Iaupr or mcphs?

[rbhakta05]

I got into both schools, however I'm having a tough time figuring out where I want to end up going exactly. Any thoughts and opinions will help!

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[Loptometriste]

I go to IAUPR, and I like it. It's also a lot less expensive than MCPHS.

 

[kayrayy]

I made the same decision last year, and chose MCPHS. You've got to figure out what's important to you (for me, it was being a drive away from home vs flying; new facilities; etc) and weigh the options. I go to MCPHS if you've got any questions about it!

 

[rbhakta05]

Pros for pr:
Learn Spanish (double the clients)
Island lifestyle
Can retake classes without too much of a setback (summer class)
Cheaper

Cons for pr:
Pass rates for boards are decent
Holds a bad rep
Not in mainland us



Pros for mass:
Newest technology
Potential to be a good school in future (become accredited/have higher pass rates)
In mainland us
Easier course load schedule

Cons for mass:
New school = not accredited yet/board pass rates aren't high
Expensive
Fail 1 class, sets you back entire year


So I've kind of made a pro and cons list of each school, do you guys happen to have some thoughts on any of the things listed or happen to have any more pros/cons that I didn't think of?

 

[Groucho Marx]

Why do optometry schools keep doing this "fail one class repeat the year" nonsense? It's the most obvious money grab that I have seen in a long time. I know of other professional schools (pharmacy, dentistry, etc.) that don't pull this garbage with their students. This never was an issue for me, but I don't understand this need to threaten and then nickel and dime students at every corner. So you do well in most classes, mess up in one and you have to repeat and pay for another entire damn year?! And one of the most irritating issues is that in many of these cases (at least in what I have personally seen with friends and heard from people in other schools) the class in question is often poorly organized, graded unfairly, or not taught well. This profession is an important one, and we provide a necessary service to the public, but look at all of the complaints from optometrists about the current shortcomings of the profession. I think that cleaning up the schools and making them more accountable to students is an important part of taking the profession back. If only optometry schools didn't focus so much on failing students on technicalities, but rather focused on having healthy, happy, well educated, clinically strong, and enthusiastic doctors. I don't have a problem with remediation if a student is weak or needs extra help, but from what I have seen and heard, in too many cases the school is out looking to make students repeat. It's really, really disheartening.