You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for a list of the various optometry schools with the easiest admission requirements that you can get into with ease.
Sight is one of the five senses, and in a modern world filled with computer and mobile phone screens, it is becoming increasingly important for everyone to have access to specialist eye care and attend regular eye check-ups.
You’ll be trained as an optometrist to examine the eye, detect and diagnose abnormalities and diseases, and prescribe glasses or contact lenses.
Studying optometry can lead to a rewarding and diverse career. With a variety of placement opportunities, you will be able to put your knowledge into practice while also learning about the issues that can affect your eyesight.
This may lead to further study, with opportunities to specialize and obtain additional qualifications in areas such as glaucoma, contact lens prescribing, and low vision.
Getting into an optometry school, like any other medical program in the field of medicine, is extremely competitive, so even with a high GPA, admission is not guaranteed.
In this article, we have compiled a list of the easiest optometry schools to get into. But before we list out these schools with the easiest admission requirements, let’s look at a few things you’d need to know going forward.
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Is it hard to get into optometry schools?
Admission to an optometry school can be extremely competitive, which may be attributed to the schools’ admission requirements and the large number of applications received by each institution.
However, there are some institutions with less stringent admission requirements that are easier to get into than others. So stay tuned as we take you through some of the most straightforward optometry schools shortly.
Why should you study optometry at a University?
Blindness, cataracts, and glaucoma are just a few of the issues that can affect the eyes, and by studying optometry, you will be at the forefront of change in this critical field.
You’ll receive a professionally recognized qualification that will allow you to practice as an optometrist – and because optometry is an occupational degree, you’ll almost certainly find work soon after graduating.
optometry examines patients’ eyes, gives advice, prescribes and fits spectacles, and ultimately makes a significant difference in people’s lives.
So, if you enjoy science and learning the intricacies of how things work, as well as working with people and seeing the results of their research in real-world situations, optometry might be the course for you!
You will also gain transferable skills in communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking, which will be useful regardless of the career path you choose.
What can you do with a degree in optometry?
Optometry is a growing profession around the globe, with graduates typically working in hospitals, opticians, or larger retail stores – though they may also be community-based.
To become a practising optometrist, you must first complete your optometry degree, followed by a year of supervised training in the workplace. You will be required to register with the governing body for optical professions in your country.
Because competition for pre-registration positions for optometry graduates is fierce, having relevant work experience will be advantageous. This could be obtained through weekend work during the school year or during the holidays.
From here, you can apply your skills in the real world and find jobs that will benefit from your optometry degree.
Jobs that will benefit from an optometry degree are:
- Ophthalmic optician
- Dispensing optician
- Optometrists.
Your degree in optometry may also be useful for the following jobs:
- Ophthalmology
- Radiography
- Orthoptics.
While many companies offer graduate programs to those with a degree in optometry, there are also opportunities to stay in academia through additional study.
When you become a qualified optometrist, you will have the opportunity to further your education or specialize in an area of optometry, such as glaucoma research.
What Are The Requirements for an optometry school?
Individuals who wish to pursue a career as an optometrist must first obtain a Bachelor’s Degree. That four-year degree should be in an optometry-related field, such as biology or physiology.
Candidates are eligible to apply for admission to an optometry program once they have earned a Bachelor’s Degree. Many of the optometry programs across the country are very selective when it comes to accepting applicants, so earning exemplary grades while in an undergraduate program is advantageous.
Many times, a candidate who earned a Bachelor’s Degree with average grades will be denied admission to an optometry program.
List of Easiest Optometry Schools to get into
Here are the 10 optometry schools with the easiest admission requirements:
- University of Alabama At Birmingham School of Optometry
- Southern College of Optometry
- University of Houston College of Optometry
- Michigan College of Optometry
- Oklahoma College of Optometry
- Indiana University School of Optometry
- Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University
- Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
- University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry
- Western University of Health Sciences.
10 Optometry Schools With The Easiest Admission Requirements
#1. University of Alabama At Birmingham School of Optometry
UAB School of Optometry prepares students to be the nation’s leaders in providing comprehensive, evidence-based eye care and discovering new vision science principles.
They were the first to be fully integrated into an academic health center as one of the top optometry programs in the United States. As a result, small classes of up to 55 students are embedded within UAB’s vast network of academic and clinical resources.
Internationally recognized faculty in optometry, vision science, and ophthalmology teach students in a cutting-edge clinical setting, and students have opportunities to participate in research that leads to groundbreaking vision science discoveries.
#2. Southern College Of Optometry
Every year, a large number of prospective students apply to SCO for a reason. SCO has a reputation for providing its students with the academic and clinical training required to succeed in the field of optometry.
Here are just a few of the reasons why SCO is one of the nation’s top optometric education institutions:
- Superior Clinical Education through The Eye Center
- New State-of-the-Art Academic Facilities
- Low 9:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
- Cutting Edge Technology and Interactive Instructional Methods
- Campus-Wide Personal Commitment to Service
- Diverse Student Body from Nearly All 50 States
- Affordable Tuition and Low Cost of Living
- Highest Academic Standards.
#3. University of Houston College of Optometry
The mission of the University of Houston College of Optometry is to lead in the discovery and dissemination of knowledge in optometry, vision science, and clinical care with unparalleled excellence, integrity, and compassion; enhancing vision for life.
#4. Michigan College of Optometry
The Michigan College of Optometry is an optometry-focused college affiliated with Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan.
It is Michigan’s only optometry college. Legislation established the school in 1974 in response to a documented need for optometrists in the state.
At Ferris State University’s Michigan College of Optometry, you will lay the groundwork for a career in optometric healthcare. In the Doctor of Optometry program, you will work alongside expert faculty members to develop the skills, knowledge, and integrity needed to join the next generation of optometry leaders.
#5. Oklahoma College of Optometry
Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry offers a Doctor of an Optometry degree program, postgraduate clinical residency certification, and continuing optometric education.
This optometry college program trains students to be effective members of a multidisciplinary health care team. At the primary care level, the Optometric Physician has been trained to diagnose and treat a wide range of eye and vision problems.
Furthermore, the optometrist learns to recognize and manage a wide range of non-ocular systemic and physiological conditions. Optometric Physicians play an important role in meeting the comprehensive needs of the patients they serve by effectively collaborating with members of many other health care disciplines.
#6. Indiana University School of Optometry
The mission of the Indiana University School of Optometry is to protect, advance and promote the vision, eye care, and health of people worldwide by:
- Preparing individuals for careers in optometry, the ophthalmic industry and vision science
- Advancing knowledge through teaching, research, and service.
This will be accomplished through the Doctor of Optometry, residency and graduate programs offer by this institution.
#7. Arizona College of Optometry, Midwestern University
The dedicated and caring faculty at Arizona College of Optometry will challenge you to improve your technical skills while encouraging you to focus on your patients.
Shared labs, rotations, and practice experiences allow you and your classmates to benefit from a collaborative and team-oriented environment.
You will also learn on the job at the Midwestern University Eye Institute, where you will provide hands-on patient care. This learning citadel will assist you in advancing your career as a member of tomorrow’s healthcare team.
#8. Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University
When you enrol in the Southern California School of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University, you will be joining a tradition of clinical and educational excellence that began in 1904.
You’ll also join a close-knit academic family, including an alumni group comprised of some of your chosen profession’s most accomplished researchers, clinicians, and teachers.
#9. University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry
Berkeley is a gathering place for the world’s brightest minds to explore, ask questions, and improve the world. It is a gathering place for eminent faculty to educate, challenge, mentor, and inspire tomorrow’s leaders.
This easy optometry school to get into provides a four-year graduate-level professional program leading to the Doctor of Optometry (OD) degree, as well as a one-year ACOE-accredited residency program in clinical optometry specialities (primary care, ocular disease, contact lenses, low vision, binocular vision, and paediatrics).
Berkeley’s multidisciplinary Vision Science Group, whose graduate students earn either an MS or a PhD.
#10. Western University of Health Sciences
Western University of Health Sciences, with campuses in Pomona, California and Lebanon, is an independent nonprofit health professions university that awards degrees in dental medicine, health sciences, medical sciences, nursing, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, podiatric medicine, and veterinary medicine. WesternU is home to WesternU Health, which provides the best in collaborative health care services.
WesternU has been preparing health care professionals for long-term career success for over 45 years. Their educational approach is based on humanistic values, so our graduates treat each patient as the individual that they are.
FAQs about Easiest optometry schools to get into
Is optometry school easy to get into?
Admission to the best optometry schools is extremely competitive, which can be attributed to admission requirements, schools', and competitiveness. However, there are some institutions with less stringent admission requirements that are easier to get into than others.
Which optometry school is the easiest to get into?
The optometry school that are easiest to get into are: Southern College Of Optometry, University of Houston College of Optometry, Michigan College of Optometry, Oklahoma College of Optometry, Indiana University School of Optometry...
Which optometry schools accept gre?
The following school accepts GRE: SUNY State College of Optometry, Southern College of Optometry, UC Berkeley School of Optometry,Pacific University, Salus University Pennsylvania College of Optometry...
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ConclusionÂ
Though eyeballs, eye sockets, and optic nerves are small in comparison to many other parts of the human body, their significance becomes clear when a person suffers from vision impairment and fears that they will lose their ability to see completely.
An optometrist may be able to diagnose the problem and restore a person’s sight in such cases. A pair of contact lenses or glasses may be the solution in some cases, while a pharmaceutical remedy may be required in others.
Preventing blindness and treating eye diseases and disorders is a major responsibility, so every aspiring optometrist must receive training before entering the profession.