Which school would you pick?

[soccer2]

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Looking for some help/advice on selecting a school - it is such a difficult choice. So far I've been accepted to NOVA, Indiana, SUNY, NECO & PCO. I am on the "no decision" list at Ohio.

All schools I visited have amazing attributes - and I'm very torn. Boston is closest to home, so for that reason I am leaning toward NECO. I have a love/hate relationship with the clinical rotation. I love the idea of being exposed to many different practice settings from high tech to low tech and the exposure to populations from all socio-economic backgrounds. I feel like I would come out of there being very well trained & prepared for many different clinical settings. Boston is a major mecca for medicine and they seem to take advantage of their surroundsings well. The negative about the clinics during years 2 & 3 is I dislike the idea of always traveling to somewhere new. While some clinics are close and gorgeous - others are a longer commute and in not great areas. So without a car, and on my own, that is a bit of a concern. But I may someday want to live or work in Boston, so I also like the idea of connecting with other optometrists in that area and getting the chance to work at different places. And I do know the area well and for the most part Boston is a really safe city. I inquired about their board passing rates and they claim they've gone way up since the boards recently changed to a more clinical direction and they stated that the students from NECO are doing very well.

SUNY is probably my second favorite - again because it is in my region of the country but not quite so close to home as NECO. I was impressed with the clinical set up there and the fact that each specialty had a different floor and you could begin to be exposed to these specialties in your first year. I don't like the idea of living in Queens mostly because I enjoy running and I'm not sure it is a runner-friendly area- and I'm not crazy about commuting back and forth every day - I'd rather live in Manhattan where I could go running in Central Park and walk to school - but it is SO EXPENSIVE to live in Manhattan. Also I am a little intimidated by the size of the city - although I do love it. A major plus for SUNY is it seems to possess one of the stronger reputations for its board passing rates and clinical education.

NOVA is also a great choice. I loved the integration between all the different specialties (i.e. dentistry) - the new and amazing facilities, the larger campus feel, and the fact that housing was local and nice and students lived more in a community then at the other schools with very little traveling/commuting to deal with. Also the weather is a definate plus. Also, NOVA had an impressive board passing rate last year - they really appear to be stepping up their academics. Their graduate housing (1 mile from campus) was pretty nice - where you could live with all different graduate students from law to dentistry to osteopathic to P.T. etc. It seemed to have a great atmosphere (I personally checked it out) complete with a gorgeous resort-like pool.

I also really loved Ohio and Indiana - I loved the athletic facilities, the big ten atmosphere and both seem like very good schools. Indiana's clinic is brand new.

The only school that I got into that I probably will not consider is Salus. It had some plusses as well - but I guess I'd rather be in the other areas for the next 3/4 years.

I'd really appreciate any tips/advice/information that would help me to decide. Thanks for any input!

 

[Commando303]

Is the only thing keeping you from Salus (P.C.O. [Pennsylvania]) its location?

 

[sammyboy]

Choose NECO...duh

 

[OD4eyes]

I would choose SUNY because I am from New York and my family is here...and I plan to practice in NY. So, I guess you should choose where you plan to practice. Congrats on getting accepted to all those excellent schools!

 

[mshea413]

I love boston but if you are concerned with getting the different clinics, you should really know that the the T (the subway system) is absolutely terrible in Boston.

 

[soccer2]

I'm not too concerned with the areas in Boston because I am pretty familliar with the T so I'm not too worried about it, but I understand what you are saying about the outlying areas because it takes a lot longer to get there on the T or with busses. One student I talked to said he had a clinic in Lynn that took him an hour to get to with public transportation. But overall Boston is one of my favorite cities with so many different colleges, a safe feeling, great places for running, and I have a lot of connections there with friends and family. Although I loved Salus, I didn't really feel comfortable with the location of the school. It didn't seem to me like it was an extremely safe area, but perhaps I got the wrong impression? It just concerns me because I am a woman and would be making that move alone, I don't really know anyone in that city. Thanks so much for all of this input, it is really helping me weigh out my decision- I really appreciate it! Any additional input would be amazing!!

 

[achirum]

SUNY is probably my second favorite - again because it is in my region of the country but not quite so close to home as NECO. I was impressed with the clinical set up there and the fact that each specialty had a different floor and you could begin to be exposed to these specialties in your first year. I don't like the idea of living in Queens mostly because I enjoy running and I'm not sure it is a runner-friendly area- and I'm not crazy about commuting back and forth every day - I'd rather live in Manhattan where I could go running in Central Park and walk to school - but it is SO EXPENSIVE to live in Manhattan. Also I am a little intimidated by the size of the city - although I do love it. A major plus for SUNY is it seems to possess one of the stronger reputations for its board passing rates and clinical education.

Queens is not a bad place to live. It isn't all that bad of a commute either. I personally know many people who live in Queens with a shorter commute than some people who live in Manhattan. Some people have to walk 20 minutes to get to school who live in Manhattan while others take a 20 minute ride on the metro who live in Queens.

In addition, I can't speak from experience, but from what I have heard, isn't Boston just as expensive? Unless you can live with your parents or something.

As for living in Manhattan and walking to school. Well, if you do want to live walking distance to school, it is going to cost a lot of money.

As for the city, there is nothing to be intimidated about.

Cheers,

 

[JLand]

I have to choose between SUNY, NECO, and Salus. I'm from the Philly area so Salus is attractive in that way, but I agree it really isn't in the best area. I'm personally leaning towards SUNY because of the much smaller class sizes - 75 students and the high first time passing rates. NECO is six hours away and probably wouldn't want to be that far away from my family, as opposed to a 1 hour train ride to New York.

 

[browneyed]

yeah i really like that SUNY has clinic in the same building. i don't like that PCO and NECO, you have to get to clinic either driving or taking public transportation all over the place.

 

[hurricaneuro]

Yeah, that was one of the main things for me too. After commuting to whatever school you go to, it would be a pain for you to travel to the clinic too. Whereas at SUNY....the best of everything is at your fingertips 😉

I'm addition, not trying to diss any school, but if you have been accepted to all of these schools, you should 1. be proud of yourself and 2. go to the best one that you can. The "best" in my opinion refers to the best clinic, best experience, board passing rates (cough SUNY)...etc. Whatever criteria you use, make sure you get the best education you can!

Lastly...SUNY's tuition is pretty competitive and they give you instate after a year. I'm from PA, but apparently the state pulled funding for opto students so I would have to pay the full 30,000 plus for Salus every year. 👎

 

[blysssful]

Looking for some help/advice on selecting a school - it is such a difficult choice. So far I've been accepted to NOVA, Indiana, SUNY, NECO & PCO. I am on the "no decision" list at Ohio.

All schools I visited have amazing attributes - and I'm very torn. Boston is closest to home, so for that reason I am leaning toward NECO. I have a love/hate relationship with the clinical rotation. I love the idea of being exposed to many different practice settings from high tech to low tech and the exposure to populations from all socio-economic backgrounds. I feel like I would come out of there being very well trained & prepared for many different clinical settings. Boston is a major mecca for medicine and they seem to take advantage of their surroundsings well. The negative about the clinics during years 2 & 3 is I dislike the idea of always traveling to somewhere new. While some clinics are close and gorgeous - others are a longer commute and in not great areas. So without a car, and on my own, that is a bit of a concern. But I may someday want to live or work in Boston, so I also like the idea of connecting with other optometrists in that area and getting the chance to work at different places. And I do know the area well and for the most part Boston is a really safe city. I inquired about their board passing rates and they claim they've gone way up since the boards recently changed to a more clinical direction and they stated that the students from NECO are doing very well.

SUNY is probably my second favorite - again because it is in my region of the country but not quite so close to home as NECO. I was impressed with the clinical set up there and the fact that each specialty had a different floor and you could begin to be exposed to these specialties in your first year. I don't like the idea of living in Queens mostly because I enjoy running and I'm not sure it is a runner-friendly area- and I'm not crazy about commuting back and forth every day - I'd rather live in Manhattan where I could go running in Central Park and walk to school - but it is SO EXPENSIVE to live in Manhattan. Also I am a little intimidated by the size of the city - although I do love it. A major plus for SUNY is it seems to possess one of the stronger reputations for its board passing rates and clinical education.

NOVA is also a great choice. I loved the integration between all the different specialties (i.e. dentistry) - the new and amazing facilities, the larger campus feel, and the fact that housing was local and nice and students lived more in a community then at the other schools with very little traveling/commuting to deal with. Also the weather is a definate plus. Also, NOVA had an impressive board passing rate last year - they really appear to be stepping up their academics. Their graduate housing (1 mile from campus) was pretty nice - where you could live with all different graduate students from law to dentistry to osteopathic to P.T. etc. It seemed to have a great atmosphere (I personally checked it out) complete with a gorgeous resort-like pool.

I also really loved Ohio and Indiana - I loved the athletic facilities, the big ten atmosphere and both seem like very good schools. Indiana's clinic is brand new.

The only school that I got into that I probably will not consider is Salus. It had some plusses as well - but I guess I'd rather be in the other areas for the next 3/4 years.

I'd really appreciate any tips/advice/information that would help me to decide. Thanks for any input!

First of all, congrats on all the acceptances. Second, IMO the schools to be considering are SUNY, PCO and maybe Indiana (although I don't know very much about their program because I wasn't considering it).

About the bolded part: At my NECO interview last year I was informed that their board rates are below the national average. While they may have had an improvement with the exam getting easier, it doesn't necessarily mean that their academics are getting better. NECO and Ohio are also the most expensive options, so unless you get a scholarship or in-state tuition, they aren't worth it. You mention that you are from the Boston area, so I suppose if you would be living at home NECO would be financially acceptable.

At both SUNY and PCO you will be getting a great didactic and clinical education. Both prepare students exceptionally well for the boards. I don't know what it's like to live in Philly, but living in NYC is not scary. It can be financially feasible-- ESPECIALLY if you are considering paying almost $50K in tuition at other schools. At SUNY, you can gain NY residency after your first year, so the average tuition over four years is about $20K/year.

 

[lkg2837]

Actually, I just wanted to point out that I think Ohio (were you to get in) is not necessarily one of the more expensive options (less so than PCO I think), because you can get in-state tuition after 1 year, and cost of living is pretty low too.

 

[blysssful]

Actually, I just wanted to point out that I think Ohio (were you to get in) is not necessarily one of the more expensive options (less so than PCO I think), because you can get in-state tuition after 1 year, and cost of living is pretty low too.

Good point, I didn't realize PCO doesn't give in-state breaks.

 

[soccer2]

Just to provide some clarification - I spoke with the dean of admissions at NECO and questioned her about the board passing rate, she stated that the first time board passing rate last year was in the 90th percentile. Furthermore she claimed that the students that were able to maintain a 3.0 average and above at NECO, achieved a %100 first time passing rate. I got the impression that if you are willing to work hard you will be able to pass. NECO also considers their clinical education to be one of their greatest strengths. As far as commuting to clinical rotations, you only have to commute once a week your second year and twice a week your third year. The furthest away would be an hour from the school while most are only about 15 minutes. I'm not as concerned about commuting any longer after hearing this information, it sounds like everyone travels in groups to their clinics as well. Although it is extra effort it allows you to see a variety of different clinical settings. They made a good point that you may not always be working with the most advanced technology when in the field after graduation and NECO gives you the exposure to work with both high end and low end technology. SUNY does have more exposure to specialties, but Boston has the advantage that they travel to several areas in and around Boston. You are able to work with a variety of populations and socioeconomic backgrounds, from rich to poor as well virtually every ethnic background. This helps students do decide what practice best suits them for a work setting. Instead of drawing the patients in to the clinic they extend themselves outward to a variety of different clinics. It also has the convenience of being one of the best medical areas in the nation and they use that to their advantage. SUNY does have a higher board passing rate, but I also believe you get what you put in to your education no matter where you go. I believe that both schools provide you the opportunity to succeed. I feel that NECO is very highly respected in my area (I live about an hour and a half away from Boston). The OD's who graduated from NECO in my area are doing extremely well which makes me feel confident that no matter which school I chose, the ability to succeed is at my fingertips. I think they are both great options, I am still really torn. You make a good point that it is significantly cheaper to go to SUNY but I'm not sure I would want to live in Queens - so after the 4 years, that would make the cost differential a lot less. In Boston everyone seems to live in Back Bay, a really nice area, which gives a sense of community for the incoming class versus being sprawled out all over the city. I like the idea of being close to the school where a lot is going on and colleges are everywhere, there is a lot to do and it is safe. It is cheaper than living in Manhattan although the tuition offsets that cost. I'm not trying to put down any of the schools, believe me I think SUNY is an amazing option which is why I'm so seriously considering it, I just don't want to see all these misconceptions about NECO because I believe it is also a really great school. I haven't ruled out Indiana or Ohio but I am no longer considering PCO.

 

[nerd16]

Looking for some help/advice on selecting a school - it is such a difficult choice. So far I've been accepted to NOVA, Indiana, SUNY, NECO & PCO. I am on the "no decision" list at Ohio.

All schools I visited have amazing attributes - and I'm very torn. Boston is closest to home, so for that reason I am leaning toward NECO. I have a love/hate relationship with the clinical rotation. I love the idea of being exposed to many different practice settings from high tech to low tech and the exposure to populations from all socio-economic backgrounds. I feel like I would come out of there being very well trained & prepared for many different clinical settings. Boston is a major mecca for medicine and they seem to take advantage of their surroundsings well. The negative about the clinics during years 2 & 3 is I dislike the idea of always traveling to somewhere new. While some clinics are close and gorgeous - others are a longer commute and in not great areas. So without a car, and on my own, that is a bit of a concern. But I may someday want to live or work in Boston, so I also like the idea of connecting with other optometrists in that area and getting the chance to work at different places. And I do know the area well and for the most part Boston is a really safe city. I inquired about their board passing rates and they claim they've gone way up since the boards recently changed to a more clinical direction and they stated that the students from NECO are doing very well.

SUNY is probably my second favorite - again because it is in my region of the country but not quite so close to home as NECO. I was impressed with the clinical set up there and the fact that each specialty had a different floor and you could begin to be exposed to these specialties in your first year. I don't like the idea of living in Queens mostly because I enjoy running and I'm not sure it is a runner-friendly area- and I'm not crazy about commuting back and forth every day - I'd rather live in Manhattan where I could go running in Central Park and walk to school - but it is SO EXPENSIVE to live in Manhattan. Also I am a little intimidated by the size of the city - although I do love it. A major plus for SUNY is it seems to possess one of the stronger reputations for its board passing rates and clinical education.

NOVA is also a great choice. I loved the integration between all the different specialties (i.e. dentistry) - the new and amazing facilities, the larger campus feel, and the fact that housing was local and nice and students lived more in a community then at the other schools with very little traveling/commuting to deal with. Also the weather is a definate plus. Also, NOVA had an impressive board passing rate last year - they really appear to be stepping up their academics. Their graduate housing (1 mile from campus) was pretty nice - where you could live with all different graduate students from law to dentistry to osteopathic to P.T. etc. It seemed to have a great atmosphere (I personally checked it out) complete with a gorgeous resort-like pool.

I also really loved Ohio and Indiana - I loved the athletic facilities, the big ten atmosphere and both seem like very good schools. Indiana's clinic is brand new.

The only school that I got into that I probably will not consider is Salus. It had some plusses as well - but I guess I'd rather be in the other areas for the next 3/4 years.

I'd really appreciate any tips/advice/information that would help me to decide. Thanks for any input!

I was having the same dilemma as you were in terms of trying to decide between some really great programs. I got accepted to NECO, SUNY, ICO, and IU, and all have really fantastic things about the programs.

Ultimately, I decided SUNY b.c. of their board pass rates, their clinical exposure, convenience of having everything in one building, and b.c. it was NYC! I'm not sure where I'm going to live yet, but commuting on the subway is a way of life there, and it really isn't a big deal. Queens is a great place--A LOT of students live there, so safety shouldn't be a concern if you're smart about it. There are a lot of sketchy things that happen at Central Park, and it can be just as unsafe as Queens or any other part of the city. And it does save you in cost since Manhattan is ridiculously pricey and apartments are SMALL. You will def. be sacrificing living space in Manhattan.

As for IU and OSU. I did my undergrad at IU, and LOVED it! The Midwest is really like another world for east-coasters (I would know, since I grew up in NY). Everyone here is so laid back and friendly, and they would go out of their way to help you. The school boasts great pass rates, and their clinical exposure has its advantages and disadvantages. In Bloomington, as "urban" as they claim to be, it will never be a NYC or Boston. But you do go to Indianapolis as well, and you can be exposed to a lot more there. In terms of getting to the clinic site itself (which is beautiful and awesome compared to the old clinic) it's not hard since most students live within walking distance anyway, and the city buses are free allowing you to get to the other clinic site if you don't bring your car. The faculty at IU Opt. are like family while you're there, and they really get to know every single one of their students. Housing is CHEAP b.c. the Midwest is in general, and in terms of experiences outside of school, IU has everything and more to offer. And if you get bored of Bloomington, Indianapolis, Chicago, St. Louis, Louisville, and Columbus are literally a hop, skip, and jump away.

That being said, I chose NOT to attend IU for a few reasons: 1. it's my alma mater. I was ready for a change. 2. Clinic can be slightly limiting since college students are a lot of what you see at first. But for someone who is NOT from Indiana, I can't help but root for IU because it is such an amazing school and a great place to be in general. Before going on my interviews, I was pretty set that I wasn't going to go to IU. When I went to my interview there, I was blown away, and had a hard time taking it out of the running from the other schools.

I hope this helps. I def. know how you're feeling right now though. Congrats on all the acceptances, and goodluck choosing! 🙂