The Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) is pleased to announce the launching of the centralized application service for optometry (OptomCAS) on July 15, 2009 for the 2009-2010 application cycle. OptomCAS will offer applicants a convenient, web-based application that will allow them to apply to more than one participating optometry school or college with one application. ALL twenty schools and colleges of optometry will participate.
The OptomCAS website is now available. This includes an FAQ section that may be helpful to you. This website will be updated on a continuous basis as the application launch date approaches.
Mr. Mackel Harris, an admissions officer from Life University Chiropractic College near Atlanta, Georgia will be at UB Monday, March 30 at 4:00 in room 250 Student Union. Mr. Harris will discussion requirements for admission, application procedures and can detail the chiropractic curriculum.
Chiropractic health care focuses on the restoration and enhancement of health by altering the neural regulation of body systems, primarily, but not exclusively by adjustment of the spine and other articulations of the body. Training requires three and 1/2 to four years at a college of chiropractic medicine. Prerequisite requirements range from 60 college credits to a bachelor’s degree depending on the particular school and the regulations for state licensing. No admissions test is required, but a letter of recommendation from a Doctor of Chiropractic often is. The average undergraduate GPA for admitted students ranges from 2.5 to 4.0 with most students admitted at or around a 3.0.
Revision to the Score Scale for the Optometry Admission Test (OAT)
Effective May 1, 2009
When an examinee takes the OAT, a raw score is produced for each area of the test that equals the number of correct answers. This raw score is converted to a standard score so that examinees’ performance on the test can be compared to other examinees’ performance. In the OAT, the mean is assigned a standard score of 300. The range of scores for the OAT is 200 to 400.
Recently, the mean may has exceeded 300 in all sections, and has exceeded 330 in certain instances. As part of the ongoing validation process for the OAT, a request was made by ASCO to recalibrate the score scale so that the score scale mean is again close to 300 and the standard deviation is 40. The data for this rescaling study were responses from 2,520 examinees taking the OAT for the first time in 2008. The rescaling for each of the OAT sub-tests was accomplished through the use of logits from the Rasch model, which takes both examinee’s ability and item difficulty into account. As a result, the average mean of each of the OAT sub-test is as close as possible to a mean of 300 and standard deviation of 40.
Interpretation of the New Score Scale
This new score scale will take effect May 1, 2009 and has several major implications for anyone involved in interpreting OAT scores. Please pay particular attention to the bulleted items:
• The new score scale and the old score scale are not comparable. Scores from the new scale cannot be compared to the old scale.
o A 300 on the old scale is not the same as a 300 on the new scale.
o If an examinee tested in January 2009 and then retested in July 2009, the two sets of scores cannot be compared to each other.
• The OAT is not a harder or more difficult test but overall the scores will appear to be lower than they have been in recent years because the mean has been set back as close as possible to 300.
• Going forward scores will be able to be compared as they have been in the past. For example, an examinee that tests in May 2009 and December 2009 will be scored on the same score scale and those sets of scores can be compared to each other.
o When reviewing an examinee’s score, it will be important to note the date the test was taken to compare the scores to the correct scale.
Paige Pence
Director, Student and Professional Affairs
Association of Schools & Colleges of Optometry
The Admissions and Student Affairs Office at UC Berkeley’s School of Optometry is pleased to announce that they will once again offer the summer “Opto-Camp” program. They will offer two sessions this summer, June 15-17 and July 20-22.
The goal of Berkeley Optometry’s Opto-Camp is to introduce underrepresented pre-health science majors to Optometry as a potential future career track and to prepare them to be successful applicants to optometry school. The objective of Berkeley Optometry’s Opto-Camp is to present a three-day “in residence”
experience that will provide participants with opportunities to learn about the profession of optometry and the process of becoming an optometrist.
Please note that they have incorporated a $100 program fee due to budgetary constraints, however, they are also offering a limited amount of scholarships per session.
Program specifics and the application are linked here.
The application deadline is Monday, April 27, 2009.
The Ohio State University College of Optometry announces its Open House and Career Day, Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 1:00-4:30 p.m.
There will be tours of the college, admissions, financial aid and career information sessions and student organization exhibits.
No preregistration or RSVP is needed.
The Summer Scholars program is a 6 week experience that replicates what a student can expect as a first year medical student. The program includes course work in biochemistry, gross anatomy, immunology, histology, integrated pharmacology, osteopathic principles and practices, and an introduction to case based learning, all taught by the OU-COM faculty.
In addition, eligible students will have the opportunity to interview for admission to the medical school. The program also includes room and board, a modest stipend, and travel allowance.
Detailed information about the program, selection criterion, and application materials can be obtained at the link.
John D. Schriner, Ph.D.
Director of Admissions
Assistant Professor, Department of
Social Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine
102 Grosvenor Hall
Athens, Ohio 45701
The Illinois College of Optometry will again host the Focus on Your Future Summer Program for underrepresented minority undergraduate students. The program is a weeklong experience that will expose undergraduate students to the profession of optometry in a variety of settings. Participants will have the opportunity to meet and work with current optometry students, ICO Faculty & Staff, as well as practicing optometrists.
Students will be housed at no charge in our Residential Complex. There is no cost to participate in this program. Participants are responsible for their travel expenses and/or transportation cost to and from ICO.
Program Dates: Monday, July 6 - Friday, July 10, 2009
Application Period: March 2 - April 3, 2009
Notification: Applicants will be notified on or about May 1, 2009.
For eligibility and application information, visit the website. If you have any questions you may also contact Tesisha Johnson (see below).
Teisha Johnson, MS
Director of Admissions/Marketing
Illinois College of Optometry
3241 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
Phone: 312-949-7407
Fax: 312-949-7680
Douglas McNabb, an admissions rep from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine will be at UB next Wednesday, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. in room 145A Student Union.
Podiatric medicine offers a lucrative career in a specialized field. Doctors of podiatric medicine treat all conditions located in the lower extremity, with subspecialties in diabetic wound care, surgery, sports medicine, dermatology, podopediatrics, and orthopedics.
New York College of Podiatric Medicine is a four-year podiatric medical school, providing its students with a rigorous preclinical science curriculum and intense clinical training in in affiliated Foot Clinics of New York and hospitals.
Dr. Mary Flannery, Director of Recruitment at Life University’s College of Chiropractic (Georgia), will be at UB on Thursday, March 5th from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. in room 145A Student Union. Joining her will be Dr. Patrick O’Neill, a local chiropractor who has worked with cases from family care to personal injury (including being called as an expert witness at trial).
Dr. O’Neill will discuss why people choose a career in chiropractic, as well as the benefits of the profession. Dr. Flannery will be prepared to help students understand the questions you should ask when choosing a chiropractic school and how to find the best academic fit for your personal needs and ambitions within the profession.
Information Session/Dinner with Representatives from Life University College of Chiropractic – Friday, March 6th
Attend this informative session to learn about a rewarding career in Chiropractic:
- Hear a ‘real-world’ perspective from Dr. Patrick O’Neill.
- Receive answers to all your questions from Dr. Mary Flannery, Life University’s Director of Recruitment.
- BONUS: $50 application fee waived for attending the event!
Dinner will be provided, compliments of Life University!
Friday, March 6th at 6:00 p.m.
The Red Pepper, 3910 Maple Rd., Amherst, NY
Please R.S.V.P. by 3/3/09 to Dr. Mary Flannery at 770-880-3934 or mflannery@life.edu
The California School of Podiatric Medicine is sponsoring a CSPM Immersion Week offering a unique opportunity for pre-med students to learn more about the profession of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery. Participants will have the oppportunity to: attend various lectures on topics related to the foot and ankle, shadow faculty and students in a variety of clinical settings, participate in a full day MCAT strategy session, learn more about admission procedures and financial aid, and experience a week in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Money for incidental expenses will be needed. Room/board and travel expenses (up to $500) will be covered.
An application and more information is available at the link.
Applications are due May 1, 2009
Questions may be directed to:
Andre Singleton - Recruitment and Outreach, CSPM
510-869-6511 ext 4297
asingleton@samuelmerritt.edu
