Interested in Optometry

[wolski888]

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Hello! I am a senior high school student in Canada. I am interested in Optometry and was wondering what university or college program I should go into. Any thoughts?

Mike S

 

[sammyboy]

If there is ONE aspect of my education I could change, it would have been attending a college or university with a "pre-optometry" program. Not that it is necessary, but I'm sure there are benefits.

 

[mshea413]

NECO has a program with a few different undergrad colleges that allow you to matriculate into optometry school after only three years, then receive your bachelors degree after your first year in optometry school. This is what I did and it worked out great. I went to the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences undergrad and just got my final acceptance from NECO this week. It is a really great program because you save one a years worth of tuition and lets you start practicing a year earlier. You have to interview with NECO before starting undergrad and before being accepted after your 3rd year. You also have to meet certain requirements, like a 3.4 GPA (undergrad after you have been accepted, not high school) and 330 on the OAT with no score under 300. Your would take your OATs after your second year in college not before you apply for this program. If your already know that you want to become an optometrist in high school, I highly suggest enrolling in one of these programs.
http://www.neco.edu/admissions/specialprograms.html
http://www.mcphs.edu/academics/programs/pre-med_and_health_studies/od_optometry/index.html

 

[CaliOD25]

Hello! I am a senior high school student in Canada. I am interested in Optometry and was wondering what university or college program I should go into. Any thoughts?

Mike S

I think it's great that you have a clear direction so early in your education. My advice would be to go to a college that will broadly prepare you for what you are interested in. By that I mean, look for a university that has many of the qualities that you are looking for (school size, location, student to professor ratio, cost, etc.), and not ones that strictly have benefits for going into optometry (for example, accelerated programs, optometry club, many other pre-opt students, etc.). Optometry students come from many different majors and schools, so there is no one program that will be best for an aspiring optometrist.
I just wanted to mention this because people's goals and directions can change a lot over the course of college, and you may find it best for you to go to a school that will allow you options if you do decide to change your mind down the road. [This is in no way to mean that I am trying to dissuade from pursuing optometry, by the way.] I would suggest a school that has strong science programs, which will prepare you for OAT's and such, and still provide you with flexibility to look at other health fields (or any other fields for that matter) if you so wish.
Best of luck with the college search!

 

[KHE]

Hello! I am a senior high school student in Canada. I am interested in Optometry and was wondering what university or college program I should go into. Any thoughts?

Mike S

Being from Canada is going to mean some different things for you than it would for American students given that there is only one English speaking school there.

If you're desirous of going to Waterloo and not coming to the USA, then you should look at Waterloo's pre-requisites and try to find a program that will allow you to complete those courses.

 

[Framecontrol]

I would begin by talking to your pre-health adviser or another individual involved with student guidance at your school.

Once you find a few colleges you are interested get the e-mail addresses of the advisers and e-mail them asking about their pre-optometry program, if they have one. Ask if any students pursued the route of Optometry. When you find out some more info, come on back and we can help you some more.

 

[wolski888]

Thanks!