Short answer: most applicants benefit from structured prep. The Optometry Admission Test is a four-hour exam covering biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, reading comprehension, physics, and quantitative reasoning. That's a lot of ground — and optometry schools use OAT scores as a real filter. The national average composite sits around 320, but competitive programs like UC Berkeley and The Ohio State University typically accept students with scores of 350 or higher.
OAT prep classes aren't mandatory. Some self-starters do just fine with textbooks and practice tests alone. But if you want structure, accountability, and expert explanations for the topics that trip most students — chemistry and physics especially — a prep course can shorten your study timeline significantly.
This guide covers the main types of OAT prep classes available, how to choose what fits your timeline and budget, and how to build a study approach that actually works.
OAT prep falls into a few broad categories. Each has real tradeoffs depending on your learning style, budget, and how much time you have before test day.
These are the most popular option. You pay once (or subscribe monthly), work through video lectures and practice questions at your own pace, and revisit topics as needed. The best self-paced programs include:
Self-paced programs typically run $200-$600 for full access. They're the most cost-effective option if you're disciplined about following a schedule.
Live classes give you scheduled sessions with an instructor, real-time Q&A, and a cohort of other students preparing for the same exam. They're closer to the traditional classroom experience — with the flexibility of attending from home.
Kaplan and Princeton Review both offer live online OAT courses. Sessions typically meet two or three times per week over 8-12 weeks. Expect to pay $1,000-$1,500 for a full live course. If you know you won't study unless you have scheduled sessions, live courses can be worth the premium.
One-on-one tutoring is the most expensive option — usually $80-$200/hour — but the most targeted. A tutor can identify exactly where you're losing points and build a session plan around those specific weaknesses. This works especially well for students who've already done content review and need targeted drilling on chemistry or physics problem types.
Look for tutors with OAT-specific experience (not just general pre-health tutors) and check whether they've worked with optometry school applicants specifically. The OAT's physics section, for instance, requires different emphasis than MCAT physics.
Some universities and optometry school post-bac programs offer prep workshops for the OAT, usually in the weeks before a major test administration. These tend to be more affordable ($100-$300), condensed, and taught by faculty or advanced students. If your undergraduate institution has a pre-optometry advising program, ask whether they offer or recommend specific prep workshops.
No matter which format you choose, a solid OAT prep program should include all of the following:
Most students need 10-16 weeks of dedicated prep to see significant score improvements. Here's a realistic framework:
With several solid options available, picking one comes down to a few honest questions about yourself:
Do you need accountability or just resources? If you're disciplined and self-motivated, a quality self-paced program like OAT Bootcamp or Chad's Videos will cover everything you need. If you know from experience that you won't open a textbook without a deadline, a live course or tutor is worth the extra cost.
Where are your weakest sections? Take a free diagnostic or review your undergraduate transcripts. If organic chemistry is your weakest subject, prioritize programs with strong ochem content (Chad's Videos specifically is renowned here). If reading comprehension is costing you points, look for programs with passage strategy instruction.
What's your budget? A $200 self-paced program + dedicated practice tests is genuinely sufficient for many students. There's no evidence that spending $1,500 on a live course produces better scores on average — it just adds structure. Spend what your situation actually requires.
How much time do you have? If you're testing in 8 weeks, a live course's 12-week curriculum won't fit. Self-paced gives you flexibility to accelerate. If you have 6 months, a live course followed by self-study review works well.
Paid prep programs have advantages, but plenty of free resources can supplement them — or even replace expensive courses for self-disciplined students:
Understanding target scores makes prep more concrete. OAT scores are reported on a 200-400 scale in each section, with 300 representing the national average.
A well-structured 10-12 week prep program typically produces score improvements of 15-30 points. Your starting baseline and weak-section distribution matter more than the specific program you choose. For deeper strategy, check out the OAT study materials guide covering which textbooks and supplemental resources align with each exam section.
Prep classes teach you the material. Practice tests teach you how to perform under time pressure. These serve different functions — don't confuse them. Students who do extensive content review but minimal timed practice testing often struggle with pacing on exam day, even when they know the material.
Use this ratio as a rough guide: for every 3 hours of content review, spend 1 hour on timed practice questions. And for every 2-3 weeks of content study, take at least one full timed practice test under real conditions (phone away, timer running, no interruptions).
Review every practice question you miss — correct and incorrect answers alike. The explanation for why a wrong choice is wrong is often where the deepest learning happens. That kind of active review is what separates students who improve significantly from those who plateau.