Anyone going to NECO?

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Eyecrazy

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Has anyone who applied and got in this cycle decided on attending NECO? If so, what were the primary factors that led you to choose NECO? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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I'm going to NECO!! Super excited for the fall! I loved their hands on approach to teaching and instilling the passion of eye care to their students. I also loved the wide variety of patients seen in the clinic and the facilities were awesome. Are you going to NECO too?
 
That's awesome! I'm strongly considering going there because I loved the city of Boston and the clinical program sounds great. Does anyone know how exams work (i.e. how many per week) and will all students get exposure to the New England Eye clinic at some point?
 
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i'd love to hear why people chose NECO as well. I'm having such a tough decision!
 
That's awesome! I'm strongly considering going there because I loved the city of Boston and the clinical program sounds great. Does anyone know how exams work (i.e. how many per week) and will all students get exposure to the New England Eye clinic at some point?

I don't think exams are any different from school to school or even your undergrad. There is a week (8 days) for exams and its straight after classes end. Saturday to the next Saturday is when your exams can be. You should have roughly 5-6 exams first semester for midterms and another 5-6 exams for final period during December.

If you want to work at New England Eye you can just ask to be slotted there during your schooling. There are also work study there, in addition to the rounds you'll do in 2nd and 3rd year. If you have previous Optometric background you can even start as early as 2nd semester of first year.

i'd love to hear why people chose NECO as well. I'm having such a tough decision!
It's all down to preference. If the school clicks with you then go to it. Most Optometry schools will give you a solid education so that isn't really a big factor. People go to NECO for various reasons: the city, the clinical program diversity, the atmosphere of the school.

Hope that helps.
 
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i'd love to hear why people chose NECO as well. I'm having such a tough decision!

I LOVED Boston, but the reasons I decided against NECO were:

1. The Boards part 1 pass rates
2. They painted having clinics all over the city as a positive thing, but I saw it as a negative-- no base of mentors, having to go to the less savory parts of the city, having to stress about travel and clinic and class and other things.
3. It seemed like they didn't have enough resources for their students. Students told me that they have to sit in a room downstairs and watch a simulcast of class or not go to class because the rooms are too small.
4. They tried too hard to "sell" themselves to me. I felt like I was about to buy a used car, and I just didn't like that feeling.

However, the students there seemed very happy. These were my personal thoughts-- everyone will have his/ her own opinion
 
It seemed like they didn't have enough resources for their students. Students told me that they have to sit in a room downstairs and watch a simulcast of class or not go to class because the rooms are too small.
4. They tried too hard to "sell" themselves to me. I felt like I was about to buy a used car, and I just didn't like that feeling.

lmao wow I would never go to an overcrowded school like that. Although my school SUNY will also have a 10% increase in students for each of the next two years.
 
For NECO, is it required to have LORS from 2 science professors? Would it be ok to have 1 opto, 1 science prof, and 1 other?
 
lmao wow I would never go to an overcrowded school like that. Although my school SUNY will also have a 10% increase in students for each of the next two years.

Why is SUNY increasing class size when we have new schools opening and a surplus of ODs?
 
Why is SUNY increasing class size when we have new schools opening and a surplus of ODs?

Supposedly, they want more ODs to stay in New York and practice upstate. The NYSOA is having a winter board meeting at Lake Placid in two weeks. You should come and ask them if you are in the area.
 
I had 1 opto, 1 science prof, and 1 manager from work, and got in:)

Wow, that's awesome! Congrats! :)If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats? My OAT (AA, TS) is 330, 320 and my GPA is 3.84 (I don't know my OptomCAS GPA yet, just submitted my app on Monday!) Thanks so much for your help! I'm kind of freaking out that I applied too late! :scared:
 
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