Applications are strongly recommended to be submitted as early in the application year as possible, even if all admission requirements have not been fully completed. While the deadline for submission of the application form is March 1st (unless an extension is provided by the Director of Admissions), the Committee on Admissions begins to make decisions much earlier in the year. Although most students apply using rolling admissions, applicants may also consider applying for early decisions, joint degree programs, transfer or advanced standing (see below).
Your application for admission will be considered if:
- A letter of recommendation must be prepared and sent by the Pre-professional Committee at the undergraduate school where you completed the majority of your pre-professional courses. If a Committee exist and can not submit a letter of recommendation, a letter from that Committee indicating why, is required. If there is no such committee at that undergraduate school, you must then also submit up to 3 letters of recommendation of your choice. Two of the four letters of recommendation must assess academic performance in the science areas.
- Official report of all Optometric Admissions Test (OAT) scores is provided. You are advised to take the OAT no later than the Fall of the application year; OATs written after March 1 of the calendar year in which you wish to enroll will not be accepted for Rolling Admissions applicants. . The OAT will be offered at a Thomson Prometric (previously Sylvan) Center. For more details about the OAT and where to take it, go to their website at https://www.ada.org/oat/index.html
- Official report of all scores achieved on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), if taken in high school, are to be submitted directly to SUNY optometry. If you took the American College Test (ACT) instead of the SAT in high school, please have these scores submitted. We will accept SAT and ACT scores submitted on an official high school transcript.
- Official transcripts of all college courses taken to date are submitted by the institutions.
Instructions for Foreign applicants and those with foreign credentials (EXCEPT APPLICANTS ATTENDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES):
In addition to the application and related materials which are required of all incoming students, you will need to have your high school and college records evaluated by WORLD EDUCATION SERVICES INC., P.O. Box 745, Old Chelsea Station, New York, New York 10113-0745, (212) 966-6395.
If English is your second language, you will will be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if you've been in this country for less than 3 years or if the Admission
Committee requires it of you. A score of 550 or greater is required. The exam is available by writing or phoning TOEFL, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, New Jersey, 08541-6151, (609)-951-1100.
ROLLING ADMISSIONS
This is how the vast major of applicants apply to optometry school. All application material (application, transcripts, letters of recommendation) must be submitted through the Common Application process found at www.optomcas.org. OAT and SAT/ACT scores must be submitted directly to the college. Applications can be submitted as early as July 15, (a year prior to entry) but no later than March 1 (of the year you plan to enter).
EARLY DECISION
This is designed for applicants with no more than 2 prerequisite courses still to be taken, have above average background and who wishes to obtain a commitment prior to entering their final undergraduate year. Applicants must have an overall and a prerequisite math and science GPA of at least 3.5, with no prerequisite grade below C, from a 4 year college or university, in order to be considered. Application must be submitted between May 1 and July 1, a year prior to matriculation (download SUNY's paper application from our website), along with a $75. application fee. OATs must be taken no later than September 1 of that year and obtain scores of at least 340. All other application support documents (SAT scores, Transcript(s), and letters of recommendation from Pre-Professional Committee must be submitted by July 15 of that year. The Common Application (www.optomcas.org) must also be completed between July 15 and July 30. Students accepted through the Early Decision process will be required to submit a $500. non-refundable deposit within a month of their acceptance. For EARLY DECISION, have all materials and documents sent directly from the sources to:
Office of Admissions
SUNY College of Optometry
33 West 42nd Street
New York, New York 10036
To receive an application and instructions for Early Decision (only), please initiate the following:
Download a copy of the application in Adobe Acrobat format:
This must be printed out and sent through the mail. If you don't have the Adobe Acrobat Reader you can download it for free from Adobe's Acrobat Page.
JOINT DEGREE (students should inquire with the Admissions Office of their undergraduate college or SUNY Optometry to see which undergraduate colleges offer this option)
This option allows students to attend SUNY Optometry after three years of undergraduate college and receive a BS degree from their undergraduate college after completing our first year. They then continue at SUNY Optometry for the full 4 years to receive the OD degree. Applicants with strong academic backgrounds can be accepted provisionally into the Joint Degree Program directly out of high school or anytime during their first two years of undergraduate college.
ADVANCED STANDING OR TRANFER
This applies to applicants who have attended other colleges of optometry or similar health profession programs with curriculum similar to the optometry curriculum at SUNY.
Instruction for those seeking Advanced Standing:
Applicants seeking to be exempt from one or more years of the four year O.D. curriculum, as a result of past health profession education, must meet all the same entrance requirements as other applicants, plus:
a. If seeking to transfer from another COE accredited USA or Canadian school of optometry: submit from that school a transcript, at least two letters of recommendation from faculty, a complete detailed syllabus of all courses taken at the profession school, and a letter from the Dean or designee stating the student's academic standing and whether the student has been or is presently being considered for dismissal for cause and your reason for seeking a transfer.
b. If the applicant possesses a health profession degree from a foreign educational institution: Submit our regular application, transcripts and at least two letters of recommendation from that institution, a complete detailed syllabus of all courses taken at the profession school, and the results of Part I of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry exam. To receive information about that exam contact: National Board of Examiners in Optometry at www.optometry.org.
For ADVANCED STANDING or TRANSFER students, please call SUNY Optometry for information on how to apply.
Instructions for applicants to the O.D./Ph.D or O.D./M.S. program
In addition to completing the application process outlined above for the OD program, the applicant for the combined degree programs must also complete an application with the Graduate Office. For an application go to the SUNY website at http://www.sunyopt.edu/admissions/grad_app.shtml
The State University of New York, State College of Optometry does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, national origin, age, or residence in its admissions policy.
Please forward any questions to:
SUNY State College of Optometry
Office of Student Affairs
Room 1131
33 West 42nd St.
New York, New York 10036
(800) 291-3937
(212) 938-5500