School Comparison

[kengani]

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I have applied to five schools and have interviews with SCCO, NECO, Western, ICO, and PCO. I just completed my interview with Western and got an acceptance letter. The other interviews are scheduled for the end of October through the month of November.

I know that the decision to go to one-school verses another is really a personal choice dependant on several factors such as curriculum, clinical work, location, faculty, costs, etc. I would like to know what school you would choose from the above list and respond why you would choose that school given the dependent factors.

 

[moniopt]

hi, Well it is a personal choice and obviously you want to pick a school that encompasses the above factors that you mentioned but also looked at it from a point of view of where u want to live for the next 4 years for ex. SCCO you will have nice weather the whole year vs. ICO you will deal with freezing winters. But one of the main factors if how much cash you got and want to spend. If one school costs 30,000 and another is 22,000 then there is a big difference over 4 years in savings. In the end they will all lead you to an OD. Plus OD i think is what you make of it after you finish school unlike medicine where maybe they put more emphasis on what school you finished to get into residency etc.

 

[kengani]

I don't think I was really clear in my question. I want to know specifically know why you would choose from the above school, noting the above factors, plus any other factor that would contribute to your decision. You (this refers to anyone that replies) emphasized costs and location as a factor. I would like to know specifically why you would go to one school verses the other, in relation to costs, such as one X school costs less by Y dollars or X school costs more by Y dollars, but has great access to scholarship, etc. You did great on the location, noting the weather conditions, but why else wold the location of the school persuade you, such as things to do in the city. I guess the best way to answer this is to put the school, factor, and specifically why that factor influences the decision.

 

[Absolute Vision]

According to Dr. Munroe, Admissions Director at SCCO, the following factors are important when deciding upon which optometry school to attend…especially if you were planning to open a private practice after graduation, then you would be looking for a school with a reputation for a strong clinical program that produces lots of diverse patients. How many credentialed clinical sites are there? How many patients will you see before graduating? Does the school provide up to date technology with respect to their clinic and equipment? How responsive and helpful is the faculty? What are the class sizes? How often can you expect tuition to increase? How safe is the area around the school? How helpful is the Student Affairs Office, since you will probably be seeking financial aid assistance and counseling?

I've applied to SCCO and have determined that its program will be best suited for me because I was able to arrive at a positive and satisfactory response for each of the above factors. Specifically, SCCO will provide me with the opportunity to work in a strong established clinical program with access to a large population of diverse patients…a very large selection of clinical externship sites…a friendly, helpful, and accessible faculty and Student Affairs Office, and its great location to where I currently live, etc. Again, like you mentioned earlier, I agree that it's definitely a personal choice for everyone. Good luck.

 

[kengani]

Thanks for the advise and great school evaluation questions.

 

[alferec]

I don't know about the other schools, but if you want a perspective on how life at SCCO is like, feel free to check out my blog:

http://www.optstudent.com/nucleus

I just finished the mother of all proficiencies aka "12 Station" which made me realize why SCCO is known for making outstanding clinicians...

 

[Oogilily]

The only way to know what a school is REALLY like is to go there for yourself and interview. I learned all I could about every school, about clinics, costs, curriculum blah blah. You know what, you WILL get a good education and become a good clinician at ANY school. I went to PUCO (and I know this isn't on your list) because it felt right. The people felt good, the area felt good, and that's what matters most. There isn't much difference between the schools. We all get the same degree and we all will get lots of clinic experience. I will say that on your list, SCCO probably teaches the broadest scope of optometry. They teach a little of everything (like PUCO) and I like that. Optometry has turned more to the medical philosophy and away from the roots of optometry. There are a few schools, scco included, that teach a little more about other areas of optometry and not just the medical side. I found that more appealing about SCCO and PUCO.

Anyways, the point is, it probably doesn't matter what school you go to. Just go to one that you feel confortable about and one that you think you can afford. And you better like the area you are living in because you will be there for at least 3 years! That's why so many people tell you about the area.