On Oct. 30, more than 900 prospective optometry school applicants and representatives from the schools and colleges of optometry participated in ASCO’s first virtual optometry fair. The virtual optometry fair was an opportunity for students to ask questions from the comfort of their own computers as they consider if optometry is the right profession for them. Students currently involved in the OptomCAS centralized application process were able to ask specific questions about their applications to the schools and colleges they are considering.
Other applicant development projects promoting the profession of optometry this fall include the production of a video, an e-mail campaign targeting more than 125,000 undergraduate students, and a direct mail campaign to more than 1,000 health professions advisors.
These initiatives are part of the ASCO-American Optometric Association joint project on further developing a robust, diverse, and highly qualified national applicant pool. For more information, contact Paige Pence, ASCO Director of Student and Residency Affairs, at ppence@opted.org.