I applied to UIWRSO, and I'm probably just about to decline their interview. I recently applied to UHCO (the only other school in Texas), and here is my take on the San antonio school:
UIWRSO is still a school in the accreditation process. This year, students will graduate, and after their first graduating class graduates/passes board exams, the school can follow through with the accreditation process. Students can practice optometry as a profession after that.
I visited the school, and it's nothing too shabby. My impression was that faculty were young ambitious; they want to see students succeed and be at the top of their game. They want their first class to really set a high standard for the following classes. The school has a lot of land around it so you can anticipate that the program will grow. It has a high tuition because it is a private school, so theres a lot of money coming in. The classes are small (around 60).
My main concern about UIWRSO is the clinical practice. It takes years for an optometry school to establish themselves with a good client base so that students will have exposure to many different patients in the clinic. Students start clinic their third year, but without enough exposure, they won't be as prepared for the board exam or the real world.
With all that said, I believe it'll grow into a great program. I think they'll be accredited very soon after this class graduates, and you could gain a great education. But it's definitely in its infant stages.
