SCO vs. OSU..what's your opinon on pros/cons?

[Grover3060]

I am currently looking at Ohio State and Southern College in Memphis for optometry. Is there anyone who is looking/looked at one or both of these colleges that would like to address why you all believe one school is better than the other? Anyone have any pros or cons? I have been forming my own viewpoints and ideas but would like to hear how other people are thinking. Thanks everyone.

brian

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[HOPEOPT]

I am currently looking at Ohio State and Southern College in Memphis for optometry. Is there anyone who is looking/looked at one or both of these colleges that would like to address why you all believe one school is better than the other? Anyone have any pros or cons? I have been forming my own viewpoints and ideas but would like to hear how other people are thinking. Thanks everyone.

brian

According to OSU requires high GPA and OAT score extensive extracuriculum activity, not easy to get in, very good reserach reputation in general very good school.
Go Buckys

 

[JMU07]

I never even considered Ohio but I can tell you this:

SCO has the lowest out-of-state tuition
The Eye Center (our clinic) is top notch with state of the art equipment, and with Memphis being such a poor city you see a TON of pathology that you wouldn't get to see just anywhere
Clinic experience starts at the very beginning of your second year
The professors and staff doctors here are awesome, everyone really makes an effort to learn your name and get to know you which I really like
The cost of living is the lowest of all cities in the US with a population over 500,000 so you can find really nice housing for really cheap
There's a ton of fun things to do around Memphis!!!

Let me know if you have any other questions, I talking about SCO!!

 

[sniklegem]

Go Buckys

Umm, I think you misspelled that mascot name.

I talking about SCO!!

Remind me to laugh at you tomorrow. I like that smiley, I'll have to use it once.

Anyway, I considered both OSU and SCO... I ended up in Memphis. Here's my story:

It all started... blah blah blah... I had my interview on a Friday and told I was accepted on that Monday. OSU hadn't even gotten around to looking offering me an interview. Actually, I never really heard much from them. Throughout the entire process I got 2 letters (one saying, "we assume that since you have not scheduled your interview you have decided to withdraw your application"), 1 email, and 1 phone call. That paled in comparison to the 20+s letters and status updates, 5 emails, and 3 or so phone calls. Overall, I was just much more impressed with how SCO ran the admissions process and I also had the gut feeling like it was where I was supposed to be. Call it intuition, but I trusted it and am very happy here.

Remember, if you get in to both schools then that's when you should start worrying over where to go. Focus on getting in first!!! You'll like wherever you go, btw... most all students do.

 

[JMU07]

Remind me to laugh at you tomorrow. I like that smiley, I'll have to use it once.

haha, you definitely laughed at me today! dude, my goal in life (ok, my goal for whenever it's time) is to be a student ambassador.. I might as well practice my speeches here!!

 

[sniklegem]

haha, you definitely laughed at me today! dude, my goal in life (ok, my goal for whenever it's time) is to be a student ambassador.. I might as well practice my speeches here!!

Yeah, well I had the goal, too... look where I ended up. It's 10:13pm and I'm sitting on the SDN boards. I should be out prepping for one of tomorrow's tours!!!!!!!!!!!! I WAS ROBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBED!

Seriously, though, it was a good thing I didn't get it. I'm way too busy as it is now. I've learned to fill my time being an AOSA brat (I'm proud of that, btw) and the SVOSH bake sale queen.

Anyway, to the OP: SCO is great! I SCO, too. (But most all the schools are pretty good.)

 

[IDr10]

You cannot get a better education than you will at OSU. Great school, you can change your residency status after 1 year for in-state tuition. Amazing faculty, very helpful admissions staff (just ask the questions and you'll get responses. Personally, I think 20+ letters is not very green), and a great clinic. Look at NBEO 1st time passage rates, another great selling point for OSU.

 

[JMU07]

You cannot get a better education than you will at OSU. Great school, you can change your residency status after 1 year for in-state tuition. Look at NBEO 1st time passage rates, another great selling point for OSU.

Ooh. That is pretty awesome that you can change your residency.

SCO has good NBEO pass rates too, we're always way above average!

 

[sniklegem]

Ooh. That is pretty awesome that you can change your residency.

SCO has good NBEO pass rates too, we're always way above average!

Above average?

Part I are consistently at the top of all schools.

And anyway, to the OSU dude, you cannot deny that you see more healthy eyes than not.

 

[KeyeL]

I interviewed at both schools. I definitely felt much more welcome at SCO than at OSU. SCO is simply on top of everything. They are very well macro and micro managed. They got back to me 3 days later... they actually called me on the phone to let me know I was accepted when I was at OSU right before my interview there.

OSU was very impressive as well. If you want to go in to teaching, definitely go to OSU. You can simultaneously get your MS along with your OD in the same amount of time for the same price. An MS won't help you with your career as an OD, but it will help you if you want to teach and do research. They have 3 brand new floors all dedicated to research.

OSUs facilities paled compared to SCOs brand new clinic.
Both schools include business classes as part of their curriculae.
Both have very high boards passage rates.
Columbus is a nicer city than Memphis, but at SCO you don't have to live in downtown Memphis... many students live in beautiful communities in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Missouri... many only 20 - 30 minutes away from campus.
Cost of living is slightly higher at OSU than at SCO
OSU tuition 43,000 first year for non-residents, then 17,000 2nd year, then 20,000 third year, and something similar for the 4th year. *they increase tuition the 3rd and 4th years... SCO has a flat rate 22,000 all 4 years.

Finally, I applied to both in Oct 2008. Again, SCO told me YES 3 days later and offered me a scholarship already. OSU hasn't told me anything yet. I am completely in the dark. Needless to say that I am NOT impressed with how they have treated me. I am a very competitive applicant, I feel that they should be jumping all over me if they want me to come to their school. Instead, I'm getting the vibe from them saying that I should put all my plans on hold for them.

Hope this helps you.

 

[sniklegem]

Missouri...

Just curious, but where the heck did you hear that?

Most of us live downtown on mud island. Married folks tend to live in Cordova (east memphis) or Southaven, MS. Very few live in Marion, AR.

 

[JMU07]

Just curious, but where the heck did you hear that?

Most of us live downtown on mud island. Married folks tend to live in Cordova (east memphis) or Southaven, MS. Very few live in Marion, AR.

lol. You beat me to it. MO is about 2 hours away, according to Google maps.

Also - I don't think it's $22,000 third and fourth year. Isn't it a lot (well, maybe not a LOT) lower?

 

[Dena1342]

according to all of the literature, its 22,000 each year for four years. Someone told me that amount includes your books. True?

 

[sniklegem]

That number goes up during your 3rd year for sure because you are in the clinic seeing patients (and do you know how comforting it is to know that I'm PAYING my school to let me see patients...).

 

[JMU07]

That number goes up during your 3rd year for sure because you are in the clinic seeing patients (and do you know how comforting it is to know that I'm PAYING my school to let me see patients...).

LOL. But you get paid to be a patient for us lowly 1st years right?

And yeah, tuition includes books and equipment!

 

[Grover3060]

The more I hear about SCO the more excited I get. I have an interview on December 17th and can't wait! Hopefully I'll get in and get this monkey off my back, haha.

 

[sniklegem]

LOL. But you get paid to be a patient for us lowly 1st years right?

$11/hr... can't beat that. 1, 2, the same, OHPNTZ. I could do that stuff in my sleep.

The more I hear about SCO the more excited I get.

Good luck to all interviewing on the 17th. I might see you at the airport when you fly in that Tuesday evening. (I'll be LEAVING!) Yay vacation!

 

[Grover3060]

Good luck to all interviewing on the 17th. I might see you at the airport when you fly in that Tuesday evening. (I'll be LEAVING!) Yay vacation!

Speaking of the 17th...since it is close to SCO's break do you think they will make any decisions before they head out (the couple days following my interview date) or do you think I would have to wait to hear sometime in January? (maybe one of you guys at SCO might know how they operate)

 

[JMU07]

Speaking of the 17th...since it is close to SCO's break do you think they will make any decisions before they head out (the couple days following my interview date) or do you think I would have to wait to hear sometime in January? (maybe one of you guys at SCO might know how they operate)

Yeah, last day of finals!! You might hear back before January, but I'm not 100% positive. I think the school is open the rest of that week.