Who else is with me? I just talked to Debbie Melton and they offered me a spot! I'm so excited, this process has been so hellish and uncertain and it's such a relief to know I'm in (first acceptance). I'm almost positive I'll go there, I think I'm just going to cancel my upcoming GW interview. Anyone else feel fairly certain they'll be going to OHSU this fall? Let's get to know each other! If anyone wants info about Portland, I've lived here for >10 years so I'm happy to answer questions too.
I'm so happy! :D :D :D :thumbup: :thumbup:

Congrats, Mistress S!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is WONDERFUL NEWS! :)

Congrats!!!!

You know what you have to do now?

Listen to "Portland, Oregon" by Loretta Lynn (and Jack White!) over and over and over and over again.

Good stuff.

Congrats M S !!!! You've been so stoked on OHSU it's great you got a spot!!! :)

Send some good vibes my way so I can join you in this forum as an acceptee not just a "When are they gonna let me know?"

Have you received anything in mail yet (I keep checking mine) and how did you get the guts to call Debbie Milton (PM me if ya want).

Congrats again! Now... Get up from your computer, leave work/school, and go celebrate with a beer somewhere outside on this beautiful sunny Portland day (And for those of you not here in pdx, I'm not kidding) :thumbup:

Great Job. I may see you there if I decide not to fork up the extra 10K/year for Case :eek:

At any rate, OHSU is a great school and I'm really happy for you.

Alright Mistress! I know you deserve this one. :clap: :hardy:

Great Job. I may see you there if I decide not to fork up the extra 10K/year for Case :eek:

At any rate, OHSU is a great school and I'm really happy for you.

I have an interview lined up in March but already got into my state school, so I'm not sure if I should go. Did the financial aid people mention anything about tuition hikes over the next 4 yrs and does anyone have the match list info for previous years? Thx.

woooohooooo!

:clap: :clap: :clap: :D :D :D

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!! That's awesome - thrilled for you!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone! :D SDN has been such a great resource and supportive community all along. Now I've just got to put together celebration plans! Mr. Seeds, maybe I'll see you in the fall--c'mon, Cleveland over Portland? What are you thinking? :p

CrzyDoc--they did say at my interview that tuition hikes are limited to 2% (I think; may have been 4%) cost-of-living increases for enrolled students. However, out of state students can't gain residency as long as they are in school, basically no exceptions. So that's not so great. One good thing if you decide to go to your interview though is that they aren't really a rolling school, so your interview in March won't put you at a disadvantage--they only accept 5-10% of the class outright, the rest of the class gets in through a ranked hold list that they put together after interviews are over in late March and start accepting people from after that. Good luck if you decide to come!

Thanks everyone! :D SDN has been such a great resource and supportive community all along. Now I've just got to put together celebration plans! Mr. Seeds, maybe I'll see you in the fall--c'mon, Cleveland over Portland? What are you thinking? :p

CrzyDoc--they did say at my interview that tuition hikes are limited to 2% (I think; may have been 4%) cost-of-living increases for enrolled students. However, out of state students can't gain residency as long as they are in school, basically no exceptions. So that's not so great. One good thing if you decide to go to your interview though is that they aren't really a rolling school, so your interview in March won't put you at a disadvantage--they only accept 5-10% of the class outright, the rest of the class gets in through a ranked hold list that they put together after interviews are over in late March and start accepting people from after that. Good luck if you decide to come!

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I have a question regarding March 15th. Don't medical schools have to "fill" their classes by this date, according to AAMC rules? Then what's up with OHSU? and the UCs that interview through the end of April? :confused:

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I have a question regarding March 15th. Don't medical schools have to "fill" their classes by this date, according to AAMC rules? Then what's up with OHSU? and the UCs that interview through the end of April? :confused:
I think they have to accept the number of people for a single class, but in most cases, probably AT LEAST twice as many will eventually have to be accepted to actually fill the class since not all will matriculate at a given school.

Hey mistress, I haven't really followed your travails on sdn so not much i can say but congrats! Do u mind saying when you interviewed (I interviewed in the first week of Jan and I still haven't heard). Thanks and congrats again. Portland is really an awesome city btw (and this is coming from a so cal boy, lol).

Thanks everyone! :D SDN has been such a great resource and supportive community all along. Now I've just got to put together celebration plans! Mr. Seeds, maybe I'll see you in the fall--c'mon, Cleveland over Portland? What are you thinking? :p

CrzyDoc--they did say at my interview that tuition hikes are limited to 2% (I think; may have been 4%) cost-of-living increases for enrolled students. However, out of state students can't gain residency as long as they are in school, basically no exceptions. So that's not so great. One good thing if you decide to go to your interview though is that they aren't really a rolling school, so your interview in March won't put you at a disadvantage--they only accept 5-10% of the class outright, the rest of the class gets in through a ranked hold list that they put together after interviews are over in late March and start accepting people from after that. Good luck if you decide to come!

Thanks for the info and Congrats!!!

:thumbup: ROCK ON WITH YOUR BAD SELF!! THAT'S AWESOME!!!

Hey mistress, I haven't really followed your travails on sdn so not much i can say but congrats! Do u mind saying when you interviewed (I interviewed in the first week of Jan and I still haven't heard). Thanks and congrats again. Portland is really an awesome city btw (and this is coming from a so cal boy, lol).

Hey lakersfan,

I interviewed the first week of Jan also (Jan 6th I believe), so you should be hearing back soon. Good luck! :luck:

Well it looks like I'll be hangin' around the shadow of Mt. Hood next year :) Got my OHSU acceptance letter in the mail after a 13 hour work day! Not a bad way to end such a long day, no?

Barring any craziness in my life, I'll be attending OHSU next year. Hope there will be more of you joining "Club OHSU" soon.

Good Luck and like Mistress S, I live here in Portland so if anyone needs any info, drop me a line.

Cheers,
bdt

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! AWESOME!!!!
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I'm so happy for you! Can I say it now?? I TOLD YOU!!!!!! :D

How many other people read those letters and immediately think of Ohio State?

Curious if the poster who mentioned Case was thinking the same thing, too.

congrats!!!

Congrats PDT! :thumbup: Can I ask you when you interviewed?

Ah Mistress... as a soon to be leaving member of the OHSU Class of '05 may I say congratulations? :D :luck:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ! AWESOME!!!!
:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

I'm so happy for you! Can I say it now?? I TOLD YOU!!!!!! :D


Thanks KiKat! I know you'll be posting your own acceptance soon! :luck:

Hopefully some more folks will be joinin' in at OHSU soon... For all those interested about the goings on at OHSU, the SOM just appointed a new Vice Dean. From what I've heard, Dr. Hedges will be a good choice. He might not have a ton of interaction with us as students, but he'll hopefully bring some weight to recruitment and boost the faculty. He literally wrote the book on emergency medicine procedures (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0721697607/qid=1110487234/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-5563928-6042240?v=glance&s=books) . Here's the info from the OHSU SOM's website:

Jerris R. Hedges, M.D., M.S., appointed as School of Medicine Vice Dean

Jerris R. Hedges, M.D., M.S., has been named as Vice Dean in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. Dr. Hedges has been serving as Chairperson of the OHSU Department of Emergency Medicine since 1997. He will begin his duties as Vice Dean in mid to late April 2005.

As Vice Dean, Dr. Hedges will be the primary contact for the School of Medicine in many of its facets and endeavors, and will act for the Dean in his absence. Dr. Hedges will oversee the daily administrative operations of the Dean’s Office; coordinate the clinical activities of the faculty; and play a prominent role in searches, departmental reviews, and on various committees. In addition, Dr. Hedges will oversee and supervise the offices of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, Associate Dean for Basic Research, Associate Dean for Clinical Research, and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs/Faculty Development.

Dr. Hedges brings to the Vice Dean position a wealth of experience in medical education and administration as well as a profound understanding of OHSU’s culture. Dr. Hedges is internationally recognized for his contributions to the development of emergency medicine as a scientific discipline. His text Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine helped define the discipline and set the standard for evidence-based practice texts addressing clinical procedures. Dr. Hedges’ research has broadly encompassed the field; he will continue his research activities in emergency medicine in addition to his duties as Vice Dean. Dr. Hedges was elected to the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine in October 2000.

Good Luck

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1109336614283070.xml

"The School of Medicine would lose $5.6 million, requiring a $10,000 in-state tuition increase, raising resident tuition to more than $36,000 a year. Hallick said the increase would make OHSU the most expensive publicly supported medical school in the nation. The cut also would reduce the number of students and would eliminate a requirement that medical students study in rural areas."

How many other people read those letters and immediately think of Ohio State?

Curious if the poster who mentioned Case was thinking the same thing, too.

Nope. I live in Oregon, OHSU is my state school.

I'm almost certainly going to OHSU - I almost wish school were starting sooner. Can't wait to find an apartment etc.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1109336614283070.xml

"The School of Medicine would lose $5.6 million, requiring a $10,000 in-state tuition increase, raising resident tuition to more than $36,000 a year. Hallick said the increase would make OHSU the most expensive publicly supported medical school in the nation. The cut also would reduce the number of students and would eliminate a requirement that medical students study in rural areas."

This is what happens when your state has no sales tax (ie a very undiversified tax base). Those of us in Multnomah county already feel the pinch because we had to pass a 1.25% income tax to help out school's and mental health services (gotta say it's a good trade off though. Less $$ in my pocket, but kids learning and less crazy people on the streets).

It's doubly sad because Oregon used to have such a inavative health care system (OHP which is now in shambles). Too bad John Kitzhaber, MD isn't still the govenor.

We'll see what happens. Hopefully, this cut won't happen as severly as it's stated right now. At interview, the dean said they were looking to take more students and that they'd limit tuition increases.

I'd love to see this resolved before May 15th for folks trying to make up their minds (Case's tuition isn't seeming too bad now eh Mr. Seeds?). And for those of us planning to go there, it'd be nice to know how deep our debt will be. Thanks for nothing politicians!

Good Luck to all and let's hope something good happens(Like getting to change the name to the Paul Allen School of Medicine because he donates $100 million).

Good Luck

I'm almost certainly going to OHSU - I almost wish school were starting sooner. Can't wait to find an apartment etc.

Enjoy the summer Colonsay and congrats on OHSU!!!

Not sure where you live, but ... bit about finding an apt. I live up near the hospital and noticed that last June (maybe into July) there were a TON of places open for rent. All the med students and residents are graduating so there's lots of places open before the new residents start. If you're looking to move to Portland, that might be a good time to do it.

That being said, living up on the hill can be fairly isolating (one pizza place, finally a coffeeshop, no grocery). It's kinda all OHSU all the time. This is making me think I may move back down the hill (SE or NW) so I have a little separation. But, some people like being able to roll out of bed to class (very tempting after commutin 1.5 hours a day for a few years)

Also, doesn't look like class starts till late august (so we've got a nice long wait for school to start)

OHSU has its own peeping tom! Who needs commerce and entertainment when you have perverts who prey on nerdy girls?

Did you guys get an acceptance a month after interviewing or aprox. when?
OHSU is my first choice but I have a feeling I'll get waitlisted since I don't have the best stats.
Do you know how often they meet to discuss the applicants? I just hope they get my thank you notes and LOI in time. ahhhh. . .you guys are so lucky! Enjoy it until August!

Congrats!

is it realistic to think about commuting to ohsu using public transit? ie, not having a car.

is it realistic to think about commuting to ohsu using public transit? ie, not having a car.

beep,

not only is it realistic, it's almost a must. You can't buy parking on campus as a student so here are you options.

- Live on the hill, walk to class
- Live "down the hill" and
a. Take the bus (Porltand has the best public transit system of any place I've ever lived). The number 8 runs all the time because so many people use the bus

b. Ride your bike (It's a big hill, you will be in good shape)

c. Sleep with a parking pass endowed employee (resident,admin, attending) and break them to your will so that they're at your beck and call for all commuting needs

d. "Rent" a spot from someone who owns a place on the hill who doesn't park there during the day.

Like I said, Public transport in Portland is great and you get a bus pass as a student. I think this is how I'll be commuting. Note that parking is free after 6pm so you can always drive if you've gotta do some night studying.

I have lots of friends who commute all over portland by bike and bus. There are lots of bike lanes and buses have "bike carriers" Portland is a non-car friendly place. Portland even has a Bicycle Transportation Alliance (http://www.bta4bikes.org/) that advocates for bike commuters.

Good Luck

Did you guys get an acceptance a month after interviewing or aprox. when?
OHSU is my first choice but I have a feeling I'll get waitlisted since I don't have the best stats.
Do you know how often they meet to discuss the applicants? I just hope they get my thank you notes and LOI in time. ahhhh. . .you guys are so lucky! Enjoy it until August!

Congrats!

Neuronerd,

Mistress S and I interviewed the same week and both got our acceptance about 5 1/2 weeks later (at interview they said you'd hear something in 4-6 weeks). It came in a very thin envelope. We're both OR residents

I was surprised to get an acceptance because OHSU only offers a view slots before interviews are over (I feel very very lucky). Maybe there's a current OHSU student lurking around who can say if this is true (ie they send out a bunch of acceptances in march).

Here's hopin' you get an acceptance... and if you get waitlisted... It looks like OHSU has lots of movement.

Good Luck!!!!

On the other hand, neuronerd, I interviewed the first week in January (MD/MPH), and I still haven't received a decision letter. They keep telling me it's coming...

Thanks guys, I needed to hear that.
I guess I'm being way impatient but this is just waaayyy stretching my luck.
Hopefully, though, hopefully.

On the other hand, neuronerd, I interviewed the first week in January (MD/MPH), and I still haven't received a decision letter. They keep telling me it's coming...

Did you get an email from Dr. Stull last week? I have a feeling I'll be waitlisted (at best). I wish they would just send the damn letter.

Did you get an email from Dr. Stull last week? I have a feeling I'll be waitlisted (at best). I wish they would just send the damn letter.
Yeah, I got that e-mail. And I'm feeling the same way. My MPH interview went poorly, so I'm hoping for an MD-accept/MPH-hold or reject, but who knows?

Yeah, I got that e-mail. And I'm feeling the same way. My MPH interview went poorly, so I'm hoping for an MD-accept/MPH-hold or reject, but who knows?

You're not alone, my MPH interview didn't go well either. It was miserable, really. And I agree, at this point I'd be thrilled with an acceptance into the MD program alone. Good luck to you--hope all this waiting comes to an end soon.

Count me in too, I got the good news last Thursday!

Count me in too, I got the good news last Thursday!

Congrats Pchsgirl! Are you doing MD, MD/MPH, or MD/PHD? Don't know where you live, but if you've got any questions about Portland both Mistress S and myself live here. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions. mmmm.... Portland

http://www.capstone.org/img/portland.gif

does anyone know when people on hold will hear about their decisions?

does anyone know when people on hold will hear about their decisions?

I just called OHSU because I am curious as well- they said that people are being accepted from the hold pool each week. On May 13th more people will be accepted and the rest will be converted into the Alternate List.

Congrats to all. I got my letter a couple of weeks ago, but am still waiting on the MD/PhD acceptance. Hopefully, I'll see you there!

Congrats Pchsgirl! Are you doing MD, MD/MPH, or MD/PHD? Don't know where you live, but if you've got any questions about Portland both Mistress S and myself live here. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions. mmmm.... Portland

http://www.capstone.org/img/portland.gif

I live in Salem, about 40 miles south of Portland, and I went to Portland State for awhile so I'm fairly knowledgeable with the area as well. Also, I've got some experience at both the portland VA and OHSU hospital, so anyone can PM me if they have any questions about the area/school.

Congrats to those that have been accepted, and good luck to those waiting...

Congrats to all. I got my letter a couple of weeks ago, but am still waiting on the MD/PhD acceptance. Hopefully, I'll see you there!

bluegrass, where you from the hold list? or is this just post-interview?

Congrats Pchsgirl! Are you doing MD, MD/MPH, or MD/PHD? Don't know where you live, but if you've got any questions about Portland both Mistress S and myself live here. I'd be more than happy to answer any questions. mmmm.... Portland

http://www.capstone.org/img/portland.gif

Thanks! I'm doing the MD program. I'm actually from P-town, and work at OHSU now, so I pretty much know the routine. Love the pic, any of you who are moving to Portland for school will love it. I'm also more than willing to answer questions about Portland.

Count me in! Got the good news today! :)

congrats to all you peeps who are going to ohsu. has anyone been accepted after being put in the "hold category" yet?

Count me in! Got the good news today! :)

Ambs...

Congratulations on the good news!! I talked to the folks in the Dean's office and here's the general schedule for the start of next year.

Aug 8th - 12th : Optional "observationships"
Aug 15th - Orientation starts
Aug 22nd - Classes start

Count me in! Got the good news today! :)

Congrats Ambs! It sounds like you're definitely coming then? It's a big change from Vegas! See you in the fall! :thumbup:

I just called OHSU because I am curious as well- they said that people are being accepted from the hold pool each week. On May 13th more people will be accepted and the rest will be converted into the Alternate List.


this is interesting. i recently called the office and was told of this may 13th date also. however, i was told that no one had been taken off the hold list yet AND no one got taken off the hold list last year before may13 2004. how annoying. i would like to hear from someone (or a friend) who has actually been taken off the hold list this year as proof.

CONGRAT MISTRESS S! If everything falls in the right places, you could be my attending in a hospital setting. :D

...Do keep us updated on how the school and first classes are. I'm itching for an inside perspective.

Count me in! Got the good news today! :)

Ambs, when did you interview?

Congrats Ambs! It sounds like you're definitely coming then? It's a big change from Vegas! See you in the fall! :thumbup:

Thanks! Yeah, I'm looking at attending OHSU. I really liked everything about it! :)

Ambs, when did you interview?

I interviewed on March 3rd, and I got the letter on April 1st. It's funny because OHSU was my very last interview. Strange how things work out.

Ambs...

Congratulations on the good news!! I talked to the folks in the Dean's office and here's the general schedule for the start of next year.

Aug 8th - 12th : Optional "observationships"
Aug 15th - Orientation starts
Aug 22nd - Classes start

Thanks for both the congrats and info! :thumbup:

A little more info about the schedule...I called OHSU last week and was told that the first week of orientation (8/15) would only last a couple of days, and then you have the rest of the week to get settled in if you just moved to Portland. Then they have more orientation and begin some classes on the 22nd. That's what I was told anyway, hopefully we'll get some kind of written schedule sent out soon.

this is interesting. i recently called the office and was told of this may 13th date also. however, i was told that no one had been taken off the hold list yet AND no one got taken off the hold list last year before may13 2004. how annoying. i would like to hear from someone (or a friend) who has actually been taken off the hold list this year as proof.

They do not typically reject/accept out of the hold pool until all the interview/committee reviews are complete, which usually is around May 15th. My understanding is that those of us who have received letters of acceptance were never in the hold pool. A certain percentage are accepted/rejected each year without having to go into that pool. Hope this helps!

They do not typically reject/accept out of the hold pool until all the interview/committee reviews are complete, which usually is around May 15th. My understanding is that those of us who have received letters of acceptance were never in the hold pool. A certain percentage are accepted/rejected each year without having to go into that pool. Hope this helps!


I think you're right. I wasn't put in the hold pool.

I think you're right. I wasn't put in the hold pool.

I wasn't put in the hold pool either.

Also, if you go to the OHSU SOM website (http://www.ohsu.edu/som/dean/md/admissions/) it still says:

ALTERNATE LIST WATCH:
For the 2004 entering class, as of 8/13/2004 we have accepted through alternate #64.

They haven't even switched over to 2005. I think Pchsgirl has got it right. I bet they go until all reviews are in. Then they rank, offer spots, and start takin' folks off the alternate list. It sure would be nice if they would post they're process.

Good Luck to those on hold!!

A little more info about the schedule...I called OHSU last week and was told that the first week of orientation (8/15) would only last a couple of days, and then you have the rest of the week to get settled in if you just moved to Portland. Then they have more orientation and begin some classes on the 22nd. That's what I was told anyway, hopefully we'll get some kind of written schedule sent out soon.

Thanks for the info! I can't wait! :D

Don't mean to hijack the thread either, but if any of you have ?s about the non-technical parts of ohsu, feel free to email me (chenj@ohsu.edu). I'm a first year who just housed one of the interviewees, which totally reminded me how this forum thing saved my sanity whilst I was freaking out over the waitlist numbers. Good luck to everyone and have some fun this summer!

I know there are only a few folks accepted at OHSU so far, and it's a bit early to be mentioning things in august but....

Orientation starts August 15th. If you're looking for something to do the night before... Pink Martini is playing a concert at the zoo here in portland (aug 14th). Pink Martini is a portland original and one of the best live shows you'll see.

It'd be a great intro to all of you who are moving here. Can't beat Pink Martini at the zoo on an august evening in Portland. You will be in love with this place afterwards... Trust me (unless of course you're super into punk or heavy gansta rap. then you might not like it). P. Martini is very cool lounge slic sung in english, japanese, french, portuguese.....

Check out the whole whole zoo summer concert series at...
http://www.oregonzoo.org/Concerts/

And give Pink Martini a lil' listen here...
http://www.pinkmartini.com/index.html

Hope the hold list gets done soon and things start movin' for folks

Does anyone the number or what percentage of the class has been accepted up until now?

Does anyone the number or what percentage of the class has been accepted up until now?

I don't have numbers on how many have currently been accepted, but I do remember at the interview they told us they only accept 5-10% of the class initially and the rest come off of the waitlist. Since they do not appear to have started accepting people off that list yet (if someone knows otherwise, please share), then probably only 5-10% or so of the class has been accepted. So those of us who are in already should definitely feel lucky! :thumbup:

At my interview we were told that 5-10% of those INTERVIEWED are accepted right off the bat, not 5-10% of the class. (That would be like 10 offers). Which means that they've offered more like 40 acceptances so far, with another 70 people to pull from the "holding pool" come May 15th. Then comes the waitlist movement. The crux of what we were told is that last year ~400 people were interviewed, and when all was said and done, ~200 spots were offered to fill their class of about 110. Good Luck folks.

Wow, to think that only 40 or so acceptances have been given so far ... :eek:

On that note, I definitely feel lucky to be accepted! :D

They said at my interview that this year they're interviewing closer to 600 people since their application numbers rose significantly from last year. Also, I remember hearing the same 10% of people who interviewed will get acceptances and the remainder will go to the hold pool or rejected.

So, classes start August 22nd while orientation is on August 15th.

Anyone moving to Portland? If so, when do you anticipate arriving?

And also, is there a white coat ceremony? (Just curious)

bump :D

So, classes start August 22nd while orientation is on August 15th.

Anyone moving to Portland? If so, when do you anticipate arriving?

And also, is there a white coat ceremony? (Just curious)

If I attend OHSU, I'll be moving up from Salem about a week before orientation. I'm not sure about the white coat ceremony.

So, classes start August 22nd while orientation is on August 15th.

Anyone moving to Portland? If so, when do you anticipate arriving?

And also, is there a white coat ceremony? (Just curious)

There is a white coat cermony, I think at the end of the orientation week. I just found out I got in a few days ago after interviewing 3/15. I'll be working in Glacier Park in Montana up until the Friday before orientation, so i have no idea at this point how I am going to find a place to live. But I cant wait!

At my interview we were told that 5-10% of those INTERVIEWED are accepted right off the bat, not 5-10% of the class. (That would be like 10 offers). Which means that they've offered more like 40 acceptances so far, with another 70 people to pull from the "holding pool" come May 15th.

Yeah, that makes more sense. :o

About the white coat ceremony, I was told that it will be around 8/27. And fin aid says they will be mailing offers around the end of may/beg of june, a little late for those of you waiting for them to decide between schools.

Ambs, are you still planning on coming to OHSU? Inquiring minds want to know!

Yeah, that makes more sense. :o

About the white coat ceremony, I was told that it will be around 8/27. And fin aid says they will be mailing offers around the end of may/beg of june, a little late for those of you waiting for them to decide between schools.

Ambs, are you still planning on coming to OHSU? Inquiring minds want to know!

Hello =)

I am 90% sure that I'll still be coming to OHSU. I loved it so much!

I got a huge surprise today from the UWisconsin; they're offering 1/2 tuition scholarship. So, now the choice is between OHSU and UWisconsin. If it weren't for the amazing UWisc scholarship, OHSU would win. I'm decided on not going to my state school though.

Thanks for the info, and I'll keep you posted.

Wow, congrats Ambs on your scholarship.

Anyone know if there is a date we can call OHSU and find out our post-hold status? I am going to be out of town when the letter is supposed to come.

Hello =)

I am 90% sure that I'll still be coming to OHSU. I loved it so much!

I got a huge surprise today from the UWisconsin; they're offering 1/2 tuition scholarship. So, now the choice is between OHSU and UWisconsin. If it weren't for the amazing UWisc scholarship, OHSU would win. I'm decided on not going to my state school though.

Thanks for the info, and I'll keep you posted.

Sheesh ambs

Sheesh ambs

sheesh?

sheesh?

Sheesh is an expression of overwhelming amazement

Sheesh is an expression of overwhelming amazement

oh :o

thanks....can you make the decision for me?

sorry guys to hijack the thread. in spirit, ohsu rocks!!!

I called the FA office on Monday, and they said they haven't even started working on the packages yet. Apparently they're going to begin later this week. :eek:

I asked about scholarships, and they said that we won't hear about those until the school year starts. What the hell? :confused: I must have sounded like a retard, but I said, "I know the scholarship(s) won't actually go into effect till classes start, but won't we know of our offers much before that?" And he goes, "no."

So, I know OHSU has gone through budget cuts and what not, making me thinking they don't have much money to give away. :(

Does anyone mind calling the FA office (503-494-7800)? Maybe I just got wrong information or incomplete information...

Thanks :o

oh :o

thanks....can you make the decision for me?

sorry guys to hijack the thread. in spirit, ohsu rocks!!!

Well if you are a huge fan of indie music then the decision is easy.

If I were you I would have gone with Reno simply because when Carbon described the program to me it really sounded cool. Wisconsin is an excellent school but you would have to decide if Madison is right for you and if you want to be located that far from home. The bottom line is that whenever you talk you sound like you're in love with OHSU.

Well if you are a huge fan of indie music then the decision is easy.

If I were you I would have gone with Reno simply because when Carbon described the program to me it really sounded cool. Wisconsin is an excellent school but you would have to decide if Madison is right for you and if you want to be located that far from home. The bottom line is that whenever you talk you sound like you're in love with OHSU.

aww... thank you for the advice. :) You're right; I do :love: OHSU. I am going to UW on May 8-9th for a second look. Maybe then I'll make a more informed decision.

Does anyone mind calling the FA office (503-494-7800)? Maybe I just got wrong information or incomplete information...
Thanks :o

Hey Ambs, I just called them and the person I spoke with reiterated the June date for when FA offers will be sent out. He said that will include any grant money we are eligible for, when I asked about scholarships he said there is a med school scholarship whose application doesn't come out until after the school year starts and is then awarded "late that year." So, that's kind of weird, but it sounds like what you were told so at least it's consistent. Good luck with your decision!

Hey Ambs, I just called them and the person I spoke with reiterated the June date for when FA offers will be sent out. He said that will include any grant money we are eligible for, when I asked about scholarships he said there is a med school scholarship whose application doesn't come out until after the school year starts and is then awarded "late that year." So, that's kind of weird, but it sounds like what you were told so at least it's consistent. Good luck with your decision!

Thanks for calling!

Yeah, I'm bummed about the scholarship deal at OHSU. But oh well... I'm in! :D

BUMP!

Where is everyone?

I withdrew from all schools except UWisconsin & OHSU, and I'm planning on withdrawing from the former this week.

So, I've decided that it's OHSU for me! :)

I was reading about the OHSU curriculum, and I'm really excited. It sounds great! Anyone else overly/annoyingly/obnoxiously excited?!

Hey Ambs! Glad to hear that you'll be joining us! PM me if you have more portland questions. :thumbup: As far as the lack of activity here, I think that the OHSU waitlist will start seeing a lot of movement after may 15th. I don't think a lot is happening right now.

Hey Ambs! Glad to hear that you'll be joining us! PM me if you have more portland questions. :thumbup: As far as the lack of activity here, I think that the OHSU waitlist will start seeing a lot of movement after may 15th. I don't think a lot is happening right now.


I am still on hold... so I'm not sure if they have even made a waitlist yet. It seems as if they are waiting until the very very last minute to decide on the rankings of all of the students. I think it's a bit much if you ask me. May 15th to know if youre even waitlisted or not? It's such a late start to the waitlisting process. What if you have to apply with AMCAS again for 2006? Do you pay the money to do it in June if youre 50th or 60th on the waitlist? You could be waiting until July or August to find out, and then not get in, and if you haven't applied on AMCAS already, youre already getting a late start. But, on the other hand, if you do apply and pay 500 bucks, and then you get in from the waitlist, you just wasted 500 dollars. Kinda sucks. Congrats to you guys who have gotten in already. I hope I have the privilege of seeing you there :).

Jon

BUMP!

Where is everyone?

I withdrew from all schools except UWisconsin & OHSU, and I'm planning on withdrawing from the former this week.

So, I've decided that it's OHSU for me! :)

I was reading about the OHSU curriculum, and I'm really excited. It sounds great! Anyone else overly/annoyingly/obnoxiously excited?!

Hey Ambs

I've also withdrawn from all schools except OHSU and Case. The financial aid package I just got from Case was very, very bad, and consequently I'm planning on withdrawing from Case in the next day or two. So it looks like I'll be at OHSU this fall as well :D

Hey Ambs! Glad to hear that you'll be joining us! PM me if you have more portland questions. :thumbup: As far as the lack of activity here, I think that the OHSU waitlist will start seeing a lot of movement after may 15th. I don't think a lot is happening right now.


Thanks!! :)

Hey Ambs

I've also withdrawn from all schools except OHSU and Case. The financial aid package I just got from Case was very, very bad, and consequently I'm planning on withdrawing from Case in the next day or two. So it looks like I'll be at OHSU this fall as well :D


:D See you this August!

side note: to set the record straight, OHSU is about half way up the hill, not on top of the hill. You'll notice this when you fly into portland.

someone save me a spot in line for star wars.... i'll be camped out in front of my mailbox for the next five days. scratch that, i hate star wars.

Question, why is OHSU 69% Asian? I know for a fact that NO ASIANS live in Oregon. There nust not be any affirmative action there :p

no asians here? dude, we have Intel.

Anyone else get the "Tuition Letter" from the Dean yesterday? His letter stated that out of state tuition is going to be $34,000 (and change). If the state budget cuts stay as they are, In-state will be $30,000. He stated that the best possible tuition (ie all funding re-instated) will be $24,000 for in-state. Ouch!!!


Looks like they're about to release the waitlist. Good luck to everyone!!!! :thumbup:

it is weird that the best possible (24,000) is lower than the projected (27,000). wasn't the projected in-state tuition posted before they knew about budget cuts?

30,000 sure is a lot for in-state.

what makes you think the waitlist is being sent out? thanks!

I called the admissions office two days ago and was really excited to learn that I was accepted to OHSU! Do any of you guys know when orientation starts? Have you been mailed any information on housing? I'm on the East coast so nothing has gotten to me yet.

I called the admissions office two days ago and was really excited to learn that I was accepted to OHSU! Do any of you guys know when orientation starts? Have you been mailed any information on housing? I'm on the East coast so nothing has gotten to me yet.

Congratulations! Orientation starts on August 15th. Here is the for the housing website: http://www.ohsu.edu/academic/acad/housing/ . They pretty much just give you a copy of this homepage in your first letter. Lots of other people on this thread are from around Portland, so I'm sure you can get good housing info from any of them as well.

I called the admissions office two days ago and was really excited to learn that I was accepted to OHSU! Do any of you guys know when orientation starts? Have you been mailed any information on housing? I'm on the East coast so nothing has gotten to me yet.

congrats cmizzy!!! Welcome to the Left Coast. Pchsgirl already gave you orientation but here's a couple other dates.

Aug 8th - 12th : Optional "observationships"
Aug 15th - Orientation starts
Aug 22nd - Classes start

I live here in Portland (aka PDX, P-town, Stumptown...) and I'm sick of work today so here's my summary on Portland living.

How PDX is layed out

People in Portland generally divide it into four sections (NE, SE, NW, SW). The Willamette River divides the city E/W (making for nice bridges) while Burnside Ave. divides the city N/S. Each part of town is usually further divided into neighborhoods

OHSU is located in the SW. As you know it's about halfway up the hill. If you want to roll out of bed in the morning and walk to class. Living "on the hill" is the way to go. The downside to living on the hill is that there's a coffee shop , a pizza place, and a plaid pantry (like 7-11) up there. That's it! When you need to go grocery shopping or wanna hit a bar for a beer. You've got to drive down the hill. There is a huge forested area up on the hill that's great for walking and trail running. If you want a little seperation from school, there a lots of options as the bus system here is great (parking on the hill at ohsu is hard to get unless you're a doc or employee).

Now a run down on the other parts...

NOTE: Just as I finished typing my blurbs on the different parts of portland, I found thiss nice website that's got some photos and descriptions
http://www.kbcmgmt.com/neighborhoods/
Check it out. My blurbs are below, but aren't nearly as creative.

SW: As I said this is where OHSU is but, generally SW refers to downtown portland. Not a whole lot of living here (unless you can afford high-rise condos), but it's got a lot going on (theater, movies, concerts, shopping). Portland has a law that says the first floor of all commercial buildings must be open to pedestrian street shopping. This makes downtown a very walkable friendly place.

NW: Home to 23rd Ave. and the Perl district. It's a pretty expensive area to live in, but it's got some cool features. Definately the place to live if you want an "Urban" setting. It's home to a lot of upscale restaurants (pdx has great eats), art galleries and loft apts. 23rd is full of shops and restaurants (sometimes called trendy-third). At the north end of NW is Forest park. It's the largest city park in the country. It's really a big forest with trails and a gravel road running through it (no cars on the road). Great place for riding a bike or running.

NE: Probably the part of town in the most flux right now. It used to be the "poorer" part of town, but is getting gentrified and "hip." It's got streets like Alberta and Broadway that have some cool restaurants. It's quickly growing. Unless you live in "Inner NE" the commute may be a bit longer.

SE: Like the NW, this area is home to lots of young folks only it's "Hippier" than NW. Let's say that NW is Portland's New York while SE is Portland's San Francisco (just a guess as I'm going on reputation alone and haven't lived either of those two places). SE has lots of the beautiful portland "craftsman" homes and is home to some cool neighborhoods. Particularly, the Hawthorne area is very cool. There you can find book stores, restaurants, bars, and movies (local places not your mega plexes). I really like hawthorne area. Also there's Belmont which is like a smaller hawthorne. You've got Sellwood neighborhood which is a bit quieter (think upscale antique shops). There's a bike trail running from Sellwood to downtown (nice for commuting unless you're commuting at night)

I am leaving out "North Portland" which is where the new "MAX" light rail runs. This is perhaps the fastest growing part of town. I haven't spent a ton of time there.

I've lived in NW, SW,SE, and NE. All have their pluses and minus depending on want you want. Most of the folks I know that work/study at ohsu live on the hill (ie SW), NW or SE because the commutings easy.

Rent varies greatly depending on what neighborhood you're in.

Good Luck and Welcome. I'm pretty sure MistressS, Pchsgirl, and myself live in P-town. I don't know about them, but feel free to PM if you've got questions.

it is weird that the best possible (24,000) is lower than the projected (27,000). wasn't the projected in-state tuition posted before they knew about budget cuts?

30,000 sure is a lot for in-state.

what makes you think the waitlist is being sent out? thanks!

Don't worry, it won't be 24,000 unless the state finds $100 million under a rock somewhere. Yup $30,000 is a lot for instate, but that's what you get for a Med schoo/hospital that has pretty much "privitized" itself. Long story, but OHSU gets very little funding from the state because it's basically run as a corporation. In 1995, "OHSU becomes a public corporation and separates from the Oregon State System of Higher Education. Governance of OHSU changes from the Board of Higher Education to the OHSU Board of Directors, whose members are nominated by the governor and approved by the Oregon Senate." (ohsu website chronology page). I'm not sure of quite why this was done, but it had something to do with funding issues.

The waitlist? Some folks have obviously mentioned calling and finding out spots. OHSU also updated their med admissions page so that it no longer showed the "As of blah we've accepted waitlist number 64 for the" from last year.

Good Luck,
BDT

Hey thanks for those replies. I grew up on the west coast, and have a fair amount of experience with Portland, but this is exactly the type if information that I need. I guess my first decision needs to be if I am going to live real close to campus or off the hill. Thanks again for the info!

Hey guys,

Congrats on getting in! I'm on the waitlist - in the lower 30's. Do you think the waitlist will move far enough to get me in this year? It seems OHSU is popular this year...

Hey thanks for those replies. I grew up on the west coast, and have a fair amount of experience with Portland, but this is exactly the type if information that I need. I guess my first decision needs to be if I am going to live real close to campus or off the hill. Thanks again for the info!

Wow BDT, that was a great summary of P-town neighborhoods. I personally live in SE (sort of Eastmoreland, which is a little further East than Sellwood) and work on the hill. For me it is great, I have no complaints. There are lots of apartments and rental houses, the neighborhoods are great, there's tons of restaurants & stores, I'm right off the Springwater Trail (a 40 mile loop that used to be a railroad track and was converted to a walking/biking trail and parks), and the commute isn't bad at all.

In my experience with other students & employees it basically comes down to whether or not you want to totally differentiate your school/work life & other than school/work life. I like to finish work and leave the hill, but I can definately see the convenience of being right here all the time too. But as BDT says that convenience pretty much only extends to school/work, because you have to leave the hill to do almost anything other than shop at Plaid Pantry.

One more note (I am sick of work as well!), Portland has great public transportation. The MAX East, West and North from downtown, and I have yet to find a place that I can't get by bus. There are also express buses that serve different parts of Portland. They only run up the hill in the am, and down the hill in the pm. They don't stop nearly as often as the regular buses, and mostly employees/students ride, so there are fewer strange folks. You can also buy an unlimited bus sticker for your ID badge so that you don't have to buy tickets. Anyway, that's all from me.

Hey, I do live in Portland and would be happy to answer questions. Here is a lengthy PM I sent someone who asked me about moving to Portland recently, some of it is redundant with what others have said but maybe it will be helpful to some:

[I've lived in Portland for awhile (~10 years), so I can offer some advice. OHSU doesn't really have on-campus housing, there are some apartments on the hill near them but be aware that there's not much else up there--few stores, restaurants, etc. It is a little cheaper to live on the hill right by OHSU than in the downtown area and you would be right next to school though, so the trade-off might be worth it to you. I like city life though, so I would recommend finding a place either in downtown or close-in. There is a student apartment building that OHSU shares with PSU in the SW area (goose hollow neighborhood; the apartments are called the Goose Hollow Plaza), it's in a good location and rents are a little cheaper than market rate for the area but I wouldn't recommend them--my BF and I actually lived there for ~1.5 years while I was going to PSU , and while the apartments themselves are decent the building is like a frat house, the other students that live there are loud and just trash the place. I wouldn't move back there if they cut the rent in half.

If you live on the west side (NW or SW areas) you will be close to OHSU and in many of the neighborhoods in/close to downtown there are a lot of fun things around. NW around 23rd st or in the area called the Pearl district are both really nice if a little yuppified, but very expensive. If you can afford it, it would be a great place to live because there are tons of great restaurants, bars, and stores around. When I say "expensive", I mean for Portland, which is not NY or SF--in most of Portland, you can get a decent studio for $450-600, one bedrooms for $550-700, and 2 bedrooms for $650-900, less if you're willing to live in less desirable areas. In NW portland and most of downtown, expect to pay more like $800 and up for a decent 1 bedroom. If you're not picky though, there are definitely cheaper apartments around.

The east side of portland (across the river from downtown) can also be a good option--there is good public transportation in many areas, rents tend to be cheaper, and there are some really cool neighborhoods. If you will have roomates, you could probably rent a house in NE or SE--a lot of people do that here, you can rent a 3-4 bedroom house in a nice area for $1000-1300, split 3-4 ways that's not bad. You can usually find people looking for roomates in housing situations like this, it may be your cheapest option and as long as you're careful about finding roomates you're compatible with it can be a great living situation. In SE, the areas around Hawthorne and Belmont streets are nice with lots of stuff close by. In NE, the Laurelhurst and Irvington neighborhoods are good. I live in NE now close to Irvington, my BF and I pay $800 for a big (1000 sf) 2 bedroom apartment in a newer building. We are 3 blocks from the MAX train, which is free in this area up to downtown, and we can hop on that and be downtown in 15 min. We will be moving in the summer, hopefully into a house if we can find one the two of us can afford. I would like to either move back to the west side (where we couldn't afford a house, but hopefully get a decent apartment) or find a house in NE or SE. We have a dog, there are many pet-firendly rentals in Portland but by no means all, so that's another restriction.

About your car, it's up to you--Portland in general has good public transportation with the MAX light rail, steetcar, and buses, and parking at OHSU is horrendous and expensive so you'll probably won't want to drive there anyway. But getting around outside of the areas close to downtown can be a little difficult without a car, so if you plan on living further east or don't want to have to worry about finding housing close to the MAX or bus lines a car can make things easier. Most neighborhoods in Portland have cheap street parking permits and other than in a few areas in NW or downtown parking is not usually too terrible, you most likely won't have to pay for a garage. Even when I lived downtown in SW, you could purchase a street permit from the city for $15/yr, although I elected to pay for the garage because I suck at parallel parking. I have a car which my BF and I share, it makes things like getting groceries, taking the dog to the vet, etc. much simpler, and I plan to keep it in med school. It wouldn't be too bad of a drive for you from Vegas, either. But Rob (the aformentioned BF) gets around just fine without one, so if you want to get rid of your car you won't necessarily need it here.

Housing is plentiful here, you shouldn't have too much difficulty finding something quickly. When do you plan to move? The only areas I would say to stay away from would be old town (on the west side bordering the Pearl) and most of north portland. Parts of N portland are being "revitalized" but a lot of it is still the closest thing portland has to a ghetto. Craigslist has a lot of listings (www.craigslist.org, then click on portland), you could also check rental listings in the willamette week, a free weekly newspaper here (www.willametteweek.com). The Mercury, another free newspaper, has some rental listings but not as many (www.portlandmercury.com), but when you get into town it is a fun read and has a lot of listings for shows and whatnot so you should check it out. www.rent.net has a feature where you can search for apartments by proximity to a school, but generally only lists larger complexes.]

Hey guys,

Congrats on getting in! I'm on the waitlist - in the lower 30's. Do you think the waitlist will move far enough to get me in this year? It seems OHSU is popular this year...

I'd say you are looking really good for an acceptance.

Hey guys,

Congrats on getting in! I'm on the waitlist - in the lower 30's. Do you think the waitlist will move far enough to get me in this year? It seems OHSU is popular this year...

I think you're going to get in! Best wishes to you! :luck: :)

Hey guys,

Congrats on getting in! I'm on the waitlist - in the lower 30's. Do you think the waitlist will move far enough to get me in this year? It seems OHSU is popular this year...

At 60something last year & 90something the year before, I think you're set! Plenty of people that might like OHSU, but love someplace else will soon be mailing in their decline letters, I'm sure. Good Luck!

Craigslist and Google Maps combined
http://www.housingmaps.com
(Change the city to Portland, Change the price range)

In some neighborhoods such as SE,NE or NW Portland the
best method of finding a good studio or apartment is
by walking through the neighborhood and calling the
manager's number that is listed. In other neighborhoods
using the internet or paper is better.

Portland is a relatively benign and safe place relative to big
cities. Though, if you are used to the midwest or suburbs
stay away from East 82nd Portland which far away anyway.
Stay away from areas in the immediate vicinity of Emmanual hospital
on the East side near MLK (Martin Luther King) (fine during the day)

The Perl district is mostly comprised of condominiums and some
subsidized housing, so I would doubt that any students would
actually reside in the Perl. It is possible to find very affordable
housing in NW if you search for a while. I live on the north south
border on the east side near 28th street.

Castillonis

Public transportation
=====================
Trimet system map
http://www.trimet.org/schedule/pdf/SystemMapFall2004.pdf

8 Jackson Park
to Marquam Hill (for the ride towards OHSU)
http://www.trimet.org/schedule/r108.htm
aproximately 24 minutes from 5th and Stark
downtown to OHSU with a stop at the VA hospital.
Heading south on 5th street consumes some time
due to all of the stops and traffic lights.

Other bus lines travel to downtown where you
may transfer anywhere along 5th or 6th street. You
would stay on 5th or walk to 5th from 6th street in
order to catch the number 8 heading south through the
city towards OHSU on Marquam hill.
A few of the possible connecting bus lines.
{17,15, Streetcar} NW Portland, and Pearl District
{19 SE Burnside/Glisan, 20 SE Burnside,
15 SE Belmont, 14 SE Hawthorne, 4 SE Division} SE Portland
{15, E/W lightrail, walk downtown} SW Portland

Bicycle Maps for Portland
========================
Portland weather is temperate, though it is usually
very wet during the winter and spring. There is a
system of bike lanes that have been painted upon the
street surface which makes bicycling a more pleasant
experience during amenable weather. I would definitely rebind
Kumar into seperate volumes before travelling on my bycycle.
http://www.trans.ci.portland.or.us/bicycles/bicyclemaps.htm#Portland
Magnify the map to at least 150%

Castillonis

Studying
=======
http://www.ohsu.edu/library/hours.shtml
The OHSU library closes at 11pm for OHSU students
Main Library
Regular Hours
Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Extended Hours*
Monday-Thursday, 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Sunday, 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
*Open only to OHSU students, faculty and staff with
campus access cards.

Many people from other colleges utilize the Portland State
University library which is located downtown and is on the number
8 busline. There is plenty of food and coffee close by for long
study sessions. The front of the five story library is a semi circle
of glass around a huge tree and overlooks the park blocks.

http://www.lib.pdx.edu/about/hours.html
(scroll down the web page for a map of the PSU campus)
Spring term hours
Monday - Thursday, 7:30am to midnight
Friday, 7:30am to 7:00pm
Saturday, 10:00am to 7:00pm
Sunday, 11:00am to midnight

3rd and 4th floor no talking, but smaller desks
All journals are located on the south end of the 3rd floor
Computers that you may use are on the east end of the 2nd floor
You may not use the wireless network.

Students with ID from affiliated schools such as OHSU may obtain
a computer account with unlimited hours for the use of the 2nd floor
computers.

Coffee shops with free wireless access
=====================================
Many of the independent coffee shops offer free wireless.
Some coffee shops are conducive to study and some are not.

http://www.personaltelco.net/static/node/index.html
Click on "nodes" at the top and scroll down.

Castillonis

:) Thanks to all of you who are kind enough to post such great information. I am literally copying and pasting it & printing! It seems like our class will be fantastic. :D

I'll be moving to Portland in early August...

I spoke with about five MSI students from OHSU this year about challenging
parts of the curriculum. There was a consensus between the MSI students
about the challenge of learning all of the metabolic pathways for biochemistry
which is the second block after transitioning out of block 1 with gross
anatomy. This was especially true for students who had not taken
biochemistry during their undergraduate studies.

I need to verify that "metabolic pathways" was the challenging part of the
curriculum. It may be wise to read through a medical biochemistry text this
summer if you have not taken biochemistry, or review your text, notes and
problems if you have already taken biochemistry.

All of the students seemed happy with their choice of attending
OHSU. One student will be leading an international trip to the jungle in Peru
for two months in the summer and improving his spanish. He is currently
taking a medical spanish elective and a medical history elective.

An MS1 told me that there is a director for each integrated course with
about sixteen instructors that will submit their questions to the director
of the course. Instruction is held from 8am until 12 noon M-F with clinical
preceptorships in the afternoon. Thus there is an adequate amount of time
to study the material. You are given notes which include text and series of
condensed power point slides. The slides may or may not be posted online
in time to view the online version for test preparation purposes. The
information I have given in this last paragraph may contain some errors. The
information is from conversations that I have had recently with various MS1
students.

Some of the MSII students did not offer much information. It may be that
they are very focused on preparation for exams and the USMLE I boards.
I spoke with a really great MS4 who is interviewing for an EM residency in
Ca. He was very helpful.

Castillonis

For those who have searched for housing in Portland before...

I should be arriving in Portland around July 10th. Is this too late to find decent housing if I start a lease in August? I'm on the East coast, so I am wondering if I need to come to Portalnd earlier in order to scout things out. Any thoughts???

For those who have searched for housing in Portland before...

I should be arriving in Portland around July 10th. Is this too late to find decent housing if I start a lease in August? I'm on the East coast, so I am wondering if I need to come to Portalnd earlier in order to scout things out. Any thoughts???

I'm going in July too. I hope it's not too late...

Also, is the grading system H/P/F? or am I wrong?

I don't know how constrained the supply for housing that is within
a short walk to OHSU is. I will need to inquire.

For the rest of the neighborhoods near downtown Portland it should not
be a problem. Check the combined craigslist and google maps site URL
that I posted earlier in order to see trends and particular cost data points.

Obviously, you will see an increase in activity near the first of the month.

Castillonis

For those who have searched for housing in Portland before...

I should be arriving in Portland around July 10th. Is this too late to find decent housing if I start a lease in August? I'm on the East coast, so I am wondering if I need to come to Portalnd earlier in order to scout things out. Any thoughts???

I think you will both be fine. I see available apartment signs at all times of the year, even up here on the hill. Plus, I might be looking for a roommate in my house in SE! Are you all set up on the OHSU incoming students e-mail list yet? They give you the option of joining when you get your signature page, in case you haven't gotten it yet. Anyway, one of our classmates just sent out an e-mail looking for a roommate for her house in SW. It just depends on whether or not you're cool with living with other people, but on the whole you can get a lot more space for the money in a rental house with a few other folks.

For those who have searched for housing in Portland before...

I should be arriving in Portland around July 10th. Is this too late to find decent housing if I start a lease in August? I'm on the East coast, so I am wondering if I need to come to Portalnd earlier in order to scout things out. Any thoughts???

I spoke with an MSI about this a few days ago, and he said that housing on the hill is quite plentiful and that finding a place within walking/biking distance should not a be a problem.

Thanks all... I feel a bit less stressed about finding housing now. All of your posts were very useful. I haven't received the second letter that was referred to- but I'm sure when I do it will provide some additional information. I can't wait to make it back to the West coast!

So today I called fin aid to get a bit more info. The person I spoke with said they are trying to get offers mailed out by the end of this month, and that they will base them on the higher figure ($30,600) since the legislative session may run until Sep and adjust it if needed. So OHSU people who are OR residents, write your congressperson and encourage them to restore funds to OHSU! :thumbup:

BTW, I say this not purely out of self-interest: since OHSU is the only medical school in OR, only 108 new physicians graduate each year to serve the state. Clearly this is not enough, and the difference is not being made up in physicians moving here from other states as we are facing a substantial shortage of docs, particularly in rural and underserved areas. And the state responds by...cutting the funding to the state's only medical school, thus making it increasingly unlikely that proposed talks of expansion will occur or that the rural medicine program will continue, and giving OR's best and brightest (that would be us ;) ) less of an incentive to stay in state?! :thumbdown I know our budget sucks this year, but there has to be a better solution. But I'm probably preaching to the choir here, so I'll get off my soapbox. :p

So today I called fin aid to get a bit more info. The person I spoke with said they are trying to get offers mailed out by the end of this month, and that they will base them on the higher figure ($30,600) since the legislative session may run until Sep and adjust it if needed. So OHSU people who are OR residents, write your congressperson and encourage them to restore funds to OHSU! :thumbup:

BTW, I say this not purely out of self-interest: since OHSU is the only medical school in OR, only 108 new physicians graduate each year to serve the state. Clearly this is not enough, and the difference is not being made up in physicians moving here from other states as we are facing a substantial shortage of docs, particularly in rural and underserved areas. And the state responds by...cutting the funding to the state's only medical school, thus making it increasingly unlikely that proposed talks of expansion will occur or that the rural medicine program will continue, and giving OR's best and brightest (that would be us ;) ) less of an incentive to stay in state?! :thumbdown I know our budget sucks this year, but there has to be a better solution. But I'm probably preaching to the choir here, so I'll get off my soapbox. :p

:eek: I think you made excellent points. It's sad! :(

So OHSU people who are OR residents, write your congressperson and encourage them to restore funds to OHSU! :thumbup:

Good Call Mistress S.

You can add on the fact that the malpractice situation in OR is getting so bad it's driving docs away too. There's also a huge nursing shortage and the budget cuts are effecting the nursing school just as much. The state govt. should be increasing funding to help keep state docs and nurses here. OK, I'll get off the soapbox I borrowed from Mistress S.

Here's the point of my email....

Wanna know who your OR state legislators are?
http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/

Writing them a real letter or calling their office is probably most effective, but for a quick way. You can quickly send them an email at:
http://www.leg.state.or.us/writelegsltr/

If you're from out of state, but, as a future citizen of OR, would like to voice your opinion. Choose from a couple of these Portland zips... 97239 (ohsu's), 97213 (SE), 97210(nw). Mr. Seeds might be able to drop salem's zip your way.

If you don't use your voice, you've got no reason to complain.

no asians here? dude, we have Intel.

No, really guys. Why are there so many Asians at OHSU? I wanna know your opinions on this phenomenon. According to a medical school statistics book, 69% of the med school class is Asian.

The MSIs are currently studying the Biological Basis for Disease block. I
spoke to a MSI who was at the point in his notes where he is studying
about the different classes of antibiotics. Beta Lactams/inihibition of cell
wall synthesis NAM-NAG sugars, Tetracyclines, Macrolides/protein synthesis,
etc. He was using his undergrad microbiology book as a reference. That
was one of the subjects that made me really interested in biology.

They just finished a two week block on immunology. That was much
better than some of the text I saw in their previous block. There was
this horrendus metabolic pathway that was just a bunch of compounds
seperated by commas. Talk about terse.


Redirection and distraction towards more constructive topics by

Castillonis

[QUOTE=bdt] Mr. Seeds might be able to drop salem's zip your way.[QUOTE]

97301, 97302 for S.

97305 for NE

non relevant

Has anyone filled out there FASFA yet? Considering a keybank Medachiever
and not a Teri loan? Do you need a cosigner for the Teri?

Castillonis

I filled out and submitted my FAFSA a long time ago--in Feb. If you haven't done that yet, you should ASAP, as it takes a little while to process and you can't get any aid until that is done. As has been discussed in this thread, OHSU has not mailed out award offers yet but will be doing so in the next 2-4 weeks; once we have those, we'll be able to make decisions about private lenders. In general though, whether or not you need a co-signer is based on your credit. Are you definitely going to OHSU this fall?

Hey all,

I talked to Debbie in admissions today, and she said that our white coat ceremony has been scheduled for August 26th, 2005. Also grading is Honors, Near Honors, Satisfactory, and Fail. (What the heck is "satisfactory" ... why can't they just call it "pass" ... "satisfactory" makes it sound bad! :scared: )

Any way, I'm still excited! :D

Anyone else get the letter about the summer observerships? I really want to go, but I'll be out of the country for the dates in the letter! :( It sounds really cool though, you spend a week living with and assisting a family practice doc. I called to see if there is any flexibility in the dates, but I kind of doubt it. Anyone planning to do it?

Anyone else get the letter about the summer observerships? I really want to go, but I'll be out of the country for the dates in the letter! :( It sounds really cool though, you spend a week living with and assisting a family practice doc. I called to see if there is any flexibility in the dates, but I kind of doubt it. Anyone planning to do it?

I'm planning on it, I agree that it sounds pretty cool. I really haven't spent much time in rural OR (other than Bend which doesn't quite count in my book), so I'm looking forward to it. I put on my form the more rural the better, so it will be interesting to see where I end up!

http://www.capstone.org/img/portland.gif

Ahh from the site of the new 12 story patient tower / cable car. Good luck guys, I'm out of there as of commencement on June 1st.

bump

Where is everyone? :)

Bump. Hey, for those of you who've been accepted off the waitlist and are def. attending OHSU, you should add your name to the matriculation thread so we can see who's attending. So far I'm the only one :o

BTW, thanks for finding out about the grading, Ambs.

Hey everyone,
I'm new to this thread, can everyone please give me the reasons they want to attend OHSU? What makes it special to you? Curriculum? Your home state? The only school you got in? Area? Time for volunteer/clinical experiences? Whatever it is please let me know. I am accepted to OHSU for this fall.

Bump. Hey, for those of you who've been accepted off the waitlist and are def. attending OHSU, you should add your name to the matriculation thread so we can see who's attending. So far I'm the only one :o

BTW, thanks for finding out about the grading, Ambs.


you're welcome :)

When you mentioned matriculation thread, I also (for some bizarre reason) thought of the email/list serve for the entering class. Are you guys on it?

Hey everyone,
I'm new to this thread, can everyone please give me the reasons they want to attend OHSU? What makes it special to you? Curriculum? Your home state? The only school you got in? Area? Time for volunteer/clinical experiences? Whatever it is please let me know. I am accepted to OHSU for this fall.

OHSU was my last interview. It was also my best experience. I had thirteen interviews, and by then I had determined that location, curriculum, general atmosphere of school, and clinical exposure were the most important deciding factors for me. I thought that the OHSU campus was absolutely gorgeous and not to mention huge. The facilities are nice, and the people were friendly and laid-back. I like the block curriculum, early clinical exposure through the preceptorship, and international opportunities. Oregon is not my home state, and I got into several other programs, but OHSU won me over. Portland is a great city -- outdoor and indoor activites are numerous. The dining and cultural life are fabulous as is the outdoor beauty.

Anyone else want to chime in?

One more thing: clinical experience is especially appealing to me since I've been out of school and working in the medical setting. Oregon students, in particular, commented that they felt extremely well prepared for their rotations due to their early clinical experiences.

OHSU students stood out as very happy and confident about their medical education. The general feel about the school seemed to be excited and optimistic. Despite a low level of support from the state, OHSU has managed to grow its research programs dramatically over the past 15 years. When I spent a summer at OHSU a few years back, everyone was very positive about the commitment that the administration has towards the medical students. Portland is a beautiful city and is in many ways an ideal environment for a medical student. You can live a fairly high standard of life without spending too much money. I too had a whole bunch of interviews, and a number of acceptances at reputable schools. In the end, OHSU was my clear choice.

Hey everyone,

thanks for your comments. I lived in Portland for a summer and volunteered at Wallace Community Concern - one of OHSU's outreach clinics. It was a great experience. Med students volunteer along with professors, so - the nurse goes in to the patient, then the student, then they confer with the doctor, then both the student and doctor go in. And I got to help out with spanish translation throughout all the steps.

So, that experience impressed me and attracted me to OHSU, also I had a brother-in-law that went to OHSU dental, he liked it. And an uncle-in-law that did medicine there years ago, he really enjoyed it, but times have changed - he payed 6,000 for in-state.

And now, I am on a few wiatlists one of them being GW - which really impressed me.

Not to say that I will have to make a decision, but if I do, it might be tough. Did anyone else apply to GW?

Hey Idaho,

I currently live in DC. After I was admitted to Georgetown I withdrew my application to GW. Eventually I decided to go to OHSU... GW is an entirely different type of school- this goes without even mentioning the differences between DC and portland. OHSU was my choice, but that was based on my own life experiences. Feel free to PM me…

I GOT IN!!!! Look forward to meeting all of you soon. If anyone works on the hill PM me and maybe we could meet up. Also if anyone has any questions I live here and work at OHSU so I might have the answer. :) YEAH!!!!

I GOT IN!!!! Look forward to meeting all of you soon. If anyone works on the hill PM me and maybe we could meet up. Also if anyone has any questions I live here and work at OHSU so I might have the answer. :) YEAH!!!!

:clap:

Congratulations!!! See you in a couple of months!!!

I GOT IN!!!! Look forward to meeting all of you soon. If anyone works on the hill PM me and maybe we could meet up. Also if anyone has any questions I live here and work at OHSU so I might have the answer. :) YEAH!!!!

Add your name to the matriculation thread ;)

Count me in too! (formerly #4 alternate)
After 3 years of applying I finally earned acceptance to the only school I ever wanted to attend!
Perseverence, patience, and positivity can ultimately pay off!

I GOT IN!!!! Look forward to meeting all of you soon. If anyone works on the hill PM me and maybe we could meet up. Also if anyone has any questions I live here and work at OHSU so I might have the answer. :) YEAH!!!!

Congrats bluemorpho and bluepanda!!!! Go celebrate...

Bluemorpho...Get off the hill and enjoy the sunny day.

Bluepand... 3 years of perserverence, wow! nice work.

Cheers

Sweet! I'm heading to OHSU this fall, and would love some advice on where to live. Definitely don't want to be on the hill for my first two years, and am looking for apartments around PSU and in NW... I don't think I can get up there to apt. hunt until late June. I hope that's enough time. Congrats to all my fellow classmates! Can't wait to get to know you!

Congrats to bluemorpho, bluepanda, and eveyone else who just got off the waitlist! :horns:

And good luck to those still waiting to hear! :luck:

Hey everybody,

I'm a first year at OHSU. I was just writing to say hello and congratulations on getting an acceptance. We are about two weeks away from finishing our first year and are currently in the Biological Basis of Disease Block. This part we are studying about different disease processes caused by foriegn organisms affecting different areas of the body.

We also just finished our Principles of Clinical Medicine course for the year and are getting ready to take our last written exam and practical exam this coming Wednesday which will be a relief. Now, school will really only be 8-12 everyday for the rest of the year:-).

I noticed earlier somebody was thinking about breaking out the biochem book over the summer. Don't do it. Just relax as Gross Anatomy, Imaging, and Embryology is eleven weeks in duration and you really won't be ahead of the game if you spend this summer studying in my opinion. You'll have a good time in GIE and don't forget to bring colored pencils to the embryology lectures (you'll find out what I'm talking about).

The summer observership is a fun thing to do, but don't worry if you can't get there. There were only a few that did it in our class and it is really only for fun. You will have ample opportunity to interact with clinical staff throughout the year including family practice physicians. If you think your really missing out they have the same program between your first and second year in addition to an actual scholarship where they pay you to spend four weeks with a rural physician.

The first year was good at OHSU. There was a lot of learning and it came fast and furious, but it was definately do-able. The first course is the easiest (Gross Anatomy) and then the next two courses get successively harder, so enjoy the first course as much as possible!

Anyway, any questions about school here at OHSU fire away, and I look forward to meeting you all next year. Congrats and enjoy your summer.

Monkeyguts,

Thank you for the insightful post. :) I actually do have a few questions for you... I really appreciate your help!

I need/want to buy a laptop. I'll still have my desktop, but I'm a huge geek and keep things neurotically organized and therefore want the convenience of a laptop. Any way, are parts of the campus wireless enabled? Are lectures posted online?

Did you use your books primarily, or are you supplied with lecture notes?

Lastly, how do you feel about the grading system?

Oh wait - one more question! :p Do guys get to have a social life? Any group outings?

Thank you so much! :D

Monkeyguts,
Any way, are parts of the campus wireless enabled? Are lectures posted online?

Did you use your books primarily, or are you supplied with lecture notes?

Lastly, how do you feel about the grading system?

Oh wait - one more question! :p Do guys get to have a social life? Any group outings?

Thank you so much! :D

1. The basic science building (where you will have your lectures), the old library (where the locker rooms and some study areas are), and the BICC (the new library) all have wireless access. I believe the rest of the campus has wireless, but haven't really tried it out.

For the first course (GIE) they are pretty good about getting the lecture notes online, but it can vary from the same day to a few days after the fact that it actually gets posted.

2. Personally, I use lecture notes for the most part. This is especially true for the first class. You will get something in the mail this summer called the Sage which is a pamphlet/book that will let you know what our class thought about the different courses, which books were helpful, which were useless etc. For the first block I really only found myself using Netter's Atlas, Netter's flashcards, and A Color Atlas of Anatomy which is a textbook that is made not of drawings, but pictures of cadavers. It was a good resource in my opinion.

3. The grading system is well.....the grading system. There's not much you can do about it. It is fairly arbitrary and doesn't make a lot of sense. There are plenty who completely happy with Satisfactory and there are some that work their tails off to get honors. I like having a grading system because, for me personally, it does add some extra incentive to work harder.

4. Yes, there is a social life. People are going out and doing lots of things. Especially when one gets used to the work load then there is ample time to have fun. There is actually a class camping trip next weekend.

I'm glad to know there's wireless capability in areas. At first the grading system scared me, but I also think that it'll be more incentive to study harder/work harder.

Thank you, again, for the information. :) :thumbup:

Hi guys!

I just got a call from Carolyn! I'm in!!! :) :)
Finally, the over-a-year-long process is OVER!!!!

See you guys in the fall!! Look forward to meeting you all!

-V

Hi guys!

I just got a call from Carolyn! I'm in!!! :) :)
Finally, the over-a-year-long process is OVER!!!!

See you guys in the fall!! Look forward to meeting you all!

-V

Were you on the waitlist? If so, what number were you? Just want to gauge how far they are on the list. Thanks!

For those interested, OHSU has updated their website vis-a-vis the alternate list for 2005 entering. As of today, they have accepted through alternate #32.

http://www.ohsu.edu/som/dean/md/admissions/index.shtml

Has anyone heard anything from financial aid yet? It seems they may be waiting until the in-state tuition gets settled, but the summer is quicky passing.

Has anyone heard anything from financial aid yet? It seems they may be waiting until the in-state tuition gets settled, but the summer is quicky passing.

Yeah, it is a frustrating wait. I posted something about this earlier, basically they are not waiting for the tuition thing to get settled because the legislative session may run into September so instead they will send out awards based on the higher estimate and adjust it later if needed. They previously said they would be sending out offers end of May, clearly that hasn't happened so I called today and they said that it's "up next" and should be done in a week or so. I just hope they send them out before I leave for a month in July so I know what my financial situation will be when I get back. :confused:

for those that have been accepted off of the waitlist: how long did they give you to accept their offer? I am trying to gauge how long it will take for them to accept more people off of the list if those accepted from the beginning of the waitlist decline. Thanks!

Yeah, it is a frustrating wait. I posted something about this earlier, basically they are not waiting for the tuition thing to get settled because the legislative session may run into September so instead they will send out awards based on the higher estimate and adjust it later if needed. They previously said they would be sending out offers end of May, clearly that hasn't happened so I called today and they said that it's "up next" and should be done in a week or so. I just hope they send them out before I leave for a month in July so I know what my financial situation will be when I get back. :confused:

Hey you!

I really, really hope that they send FA packages soon! I'm stressed because not only do I have no idea what my budget will look like, but I also need to figure out housing! I'm going to call them tomorrow and see what they say. If it's different from what they told you, then I'll be :mad: !

Hey you!

I really, really hope that they send FA packages soon! I'm stressed because not only do I have no idea what my budget will look like, but I also need to figure out housing! I'm going to call them tomorrow and see what they say. If it's different from what they told you, then I'll be :mad: !

What up Ambs! It's stressing me out too. My credit card is going to be maxed out by the end of summer if things continue to progress along their current trajectory, and I have no idea if I'll even have enough to pay rent, let alone keep them from breaking my knee caps. Let us know what you find out!

What up Ambs! It's stressing me out too. My credit card is going to be maxed out by the end of summer if things continue to progress along their current trajectory, and I have no idea if I'll even have enough to pay rent, let alone keep them from breaking my knee caps. Let us know what you find out!


Awww girl...I'm stressed about finances too! I quit work in a few weeks, and from then on it's all about the savings that'll deplete FAST. I'll def post what I find out tomorrow.

Bump so EvoDevo can move this thread on out.

Just read the entire thread and am super excited all over again.

I got in a month ago and just got my tattoo this week to celebrate!

I highly recommend the pink martini concert at the zoo aug 14th (www.oregonzoo.org). It is a good way to chill out the night before we decend upon the campus.

Anyone else live out here in hillsboro/ beaverton area?

Just read the entire thread and am super excited all over again.

I got in a month ago and just got my tattoo this week to celebrate!

I highly recommend the pink martini concert at the zoo aug 14th (www.oregonzoo.org). It is a good way to chill out the night before we decend upon the campus.

Anyone else live out here in hillsboro/ beaverton area?

You just got your tattoo? of?

On another note, I'm sorry guys, but I totally forgot to call the FA office on Friday. Work was crazy busy, and by the time I realized I hadn't called, it was nearly 5 PM. I will call on Monday, and maybe I'll have some good news when I come back, i.e. scholarships for ALL of us. YEAH! :laugh:

You just got your tattoo? of?


A simple water wave around my right ankle.

Any word on financial aid?

Hi everyone!

I called the FA office today. She said they're just now getting started with processing applications, and packages should go out by two weeks. That being said, I asked whether we'll for sure have them by the end of June. She said that we would.

Let's hope. :rolleyes:

Hi again everyone...

So I'm in the final steps of organizing my Europe trip for July. Shoot, now I really hope we've got our packages by the end of June. I don't want to come back broke and unaware of how to finance my education, lol. I'm sure that WILL NOT happen, but I really just want it squared away NOW. NOW NOW NOW! :laugh:

so I just found out that I get to leave work at noon tomorrow and monday is a "plan at home day" - gotta love the few perks of being a teacher.

anyway so I figured I would swing by the FA office just to confirm what ambs found out by calling

I'll post my findings tomorrow

Well....

They must be getting sick of us in the financial aid office, but I had a couple of specific questions for them so I gave them a call too. Here's some info I got that I thought might be interesting to others (note, I'm non-trad and have been working for a few years. That's where I'm coming from in terms of FA)....

1. I put my parents tax info on my FAFSA (because I thought I had to) and I was worried their income would affect my EFC (estimated family contribution- The number used to help calculate how much federal $$ you can get). The FA office guy said that because we're graduate students, we're automatically considered "independent" and our parents' info isn't calculated into the EFC. Apparently, we don't "have" to put our parent's info on the FAFSA, but...

He did say that parents' info is needed for later in the year when Dept. of Health & human services grants/loans for low income students become available (they can help provide a low interest fixed rate loan).

2. Because my EFC was ~ $10,000, I was worried that I might not qualify for all of the $38,500 in stafford loans ($8500 subsidized, $30,000 unsubsidized. Best loan you're going to get). He said not to worry. They're fin aid budget is pretty big so they don't have to pick and choose who gets the staffords. So... sounds like we should all qualify for the $38500 in staffords.

3 If your EFC is under 5000, you should be able to qualify for a perkins loan ($6000 at 5%. No interest accrues while you're in school) which is another type of federal loan

4. They do have a list of private lenders they have worked with. They'll supply this list when we get our FA offers.

5. He said the incoming class was next up so we should be getting our offers sometime in june.

6. As with all things money... I can't guarantee my info is correct, but I think it's right.

Hope everyone is well.

I too went this morning. amazed they haven't put up a sign banning our class:

-disclaimer- do not quote me on any of this but the following is what I was told-

fin aid for SOM first year students starts monday. he hoped they would mail it out next week!!!

I also stopped by the dean's office (I'm not stalking the admin I just need to make sure a clerical error was cleared up)

Orientation starts the 15th and is only on monday and tuesday for clerical work and that sort of thing. We get the rest of that week off. The following week we have a mix of classes and orientation to "ease us into classes". It is mainly to inform us of our responsibilities as student physicians. Then on the friday of that week, aug 26th, is the white coat ceremony.

sounds like the first two weeks will be pretty chill.

I too went this morning. amazed they haven't put up a sign banning our class:

-disclaimer- do not quote me on any of this but the following is what I was told-

fin aid for SOM first year students starts monday. he hoped they would mail it out next week!!!

I also stopped by the dean's office (I'm not stalking the admin I just need to make sure a clerical error was cleared up)

Orientation starts the 15th and is only on monday and tuesday for clerical work and that sort of thing. We get the rest of that week off. The following week we have a mix of classes and orientation to "ease us into classes". It is mainly to inform us of our responsibilities as student physicians. Then on the friday of that week, aug 26th, is the white coat ceremony.

sounds like the first two weeks will be pretty chill.

Thanks for the info!!! I really hope we get our offers in the mail soon!!! :)

Just wondering if you guys had thought about what neighborhood you will be living in. I am partial to the NW23rd area, but I'm curious as to how many students in our class will end up down there. I don't want to live somewhere where I feel isolated from the rest of the class. I'm not sure what fraction of previous classes have lived on the hill versus other places...

Also, I talked to a financial aid person on the phone last week and they said that they had an estimated budget of about $1600/month for living transportation and personal costs over a 9 month period. I don't know if that answers any of your questions.

When do all of you intend to move into your apt/home? Are you guys already in Portland???

Just wondering if you guys had thought about what neighborhood you will be living in. I am partial to the NW23rd area, but I'm curious as to how many students in our class will end up down there. I don't want to live somewhere where I feel isolated from the rest of the class. I'm not sure what fraction of previous classes have lived on the hill versus other places...

Also, I talked to a financial aid person on the phone last week and they said that they had an estimated budget of about $1600/month for living transportation and personal costs over a 9 month period. I don't know if that answers any of your questions.

When do all of you intend to move into your apt/home? Are you guys already in Portland???

I was told by finaid last week that we should estimate a budget of $1400/month... $1600/month would be much nicer, though. I'm going apartment hunting this weekend, and while I first looked around NW, my search has turned to SW, the South Park Blocks in particular. I think that transportation up the hill is something to check out when you're looking at apartments. Look up the bus routes to get an idea of what you'll have to do to get up there everyday. How many different buses are you willing to take to get to class at 8am... How many blocks are you willing to walk in the rain at 7am to get to these bus stops, etc...
If anyone has any advice on finding an apartment and wanting to live downtown, let us know!

I was told by finaid last week that we should estimate a budget of $1400/month... $1600/month would be much nicer, though. I'm going apartment hunting this weekend, and while I first looked around NW, my search has turned to SW, the South Park Blocks in particular. I think that transportation up the hill is something to check out when you're looking at apartments. Look up the bus routes to get an idea of what you'll have to do to get up there everyday. How many different buses are you willing to take to get to class at 8am... How many blocks are you willing to walk in the rain at 7am to get to these bus stops, etc...
If anyone has any advice on finding an apartmen