nova or western

[axewax]

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Hello, I'm pretty sure this has been asked before but the responses on other threads where tangent to the question at hand.

So I got accepted into the entering class of 2016 for both Nova's and Western's optometry programs. I only have 5 days to decide or I lose my western seat. Both seem very alluring to me and each have their pros and cons.

I like Nova's fancy campus, close proximity to the beach/shopping areas, mandatory iPad use, enthusiastic good-looking class, top of the line facilities, and very amiable administration. I dislike the mandatory scrub and class attendance policies, switching of professors every quarter, along with the general humidity of Florida. I've heard the basic science classes you take are more intensive compared to other optometry curriculum

Western seems to employ the latest technologies, early patient interaction, recorded lectures, close proximity to some nice places in California, nice california weather, genuine, and caring professors+administration. I dislike the narrow hallways, some of the facilities, lack of a gym, and the Pomona area. I also have a few family and couple friends in the socal area.

Nova seems to follow the old curriculum of learning while western does the new one. Supposedly people are requesting to transfer out of western because of that. You get summer 1 off at western and the basic science classes are combined into one 6 hour credit course. At nova you take classes year-round with basic science classes broken down into their sub categories. I've also heard from the year 1 o.d.s that these courses are harder at nova but better prepare you for the board exams.

I wanted to know for those who are attending the schools and/or interviewed at both to get their opinions on which and why their recommend that schools over the other

Also I want to get more advice on the externships, year 4 differences, and any other tidbids you guys would like to add? I really don't want to miss out on the better opportunity. This is a tough decision for me.

 

[myopiastigmatism78787]

Hey, how many days after the interview did you hear back for NOVA? Thanks!

 

[axewax]

They emailed me the following Friday. So about four days.

 

[myopiastigmatism78787]

Thanks! Have my interview at the end of the month so sorry I cant help you hash out the pros and cons :[

 

[KellPod]

I live in California, and when you say it is "in close proximity to nice places in California" Im not sure what places you are referring to. Its about 1.5 hours to the beach, an hour to L.A.. When I visited the campus I was a little turned off by the area that surrounds it and the fact a guard is needed at each end of the campus due to the area. The onsite housing did look nice but if you have a significant other they are not allowed to live there since it is students only. Hope this kinda helps!

 

[axewax]

Yeah but after speaking with some 2nd O.D students. They told me the area wasn't too bad and alot of students communte from Chino hills and Claremont. Candid areas that are less than 10 minutes away. Orange county is 20 min away and you can find nice beaches to get to in about an hour

 

[asdfasdfasdf1234]

NOVA 🙂

 

[axewax]

Since I'm not getting the most helpful responses and because this is a 250,000 4 year investment, I ended up accepting my seats to both schools and will tour the schools and surrounding areas again in the spring. From then I'll see which one is a better fit for me.

 

[mnins19]

When choosing the best school for you, there's several things you want to keep in mind. One of the things some people may say is "don't select your school based on location, it should be about the education, curriculum, or advanced technology." Location does somewhat matter mainly because you'll be living there for 3-4ish years (don't know where you'd be doing your rotations your 4th year). If you absolutely cannot stand the humidity, then maybe NOVA isn't the choice for you. If you're not comfortable going to school in sketchy neighborhood, then maybe WesternU isn't for you. Although, you could live in a nicer neighborhood just 10 minutes away. Think about what YOU want out of the schools. Do you prefer early patient interaction? Do you really want to get into neuro-rehabilitation or vision therapy? Which school do you think will help you achieve your goals as an optometrist? In terms of curriculum, some people like the old curriculum better while some like the new curriculum.

Since you're still unsure and want to tour the schools again in the spring, I would advise talking to at least one student from each class (1st years, 2nd years, 3rd years). For example, at WesternU, they recently tweaked their curriculum so you'd hear maybe a few different things from each class. WesternU is quite a drive to some places but it's honestly not that bad. It's about 35-40 minutes away from downtown LA without traffic. I'm currently a first year at WesternU. I don't regret it (yet, at least). I've never been to NOVA so I can't say much about it.