Applying to the College

Application Procedure
Contact Student Services

The Admissions Committee of the College of Optometry begins accepting applications on August 1 for the class entering the following year. An applicant's file will be considered complete and ready for consideration by the Admissions Committee when the following material has been received:

A completed application form. Application forms may be obtained three ways:
1. By mailing a request to the address below.
2. By downloading and printing the pdf files for the application and the transcript request form.
3. By using the on line application form.
Official high school and college transcripts, followed by updated transcripts as they become available
Academic Record form
Official Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) results
Application accompanied by a non-refundable check or money-order in the amount of $50.00 (U.S. dollars), payable to the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Online applications will be processed once the check is received. Credit card information may be taken by phone only. To use a credit card to pay the application fee, please contact the Office of Student Services at 1-888-EYE-UMSL (1-888-393-8675) or 314-516-6263.
A composite evaluation prepared by the pre-professional advisory committee at the educational institution the applicant is attending. Those applicants not currently attending college, or who are at an institution that does not offer a committee evaluation will be required to submit four letters of recommendation.

Early submission of applications is encouraged. Applications must be complete by March 15 to be considered for admission to the class entering in August of the same year. Application materials received after March 15 will not be evaluated for the class entering in August of the same year.

All correspondence and inquires, including transcripts, should be addressed to:

UM-St. Louis
College of Optometry
Office of Student Services
317 Marillac Hall
One University Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63121-4499
(314) 516-6263 or 1-888-EYE-UMSL

Admissions Requirements
The following courses are required for admission to the UM-St. Louis College of Optometry: All courses used to satisfy the admission requirements must have been taken at a fully accredited institution or must be acceptable by an accredited institution toward degree credit. These courses must be taken for a letter grade; they cannot be taken as an Audit or on a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. Applicants must have completed 90 semester or 135 quarter hours (the equivalent of three years of college education) prior to matriculation. The applicant cannot apply more than 60 semester hours (or 90 quarter hours) which were earned at a two-year institution toward the credit hour requirement. Applicant's holding a bachelor's degree will be given preference over applicants with similar academic credentials who do not have a degree.

Course	Semester(s)	Quarter(s)
English	2	3
Biology (inc. lab)	2*	3*
Microbiology (inc. lab)	1	1
Physics (inc. lab)	2	3
General Chemistry (inc. lab)	2	3
Organic Chemistry (inc. lab)	1	2
Calculus	1	1
Statistics	1	1
Psychology	2	2
Liberal Arts/Humanities	2	2
*students should take one semester of General Biology (with lab) and it is recommended the student take one semester of either Biochemistry (with lab) or Human/Vertebrate Anatomy/Physiology (with lab).

Selection Procedure
The Admissions Committee has the responsibility to review and evaluate all applicants and select the best qualified candidates. The Committee considers: an applicant's overall grade point average, the grade point achieved in the sciences, any grade trends over the years in college, and the scores on the Optometry Admission Test. Concurrently, candidates are evaluated on less quantitative measures such as: extracurricular activities and interests, related or unrelated work experience, written narrative, and letters of recommendation.

Those applicants whom the Committee feels to be most competitive will be invited for an on-campus interview. The on-campus interview facilitates an assessment of the applicants interests, motivation, and personal characteristics by the committee. In addition, the on-campus interview allows the applicant to tour the facilities, meet with currently enrolled students, have questions answered regarding financial aid and housing, and learn more about the University of Missouri-St. Louis and the College of Optometry. From this group of interviewed applicants, the entering class of forty students will be selected.

Acceptance Procedure
Students accepted for admission will begin receiving notices of acceptance in the fall prior to the year of anticipated matriculation. Notices of acceptance may be received as late as the following May. If acceptance to the class is conditional, the terms of the condition must be completed prior to matriculation. Applicants who have indicated that degree requirements will be completed prior to matriculation, and who have been selected for admission, may receive a conditional offer of acceptance contingent upon completion of the degree.