Meeting Minutes 10/06/2020

During this meeting, we heard a presentation from New England College of Optometry. Here are the notes from the meeting.

New England College of Optometry:

  • 1894
  • 130 class size
  • Boston, MA
  • See pts starting in second year
  • Faculty wants you to succeed
  • First Year:
    • Classroom, lab, pt care
    • Vision screenings and clinics
    • Heavy lecture and lab
  • Second Year:
    • Assigned first clinical site
    • Still heavy lecture/lab
    • 1 day/week in clinic
    • Can perform entire exam at end of second year
  • Third Year:
    • Still have classes
    • Business course
    • More time in clinics
  • Fourth Year:
    • 4, 3 month long rotations
    • Some rotations available in Canada and China
  • Have specialty programs, electives, residency option
  • 10:1 student to faculty ratio
  • 20 exam lanes
  • 4 special lanes with new tech
  • Slit lamps with imagine systems for instand feedback
  • “Preparing today’s optometrists for tomorrow’s optometry”
  • Research:
    • Vision science
    • Biomed science
    • Clinical
    • Education
  • Combined MS/OD and PhD/OD program
    • Still grad in time
  • 15+ student orgs
  • Tutoring available
  • Assigned a faculty mentor
  • Rolling Admin: June 30-March 1
    • 1 letter of rec from optometrist
    • 1 letter of rec from a science professor
  • Average GPA: 3.4
  • Avg OAT: 320-300
  • Take GRE: 154/section, 4 on writing
  • Tuition:
    • $42,592
    • $19,800 living allowance
    • 90% receive aid
    • Scholarships awarded at time of acceptance
  • Questions:

Thank you to Emily DeRosa for presenting this information!

Meeting Minutes 10/20/2020

In today’s meeting, we had a presentation from Southern College of Optometry. Here are comprehensive notes about the school, taken by Becca Roffe.

SCO Meeting Notes

  • Stand alone private institution
  • Only optometry
  • Memphis, TN
  • 97% of entering students graduate
  • Clinically focused, though do have active research
  • Passing boards required to graduate
  • Non-Regional Tuition: about $38,292
  • Supportive, tight-knit community
  • Eye Center: clinic
    • Largest of its kind in US, second largest in world
  • External Clinic Sites
    • University of Memphis clinic
    • MobilEyes
  • All lectures recorded and provided to students
  • 20 student organizations and state clubs
  • Encourage advocacy and networking
  • Students from all over the country and internationally, many from Ohio
  • Average GPA: 3.61
  • Average OAT: 335
  • Apply 762/135 admitted
  • More than 100 scholarships or currently enrolled students
  • Entering Student scholarships: $1,000 to $20,000 a year (only offered to entering students and no application process)
  • Student loan repayment:
    • Average debt: $130,000
    • Offer financial support
    • Mandatory online financial literacy course (free before starting)
  • Mandatory Courses:
    • General Bio with lab (1 year)
    • General Chem with lab (1 year)
    • General physics with lab (1 year)
    • Micro with lab (1 course)
    • OChem with lab (1 course)
    • Biochem with lab (1 course)
    • Calc (1 course)
    • Stats (1 course)
    • Psych (1 course)
    • Social Studies (1 year)
    • English (1 year)
    • Recommend:
      • Anatomy and physiology
      • Cell Bio
      • OChem II
      • Immunology
      • Histology
    • Rolling admissions
      • July 1-March 1
      • OptomCAS
      • Essay
      • Transcript
      • Letters of Rec:
        • 1 OD and 1 pre-professional advisor or science professor
      • Supplemental App: $50 app fee
    • TIMELINESS PUTS YOU AHEAD! APPLY EARLY
    • Require OAT/MCAT/GRE
    • Interview:
      • Fridays
      • Encourage exploration of Memphis
      • Blind interview: one on one. All they know are name and home state to ensure more relaxed and personal experience
    • Housing: no dorms but apartments close by
    • How to be competitive:
      • Apply early
      • Submit all docs
      • Take OAT early
      • Gain diverse exposure to opt
        • 30 hours at two different settings (preferably with two different modalities)
      • Have a commitment to service
      • Ask questions
    • Mike McKeever: mmckeever@sco.edu

Additionally, here is a link to the recording of the meeting, in case you missed it! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1du63wgHP1xm7FMIN1oxtjsaOnqTAOWuO/view?usp=sharing