We're an Optometry school. We're not in school to become writers/novelists/journalists or whatever. We're here for the scientific knowledge to become doctors. Many of the best scientists and doctors in the world are not great at "English" and it has nothing to do with writing or speaking phonetically. Even though you graduated from here, you must of had some wild experience if you're hating it so much. And honestly, after reading all of that, did you even take away any actual optometry while you've been here? Please tell me where you're located, so I never step foot into your office (if you even have one).
1) Not everyone who attends this school only based on a "last resort" low GPA/OAT scores. If you did attend here and met the students you would know different statistics to that. Also, if you just graduated "recently" then you were on an older curriculum which was not that good. The newer curriculum now is much more challenging, cohesive, and integrated.
2) Even though Puerto Rico optometrist might not be as licensed to prescribe some drugs, doesn't mean when you go and work in the states you will not be able to. You actually will be able to in the states. Going to school here is just an institution to learn. And you do learn believe me. Other schools, provide you a lot of slides and information in notecards and power points in the beginning of the semester but they do not spoon feed you the information. All optometry schools make you work for your degree. They are and we are here a professional graduate university. It is not an undergrad. Maybe you thought it was an undergrad and you expected for everything to be straight forward and easy. Well sorry to tell you, graduate school is just not like that. But, I guess after graduating you still didn't notice.
3) Many professors EVERYWHERE have a bad side if you cross not just here. We go to a professional school and are expected to act professionally. It is up to the students to act accordingly and respectfully. I also already addressed that self-studying is expected in all graduate programs. My Master's program and PhD was self-study. Yes, you go to class just like you would here and any other school, but then go home read extra material, read the books, online sources, and then really try to understand the stuff being taught. There is not enough time in a lecture period for a professor to go through EVERY possible thing.
4) The internet is bad, I have to agree with you there and it drives me nuts.
5) The professors for the most part are pretty professional. But, remember, it is also an island, so the mentality here is a little different than in the states. Also, they treat you just how they are treated. If they treated you poorly or unprofessionally, you probably deserved it. Just saying.
6) If you rely on old exams, are you NOT going to make it through your boards and will not be a successful doctor. I do not know how YOU are as a doctor now that you've graduated. An assumption makes me believe you are having a hard time finding a job and blaming IAUPR. But, please, do tell me if I am wrong on that one. =D. A lot of the professors know there are old exams floating around and they change their questions dramatically. It always take some getting used to a different professor because each one asks questions differently.
7) The picture they show is a furnished place. If you believed that the place you get looks like that, maybe you were the one who had to go to a "last resort" university and then labeled it as such. We have pictures of dorms unfurnished that are shown to incoming students. Plus, the rooms are WAY more spacious than the pictures actually even make it seems to be. But, the internet is slow =(. People are not "routinely" mugged. The area isn't the best of all areas, but many university's are set up in not to so great neighborhoods. Temple, UPenn, Salus, New England School of Optometry, and thousands more c'mon seriously. But there are no gunshots daily. I haven't heard one since i've been here. I've seen shady people, but also let's be real, it's puerto rico. I've been here for 2 years and of all my classmates and myself, there has not been 1 issue I can honestly think off. And I run late at night every day.
8) The Coqui's were MAD annoying when I first got here (the frogs). But now, when I go home to Brooklyn and I hear gunshots, I can't fall asleep without those frogs. I got used to them really fast. It is just something you will tune out rather fast. And if not, get some earplugs.
9) I don't know who promised you that everyone speaks english here, but that is not the case. Many people when you go to get food or shopping do not speak english or refuse to speak english. However, you can easily get around with pointing, trying to speak whatever spanish you know, going with a spanish speaker, or having a translator app on your phone. Plus, you take 1 year of spanish. That is enough to honestly make you at least get by. And definitely be able to get through an exam.
10) It is a small school and everyone does know everything. But MANY small schools, small graduate programs and PhD programs have these issues. It might feel like high school sometimes, but if you do not feel like dealing with that sort of BS, DO NOT GET INVOLVED. It is very simple when you try to not involve yourself with these things and then they do not concern you.
11) Some exams are harder than others. But it does not mean they you didn't study enough or hard enough. If you study hard, and not just, oh memorizing the stuff on the slides, then you will be fine. Putting in that extra effort to look into books, online resources, and journals are always beneficial and definitely. Help. They helped me and my classmates so far.
12) It seems there is some kind of favoritism toward puerto ricans, but that can be said about any school where the students are not from that country or area. I had that happen to me when I was England and France. Does that mean that I bad-mouthed the school and such. Of course not. But hey, that is just me.
13) Sometimes finding things out last minute is a problem. But that is also why having a president of your class which is on top of their game and just as annoying to the professors and administration that information and things do get pushed. Some things you do have to take into account is that we are living on an island the "island life" is a little slower than we're used back in the states. Doesn't mean they work slow in the states. How many times have you had to call the cable guy to come fix your cable at home and they tell you 8 am to 5 pm be home and they arrive 4:50 pm after the guy called you at 10:20 am telling you he is on his way.
14) The library on campus does close late, but I have not had any issue of it being loud or anything like that. Getting a car as soon as you get here, is definitely worth it to see the island and explore. It also helps when doing mass grocery shopping or taking a break once in a while. I did not have a car my first year and half here and honestly I was perfectly fine without one. I actually did some studying when I had down time.
15) I do not know how much that really applies to stepping on upper class-men toes. When I got here, I was the loud, free speaking person who people instantly knew and didn't like. But I didn't really care. I am here to learn and become a doctor. Not make 300 friends to go to prom with. Maybe that is why you had the experience you had and made it feel like a high school for yourself. I have no issues with anyone here now, but I do not go out of my way to stir up drama.
16) The way that you attack this school really makes me wonder why you chose to enter IAUPR and be an optometry student. I know you say you didn't have the stats but then maybe you should have waited an extra year and went to another school, where you would have relied on old exams and then failed out of that school. You basically slander and attack indirectly and directly the people who currently go here, do well, retain information, and are on their way to become great doctors.
The people here are actually very helpful, knowledgeable, and professional. The way you choose to approach them and how you choose to make the next 4 years of your life here, is all dependent on you and your attitude. Good luck to you!!
