Hey ya'll! Hope everyone is having a great holiday season so far. Just wanted to pitch in my own opinion about NOVA after successfully completing my first semester. I really think there are a lot of misconceptions about the various optometry schools out there...and really everyone has to decide for themselves which school fits best. I love NOVA depite the hurricanes...honestly being from Austin, TX I thought Houston would be my first pick---but after talking to my brother who is also a 1st yr at Houston...I really know now for a fact that I love NOVA. There are countless reasons why...but here's my take in a nutshell---they treat you like a family member there...even from the very first opportunity to meet you (interview). We have less stress at the end of the semester compared to lots of other schools since they try to avoid mid-term and finals weeks..and rather spread exams out as time permits. It keeps you on top of things and also keeps things from getting too crazy at the end of the semester. We are taught how to refract and have clinic observations from the start as well. Nova has a lot of pride in their top notch clinics and their emphasis on patient care. I'm not trying to "sell" the school really, but if you are a people-person and love to be treated as a person rather than a number...consider NOVA. I heard my share of rumors about the schools when I applied last year, and I hope you choose a school based on what you gather from people who actually attend the schools and not hear-say. Best of luck to you all..and if you are interested in NOVA...contact Fran a lot--she's the best! She'll gladly answer all your questions and my class loved her so much...we got her a gift at the beginning of our semester-she's like our second MOM. All the best-