Optometry Program

Admissions Process

Criteria

The Pennsylvania College of Optometry of Salus University actively seeks applicants from every state in the nation. Students currently attending represent many states, as well as Canada and several other countries. The Admissions Committee has established an admissions policy to select the applicants who are best qualified to serve the public and the profession in the years to come.

In selecting students to be admitted, many factors are considered: academic performance, motivation, extracurricular activities and interests, related and unrelated work experience, personal achievements, essays, and letters of evaluation.

When evaluating academic performance, the applicant’s grade point average, performance in prerequisite courses, number of college credits completed, degree status, and results of the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) are carefully considered.

Individuals successfully meeting the above criteria receive an invitation to visit our campus for an interview, which provides further insight into the applicant’s characteristics and motivation, and allows an applicant the opportunity to meet with an Admissions staff member to discuss his or her application, tour our campuses and meet with personnel from the Financial Aid Office.

Pre-requisites

An applicant must have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours of credit from an accredited undergraduate college or university. Prerequisite credits completed ten or more years prior to the anticipated entrance date will be reviewed for approval on an individual basis.
These credits must include the pre-optometry courses listed below completed with a 2.0 (C) or better. An applicant need not have completed all prerequisites prior to filing an application but must be able to complete all outstanding prerequisites prior to enrolling. (It is recommended that applicants with less than a 2.5 (C+) grade point average should consult the Office of Admissions prior to applying.)

  • General Biology or Zoology (with labs) - 1 year
  • General Chemistry (with labs) - 1 year
  • Organic Chemistry (with labs) - 1 year  or
    • ½ year Organic Chemistry plus ½ year of either Biochemistry or Molecular Biology (lab highly recommended)
  • English Composition or English Literature - 1 year
  • Mathematics - 1 year
    • ( ½ year Calculus fulfills math requirement; however, 1 year Calculus highly recommended)
  • Microbiology or Bacteriology (with labs) - ½ year  
  • General Physics (with labs) - 1 year
  • Psychology - ½ year  
  • Statistics (Math, Biology or Psychology) - ½ year

We encourage, but do not require, additional coursework in such areas as Biochemistry, Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Cell Biology, Genetics and Experimental and Physiological Psychology.

While Biology and Chemistry majors are the largest group of applicants, students in any major may be considered, provided the above requirements are met, as evidenced by the growing number of psychology majors seeking clinical and research careers, who are becoming more aware of the opportunities optometry holds for them.

Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS):

Beginning July 15, 2009, Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University will join other colleges of optometry by accepting applications ONLY through the Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS) www.optomcas.org.

To be considered an applicant must:

Submit a properly completed application to the Optometry Centralized Application Service (OptomCAS) at www.optomcas.org, beginning July 15, 2009. Detailed instructions regarding the completion of the application and the essay are provided on the OptomCAS website.

  • Arrange to have forwarded directly to OptomCAS the following letters of evaluation to fulfill the requirement for Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University either:
    • A PreProfessional Committee letter of evaluation
    • Three natural science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Mathematics) teaching faculty or two science teaching faculty and one practicing optometrist whom you have shadowed.
    • Letter packets containing the letters outlined in number 2.
  • Additional letters will enchance the file but will not fulfill our required letters of evaluation.
  • Arrange to take the Optometry Admissions Test (OAT) prior to June 1 of the desired entering year; taking the OAT between September and December of the application process is highly recommended.
    • The exam is offered electronically.
    • Information and registration for on-line testing: www.opted.org
    • OAT results should not be more than two years old.

International Students and Practitioners

Please provide the Admissions Office with the following information:

  • A course-by-course credential review from an accredited agency, which evidences all post-secondary studies completed.  The applicant will need to provide to the credential agency and to Salus University certified English translations of all academic records and descriptions for all courses completed. These services are provided by various agencies including:  World Education Services, PO Box 745, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113-0745, Phone 212-966-6311, www.wes.org
  • Official results of a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language (www.toefl.org) examination.
  • International practitioners should submit a letter of reference from a Department Chairperson or Supervisor along with two references from former faculty.

Record of Immunizations

All students are required to provide immunization records for Hepatitis B. Acceptable forms of proof are:

  • serological evidence of current immunity to Hepatitis B or
  • a signed physician statement that you have completed the three-dose series of vaccinations or
  • an informed refusal to be vaccinated

Notification of Acceptance

An applicant may be notified of his or her acceptance as early as October. Upon receipt of acceptance, an applicant is required to pay a $1,000 matriculation fee to the University prior to the start of classes, payable as follows:

  • Return the matriculation form within 14 days of the date of the acceptance letter. A $500 deposit is due by January 15; if accepted after January 15, the $500 deposit must accompany the matriculation form.
  • The balance of $500 for the matriculation fee is due June 1.
  • All monies received above will be applied toward first term fees.

Refund Policy