SCO vs UHCO

[Lisa0123]

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I've already been accepted into SCO and have an interview lined up at UHCO. I like both schools a lot and I'm having trouble deciding which one to go to! I'm a Texas resident so UHCO would be a little cheaper, but SCO will probably be offering me scholarship money that would make it even out. And since living in Memphis is cheaper than living in Houston, it would probably be a wash money-wise.

Any advice would be helpful! 🙂

 

[b12roach]

I've already been accepted into SCO and have an interview lined up at UHCO. I like both schools a lot and I'm having trouble deciding which one to go to! I'm a Texas resident so UHCO would be a little cheaper, but SCO will probably be offering me scholarship money that would make it even out. And since living in Memphis is cheaper than living in Houston, it would probably be a wash money-wise.

Any advice would be helpful! 🙂

Same dilemma I'm in! Will be monitoring this thread. 👍

 

[Jibslider]

Go where it is cheaper.

 

[Lisa0123]

Same dilemma I'm in! Will be monitoring this thread. 👍

It's a tough one! They seem similar in terms of academics and I can't find anything to make me lean one way or the other. SCO did a much better job of recruiting and making me want to go there (which is why I started considering it in the first place). Most of my pre-optometry or current optometry student friends are all about UHCO, so I'm having trouble getting any un-biased opinions. 😛

 

[csandova]

Congrats on already being accepted! If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats?

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[Shnurek]

It's a tough one! They seem similar in terms of academics and I can't find anything to make me lean one way or the other. SCO did a much better job of recruiting and making me want to go there (which is why I started considering it in the first place). Most of my pre-optometry or current optometry student friends are all about UHCO, so I'm having trouble getting any un-biased opinions. 😛

Memphis is a pretty ghetto city so I'd live in the suburbs if I went to SCO. SCO the school itself is fantastic. They have a laser observation center and their scope of practice is pretty awesome. So ask yourself, do you want to learn how to give injections?

 

[Lisa0123]

Congrats on already being accepted! If you don't mind me asking, what were your stats?

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Thank you! 350 OAT academic average and 3.95 GPA. I also have a lot of experience in the field.

 

[csandova]

Wow that's pretty impressive! SCO is my top choice, my GPA isn't as high as yours but I have a master's degree and I'm taking my OAT in October. I'm crossing my fingers that I get good news too!

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[Lisa0123]

Wow that's pretty impressive! SCO is my top choice, my GPA isn't as high as yours but I have a master's degree and I'm taking my OAT in October. I'm crossing my fingers that I get good news too!

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Thank you! Good luck 🙂 I'm sure that master's will help a lot too

 

[Lisa0123]

Memphis is a pretty ghetto city so I'd live in the suburbs if I went to SCO. SCO the school itself is fantastic. They have a laser observation center and their scope of practice is pretty awesome. So ask yourself, do you want to learn how to give injections?

Definitely! I've heard UHCO teaches laser and injection procedures that aren't yet legal in Texas as well though. The two schools keep seeming to even out!

 

[Shnurek]

Definitely! I've heard UHCO teaches laser and injection procedures that aren't yet legal in Texas as well though. The two schools keep seeming to even out!

Yes, but in Tennessee you can do them on patients in the school's clinic 🙂 Can't in Texas yet 🙁

Honestly, its sort of a minor thing as it isn't done too commonly. I'd just go with what jibslider said. The cheaper school.

 

[Lisa0123]

Yes, but in Tennessee you can do them on patients in the school's clinic 🙂 Can't in Texas yet 🙁

Valid point 🙂 I'll add that to my SCO list!

And hopefully all the scholarship information is finalized soon so I know which school is actually cheaper!

 

[optoapp2012]

Valid point 🙂 I'll add that to my SCO list!

And hopefully all the scholarship information is finalized soon so I know which school is actually cheaper!

UHCO is opening an MRI imaging center among other new features. They are dumping loads of money into their graduate programs in order to raise the school's overall tier status...so that's convenient timing. With the MRI center, it's also among those things that you wouldn't necessarily use that often, but it could help you funnel more medical visits through your office someday if you can do that and no other optometrist in your area can. Texas Optometric Association also feels like they will likely get some landmark legislation passed for optometry in the next few years...so that might get things up to TN's level.

Personally, I hated Memphis and couldn't see myself living there. But I know everyone is different! You will get a great education at both. Sounds like financially they are similar. So really it's going to get down to where you would enjoy living more.

 

[pamin002]

I'm a 3rd student at UHCO, so I might be a tad bit biased. However, I did do some extensive research before I applied, mainly on SCO, ICO, Berkeley, and SUNY.

What I found was that the UHCO was among the top in research and also in the variety of patients (demographics) you will see once you do start patient care (in the second semester of OPT II). Alot our patient base comprises of the indigent population, and so most of the patients we see are what we call "not normal" in terms of their health.

Additionally, we are opening up a state of the art surgical center as part of our clinic that will be staffed by MD's/OD's, which we will be rotoating into in the future. We also learn laser procedures out 3rd year, although the scope of practice in Texas still prevents us from actually doing it out in practice.

PM me if you have additional questions.

 

[ericnate]

I'm a 3rd student at UHCO, so I might be a tad bit biased. However, I did do some extensive research before I applied, mainly on SCO, ICO, Berkeley, and SUNY.

What I found was that the UHCO was among the top in research and also in the variety of patients (demographics) you will see once you do start patient care (in the second semester of OPT II). Alot our patient base comprises of the indigent population, and so most of the patients we see are what we call "not normal" in terms of their health.

Additionally, we are opening up a state of the art surgical center as part of our clinic that will be staffed by MD's/OD's, which we will be rotoating into in the future. We also learn laser procedures out 3rd year, although the scope of practice in Texas still prevents us from actually doing it out in practice.

PM me if you have additional questions.

I also go to UHCO and can maybe shed a little light on UHCO. What my colleague say is true but to clarify a little, the new building at school is primarily for research only. There is 1 classroom and a few new lanes for exams but other than that the rest of the building is for the researchers and the surgeons. What this means for students is huge increases in tuition each year for the last 4 years with very little benefit in return. Ultimately it comes down to prestige: the administration at UHCO talks a lot about what they are doing to make the school better but the reality is it doesn't do anything for the actual students. This is reflected in everything the admin does, they dont do anything to help or protect the students. For example today a student was robbed by a patient who was carrying a gun (because UH is in a very ghetto neighborhood) and the admin didnt even tell the student body about it because they apparently didnt want to worry us? This is even more frustrating because the admin doesnt supply 24hr security for the building like most of the other buildings on campus get (probably cause they spent all their money on a new building). I could go on for hours about verbally abusive teachers, uncaring faculty and the terrible selection in externships (they pretty much only offer externships sites in texas and dont give you much say in the selection process), but essentially I want to say that I regret having gone to UHCO and would highly recommend looking at another school. Also I saw today that optomcas posted a (very accurate in my opinion) breakdown of the estimated expenses associated with optometry school and UHCO really wasnt cheaper than any of the others anymore with all their tuition increases. http://www.opted.org/files/public/ASCO Admission Requirements 2011-2012Paige.pdf

 

[belizaire]

edit: nvm

 

[Lisa0123]

I also go to UHCO and can maybe shed a little light on UHCO. What my colleague say is true but to clarify a little, the new building at school is primarily for research only. There is 1 classroom and a few new lanes for exams but other than that the rest of the building is for the researchers and the surgeons. What this means for students is huge increases in tuition each year for the last 4 years with very little benefit in return. Ultimately it comes down to prestige: the administration at UHCO talks a lot about what they are doing to make the school better but the reality is it doesn't do anything for the actual students. This is reflected in everything the admin does, they dont do anything to help or protect the students. For example today a student was robbed by a patient who was carrying a gun (because UH is in a very ghetto neighborhood) and the admin didnt even tell the student body about it because they apparently didnt want to worry us? This is even more frustrating because the admin doesnt supply 24hr security for the building like most of the other buildings on campus get (probably cause they spent all their money on a new building). I could go on for hours about verbally abusive teachers, uncaring faculty and the terrible selection in externships (they pretty much only offer externships sites in texas and dont give you much say in the selection process), but essentially I want to say that I regret having gone to UHCO and would highly recommend looking at another school. Also I saw today that optomcas posted a (very accurate in my opinion) breakdown of the estimated expenses associated with optometry school and UHCO really wasnt cheaper than any of the others anymore with all their tuition increases. http://www.opted.org/files/public/ASCO Admission Requirements 2011-2012Paige.pdf

Thanks so much for the information. I did decide against UHCO (mostly for financial reasons, but things like this certainly helped me solidify my decision)!