OAT Physics study guide
OAT Physics · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) is the standardized exam that optometry schools reference when evaluating applicants, and ASCO's own guidance frames it as a required exam that competitive candidates must score well on alongside pre-professional science coursework. It is aimed at students preparing to apply to a Doctor of Optometry program - a four-year, doctoral-level degree - who typically complete a bachelor's degree with a strong science and laboratory background first. The OAT Physics study guide has 6 sections and about 1,573 words.
01Biology
Biology on the OAT tests molecular and cellular biology, genetics, microbiology, anatomy and physiology, evolution, and ecology. Questions reward mechanism and structure-function reasoning rather than isolated vocabulary.
235 words, about 1 min02General Chemistry
General Chemistry on the OAT tests stoichiometry, atomic structure, bonding, gases, solutions, equilibrium, acids and bases, redox, thermodynamics, kinetics, and electrochemistry. Most items combine a chemical principle with a short calculation.
290 words, about 1 min03Organic Chemistry
Organic Chemistry on the OAT tests structure, nomenclature, functional groups, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, aromatic chemistry, carbonyl chemistry, and spectroscopy. The exam favors recognizing patterns and predicting products rather than memorizing long pathways.
263 words, about 1 min04Reading Comprehension
Reading Comprehension on the OAT tests your ability to understand passages drawn from science and general academic prose. You must identify main ideas, supporting details, inferences, tone, vocabulary in context, and the author’s purpose without relying on outside knowledge.
266 words, about 1 min05Quantitative Reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning on the OAT tests arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, probability, and data interpretation. Items are often word problems that require setting up an equation before calculating.
241 words, about 1 min06Physics
Physics on the OAT is algebra-based and tests mechanics, fluids, waves, optics, electricity and magnetism, and thermodynamics. Success depends on choosing the right principle, keeping units consistent, and using signs correctly.
278 words, about 1 min