The OAT Explained: Sections, Scoring, and How Optometry Schools Use It

What the OAT is and who runs it

The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is the standardized admission test used for applying to Doctor of Optometry (OD) programs. The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is the governing body for the OAT, and the test itself is administered by the Department of Testing Services (DTS), a shared service of the American Dental Association.

The OAT is computer-based and delivered year-round at Prometric test centers across the US and its territories, plus select Canadian locations. It is entirely multiple-choice and designed to measure the general academic ability and science knowledge relevant to optometry study.

OAT results are accepted by optometry schools in the US, and each school decides how heavily to weigh them. This guide walks through the four sections, the score scale, and the two composite scores admissions committees look at most — so you understand what your score report will show and how it is read.

The four sections

The OAT is a battery of four tests. The first, the Survey of the Natural Sciences, is a single section covering three sciences — biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry — with the questions grouped by subject within it. The other three sections are Reading Comprehension, Physics, and Quantitative Reasoning.

Reading Comprehension presents academic passages with questions based on the passage content, testing your ability to read and reason from scientific text rather than prior knowledge. Physics covers standard introductory-physics topics. Quantitative Reasoning covers areas such as algebra, numerical calculations, probability and statistics, geometry, trigonometry, and applied word problems.

The exact number of questions and the time allotted per section are published in the official OAT Guide and can be updated, so confirm the current structure there before you build a study plan. What is stable is the shape: four multiple-choice sections, one of which bundles the three natural sciences.

• Survey of the Natural Sciences — biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry.
• Reading Comprehension — questions answered from academic passages provided in the test.
• Physics — introductory-physics topics.
• Quantitative Reasoning — algebra, statistics/probability, geometry, trigonometry, and applied problems.

How the OAT is scored: the 200–400 scale

The OAT reports standard scores, not raw counts or percentages. Each section score falls on a scale from 200 to 400, reported in 10-point increments, and is based on the number of questions you answer correctly. Because they are standard scores, they let schools compare your performance against other test-takers.

There is no single official "passing" score — optometry schools set their own expectations. As a reference point, published information notes that the scores are scaled so that the middle of the range represents an average performance across test-takers; the OAT Guide and ASCO materials describe the current normative details, which you should read directly rather than relying on a remembered figure.

Because the score scale and its statistical properties are defined by the testing program and can be refined, always confirm the current scale and score interpretation on the official OAT materials when you plan your target.

The two composites schools focus on: Academic Average and Total Science

Beyond the individual section scores, the OAT report includes two composite scores that admissions committees look at most closely. The Academic Average is an overall figure that combines the standard scores across the sections, giving a single number for general academic performance.

The Total Science score reflects performance specifically in the sciences — the biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry content — that underpins optometry study. Together, the Academic Average and Total Science scores are the numbers most commonly discussed when schools review a file.

Still, these composites are only part of the picture. Admissions committees review applicants holistically, weighing the OAT alongside GPA, prerequisite coursework, letters of recommendation, shadowing or clinical exposure, activities, and the personal statement. A strong OAT can strengthen an application, but no score guarantees admission.

Scheduling, retakes, and getting scores to schools

You register for the OAT through the official OAT program, then schedule a seat at a Prometric center. Because it is offered year-round, you have flexibility — but popular dates near application cycles fill, so book early relative to your intended application timeline.

An unofficial score preview is typically available at the test center right after you finish, while official scores are transmitted to the optometry schools you designate within a few weeks. Confirm the exact reporting window and how to designate schools in the official OAT instructions.

Retakes are allowed subject to the program's rules, which include waiting periods between attempts and limits over a set window. Because these policies and any fees change, check the current retake and fee details on the official OAT site before you plan a second attempt.

• Register through the official OAT program and schedule at a Prometric center.
• An unofficial preview is usually available immediately; official scores reach schools within a few weeks.
• Retake rules include waiting periods and window limits — verify current policy and fees on the official OAT site.

How the OAT fits into an optometry application

The OAT is one required piece of a broader application. Most US optometry programs are applied to through the centralized OptomCAS application service, where your OAT scores sit alongside transcripts, prerequisites, recommendations, experiences, and essays.

Because each program sets its own expectations, use official program pages to understand where the OAT sits in their review and what else they prioritize. Do not treat any single number as a cutoff unless a school publishes one — many describe ranges and holistic review instead.

The practical plan: confirm the current test structure and scoring in the official OAT Guide, target strong section performance (especially the science content that feeds the Total Science composite), give yourself time for a possible retake, and verify each program's specific requirements on its own page. This is general guidance, not a guarantee of admission.