For those who want to be optometrists in the future, performing well in the OAT is a must especially if your dream school requires you to take it. The Optometrist Admission Test or OAT is an exam that assesses a student’s potential for success in optometry education programs. As such optometry schools use the OAT as a means of telling whether or not the applicant should be admitted into their program.
So if you want to be an optometrist, you have to perform well in the OAT so that you will not only get accepted in optometry education programs but also get into the best optometry schools in the country. In that case, you need to use only the best OAT prep books you can find on the market. Here are what we believe are the OAT study guides that can best help prepare you for the OAT.
If you want to just get back to studying, get our top choice for OAT prep book here.
Last update: 2024-04-27
Our Favorite for Best Overall OAT Prep Book (the best out of the bunch)
Kaplan OAT by Kaplan Test Prep
Kaplan is a worldwide leader in the test prep industry and is known as an excellent source of study guides concerning the medical field. As such, Kaplan OAT is as high-quality an OAT review book as you can get because this is one resource that provides you with just about anything you need to get the job done.
Kaplan OAT simply has it all. It gives you a comprehensive content review of all of the topics covered by the OAT. That portion of the book is as thorough as it gets because of how full of information it is. It leaves no stone unturned when providing you with a review of all of the fundamentals you need to know by heart to get a good score in the OAT. So, in that sense, it is great for reinforcing your fundamental knowledge.
There are a lot of useful tools you can use in this OAT study guide but one of the more useful ones was the “cheat sheet” that comes with it. This cheat sheet is composed of 16 tear-out study sheets that are easy to bring. They contain all of the important concepts and information all condensed into digestible and very readable formats so that you can study on the go and memorize what you need to even when you are on the road.
The OAT practice tests that come with this study material are very useful in the sense that they follow a similar flow and questioning style as the actual OAT itself. That means that you can easily adjust yourself to the real OAT because you already know what kind of questions you will be encountering when you get to the actual thing.
And if there are questions you seemingly cannot answer no matter how hard you try, this is the best OAT study material to use if you want to learn how to get around such questions. The test-taking strategies in this OAT prep book allow you to “cheat” your way through some of the toughest questions you can find in the real OAT so that you do not have to waste time thinking hard about the answers.
Overall, Kaplan OAT is the complete package and can be the one book you will need to get a good score in the OAT. You will be able to know and learn everything that is essential for you to do well in the OAT as this is arguably the perfect resource any student needs for that test.
What makes it unique:
- It approaches your review in the most complete manner possible.
- The book comes with cheat sheets that you can carry around if you want to study on the go.
Why choose this book:
- This OAT prep book can be the only book you will need to do well and stand out in the OAT.
- The OAT practice test questions in this study guide are pretty much similar to the ones in the actual exam.
- Kaplan Test Prep (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 1104 Pages - 12/04/2018 (Publication Date) - Kaplan Grad Test Prep (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-04-27
The Runners-Up for Best OAT Exam Prep Books (still good but a little lacking)
Cracking the OAT by Princeton Review
If you have heard about Princeton Review, then you most likely have heard about their Cracking line of prep books. This well-known publisher also has an excellent material you can use for the OAT as Cracking the OAT a study material that is effective at equipping you with the proper knowledge and tools to get a good score in the OAT.
While this OAT study material includes a good content review of the topics covered by the OAT, it particularly stands out in the Physics section. Everything you need to know and memorize has been outlined perfectly so that it will be easier for you to absorb all of the equations and the application of the principles that are essential for you to get a good score in the OAT.
Other than that, this OAT prep book is also very detailed and outstanding at providing you with all of the necessary information about the test and what you need to expect when preparing and taking the OAT. It also helps in guiding you through the entire process of preparing for the OAT.
As mentioned, it mostly focuses on the Physics section of the OAT. In that regard, it has a lot of good OAT practice questions concerning Physics. And the good thing about those questions is that there are clear and very detailed step-by-step guides on how to get to the right answer.
Overall, this book may not be the most comprehensive or most complete OAT study material but it is effective nonetheless especially if you are particularly weak in Physics. It is also recommended that you pair this up with Cracking the DAT, which extensively covers the rest of the topics, to make sure you perform well in the OAT.
What makes it unique:
- It focuses primarily on topics related to Physics.
- The Physics-related OAT practice questions guide you through a step-by-step process that is easy to understand.
Why choose this book:
- If you find yourself struggling in Physics and you want a good OAT prep book that can help you understand those topics in the simplest way possible, this should be your top book of choice.
- Choose this (and Cracking the DAT) for a more extensive content review of the topics covered by the OAT.
- The Princeton Review (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 528 Pages - 10/16/2018 (Publication Date) - Princeton Review (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-04-27
OAT Prep Book 2019 & 2020: OAT Test Prep Secrets Study Guide, Full-Length Practice Test, Step-by-Step Review Video Tutorials: (Updated for the 2019 Candidate Guide) by Mometrix
Made by Mometrix, a giant in the test prep industry, OAT Prep Book 2019 & 2020 that is one of the more ideal study OAT study guides you should use for your preparation. It stays up to date when it comes to the information it provides you and is always at the forefront of new test-taking strategies that are essential in knowing how to get the answers right without even knowing them.
At just 511 pages, it is a lot more condensed than some of the other books on this list. However, it is anything but lacking in terms of content. The way the topics are described and explained is so easy to follow for any kind of student as the book was clearly written by experts who know what the field of optometry is all about. In that sense, it is very easy to read through the content review section.
Another thing that makes this book stand out is the section on the test-taking strategies. This OAT study guide does not simply teach you the fundamentals of the topics you need to learn to perform well in the test. Instead, it actually guides you on how to use your knowledge so that you can answer the OAT test questions more efficiently.
This OAT prep material also allows you to apply the different test-taking strategies by having you go through simulations. As such, you can better answer the actual OAT questions even though you actually do not know the answer to the questions. In a way, it helps you understand how the test questions are crafted so that you can tell which of the choices are wrong and which are correct.
What makes it unique:
- It specializes in teaching you the proper application of your knowledge.
- The simulations in the test allow you to practice the test-taking strategies.
Why choose this book:
- It is a good OAT study guide to use especially if you are looking for a different angle while reviewing for the test.
- Choose this book for its test-taking strategies as you can get tips you probably will not be able to find in other resources.
- Mometrix Optometry School Admissions Test Team (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 511 Pages - 08/16/2019 (Publication Date) - Mometrix Media LLC (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-04-27
The Best Value for Your Money for an OAT Prep Book (good and affordable)
OAT Practice Questions by Mometrix
One of the cheapest OAT prep books you can find in the market, OAT Practice Questions by Mometrix is actually a companion material to OAT Secrets Study Guide but is actually a material you can use in conjunction with any other good book. As the title of this book suggests, it focuses entirely on OAT practice test questions.
This OAT prep book is 144 pages full of OAT practice questions that are designed to not only mimic the actual test but to also help train your knowledge and your test-taking skills. So if you are looking for an OAT study guide that you can use to improve the way you answer test questions, this is a good choice for you.
Aside from that, the questions are structured and arranged very well in the sense that they are organized according to topics. So if you are looking for questions related to a specific topic you are particularly weak at, you will easily find them and put more time and effort into answering such questions to improve your weak points.
Overall, this is an OAT study material that is best for those who are looking for something that improves the way they answer the test. It is also an ideal choice for anyone who wants something that is affordable yet still very helpful as an OAT prep book.
What makes it unique:
- It focuses only on OAT practice questions.
- The OAT sample questions are arranged per topic.
Why choose this book:
- Using an OAT practice book is essential if you want to fully hone your test-answering skills.
- It is not only affordable but super helpful if you feel like your other OAT prep materials did not have enough practice questions.
- OAT Exam Secrets Test Prep Team (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 02/14/2013 (Publication Date) - Mometrix Media LLC (Publisher)
Last update: 2024-04-27
Summary of the Best OAT Prep Books
To sum up, here are the prep books we looked at today:
Last update: 2024-04-27
While there are no passing or failing marks for the OAT, it still does not mean that you do not have to do your best when taking the exam. Remember that the OAT is a test that optometry schools use to measure your aptitude and potential to do well in optometry programs. As such, it is important for you to get the highest score possible so that you can get admitted to a good school.
Most schools accept OAT scores that are at least 325. However, the best schools usually require you to have scores of over 350 or somewhere above the 75th percentile. In that case, if you want to get into the best optometry schools in the country, you should use the best OAT prep books.
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