Southern College of Optometry

2575 Yorba Linda Boulevard Fullerton, California 92831 Phone: 714-449-7444 or 800-829-9949 Email: admissions@scco.edu http://www.sco.edu

The Southern College of Optometry located in Memphis, Tennessee was founded in 1932 and is one of the few private schools. The school boasts educating 10 optometrists who have held president positions for the American Optometric Association. The school has excellent facilities including the new Eye Center, and has relations with several clinics regionally. Students can obtain a Doctor of Optometry degree by passing the 4-year program.

The Southern College of Optometry is very competitive, and has had rations of 5:1 and 8:1 for applications versus entering students. The college recommends students with an OAT score lower than 310 to retake the rest, and those with a mean GPA under 2.5 and an OAT score under 320 are advised to call the school to discuss their competitiveness. The profile for the 2008 entering class consisted of 741 applicants, with 124 students matriculating. Out of these 124 students, all had Bachelor’s degrees or better and the average GPA and OAT score were 3.45 and 340.

Tuition

The tuition for the Southern College of Optometry is a little more complex due to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), which offers lower tuition rates to students in participating states. The tuition for the 2009-2010 academic year for residents of Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia was $18,044 per year. This comes out to a total of about $72,176 for the 4 years of the program. For residents of Kansas, the tuition was $18,644 per year for a total of about $74,576. For residents of Nebraska, the tuition was $10,594 per year for a total of about $42,376. For residents of North Carolina, the tuition was $9,944 per year for a total of about $39,776. For non-regional students, the tuition was $23,844 for the first year. Please check the school for updated and accurate tuition and fees.

Education Requirements

The Southern College of Optometry does not require applicants to have a Bachelors degree, but gives preference to those that do. Applicants are required to have at least 90 semester hours from an accredited institution that meets the pre-optometry course sequence of the college. These courses include English, General Psychology, Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and a few others.

Admissions Checklist

• School of Optometry Application- OptomCAS + SCO’s Optometry supplemental
• Essay/Personal Statement
• Official academic transcripts
• OAT Scores
• Letters of recommendation

2008 ICO Entering Class Profile

• Total Applications: 2008
• Number of Applicants Accepted: 741
• Number of Students Enrolled: 174
• # of Enrolled with Bachelors degree: 124
• # of Males Enrolled: 60
• # of Females Enrolled: 64
• # of States Represented: 30
• Overall Average GPA: 3.45
• Average OAT AA Score: 343
• Average OAT Total Science Score: 340
• # of Residents Applied: 279
• # of Residents Accepted: 87
• # of Non-residents Applied:462
• # of Non-residents Accepted:87
• Residents 1st Year Tuition and Fees: $18003
• Non-residents 1st Year Tuition and Fees: $23003
• Offers Advanced Standing: Yes

Southern College of Optometry Residency

Southern College of Optometry Residency in Pediatric Optometry - Memphis, TN

Southern College of Optometry Residency in Primary Care - Memphis, TN

Southern College of Optometry Residency in Low Vision Rehabilitation - Memphis, TN

Affiliated Optometric Residency

Hampton VA Residency in Low Vision Rehabilitation / Ocular Disease - Hampton, VA

West Tennessee Eye Residency in Family Practice Optometry - Millington, TN

Eye Centers of Florida Residency in Ocular Disease - Ft. Myers, FL

Southern Eye Associates Residency in Ocular Disease - Memphis, TN

Eye Health Partners of Middle Tennessee Residency in Ocular Disease - Nashville, TN

Memphis VA Residency in Primary Care - Memphis, TN

William Jennings Bryan Dorn VA Residency in Primary Care - Columbia, SC

Salem VA Residency in Primary Care - Salem, VA

W. G. Hefner VA Residency in Primary Care - Salisbury, NC

James H. Quillen VA Residency in Primary Care - Mountain Home, TN

Vision Therapy Group Residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation - Flint, MI

Appelbaum Eye Care Associates Residency in Vision Therapy / Rehabilitative Optometry - Bethesda, MD

EyeCare Professionals Residency in Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation - Hamilton Square, NJ

Child and Family Optometry Residency in Pediatric Optometry / Vision Therapy and Rehabilitation - Wichita, KS

Woolfson Eye Institute Residency in Refractive and Ocular Surgery / Ocular Disease - Lawrenceville, GA