I too was deciding b/w Berkeley and SUNY.
Although I am orginally from the Northeast, I kept an open mind to both schools.
With Berkeley, you have a stellar reputation in the name and a beautiful campus. The research done there is tremendous, which benefits the students, whether or not you are interested in doing research. However, Berkeley also has a strong clinical program. You begin with pre-clinical training from the very first semester you are there. As a first year, you skip through the prerequisites/ basic science courses, and directly begin learning optometry. Locationwise, the campus is located in a diverse/interesting town and you are only a half hr away from vibrant San Francisco. Because the optometry school is apart of the campus, you have access to a variety of student organizations/facilities (i.e gym)
On the other hand, like how kylee had mentioned, Berkeley is a large college town. In NYC, you will have the experience of city life. SUNY provides an excellant foundation to optometry. The school's program is clinically strong overall. In your first year, you begin with a pre-clinical training and basic biological and vision science classes. When you begin working in the clinics, you will be exposed to a very diverse pool of patients. Living in the city is expensive, however you are paying for the convenience. You save by not needing a car. While Berkeley's academic year goes by semesters, SUNY is on a quarter system. The program is located in one building.
Both schools have laser centers, and have high board passing rates.
This is a rather quick overview, but hope this helps with your decision.
