Pre-Professional/ Pre-Requisite Courses
A candidate for admission to SCO is required to present at least three years of undergraduate work that includes a minimum of 90 semester (or 135 quarter) hours. A minimum of 30 semester (or 45 quarter) hours must be completed at a four-year college or university.
The following courses or their equivalents must be completed prior to enrollment:
ENGLISH
One year (or two semesters) of college-level courses in Composition or Literature will satisfy this requirement. (Speech/Oral Communication does not fulfill this requirement.)
PSYCHOLOGY
One college-level course in General or Introductory Psychology will satisfy this requirement. Additional courses in Perception and Learning will be helpful in the study of optometry.
SOCIAL SCIENCE
One year (or two semesters) of college-level courses in any of the Social Sciences is required.
MATHEMATICS
One college-level Calculus course is required. If a student
has successfully completed a Calculus course, they will not have to take any other lowerlevel undergraduate math courses for our requirements (i.e., Algebra, Trigonometry, etc.).
STATISTICS
A college-level introductory course in Statistics is required. Statistics courses taken in any department (Psychology, Education, Biology, Business, etc.) will be accepted.
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE
One year (or two semesters) of college-level General Biology or Zoology — plus one course in Microbiology or Bacteriology — is required. Each course must include a lab component. Additional courses in Comparative Anatomy and Physiology are highly recommended.
CHEMISTRY
One year (or two semesters) of Inorganic (General) Chemistry and one course in Organic Chemistry are required. Each course must include a lab component.
One course in either Biochemistry or Molecular Biology is also required; however, no lab component is required with either course.
PHYSICS
One year (or two semesters) of college-level General Physics courses, with appropriate laboratories, is required.
SCO accepts algebra-based, trigonometry-based and calculus-based courses.
Be a Competitive Applicant
1 Submit your application early in the admissions cycle. Since we grant acceptances on a rolling admissions basis, competition becomes much more intense later in the process.
2 Submit all supporting documents as soon as they are available. An admission interview, which is required before an acceptance offer can be granted, will not be given until the applicant file is completed.
3 Complete your bachelor’s degree. While a degree is not required for admission, only 5% of SCO’s students have been accepted without a bachelor’s degree. Having one makes for a stronger application.
4 Collect required letters of recommendation.
SCO requires a minimum of two letters of recommendation: one from a
pre-health advisor or natural science professor, and one from a nonrelative optometrist with whom the applicant has worked or shadowed.
5 Become familiar with the profession. Learn about the different modes of practice by shadowing or working in multiple offices; reading optometric journals; viewing online panels and conferences; and researching the legislative procedures for state licensure. Your level of exposure and experience in the field is very important in the admissions process, especially during the interview. You will also need to detail your experiences in your OptomCAS application.
6 Volunteer or join service organizations. Active participation in worthwhile causes and demonstrated leadership abilities are important factors in the admissions process.
Complete your application thoroughly.
OptomCAS will be able to answer questions about application items submitted to them; however, feel free to contact SCO’s Admissions Office for questions regarding the supplemental application or your application status. Maintaining contact allows us to get to know applicants, as well as ensuring that all needed information is on file.
Submitting Your Application
SCO participates in the centralized application service known as OptomCAS. We also have a required supplemental application that can be accessed via sco.edu/apply. Applications open on June 30 of each year, and applications close on March 1. OptomCAS charges a $185 application fee to apply to one school, and a $75 fee for each additional school. SCO’s supplemental application fee is $50.
Please note: All documents submitted in support of an application for admission become the property of the college and cannot be returned. The college reserves the right to reject an application which is not properly submitted.
Application materials for SCO are submitted in two ways: through OptomCAS and directly to SCO.
DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED THROUGH OPTOMCAS:
• Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges.
• Two letters of recommendation:
One from a pre-health advisor or natural science professor.
One from a non-relative doctor of optometry with whom the applicant has worked or shadowed.
• Official Admission Test scores.
(Please note: All exams must be administered by the application deadline.)
DOCUMENTS SUBMITTED DIRECTLY TO SCO:
• SCO supplemental application and fee.
• Certification of State Residency (if applicant is from a state participating in the SREB Contract Program).
A list of residency certification officers will be provided upon receipt of a student’s complete application. The list is also available on our website at sco.edu/stateresidencycertificationofficers
If a candidate reflects either of the below circumstances, they should contact the Admissions Office before applying:
• GPA of less than 2.50.
• Previous enrollment in another optometry school or health professions school.
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SCO can be reached at 800.238.0180 or 901.722.3224 or admissions@ sco.edu
The Admission Test
SCO’s standardized test preference is the OAT (Optometry Admission Test). It is our professional opinion that this exam serves as the best predictor of an applicant’s academic success in optometry school. The OAT is conducted by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry and is used by all optometry schools for applicants seeking admission. It is a multiple-choice test covering six areas: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension.
The OAT scoring scale ranges from 200 to 400 in all six areas, as well as an Academic Average score and Total Science score. While there are no strict passing or failing scores, an Academic Average of 320 signifies average performance on a national basis. The OAT averages for SCO’s entering classes have consistently been around 340. Anyone with an Academic Average below 310 and/or inconsistent sub-scores, should contact the Admissions Office for individual counseling.
SCO applicants may take the OAT an unlimited number of times; however, after the third attempt, a school or college of optometry must recommend a retake. Although we will review all of your scores, we will place the greatest significance on your exam with the highest academic average. Scores more than two years old are not acceptable.
Candidates can register to take the OAT online at ada.org/en/oat
While the OAT is the most preferred test for the admissions process, SCO will accept MCAT and/or GRE scores in lieu of the OAT in certain circumstances. In order for MCAT or GRE scores to be considered competitive, the following parameters must be met:
• SCO considers competitive scores for the MCAT to be 125 in each section with a minimum of 500 overall or 150 in each section. A minimum 300 overall for the GRE is recommended.
• An overall GPA of 3.5 is recommended.
• A candidate who has taken the OAT must provide the OAT score and cannot use any previous or subsequent MCAT/GRE scores to “replace” an OAT score. In other words, your OAT will be given preference over any MCAT/GRE scores, and an MCAT will be given preference over a GRE.
For more information about the OAT or other entrance exams accepted by SCO, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@sco.edu or call (800)-238-0180.
Regionaland Non-Regional Admissions
SCO is one of the most regionally diverse optometry schools in the nation. For the 2022-2023 academic year, the student population represented 45 states, Canada and China.
The college accepts applications from all states and foreign countries. Limited contract positions are available for applicants from regional states participating in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) contract program, as well as some other types of state supported tuition assistance programs.
As of the 2022-2023 academic year, SCO partners with the following states for regional contract seats:
• Arkansas
• Georgia
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• West Virginia
To be eligible for one of the regional seats, the applicant must be a bona fide resident of that state and be so certified by the appropriate state authority. Residency certification instructions are provided after the Supplemental Application is completed.
Please note:
• Residency certification does not guarantee a regional position.
• Contract positions are limited, competitive and awarded on a first-come basis.
The state of residency may not be changed for regional consideration once admitted to SCO. For example: if your state of residence is Wyoming prior to your enrollment at SCO, you will still be ineligible for a contract seat when you move to Tennessee.
The Admission Interview
An integral part of the admissions selection process is the admission interview.
Once a student’s application is completed via OptomCAS, and the SCO supplemental application is submitted, SCO will invite them for an admission interview. Interview invitations are based upon a student’s GPA, OAT scores, letters of recommendation, optometric exposure and extracurricular activities.
Interviews are conducted on a rolling admissions basis. Interviews are in-person and held “one-on- one” by an SCO faculty member, covering general topics in optometry, academics and extracurricular activities. The interviews are “blind”, meaning faculty do not have access to applicants’ files before or during the interview.
Sessions covering a student’s file, financial aid and housing — in addition to a campus tour — are traditionally held on the same day as the admission interview.
SCO encourages applicants to research the college, as well as the field of optometry, before the interview, and come prepared to ask questions.
Financial Aid/Scholarships
Approximately 90% of SCO students are financing at least a fraction of their education through student loans. The Financial Aid Office works individually with students to provide the best possible program, including the various Federal Loan Programs and Federal Work Study options. Our students also receive extensive counseling on how to control student indebtedness through the college’s debt management program.
SCO awards numerous academic scholarships to students who have demonstrated exemplary achievements through their transcript, OAT scores, leadership and service experience. The college currently offers approximately 250 scholarships in addition to the $150,000 received by students through the Annual Student Awards Program.
Living in Memphis
Memphis is a city known for its music, restaurants, parks, museums, hospitality, history, culture and — important to all students — its affordability. Having one of the lowest costs of living in the nation, Memphis allows our students a chance to enjoy the amenities of bustling city life without the high expense associated with other major cities.
Although SCO does not provide on- or off-campus housing, we actively help entering students find living accommodations and provide an abundance of housing information at admission interviews. The majority of our students live in apartments close to the college, and we match entering students with current students to field questions about the city and where to
live. The college also provides a roommate list for accepted students interested in sharing an apartment.
For more information about the admissions process here at Southern College of Optometry, please visit sco.edu or contact the Admissions Office at admissions@sco.edu or call (800)-238-0180.
1245 Madison Avenue • Memphis, Tennessee 38104-2222 • 901-722-3224 • 800-238-0180 • sco.edu Information for this publication was gathered from the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry, the American Optometric Association (AOA), the Journal of the AOA, the Academy of Ophthalmology and the Opticians Association of America.
