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College of Optometry

Admissions

| Academic Prerequisites | Application Procedure | Transfer Students |
| Admission Requirements | Applying for Admission |

The College of Optometry seeks to admit students who are both academically and personally qualified to complete the four-year professional program and to practice optometry in a highly competent, ethical, and responsible manner. Applicants from all states and foreign countries are considered for admission. The majority of openings, however, are awarded to Texas residents and to residents of the contracting states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, and North Carolina.

The Admissions Committee of the college sets policies and procedures for admission and recommends to the dean of the college who shall be admitted. The committee has developed a selection process based on the following criteria: Academic Criteria

1. To be eligible for admission, students must have a grade of "C" or better in each prerequisite course. The College of Optometry will generally not consider applicants unless they have achieved at least a B average for all college work.
   
2. Optometry Admission Test (OAT) scores

1. Biographical information, such as work experiences, educational history, interest in optometry, etc.
   
2. Participation in college and community activities
   
3. Communication skills as evidenced by an interview and written essays
   
4. Letters of reference

Undergraduate grade point average, OAT scores, and the personal criteria listed above are the major determinants of selection.

Academic Prerequisites

Optometric practice is based on concepts of human relations, mature judgment, and mastery of scientific knowledge. Therefore, scholastic preparation for the study of optometry requires a background in the humanities (including English composition and literature, history, and philosophy), the sciences, and mathematics.

To be considered for admission to the College of Optometry, students must have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours of undergraduate study. Most applicants, however, earn baccalaureate degrees prior to enrollment. By the year 2000, a baccalaureate degree will be required for all matriculants. At least 60 semester hours of prerequisite math/science courses must be completed satisfactorily (see Math/Science Requirements). The remaining semester hours must be in the humanities and social sciences (other than psychology). Elective courses that are especially relevant to optometry are listed in the university's Undergraduate Studies catalog.

Students who have not earned a baccalaureate degree prior to enrollment must complete university course requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree before beginning the third year in optometry. Courses in optometry fulfill requirements for total credit hours and for credit hours in a major field of study. University requirements must also be met. Since the first two years in optometry entail full course loads, students are strongly urged to earn a bachelor's degree and to complete the specific baccalaureate degree requirements before entering optometry school (refer to the Undergraduate Studies catalog).

Application Procedure

A fifty dollar ($50), nonrefundable application fee is required. Students must complete an application for admission and must submit all supporting credentials by February 1 prior to the fall semester in which they expect to enter. All admissions material should be sent to the following address: Office of Student Affairs and Admissions

College of Optometry
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-6052

Students are responsible for making sure that all necessary credentials are sent to the college and will not be considered for admission until the required fee is received and all credentials are on file. A complete application consists of the following:

1. A completed application for admission - the application form may be obtained from the College of Optometry.

2. An official transcript of all college work (including grades for the most recently completed courses) sent directly to the college from each institution attended - the college cannot accept transcripts from any source other than the issuing institution. The college recommends that the issuing institution send the transcripts by certified or registered mail in order to ensure proper delivery.

3. Submission of scores on the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) - this test is given two times a year, in October and in February, at testing centers in colleges and universities throughout the United States. More information and an application form may be obtained by writing to the following address:

   Optometry Admission Testing Program 211 East Chicago Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611 (312) 440-2693

   The OAT application should be mailed at least one month before the student plans to take the test. Students are urged to take the test no later than the fall of the year preceding the desired admission date.

4. Letters of recommendation provided by an undergraduate preprofessional committee or by three professors who know the student - letters must be submitted on official college or university stationery. Students may also submit additional letters from optometrists, other health professionals, or personal references. All letters of recommendation must be mailed directly to the college's Office of Student Affairs and Admissions by the originator. Students are welcome to visit the college. The director of the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions will arrange a tour of the college facilities if advance notice is given by mail or phone.

   Applications may be submitted and acted upon before all pre-optometric course requirements have been completed, if it is clear that the requirements will be satisfactorily completed prior to registration. In this case, students must submit, prior to registration, an official transcript documenting satisfactory completion of the remaining requirements.

   Transfer Students

   To be admitted with advanced standing, students must have satisfactorily completed at least one year of course work in a school of optometry accredited by the Council on Education of the American Optometric Association and must submit both an official transcript and a letter from the dean supporting the request for transfer. Unless the student is in the upper half of the class and presents justifiable reasons for requesting a transfer, such requests are ordinarily denied. The transfer student decision is based on space available in the class and compatibility of curricula between the two schools.

   Admission Requirements

   Admittance to the graduate program in physiological optics/vision science normally requires the following:

   1. A Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited academic or professional institution comparable to the Bachelor of Science degree awarded at the University of Houston
      
   2. Sufficient training to undertake graduate study in physiological optics
      
   3. A grade point average of B (3.00) or above in all previous college-level work with particular attention being given to science courses
      
   4. Graduate Record Examination general test
      
   5. Satisfactory evaluation and recommendation by three teachers or others familiar with the applicant's scholarship and research potential
      
   6. Proficiency in speaking and writing English. International students whose native language is not English are expected to score 550 or better on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and 50 or better on the Test of Spoken English (TSE).

   Applying for Admission

   Students start the admission process by submitting a completed application for admission to the graduate program in physiological optics/vision science to this address:

   Dennis M. Levi, O.D., Ph.D.
   Associate Dean
   Graduate Studies and Research
   College of Optometry
   University of Houston
   Houston, Texas 77204-6052

   This office must also receive the following:
   1. Official transcripts of all college courses taken at other institutions
   2. Official notification of Graduate Record Examination scores
      
   3. Three letters of recommendation (see item 5 of Admission Requirements)
      
   4. Official TOEFL and TSE scores where required (see item 6 of Admission Requirements)
      
   5. Appropriate documents requested of international students Application for the graduate program in physiological optics/vision science should be submitted before January 31 prior to the fall semester in which a student expects to enter. Applications for financial support through either teaching or research fellowships should be submitted at the same time.

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   Last updated: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 - 11:38 AM
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