NOVA FACTS..finally

.I came across some rumors about NOVA and I think it’s unfair for pre-optometry school who wants honest answers in order to make the best decision for their life. In my opinion, if you really want the right answers for ANY school then contact that school administration and ask to speak with their students. I believe class representatives or class officers or current students would give you some good advices. I think it’s better than listening to rumors about this school and that school on here and make the wrong decision.
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.I am a student from NOVA so I can share with you some facts about NOVA:.

.Academic:.
-.Class of 2010 National Board rates: Part I: 98-99% (a student from NOVA got the highest score), Part II 99%, I don’t know about part III yet, I will ask my roommate when she comes back..
-.1st Year: 10 classes/labs = 21-22 credit hours per semester, about 25 tests/finals in 4 months, tests mostly are on Monday from 8-10am, you don’t go to school from 8-5pm instead you have about half a day off per week depending on your lab group, Human Anatomy and Human Physiology with dental students, Neuroanatomy with OT/PT students. Fall term starts around 8/10 and ends around 12/11. Spring term starts around 01/04 and ends around 04/27. Summer first year starts around 06/14-07/30. Lab opens everyday from 8-12am so you can use your ID card to come in and practice. Resident doctor in lab once a week to help you at night..
-.2nd year: Pathology/pharmacology with dental but I forgot which ones. Everything else is same as first year. Summer break 2 weeks and starts clinic around May 15. Pre-proficiency during spring semester before clinic= test every procedures you’ve learned over the past 2 years..
-.3rd year: classes, projects, and clinic once or twice a week (mostly perform comprehensive exam on patients)..
-.4th year: 3 months out-house clinic and 6 months in-house clinic. Clinic everyday from 8-5pm..
-.Professors are nice and helpful and very enthusiastic about this field. We do have some not so great professors but good in research. Some classes require you to come in for office hours if you score less than 70% on first 2 tests. Test format: free response and/or multiple choices..
-.Mandatory observation in clinic twice per semester. They require 10 hours of community services per year..
-.There is a 5 years extended program for students who have kids or personal reasons. Space limited. Basically, first 2 years is extended into 3 years..

.Student life/financial:.
-.-..Tuition for in-state is around 20K and out-state is 26K. Fees and Equipment around 3K. Don't need much books here, mostly are notes packets. Library has textbooks on reserve..
-.-..Living expenses: food about $300/month, rent about $500-$700/month + utilities (this rent amount is the rate for most apartments or condos within walking distance, 7-10 min, to school. I recommend you either walk or take the shuttle to school because it is better than driving and parking). .
-.-..Activities: Fort Lauderdale beach is 10 minutes away, Miami about 30 minutes away, airport about 10 minutes away, many restaurants and shoppings and bars/clubs within 10 minutes..
.-.. - ..I spent about 42K/year here for everything. out of state student..


-.Here are the process for student who fails any classes at NOVA:
1. If someone fails a class, he/she will have one chance to retake a comprehensive exam (usually few weeks after the final exams). <70% is failing and most of the classes here DO NOT curve or give extra credits. I think that's fair because you earned your grades. NOVA doesn't curve grades in order to lower their dropping rates or things like that. For example, If 105 out of 110 students can pass the class then maybe that 5 failing students didn't study as hard or due to personal reasons and not because of school fault .ß. in my opinion.
2. If that student fails the retake then the Assistant Dean will help he/she appeals to the Dean.
3. If the Dean finds the reason to be legitimate then he/she can repeat the year over again.
4. If the Dean vetoed it then the appeal will go the committee (the professor in charge of that class will also be in the committee).
5. If committee sign it then you can come back if not then you are officially kick out. From what I heard the committee is more lenient on students who already completed a few semesters here because they truly want the student to pass. Since they only offer the class once a year so you have to repeat the whole year again...

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-.Good luck.. if I encounter something else at Nova or remember anything else then I will update for you guys.. good luck everyone...

If anyone wants to know specific things about this school then let me know and I can find out for you.

Here is the 2009 entering class profile for ALL 20 OPTOMETRY schools:
http://www.opted.org/files/public/Profile_of_Entering_Class_2009.pdf

Here is Nova website to look at curriculum:
http://optometry.nova.edu/od/curriculum.html

ODRUSCAN: you are welcome. If you need anymore info about this school let me know. I live with a 4th and a 2nd year student so I can ask them also.

KHE: I really don't know the reason behind making students retake all the classes even though they failed only 1 or 2 classes. Maybe to make it tough so other students will try to work harder and wouldn't fail. I am not in that situation so I don't know. If anyone care then they can call NOVA and ask. I am just giving you guys the facts that I know.
To answer the second issue about accepting practices of NOVA. If you look at 2009 and earlier years of entering class profile, you can see that NOVA GPA (3.37) and OAT score (339) are quiet high compare to some other schools.

Thankz eazylist. I tried to be as accurate as possible in order to help other students. I don't think it's fair to say this school is better than that school etc. I really think you should choose the school based on whatever fits you best (financial, living condition, different programs that interest you at certain school, etc). I am not from florida but one of my family member goes to school here, therefore I apply here. I was also interview at NSU. I only applied to 2 schools.

Yes thanks for the update.. the tuition has increased a bit this year.