2009 APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION

NOTE: This application consists of one or more additional forms available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). To view and/or print these documents (indicated by the symbol) you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. If you have problems with Acrobat Reader, click here for Acrobat Reader customer support.

The Admissions Committee will not review your application until all of the following materials are received. Please follow the steps outlined below in completing your application:

• Submit the online application for admission.
• Submit the Application Agreement Statement (Signature Page).
• Submit the Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet. (Please refer to the Required Pre-Optometry Curriculum when completing the Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet.)
• Submit your $75 application fee (only check or money order in U.S. funds) payable to Illinois College of Optometry. Be sure that your name appears clearly on the check or money order. For Canadian applicants, Canadian checks with "U.S. funds" handwritten after the dollar amount ($75) are not acceptable.
• Request that your Registrar's Office place your official college transcript in an official sealed and signed envelope and include it with your signature page. (Transcripts that are opened will not be acceptable.)*
• Request that your evaluators complete the ICO Evaluation Form and/or compose a letter on official letterhead. The form and/or letter should be submitted in an official sealed and signed envelope with your signature page. (Letters that are opened will not be acceptable.)*
• Request that your OAT results be sent to ICO (if already taken). (Please visit www.opted.org for OAT information.)
• Applicants for whom English is a second language, request that your TOEFL results be sent to ICO. (ICO's institutional code is 1317.)
• Optional: Include a recent photograph (size: 2x2) of yourself with your application fee. On the back of the photograph include your first and last name.

Upon receipt of your application, the Admissions Committee will conduct an initial review of your materials. Expect to hear from us within 4-5 weeks of receiving all application materials. After the initial review of your file has been completed, the Admissions Committee may request that you schedule an interview and/or submit additional information.

*If you previously submitted evaluation letters or transcripts, we hold that information for up to two years.

Optometry Admission Test (OAT)

We will only accept results from computerized tests. Your test must be completed by March 15, 2009, for admissions to the 2009 Entering Class. Only OAT scores reported within the last two years are acceptable (starting from August 2006).

Letters of Evaluation

Two letters of evaluation are required of all applicants. You may download the ICO evaluation forms below and provide them to your evaluators and/or they may compose their own letters on official letterhead. (Either method of submission is acceptable; there is no preference given to evaluation forms or evaluations on letterhead.)

• Academic Evaluation Form
• Optometrist Evaluation Form

The evaluations must be completed, placed in official sealed and signed envelopes, and returned to the applicant by:

1. a non-relative, practicing optometrist; and
2. a professor or an academic/pre-health advisor. Pre-health faculty committee letters are also acceptable.

Please note that we accept letters of evaluation from VirtualEvals. (Check with your school to see if they participate.)

Transcript

You should include all official transcripts from any college or university you have attended when submitting your signature page. Please note that your Registrar's Office should seal your official transcript in an official envelope with their signature across the back of the envelope.

Interview Process

Selected candidates are required to attend an on-campus interview. Interviews for the Entering Class of 2009 will be conducted from mid-September of 2008 through April of 2009. Details of the day are provided upon invitation to interview.

Reapplicant Process

We welcome re-applicants; having applied previously does not count against you in the admissions process. However, the Admissions Committee must be able to see that you are taking steps to strengthen your application and that you are continuing in your preparation for optometry school. To apply you will need to:

• Submit a new online application for admission.
• Submit the Application Agreement (Signature Page).
• Submit an updated Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet. (Please refer to the Required Pre-Optometry Curriculum when completing the Pre-Optometry Coursework Sheet.)
• Submit a Re-applicant Statement. The Re-applicant Statement should detail your activities since your last application and the steps you plan to take/have taken to strengthen your application.
• Submit your $75 application fee (only check or money order in U.S. funds) payable to Illinois College of Optometry. Be sure that your name appears clearly on the check or money order. For Canadian applicants, Canadian checks with "U.S. funds" handwritten after the dollar amount ($75) are not acceptable.

You need not resubmit transcripts unless you have additional course work or new grades to report. We will also keep any letters of evaluation you have submitted in support of your previous application.

You do not need to have completed all requirements for admission at the time of application. As long as you will have taken the OAT by March 15, 2009, and successfully completed all academic requirements for admission by August 2009, you may continue with the application process.

However, we encourage you to apply early and not wait to submit your application materials on the deadline.

To complete this online application, type your answers in the corresponding fields or select your answers from the popup lists (where applicable).

After you complete a screen, click the NEXT button at the bottom or on one of the sections listed on the left column to move to a different screen. Before you are allowed to jump screens, we will inspect your data on the current screen for errors or inconsistencies. If errors or omissions are found, you will be returned to the screen to correct your answer(s). Otherwise, your data will be saved and you will proceed to the requested screen. We also allow you to skip to another screen without your new data being saved. Be aware that if you use the Skip & Jump function on the left column, data on the current screen will not be saved and will have to be reentered prior to submittal.

Once you have completed the application, click the SUBMIT button located on the left column to submit the application.

Click here if you have any technical questions or need assistance with this online application.

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