Pre-Professional Advising

CPP-WesternU Optometry Linkage Program

Purpose

The CPP-WesternU/College of Optometry LINKAGE is designed for pre-health professional students at CPP who wish to matriculate as candidates for the Doctor of Optometry (O.D.) degree at WesternU/College of Optometry.

 

How to Apply to the Linkage Program

To be eligible for the Linkage program students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Interested in a career in optometry

  • Meet with pre-health advisor on campus or virtually

  • Sophomore or junior with a minimum of 24 completed semester units or 36 quarter units

  • Good academic standing

Students interested in applying for admission to the CPP-WesternU/College of Optometry LINKAGE program should contact the Pre-Professional advisor at CPP and provide necessary information, as permitted by FERPA and documented with appropriate releases, to determine student eligibility. 

Suitable individuals with outstanding credentials for this program will be nominated to the WesternU/College of Optometry Admissions Linkage Committee (the Committee) and invited to submit an official Linkage application to wucolinkage@westernu.edu, including:

  • Resume

  • 2 letters of recommendation (1 from Science or Math faculty and 1 from either a pre-professional advisor or optometrist)

  • official or unofficial transcripts from ALL institutions attended

Students will be notified whether they will be invited to join the linkage program.

 

What the Linkage Program Offers

  • Participation in the linkage program will provide access to support for the WesternU/College of Optometry application process;

  • Successful participants in the Linkage program will be guaranteed an interview as an applicant to WesternU/College of Optometry.

    • Successful participants in the Linkage program are expected to demonstrate humanism, knowledge of the profession of optometry, motivation, and personal qualities that give evidence of their suitability for a career in optometry, with applicable standards of student conduct.

    • Each Linkage program student is also responsible for sending grade reports each term (copy of Unofficial Transcripts) to the WesternU/College of Optometry Admissions Linkage Committee by emailing to: wucolinkage@westernu.edu.

Requirements for Final Admission to WesternU School of Optometry

For official admission into the WesternU/College of Optometry all matriculates must meet the criteria published in the catalog for that admissions cycle. Prior to scheduling an interview for admission, Linkage program students must submit either OAT or GRE scores, as consistent with the criteria published in the catalog.