I’ve seen that there are only 17 schools of optometry in the US. Out of those select few, what would be, say, the top 5? Or does it really matter in a selection of so few?
According my optometrist (a Northeastern State grad), so long as your school is fully accredited by AOA it doesn’t matter. You should choose a school that offers you the best financial aid and best learning environment for you.
If you want a discriminator, look at NBEO pass rates. The higher, the better.