Click on the link posted by Moptometry above and you can get more info about NOVA. Overall I think it's a good school for me. I don't attend other schools so I can't compare it with others. You just have to study that's all. I am a 2nd year, for our ocular disease and one of the optometric methods class we have to do short answer essay as in the Dr. give you a case scenario and you answer with a diagnose and treatment for that disease. Also, Ocular disease had MULTIPLE MULTIPLE choice question as in you have to BUBBLE IN ALL the correct answers (can't be undertreat or overtreat the patient) and I think that's pretty tough because you can't guess or play the elimination game, you really have to know your disease stuff. Besides that all classes are in multiple choice, T/F form. I think Pharmacology was pretty challenging because we have to memorize about 150 drugs for each test along with their indications, mechanisms, side effects, contraindications, etc.
Lots of externship sites to choose from. There is a huge hispanic population down here and you get to see many uncontrol diabetic retinopathy, etc because patients usually follow their own custom/traditional methods to cure their diseases instead of western medicine methods so it's outrages sometimes.
I think the only thing at NOVA that scare applicant is the "kick out" rate. Class of 2012, everyone passed their 2nd year (no one get kick out, some people failed ocular disease and pharmacology but they all passed the RETAKE so they didn't get kick out). I am telling all applicants for the last time: If you study you will NOT fail. It is REALLY REALLY HARD to fail a class here unless you don't study. You probably have to memorize about 100 pages of notes for certain test and every words on there are fair games but I think every graduate school is the same.
Take the challenge and if you can graduate you are good to go.
Good luck.
P.S. HunOpt: you status says you are pre-dental then why are you asking an optometry student?
