What do optometry schools look for

Preparation and Requirements Generally, colleges of optometry admit students who have demonstrated strong academic commitment and who exhibit the potential to excel in deductive reasoning, interpersonal communication, and empathy.

Potential optometry students may be evaluated on the basis of GPA, performance on the Optometry Admission Test OAT , extracurricular and community activities, personal interview, professional potential, etc. Leadership ability, compassion, and a work ethic characterized by dedication and persistence are just a few of the qualities of successful applicants and optometrists. Each institution has its own criteria; therefore, you should contact the school s or college s of your choice for specific application guidelines.

Optometry: Preparation and Requirements. Application Process There are many steps and requirements to apply to optometry, including admissions exam, personal statement, and letters of recommendation. A GPA that came mostly from full academic terms is preferred. Getting to the second round means that you have qualified to advance in the admissions process, which will involve incorporating more subjective elements of your application.

Going forward, as I discuss each element of your application, I will highlight the qualities that address the Two Questions. Because your interviewer reviews all aspects of your application in advance of the actual interview, you can get a jump on successfully answering these questions ahead of time with a well-submitted application. In this initial review, admissions officers make notes about the same qualities that will be reviewed by the interviewer.

Such professional qualities include: how you paid attention to the various details of filling in the entries, being thorough, double checking grammar, punctuation, content, and completeness. Many applicants make the mistake of laboring over their personal statement for weeks yet neglect to proofread the rest of their application, editing its entirety for completeness and form—desirable qualities in future doctors.

Here are observations about how the various aspects of your application are considered:. I have posted several blog articles on how to write a successful personal statement, which may be found here on this blog. To address the Two Questions , you want to demonstrate that you are personable and compassionate, enjoy solving problems, and that you want to take on the professional responsibilities of being a doctor; that you communicate clearly and concisely. Seek help from a third party to critique your essay, have it done for grammar, punctuation, and content—good editing can assist you to ensure that what you have written communicates what you hoped to convey.

When choosing who will submit LORs on your behalf, the rule of thumb is to select a recommender who knows you best. LORs are more authentic when the recommender shares specific information about you. I would go as far to say that choosing a recommender who does not know you well may even work against you. Choose your recommenders wisely. Consistent Academic Performance in Full Terms: Competitive applicants have consistent academic performance—even in very full terms.

Yes, we often see the non-traditional student who makes a later decision for optometry, and as such, completes prerequisite requirements perhaps even one course a semester. You may not have the advantage of demonstrating that you can perform well academically with a full course load, but you can still demonstrate that you can perform well academically, period.

Academic Performance in Later Terms: Competitive applicants have strong and consistent academic performance in later terms. Your transcript is reviewed for all terms; but especially important is your later work, which often times is completed after you have decided on optometry. It is in these later terms when you know what is at risk should you not be able to perform academically that speaks volumes to us about how seriously you are taking your goal of becoming an optometrist.

Doing the same in undergrad makes you more competitive. It is a comment on the fact that—because the competition is not as stiff—is it easier to get good grades in community college. Fellow students with whom you are curve graded against, in general, are less academically competitive and therefore, you need to show that you are academically competitive within a cohort of community college classmates.

This is a mistake. To answer the Two Questions , admissions officers and interviewers are trying to get the whole picture of who you are as a person. Employment : List any and all employment experience. For the way I personally review applications, this is one of my favorite tabs to review.

I do it right after I read your Personal Essay. First off, I compare the timeline of your employment to your academic terms. Many students are working as many as hours per week and carrying a full academic load, which says indirectly that your time management skills are successful. No job is too menial to list here. List any and all activities, even ones done aside from ones associated with being in school: organized sports participation, individual sport and hobby interests, leadership responsibilities, etc.

Because we are recruiting for students who will work well together in our interprofessional education program where you will train with other MBKU students from other disciplines, participating in group activities is especially important to feature about yourself. Along with the experiences you itemize, you will list your duties, making it clear as to what experiences you have had and if it was a paid position versus an internship versus shadowing.

ACOE is recognized by the U. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation as the accrediting body for optometric educational programs. ASCO advises students against relying on any rankings of the schools in making their decisions. There are numerous factors that enter into a successful match between a student and an optometry school: the size of the school, its location and reduced costs of some schools based on contracts with certain states.

ASCO recommends that applicants review the merits of the school s or college s they might wish to attend and determine which institution will best meet their individual needs. ASCO strongly advises students, if possible, to visit schools in which they have a particular interest. Doctors of Optometry must successfully complete a four-year accredited degree program at one of the schools or colleges of optometry. Most students accepted by a school or college of optometry have completed an undergraduate degree.

However, each institution has its own undergraduate prerequisites, so applicants should contact the school or college of their choice for specific requirements. The requirements for admission to the schools and colleges of optometry vary, but students wishing to study optometry should be certain to take at least a year of biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, general physics, and microbiology; English; college mathematics; and other social science and humanities courses.

The science courses should be pre-professional level courses designed for science majors or health professional students and should offer laboratory experience. Brief survey courses in the sciences will not prepare you for optometry school. Be sure to consult with the pre-optometry advisor at your school or an advisor at the school or college of optometry that you plan to attend. Use the following sample undergraduate curriculum only as a guide. Not all the courses listed below may be required by all schools, and some schools may require other courses not included in this sample.

OptomCAS allows optometry applicants to use a single web-based application and one set of materials to apply to multiple schools and colleges of optometry. Applicants who apply through OptomCAS submit a completed web-based application comprised of biographical data, colleges and universities attended, academic course history, letters of recommendation, work experience, extracurricular activities, honors, and a personal essay.

Generally, colleges of optometry admit students who have demonstrated strong academic commitment and who exhibit the potential to excel in deductive reasoning, interpersonal communication, and empathy.

Potential optometry students may be evaluated on the basis of grade point average, performance on the Optometry Admission Test OAT , extracurricular and community activities, personal interview, professional potential, etc. Leadership ability, a disposition to serve others, and a work ethic characterized by dedication and persistence are just a few of the qualities that impress most admission committees.

Each institution has its own criteria; therefore, you should contact the school s or college s of your choice for specific application guidelines. Click here to view the student profile page , which includes information on applicants, admitted students and recent graduates of optometry. To be eligible to practice optometry in the US, you must hold the Doctor of Optometry degree from a school or college of optometry that is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education.

In addition, you must pass the examinations administered by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and all relevant state licensure examinations. For further information, contact the National Board of Optometry at www. Sponsorship letters will last a period of months and will need to be renewed when the month time period has expired. Please be certain to contact your state board of interest regarding their specific licensure requirements.

All schools and colleges of optometry will accept the OAT. Applicants are encouraged to contact the schools and colleges for their exam requirements.