Transfer Optometry Schools?

[rani82]

Has anyone ever transferred between optometry schools? Can anyone comment on how difficult it is? I'm sure the process is different for every school but I don't hear of too many transfers so any input will be helpful.

Thanks.

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[cunikki]

hey... i havent transferred but i know people who have tried to transfer
1- was told straight out that it would not be possible since they have been in school for 1.5 years. if they wanted to they would have to redo at least one year at the new school
1- tried to transfer to a school they didnt get into the first time and was told no bc they didnt get in the first time
in general i have heard if you want to transfer you need to get into the new school during your first year and start it by the beginning of the second year to be able to do so at all. usually i think you need documented proof of a really good reason for transferring... one person i know was trying to move closer to a parent that was diagnosed w/cancer.
why would you transfer??

 

[Oogilily]

I also have heard that it is extremely difficult to transfer to a different school.

 

[r_salis]

Has anyone ever transferred between optometry schools? Can anyone comment on how difficult it is? I'm sure the process is different for every school but I don't hear of too many transfers so any input will be helpful.

Thanks.

Transferring is not common -- there was just one person in my class who transferred in 2nd year from another school during the 4 years. Assuming you're in good standing at the school you're currently in, it's not impossible.

 

[cpw]

we had one transfer student in my class who transferred from Puerto Rico. They made him repeat almost all of first year. It's VERY difficult to transfer !

 

[jMoo]

i have a classmate who transferred because she got married and wanted to be closer to her husband. she left one school after 2 yrs and will be doing another 3 yrs at my school. so overall she repeated 1 yr worth of courses. i heard its really frowned upon.

 

[docwatson]

we had one transfer student in my class who transferred from Puerto Rico. They made him repeat almost all of first year. It's VERY difficult to transfer !

Why in the world would a school expect someone to repeat another year? What is that, punishment? Or is it because the school wants to make more money on the student? Everyone has to admit that OD schools are all more or less equivalent as far as education since every student has to pass the national boards, so why not accept the education that a student has received at another school?

 

[Ben Chudner]

There was one student that transferred from PUCO into my class at Berkeley. He didn't have to do any additional work. He finished his first year in Oregon, and then started right up with us in the fall for second year. I think it can be done, but I would imagine the decision is made on an individual basis.

 

[cunikki]

i think the main reason that people have to repeat a year when transferring is if they didnt learn stuff in the same order... i know for sure that my school does things very different from pacific and oklahoma... one friend from each and i have traded stories of what we learned up to that point... basically i think they would just make you take classes that you didnt take at your other school... so if first year at your school includes classes where you learn slit lamp and phorometry but you went to my school where all that is taught in second year you are going to end up doing a lot of first year classes

 

[docwatson]

i think the main reason that people have to repeat a year when transferring is if they didnt learn stuff in the same order... i know for sure that my school does things very different from pacific and oklahoma... one friend from each and i have traded stories of what we learned up to that point... basically i think they would just make you take classes that you didnt take at your other school... so if first year at your school includes classes where you learn slit lamp and phorometry but you went to my school where all that is taught in second year you are going to end up doing a lot of first year classes

I can see this but I don't think it always equates to simply equivalent education. We had a jerk for an admissions director at my school and he would have insisted that a person retake classes just "because." Had plenty of stories of students, including me, who had to take extra courses prior to school for no good reason.

 

[swiftiii]

I had thought about transferring, but I didn't go through with it. However, I did talk with people who were transferring. There were no courses that were going to have to be repeated, but the timelines of each school aren't totally in synch. (FYI the two transfer I know of were to SUNY and UMSL). So like you and others have said, it just depends on what you've learned at your first school versus what you'd learn at the school you're transferring to. Besides finding the one in a million person who has done exactly the same school to school transfer, you need to talk to the admin of the school you want to go to. Depending on the two, it could be difficult, but I know from (other's) experience, that it isn't ALWAYS that big a deal (at least if you do it after the first year...I think it would be pretty difficult to avoid an extra year if you waited longer.)

 

[rani82]

Hey Everyone,

This is all great information - if you have any other input/stories that you have experienced or heard please let me know. I know I am definitely going to stick it out for the year but if I would like to transfer I need to get the ball rolling. Thanks for your help!