ICO presidential scholarship help/inquires

Hello everyone!

I’m currently looking into the Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) and was specifically curious about the Presidential Scholarship (the one valued at half-tuition).

For those of you who were awarded it or know someone who was, could you share a bit about your experience? I’m specifically looking for:

• Stats: What were your OAT scores and GPA? (I know the website mentions a 3.7+ GPA and 370+ OAT, but I'm curious if there's any flexibility or if those are hard cutoffs).
• Timeline: When did you submit your application, and how soon after your interview did you find out about the scholarship?
• Background: Did you have a lot of shadowing/tech experience or unique extracurriculars?

I’ve heard that applying early is key, but I'd love to hear some real-world "I got it" stories to see what the competitive range actually looks like this cycle.

Thanks in advance for the help!