OAT
Any Tips on Boosting the Reading Comprehension Score on the OAT?
This is a question asked on SCCO’s Facebook Group for Pre-optometry Students (http://www.facebook.com/groups/SCCOadmissions/). Bulleted, you will find answers from both SCCO students and Facebook Group members:
I was wondering if anyone has some tips and advice on boosting up RC score on the OAT. I know this is very important for SCCO and I am absolutely horrible at it…
- “I practiced every day with an MCAT reading comprehension book and timed myself. After a few days you will have a good idea where you stand and then device strategies that work for you. The best way is to practice and build confidence.”
- “I wrote about this on the student doctor network a while ago: I think I may be able to help. I was a typical guy who did well on QR and never well with RC throughout my life (SATs, scores sub-600 for RC and almost perfect 800 for QR). I took the recommendation from Kaplan and it has helped me tremendously. My RC score was 400. I would write the number of the paragraph on the blank sheet given to you and read the paragraph. Next to the paragraph number on the 1st line, I would write the subject of the paragraph (eg. history, location, setting, description of ____). Under that in the second line, I would write down ONLY words that stood out, numbers, names, important keywords, words you don’t see normally. I’d do this for every paragraph. When answering questions, they usually refer to specific words that you have written on your sheet. Refer to the sheet, look for the keyword, find the paragraph and find the answer. “ “Here is the thread that I mentioned: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=11810304#post11810304 or struggling with RC on OAT!
- “I practiced skimming the readings first (for just about 2 minutes or so) just to get oriented about what information was in each paragraph. I didn’t focus on details, just general ideas so I would have an idea of where to look later on. After skimming the article, I went back to find the answers to the questions for that article. I repeated that method for each article, skipping any questions that I couldn’t find the answers to right away. Once I was done with the easier questions, I went back to the more specific/difficult ones and had time to spare (which I used as a mini break). This strategy worked really well for me, and I got a 400 on the RC portion.”
- “Would you recommend I take Physio, Anatomy & Biochem before the OAT or would a Kaplan/Princeton Review be sufficient preparation for it? On the OAT “Natural Sciences” section it says: biology, gen chem & organic chem questions… However, I have heard there is physio and anatomy on the exam.
If someone could please let me know what they think I would really appreciate it! I am just trying to figure out the best way to prepare for the OAT while completing the prerequisites ( If it takes me longer, I am okay with that ☺).”
- “I took Anatomy & Phys right before the OAT, and I definitely felt confident on 2 or 3 of the questions from the Natural Sciences section because of the class. I also took biochem before the OAT, but didn’t recall any questions containing material that I learned specifically in biochem.”
- “I took all of those courses before the OAT, and they probably helped me answer 2 or 3 questions correctly that I would not have gotten otherwise, but it had been between 3 and 5 years since I took the general courses. I don’t think it’s necessary to postpone taking the OAT until after taking those classes if you’ve taken the other prerequisites recently enough to feel comfortable. I felt like the types of anatomy/physio/biochem questions on it were mostly covered in my general classes. Also, I think the Kaplan “big book” from the course would be sufficient preparation (if you can get one).”
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Published by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
I wanted to be an optometrist when I was only 10 years old. Why? I had some kind of odd fascination with eyeglasses. I was obsessed with getting a pair of my own. In my situation, having perfect eyesight was a distinct disadvantage, so I had to hatch a plan. After lots of squinting in class, I approached my teacher and lied with conviction, complaining that I couldn’t see the blackboard. This symptom got me first to the school nurse and then finally on to an optometrist for an eye exam where I tried my best Mr. Magoo impression to no avail. I would have to wait two more long years until the gods finally smiled on me when, by some miracle, I acquired enough astigmatism to warrant my first bona fide set of prescription eyeglasses! Along with my love of people and wanting to take care of them, subsequent visits to the optometrist and shadowing, I sealed the deal—optometry was now officially what I wanted to do with my life.
I made first contact with the Southern California College of Optometry when I was in 8th grade. My older sister had a newly minted driver’s license and so I coerced her into driving me all the way from our home in La Mirada to Los Angeles, then SCCO’s home. After a master planning effort to plot out our route with a paper map folded in 8 places (I had such a hard time with that map!), we arrived at SCCO where my sister quickly surmised that I didn’t have an appointment with an admissions advisor. She called me a loser, drove me all the way back home and the next day, phoned to help make the requisite appointment.
I entered high school in the late 1960’s (ouch, that hurt) when young females wanted to be anything but what I’d chosen as my newly dedicated pursuit—a science geek. I wore thick horn-rimmed black eyeglass frames (told you I was serious) and hung around chemistry lab after class. This was at a time when women just did not pursue careers in science and being the tomboy that I was, that was fine with me. This trend continued right through into undergrad, attending many classes where I was the only female--bespectacled or not--in the class. At a recent high school reunion, many of my classmates still remember me as the science geek with the blinders on—many envious of my joy and passion for my future profession.
I graduated from SCCO in 1977. Looking back with 35 years of experience as an optometrist, I am awed to know that I chose this wonderful profession way-back-when and with only my juvenile perspective to inform me. In 1977 when I graduated from optometry school, the profession began a series of major changes to its practice scope: securing the rights to use diagnostic drugs (dilating drops), securing the rights to prescribe therapeutic drugs (huge change!), being recognized as physicians by the federal government and treating glaucoma. In some US states, optometry has made even bigger strides into minor surgery, use of lasers, hospital privileges...etc. If I had the opportunity to go back and make another choice and knowing what I do today about health care and my own hardwiring, I’d make the same choice for optometry--nobody loves this profession more than I do. http://www.ketchum.edu/index.php/about/administration-directory
I grew up with optometry and now it’s your turn to inherit its future. That’s what this blog is about—getting you into optometry and I am just the person to help you achieve this goal. We’re going to talk about the admissions process, how to prepare to take the OAT, how to be a competitive applicant, how to prepare to interview, to name a few. We’re going to talk about SCCO, student life and what it’s like to be an optometric intern. I am just the person to help you because I am very persuasive, motivating and I am completely sold on optometry as the best profession in health care and I speak from experience.
Get ready to dialogue. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and please, chime in on discussions. I want to know what I can help you with.
View all posts by Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO
Eryn Kraning, Director of Admissions, SCCO
Jane Ann Munroe, OD, Assistant Dean of Admissions, SCCO