Be a Trailblazer! Start That Club!
I knew I wanted to pursue optometry from a very young age…so when I started college and saw that there was no club for students interested in optometry, I knew I had to do something.
Why I Chose SCCO: An Out-of-Stater’s Perspective
Going to college out of state was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. During my senior year of college, I had to make another challenging decision; where do I want to attend optometry school?
My Personal and Professional Gap Year
I wanted to recharge and spend time with my friends and family before dedicating four years to my career goal.
Being a Leader Outside of Academics
The meaningful skills that I’ve gained throughout my experiences are some that I would have never obtained by just focusing solely on academics.
Filling the Gap- How I Made the Most out of My Gap Year
Though I was scared at first, taking a gap year has been one of the best decisions I’ve made, and I am here to tell you how I made the most out of my gap year!
The Start of Something New – Choosing SCCO Coming from a Local
Marshall B. Ketchum University. “It’s a professional school.” “There are future doctors studying there.” To my young, immature high school self, that was a future that sounded unattainable, improbable, and far-fetched.
Taking A 1200-Mile Leap of Faith!
Oklahoma will always be home for me, but California is quickly winning my heart in other ways
Tips for Applying Early to Maximize the Summer Before Senior Year of Undergrad by SCCO Student Ambassador, Jacklyn Charbonneau
It can be said that a gap year offers a great opportunity to gain experiences, save money, and have time to refine your application. However, because I was eager to start optometry school and felt like I made the most of my undergraduate years, I opted not to take that gap year. I had enjoyed my undergrad experience fully, I took every opportunity to be involved in variety of experiences by graduation. To not take that gap year was a personal choice for me that also meant finding ways to balance the OAT and application while still taking courses and finishing up my undergrad degree.
How I Got Back Into the Swing of Things After Taking 3 Gap Years by SCCO Student Ambassador, Christina Chapman
Before entering optometry school and after finishing undergrad, I took three years to “test out” optometry.
Deciding to attend optometry school can be a big decision to make, and I wanted to ensure that it was something I wanted to dedicate the rest of my life to. I worked full time in private practice to gain some preliminary skills which had the bonus of giving me incredible insights into the field. I also wanted a reset after finishing my undergraduate education. This time allowed me to rediscover some old hobbies like reading and cooking, and also to do some traveling. However, getting back into the swing of school, specifically optometry school, with a rigorous schedule was initially daunting.
Advice from Students Who Took Gap Years by SCCO Ambassadors Ally Tran & Karen Nguyen
Taking a gap year was the best decision I’ve made during my application process. Instead of rushing to fit a certain timeline, I decided to take a mental break from school and spend more time expanding my patient care experience. This extra time before optometry school helped me become a better prepared and more confident applicant when completing my applications.
Optometry Admissions Blog 