Pre-Optometry Handout

If you're a prospective student, you can contact the Office of Admissions & Scholarships, (785) 864-3911, www.admissions.ku.edu, to schedule a tour and information meetings.

If you're a KU student, you can call 864-3500 to schedule a meeting with the Premedical Advisor, and you can add the pre-optometry interest code in 109 Strong Hall to receive messages about club meetings and other information.

For more information, see our pre-optometry web site at www.medadvising.ku.edu/optometry.

Pre-Optometry is a career interest, rather than a major or formal program. Most people complete a bachelor’s degree before entering optometry school. Although most requirements are sciences, you can choose any major.

Optometry schools require two semesters of English, math, and:
• Biology & Lab, for example, BIOL 150 and BIOL 152
• Chemistry & Lab, e.g., CHEM 184 and CHEM 188
• Physics & Lab, e.g., PHSX 114 and PHSX 115, OR 211 and 212

Most schools also require one semester of:
• Calculus, e.g, MATH 115 (Berkeley and New England require 2 semesters)
• Microbiology & Lab, e.g., BIOL 400 & 402
• Psychology, e.g., PSYC 104 General Psychology (Missouri requires 2 semesters)
• Statistics, e.g., BIOL 570 (Texas wants research methods)
• Organic Chemistry & Lab, e.g., CHEM 622 & 625 (Berkeley and Michigan require 2 semesters: CHEM 624, 625, 626 & 627)

Some schools require, and most recommend one semester of:
• Anatomy & Lab, e.g, BIOL 440, 510, OR 240 & 241
• Physiology & Lab, e.g., BIOL 646 & 647, OR 246 & 247
• Biochemistry, e.g., BIOL 600

For a summary of requirements at different optometry schools, see www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3450. Some accept other KU courses or allow substitutions, so it is important to seek advice directly from their admissions offices, www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3336.

Here is one way of sequencing the courses required for Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee:

Career Information. For a well-written introduction, look at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook at: www.bls.gov/oco/ocos073.htm.

Interview optometrists to find out what they do, what they like and dislike about their jobs, and what advice they have for people preparing to enter the profession. Most successful candidates have experience working in an optometry office. For more information on getting experience, see www.medadvising.ku.edu/optometry/optexperience.shtml.

Optometry School Admissions. Your probability of admission to optometry school will depend on your academic performance, Optometry Admission Test (OAT) scores, experience working with optometrists and other activities, recommendation letters, ability to communicate both in writing and in an interview, and your legal state residency.

For Kansas residents, there are contract programs at the University of Missouri-St. Louis School of Optometry, Northeastern State University of Oklahoma College of Optometry and the Southern College of Optometry.

Applying. If you plan to enter optometry school immediately after your senior year, you should begin the application process in your junior year!

1. Application Meeting. In the spring of your junior year, call 864-3500, and schedule an application meeting with Paul Crosby to talk through the entire process.

2. Optometry Admission Test (OAT). Register for the OAT at www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3444, and thoroughly review and practice for the test. Most people take the OAT in late May, immediately after their junior year.

3. Optometry Central Application Service (OptomCAS). The OptomCAS application will be available on July 15th at www.optomcas.org. You will have your recommendation letters and transcripts sent to OptomCAS. Different optometry schools have different deadlines. It would be ideal to complete this stage of the application by August 1st.

4. Supplemental Applications. After optometry schools receive your OptomCAS information, they will have you complete supplemental applications. Different schools have different deadlines. It would be ideal to complete these by August 15th.

5. Interviews. In the fall and winter of the senior year, optometry schools invite you for interviews. For more information, see www.medadvising.ku.edu/interviews.shtml. You can call 864-3500 to schedule a practice interview with the premedical advisor.