State University of New York

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

* According to data from ASCO

* According to data from ASCO

* There are some acceptable substitutions for specific courses. Go to https://www.uab.edu/optometry/home/academics/doctor-of-optometry/admissions-information for more information 

Minimum number of College Credit Hours required:

• Students who have completed all pre-requisite courses and a minimum of three years (90 semester credits) of undergraduate study from an accredited institution will also be considered for admission.

Required Shadowing Hours:

•  There is no set amount of time required for shadowing experience.

Letters of Recommendation: 

•  All applicants are required to attain three letters of recommendation. One letter should be from a science faculty member attesting to the applicant’s academic abilities in the sciences. One letter should be from a professional supervisor (employer, coach, non-science faculty, internship director, etc.) attesting to the candidate’s abilities working in a professional, volunteer, or research setting. One letter should be from an optometrist attesting to the applicant’s demonstrated experiences/knowledge of the profession.

*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).