What to Expect

Going to school all day, then having a couple of hours of homework and labs to do can be tough. But for many students in opticianry programs, this is exactly what they need to do to succeed.

Cyndi MacKenzie is a graduate of Ferris State University's opticianry program. What she enjoyed the most about her course was getting to know her classmates. "With between nine to 16 students in classes, you get to know your classmates really well over the two years," she says.

Doing labs and hands-on training for six hours a week gave MacKenzie a good introduction to the public service aspect of the job. As for homework, she says the worst part of it wasn't from the optical-related courses, but from the other classes required, like physics and English.

MacKenzie recalls the math courses as being a stumbling block for several students. But with a bit of extra work, the math wasn't impossible, she says -- especially if you have a good grounding in high school math.

Wenda McEwan took her opticianry program via distance education. She was able to do most of her schoolwork at work, then go to a three-hour class once a month.

Of course, there was still homework to be done and weekly assignments to be handed in.

How to Prepare

"Take lots of math classes in high school, and I'd recommend some kind of speech class as well," suggests MacKenzie.

McEwan agrees, adding that it really is important to enjoy working with the public.

MacKenzie also suggests students look for a school that offers marketing and basic business skills as well, so you can make an easier transition into the actual working field. This is important, she says, because many opticians run their own stores and need to know about the business side of things, too.