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Skidmore College
Health Professions Advising
& Student Health Professions Network 

Optometry Course Requirements

Always check for specific course requirements for each school you are going to apply to—this is only a guide.

Coursework

Typical course requirements include general chemistry with labs, college algebra and trigonometry, English, general biology with labs, organic chemistry, biochemistry, calculus, physics, psychology, and statistics. Visit the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry as well as the websites of individual schools for exact requirements.

Relevant Tests

The Optometry Admission Testing Program (OAT) is a standardized examination designed to measure academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. It is available year-round. Examinees are allowed to take it an unlimited number of times, but must wait at least 90 days between testing dates. The four tests in the OAT battery include:

  1. Survey of the natural sciences (biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry)
  2. Reading comprehension
  3. Physics
  4. Quantitative reasoning