As spring approaches, the excitement of completing optometry school begins to build, but with it comes the challenge of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO) Part I exam. This milestone can feel daunting, but it’s also an incredible opportunity to showcase everything you’ve learned and prove your readiness to step into the world of optometry. With this approaching, many questions may arise such as “What do I study?”, “When do I study?”, “How do I study?” and more. While these three questions could fill pages worth of answers, and some students feel they cannot afford prep materials, this letter will discuss options available to optometry students in terms of alternative studying resources for NBEO Part I.
Often, students think they must purchase a package from multiple companies in order to perform well on Part I. These packages can be extremely pricey and seem to rise in cost every year. Furthermore, the package study modes may not always agree with the students’ learning preferences. Knowing about other options for NBEO study will not only help your bank account, but also help you study the way you know works best for you.
If mounds of sample questions are the way you like to study, then the NBEO itself actually has a resource for you! On their website, you can look up the “Part I ABS Practice Items Databank.” This databank houses real NBEO questions that have been (but are no longer) used in past exams. The databank runs on a subscription basis, which is a cheaper alternative if you’re looking for example questions. Do not forget the NBEO matrix is posted on their website and is an additional resource to use to find out where to start studying.
If you learn best from textbooks, there are many used study books available for sale online for quite low prices. These books do not go through many changes and are likely still up to date on much of the information. Consider these an option if you wish to have a structured review of the topics on Part I. If videos are your thing, don’t forget that for every topic you are reviewing, there are likely 10 videos online ready for you to watch for free! While these videos may or may not go into deep enough detail, they can be great refreshers or summaries of concepts you have not reviewed since first year.
Make sure to use the resources at your school as well! Your professors have all gone through the same trials as you and have plenty of advice to give. You could also ask them to give specific lectures or hold Q/A sessions for whatever topics you need to review. Finally, don’t forget that your own notes may be your best tool for studying for NBEO. You have already spent hundreds of hours studying for exams in those first- and second-year classes, and the notes you took are still there for you.
There are many alternative outlets for studying for ABS Part I available for you. While it may seem like spending money is the only way to perform well, you are more equipped than you realize! Hopefully, this helped to show just a few of the outlets available to you and made the issue of deciding how to study a little more manageable. Now, it’s time to crack open those books and start turning knowledge into success—your optometry journey is waiting!
