Nova's NBEO passing rates

Started by AresTheGodOfWar
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AresTheGodOfWar

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I hear that Nova's reputation isn't that great. I've also heard that they've done a lot to improve their program. With this improvement what are their board passing rates? I can't to seem to find it anywhere, past or present scores for Nova. Does anyone happen to know it? Also, if I plan to live in Florida after opt school is it better to go to Nova? I assume they'll teach more towards the florida boards than other schools, but all that won't matter if I don't pass the NBEO.

I'm asking all of this because I'm debating if it's worth to stay in state and go to Nova. Is Nova that bad of a school? Their avg entering class stats have increased when comparing 2007 and 2008 so they're probably getting more qualified students now. Do you think it's the students not being up to par past years, and not so much of the school not instructing well?

Thank you
 
I don't know what the pass rates are. They failed to respond to 3 of my emails regarding the subject. NEXT!
 
I am in the middle of choosing between Pacific and Nova, as well as NECO (very expensive), so I am admittedly no expert. Having said this, here are my two cents:

1) It seems like the schools are stuck with their reputations. As far as I know, it is true that Nova lost their accred a long time ago. They were since cleaned up head to toe (they got taken to court)...and that was about a decade ago. (again, don't quote me here) All I know is that they have a huge number of people apply there every year, and that their pass rates were 89% for part I in 2007. I remember them telling us the number at the interview, and while I do not recollect it exactly, I know that it was very good. Every year their applicants numbers have risen.

2) This site is insane...opt wire is much more in depth and mature...somebody had to say it. Getting on here as often as I do, I have quickly noticed that every thread devolves into one of three topics: --New schools and how everyone responsible for their creation should be lined up and shot--The "Reputation" of a place (as if this plays some major role in your future success)--how in five years OD's will be turning tricks in bad neighborhoods as a result of oversupply. Whenever someone asks a serious question, all you need to do is page down about ten posts, and sure enough the discussion has morphed into one of the three above.

High school student wanting info on our profession... "What is your daily life like..."--go down ten posts--
"...you will sleep in the linen closet of an eight bedroom house of other OD's, all before you go to Wal-mart to panhandle in front of the produce section with street corner knock-off contacts. The man you passed on the street offering to mow your lawn for ten dollars and a clean pair of socks has his OD from new york."

Now, before one of the hitmen on this site starts telling me what an idealistic ***** I am, let me tell you that it is very clear that optometry has some VERY serious problems... but most every OD that I have spoken with or worked for has told me that things like oversupply are easy scapegoats.Again, I am no expert...I am only parroting what I have heard. Even if it is the bear that some claim it to be, we need a little more depth of analysis on here. Can't we agree on that?🙂 No...no...I didn't think so.

In addition, the idea that the reputation of a place is going to seriously effect your future is insane. With the exception of huge differences (go to SUNY or Puerto Rico?), your value when you get out will be in large part on what you did in school.I know this sounds crazy.

"No one asked me where I went to school."... I was told this probably a dozen times by my current boss. He told me they were much more interested in what his personality was like, as well as how well he dealt with the other doctors in the group, his ability to defend his decisions... Competency is important, but you are the vanguard of that, not a test and not a school. If you go to a great school and flop around on your butt and never study, you will have low value. If you are unpleasant and a brick wall to your patients; same thing. (Again, prob shouldn't feel like I have to say this) I am sorry for all of this, but I am tired of people not being straight about one very simple fact: You are responsible for how valuable you are in this profession...you will get out what you make of it yourself. An owner that won't hire you, even though you have been a great student, are very available, and have a great chairside manor, all because of where you went to school, will probably not be around for too much longer. I'm sure he/she is the type you'd love to work for anyway.:idea:

And one more thing: Nova gets ripped on because it's in south florida, and that must mean it has something going against it. (We can't have a great school AND 70 degrees in Jan too...must be a dump. Let's go to Michigan where we can be miserable and stoic in our great school...before you get pissed, I'm from Lansing👍) You ever notice how much nova gets talked about on here...let me just say that it wouldn't if it were in Minnesota.
 
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Sorry...none of my rant last night was directed at the first two posters...There are enough jerry springer-like fights on here and I'm sure not trying to start one. I guess it was directed at no one and at everyone/😀
 
Tavern, for the most part I agree with you. The posts on here usually do end up the same way and an education is what you make of it.

That being said, there is a certain responsibility these schools must take.

With their high rates of attition (again this is only from hearsay, but since they would not reply to my emails, It is all I can base my opinions on) there has to be a problem with their program and/or their admissions procedure. My bet is on the latter.

The board pass rates are indicative of the schools program as well. Both with the caliber of students you will be working along side with, as well as the effectiveness of the curriculum the school has put together. I realize it wont dictate how well you will do individually, but this is one of the few objective measurements you have in which to compare to other colleges.
 
They are probably too busy with interviews and worrying about applicants they care about than answering your question, which they probably get way too often and u can ask that if/when you get an interview at the interview 🙂
 
Pre Opt Student said:
They are probably too busy with interviews and worrying about applicants they care about than answering your question, which they probably get way too often and u can ask that if/when you get an interview at the interview 🙂
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insult. 🙄


Fact of the matter is, this is not something I think any school should be hiding. As applicants, we should be completely honest with the schools and the schools should reciprocate. This is potentially a 4 year marriage.

As far as asking at the interview, at that point it is too late. You've already dropped ~$800 for application, flight, hotel, etc. It cannot be a problem with them being too busy, they have that information readily available, all it would take is a quick 30 second reply.
"Our NBEO pass rate is xxxxxx, our rate of attrition is xxxx."
 
If you want an answer, pick up the phone, its much harder to ignore than an email.
 
SarahNC said:
If you want an answer, pick up the phone, its much harder to ignore than an email.
Click to expand...

how can you possibly know what they are saying is the truth?

If the AOA can get away by declaring the salary of an OD to be 250k, then imagine what schools, with much lower powers, can do.

Id say, listen to the posters. Do not go to NOVA, if you can get into a different school.
 
Taven7755 said:
I am in the middle of choosing between Pacific and Nova, as well as NECO (very expensive), so I am admittedly no expert. Having said this, here are my two cents:

1) It seems like the schools are stuck with their reputations. As far as I know, it is true that Nova lost their accred a long time ago. They were since cleaned up head to toe (they got taken to court)...and that was about a decade ago. (again, don't quote me here) All I know is that they have a huge number of people apply there every year, and that their pass rates were 89% for part I in 2007. I remember them telling us the number at the interview, and while I do not recollect it exactly, I know that it was very good. Every year their applicants numbers have risen.

2) This site is insane...opt wire is much more in depth and mature...somebody had to say it. Getting on here as often as I do, I have quickly noticed that every thread devolves into one of three topics: --New schools and how everyone responsible for their creation should be lined up and shot--The "Reputation" of a place (as if this plays some major role in your future success)--how in five years OD's will be turning tricks in bad neighborhoods as a result of oversupply. Whenever someone asks a serious question, all you need to do is page down about ten posts, and sure enough the discussion has morphed into one of the three above.

High school student wanting info on our profession... "What is your daily life like..."--go down ten posts--
"...you will sleep in the linen closet of an eight bedroom house of other OD's, all before you go to Wal-mart to panhandle in front of the produce section with street corner knock-off contacts. The man you passed on the street offering to mow your lawn for ten dollars and a clean pair of socks has his OD from new york."

Now, before one of the hitmen on this site starts telling me what an idealistic ***** I am, let me tell you that it is very clear that optometry has some VERY serious problems... but most every OD that I have spoken with or worked for has told me that things like oversupply are easy scapegoats.Again, I am no expert...I am only parroting what I have heard. Even if it is the bear that some claim it to be, we need a little more depth of analysis on here. Can't we agree on that?🙂 No...no...I didn't think so.

In addition, the idea that the reputation of a place is going to seriously effect your future is insane. With the exception of huge differences (go to SUNY or Puerto Rico?), your value when you get out will be in large part on what you did in school.I know this sounds crazy.

"No one asked me where I went to school."... I was told this probably a dozen times by my current boss. He told me they were much more interested in what his personality was like, as well as how well he dealt with the other doctors in the group, his ability to defend his decisions... Competency is important, but you are the vanguard of that, not a test and not a school. If you go to a great school and flop around on your butt and never study, you will have low value. If you are unpleasant and a brick wall to your patients; same thing. (Again, prob shouldn't feel like I have to say this) I am sorry for all of this, but I am tired of people not being straight about one very simple fact: You are responsible for how valuable you are in this profession...you will get out what you make of it yourself. An owner that won't hire you, even though you have been a great student, are very available, and have a great chairside manor, all because of where you went to school, will probably not be around for too much longer. I'm sure he/she is the type you'd love to work for anyway.:idea:

And one more thing: Nova gets ripped on because it's in south florida, and that must mean it has something going against it. (We can't have a great school AND 70 degrees in Jan too...must be a dump. Let's go to Michigan where we can be miserable and stoic in our great school...before you get pissed, I'm from Lansing👍) You ever notice how much nova gets talked about on here...let me just say that it wouldn't if it were in Minnesota.
Click to expand...

Hey, don't feel bad. I feel the SAME way about SDN too. For all of you interviewing at schools now, please don't look for approval on what school you'll be attending on here because you're SIMPLY not going to get it. Just go along with your gut instinct and how comfortable you feel at the institution. People here will ALWAYS inflate the "reputation" of the schools they currently attend and make it seem SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO hard to get into their program blah blah blah. At the end of the day, an OD is an OD...and that's the reality of the situation when you step into the real world. There are success stories and horror stories from every institution, question is how passionate are you about your career choice. Definitely take expenses, both personal and educational, into consideration because it will be a pretty penny to pay back as soon as that grace period is over. Best of luck to you all.
 
Thank you! Obviously a STUDENT at the school has the right stats, not people who are just speculating. Those are amazing scores 🙂
 
Taven7755 said:
2) This site is insane...opt wire is much more in depth and mature...somebody had to say it. Getting on here as often as I do, I have quickly noticed that every thread devolves into one of three topics: --New schools and how everyone responsible for their creation should be lined up and shot--The "Reputation" of a place (as if this plays some major role in your future success)--how in five years OD's will be turning tricks in bad neighborhoods as a result of oversupply. Whenever someone asks a serious question, all you need to do is page down about ten posts, and sure enough the discussion has morphed into one of the three above.
Click to expand...

What is opt wire?
 
Fonzie... I'm glad that SOMEONE actually has some real figures. If I had a dollar for everytime I read some speculative figure for a school...Here's an idea, don't say stuff with absolutely no hard evidence to back it up:idea:. "I hear nova (sub in umsl,neco,harvard) has a bad reputation."---According to who? What stats do you have to back this up? I hear that all of our past presidents are in fact cyborgs sent from an underground society on Jupiter's 14th moon! Let's live with that assumption and look for a chip on Jimmy Carter!

I know, I'm probably a jerk...All I want is some professionalism (i.e. Use of the idea that it helps to have some proof behind what you say) in a professional forum. Again, follow the Fonz🙂!!!

I 😍 facts
 
Taven7755 said:
Fonzie... I'm glad that SOMEONE actually has some real figures. If I had a dollar for everytime I read some speculative figure for a school...Here's an idea, don't say stuff with absolutely no hard evidence to back it up:idea:. "I hear nova (sub in umsl,neco,harvard) has a bad reputation."---According to who? What stats do you have to back this up? I hear that all of our past presidents are in fact cyborgs sent from an underground society on Jupiter's 14th moon! Let's live with that assumption and look for a chip on Jimmy Carter!

I know, I'm probably a jerk...All I want is some professionalism (i.e. Use of the idea that it helps to have some proof behind what you say) in a professional forum. Again, follow the Fonz🙂!!!

I 😍 facts
Click to expand...

Yes you are, and also stupid.

So you like facts eh?

I go to NOVA, im a 4th year student. NOVA sucks, profs dont care about you, exams are structured to FAIL you. Don't go to NOVA. Its a bad school.

happy?......
 
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taven7755 said:
2) this site is insane...opt wire is much more in depth and mature...somebody had to say it. Getting on here as often as i do, i have quickly noticed that every thread devolves into one of three topics: --new schools and how everyone responsible for their creation should be lined up and shot--the "reputation" of a place (as if this plays some major role in your future success)--how in five years od's will be turning tricks in bad neighborhoods as a result of oversupply. whenever someone asks a serious question, all you need to do is page down about ten posts, and sure enough the discussion has morphed into one of the three above.
Click to expand...


hahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaa!!
 
fonziefonz said:
You do realize that the undergrad and health professions division are two totally different worlds and run/structured nothing alike?
Click to expand...

no offense, but what you say is not credible, in your other post regarding NOVA.

what i was trying to say in my other post, is that a single person, whether right or wrong, should not be the only source of information, just because he/she has had some sort of experience with it.

10 negative common assumptions are better than 1 plausible fact.
 
blysssful said:
How do you figure that ANY common assumptions are better than a plausible fact? Do you know what plausible means?



:poke:
Click to expand...

No i do not know what it means. I communicate with words which I can not comprehend.

Numerically, 10 people saying that nova is bad, is more believable than one person saying it isn't, even if he/she has had experiences with it.
 
gochi said:
Yes you are, and also stupid.

So you like facts eh?

I go to NOVA, im a 4th year student. NOVA sucks, profs dont care about you, exams are structured to FAIL you. Don't go to NOVA. Its a bad school.

happy?......
Click to expand...


What program are you in at Nova?
 
gochi said:
No i do not know what it means. I communicate with words which I can not comprehend.

Numerically, 10 people saying that nova is bad, is more believable than one person saying it isn't, even if he/she has had experiences with it.
Click to expand...

Not when those 10 people are speculating off of rumors and unverified information. Maybe you're just a pessimist.
 
OR maybe he/she failed out of nova optometry because they werent cut out for the program and so is acting immature..
 
I've read your past 10 posts and you are going on some pathetic rampage bashing NOVA. Seriously you need to GROW UP and get a life. Hopefully you have better things to do with your time than to just bash a school on an optometry forum simply because u are clearly bitter about something.
 
Pre Opt Student said:
I've read your past 10 posts and you are going on some pathetic rampage bashing NOVA. Seriously you need to GROW UP and get a life. Hopefully you have better things to do with your time than to just bash a school on an optometry forum simply because u are clearly bitter about something.
Click to expand...

Right...whats your problem? I just do not like people with minimal powers taking advantage of students. It's BS, and should be dealt with. Why do you even care about what I do? lol
 
Last edited:
gochi said:
How would you know they are rumors or unverified information?
Click to expand...

I'm referring to your "common assumptions" comment. Assumptions piggy back rumors and reputations. That's the difference between assumptions and facts.
 
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gochi said:
So you like facts eh?

I go to NOVA, im a 4th year student. NOVA sucks, profs dont care about you, exams are structured to FAIL you. Don't go to NOVA. Its a bad school.

happy?......
Click to expand...

Um. If you're a senior at Nova, and you hate it so much.. why didn't you transfer to another undergrad?
 
Gang, let me try to clarify some things here.

1. If an optometry school isn't up to par in anyway, then the ACOE is going to know about it and take the appropriate action. Use this website: http://www.aoa.org/x5161.xml. It will clearly lay out accreditation actions that have taken place since 2002 for optometry schools, their clinics, and externship sites.

2. Don't believe a bunch of nonsensical rumors that people try to amplify on a message board. The whole origin of Nova's "poor reputation" occurred nearly thirteen years ago and were corrected quite promptly when their accreditation was placed on what ACOE calls "Accredited with Conditions". I've never seen any evidence that Nova's optometry school actually lost their accreditation, only the probationary status mentioned above.

3. Anybody who tells you that a particular OD school produces bad optometrists, has instructors that don't care, and has tests that are designed to fail students has no accurate perception of reality. Odds are this person never took a test there, never met any faculty member personally, and never utilized the services of enough graduates to make a fair assessment of their quality.

4. For pre-optometry students that think they've been shunned by Nova's admissions office because they didn't get an e-mail reply, it's because the office receives literally hundreds of e-mails a day and there's only two people staffed to respond. Also keep in mind they have other duties as well. The best way to contact the school is to use a phone. There seems to be some kind of genetic pre-disposition in those persons born after 1985 in which they depend on an e-mail and text messages to get things accomplished. Use your words; it will get you farther with Nova's admissions office in addition to several other aspects of life.
 
Thank you Dwight Schrute. Finally someone to put those stupid rumors to rest!! Oh, and by the way...that is "Assistant TO the Regional Manager." Don't be getting ahead of yourself hehe! (great show)
 
FYI, Nova has one of the most helpful and welcoming admissions staff. If you ever need anything or have any questions about anything admissions related, simply ask to speak to Fran Franconeri. She will spend as much time with you as you want or need. Year after year, she receives a nice gift with money collected from each student of each new class due to her kindness and helpfulness.
 
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