Recommendations

Recommendation Type
OptomCAS Institutions for 2023-2024  ltrs_instructions  ltrs_numberrecquired  ltrs_committeeletter  ltrs_completter  ltrs_optm  ltrs_profscience  ltrs_profsecscience  ltrs_profgeneral  ltrs_teachasst  ltrs_prehealth  ltrs_faculty  ltrs_hcprof  ltrs_employer
Chicago College of Optometry, Midwestern University (CCO)  2  A  A  R A A A A A A A  A
Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) 2 A A R R A A N/A A A N/A N/A
Indiana University School of Optometry (IUSO) X 3 A* A* A A A A A A A A A
Inter American University of Puerto Rico School of Optometry (IAUPR) 2 A N/A R A A A A A A A A
MCPHS School of Optometry (MCPHS) 2 A A A A A A A A A A A
Michigan College of Optometry at Ferris State University (MCO) X 3 A A R R A A A A A A A
Midwestern University – Arizona College of Optometry (AZCOPT) 2 A A R A A A A A A A A
New England College of Optometry (NECO) 2 A A R* A* A A* A A A A A
Northeastern State University Oklahoma College of Optometry (NSUOCO) 3 A A A A A A A A A A A
NOVA Southeastern University College of Optometry (NOVA) 2 A A R A A A A A A A A
The Ohio State University College of Optometry (OSU)  X 3 A A R A A R N/A A A A A
Pacific University College of Optometry (PUCO) X 2 A* A* R A* A* A* A* A* A* A* A*
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMU) 3 A A R A A A A A A A A
Pennsylvania College of Optometry at Salus University (PCO/Salus) X 3 A* A A** A** A A A***  A  A A A
Southern California College of Optometry at Marshall B. Ketchum University (SCCOMBKU) 2* A A R A A A A A A A A
Southern College of Optometry (SCO) 2 A* A R** A* A* A N/A R* A* A A
State University of New York College of Optometry (SUNY) 3 RC A R R A A A A A A A
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Optometry (UABSO) 3 A A* R R* A A N/A A* A A A
University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry (UCB) 3 N/A N/A A A A A A A A A A
University of Houston College of Optometry (UHCO) X 2 A A A A A A A A A A A
University of the Incarnate Word Rosenberg School of Optometry (UIWRSO) 2 A A R A A A N/A A A A A
University of Missouri at St. Louis College of Optometry (UMSL)  X 3 A* A* R A A A A A A A A
University of Pikeville, Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO) 2 A A R* A N/A N/A N/A A A R A
Western University of Health Sciences College of Optometry (WUCO) 2 A A A A A A A A A A A

R: Required
RC: Recommended
A: Accepted
N/A: Not Accepted

*IUSO – Committee and composite letters only count as one letter of recommendation.

*KYCO – Only one letter from an Optometrist or Healthcare Professional is required.  An O.D who is a member of the AOA is preferred.

*NECO – One letter must be from a non-relative optometrist. One letter must be from a faculty member (preferably in the sciences) who has taught you in a college-level course or supervised you in a lab setting.

*PUCO – Two letters of recommendations are required. One must be from a non-relative optometrist. A second letter must be from an instructor who has taught you in college. A committee or composite letter will be accepted for the academic letter of recommendation, as long it contains a letter or direct feedback from an instructor who has taught you in college. Applicants who have been out of school for more than 2 years may submit a letter of evaluation from a director supervisor or laboratory manager in lieu of a college instructor.

*PCO/Salus – Pre-professional committee letter fulfills entire letter requirement.

**PCO/Salus – These letters are preferred.

***PCO/Salus – Letter from Teaching Assistant needs to be co-signed by professor.

*SCCOMBKU – One letter must be from an optometrist. The second required letter is from a source of the applicant’s choice.

*SCO – Committee or Prehealth advisor preferred; letter from biology, chemistry or physics instructor acceptable.

**SCO – OD letter must be from a non-relative optometrist with whom you have shadowed or worked.

*UABSO – A committee letter is preferred. The academic letter should be written by a science faculty member or your pre-health advisor.

*UHCO – One letter should come from the applicant’s academic mentor (professor, advisor, coach, etc.); the second is recommended to come from an optometrist.

*UMSL – OD still required.