Optometry
Courses
There are no colleges of optometry in North Carolina. The following link will take you to a website that summarizes the requirements for all the various optometry schools across the country: Optometry School College Prerequisites.
However, the state of North Carolina has contracts with three of the 16 colleges: Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham; Pennsylvania College of Optometry in Philadelphia; and Southern College of Optometry in Memphis. The courses required for entry into these schools differ somewhat depending upon the school. All require:
- English 105
- Math 231
- Biol 101, 101L
- Chem 101, 101L, 102, 102L,241, 241L, 261
- Phys 114, 115
- Psyc 101
- Stor 151 or Psyc 210
- Micro 251 or 255
Additional requirements, R = Required; X = Recommended, by school are:
| Alabama | Pennsylvania | Southern | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biol 474, 474L | X | X | X |
| Biol 202 or 205 | X | R | |
| Biol/Chem 430 | X | ||
| Chem 262, 262L | R | R | |
| Eng. Lit. | |||
| Math 232 | X | ||
| Psyc Plus | R | ||
| Soc Sci (2 sem) | R | X | X |
Testing Requirements
Most optometry schools require the Optometry Admissions Test, OAT. The usual time to take it is in the spring semester, February, of the Junior year. Students should prepare for this test.
Application
Applications are submitted through OptomCAS. The time to start is in the summer before your last year in college, with the application opening in July.
Extracurricular Activities
Extracurriculars are a very important part of the applicant’s materials. Some volunteer experience with an optometrist is a must, and a letter of recommendation from an optometrist is usually required.