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ABOUT THE OAT


PRODUCT PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION

ABOUT GOLD STANDARD OAT PREPARATION


ONLINE ACCESS AND TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS




ABOUT THE OAT


When is the next OAT test?

The Optometry Admission test is scheduled every month, all year round, with various Test Centers at different locations within the US and its territories. Once your registration is confirmed by ASCO, you will be able to schedule a test date after 24 hours. It is recommended you choose a test date two to three months prior to your preferred date. Consult the OAT Guide at ASCO OAT for more details.

Is the OAT test changing?

In early 2016, the ADA announced that they would not institute the OAT changes that had been under consideration over the past 3 years: "Please note that all OAT content changes indicated in Volumes 4 and 5 of the OAT Newsletters will no longer be implemented. This includes changes to the Biology, Quantitative Reasoning, and Critical Thinking sections." HOWEVER, in January of 2017, some new question types were introduced to OAT QR which fall under the umbrella "Quantitative Comparison". These questions still compose a very small minority of actual OAT QR questions so we are also implementing the new style of question slowly into our practice tests. You can find additional practice questions here: New OAT QR on SDN



What is the OAT exam schedule?

A total time of 3 hours and 55 minutes is allowed to complete the four tests in the OAT. Alternatively, you can choose to include a tutorial, break and survey, bringing the total test time to 4 hours 40 minutes.


Exam Section Questions Duration
Tutorial (Optional) (15 minutes)
Survey of the Natural Sciences 100 90 minutes
Reading Comprehension Test 40 50 minutes
Break (Optional) (15 minutes)
Physics Test 40 50 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning Test 40 45 minutes
Post Test Survey (Optional) (15 minutes)
Total Content Time Approx 4 hours
Total "Seated" Time* 4 hours 40 minutes

* Total seated time does not include check-in at the test center

How is the OAT exam scored?

For information about how the OAT is scored, score conversions and breakdowns, average/good/high OAT scores and the GPA/scores required by each optometry school, click here: OAT Scores for Optometry Schools.


What is the recommended study time for students?

Every student is different, but on average 3-6 hours/day for 3-6 months is recommended. It may be more or less depending on your past study experience and habits. For detailed advice on this subject, click: OAT Study Schedule

We also have many free study resources to help with your preparation:


It is also important you acquire and practice with the official sample exams from ASCO OAT.


Am I eligible to get into optometry school?

Unfortunately, we do not provide optometry school application information. We are an OAT preparation company. You must contact the optometry school which interests you.




What is exam day like?

Prometric Online Tutorial

What to Expect on Test Day from Prometric on Vimeo.



ABOUT GOLD STANDARD OAT PREPARATION


When should I take the Gold Standard OAT prep course?

We generally recommend that students complete at least 3 of the 4 basic sciences in university, college, advanced high-school courses and if necessary speed reading courses. Some students may begin our courses weeks, months or even years prior to their anticipated test date, depending on their knowledge or experience. Bear in mind, our program does not just review information. It teaches the information you need to know, in order to excel at the OAT.

In other words, Gold Standard OAT Preparation is a complete course, which covers in detail the Natural Science Subjects, with specific Physics review for the OAT; and provides innovative strategies to help ace the Quantitative Reasoning (QR) and Reading Comprehension (RC) tests.


Why do you offer DAT Prep study materials for OAT Preparation?

The ADA develops the questions for the DAT (Dental Admission Test) and, as approved by ASCO, for the OAT as well. OAT and DAT are similar in most sections, except in the Perceptual Ability Test (PAT) which is specific to the DAT and Physics which is specific to the OAT. Our prep materials take these distinctions into consideration and are tailored to ensure your success in the exam.


How well do the Gold Standard OAT practice tests represent the actual OAT?

The Gold Standard OAT Practice Tests are based on the official OAT™ format and closely simulate the real exam. Our team of writers includes professionals with academic degrees in the arts, medicine and optometry. We continually evaluate and update our practice materials to ensure they reflect the real exam. We offer a Free OAT Practice Test you can use to sample our content and assess your degree of preparedness.


Which are the best Gold Standard OAT products you would recommend?

We have a variety of products tailored to suit every need and budget. Students have the choice of purchasing individual tangible products including Gold Standard OAT books, the Medical School Interview DVD and Natural Science OAT Videos. We equally offer online products like the OAT Practice Tests, OAT Natural Science online videos and Gold Standard OAT Physics Review app, which can be purchased individually or as add-ons to an existing account. Our course packages – OAT Books Complete Set and OAT Prep Kit include most products with added bonus features. For more information on our products, visit Gold Standard OAT Prep.


What if I am not satisfied with the Gold Standard OAT program?

We do not provide refunds nor accept returns on any tangible and online material purchased. We guarantee, that we have to the best of our abilities, determined the accuracy of the information presented in our listings. We offer a Free OAT sample test to ensure students are well-informed about our products prior to purchase. If you experience any problem with our product, contact us at learn@gold-standard.com and we will do our best to resolve the issue on an individual basis.



PRODUCT PURCHASE AND REGISTRATION


How can I make my payment if I don't want to use PayPal?

Go to the Alternate Payment Methods page, click on the Secure Credit Card Payments link and follow the instructions to complete your payment. Click Checkout to enter your credit card and billing information.

If you would like to pay by phone, Contact Us to complete your payment. There is an additional $15 administrative charge for payments by phone.


How soon after my order is processed, would I receive my account log in information?

Once your payment has been successfully processed, you will receive an e-mail from learn@gold-standard.com, containing your login details. This email sometimes goes into the Junk or Spam folder.

Note if the product was purchased through eBay or Amazon, the login details will be sent to you within 1 business day. If you require further assistance, please contact us at learn@gold-standard.com. Have your transaction number and email address of purchase handy.


How do I register to become a member of Gold Standard OAT Prep?

Click Register at the top right-hand corner of the Oatbooks.com home page. You will be redirected to a registration page. Fill in the required fields and click Register to access your account.


How do I login on oatbooks.com?

Click on Log In at the top right-hand corner of Oatbooks.com. Enter the username and password provided after your purchase or created when you registered on the website. Note that some password characters are case sensitive. Click on login to access your account.


I have not received the license key for my OAT TopScore Pro purchase. What do you suggest I do?

We apologize for the inconvenience. Please send a request to learn@gold-standard.com, including your transaction information and we will email you the access information within 1 business day.


Where do I register my Gold Standard OAT Book?

Log into your Gold Standard OAT Prep account. Go to Individual Book Owners on the Members page and click on the cover of the book you own. Enter your access code into the require field.


Where can I find my OAT 4-Book set access code?

Please contact us at learn@gold-standard.com and we will email you your access code within 1 business day.


Why does the GS OAT Books set cost $199, when the individual books cost only $195?

The GS OAT Books Complete Set come with a personal access code (please contact us at learn@gold-standard.com and we will email you your access code within 1 business day). This code grants access to an extra full-length practice test (valued at $30), optometry school interview questions and over 2000 practice questions within the books and online.


Can I upload the audio and video files to my iPod?

Yes, you can upload our MP3 audio and video files to your iPod. An email will be sent to you with all the necessary information, once your purchase is processed.



ONLINE ACCESS AND TROUBLESHOOTING STEPS

What are the system requirements for the online practice courses?

Your PC should include: Windows 95, 98, Me, XP, or NT 4.0, or 2000; Pentium 200Mhz or greater; 32 MB RAM or greater (64 MB for NT or 2000); Acrobat Reader 5.0 or higher (available as a free download from Adobe); Internet Explorer 5.5 SP1 with Internet Tools or higher; and JAVA 2.0 plug-in or greater (also available as a free download from Oracle Technology). It should also include a sound card and speakers or headphones.

You will need a reliable internet service with a 28.8kb modem (56kb recommended). Cookies must be enabled. Online users located in America will need 5.0 or higher, and will need to minimize the AOL window and Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher.


How do I access the Gold Standard OAT Book Chapter Review Questions?

Follow the steps under "Where do I register my Gold Standard OAT Book?" The chapter review and questions will be found under the Lessons tab of your account.


Can I temporarily pause my online access to the Gold Standard OAT Practice Tests and reactivate them when I'm ready?

No. You are paying for use, as well as access within a specific time period. The rate of payment is the same, regardless of the frequency of usage. You will not be granted access to the tests once the initial period is over. A new purchase will be required for further access. Please refer to our Terms of Use.


How can I extend my online access to OAT practice materials once the initial access period expires?

Unlimited online access to all Natural Science videos at $39.95 per month is available, with the option of cancelling anytime. You can also purchase individual videos at a cost of $3 or more. Log into your Gold Standard OAT Prep account and click on the Videos tab in order to complete your purchase.

We do not, however, offer extensions on the access period for our OAT Practice Tests. Students requiring an extended period of use for the OAT Practice Tests need to complete a new purchase.

For Gold Standard Textbook Owner access extension, contact us at learn@gold-standard.com for further assistance.


I am having problems saving Test Scores and History. What can you suggest I do?

It is recommended that Mozilla Firefox be used for the tests, as they work best with this browser. You need to enable Java Script by going to the Edit tab on Firefox, clicking on Firefox Preferences, then Content and Enable JavaScript.

If you use add-ons on Firefox, check if any of them require JavaScript off, for these can block the application. You can check the add-ons by going to the Tools tab and clicking on Add-Ons. Lastly, before closing any test or browser, wait a few seconds to ensure all test data is saved in our database.