Congratulations on your interest in becoming an Optometrist! As a pre-Optometry student at Radford University, you will have unique opportunities to engage in research, complete Pharmacy school course prerequisites, participate in STEM clubs, and so much more; all while learning in a community-based education environment. Radford’s small class sizes and demanding laboratory experiences will allow you to connect with faculty and study with classmates in a way that prepares you for the rigors of Optometry school.
While there is not a Pre-Optometry degree, most students choose to major in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or Psychology and often minor in programs that celebrate their individual interest.
However, pre-Optometry students have the opportunity to select a major that reflects their primary interests, so long as the specific Optometry school’s prerequisite courses are complete. Optometry school prerequisites often include biology, biochemistry, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, but all pre-Optometry students must investigate the specific requirements of each institution where an application will be sent. As a pre-Optometry student, you and your advisor will compose a degree path that suits your interests and best prepares you for Pharmacy school. The American Optometry Student Association (AOPA) website is also a valuable resource when considering Optometry school after graduating from Radford University.
Use AOPA’s website as a resource to investigate all things pre-Optometry, including information that will help you decide if optometry is the right career path for you.
Visit Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) to answer common questions.
Freshman year
Sophomore year
Junior year
Summer between junior and senior years
Senior year
The requirements for admission to the schools and colleges of optometry vary, but students wishing to study optometry should be certain to take at least a year of biology with labs (e.g., cell bio and genetics), general chemistry with labs, organic chemistry with labs, general physics with labs, and microbiology with a lab; calculus, statistics, and other social science and humanities courses will also likely be required in addition to your general education coursework. Be sure to consult with the pre-optometry advisor while planning your coursework.
You can see the 26 accredited optometry schools here with links to their optometry school websites. There you can see the required undergraduate coursework for admission to their program.
Many optometry schools rely not just on courses completed and GPA, but also relevant work and research experiences.
Radford University excels in student-faculty collaborative research experiences. Gaining meaningful experience for 2 or more semesters (regardless of the research topic; it need not be health care related) is a suitable goal, though successful students may collaborate for 3 or more semesters, present research at external conferences, and even co-author published work. Please reach out directly to faculty members who are completing research of interest.
Practical experience working in an optometry clinic is highly encouraged and will make you a more competitive applicant. Shadowing at a clinic is the most common way this is experience is gained. Be sure to work with your pre-optometry advisor to find and secure shadowing experiences.
GPA is just one of many features considered in the application process. For the OptomCAS application cycle 2022-2023 for admission to optometry school in Fall 2023, the average applicant GPA was 3.42.
ASCO schools do not currently require any other tests beyond the OAT.
For the 26 ASCO Member Schools and Colleges, optometry school lasts for four years. Upon completion of optometry school, you must become state licensed to practice optometry in that state. The licensure examination consists of both clinical and written parts.