OAT practice test, OAT practice questions and OAT prep for the Optometry Admission Test

The OAT is administered by the ADA Department of Testing Services and recognized by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry. It is computer-based, taken at Prometric test centers, and made up of 230 multiple-choice questions across four sections. The Survey of the Natural Sciences is 100 questions covering Biology (40), General Chemistry (30) and Organic Chemistry (30). Reading Comprehension is 50 questions across three science passages, and no outside knowledge is needed. Physics is 40 questions, and Quantitative Reasoning is 40 questions. Actual testing time is about 4 hours 5 minutes; with the optional 15-minute tutorial, an optional 30-minute break and a 15-minute post-test survey, plan for roughly 5 hours at the center.

• Survey of the Natural Sciences: 100 questions (Bio 40, Gen Chem 30, Org Chem 30)
• Reading Comprehension: 50 questions, three science passages
• Physics: 40 questions, and Quantitative Reasoning: 40 questions
• About 4 hours 5 minutes of testing, roughly 5 hours total

The OAT reports standard scores from 200 to 400 for each section, where 300 is the national mean, at roughly the 50th percentile, with a standard deviation of about 40. Two composite numbers matter most to schools. Your Academic Average is the mean of your six standard scores across Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning. Total Science is a single standard score built from your combined performance on Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physics. There is no passing score: each optometry school decides what it considers competitive, and admissions weigh your GPA, experience and the rest of your application alongside the OAT.

• 200 to 400 standard-score scale, 300 is the national mean
• Academic Average is the mean of all six section scores
• Total Science combines Biology, both Chemistries and Physics
• No passing score; each school sets its own expectations

On the 200 to 400 scale, the national average Academic Average is around 300, near the 50th percentile. A score of 320 or higher is a widely cited competitive target, roughly the average AA of admitted students across many programs, and 330 to 340 sits near the 90th percentile and is competitive for the most selective schools. Those percentile mappings come from the OAT normative data; the word competitive is interpretation, because no school publishes a hard cutoff. Matriculant averages have trended up toward the low 310s in recent years, so the practical target is at or above the median score of the schools you are actually applying to, then let the rest of your application carry weight.

• National average Academic Average is about 300 (50th percentile)
• 320 or higher is generally considered competitive
• 330 to 340 (about the 90th percentile) is strong for top programs
• No school publishes a hard cutoff, so target each school's median

If you are choosing between optometry and dentistry, or just cross-reading prep, the single distinction to keep straight is this: the OAT has a Physics section and no Perceptual Ability Test, while the DAT has the Perceptual Ability Test and no Physics. Both exams come from the same ADA testing service and share Biology, General and Organic Chemistry, Reading Comprehension and a quantitative section, so most of your science prep transfers. Neither exam is universally harder. If you are strong in physics, the OAT may suit you; if you excel at spatial reasoning, the DAT's Perceptual Ability Test may feel easier. Note the OAT is scored 200 to 400 while the DAT moved to a 200 to 600 scale in 2025, so do not compare the raw numbers.

The OAT fee is approximately $510 to $520 and is non-refundable, and it includes score reports to the schools you select when you apply. Confirm the current figure at oat.ada.org before you register, since it updates yearly. On retakes, you must wait at least 90 days between test dates, and after three or more attempts you must apply for permission to retest, with later attempts limited to once per 12-month period; your four most recent scores are reported. Most students study for about 8 to 12 weeks, built around content review followed by full-length practice and heavy question volume rather than passive re-reading. Because a low score can follow your application, thorough practice before the first sitting is the cheapest path.

• Fee about $510 to $520, non-refundable; verify at oat.ada.org
• At least a 90-day wait between attempts
• Three or more attempts require permission to retest
• Plan roughly 8 to 12 weeks of question-heavy study