Hey there. I'm a first year student at SCO and honestly the city isn't as bad as you think (then again I'm originally from New Orleans which has a similar vibe so who knows). It really just depends on the area you're in, but while you're at school you're definitely in good hands! The security around the school is pretty good and they definitely look out for you and help you any way they can. While the city itself may not be the prettiest in some areas I've never felt unsafe to the point I was fearing for my life or anything like that. There's plenty of good areas in the city that you can venture around and live in if you decide to attend SCO. I don't know much about the other program but I think it's false that you'll have to "defend" your choice of school. It's probably either a regional or personal opinion. Where I'm from SCO was highly regarded and I actually applied since it was recommended to me by several people. I know some people actually prefer schools like SCO that is strictly for optometry and not connected to a larger school. It's all preference. If there's any specific parts about the student life as a first year you'd like to know about feel free to ask me.
