When I started my first week of orientation, a sense of nervousness crept in. I was worried that all my hopes for what optometry school would be filled with disappointment. However, after completing my first year, I can confidently say it didn’t just live up to my expectations, it surpassed them.
Navigating a graduate program as a first-generation student forced me to grow into new shoes. Of course, I knew that I would face many challenges inherent to a doctoral degree, but I also encountered many “invisible” hurdles outside of school as I learned to become an independent adult.
Growing up in a household deeply rooted in healthcare, I always knew I wanted to follow in the footsteps of my dad, a physician, and my mom, a nurse. Their journeys shaped not only who they became but also the way I view my own path.
Diving into the world of optometry as an undergrad student can be daunting, and for me, it was. I was overwhelmed by everything I didn’t know: what was the OAT? Which prerequisites did I need? And most importantly, which schools did I want to apply to? The number of answers I needed to find was intimidating, to say the least.
Congrats! You’ve made it into your dream optometry program. What should you expect? That’s a hard one, but I’ll start by saying graduate school is a different beast. You should expect to become the best version of yourself.
I still remember how surprised I was when I received my interview invite from SCCO. I had been researching SCCO’s program and reading what other students had to say and was excited at the opportunity to interview there.
As part of SCCO’s Clinical Outreach program and beginning in the summer quarter of each year, 4th-year students begin their first of four clinical rotations. This clinical program consists of many sites all over the U.S., with some sites in Canada, Japan, and Guam. Sites can be in private […]
First impressions matter, especially when it comes to job interviews. As a prospective student, presenting yourself professionally and confidently can greatly enhance your chances of success. Contrary to popular belief, dressing for success doesn’t have to break the bank. In this article, we’ll explore how to make a […]
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.
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.
Optometry Admissions Blog 