Education is an Investment in Your Future.
You have chosen to apply to the nation's leader in optometric education—alma mater to 13 American Optometric Association Presidents and more than 80 years of graduating the best clinicians in the field.
The Admissions Office provides outstanding service throughout the admissions process: prompt and courteous responses to your questions; detailed literature that provides facts—not just fluff. We truly are committed to recruiting and retaining the best optometry school applicants.
Take time to learn about our admissions process and how you can become a stronger applicant.
Apply to Southern College of Optometry
SCO’s application process operates within OptomCAS, a centralized service that begins accepting applications July 1. Because of our rolling admissions infrastructure, SCO encourages interested students to apply early.
Applying to our optometry school requires numerous detailed steps in order to maintain structure and organization throughout the process. Before receiving consideration, the following must be in possession of SCO:
- OptomCAS application and all supporting documents
- SCO’s supplemental application
- Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
For detailed information on each step of the process, please visit our How to Apply page.
Learn How To Apply
Review our Academic Information
Enrollment at Southern College of Optometry requires at least 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours at an accredited undergraduate institution. Additionally, candidates are required to complete all prerequisite courses before enrolling at the school. Note that you can apply before all prerequisite courses are completed. Those courses simply need to be completed before enrollment.
For more information on academic information, prerequisite courses and more, visit below.
View Academic Information
Become a Competitive Applicant
Potential SCO students submit applications seemingly daily, so the importance of providing a detailed, competitive application is critical to be considered for acceptance.
When our team reviews applications, we want to see how your experiences, your education and your knowledge stand apart from others in the highly competitive pool of prospective students. In addition to providing all relevant and required documentation, we look at the following details to determine acceptance into the school:
Please note that the items listed above are not the only determining factors for acceptance. SCO examines the entire scope of each prospective student’s application in order to best understand the value of each applicant.
For more information, visit our Become a Competitive Applicant page.
Become A Competitive Applicant
Hear from a SCO student: