NOVA or SCO

[OcularMigraine]

Hello, I was wondering if I could get some opinions on these 2 schools. I’ve been accepted into both of them with scholarships that would lead them to being relatively equal in terms of tuition(~17-18k a year). The biggest factor is my distance from home. With a busy schedule idk how often I will even have a chance to go back so if that should even be a factor. Here are the pros and cons I have for both:

SCO Pros
-very nice, family like faculty, treated me and my family very well during interviews
-eye clinic was impressive and nice
-cost of living is cheap
-focus on optometry as a stand alone college

SCO Cons
-Not completely sure about Memphis as a city, some parts of the city were rough and I didn’t feel as comfortable
-building is a little older, small, and not as many study spaces
-further from home (FL ~10 hr drive/ 3 hr flight)

NOVA Pros
-proximity to home (~3 hour drive)
-large, relatively new campus
-liked the scrubs attire for students
-lot more amenities and spacious libraries, study rooms, etc

NOVA Cons
-did not feel as welcomed during interview, it felt rather rushed
-first time board pass rates are concerning and low
-higher cost of living
-clinic seemed small and crowded

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[Nellemia]

While I haven't seen either school yet, I do have an opinion being the people person that I am. It seems like you've already answered your own question... you should choose NOVA since it checks the block of being the shortest distance from home. While you cant live at home during school, it would be rejuvenating for you to at least be able to drive on the weekends for an overnight trip and destress with family. You wont be able to do that anywhere else you go. I understand your concerns with both schools. To me, your cons list seem weighted equally, just different subject matters. I say chose what is going to bring you the most happiness and that looks like NOVA by the way you've broken it down. And congratulations on your scholarships and acceptances btw!!

 

[Purkinja]

Going home isn’t near a big a factor as you would think in OD school.Simply too rigorous.I would ALWAYS recommend the higher board score schools over lesser programs.SCO larger class size also gives more networking opportunities for graduates .SCO recruits more nationally and you would be surrounded by fellow students who have stronger entering stats than NOVA as well.

Better network,better students,better board scores and most likely cheaper in the long run as the cost of living in Memphis should buy more than enough plane fare to offset distance .Good Luck

 

[OcularMigraine]

While I haven't seen either school yet, I do have an opinion being the people person that I am. It seems like you've already answered your own question... you should choose NOVA since it checks the block of being the shortest distance from home. While you cant live at home during school, it would be rejuvenating for you to at least be able to drive on the weekends for an overnight trip and destress with family. You wont be able to do that anywhere else you go. I understand your concerns with both schools. To me, your cons list seem weighted equally, just different subject matters. I say chose what is going to bring you the most happiness and that looks like NOVA by the way you've broken it down. And congratulations on your scholarships and acceptances btw!!

Actually, I’ve had the opposite feeling of your perception...distance from home isn’t a huge priority for me. It’s convience that’s for sure but not a determining factor. It’s intersting you say that about the cons because I’m more concerned about NOVA’s cons...especially the board pass rates

 

[odfuturedoc]

Imo, when you consider your future as an optometrist, a couple of things are key and outweigh other factors maybe a little more: boards, and networking.
Sure the scrubs they wear at nova are comfortable, but as an optometrist, you will rarely (if ever) be wearing scrubs for the profession.
@Purkinja also brings up a good point about going home. With the rigor of school, going home on a couple hour drive/flight for just the weekend is not ideal.

 

[cateyegal]

Hi there! I feel the need to reply because I was exactly in your position last year!! I am also from Florida and when it came down to it, I was choosing between NOVA and SCO at a similar tuition cost as well. I am currently attending SCO and I'm only two weeks in but I really feel like I have made the right decision. That feeling you got of being wanted and feeling focused on only gets better. I have not met a single unfriendly person in this building, right down to the janitors and security guards.

I thought I would have liked the idea of scrubs as well but at SCO for two afternoons a week this year we are expected to wear business casual attire and it has been helpful to begin building my wardrobe and dressing the way I will be as an optometrist in the real world. There really aren't a shortage of study areas here as far as I've noticed, but midterms haven't hit yet so I may have an update for you on that soon! I almost didn't like the idea of being at NOVA's sprawling campus and mingling with other people and even undergraduate students - I got the impression that I was just a number and I would become lost in the shuffle.

The safety of Memphis is really not as terrible as its reputation would have you believe. There are so many cool areas here and I've never found myself in a really sketchy area -- you'd have to be looking for trouble to find it. Having lived here for a few months the city gives off more of a hipster up and coming vibe than the ghetto I was worried about dealing with. The location has become an unexpected plus! Additionally, if you want to have some separation from the city after all, you can choose to live on Mud Island where many of my peers live, and it is a whole separate world of gated apartment communities filled with lots of students and young professionals.

My family and I are very close and I lived near home for undergrad so that I could see them every weekend if I wanted to, so distance was a pretty big deal for us too. Ultimately, the size of the clinic, and the board pass rates took the cake for me. I wanted to be set up for success at graduation, and I already feel that I'm headed in that direction. If you have any other questions at all, feel free to shoot me a message. Good luck and congrats on your acceptances!

 

[Eyeloveeyes225]

Hi! I am trying to decide between SCO and IUSO, does anyone have insight? I loved the program at SCO but I'm a bit iffy about Memphis as a city. IU is closer to home and I still liked the program but not as much. Please help with any opinions and info!

 

[Purkinja]

SCO security is omnipresent,professional and very caring .Downtown Memphis has cleaned up its act tremendously the last 20 years and “mud island” is a fantastic development in its own young professional bubble.After a few weeks you will be at ease with the area.