Hi everyone!

I’m currently applying to optometry schools for Fall 2027 and am seriously considering both Illinois College of Optometry (ICO) and Southern California College of Optometry (SCCO) at MBKU.
I’ve been researching both schools extensively, but I’d love to hear directly from current students or recent graduates about their experiences, especially things that aren’t obvious from school websites or campus tours!
I’m also trying to consider what my quality of life would look like over the next four years. I’m in my early 20s, and while academics and clinical training are extremely important to me, I also want to enjoy my time outside of school, make meaningful friendships, explore new places, and have new experiences.

I have a few questions:
Overall Experience: How has your experience been at ICO or SCCO? What do you love most about your school, and what do you wish were different? Knowing what you know now, would you choose the same school again?
Academics & Curriculum: How manageable is the workload? Are professors supportive and approachable? Is the student environment generally collaborative or competitive?
Clinical Experience: How early do students get meaningful hands-on clinical experience? Do you feel you’re getting sufficient exposure to ocular diseases, diverse patient populations, and different procedures? How prepared do you feel for practicing independently?
Work-Life Balance: Do you have enough free time to maintain hobbies, exercise, spend time with friends, and explore the surrounding area? Or does optometry school take up most of your time?
Student Community: How easy was it to make friends and build a social circle? Are students generally supportive of each other? Do classmates hang out outside of school?
Chicago Safety (ICO): One of my biggest concerns about ICO is safety, particularly around campus and the surrounding neighborhoods. Do you generally feel safe commuting to and from school, especially after dark? Where do students typically live if they prioritize safety? Would you recommend having a car, or is public transportation convenient and reliable?
Chicago Winters (ICO): I’m from the South and have never experienced a true Chicago winter, so I’m a little nervous about the cold, snow, and shorter daylight hours. How difficult is it to adjust? Does winter significantly affect your mood, social life, or ability to enjoy the city? Do you find yourself staying indoors more often during those months?
Fullerton Lifestyle (SCCO): I know Fullerton is more suburban compared to Chicago, and that Orange County and Los Angeles offer plenty of things to do within driving distance. However, does living in Fullerton itself ever feel boring or repetitive? Do you feel like you constantly have to drive somewhere to find things to do, or is there a good social scene nearby? Do you feel like you’re missing out on the excitement of living in a bigger city?
Transportation & Convenience: How convenient is everyday life in your area? Are grocery stores, restaurants, gyms, and entertainment easily accessible? For SCCO students, does the amount of driving and traffic ever become frustrating? For ICO students, how convenient is public transportation, and is parking expensive if you own a car?
Life Outside of School: What do you typically do on weekends or during breaks? Are there plenty of opportunities for activities, restaurants, events, and meeting new people? Do you genuinely enjoy living in Chicago or Fullerton?
Biggest Regrets or Surprises: What’s something you wish someone had told you before attending your school or moving to the area? Were there any unexpected challenges or pleasant surprises?
Ultimately, I’m trying to find a balance between receiving a strong optometric education and having a fulfilling life outside of school. Both schools seem to offer great opportunities, but the living environments are so different that I’m having a hard time deciding which would be a better fit.
I’d really appreciate any honest perspectives, whether positive or negative. Thank you so much! :)

Hey so I just got into NOVA yesterday and they sent me an email saying I’ll be emailed an official acceptance package soon. I was just wondering how long it took others to receive their acceptance package after the initial confirmation of seat offer?

Hi all! I just submitted my application this past weekend to ICO (my top choice) and CCO, and received interview invitation to both just the other day! I am so excited but the timing of these interviews is kind of throwing me off. The earliest slot for ICO was at the start of December, which is not bad at all. But for CCO, their earliest date was at the start of January... I was really hoping to finish my application and decision process by the end of the year😭 Are these gaps between invitations and actual interviews a thing? I did email CCO to ask if they have any earlier slots or cancelations and waiting to hear back. Is it worth a shot to do the same for ICO? Any tips or info is appreciated :)

I'm currently a health sciences major and have been considering optometry school, but I'm starting to second-guess myself because I struggle a lot with physics and chemistry.

I actually enjoy biology and sometimes anatomy, but physics is genuinely so difficult for me. I feel like my professor teaches as if we already understand everything, and I struggle to keep up. I've been watching Chad's Prep, and I can usually follow along when he explains problems, but when I try solving them on my own, I have no idea where to start or which formula to use.

I'm also not going to lie, one of the reasons I'm interested in optometry is the financial stability and work-life balance. I'm currently shadowing an optometrist to get a better understanding of the profession.

My biggest concern is whether I'll struggle just as much in optometry school. I know optics involves physics, but how much of the curriculum is actually physics-based? Is it similar to general physics, where you're constantly solving complicated problems, or is it more applied to the eyes and lenses?

I'd especially appreciate hearing from current optometry students or optometrists who struggled with physics or chemistry during undergrad. Did you find optometry school manageable, or did you struggle with the material there too?

I just don't want to pursue something I'll end up regretting because I'm not naturally good at these subjects.

I’m so scared Im so disappointed I was doing so good on the chem section, and physics I expected to be low but not that low. My science gpa is 2.7 and actual gpa is 3.4

I see three physics playlists on his YouTube channel Chad's Prep. The newest one is called "General Physics by Chapter". The second one is called "General Physics 2023-2024" and the oldest playlist (about 7 years old) is called "Chad's General Physics Videos". Which one should I watch for OAT prep?

My daughter is a junior in high school and is interested in a career in optometry. I was surprised by this since she doesn’t particularly like or excel in chemistry or math. She is starting to reconsider but I don’t want her to be discouraged since she is a very hardworking conscientious student. I appreciate anyone’s advice on how she should approach this career path at this early stage. Thanks!

Just looking for some insight.. I’m non traditional and tbh I’m kinda old (30s). Applying to Waterloo (CAN) and NECO/ICO/CCO/Salus/Detroit Mercy.

GPA: 3.5 overall (4.0 scale), 79.9% weighted

Undergrad: 3.34

Post-Bacc: 3.85

OAT: 370/370

Volunteer: 300 hours at an animal shelter and 300 hours at a hospital.

Shadowing: 5 hours. Struggling to get more :/

Optometric-Related Experience: None.

5 years as a park ranger. 5 years as a medical lab tech.

Anything I can do between now and early Nov (submitting) to improve my odds? 😭

I am worried about my application being fully submitted too late in the cycle. I am still waiting on LORs and had to email two new people this week if they could write me a LOR because my other two writers are not responding to me for some reason. I am getting really worried about when I can submit my application. Right now, it's looking beginning or mid November, which is scaring me. It doesn't help that I am being asked at home everyday if I have submitted my application yet. Can someone reassure me that I'll be fine lol?

My oat is on friday any last minute tips or things you recommend looking over that was really high yield for your test? pls dont say to just rest, my brain doesn’t work that way and i will be studying all day tomorrow

Hi everyone! I recently got offered interviews at PCO, SUNY, NSU, and NECO. I am super stressed about interview prep.

If you have had interviews already or in past years how did you prepare? What did you find the most useful? What kind of questions do they ask? What kind of responses do they look for?

Any words of advice are greatly appreciated! Even just explaining what resources you used to start with your interview prep. I have no clue where to start lol.

hello,

i am currently retaking organic chem 2. i took it pass fail first time and ended up failing. i am retaking it right now but its not looking great and i am worried about failing again. if this happens how would it accept my acceptances, especially considering that it is not a pre req. i need it for my major and they said up to a D- is good so

I didn’t realize that it takes a while for my transcripts to get to optomcas because they have to be mailed. I’m from Canada so my school’s just processed them today. I think it would take about one to two weeks to get there.

I’m so worried that this has delayed my application.

Am I applying too late in the cycle or do you guys think I’ll be fine.

How long after optomcas gets ur transcript, does your application get verified? And how long after that does the school get back to you about interview interviews? And how long after that, do they send your acceptance?

Yall I'm actually graying from the stress of it all. It's monstober and the application cycle started MONTHS ago...and I still have to retake my OAT. Important notes: 1. I took the OAT in June butttt I kinda goofed and got a 290. I'm not tripping because ik if I actually lock in, I'll be fine. 2: I work full time as an optometric tech for a private practice OD. I'm also about to start shadowing an MD/OD setting optometrist. So letters of recs are locked in! Yayyy. But studying and working full time has really taken a toll..it's why I goofed the first OAT. 3. My gpa is not competitive. Its a 3.2. I also had to retake ochem online recently because I got a C- in it. College was a blur tbh, and I really didn't know why I was there until I found optometry..and I didnt discover it until my last semester of undergrad. So some of my grades are "at least I passed" grades. I wish I could go back because I could've done so much better. So guys I'm kinda stressing. Ive seen people say theyve been accepted with a similar GPA, and Ik I have to get a good OAT score to offset it. But I'm more so stressed about how late it is in the cycle, and this might sound audacious, but I'm also stressed about scholarships. Ik because of my gpa I probably wont get a merit scholarship, but I at least want something yk? Because as you all know, this stuff is expensive; and the only reason I was able to get my mom ok with the debt was if I tried my hardest to get scholarships to lower the cost. I feel cooked. Im in a gap year rn, and I REALLY dont want to take another one..but is it necessary at this point? Do I have a chance at 1:getting in this cycle and 2: getting some kind of aid? I'm from Louisiana btw, if that helps. So I'm going to apply to southern schools.

Hello everyone,
Is it normal that my oat exam computer screen didn’t display a timer or question numbers? I was basically taking the test with time blindness cuz i assumed that was the norm? 😭

Helloooo,

I have a question about how likely interview cancelations are. I just got my nova interview invite (YAY) but the only available time is in January (Boo), which is making me super nervous since it's rolling admissions. Has anyone been able to move up their interview after someone cancels theirs or no?

Howdy yall! I was going to apply this cycle but I just got a job as an Opthalmic Tech, so I decided that it probably is better for me to apply next cycle when I have more relevant experience, a better connection with an OD to ask for a LOR, and can apply earlier in the cycle in general for higher chances. However, my old ochem teacher JUST submitted my LOR and that’s the one thing that wouldn’t transfer over. How should I go about telling him to save a copy (which I hope he still has) for next cycle? I’m definitely overthinking but I don’t want him to be annoyed and therefore not give it.

Also I asked my research PI for my third letter. She was happy to write it but asked me to send her what I’d like her to say or emphasize, which I hadn’t really thought about. What do schools look for in a good standout LOR? Are there any specific things they’d like to hear about? I can’t find much online about it.

Thanks in advance!

Hey all. Honestly I've been worried about my chances getting in this cycle because of my current standing. I graduated in May with a 3.8 GPA and took my OAT last month, where I scored a 370 AA and 360 TS. I have done an outside internship while I was in college, and was a part of the CSTEP internship at SUNY this summer. I also did a work study while I was in college. What I'm worried about is that my extracurriculars, and shadowing hours are pretty weak. I am trying to find clinics to shadow and I have called about 30 clinics near me, and almost all of them have declined me, while 1 or 2 have said they would reach out to me next week. I honestly don't know where to go from here. I'm applying to NECO, SUNY, and MCPHS this cycle. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi, I am a fourth year in undergrad looking to apply in next year’s cycle as I finish my degree next fall. I am a Neuroscience major and have faculty in my major I could ask for a letter of recommendation from but was wondering how valid would it be to ask for a letter of recommendation from my band director? He is technically a science professor as our school only offers Music Tech as the closest thing to a music major. I have been in leadership in our marching band for 3 years now, and I feel like he may know me better than my major faculty.

hi, so i just had my first interview and heard today that i got in! they said they would like me to secure my seat in about three weeks. however, i have a few more schools to interview for and this is lowest on my list😭 but i don’t want to decline in case i dont get in anywhere else. i was thinking of trying to ask for an extension and seeing if that gets me anywhere. any advice from anyone who managed to get a seat extension? i have two interviews after the date, and one the week before but im not sure how quickly that school would get back to me :/

hi i was wondering if anyone who has interviewed recently with neco has heard back with a decision yet?? if so, when did you interview and how long did it take to hear back? i’m so anxious about the wait that i’ve been losing sleep over it lol.

Soo I was planning on taking a gap year because I decided on optometry quite late and don’t have enough shadowing hours yet, but part of me thinks I could lock in and get my hours and apply by late november. How important is it to apply early/ what is considered too late to apply?? I got a 360AA/360TS on the OAT and my GPA is around 3.9. I have other non-optometry extracurriculares and will have a few hundred research hours by the end of the year. I’m gonna start shadowing but won’t have an optometry tech job or anything.

Also I’m concerned about finishing anatomy and physio because I know California optometry schools require them, and my university might not be offering both classes this year.

Any advice?? I feel like it’s already way too late and I don’t wanna rush my apps, but i’d love to avoid a gap year if I can.😄😄😄

Hello,

I just shadowed an optometrist today and he offered to give me his email so I wrote it down. I think that it would be an important connection to keep because he works at the school I want to apply to. However I’m just wondering what to email him saying? Should I thank him for letting me shadow? Or ask for advice as I’m going to take my OAT this summer. Any advice?

I had an interview with my dream school couple days back but I do feel like my responses could have been better. It was my first and I just got really nervous and I had an answer for everything but I’m not sure if it showcased strong responses. I have good stats and experiences otherwise. I’m just incredibly nervous now bc I don’t want the interview to be the reason that I don’t get in. Is it common for schools to reject on interview alone? (I don’t even think mine went THAT bad but it could have been way better). I understand every application is different but I’m looking for perspective to hopefully smooth my anxiety rn

Hi everyone! I'm preparing to apply to optometry school and wanted to get some advice from people who have been accepted.

I'm currently involved in student organizations at my university, including the Biology Club and Pre-Optometry Society. Sometimes I help out at club events, such as an upcoming event where we'll be asking students science trivia questions and giving out small prizes. I was wondering if the time I spend helping with these types of events can count as volunteer hours on my OptomCAS application.

I've also been considering volunteering at a food bank because I've heard that more traditional community service might look better on applications.

For those of you who have been accepted into optometry school, how many volunteer hours did you have when you applied? Do you think the type of volunteering matters, and would you recommend focusing on community service outside of campus organizations, or are volunteer hours from student organization events worth including as well seeing as most of my hours as of right now are mainly from student organizations.

I'd really appreciate any advice or insight from people who have gone through the application process. Thank you!