Admissions
Now Enrolling International Students
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Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited institution prior to matriculation into the program
- An overall cumulative GPA above 3.0 with a cumulative science GPA above 3.0 is highly recommended
- Complete the prerequisite courses
- Aggregate scores must be from the same test and be from one of the following admission tests:
- Optometry Admission Test (OAT) 鈥� Recommended overall score of 300 or higher.
- Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) 鈥� Recommended overall score of 500 or higher.
- Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT) 鈥� Recommended overall score of 400 or higher.
- Dental Admissions Test (DAT) 鈥� Recommended overall score of 17.5 or higher.
- GRE 鈥� Recommended overall score of Aggregate Verbal and Quantitative (V+Q) Reasoning 鈮� 298, Analytical Writing 鈮� 3.5
- Send GRE scores via the code: 0135
- Admission Test Scores: The highest score will be accepted if a test is taken multiple times.
Completion of all listed prerequisites is required prior to starting the program.
Strongly Recommended:
- Strongly recommended shadowing an optometrist
- strongly recommended to get > 100 hours of direct patient contact experience
- Strongly recommended to include volunteer/service experience
Application Materials
- Completed OptomCAS application
You will submit all application materials within your OptomCAS application. These materials will include:- Official transcripts* from bachelor鈥檚 degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Official test scores from applicable admissions test
- Resume or CV detailing education, employment, volunteer service, and scholarly activity
- Statement of professional goals
- Three letters of recommendation: At least 1 from an OD is strongly recommended
To be eligible for the Doctor of Optometry program, students must be able to:
- Attend and participate in classes for 30 or more hours per week during each academic semester.听 Classes consist of a combination of lecture, discussion, laboratory, and clinical activities.
- Use auditory, tactile, and visual senses to receive classroom instruction and to evaluate and treat patients.
- Read, write, speak, and understand English at a level consistent with successful course completion and development of positive patient-therapist relationships.
- Complete readings, assignments, and other activities outside of class hours.
- Apply critical thinking processes to their work in the classroom and the clinic.
- Exercise sound judgment in class and in the clinic.
- Participate in Clinical Experiences which typically require students to be present 40 or more hours per week on a schedule that corresponds to the operating hours of the clinic.
- Gather decision-making pieces of information during patient assessment activities in class or in the clinical setting without the use of an intermediary (classmate, aide, etc.).
- Perform treatment activities in class or in the clinical setting by direct performance or by instruction and supervision of intermediaries.
- Sit for two to 10 hours daily, stand for one to two hours daily, and walk or travel for two hours daily. In clinical situations, alternately sit, stand, and walk up to 10 hours daily.
- Frequently听lift weights less than 10 pounds and听occasionally听lift weights between 10 and 25 pounds.
- Be able to accommodate the full use of a table-mounted slit-lamp device and a binocular indirect microscope on a patient.
- Frequently听twist, bend and stoop.
- Occasionally听squat, crawl, climb stools, reach above shoulder level, and kneel.
- Frequently听move from place to place and position to position at a speed that permits safe handling of classmates and patients.
- Frequently听stand and walk while providing support to a classmate simulating a disability or while supporting a patient with a disability.
- Occasionally听climb stairs and negotiate uneven terrain.
Other Requirements
Vaccinations
Clinical Requirements
黑料专区 Optometry students are required to complete a background check and upload听immunization documentation to participate in their clinical education. 黑料专区 has partnered with Sentry MD to provide a convenient and efficient health document tracking solution. The cost of the background check and immunization tracking is at the expense of the student.
Students will be instructed on how to set up their Sentry MD account during the first week of classes. Below is a list of required immunizations:
TB Skin test within 12 months
HepB vaccine series and antibody titer
MMR vaccine series or titers
Varicella vaccine series or titer
Tdap Vaccine within 10 years
NOTE: Immunization requirements for clinical education are set by the external clinic sites. Classroom and lab participation will not be limited by missing immunizations. However, clinical education opportunities may be unavailable if a student is missing any of the immunizations listed above. 黑料专区 is not responsible for any restrictions on a student’s education due to immunization requirements. Failure to be eligible for clinical education could result in dismissal from the program.
Tech Requirements
Technology Requirements
Background and Purpose
The healthcare industry is heavily reliant on technology and on providers who are proficient in utilizing technology. As a result, 黑料专区 of Health Professions requires extensive utilization of electronic devices for its programs. The purpose of this document is to define minimum technology requirements for students to ensure they are equipped with the hardware and software necessary to facilitate their participation and success in all facets of their education.
Laptop Computer*
Students are required to secure a personal computer for use during the course of their studies that adheres to the below minimum requirements (*this does not apply to students in the Optometry OD program.)听
Operating System (OS)
- For PC: Windows 10
- For Mac: macOS 13 (Ventura) or higher听
Specifications
- Processor: Apple – M1 Chip or better. Windows – Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5 or better
- Memory: 8 GB or more
- Storage: 128 GB Flash Solid-State Drive (256GB or more recommended)
- Display: 13 inches or larger (retina display 12-inch is acceptable)
- WiFi Connectivity: 802.11ac or higher
- Camera: Built-in high resolution (720p or better), internal or external
Buying Recommendations
Required Software
Your computer must have these systems installed:
- Adobe PDF Reader
- An anti-virus program* 鈥↖f you don鈥檛 already have one installed, we recommend Sophos
*Note: You should have only ONE anti-virus program installed; multiple installations can be troublesome.
High Speed Internet
- The connection should be a Cable/DSL broadband connection or better. We recommend having a minimum of 10 mbps download and 2 mbps upload. You can check your download and upload speeds at Speedtest.
- Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) must be reliable. Please note that wireless connections can be unstable; wired Ethernet connections should be used whenever possible. If the speed of your connection is inadequate, contact your ISP to upgrade to a higher-level service.听
Internet Browser
- Due to its integration with G Suite, we recommend Google Chrome.
- We recommend you also have the Mozilla Firefox browser available, as a backup.听
Programs Not Using These Requirements
Applicable to all new students except the PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT (PA) program. Check PA program technology policy for reference.
LAST UPDATED: July 2024.
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Course
Credits
Human Anatomy 3
Human anatomy course covering all body regions and systems designed for Biology or Physiology majors.听 Taking the lab for this course is highly recommended.
NOTE:听a two-semester combined Human Anatomy and Physiology course series is acceptable.
Human Physiology 3
Course covering human physiologic processes designed for Biology or Physiology majors.听 Taking the lab for this course is highly recommended.
NOTE:听a two-semester combined Human Anatomy and Physiology course series is acceptable
General Biology4
General biology course designed for Biology or Physiology majors. Taking a lab for this course is highly recommended.
NOTE:听if the course and lab does not equate to 4 or more semester credits, a molecular or cellular biology course must also be completed.
Microbiology 3
Chemistry I & II 8
Eight credits of chemistry. Taking a lab for these courses is highly recommended.
College Algebra or Higher3
100-level or higher course covering the foundations of Algebra. A calculus course fulfills this requirement. AP credit or ACT/SAT scores (ACT 28 or SAT 680 on the math portion) may also count toward this requirement.
Additional Recommended Courses
Psychology3
A 100-level or higher introductory or abnormal psychology course. Both are highly recommended.
NOTE: Human Lifespan and Development will NOT count as the Psychology prerequisite.
Physics6
This course does not have to be one designed for Physics majors.听 Taking this course is highly recommended.
NOTE:听though not mandatory, application scoring will improve with successful completion and high performance more importantly, these courses help better prepare students for the rigors of the optometry program coursework.
Medical Terminology1
Genetics or Cellular Biology3
Though not required, taking at least one of these courses is highly recommended.
NOTE:听though not mandatory, application scoring will improve with successful completion and high performance more importantly, these courses help better prepare students for the rigors of the optometry program coursework.
Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry6
Though not required, taking at least one of these courses is highly recommended.
NOTE:听though not mandatory, application scoring will improve with successful completion and high performance more importantly, these courses help better prepare students for the rigors of the optometry program coursework.
Prerequisite Performance
Prerequisite Timeline Requirements
To be considered for the 黑料专区 optometry program, each prerequisite course must have been completed within ten years of the cohort start date. Additionally, credits must have been earned from a regionally accredited institution and be verifiable through official transcripts.
Check Prerequisites
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Application Process
Step 1:
听Complete an application using Optometry Centralized Application System (OptomCAS).
Step 2:
Once submitted and verified by CAS, applicants will be reviewed by the program-specific Admissions Selection Committee.
Step 3:
As part of the review, some applicants will be selected to participate in an interview.
Step 4:
Following the interview, the program will release an admission decision.
Step 5:
听If accepted, you’ll need to review and sign the enrollment agreement and submit an enrollment deposit in order for the Admissions office to process your enrollment.