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. 

Regional Setting: Southern California is a melting pot of cultural diversity where students benefit firsthand from experience inherent in this spectrum. Diverse cultural experience provides the opportunity for students to learn about people, not only as patients, but to also learn about them in their cultural context through exposure to such elements as native cuisine and fine arts - all part of the SCCO regional experience.

Our Mission: To educate today's minds to provide tomorrow's eye, vision and health care.

Our Vision: To lead the future of eye, vision and health care one student at a time.

Campus Features

• Richard L. Hopping Academic Center: three high-tech classrooms with lecture-capture capability.
• University Eye Center (UEC), which serves both as a teaching facility and major health service center. Specialty services offered include cornea and contact lenses, binocular vision and vision therapy, pediatric vision, low vision and vision rehabilitation, and ocular prosthetics. Full service laser procedures are provided including refractive laser surgery, YAG, Argon and PDT procedures.
• 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 Centers and campus-wide internet access (WIFI)
• Student Recreation Center complete with a kitchen, BBQ, patio area, Campus Store and Student Lounge.
• Audio/video link between the UEC and the Academic Center providing education using grand rounds techniques.
• Outdoor Amphitheater
• State-of-the-art teleconferencing center (TVCI)
• For a video tour of the campus, go to:  http://optometryadmissions.com/about_scco/
• SCCO Eye Care Center expands!!!

Clinical Education Program: 
Two components make up the program: on-campus is the University Eye Center and off-campus is the Outreach Clinical Program. 

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 on campus at the ECC 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.

University Eye Center: Located on SCCO's Fullerton campus, it serves as the main clinical teaching facility serving more than 25,000 patients annually. Professional 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), and as such, its students enjoy the vital benefit of being educated in an interprofessional healthcare environment. To read more about this aspect of our program, visit http://optometryadmissions.com/2015/03/05/the-answer-interprofessional-education-at-mbku/

Career Resources:
Preparing students for transition from school to private practice is a strength of SCCO's program. This includes the integration of the curriculum with access to placement, liaisons with optometrists and links to appropriate referral sources. The Practice Management Center (PMC) at SCCO provides consulting expertise and supportive services for the successful transfer and development of independent optometric practices. The PMC is operated by educators in practice management and successful private practice Optometrists who have the experience and commitment to help one purchase his or her dream private practice. For more about the PMC, visit: http://www.ketchum.edu/pmc/index.html

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. 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 and their activities, visit: http://www.ketchum.edu/index.php/about/articlesl/campus-events

Students take part in activities such as intramural sports. SCCO has its own Fitness Center. The campus borders Cal State University, Fullerton. Students do have time with friends to enjoy nearby locales that include Downtown Brea with its restaurant and movie theaters; Downtown Fullerton with its college-town attractions; 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. 

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, high school and college transcripts and various other scholastic qualifications are assessed. The second is where more subjective, personal qualifications are examined. 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 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 believes that the practice of holistic review in the admissions process insures fairness to all who apply.

SCCO uses rolling admissions. For more information on any information related to the admissions process, please contact https://optometryadmissions.files.wordpress.com/2014/11/rolling-admissions-explained.pdf 

Applicant Resources

• Events: Spring Admissions Open House and Summer Admissions Workshops are programs designed to help prospective students learn more about the profession and increase their competitiveness as an applicant. http://optometryadmissions.com/admissions-event/
• Social Networking: Assistant Dean of Admissions, Dr. Jane Ann Munroe, hosts a Facebook Group for Pre-Optometry Students. Ask your questions, share in discussion forums and learn more about the specifics of applying. To join the Facebook Group, visit: http://www.facebook.com/groups/SCCOadmissions/
• YouTube Channel for SCCO: Video-formatted information about the admissions process and student life are hosted: www.youtube.com/user/janeannmunroe?feature=guide
• Wordpress Blog: www.optometryadmissions.com Learn about the admissions process, SCCO student life, and get tips on how to prepare for the OAT.
• SCCO's Monthy eNewsletter:  http://goo.gl/CH9X3S

For a complete list of prerequisites and other tips for getting started on the admissions process: http://optometryadmissions.com/faqs/