University of Pikeville

Kentucky College of Optometry
147 Sycamore Street
Pikeville, Kentucky 41501
(606) 218-5251
kycoadmissions@upike.edu

 

KYCO Student Performance

The Kentucky College of Optometry graduated its first class in 2020. As we gather this data we will publish it for review on this page.

Ultimate Pass Rate

Academic Year (10/1-9/30)# of candidatesultimate pass ratenational ultimate pass rate
2023-20245472.2%TBD
2022-20235261.5%83.8%
2021-20227060.0%87.8%
2020-20215481.5%92.5%

* Published results include the performance of all first-time takers of each NBEO examination Part within the specified timeframe regardless of year of enrollment, year of graduation, or graduation status; first-time taker pass rates published on the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO) website (link) are limited to candidates that have graduated.

Annual Institutional Pass Rates for all First-time Takers of NBEO Parts I, II, and III

NBEO Part I – Applied Basic Science

Academic Year (9/1-8/31) # of first-time takersfirst time taker pass ratenational first time taker pass rateprogram difference,
% points
2023-20245572.7%65.8%+6.9 points
2022-20235569.1%65.8%+ 3.3 points
2021-20225545.5%63.7%– 18.2 points
2020-20215754.4%71.9%– 15.5 points

NBEO Part II – Patient Assessment and Management

Academic Year (9/1-8/31) # of first-time takersfirst time taker pass ratenational first time taker pass rateprogram difference,
% points
2023-20245587.3%81.4%+5.9 points
2022-20235671.4%82.9%– 11.5 points
2021-20225773.7%84.7%– 11.0 points
2020-20215176.5%88.4%– 11.9 points

NBEO Part III Clinical Skills Examination [will change to Patient Encounters and Performance Skills]

Academic Year (7/1-6/30)# of first-time takersfirst time taker pass ratenational first time taker pass
rate
2023-20245450.0%TBD
2022-20235246.2%74.4%
2021-20225549.1%79.7%
2020-20215147.1%88.4%

Applicants and New First-Year Matriculates

Class of202320242025202620272028
KYCO
Applications(verified)
Accepted
New First-Year Matriculates		–
457
178
62		–
456
126
59		–
551
113
60		–
604
217
62		–
617
227
58		–
589
171
59

Applicants and Matriculates by Ethnic Groups and Gender

Class of202320242025202620272028
Applications
White, non-Hispanic
Asian
Hispanic/Latino
Black, non-Hispanic
Other and Unknown
Multi-ethnic
Percent Minority
Women
Percent
–
265
118
29
22
26
—
40.4%
317
68.9%		–
270
121
27
30
8
—
39.7%
300
65.4%		–
321
129
43
35
23
—
39.9%
354
64.2%		–
437
192
54
57
141
—
15.2%
553
62.8%		–
359
177
43
19
2
17
41.8%
404
65.5%		–
346
138
46
16
34
9
39.3%
387
65.7
New First-Year Matriculates
White, non-Hispanic
Asian
Hispanic/Latino
Black, non-Hispanic
Other and Unknown
Percent Minority
Women
Percent
–
50
4
3
4
1
18.0%
47
75.8%		–
48
5
2
2
2
17.0%
35
59.3%		–
50
2
3
2
3
15.0%
41
68.3%		–
46
4
2
5
5
16.1%
28
42.2%		–
41
11
2
2
2
29.3%
31
53.4%		–
47
5
2
3
2
20.3%
31
52.5%

Source: ASCO Annual Student Data Reports

Notes: (1) Applicant data comes from the OptomCAS data Files, (20) Percent minority removes unknown applicants/matriculates from denominator

Grade Point Averages and OAT Scores of New First-Year Matriculates

Class of202320242025202620272028
Grade Point Averages
Science mean gpa
Non-Science mean gpa
Mean cum GPA		–
3.09
—
3.31		–
3.12
—
3.33		–
3.28
3.40
3.44		–
3.15
3.26
3.30
–
3.16
3.32
3.31
–
3.32
3.30
3.48
OAT Scores
Academic Average mean
Total Science mean
Natural Sciences:
Biology
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Reading Comprehension
Physics
Quantitative Reasoning
–
296
279
–
294
292
276
327
266
310		–
298
280
–
296
290
282
324
271
312		–
301
285
–
298
300
287
335
271
308		–
302
284
–
301
297
282
330
275
321		–
300
285
–
298
305
279
326
273
317		–
309
292
–
308
306
285
346
280
324

Sources: ASCO Annual Student Data Reports and OptomCAS data files.

Note:          (1) In the OAT, scores range from 200 to 400 with a mean of 300.

Entering Class Origin

Class of202320242025202620272028
N625960625859
Highest Degree:
Bachelor’s
Master’s
–
92%
3%
–
94%
5%
–
87%
3%		–
89%
8%
–
95%
0%
–
93%
2%
Most Prevalent Schools: (N)
University of Pikeville
University of Kentucky
East Tennessee State University
Morehead State University
West Virginia University Morgantown
Brigham Young University Idaho
Alice Lloyd College
Western Kentucky University
Northeastern State University
Univ of North Carolina-Wilmington

–
3
2
2
1
1
2
0
2
0
0

–
4
0
3
4
0
0
2
0
0
1
–
1
3
0
1
0
2
0
2
4
3
–
5
0
1
1
0
1
4
0
1
1
–
6
1
2
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
–
7
4
2
2
4
1
0
1
0
0

Sources: ASCO Annual Student Data Reports and OptomCAS data files.

Currently, KYCO has matriculated students from 34 U.S. States with the highest number coming from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

Additional Characteristics of New First-Year Matriculates

Class of202320242025202620272028
New First-Year Matriculates625960625859
Share from Central/South Central Appalachian Region.
Share from Rural America
(non-Cent’l/So Cent’l Appalachia).
Total Share Meeting KYCO Mission:
 21%
–
40
61%
 32%
–
32
64%
 20%
–
65
85%
26%
–
29
55%
19%
–
29
48%		25%
–
14
39%
First Generation College Student
First person in family to go to professional school
KYCO was first choice of optometry schools
21%
—
—
25%
57%
73%
32%
65%
80%
31%
67%
75%
33%
60%
79%		22%
71%
75%

Sources: OptomCAS data files and KYCO Survey of First Year Students.

Notes:       
(1) The Central Appalachian Region includes the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia; the South Central Appalachian Region includes the states of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Grduation & Attrition Rate

Graduation and Attrition Rates
Year Matriculated2018201920202021202220232024
Matriculants#%#%#%#%#%#%#%
Graduated in 4 years5587.3%5385.5%5186.4%TBD–TBD–TBD–TBD–
Graduated in 5 years
or less		5790.5%4690.3%TBD–TBD–TBD–TBD–TBD–
Graduated at any time5892.1%5690.3%TBD–TBD–TBD–TBD–TBD–
Still enrolled or
on leave of
absence		––––55.8%5490.0%5791.9%5594.8%59100.0%
Attrition for academic
reasons		23.2%34.8%23.4%23.3%11.6%23.4%––
Attrition for
other reasons		34.7%34.8%11.7%46.8%46.5%11.7%–0

Graduation Profile

2018-20192019-20202020-20212021-20222022-20232023-2024
First Professional Degree
Optometry [51.1701]
Women
Ethnic Minority
NA–
36
64%
14%
–
55
51%
13%		–
79
68%
9%		–
55
78%
18%		–
55
62%
16%
Location after Graduation
Located in Appalachia
Located in Rural Area
Located in a Health Shortage Area – Vision Difficulty – county
–
32%
44%

15%
–
45%
52%

15%		–
28%
54%

7%		–
27%
42%

10%
–
27%
53%

17%

Sources: KY Council on Postsecondary Education Degrees and Other Formal Awards Conferred and Graduate Office of Student Affairs

Career Placement

Plans after Graduation

20202021202220232024
Accepted into Residency/Fellowship Program
Primary Eye Care/Low Vision Rehabilitation
Primary Eye Care/Ocular Disease
Ocular Disease
Low Vision
Pediatric Optometry
N | 22%
1
4
2
0
1
N | 9%
0
4
1
0
0
N | 11%
1
6
2
0
0
N | 22
–
1
10
1
0
N | 22%
–
2
10
0
0
Accepted a Position/Opening Own Practice22 | 5926 | 4736 | 4626 | 4724 | 44
In Negotiation for a Position5 | 147 | 1319 | 2411 | 10
Not Yet Secured a Position2 | 515 | 2714 | 185 | 9
Other/Unknown0 | 0%2 | 41 | 11 | 2
Total37 | 100%55 | 100%79 | 100%55 | 100%55| 100%

Source: KYCO Office of Assessment