Hi Guys!
I haven't been active on the forums ever since I decided to attend NECO. But today, someone messaged me and brought me back on the site. I'm wrapping up my first semester at NECO; one more final left on the 23rd! And I gotta say, this is the best decision I've ever made! I almost didn't come for an interview at NECO because I thought it was overpriced, and because I had gotten into SCCO and Puerto Rico, which had been my top choice. Sya made a good point about not seeing patients until 2nd and 3rd year. Personally, I think it's important to have patient encounters early on to not lose sight of our goals. That's why I'm lovin' it here! It's incredible how much clinical skills we learn as soon as the semester starts. We also build up a lot of confidence in our skills by applying them during screenings at local schools around the greater Boston area. Even though, as first semester OD students, we are only qualified to do simple entrance tests and retinoscopy on screenings, the children we screen are incredibly diverse, and you actually feel like you make a difference in the child's life!
I did not apply to PCO or NOVA, nor have I visited those two schools, so I cannot sway you away from those schools, but I can definitely sway you towards NECO, a little🙂 Don't worry about the price tag, we'll pay it off in no time. I think you do get what you pay for, and NECO's clinical program is totally worth it! The class size is perfect, not too big, not too small, just right! We are all very involved and social. Not to sound too cliche, but the school feels like a family, there is great camaraderie and support throughout the school. The administration is really responsive to our needs and requests. The city is amazing. Everyone is super active, lots of runners here. I think this will be one of the best 4 years of my life! What has surprised me thus far is how much I actually love optometry. I never knew how much I would like it until now. Everyday, I'm reminded of how amazing a field I've picked. Regardless of where you ultimately chose to pursue your education, it'll be the most amazing time of your life as long as you get active, you get passionate, and you get involved; and you'll be greatly rewarded!
Good Luck Everyone! Let me know if you have any questions or concerns that I can address🙂
~Smile, Laugh, Be Free!
