Life while in optometry school

[prettygreeneyes]

I'm looking for any advice or insight any future, current, or past optometry school students can give me about what life is like in optometry school outside of the classroom. Specifically, how do you make it financially through school? I'm assuming that it is impossible to work and go to school at the same time... so does everyone just get a surplus of loans to cover living expenses as well? What about housing? My husband will be moving with me to whatever city I end up in, and will continue working as an electrical engineer until he completes his prereqs for opt. school. (So for two years, we both will be in school ) To complicate matters, we have a rather large dog/puppy who will have to fill our need to be parents for the next couple years! Are there any pet-friendly housing areas? (I'm applying to ICO, Pacific, PCO, and considering SCCO and UHCO.) Any insight that anyone could share with me would be much appreciated!

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[drmhyde]

I'm looking for any advice or insight any future, current, or past optometry school students can give me about what life is like in optometry school outside of the classroom. Specifically, how do you make it financially through school? I'm assuming that it is impossible to work and go to school at the same time... so does everyone just get a surplus of loans to cover living expenses as well? What about housing? My husband will be moving with me to whatever city I end up in, and will continue working as an electrical engineer until he completes his prereqs for opt. school. (So for two years, we both will be in school ) To complicate matters, we have a rather large dog/puppy who will have to fill our need to be parents for the next couple years! Are there any pet-friendly housing areas? (I'm applying to ICO, Pacific, PCO, and considering SCCO and UHCO.) Any insight that anyone could share with me would be much appreciated!

it's completely do-able!
My wife and I both went to school together and we did not work. We got loans and lived modestly. We still went out occasionally but your so comsumed with school anyway. We ate A LOT of the STUPID microwave diners. I SWEAR I WILL NEVER EAT THEM AGAIN. Wendy's was a fav as well. I did work some the first summer amd then sat's my third year. At UHCO we have a paid note service availible. I got paid to transrcribe the lecture so that helped a lot. I also got paid to be a TA. There are plenty of oppourtunities like this. I think they even have research job available. Oh yeah..we got paid to be guniea pigs for all kinds of stuff (new cantact materials, solutions...toxic waste injections..j/k)
good luck to you!

 

[prettygreeneyes]

it's completely do-able!
My wife and I both went to school together and we did not work. We got loans and lived modestly. We still went out occasionally but your so comsumed with school anyway. We ate A LOT of the STUPID microwave diners. I SWEAR I WILL NEVER EAT THEM AGAIN. Wendy's was a fav as well. I did work some the first summer amd then sat's my third year. At UHCO we have a paid note service availible. I got paid to transrcribe the lecture so that helped a lot. I also got paid to be a TA. There are plenty of oppourtunities like this. I think they even have research job available. Oh yeah..we got paid to be guniea pigs for all kinds of stuff (new cantact materials, solutions...toxic waste injections..j/k)
good luck to you!

Thank you for the advice... I laugh reading your comment about microwave dinners... I almost feel that way now about Top Ramen noodles... and I'm only an undergrad. But hey... show me another dinner that I can cook for $0.20 ($0.10/pkg x 2 pkgs = one good meal!)... you just can't beat it! (Kids... don't try this at home... have you looked at the nutrition label for ramen noodles???) Anyway... Thanks again! Glad to know that it is possible. By the way... would you go to UHCO again if you did it all over?

 

[drmhyde]

Thank you for the advice... I laugh reading your comment about microwave dinners... I almost feel that way now about Top Ramen noodles... and I'm only an undergrad. But hey... show me another dinner that I can cook for $0.20 ($0.10/pkg x 2 pkgs = one good meal!)... you just can't beat it! (Kids... don't try this at home... have you looked at the nutrition label for ramen noodles???) Anyway... Thanks again! Glad to know that it is possible. By the way... would you go to UHCO again if you did it all over?

I would only go UHCO! It's hands down the best clinical training out there.

 

[cpw]

I would only go UHCO! It's hands down the best clinical training out there.

but Mike's not biased or anything

I also went to UHCO and made extra money by transcribing note service, being a TA, and the summer of first year I worked as a dr's assistant at a local OD office. First and second summer there are also opportunities to be a paid research assistant in one of the third floor labs (if you're so incined).

Finding a dog friendly place is hard no matter where you live, especially if it's a big dog. Most of my friends at UHCO that had dogs rented houses (especially ones that were married). Houston is fairly inexpensive, which is a plus.

 

[rpames]

I would only go UHCO! It's hands down the best clinical training out there.

I would have to say ICO's clinical training is pretty great too. Being on south side Chicago you see your share of pretty crazy stuff. But that is not what the OP was asking so I'll answer the main question. It is very possible to live on loans. There are a few students here that are married and decided to have children. The mothers quit their jobs and stay home with the baby. They have WICK (spelling) for the kid, but they are living off the loan of one person. If you and your husband take out loans you will have plenty of cash, especially if you save some while he is still working.

I'll give you may opinion on loans even though you did not ask. Because the interest rate is so low right now, almost everyone is taking out full loans. They say it is like free money. Plus, you can invest it and make more interest than you are paying on it. That may be true, but no matter what, you still have to pay it back! When the students tell me the investment strategy, I always ask them, "So, how much interest are you making right now?" They then respond that they have not invested it yet. Well, we are in our 3rd year now and there is not much time left to invest before you have to start paying it back. I guess my whole rant is trying to convey my own ideas of having as little debt as possible. If you have a spouse that has an income you can live off, just take out enough loans to cover tuition and equipment. As I mentioned above, the less you take out now, the less you have to pay back later.

About the dog thing, we have an apartment that does not charge us any type of pet rent or deposit on them. We have a 115 lb. Alaskan Malamute and a 40 lb. German Shepherd/Sheltee. The apartment is pretty nice too. There are tons of ICO students in the neighborhood and almost all of us have dogs. If you decide to come to ICO just let me know and I will give you the landlords phone number.

Sorry for the rant, but I hope it helped.

 

[ucbsowarrior]

I would have to say ICO's clinical training is pretty great too. Being on south side Chicago you see your share of pretty crazy stuff. But that is not what the OP was asking so I'll answer the main question. It is very possible to live on loans. There are a few students here that are married and decided to have children. The mothers quit their jobs and stay home with the baby. They have WICK (spelling) for the kid, but they are living off the loan of one person. If you and your husband take out loans you will have plenty of cash, especially if you save some while he is still working.

I'll give you may opinion on loans even though you did not ask. Because the interest rate is so low right now, almost everyone is taking out full loans. They say it is like free money. Plus, you can invest it and make more interest than you are paying on it. That may be true, but no matter what, you still have to pay it back! When the students tell me the investment strategy, I always ask them, "So, how much interest are you making right now?" They then respond that they have not invested it yet. Well, we are in our 3rd year now and there is not much time left to invest before you have to start paying it back. I guess my whole rant is trying to convey my own ideas of having as little debt as possible. If you have a spouse that has an income you can live off, just take out enough loans to cover tuition and equipment. As I mentioned above, the less you take out now, the less you have to pay back later.

About the dog thing, we have an apartment that does not charge us any type of pet rent or deposit on them. We have a 115 lb. Alaskan Malamute and a 40 lb. German Shepherd/Sheltee. The apartment is pretty nice too. There are tons of ICO students in the neighborhood and almost all of us have dogs. If you decide to come to ICO just let me know and I will give you the landlords phone number.

Sorry for the rant, but I hope it helped.

If you are tight on the greenback i wouldn't goto ucbso. it's a great school, but the cost of living is higher in the bay area.

I think it's possible to work 20 hrs/week in school and still have a balanced school and party life.

 

[cpw]

I think it's possible to work 20 hrs/week in school and still have a balanced school and party life.

only if you never EVER sleep

 

[prettygreeneyes]

Excellent advice everyone! I was really concerned that I might not be able to find a place that would take dogs! It is also comforting to know that it is possible for one and even two people to live off loans while both are in school! We plan to start a husband/wife practice many years down the road... but we have to both get through school first! Anyone from any other schools want to comment?