Each optometry school may have its own additional requirements. The OAT, which is sponsored by the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry , is a standardised examination designed to measure general academic ability and comprehension of scientific information. The Optometry Admission Test includes quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, physics, biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry. Plans must be made at least three months in advance for a special administration. Other Factors Potential optometry students may be evaluated on the basis of grade point average, performance on the OAT, extra-curricular and community activities, personal interviews and professional potential.
Most schools also require two or three written recommendations from teachers and professionals.
However, a small number of OD graduates continue on to either a clinical or non-clinical residency programme for extended learning in a special area. They may also plan to become a teacher of optometry or a researcher and may begin their master's or doctoral degree studies in a residency programme. The license to practise optometry in the US is granted by individual optometric licensing boards in each of the fifty states. All states require graduation from an accredited professional optometric degree programme as a prerequisite for licensure. The licensure examination consists of both clinical and written parts, but in most states the written examination has been replaced with the examinations which are given as part of the OD degree during the student's academic career by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry .