Uiw

[nytp]

Ok, only school I got into is UIWSO because of my average stat. Should I just go there or improve my GPA and apply next year.

Thanks

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[tresrisque]

Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to go to UIWSO? I would say just go there this year..

 

[nytp]

Is there a reason why you wouldn't want to go to UIWSO? I would say just go there this year..

Hi, thank you for your reply. Only reason is it is not accredited that is only thing I am worried about right now. Otherwise, I think I will go.

 

[jonasque]

I would say wait and apply again next year with better scores or grades. Why would you want be trained by Walmart doctors for something you want to do the rest of your life?

 

[Commando303]

To which schools did you apply? I imagine you did to those you wanted to attend. I can sympathize with having second thoughts, but consider this: if U.I.W.S.O. had rejected you, would you have wanted to go there? The grass, indeed, is always greener; don't forgo the one school that accepted you simply because it's the only one that did.

As for accreditation, there are no guarantees, of course, but I think it's highly doubtful any of the three colleges of optometry established in the 21st century will not be accredited, soon.

Were you rejected by that one school you "really" were after? If so, maybe it makes sense to wait a year, then re-apply (or, you could try to transfer there, next year, as a sophomore). If you just generically want a bunch of colleges to accept you, maybe you're not thinking clearly; also, if you somehow don't make yourself a more attractive candidate over the next year, there's a possibility, next time, no one will take you.

Good luck.

 

[lovelydisaster]

I would say wait and apply again next year with better scores or grades. Why would you want be trained by Walmart doctors for something you want to do the rest of your life?

That is a really harsh thing to say, as they are not "Walmart doctors"...

 

[nytp]

That is a really harsh thing to say, as they are not "Walmart doctors"...

I totally agree with you...Final Verdict: I am going to Texas.

 

[jonasque]

UIWSO is the brainchild of Walmart and associates...do your research people! I have no problem with you going to any school of your liking. You asked for an opinion..I gave you mine...I would wait another year, do the OAT again (rarely does anyone do worse), and then apply to UHCO. San Antonio started enrolling last year - their clinic is bull...they accept substandard students for a reason...and no! not all schools recieve accreditation just because it opened up...optometry is on the way of becoming a board certified profession...so I would play it safe...

 

[flairy]

I think you should go to UIWSO. Yes, they are not accredited but they will eventually be. I checked out the school and went there for an interview. I was impressed with their program. You have to remember that the dean, I think it is the Dean, used to work at SCO. I know you may be taking a risk but they have everything planed and I doubt you will get a horrible education. If you still don't like the school after a year, try to transfer.

I got waitlisted to UIWSO because my stats were a little low but I have been to accepted to a bunch of other schools.

 

[od2013]

I applied to UIWSO last year with decent stats. I got accepted but had to defer due to family illness. I applied this year and after I interviewed again, I am on their waitlist.

I was sure I was in based on the stats of their first year class.: http://www.opted.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3449

Apparantely, their stats this year is higher. I should have done it last year. I really like this school.

I know of at least 2 people in my pops that did not get an interview at UIWSo but got accepted at another nearby school and a girl from my dorm last year got waitlisted in san antonio but got in at Berkely.

If you got in, you must have done awesome in the interview and they saw potential in your academic record. I see this an an honor. Obviously, you have to be comfortable with where you go.

My uncle who is an OD knows a doctor on faculty at UIWSO from his class. My uncle tells me that he is pretty sure that the school has never accepted money from walmart. He is a grad of a well established school and he tells me that his OD alma mater has taken lots of money from Wally world for their new building.

He would have no problem with me going there, he knows that the doctors are not commercial in this School. When he was a student, a bunch of doctors in his clinic worked at places like Sams, target and walmart. Commercial is in everywhere I guess.

 

[Commando303]

I applied to UIWSO last year with decent stats. I got accepted but had to defer due to family illness. I applied this year and after I interviewed again, I am on their waitlist.

[...]

Apparantely, their stats this year is higher. I should have done it last year. I really like this school.

[...]

If you got in, you must have done awesome in the interview and they saw potential in your academic record. I see this an an honor. Obviously, you have to be comfortable with where you go.

Well, one thing to keep in mind is, you might have been interviewed later in the cycle, whereas the original poster may have been much earlier. (I'm not saying this is the case, only that it could be.)

 

[nytp]

Thank you everyone for your input.

 

[Shixal]

The doctors at UIWSO are very respected in their field.

 

[lnh]

I'm actually going to agree with Commando on this one. It is highly unlikely they will not be accredited. I think it is more of a question of whether you are up to the prejudice you will face for having gone to a new school. Seeing how you've responded in this thread, I say you'll be just fine. Good luck!

Oh and for what it's worth, I have no idea what goes on behind the school, but from my discussion with my faculty interviewer, I would have to say they are very against commercial.

 

[UIWSO student]

I would say wait and apply again next year with better scores or grades. Why would you want be trained by Walmart doctors for something you want to do the rest of your life?

Well first of all, I am not into any arguments about the quality of new schools but ...

Can you tell me how do you know they were trained by WAlmart or any other Chain?? I think there is a later post by you saying about the online research you did, Would you mind posting that on here or even how to get that info? Ok just to get this straight, YEs our Dean Dr.Ghazi-Birry was working at SCO, before he came to UIW. He holds an OD,PhD,and an MD and more. and Fyi his PhD is in Neuroanatomy and hold MD from Oxford University I believe, so Yaa and Other instructors have either Masters Degree or PhDs. Every instructor is an OD. I dont think any Dean ( of OPT schools) out there have these many degrees. Our physiology instructor hold MD and a PhD. okay pls pls feel free to ask this info to anybody you want and pls pls compare to other school. see if you find a match.


I hate ppl when they dont know what they are talking about........................................... ( walmart associates, ha,pretty funny though)

 

[blazenmadison]

YEs our Dean Dr.Ghazi-Birry was working at SCO, before he came to UIW. He holds an OD,PhD,and an MD and more. and Fyi his PhD is in Neuroanatomy and hold MD from Oxford University I believe, so Yaa and Other instructors have either Masters Degree or PhDs. Every instructor is an OD. I dont think any Dean ( of OPT schools) out there have these many degrees. Our physiology instructor hold MD and a PhD. okay pls pls feel free to ask this info to anybody you want and pls pls compare to other school. see if you find a match.

Your dean graduated in 2001 but how much 'optometry' experience has he had? He never practiced in any setting other than the school's clinic. With all those degrees, he tried to take the N.C. Boards and failed in 2001 (see for yourself...2nd part of the page: http://www.ncoptometry.org/documents/minutes/mins0901.html). I guess he had to go back to academics since he couldnt make it in the 'real world'. UIW didn't even attend TOA's annual meeting. UIW is a poor school choice unless your grades/OAT cannot get you accepted anywhere else. Good luck

 

[jonasque]

Your dean graduated in 2001 but how much 'optometry' experience has he had? He never practiced in any setting other than the school's clinic. With all those degrees, he tried to take the N.C. Boards and failed in 2001 (see for yourself...2nd part of the page: http://www.ncoptometry.org/documents/minutes/mins0901.html). I guess he had to go back to academics since he couldnt make it in the 'real world'. UIW didn't even attend TOA's annual meeting. UIW is a poor school choice unless your grades/OAT cannot get you accepted anywhere else. Good luck

Amen

 

[dontlikephysics]

So I would like to add to this discussion. I have read all your posts and other posts but I don't see any valid reason why UWISO's ODs should be labeled "Walmart doctors". Jonasque, why would you say that and where is your source that they are Walmart doctors? If you don't provide a source it just makes you look bad for putting down a school.
blazenmadison, I see that Dr.Ghazi-Birry did not graduate the NC boards in 2001. However, he does hold an OD degree now. So apparently he did pass the boards at some point. Regardless, I don't see why you would say UWISO is a "poor choice" for optometry school. No, they do not have accreditation status, but I don't care what school you go to, no optometry can start out fully accredited, that is the way the process works. Why critize a school and the students who are interested in going there? What is there to gain?
UIWSO student, I do not have any issues with your schools optometry program, in fact it appears to be a good program on the rise. But your post sounded to me more like your bragging about the amount of degrees your dean has been awarded, than honering your school. Perhaps thats why other posters are getting upset with you.

Summary, there is no reason for you guys or anyone to be comparing schools of optometry. For example, stating that ICO>PCO, or SCCO>NECO, or whos dean did better on the state boards than the others schools dean, or who has more degrees, honestly, just shut up. This is absurd. All of us are in optometry to help each other, not compare the sizes of our...schools! I'm not here to upset anyone, but you guys are being childish.

 

[blazenmadison]

UIWSO is the brainchild of Walmart and associates...do your research people! I have no problem with you going to any school of your liking. You asked for an opinion..I gave you mine...I would wait another year, do the OAT again (rarely does anyone do worse), and then apply to UHCO. San Antonio started enrolling last year - their clinic is bull...they accept substandard students for a reason...and no! not all schools recieve accreditation just because it opened up...optometry is on the way of becoming a board certified profession...so I would play it safe...

Brainchild of Wal-mart? I don't know. But a faculty member at the next door Pharmacy school served as "the Director of Professional Recruiting and College Relations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. at the Home Office in Bentonville, AR and was responsible for overseeing the recruitment, staffing, and intern program for pharmacists and optometrists at over 3600 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations." (http://www.uiw.edu/pharmacy/trang.html) Hmm.....

 

[blazenmadison]

I don't see why you would say UWISO is a "poor choice" for optometry school. No, they do not have accreditation status, but I don't care what school you go to, no optometry can start out fully accredited, that is the way the process works.

You're right. Someone has to be the guinea pig!

 

[nytp]

So I would like to add to this discussion. I have read all your posts and other posts but I don't see any valid reason why UWISO's ODs should be labeled "Walmart doctors". Jonasque, why would you say that and where is your source that they are Walmart doctors? If you don't provide a source it just makes you look bad for putting down a school.
blazenmadison, I see that Dr.Ghazi-Birry did not graduate the NC boards in 2001. However, he does hold an OD degree now. So apparently he did pass the boards at some point. Regardless, I don't see why you would say UWISO is a "poor choice" for optometry school. No, they do not have accreditation status, but I don't care what school you go to, no optometry can start out fully accredited, that is the way the process works. Why critize a school and the students who are interested in going there? What is there to gain?
UIWSO student, I do not have any issues with your schools optometry program, in fact it appears to be a good program on the rise. But your post sounded to me more like your bragging about the amount of degrees your dean has been awarded, than honering your school. Perhaps thats why other posters are getting upset with you.

Summary, there is no reason for you guys or anyone to be comparing schools of optometry. For example, stating that ICO>PCO, or SCCO>NECO, or whos dean did better on the state boards than the others schools dean, or who has more degrees, honestly, just shut up. This is absurd. All of us are in optometry to help each other, not compare the sizes of our...schools! I'm not here to upset anyone, but you guys are being childish.

I totally agree with you....

 

[jonthemac10]

"brain child of walmart" nice.

UIWSO has a respectable faculty. everybody has to start somewhere when they get out of school. 2001 was 10 years ago. that is a lot of practice. you are correct, UIWSO is a new school, but they have qualified teachers a brand new facilities to work in. you can't argue with that. they have the backing of a well respected university. Every faculty member has multiple degrees. and that link you posted http://www.uiw.edu/pharmacy/trang.html# is for the pharmacy school not the optometry school. that is pretty funny.

 

[jonthemac10]

Brainchild of Wal-mart? I don't know. But a faculty member at the next door Pharmacy school served as "the Director of Professional Recruiting and College Relations for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. at the Home Office in Bentonville, AR and was responsible for overseeing the recruitment, staffing, and intern program for pharmacists and optometrists at over 3600 Wal-Mart and Sam's Club locations." (http://www.uiw.edu/pharmacy/trang.html) Hmm.....

that faculty member is for the school of pharmacy...did you realize that before or after you posted?

 

[PolarBearClub]

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[Commando303]

I recently interviewed at UIW, and the professor who interviewed me went on a 10 minute rant about how big corporations such as Walmart are detrimental to the profession of Optometry. He additionally claimed that Walmart's vision was directly in conflict with a true Optometrist's vision and stated that anyone who even had a slight desire to work at one of these big corporations should not join the UIW student body.

And no, their clinic is not bull. It's probably one of the nicest/state of the art clinics that I have seen out of my 5 interviews at Optometry schools. With a 10 million dollar endowment, they have equipment some other Opt schools would only dream of having.

Your naivety surprises me.

First, I feel it's ridiculous for a member of faculty to rant about anything during a prospective student's interview, let alone about how his or her profession ought to be run. Second — and I don't mean to make any judgement about U.I.W.'s clinic, in this statement — the equipment with which a clinic is stocked is not indicative of its value to the education of its students: for the most part, it's the patients you see and the doctors under whom you learn that shape you into a competent or a lacking clinician.

 

[PolarBearClub]

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[thecgrblue]

And no, their clinic is not bull. It's probably one of the nicest/state of the art clinics that I have seen out of my 5 interviews at Optometry schools. With a 10 million dollar endowment, they have equipment some other Opt schools would only dream of having.

Your naivety surprises me.

I'm sorry, but do you really think a $10 million endowment leaves the other schools in the dust? I can tell you from a discussion with the administration at SCO, for one, has an endowment at least 6 times that.

 

[nicmc]

I have to agree. The clinic at UIW was nice, and they had new equipment. However, it was not a facility that "other schools would only dream of having." I was impressed with all of the clinics I saw with my interviews.