To utilize the debt calculator, you just need to fill in the appropriate costs for each category for SCO and/or any other optometry school you are considering. The chart to the side of the calculator provides further details explaining each category and how to determine each cost based upon your personal circumstances. The calculator will help you fill in the SCO data.
We encourage you to investigate comparable charges/costs for any other optometry school to give you a better comparison. Once your total debt is filled in, please click the Calculate button, and the calculator will estimate your monthly loan repayment schedule over a ten year payment period. If you have any questions about the calculator, please contact Joe Hauser, Vice President for Student Services, at jhauser@sco.edu.
Tuition/Fees:
For 2018-19, SCO Regional tuition is $17,976 and Non-Regional is $37,176. Incidental fees are $405. To compare to other schools, make sure you insert 2018-19 tuition and fees. Future tuition and fee charges for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year will assume a 3% annual increase.
Living Expenses:
Includes rent/housing, utilities, food, transportation, and miscellaneous costs. SCO estimates for students without children are $1,475/month and $2,210/month for students with children. SCO estimates are for students living in popular apartments, not dorms in various areas of Memphis. If you desire to use a cost of living index to compare the cost of another city to Memphis, you may use one of the following:
This way you are truly comparing apples to apples. Future living expenses will increase 6%/year for your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years of enrollment.
Books/Equipment:
The annual average cost for books/equipment at SCO is $3,560. Most optometry schools’ charges are similar, but you may want to locate the specific costs at any other school to compare. Fourth year students do not have books/equipment cost at SCO.
Contributions: Includes any assistance you may receive to help off-set borrowing. Includes, but not limited to, scholarships, family assistance, personal savings, income from spouse, federal work study, state financial assistance programs, etc. Simply insert any estimate for this category. SCO strongly encourages students to maximize any opportunity to lower your borrowing needs.
For more information about how the calculations are done, see How Your Projected Debt and Repayment Figures Are Calculated.