Overview of Program

The Southern California College of Optometry, SCCO, part of Marshall B. Ketchum University, was founded in 1904. It is the third oldest of the schools and colleges of optometry in the United States. SCCO, a private, non-profit college, is accredited professionally by the Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) of the American Optometric Association and regionally by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Two Degrees Offered:

• Doctor of Optometry (O.D.), a professional degree
• Master of Science in Vision Science (M.S.), an academic degree that can be completed concurrently with the O.D. program.

Location: Sunny Southern California is the setting for SCCO. The City of Fullerton is known as "the Education Community," as five colleges and universities call it home. A beautiful seven-acre, suburban-set campus, with great year-round weather, fantastic natural resources, and tremendous recreational attractions combine to create a wonderful environment for learning and personal growth. Beaches; mountains; professional baseball, basketball and hockey; major theme parks; and entertainment events are all part of the backdrop for SCCO. 

Campus Features:

• Richard L. Hopping Academic Center: three high-tech classrooms with lecture-capture capability.
• Virtual Learning Technology:
  • VR Magic Virtual system to learn binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy (BIO)
  • Anatomage tables to learn neuroanatomy, ocular anatomy, and human anatomy
  • SimMan medical simulation mannequin
• NBEO mock exam room for 3rd and 4th year students to practice for the National Boards
• M.B. Ketchum Memorial Library houses one of the most complete visual science libraries in the nation
• Multi-level parking structure, adjacent to the Academic Center for convenient parking
• Student Fitness Center complete with fitness equipment and sound system
• Student Computer Center and campus-wide internet access (WIFI)
• Student Recreation Center complete with a kitchen, BBQ, patio area, Campus Store and Student Lounge
• Outdoor Amphitheater
  
• State-of-the-art teleconferencing center 
• To learn more about SCCO use this link to the Admissions Optometry Blog               

Clinical Education Program: 
Two components make up the program: Ketchum Health and the Outreach Clinical Program. 

In Ketchum Health, students begin exposure to patient-care as a 1st year student. 2nd year students see their first patients in clinic in 2nd quarter. 3rd year students spend 1/2 their time in lecture/lab and 1/2 in clinic. 4th year students perform four three-month rotations - one at Ketchum Health and the other three at outreach clinical sites that provide diversity of both clinical experience and patients. Through this Outreach Clinical Program which offers approx 80 rotation sites throughout the US, Canada and two foreign countries, students have the ability to tailor their fourth-year clinical education to meet their needs and interests.

Ketchum Health: Serves as the main clinical teaching facility. Professional optometric services encompass the diagnosis, treatment, and management of eye disease and vision disorders. Clinical services include contact lenses, vision therapy, pediatrics, geriatrics, sports vision, low vision rehabilitation, pediatric/infant contact lenses, ocular prosthetics and electrodiagnostics.  

Interprofessional Education: SCCO is one of the programs under the umbrella of Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU). Students enjoy the vital benefit of being educated in an interprofessional healthcare environment alongside students from the School of Physician Assistant Studies and The College of Pharmacy. Learn more about this aspect of our program.

Student Life: Student life outside the classroom provides opportunities for community service and leadership. Students take an active part in the governance of the College. Around fifty percent of SCCO students live within a one-mile radius of campus creating a true feeling of community. For a list of clubs, student organizations, activities and more, visit our website here. 

Students have time with friends to enjoy nearby locales that include Downtown Brea with its restaurant and movie theaters; Downtown Fullerton with its college-town night-life; and the Brea Mall. Within an eight mile radius of campus, students can enjoy Anaheim Stadium, Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm and the Honda Center just to name a few attractions. The beach is a 30-minute drive, and the mountains are about an hour. No matter what you like to do, the weather is beautiful all year long in Southern California, allowing students to unwind and enjoy the outdoors during their free time.

Applicant Selection Factors:

Holistic Approach to the Admissions Process: SCCO prides itself on its progressive admissions process. It is designed to select those who are best qualified to make a contribution to their future patients and to the profession. 

The admissions process has two qualifying rounds. The first where GPA's, OAT scores, college transcripts and various other scholastic qualifications are assessed. The second is where more subjective, personal qualifications are examined during the interview. Should applicants meet a qualifying scholastic standard in the first round, they are then eligible to advance to the second round where professional potential is assessed through an interview process. It is the second round where motivation, character, personal statements, Curriculum Vitae and shadowing experience are mainly taken into consideration. The practice of optometry requires great responsibility, maturity, ethics, devotion, intellectual curiosity and social commitment and the interview is designed to explore these criteria.

SCCO uses rolling admissions, therefore it's best to apply early. Check out admissions requirements and details on how to apply on our website. 

Applicant Resources:

• SCCO's Admissions Blog: Comprehensive information in articles/videos for the pre-optometry student and optometry school applicant:
• Essential Resource List for Optometry School Applicants
• How to Become a Competitive Applicant to SCCO's Program
• Timeline Strategy for Applying with Rolling Admissions
• How to Prepare to Take the OAT Written by OAT Test-Takers
• Your OptomCAS Application Through Its Stages
• SCCO's Admissions Workshop: Comprehensive Information About All Aspects of the Admissions Process
• FAQs for SCCO's Admissions Process 
• Got Questions? Ask SCCO Student Ambassadors 
• Webinar Series for Pre-Optometry and Pre-Health Students
• Video: What SCCO Offers in an Optometric Education
• Canadian Applicants: Canadian students planning to attend grad school in the U.S. have additional considerations when applying. Learn about how SCCO assists Canadian students with the application process by visiting our Resource Guide for Canadian Applicants on MBKU's website.
• Out-of-State Applicants: With no preference given to instate or out-of-state applicants, SCCO welcomes students from all over the United States. Students planning to attend grad school in a state different from their own have additional considerations. Learn about how SCCO assists out-of-state students with the application process by visiting our Resource Guide for Out-of-State Applicants on MBKU's website.
• Events: Live and virtual events are hosted all year long. These programs are designed to help prospective students learn more about SCCO's optometry program and increase their competitiveness as an applicant. Click here to see all events and to RSVP.
• Connect with SCCO Admissions: whether you prefer Social Media, campus tours, phone calls or Zoom, we have a variety of ways to connect listed here. 
• Click here to sign up for SCCO's Monthy eNewsletter so you don't miss anything!