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Thread: Atlanta ABO

  1. #1
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    Atlanta ABO

    Help!! I'm taking the ABO in May and I haven't had much luck in finding free study material. If anyone has a suggestions please let me know ASAP..

    Thanks,

    Cece

  2. #2
    Master OptiBoarder
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    Why do you expect it to be free?

  3. #3
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    I suggest you visit the optiboard amazon store and INVEST in your professional education. You must be willing to help yourself, for others to help you. There are free study materials at open optix and while they may help you to pass a very easy test of minimal competence, tthey won't make you a great optician.

    I recommend
    System for Ophthalmic Dispensing
    The Ophthalmic Assistant
    Contact Lens Practice
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  4. #4
    Optimentor Diane's Avatar
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    Nothing is free, if it's worth anything....invest a little, reap a little...invest a lot, reap a lot.

    Diane
    Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

  5. #5
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    Thank you for the input. I really appreciate it.

    Cece

  6. #6
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    What I find very sad is that as an individual wanting to increase my knowledge, my employer does not see the reason for investing in his employee. He is very strapped for cash in this economy. So with my cut hours and a husband who has been furloughed it is tough to come up with the extra cash needed for the study material and everything else required to take the exam. I really wish those of you replying to some of these threads would have a little more courtesy when responding.
    Thanks for letting me vent.
    Lisa

    P.S. Anyone want to start a online study group?

  7. #7
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    If you cannot afford proper training and education, you need to find another career. This one requires significant knowledge and expertise requiring a great degree of work on your part. It is not free and should not be. What is sad is that folks think they can be an Optician for very little effort and no expense, and they are wrong. We need to upgrade the folks coming into this profession, and there are school loans and other avenues for you to pay for the education and training available. It is not your employers responsibility to fund it, either, so if you want to be an Optician, suck it up and invest in yourself.

  8. #8
    ATO Member GAgal's Avatar
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    Its not that we are being rude, its just that a lot of us put a lot of time, effort and money into our profession. We do this either by writing, editing and submitting books and CE credits or by volunteering our time to professional educational organizations. We have also spent hundreds of dollars on books, classes, testing and conventions. I understand, and I'm sure a lot of others here do as well, that money can sometimes be an issue. But we have sacrificed to make our goals happen and we feel that if it is important to you, you will also. Now, if you spend the money on the books, read them, and then have questions, you will find that we will all be available to help you succeed.
    Ophthalmic Optician
    Society to Advance Opticianry

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by IdahoSpecs View Post
    What I find very sad is that as an individual wanting to increase my knowledge, my employer does not see the reason for investing in his employee. He is very strapped for cash in this economy. So with my cut hours and a husband who has been furloughed it is tough to come up with the extra cash needed for the study material and everything else required to take the exam. I really wish those of you replying to some of these threads would have a little more courtesy when responding.
    Thanks for letting me vent.
    Lisa

    P.S. Anyone want to start a online study group?
    What I find very sad is a person who doesn't think that investing in themselves is worthwhile. What I find very sad is that some people always feel that SOMEONE else should be responsible to pay THEIR way! What I find very sad is that some people think that buying a book or two to better themselves is not worth it. What I find very sad is that someone thinks that $85 is too much to spend on improving something that they spend countless hours a week doing!

    http://www.michaeldisanto.com/1215341.html

    What I find very sad is that many of the people that cry and moan about spending money on improving themselves have spent much, MUCH more on things like fancy nail art, candles, and pizzas and beer! Many of our industries best and brightest have chimed in on this thread to try and HELP! How awesome is that!!! These folks have invested heavily in their self improvement! Their knowledge and generosity in giving back to this industry is admirable! They all made the decision to better themselves and to take responsibility for doing so!

    Start stepping up and stop stepping aside! Take your education and self improvement seriously. It is YOUR responsibility, not anybody elses!
    Last edited by Fezz; 04-19-2010 at 08:22 AM.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by IdahoSpecs View Post
    1.) I really wish those of you replying to some of these threads would have a little more courtesy when responding.
    Thanks for letting me vent.
    Lisa

    P.S. 2.) Anyone want to start a online study group?
    1.) You can not believe the amount of courtesy that I had to muster to reply to this. My first four responses were not nearly as courteous as what I finally wrote!

    2.) Sure!!

    Wait.....I bet you want someone else to set it up, someone else to get the study material, somebody else to get others involved, someone else to gather emails and best contact times, someone else to keep track of progress, and on, and on, and on!

    I'll offer to start and set up an online study group for anybody who has decided that investing in themselves is a worthwhile investment. I will even go out on a limb and bet that many of our esteemed members(which include trade magazine writers, speakers, study guide authors, book authors, and optical geniuses) would be willing to step up and help as well!

    Is that being courteous enough?

    :cheers::cheers::cheers:

  11. #11
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    The only thing it cost me to study for the ABO was time. I had to pay for the test but the study material I begged and borrowed from whomever had anything left over. If you know anyone already certified, call them or call your local labs or look online for used material cheap. I understand not having the finances to buy new but if you have a will you will find a way. It's already April, you might want to hop to it.

  12. #12
    ABOM Wes's Avatar
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    I keep trying not to reply to this thread, but I just can't help myself. I see so many people wanting to be opticians because they see it as a low (or no) investment career with a high payout. Many want to pass the basic (why doesn't it say that on the certificate anyway? Basic Certified Optician; that looks nice), yes I said BASIC National Opticianry Competency Exam (an easy multiple guess exam that barely qualifies you to be a "frame stylist") aka the ABO exam, and go on to pretend that they're a fully qualified optician. It's funny how easy this exam is, and still has a 50% pass rate? WOW! Who are we allowing into our profession? Certainly not a lot of PROFESSIONALS! This irritates me to no end. The reason this field (used to) pays well is because of those who were excellent before us. Those who proved they were worthy and lobbied for licensure.

    Can you surface your own lenses? Can you write up the curves by hand? Can you edge your own lenses, taking into account the frame curvature, the lens power, and cyl axis for the best cosmetic fit? Can you tell your patients what frame is best for their rx? Do you understand how different materials refract, reflect, and disperse light? Can you do frame repairs and modification? Can you solder/braze? Do you understand ophthalmic lens design? Can you design a lens with minimal radial astigmatism and power error? Do you understand isekonics? Digital surfacing? CNC Lathe generators? Position of wear/wrap/panto compensation? If your answer is "huh?" or "no" then you're not a fully qualified optician.

    Let's see, a couple months of ojt, a few weeks of studying "free" stuff, culminated by passing a very easy BASIC exam does not put you on even footing with those who've invested thousands of dollars and years of study, formal and otherwise. This attitude cheapens and weakens our entire profession, and drags us all down. A falling tide lowers all boats. Pardon us, we who have worked and invested, and do our best to elevate the profession through excellence, for not wanting to serve up free material to those not willing to invest in themselves.

    At this time, I feel that the openoptix studyguide may be doing more to ruin this profession than it is helping. It is free and basic, and is helping people call themselves opticians, while investing nothing. If we are to be judged by our lowest common denominator, I suggest raising the bar for entry.

    To paraphrase others, if YOU are not willing to invest in yourself, if YOU want someone to give you a handout, if YOU intend to do the very minimum and hope to reap maximum rewards, then do it elsewhere. I'm tired of seeing my profession watered down and degraded. Thanks for letting me vent.
    Wesley S. Scott, MBA, MIS, ABOM, NCLE-AC, LDO - SC & GA

    “As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it.” -Albert Einstein

  13. #13
    Optimentor Diane's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wss2020 View Post
    I keep trying not to reply to this thread, but I just can't help myself. I see so many people wanting to be opticians because they see it as a low (or no) investment career with a high payout. Many want to pass the basic (why doesn't it say that on the certificate anyway? Basic Certified Optician; that looks nice), yes I said BASIC National Opticianry Competency Exam (an easy multiple guess exam that barely qualifies you to be a "frame stylist") aka the ABO exam, and go on to pretend that they're a fully qualified optician. It's funny how easy this exam is, and still has a 50% pass rate? WOW! Who are we allowing into our profession? Certainly not a lot of PROFESSIONALS! This irritates me to no end. The reason this field (used to) pays well is because of those who were excellent before us. Those who proved they were worthy and lobbied for licensure.

    Can you surface your own lenses? Can you write up the curves by hand? Can you edge your own lenses, taking into account the frame curvature, the lens power, and cyl axis for the best cosmetic fit? Can you tell your patients what frame is best for their rx? Do you understand how different materials refract, reflect, and disperse light? Can you do frame repairs and modification? Can you solder/braze? Do you understand ophthalmic lens design? Can you design a lens with minimal radial astigmatism and power error? Do you understand isekonics? Digital surfacing? CNC Lathe generators? Position of wear/wrap/panto compensation? If your answer is "huh?" or "no" then you're not a fully qualified optician.

    Let's see, a couple months of ojt, a few weeks of studying "free" stuff, culminated by passing a very easy BASIC exam does not put you on even footing with those who've invested thousands of dollars and years of study, formal and otherwise. This attitude cheapens and weakens our entire profession, and drags us all down. A falling tide lowers all boats. Pardon us, we who have worked and invested, and do our best to elevate the profession through excellence, for not wanting to serve up free material to those not willing to invest in themselves.

    At this time, I feel that the openoptix studyguide may be doing more to ruin this profession than it is helping. It is free and basic, and is helping people call themselves opticians, while investing nothing. If we are to be judged by our lowest common denominator, I suggest raising the bar for entry.

    To paraphrase others, if YOU are not willing to invest in yourself, if YOU want someone to give you a handout, if YOU intend to do the very minimum and hope to reap maximum rewards, then do it elsewhere. I'm tired of seeing my profession watered down and degraded. Thanks for letting me vent.
    Wes,
    Tell us how you really feel.:) I agree with the people here who believe that our profession deserves those who want to make it the best it can be. I think you have spoken for a lot of us. Thanks for your post...:)

    Diane
    Anything worth doing is worth doing well.

  14. #14
    Cape Codger OptiBoard Gold Supporter hcjilson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by fooliisa View Post
    The ABO has developed into an ensemble that draws musicians from across the Southeast and soloists from across the continent and overseas. Maestro Hsu, as one of the first active and best-known period instrumentalists in the nation, also brought increased national recognition to the ABO.
    Would you care to explain that paragraph, or would you prefer to leave it sounding fooliisha?
    "Always laugh when you can. It is a cheap medicine"
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  15. #15
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    Nothing is free.The ABO is grateful to the large number of examiners in courses that help in the review process and do so without compensation. The costs associated with preparing and administering a standardized national exam are high.

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