. I’m trying to figure out whether I should apply soon or take more time to improve my test performance.

Thanks in advance.

is it too late for me?

i work full time and had to focus on survival when i first graduated undergrad due to extenuating circumstances. now i am at a point where i can make decisions for myself. i graduated in december of 2021, i was pre-med, and i have a 3.79 GPA. i have a few summer research internships i did in undergrad and a 4 month tenure doing post grad research (before my life blew up).

i specifically want to go into optometry to later specialize in dry eye.

i would ideally like to take the GRE as it is the most forgiving and versatile in my eyes, and i know a lot of optometry schools accept it. i also plan to start shadowing every week and build up enough hours to apply.

will that ruin my chances?

am i too old?

any advice?

badly wanna review before the classes start.

incoming first year college btw

Hi everyone, I was planning to attend optometry school in Bloomington Indiana but ended up accepting an offer from a school closer to home. Because of that, I’m looking for someone to take over my lease at Lark Bloomington.
The apartment is a fully furnished 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom unit. If you’re interested or would like more details, please send me a message. Thank you!

Unfortunately one of the individuals who didn't get Part 3, have a retake in a few months. I'm fine usually in clinic but when I'm taking this I feel like I just get so in my head. Would anybody be down to study together and practice going through cases?

Hi! Do any current/former students have a list of equipment used during first year? I work with a few doctors who’ve held on to some of their equipment. Thanks in advance!

hi! for those attending azcopt or cco, how often are you in scrubs and on other days is there a dress code? also, would you recommend a backpack or would a tote be okay? just considering things i may need to get before attending in the fall and if you have any additional recommendations on what to get before starting!

I’m a Canadian and thinking of going to the states for optometry how long will it take to get out of debt? It’ll cost around 60k a year for 4 years like 240k total. Is this amount of debt to much? Or can u make it back easily with an optometrist job?

Scores tomorrow or next Friday?

UHCO, just informed the current 4th years that their traditional 4th year composite photo will no longer be in doctoral regalia, they want them to be taken in the white coats that we received the first day of first year… is there any other optometry school that takes 4th year composites in white coats?? is this common??

Whyyyyyy am I more nervous now that I passed the boards and have to look for a job. It feels like I have soooo much pressure on me to be a doctor??? Like anxiety. Does anyone feel this and how should I stop being worried about being a doctor???

I know this may be the wrong place to post as the majority of those that are in school now are grandfathered out of the big beautiful bill. With that being said, is the max amount optom students can borrow using the FAFSA direct loan now 50,000 or 20,500? I’m hearing conflicting answers and my SCO has yet to formulate my financial aid package. I have a 14,531/yr TN contract seat, 12,000/yr through HPSL so honestly the 50k vs 20,5k is the difference of whether or not I’ll have to take out a Parent plus loan or a private loan.