Booster Prep

Optometry Admissions

Illinois College

Admissions Statistics and Requirements for Illinois College of Optometry

Background Information

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois
  • Institution Type: Private
  • Mission Statement: To develop highly qualified clinical optometrists through excellence in optometric education who will strive to ‘seek that all will receive optimal healthcare’.
  • Combined Degrees Offered: N/A
  • Year Opened: 1872
  • Number of Years to Earn Degree: 4
  • Campus Housing Available: No
  • Class Size: 127

Admission Statistics: (2023 Applicant and Entering Class Data)

Mean Age of First-Time, First-Year Enrollees: 23

Acceptance Rates by Location*:

Number of Applicants
Number of Enrollees
Enrollment Rate
Overall
686
127
18.5%
In-State
-
23
-
Out-State
-
58
-
International
-
46
-

*According to data from ASCO

Academic Averages for Acceptance* :

OAT Academic Average
OAT Science Average
Cumulative GPA
324
318
3.51

*According to data from ASCO

Prerequisites

Prerequisite Course Work:

Required Course
Credits
Required Lab
English Composition/ Literature
6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours
No
College Calculus
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
No
Statistics
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
No
Biology
6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours
Yes
Microbiology
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
Yes
General Chemistry
6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours
Yes
Organic Chemistry
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
No
Physics
6 semester hours or 9 quarter hours
Yes
Psychology
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
No
Social Science
3 semester hours or 4.5 quarter hours
No

* There are some acceptable substitutions for specific courses. Go to https://www.ico.edu/due-dates-and-pre-reqs for more information. 

Community College Coursework and Advanced Placement Credit:
AP Credit Accepted?
ICO will accept Advanced Placement (AP) courses for the prerequisites if the minimum number of credit hours is met. AP courses must appear on an applicant’s official college transcript or in a letter from the institution’s Registrar where the AP coursework was awarded. All prerequisites must be attained with a grade of “C” or better from a regionally accredited institution.
Community College Coursework Accepted?
ICO will accept Advanced Placement (AP) courses for the prerequisites if the minimum number of credit hours is met. AP courses must appear on an applicant’s official college transcript or in a letter from the institution’s Registrar where the AP coursework was awarded. All prerequisites must be attained with a grade of “C” or better from a regionally accredited institution.

Minimum number of College Credit Hours required:

  • It is possible for exceptional non-degree candidates to be considered once they have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours prior to enrolling at ICO.

Required Shadowing Hours:

  • There is not a specific amount of shadowing hours required.

Letters of Recommendation: 

  • Two letters of recommendation are required. One should be academic and the other should be from a non-relative practicing optometrist.

Supplemental Information:

Required Supplemental Application?
Supplemental Application Fee
CASPer Required?
No
N/A
No

Finances and Application Logistics

Financial Estimations for students starting Fall 2024:

Year
In-State Tuition
Out-State Tuition
Additional Fees
Cost of Living Score*
First Year
$47,985
$47,985
$6,776
105.7
Second Year
$63,980
$63,980
$7,838
-
Third Year
60,258
$60,258
$4,925
-
Fourth Year
$36,819
$36,819
$4,540
-

*All cost of living scores are according to bestplaces.net and provide a rough estimate compared to the average of the United States (a score of 100 is considered average for the United States. Scores lower than 100 would indicate a cost of living lower than average. Scores above 100 indicate a cost of living higher than average).

Board Passage Rates for First Time Takers

Year
Part I Passage Rate
Part II Passage Rate
Part III Passage Rate
2023
71.43%
88.03%
81.36%
2022
70.59%
94.74%
90.15%
2021
80.92%
95.38%
89.15%
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