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 schedule a meeting with Paul Crosby by calling 864-3500, and 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. Although a bachelor's degree is not always required, most people complete a bachelor's degree before entering optometry school. Although most of the requirements are science courses, 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

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

Some schools require, and most recommend one semester of:
• Anatomy & Lab, e.g, BIOL 510 Comparative Anatomy or BIOL 240 Human Anatomy and BIOL 241 Lab
• Physiology & Lab, e.g., BIOL 646 Mammalian Physiology & 647 Lab
• Biochemistry & Lab, e.g., BIOL 600 Introductory Biochemistry & 637 Lab

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. In the spring of your junior year, call 864-3500, and schedule an application meeting with Paul Crosby. You will start a recommendation file, and review the application process. See www.medadvising.ku.edu/letters.shtml.

2. Register for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) through a link at www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3444, and thoroughly review and practice for the test. Most people take it in May between their junior and senior years.

3. In the summer between your junior and senior year, request and complete applications for the schools to which you are applying, www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3336.

4. You should give your writers an August 1st deadline for sending their letters to the University Career Center. Check with Charlotte Leonard, 110 Burge Union, (785) 864-7680, cleonard@ku.edu, to make sure all of your letters arrive.

When your letter file is complete, you need to pay Charlotte a flat fee of $35 to have your letters posted on VirtualEvals, and give her a list of schools to which you'd like your letters released. For more information, see www.medadvising.ku.edu/letters.shtml.

5. In the fall and winter of your senior year, complete interviews. For more information, see www.medadvising.ku.edu/interviews.shtml.