There is no major called “pre-optometry”, nor is there any particular major which is required for admission to optometry schools. Bradley University offers a wide range of excellent majors, courses and opportunities which prepare students well for admission to optometry schools. Students should choose a major based on their personal interests and abilities, and then meet with both their Academic (within their major) and Pre-Health Advisor regularly to ensure that they are taking the necessary courses (and at the right time) to meet their major and graduation requirements, as well as required and recommended courses for admission to optometry schools. These pre-requisites can be taken as part of the major, Bradley Core, or free electives toward graduation, thus allowing students flexibility with their choice of major, and the ability to customize their pre-optometry plan.
The following majors and minors are most popular among pre-optometry students, because they incorporate many of the pre-requisite courses into the major requirements:
Majors
Minors
Below are listed the most common pre-requisites for optometry schools and the Bradley courses which will satisfy them. Be aware that each optometry school may establish their own specific pre-requisites which may vary from this list, so it is your responsibility to carefully research the admission requirements for schools to which you plan to apply. Pre-requisite courses may be taken as part of a Bradley Core, minor, Bradley Core or free electives. Work with your academic and pre-health advisors to plan the best timing and sequence for completing pre-requisites for optometry schools. All science courses should be taken with labs unless otherwise noted.
See OptomCAS for program-specific requirements.
Recommended:
Competitive applicants to optometry schools are well rounded and have pursued a wide range of experiences to develop not only their scientific, thinking, and reasoning skills, but also interpersonal skills. Most optometry schools like to see some job shadowing or experience working in two or more different optometry settings so you have some idea what the doctor-patient relationship is like from the optometrist’s perspective, and have an opportunity to explore and appreciate different styles of optometry practices (private practices, retails chains, etc.). There is no set number of hours required – it’s more about quality than quantity of experience.
Volunteering and community service, whether or not it is in a healthcare setting, demonstrates your commitment to serving others, as you will as a future physician.
Research
Research experience is recommended and helps you to learn the problem-solving skills needed to think like an optometrist, and develop an understanding and appreciation for the scientific and clinical research that will be the basis for modern optometry practice.
Get Involved
Becoming a leader in a student organization, job, etc. gives you experience working with teams, communicating, and working together to share responsibility for accomplishing shared goals. Consider joining organizations such as Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society, Student Health Advisory Committee or GMT, and working your way toward an executive board or other leadership role.
The OAT (Optometry Admission Test) is required by all optometry schools. Competitive scores are usually at least 50th percentile or higher (~300 in each section), but vary by program.
OAT Prep
Although we do not offer a formal OAT prep course at Bradley, the Health Professions student clubs often hold an OAT Workshop and offer an on-campus practice test day to help students develop a personalized strategy, timeline, and study plan to meet their individual needs. There are many commercially available OAT prep materials and services. We do not endorse any one over the others, but can assist students in choosing products and services that fit their learning style, timeline, and budget. (Hint: The OAT and DAT are essentially the same exam, except the OAT’s Physics section replaces the DAT’s Perceptual Ability section. So many prep materials are interchangeable.)
OAT Testing Locations
The OAT is administered year round at Prometric Testing Centers. The closest testing centers to Bradley University are:
Sylvan Learning Center 7501 N University, STE 218 Peoria IL 61614
Sylvan Learning Center 2405 E Federal DR Decatur IL 62526
Sylvan Learning Center 1035 Lincoln Rd, STE 307 Bettendorf IA 52727
Information and Resources:
Entrance Exam:
Application Service:
Since 2013, Bradley graduates have been accepted to and continued their education and training at many Optometry schools around the Midwest and across the US. We are proud of the success and accomplishments of our alumni.
Optometry Schools
Offers also received from: Indiana University
