Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early in the cycle. Applications are considered on a first come first served basis only until all seats are filled.

1. OptomCAS Application

Applicants are required to submit online applications and application fees to OptomCAS by April 1, 2024. In addition to the online application and application fees, an applicant must forward to OptomCAS official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended by the April 1st date. OptomCAS will begin the verification process as official transcripts are received, however an application will not be considered complete until all official transcripts are received.

Students must apply for admission via OptomCAS at www.opted.org or www.optomcas.org. Please refer to the OptomCAS application instructions for specific details about completing the OptomCAS application, required documents, and processing times. OptomCAS applications are available starting Summer 2023 for applicants seeking admission in August of the following year. Due to the large number of applicants and the limited number of seats available, students are strongly encouraged to complete their OptomCAS application early in the cycle. CCO will consider completed applications on a first-come, first-served basis until all seats are filled.

2. Admission Test Scores

CCO prefers the OAT, but will accept the MCAT, DAT, PCAT, or GRE test scores as an alternative. Applicants must arrange for scores from the admission exam to be sent directly to Midwestern University. Only test scores received directly from the testing agency will be accepted. Any of these admission exam scores must be earned no more than five years prior to the planned enrollment year. Additional information on the OAT may be found at www.opted.org or in writing to:

Optometry Admission Testing Program
211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2637
800/232-1694
email: oatexam@ada.org

3. Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from professionals to OptomCAS (www.optomcas.org). One letter must be from a practicing optometrist. The other letter must be from a prehealth advisor, a professor, an employer, or an extracurricular activity advisor. Letters of recommendation from relatives, personal and/or family friends are not acceptable.

4. Completed Application

All application materials, including the OptomCAS application, admission test scores (as reported to Midwestern University), and two letters of recommendation (as submitted to OptomCAS) must be received by the Office of Admissions on or before April 30, 2024. Only completed applications received by the Office of Admissions on or before the deadline date will be reviewed for potential entrance into the program.

Please Note: Applicants are responsible for tracking the receipt of application materials and verifying the status on the University website. The Office of Admissions will send qualified applicants instructions for checking the status of application materials online.

Applicants are responsible for notifying the Office of Admissions of any changes in their mailing address or e-mail address.

Rolling Admissions

CCO uses a rolling admissions process in which applications are processed and reviewed during regular intervals in the admissions cycle until the class is filled.

Before an invitation is issued to attend an on-campus interview, applicants must meet the admission requirements listed previously. After the Office of Admissions receives all required application materials, applicant files are reviewed to determine whether an applicant merits an invitation for an interview. Applicants may also be placed on a waiting list pending possible openings in a later part of the admissions cycle. Interviews are typically held between September and May of a given admission cycle. Invited applicants must attend an on-campus interview, unless otherwise specified, to achieve further consideration in the admissions process.

The interview day, which includes a closed-file interview session, generally takes six hours. Applicants will be evaluated on verbal communication skills, understanding of the optometry profession, commitment to patient care, and other elements as determined by the College. Applicants will also learn more about Midwestern University, CCO, financial aid programs, student services, and campus housing, as well as tour the Midwestern University Downers Grove Campus and Eye Institute.

Following the interview, an applicant's file will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review. The committee may recommend accepting, denying, or placing students on an alternate list. Recommendations are then forwarded to the Dean for final approval. The Dean, via the Office of Admissions, notifies applicants within two weeks of the interview date, provided that the file is complete.

Any request for withdrawal of an application must be made in writing.

After receiving either denial or end-of-cycle letters, or after dismissal from the College, applicants may reapply for the next enrollment cycle. Before reapplying, however, applicants should seek the advice of a MWU admissions counselor.

The matriculation process begins after students receive notification of their acceptance. To complete the matriculation process, students must:

1. Submit the matriculation agreement and required deposit monies by the date designated in the matriculation agreement. Deposits are applied towards the first quarter's tuition.
2. Submit official final transcripts from all colleges attended post-high school by the deadline of two weeks (14 days) prior to the first day of classes. Students who are accepted to MWU less than one month prior to the first day of classes will have 30 calendar days from the date of their acceptance to submit all official transcripts to the Office of Admissions. Any special circumstances or requests for exceptions to this policy must be sent to and approved by the Office of the Dean of the college. Students who fail to submit all official final transcripts by the stated deadline may jeopardize their acceptance or continued enrollment in the College.
3. Submit completed medical files documenting completion of a physical exam, immunizations, tuberculosis and titer blood testing as instructed by the Office of Student Services and detailed in the Student Handbook.
4. Meet the Technical Standards for the college.
5. Submit proof of medical and disability insurance coverage. Students may select either a plan offered by an MWU-approved carrier or a comparable plan offered by an outside carrier of their choice, as determined by the Office of Student Services. Insurance must be maintained throughout the entire period of enrollment.
6. Submit additional documents as requested by the Office of Admissions or college.
7. Students who are requesting an F-1 visa or who are not U.S citizens or permanent residences must prepay tuition and in some cases other mandatory program fees for the first year of their educational program 6 weeks before the first day of the first quarter of each academic year. Furthermore, the student must prepay tuition and in some cases other mandatory program fees for each successive year at the start of each academic year on the University's stated due date.
8. Submit a signed Credit Policy Statement.
9. Authorize and pass the MWU criminal background check and/or fingerprinting background check as required by the specific College/School/Program.
10. Submit a signed MWU Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy Statement.

Students who fail to satisfy these matriculation requirements or who omit or falsify information required on official admission documents automatically forfeit their seat in the program. Any individual accepted for admission to the College/Program who does not comply with stated timelines for submission of all required materials will be notified by the College regarding materials and the potential forfeiture of his/her seat.

Transfer Admissions Policy

CCO may elect to accept transfer students from other U.S. accredited schools of optometry who are currently enrolled, are in good academic standing, have no ethics or professionalism violations, and provide acceptable reason(s) for seeking transfer. These transfer students must satisfy the minimum qualifications for admissions as all other applicants to the CCO program. Typically, students will transfer at the beginning of the second year of the curriculum.

Students requesting transfers must meet the College's general requirements for admission. The following must also be submitted.

1. A letter to the Director of Admissions outlining the reasons for requesting transfer and explaining any difficulties encountered at the previous institutions
2. Course syllabi for all optometry coursework for which advanced standing credit is requested
3. Official admission test scores from any one of the following: OAT, MCAT, DAT, PCAT, or GRE
4. Official transcripts from all schools attended - undergraduate, graduate, and professional
5. A letter from the dean of the college in which the student is enrolled that describes current academic status and terms of withdrawal or dismissal
6. Additional documents or letters of recommendation as determined necessary by the Director of Admissions or Dean

Following receipt of these materials, a decision by the Dean is made regarding whether or not the student merits an on-campus interview. If the student receives an invitation, the individual interviews with an appropriate interview team. The interview team then makes an admissions recommendation to the Dean, who is responsible for approving both the student's admissions status and class standing.

The transfer application must be received sufficiently early to allow for processing of the application, interview, and moving of the student prior to the start of the next academic term.

Readmission After Dismissal for Poor Academic Performance

Students dismissed for poor academic performance may reapply for admission to CCO if the student;

• Seeks academic counseling from the Office of the Dean prior to enrolling in an advanced health-related curriculum;
• Completes at least two semesters or three quarters of full-time study (i.e., at least 15 credit hours per semester or quarter) of a curriculum at the advanced level at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university;
• Earns grades of at least C (not C-) in all courses taken;
• Maintains a cumulative GPA of 2.50 or better.

Students fulfilling these requirements will be permitted to reapply to the University and CCO. Students should obtain the applications from the Office of the Dean and not through OptomCAS. Completed readmission applications must be submitted by May 15th to the Office of the Dean. The completed application will be forwarded to the Admissions Committee for review and recommendation. Committee recommendations are forwarded to the Dean for final action.

No guarantee of admission is implied, and questions related to advanced standing and similar issues will be addressed as they are for new applicants. Readmission will be granted only once.

Dual Acceptance Program Information

CCO will accept MCAT, DAT, PCAT, or GRE test scores as an alternative to OAT scores for currently enrolled students in the Midwestern University Biomedical Sciences degree programs (Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences, Master of Biomedical Sciences), who wish to apply to CCO. Any of these alternative admission test scores must be earned no more than 5 years prior to the planned enrollment year at CCO.

CCO will offer guaranteed interviews to students enrolled in Benedictine University's Master of Science in Integrative Physiology (M.S.I.P.) Program who apply as a traditional applicant to CCO and who satisfy these requirements:

1. Must meet all admission requirements of CCO.
2. Must submit a completed application to OptomCAS by April 1 for enrollment at CCO in Fall Quarter immediately following the completion of the M.S.I.P. Program.
3. Have an M.S.I.P. program GPA of at least 3.5 (out of 4.0) at the time of application to CCO.
4. Have completed all courses in the M.S.I.P. Program with a minimum grade of C or higher.
5. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher, including courses taken before and during the M.S.I.P. Program.
6. Provide OAT scores showing a Minimum Academic Average and Total Science scores of 300 each. OAT test scores must be earned no more than 5 years prior to the planned enrollment year.
7. Submit two letters of recommendation. One letter must be from a practicing optometrist. The other letter must be from the Director of the M.S.I.P. Program.
8. Demonstrate a good understanding of optometric medicine. Candidates are strongly encouraged to shadow and observe a number of practicing optometrists in the clinical setting.
9. Demonstrate a commitment to service through extracurricular and/or community activities.

CCO will offer guaranteed interviews to students enrolled in DePaul University's Pathway Honors program who apply as a traditional applicant to CCO and who satisfy these requirements:

1. Must meet all admissions requirements of CCO
2. Must submit a completed application to OptomCAS by April 1 for enrollment at CCO in the Fall Quarter immediately following the completion of the baccalaureate degree at DePaul.
3.  Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher (for all courses) at the time of application to Midwestern University.
4. Have no final course grade less than a "C" in the Pathways Honors program.
5. Complete the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) within the last 5 years with minimum Academic Average and Total Science scores of 300.
6. Submit two letters of recommendation. One must be from a practicing optometrist.
7. Demonstrate good understanding of optometric medicine. Candidates are strongly encouraged to shadow and observe a number of practicing optometrists in the clinical setting.
8. Demonstrate a commitment to service through extracurricular and/or community activities.