Letters of Recommendation
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| OptomCAS Institutions for 2021-2022 |  |
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| 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) | 3 | A | A | R | R | A | R | 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* | |
| 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) | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | RC | |||
| 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 | * | 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 | N/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.
*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.
*UCB – Contact school regarding composite letter.
*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.
