The Optometry Admission Test (OAT) (or, in some cases, an alternate professional school entrance test) is an admissions requirement of all optometry schools.
At minimum, students should complete the following science and stat courses prior to taking the OAT: general and organic chemistry (CHEM 101, 102, 351, 352), genetics (BIOL 302), cell & molecular biology (BIOL 303), physics (PHYS 111 & 112), and a statistics course (either STAT 121 or STAT 350). Common optometry school admission prerequisites are posted on our website, however each optometry school sets its own admissions requirements and policies. General information about optometry school admission may be found on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) website, but prospective applicants should visit the websites of the programs that they wish to apply to in order to find more detailed information. Most pre-opt students take the OAT during the spring or summer of the year during which they are completing the OptomCAS application. Our office strongly recommends finishing all courses that cover exam content prior to taking the OAT, as well as taking full-length practice tests to determine preparedness for the exam. Details about exam content, scoring, testing procedures, registration, and more may be found on the American Dental Education Association website.
Additional Resources
Khan Academy MCAT Collection (many students use other standardized exam study resources to prepare for the OAT, such as DAT and MCAT study materials)
The UMBC PreMedical & PreDental Advising Office does not officially promote, sponsor or recommend any test preparation company. Information is gathered for students and made available to them.