Pre-Optometry
OD • Prepare for optometry school. The University of the Incarnate Word and UHCO are major Texas programs.
~3.57 avg
ASCO 2025
Avg Applicant GPA
100+ optometry obs hrs
Typical Experience
16 courses
Required Courses
4 areas
Key Experiences
Required Courses
Click any course to see who teaches itThese courses are required by most OD programs.
Recommended Courses
Not required but strengthen your application significantly.
Key Experiences Needed
How applicants actually build each one. Not just what to do, but how.
Paid optometric experience
- 1Get hired as an optometric or ophthalmic technician. Many offices train on the job
- 2This is paid clinical experience that beats observation alone
- 3Certification (CPO / ophthalmic assistant) can help you get hired and stand out
Optometry shadowing
- 1Cold-call Austin optometry offices. Many O.D.s remember being pre-opt
- 2Observe across settings (private practice, clinical); log 100+ hours
OAT prep
- 1Study junior year after your science courses
- 2Use OAT practice tests to build up
Community service
- 1Get involved in vision or health-related service if you can
- 2Stay consistent
Build your Pre-Optometry plan
Map your courses by semester & plan your experiences →
Quick Links
💡 UT Austin Advantage
There's no optometry school at UT, but Austin's many optometry practices make it straightforward to land a paid optometric-technician role and build genuine clinical hours alongside your coursework. UT's science core fully covers the prerequisites for the Texas OD programs (UIWRSO and UHCO).
📍 Austin Resources
- • Austin optometry offices (cold-call for shadowing)
- • Alpha Epsilon Delta pre-health honor society
- • UT Health Austin