Help!!

[mabigtin]

Hi everyone,
so i decided to go to ICO this fall because it was the school that i really felt good about and also 'cos Ohio State took forever to inform me of their admission decision.
Well, my problem is that i have gotten into Ohio State and the optometrist that i worked with is advising me to go there instead of ICO since Ohio State and UC berkeley are probably the two top optometry schools. He sounds pretty convinced about this , though i have to mention that he is an Ohio State alum so u never know...Does anybody out there know anything about these two schools? I need some advice really badly...Also, if i go to ohio state, i'd be paying almost 30000 dollars more since i am out-of-state...

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[sdn]

Go Ohio even just from pure cost analysis. Why would you want to be saddled with huge student loan? It will make a world of difference when you graduate. If you ask me, I would NOT attend any optometry school at this point. But if you insist, go ohio or any one that cost the least. You will have a license and no one cares about where you graduated from, especially your future patients. You are optometrist, nothing really special, nothing like cardiologist. Even they are dispoable as far as insurance concern. Good luck.

 

[Eyegirl2k7]

Blah blah blah blah over and over again...

 

[sdn]

my blah blah is better than your blah blah. BTW, congras on your huge student loan from ICO. I am sure your folk will be delighted with your new found talent of which one is better 1 or 2 or some @#!$ like that. Hahahaha. I am sure your loan is peanut when you start working a few days a week at local mall next to some pizza shop. Go eyegirl

 

[cpw]

this is your SECOND warning... the next time you attack a user on this forum you WILL be banned from the site.

the all seeing eye has spoken

 

[sdn]

Blah blah blah blah over and over again...


__________________

 

[r_salis]

Originally posted by sdn
Blah blah blah blah over and over again...


__________________

buh-bye...

 

[cpw]

bye bye is right ..

 

[TPMOH]

Hi Mabigtin- I'm a little confused in your post- you say that you will be out of state going to OSU, but your location indicates that you are from Cleveland, OH. Even if you are out of state for OSU, it will still be cheaper than going to ICO b/c you can gain Ohio residency after one year- so you'll pay in-state tuition your last 3 yrs at OSU. I think ICO's tuition is about 20-23K per year, while OSU is around 12.5K (for a 9-month yr) in-state. The surcharge for out-of-state for the 1st yr at OSU is about 14-15K. Also, you'll have to consider that living in Chicago is MUCH more expensive than living in Columbus. So, on a pure cost basis, OSU is the better choice.

I'm not sure how the education is at ICO, but I do know that ICO has over double the class size as OSU. All I can tell you is what I know about OSU since I just completed my 1st yr there. The classrooms aren't the greatest, but the clinic looks OK. I'm sure ICO has better facilities. But, the education that you will receive at OSU will be top-notch. The 1st-time passage rate of part I of the boards at OSU has been 95-100% for more than the last ten yrs, with some recent classes at 100% (national ave of all opt schools is usually around 70-75%). You can't go wrong at OSU. I'm sure ICO will also give you a good education (you might want to check on the board stats there and the % of incoming students that make it thru the program each yr there). If you have any specific questions about OSU please feel free to ask me. Good luck in making your decision. Take care.

OPT II
OSU College of Optometry

 

[Eyegirl2k7]

In the words of the crocodile hunter "Oops, that pissed him off..."

 

[J.opt]

Originally posted by TPMOH
Hi Mabigtin- I'm a little confused in your post- you say that you will be out of state going to OSU, but your location indicates that you are from Cleveland, OH. Even if you are out of state for OSU, it will still be cheaper than going to ICO b/c you can gain Ohio residency after one year- so you'll pay in-state tuition your last 3 yrs at OSU. I think ICO's tuition is about 20-23K per year, while OSU is around 12.5K (for a 9-month yr) in-state. The surcharge for out-of-state for the 1st yr at OSU is about 14-15K. Also, you'll have to consider that living in Chicago is MUCH more expensive than living in Columbus. So, on a pure cost basis, OSU is the better choice.

I'm not sure how the education is at ICO, but I do know that ICO has over double the class size as OSU. All I can tell you is what I know about OSU since I just completed my 1st yr there. The classrooms aren't the greatest, but the clinic looks OK. I'm sure ICO has better facilities. But, the education that you will receive at OSU will be top-notch. The 1st-time passage rate of part I of the boards at OSU has been 95-100% for more than the last ten yrs, with some recent classes at 100% (national ave of all opt schools is usually around 70-75%). You can't go wrong at OSU. I'm sure ICO will also give you a good education (you might want to check on the board stats there and the % of incoming students that make it thru the program each yr there). If you have any specific questions about OSU please feel free to ask me. Good luck in making your decision. Take care.

OPT II
OSU College of Optometry

TPMOH, do you mind telling me a little bit more about OSU and Columbus? Anything would be OK. I?ve always heard good things about the school, but I was told that Ohio was very cold during the winter, and I don?t know if I?m willing to stand that kind of weather for four years.

I?m going to call the school to check if I?m eligible for the in-state tuition deal. Do you happen to know if international students are able to pay in-state tuition after the first year too?

Thanks

 

[TPMOH]

Hi J.Opt- I'm not sure what the rules are for international students- if you're not a US citizen, then I'm not sure if you would be able to qualify for in-state tuition. You should ask the college when you call them.

As far as Columbus is concerned, I really don't like it here that much, but I've always lived in Ohio so I'm used to it. The OSU campus area isn't that good- if you wish to live on-campus, try to get something in the medical area- it's not quite as bad-but still not good. I would suggest living in a suberb if that would be possible. There are some areas fairly close to OSU like Upper Arlington and Grandview that are pretty nice areas. The weather isn't that great, but it's not much different than the east coast. The summers are pretty nice, but the rest of the year it's pretty dreary out (not much sun). The average high in January is about 35 degrees (you can check out weather.com to get detailed averages thru out the year). If you want to go to a school in a great area with a great climate, NOVA in Ft Lauderdale is probably the best you can find in the US, but it is far from the best program.

More about OSU optometry school- OSU has an emphasis on the hard-core sciences the 1st year with little hands-on clinical application (alot of clinical things are discussed, but the optometric methods courses in which you learn exam procedures don't begin until your 2nd year). Your 1st qtr at OSU, they kind of ease you into things with only 16 qtr hrs- but don't take it lightly b/c those 16 hrs are pretty rigorous (especially anatomy and physiology). Optics is the "blow off course" main course for the whole 1st year, but it isn't that easy- you will still have to put some time into it. The instructors are all very good your 1st year with the exception of the physiology instructor- the class is rough and she isn't the best teacher, but it's doable. The one you'll learn the most from is the anatomy/histology instructor- Dr Early- he's one of the reasons why OSU students perform so well on the boards.

Well, gotta go for now- if you have any more specific questions please let me know.

OPT II

OSU College of Optometry

 

[TPMOH]

Hi J.Opt- I'm not sure what the rules are for international students- if you're not a US citizen, then I'm not sure if you would be able to qualify for in-state tuition. You should ask the college when you call them.

As far as Columbus is concerned, I really don't like it here that much, but I've always lived in Ohio so I'm used to it. The OSU campus area isn't that good- if you wish to live on-campus, try to get something in the medical area- it's not quite as bad-but still not good. I would suggest living in a suberb if that would be possible. There are some areas fairly close to OSU like Upper Arlington and Grandview that are pretty nice areas. The weather isn't that great, but it's not much different than the east coast. The summers are pretty nice, but the rest of the year it's pretty dreary out (not much sun). The average high in January is about 35 degrees (you can check out weather.com to get detailed averages thru out the year). If you want to go to a school in a great area with a great climate, NOVA in Ft Lauderdale is probably the best you can find in the US, but it is far from the best program.

More about OSU optometry school- OSU has an emphasis on the hard-core sciences the 1st year with little hands-on clinical application (alot of clinical things are discussed, but the optometric methods courses in which you learn exam procedures don't begin until your 2nd year). Your 1st qtr at OSU, they kind of ease you into things with only 16 qtr hrs- but don't take it lightly b/c those 16 hrs are pretty rigorous (especially anatomy and physiology). Optics is the "blow off course" main course for the whole 1st year, but it isn't that easy- you will still have to put some time into it. The instructors are all very good your 1st year with the exception of the physiology instructor- the class is rough and she isn't the best teacher, but it's doable. The one you'll learn the most from is the anatomy/histology instructor- Dr Early- he's one of the reasons why OSU students perform so well on the boards.

Well, gotta go for now- if you have any more specific questions please let me know.

OPT II

OSU College of Optometry

 

[J.opt]

I?ll give them a call, thanks.