Successful Applicants—Optometry

2022 Matriculants

Name: Man Yi (Joyce) Gao
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Asian American Studies
Overall GPA: 3.93
Graduation Year: 2021
Matriculation Year: 2022

Q: Which school will you be attending?
A: SUNY College of Optometry

Q: What drew you to this particular health field?
A: As someone who had been going to the same optometrist for years, I grew curious about the field and decided to learn more by shadowing my optometrist and working at a joint ophthalmic/optometric clinic. Through working and shadowing, I learned about various ocular diseases and how the eyes are interconnected with the rest of the body. I was also drawn to this multifaceted profession where an optometrist not only works at the front line of providing care for visual impairments, but can also pursue opportunities in academia, research, business, and even professional branding.

Q: What extracurriculars did you participate in?
A:

• Served as the Vice President of the Pre-Optometry Society
• Participated in CSTEP at SUNY Optometry
• Volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital
• Mentored pre-health students at Hunter through the Pre-Health Mentoring Initiative
• Interned at the Lighthouse Guild
• Worked as an ophthalmic technician
• Shadowed multiple optometrists who worked in primary care and various other specialties

Q: How many hours on average did you spend studying for your courses per week?
A: On average, I studied around 25-30 hours per week for my courses.

Q: Did you use a test prep course?
A: I self-studied using the Kaplan books, OAT Destroyer, and Chad's videos, and took multiple full-length practice exams to prepare for the OAT exam.

Q: Did you take a GAP year? If so, why?
A: Yes, I took a gap year to gain more experience within the field and travel before going back to school. During my gap year, I continued to work at the clinic where I was employed during college. I also served as a Hunter College TA for Introduction to Biology Lab.

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your application?
A: I believe that my extracurriculars and experiences in the profession were the strengths of my application, and I was able to draw upon these experiences in both my writing and during the interview day. Another highlight in my application was my study abroad experience, which although it did not pertain to healthcare, served as a point of interest during multiple interviews.

Q: Did you apply nationally?
A: I only applied to programs in the Northeast.

Q: How did the Pre-Health Advising Office help you achieve your goals?
A: The Pre-Health Advising Office offered me guidance throughout my application process. I discovered multiple opportunities through the Pre-Med Listserv, which allowed me to gain exposure and learn more about the profession. Furthermore, during the application process, I met with my advisor, Ms. Jackson, on a monthly basis to review my personal statement, experiences, and secondary essays. During the interview season, Ms. Mitchell offered multiple mock interviews for me to practice, which allowed me to feel at ease during my interviews.

Q: What advice do you have for others?
A: Seek out opportunities, join the Pre-Optometry Society, and shadow and/or work in an optometric setting! There are several resources through optometry schools, the Pre-Med List-Serv, and the Pre-Optometry Society. These experiences will not only allow you to learn more about the profession but also help you solidify your decision. Learn to balance and allocate your time for not only your studies and extracurriculars, but also for breaks in between. Lastly, do not hesitate to ask for help; you have the Pre-Health Office, the Pre-Optometry Society members, Pre-Health mentors, admissions officers, and multiple resources at hand.

Name: Maya Mekawy
Major: Biological Sciences
Minor: Asian American Studies
Overall GPA: 3.93
Graduation Year: 2021
Matriculation Year: 2022

Q: Which school will you be attending?
A: SUNY College of Optometry

Q: What drew you to this particular health field?
A: I was first drawn to the field of optometry after learning about the ability of optometrists to not only treat vision issues but also detect systemic diseases and underlying conditions. Through shadowing multiple optometrists, I observed a multitude of intriguing cases that required the integration of multiple disciplines. As a result, the wide-range applications and impressive variety that the field maintains solidified my interest in pursuing optometry as a career.

Q: How many hours on average did you spend studying for your courses per week?
A: On average, I spent around 40-45 hours a week studying for my courses.

Q: Did you use a test prep course?
A: I self-studied for the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) using the OAT Destroyer books, Kaplan practice exams, Chad's Videos, and Crack OAT practice exams.

Q: Did you take a GAP year? If so, why?
A: No, I did not take a gap year.

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your application?
A: Some of the strong points in my application include my experiences at different optometric practices. Shadowing, interning, and working at different locations have helped me learn more about how optometrists vary in practice and at times collaborate with ophthalmologists to treat mutual patients.

Q: Did you apply nationally?
A: No. SUNY Optometry was my first choice school.

Q: How did the Pre-Health Advising Office help you achieve your goals?
A: The Pre-Health Advising Office contributed greatly to my ability of achieving my goals. I would schedule appointments with my advisor at least once every semester and more if I had any questions. They assessed my performance in courses, guided me through which classes I needed to take, and discussed effective preparation methods for the OAT. Additionally, they were also essential during my application process when I had the opportunity to review my complete application with my advisor prior to submitting it.

Q: What advice do you have for others?
A: Take advantage of all of the opportunities that Hunter College has to offer. Networking and getting out of your comfort zone will make your experience at Hunter a very productive and memorable one. This of course comes second to being on top of your courses and making sure that your grades are at or better than your target schools' expectations.

2021 Matriculants

Name: Grace Ji
Major: Human Biology
Minor: Religion
Overall GPA: 3.84
Graduation Year: 2021
Matriculation Year: 2021

Q: Which school will you be attending?
A: SUNY College of Optometry

Q: What drew you to this particular health field?
A: I loved the ability to improve the quality life of patients through their vision care. I think that vision is important to our sense of confidence, ability to live productive lives, and overall well-being.

Q: What extracurriculars did you participate in?
A: I participated in SHPEP, C-STEP at SUNY Optometry, and NYU HCOP. I also volunteered at my church as a Sunday school teacher, served at SOON Movement as a small group leader, volunteered as a volunteer outreach leader, and shadowed 3 different practices.

Q: How many hours on average did you spend studying for your courses per week?
A: I probably spent around 2-3 hours a day except for weekends, and if any exams were coming up, I would probably double the time I spent studying for that exam.

Q: Did you use a test prep course?
A: I did. I used OAT Bootcamp, Coursesaver, and Kaplan.

Q: Did you take a GAP year? If so, why?
A: No, I did not take a gap year.

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your application?
A: I consider my consistency and ability to convey my experiences a strength. I also think that I had to develop my organizational skills to support my journey to get into optometry school.

Q: Did you apply nationally?
A: I personally only applied to SUNY Optometry, but I would recommend others apply to a number of optometry schools.

Q: How did the Pre-Health Advising Office help you achieve your goals?
A: The Pre-Health community kept me on track for all the application milestones, supported my application through the committee letter, gave me advice, sent out many opportunities for me to apply to, and helped me practice for my interview. I appreciate all their hard work and effort; I sincerely could not have done this without them.

Q: What advice do you have for others?
A: I would advise others to create a timeline for taking their classes and extracurriculars they plan to do. I also suggest asking for help as early as possible, and to apply to as many opportunities as possible.

2020 Matriculants

Name: Humayra Kabir Rima
Major: Biochemistry
Minor: Psychology
Overall GPA: 3.4
Graduation Year: 2019
Matriculation Year: 2020

Q: Which school are you attending?
A: SUNY College of Optometry

Q: What drew you to this particular health field?
A: The origin of my desire lies in my childhood, the first pair of glasses gave me optimistic determination and confidence that I am normal, and that I could succeed. Besides that, I love the clinical interaction with people, and I look forward to becoming an optometrist because through internships and shadowing, I discovered the clinical aspects of this profession and learned how gratifying this profession is. I would like to help my patients with my knowledge about their medical and personal needs while enjoying the intellectual and emotional rewards that an Optometry career provides. Optometry is a field where I can have the lifestyle which I envision for myself while staying true to my commitment to helping others.

Q: What extracurriculars did you participate in?
A:

1. Pre-Optometry Society of Hunter College — Treasurer
2. Pre-Health Mentoring Initiative — Peer Advisor
3. Rescuing Leftover Cuisine — Lead Rescuer
4. Hunter Athlete for Women's Fencing team
5. Shadowing and doing Internships in-state and out-state related to Optometry

Q: How many hours on average did you spend studying for your courses per week?
A: I spent 40 hours on average per week studying. And one month before the exam I was re-vising notes, re-practicing questions, and re-studying for as many hours needed. Note: Honestly, it depends on each individual. Every person studies their own way and needs time to study according to their needs. Find what works for you and do some research.

Q: Did you use a test prep course?
A: Yes, I used DAT Bootcamp, OAT Bootcamp for Physics, and Course Hero. I also looked over and practiced questions from KAPLAN and Oat Destroyer

Q: Did you take a GAP year? If so, why?
A: I did take a gap year. It is because I was International student (F1 status) and was rigorously studying and working. Hence, I did not have time for myself and for my family. I wanted to visit my parents in my homeland, Bangladesh. Also, my gap year was a treat for me for the hard work and lifestyle I had for the 4 years I was in school. So, before getting into another 4 years of studying, I wanted to have complete time for myself and for my family.

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your application?
A: Hunter college has given me incredible opportunities to learn and show my leadership skills. It has given me the platform to learn how communication, patience, and compassion could give someone moral, mental, and physical support. Additionally, studying in one of New York's most diverse colleges, Hunter College has totally assured me of the significant role an individual has in a community as a whole. As a low income, first-generation college student and first-generation immigrant, I have encountered, and surmounted tough obstacles. Despite these challenges- courage, persistence, and hope have constituted the core of my principles, and these values were shown throughout my application. Hence, representing diversity and having leadership skills were two of my strengths which I mentioned in my application.

Q: Did you apply nationally?
A: No, I did not apply nationally. I applied to only one school, which is SUNY College of Optometry. As I am an international student, I did not want to move to another state. As an international student, I was taking housing expenses and tuition fees into consideration.

Q: How did Pre-Health Advising Office help you achieve your goals?
A: The Pre-Health Advising office allowed me to discover other health-care professions and to learn about the optometry field. It helped me by providing resources to gain as much knowledge and as many clinical opportunities that I could gain to be a competitive applicant for optometry school. It gave me opportunities to shadow and volunteer at labs and clinics to confirm my decision to become an optometrist, but after concluding my Summer Academic Program'18 and Winter Internship'19 at SUNY College of Optometry, and shadowing more modalities of optometrists, my desire to pursue optometry was solidified. Even after graduating, the Pre-Health advising office helped me to prepare my application for Optometry school and was there to guide me throughout with essays and mock interviews. Even when I had an emotional breakdown, concerns, and issues with my application, grades or interviews, they were always there to boost up my confidence and energy.

Q: What advice do you have for others?
A: Optometry schools review applications on a rolling basis, meaning the sooner you apply, the higher your chance is to get interviews, and there are less students to be compared with; there are also more seats available, so your chances are higher. However, that does not mean you have to rush it. If you think you are not prepared, it is okay to take some more time more if necessary to prepare yourself. Even if you don't have your OAT score, you can still submit your application to OptomCAS and in the OAT section of the application, just state the day you are taking your OAT. Optometry schools will not set up an interview till your OAT score is in, but it takes a few days (up to15 days) for OptomCAS to verify your application and send it to your schools. This way your applications are ready to go as soon as your score is in. You will know what your OAT score is the minute you submit the test, but it takes up to 2 weeks until it is sent to schools. Lastly, do not worry too much about your grades. Just try to increase your GPA and keep doing extracurricular activities. Do not give up, it is just a matter of time. Your determination, hard work and effort will lead you to your dream goal, so everything falls into place if you are really passionate about it.

Name: Alex Martin
Major: Human Biology
Minor: Sociology
Overall GPA: 3.294
Graduation Year: 2019
Matriculation Year: 2020

Q: Which school will you be attending?
A: SUNY College of Optometry

Q: What drew you to this particular health field?
A: Our school's Pre-Optometry Club was my first introduction to optometry as a whole, and my involvement there led me to apply to several internships at optometry schools. During these programs I learned how optometrists use various techniques to care for both the ocular health and visual acuity of their patients. By repeatedly observing doctor-patient interactions, I saw how impactful this type of work is, and I developed a strong desire to be a part of it.

Q: What extracurriculars did you participate in?
A: In my freshman year at Hunter, I joined the Pre-Optometry Club, Brothers for Excellence program, and the Caribbean Students Union. During my first year, I was very active in all three clubs, but as time progressed I took on greater involvement in the Caribbean Students Union as I became its secretary and then its president. Being a club leader led me to interact with many of the other clubs and student-centered organizations on campus. In my final year at Hunter, I worked at the Student Resource Center, and shadowed optometrists whenever possible.

Q: How many hours on average did you spend studying for your courses per week?
A: I usually spent 25-28 hours studying per week, but that amount easily fluctuated during busier times in my life. I often studied during my 1.5 hour long commutes to school, and dedicated larger portions of the days I didn't have classes to studying.

Q: Did you use a test prep course?
A: Yes. I used the Kaplan OAT Self-Guided program. This program provided me with books and practice questions that I used at my own pace. I also used free practice tests from Kaplan and other online resources.

Q: Did you take a GAP year? If so, why?
A: I took a gap year because doing so allowed me to become a more competitive applicant. I've been accumulating more experience in optometry by working at my current, part-time job as a patient coordinator at MOSCOT, where one of my main responsibilities is pre-screening patients. Another reason I took a gap year was to better prepare to take the OAT, which in retrospect was the right thing for me to do.

Q: What do you consider to be your strengths in your application?
A: I took advantage of the fact that optometry schools practice a rolling admissions process by submitting my applications while the schools still had many seats available. I also think that the number and variety of my shadowing experiences allowed my application to show that I'm well prepared to pursue optometry as a career.

Q: Did you apply nationally?
A: I limited my school choices to the northeast region of the United States.

Q: How did the Pre-Health Advising Office help you achieve your goals?
A: With the help of the Pre-Health Advising Office, I created a road map to optometry school, and finished my college career without getting lost. Over the years, I've received many helpful emails about events and activities related to Optometry, and I had many counseling sessions that kept me focused on meeting the different requirements for getting accepted to an optometry school. I also received help preparing for my school interviews, through tips and a mock interview.

Q: What advice do you have for others?
A: If you set a goal or path for yourself, I encourage you to make every effort to understand what you're getting yourself into. If you do that and your desire hasn't changed, then you can handle whatever work and time investment lies ahead of you.]