FAQs
You Have Questions – We Have Answers
Please explore the questions and answers below to learn what many of our prospective students are concerned about. If you still have questions, please contact us.
Question 1: Can you provide me with some information about the accreditation process?
WesternU’s College of Optometry was granted full accreditation by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) on February 6, 2013. To learn more, visit our accreditation page.
Question 2: What are your admissions requirements?
Please visit our view requirements page for more information.
Question 3: How can I submit my application?
Please visit the apply now page for detailed instructions on how to apply.
Question 4: Which standardized admissions tests do you accept?
The OAT remains the preferred admissions test. GRE scores may be considered at the discretion of the Admissions Committee if the candidate’s prerequisite and science GPAs are at least 3.0. DAT, MCAT or PCAT scores may be considered at the discretion of the Admissions Committee if circumstances make taking the OAT onerous or impossible. Please visit our application requirements page for additional details.
Question 5: Is there a minimum score on any of the standardized admissions tests you accept?
There is no minimum test score required at this time.
Question 6: How many students will you be accepting?
We anticipate seating a class of 66 students.
Question 7: Can I visit your campus?
We would love to have you on campus. If you are interested, please look at our scheduled tours page.
Question 8: Is there a secondary application that is required?
We do not require a secondary application.
Question 1: What if I cannot remember my Login ID or PIN?
Send an email to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, program you applied for, mailing address, phone number and birth date.
Question 2: What if I am locked out of my account?
Send an email to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.
Question 3: What is the difference between “Applications in Progress” and “Processed Applications”?
The Application Menu can have up to three sections:
- Applications in Progress: If you wish to create a new application, click “NEW”. If you started an application and didn’t complete it, click on the appropriate term in this section.
- Submitted Applications: Applications listed here have not been entered by Admissions Operations (AO). This could take 1-2 business days after you “Complete” your application. If your application has not moved to “Processed Applications” after 2 business days, please contact Admissions Operations at Admissions@westernu.edu
- Processed Applications: Check your application status and view outstanding requirements, by clicking on the term in this section. Status updates can take 5-7 business days after receipt of application materials.
Question 4: How do I check my application status online?
Login to the “Admissions Application/View Application Checklist Login” web page using the Login ID and PIN you created with your application. Under “Processed Applications” click the Admission Term. Check Application Status; if “Incomplete”, check for missing dates under Received column. Please keep in mind that it can take 5 to 7 business days, after receipt of your application materials, to post those items to your application. If your application materials are not posted to your account after the appropriate amount of time, please email AO@westernu.edu for more information; include your legal name and any alternate name(s) that may appear on your documents.
Question 5: What if I want to change information on my application after I have completed it?
After your application is complete, changes cannot be made however, you can send us a word document, PDF or email which can be added to your application. Please send to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.
Question 6: How do I view the contents of my application after I have completed it?
Unfortunately, once your application is complete, you cannot view the contents. We suggest that you print each section prior to completing your application.
Question 7: When checking my application status, why do I see more than one term listed under “Processed Applications” when I’ve only submitted one online application?
If you applied to multiple programs/campuses via a Primary and/or Secondary Application, you will see all active applications listed here by the term. This doesn’t necessarily mean we have received all required applications/materials. Please verify all requirements have been received. (See Question 4:”How do I check my application status online?” above.)
Question 8: What if I want to apply to more than one program? Do I need to create a new Login ID?
You can create multiple applications with one Login ID. Just select “New” under “Applications in Progress” to start a new application.
Question 9: Can I use my preferred name on my application?
Always use your “Legal” name on your applications (both Primary and Secondary). Nicknames/Preferred names must not be used. If the program you are applying to requires a Primary and Secondary application, your name must match exactly for both applications to be properly applied to your record. Please send an email to AO@westernu.edu notifying us of errors as soon as possible. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied to.
Question 10: What address should I use if I need to mail any additional application materials?
For official documents (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) please mail to:
Western University of Health Sciences
Attn: Admissions Operations/program you are applying for (DO, PHARMD, DPM, etc.)
309 E Second Street
Pomona, CA 91766
For non-official documents (prerequisite worksheets, repeated coursework, etc.) please email to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.
Question 11: How do I pay my application fee?
All application fees require payments made by credit card. Only cards with Visa and Master Card logos will be accepted. No checks, money orders, or cash will be accepted for payment of application fees.
Question 12: What if I don’t have a Visa or Master Card?
Payment may be made with a Visa or Master Card prepaid gift card which can be purchased at many major chain stores or online. Please be aware that the gift card must contain a balance sufficient to cover the application fee in one full payment.
Question 13: Are fee waivers accepted?
No, fee waivers are not accepted. To submit your online application, the application fees must be paid by credit card.
Question 14: What if I cannot find a College Code for a school I attended?
Please be sure to search for your school in the “Previous College(s) Attended” section of your application using City and State by selecting the “Lookup College Code” link. If your school is not listed, please send an email to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for. The college codes in our system are WesternU specific and may be different from college codes provided by your institution.
Question 15: How do I find a College Code for schools outside of the United States?
Please do not list foreign schools in the “Previous College” section of your application. All foreign coursework must be evaluated (course-by-course) through an approved evaluation service (World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates). Instead of listing the foreign schools you attended, please list the service used to evaluate your foreign coursework. You can find World Education Services and Josef Silny& Associates by selecting the Lookup College Code link and searching by Country and selecting ‘Foreign Country’ and City ‘Foreign City’. If you need additional assistance, please email AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.
Question 16: How do I view the colleges that I have already entered?
Select “Previous College(s) Attended” from the Application Checklist. If you previously entered and saved school information to your application, the first school’s details will be displayed in the form. Click “Enter or View another College or Degree” to view any additional schools. When you come to a blank form, there are no additional saved schools available. When you are done viewing your schools, select “Return to Checklist without saving changes”.
Question 17: How do I remove a college from my application?
If you have added an incorrect college or duplicate college in error, it cannot be removed until your application is submitted. Make a list of any colleges that must be removed, then continue with your application. Once you have submitted your application, email AO@westernu.edu requesting to have those schools removed from your application and specify the reason for removing them from your record. Please include your legal name, Login ID, and program you applied for.
Question 18: I am a current employee of WesternU, are there any additional forms needed for HR purposes?
If you are a current employee of WesternU, you must complete an Employee Authorization Release Form. You can request this form by sending an email to AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.
Question 19: Will I receive notification that my application was received?
Yes, once your application is processed we will send an email confirming it was received. Please be sure to check your “Junk Mail” folder for this email and allow emails from the domain ‘westernu.edu’ (WesternU Faculty, Staff, and Students) to avoid any delay of its delivery. If you need additional assistance, please email AO@westernu.edu. Please include your legal name, Login ID and program you applied for.