MCO Class of 2009 [Archive] - Student Doctor Network Forums

Vomitonme

05-12-2005, 10:30 AM

The cheap apartment thing is definitely a plus. Down here in Irvine, a one bedroom in an average apartment is $1100. I'll be happy when I don't have to pay these insane prices anymore.

You can get instate tuition for MCO after the first year after becoming an Ohio resident, but one thing that I noticed about MCO during the third and fourth years is that they charge extra tuition for the "summer" sessions when you are doing rotations, which is kind of annoying because they are charging a lot of cash. I didn't even realize they did this kind of thing because when I was looking as some other private school, they charged the same tuition rate through all four years.

Does the grading system at MCO foster a collaborative enviroment, I am looking for an environment that fosters collaboration and not competitiveness. Can any current students elaborate on this. Or can any students who are familiar with the curriculum elaborate.

Since MCO is on one of those Honors/HP/P/ systems I'm guessing it wouldn't be as relaxed as a solely P/NP curriculum. But from the 1st/2nd year students I have talked to, they all thought the grading system was fine. They didn't complain about any undue competitiveness and one guy I talked to actually liked the system because it forced him to study harder, which he believes leads to the people scoring better on their Step 1 exam.

slackerjock

05-12-2005, 02:53 PM

sounds like MCO is a good choice. instate tuition after year 2 (save 60,000$ in bills)

sfbear

05-12-2005, 04:05 PM

When is everyone planning on moving out there? I'm heading out from California (san francisco) and I'm trying to figure out the timeline. Are you guys driving or just shipping everything?

I seem to recall that the grading system wasn't curved, but now I'm not sure. Did anyone else here this? I didn't realize that about the tuition 3rd and 4th years - very sneaky.

I recently found out about Ohio's "instant residency" deal - if you've got spouse with a full-time job before the semester starts (and a place to live, cars registered in Ohio, etc.), you can get in-state residency. I'm still figuring out the details, but I thought I'd put it out there in case it helps anyone out.

Hallm_7

05-12-2005, 05:49 PM

There are several apartment complexes directly adjacent to MCO. It seems like they run ~$350/month. However, that cheap of rent means something I guess. They tend to be much older and a slightly "shadier" crowd tends to liver there, but I don't think it's a dangerous place to live.

I'm moving into my apartment on or around August 1. That will give me a couple weeks to get moved in and settled before classes start. I think orientation starts on the 17th or 18th, and from all accounts it's supposed to be a pretty fun time.

Vomitonme

05-13-2005, 12:14 AM

Emergency!

05-13-2005, 09:27 AM

As far as the extra tuition goes for third and fourth years, I'm pretty sure that it is like that at all the Ohio schools. I definitely remember UC's 3rd year being quite a bit steeper than 1 and 2. So, its not a MCO thing.

Yes, you can get instant residency if your spouse moves for employement purposes. Do a google search for "Ohio residency for tuition purposes". This will give you links to that info on several Ohio universities webpages. I remember Ohio State's info being pretty good. All of the info is essentially the same as it comes from the same source.

Housing in Toledo is definitely reasonable. If you don't drive, I would probably recommend that you snag a TARTA map (the Toledo bus system) so you have some idea of what your bus time will be from apartments that you look at. TARTA's website (www.tarta.com) You may find that you eventually want to learn to drive and get a car. Toledo is a lot more spread out than NYC and public transportation not nearly as good. I'm sure you can survive without a car in Toledo, but you will probably be unhappy with the hassle of getting places, especially when you start doing clinicals at different Toledo area hospitals.

As a side note - as of May 6th, MCO officially became MUO - Medical University of Ohio.

nyc25

05-13-2005, 09:34 AM

Housing in Toledo is definitely reasonable. If you don't drive, I would probably recommend that you snag a TARTA map (the Toledo bus system) so you have some idea of what your bus time will be from apartments that you look at. TARTA's website (www.tarta.com) You may find that you eventually want to learn to drive and get a car. Toledo is a lot more spread out than NYC and public transportation not nearly as good. I'm sure you can survive without a car in Toledo, but you will probably be unhappy with the hassle of getting places, especially when you start doing clinicals at different Toledo area hospitals.

As a side note - as of May 6th, MCO officially became MUO - Medical University of Ohio.
Thanks so much for your response. My decision gets more difficult by the day. Wow cool name change!!!! I wonder what prompted the change in name?
I'm going to sign up for driving lessons next week. Hopefully it will be enough to get me on track to drive a car by the Fall or Spring. Atleast from what I saw driving in Toledo is not as crazy as NYC, so hopefully it won't be a bad adjustment.

sfbear

05-13-2005, 11:43 AM

I think I'll be moving around early August as well. I'm looking at some of the closer apartments to the school. I don't really want to be driving that much, even if it is a 10 minutes drive. I guess I'm just too lazy.

I was thinking about driving from California to Ohio, but I dunno. That drive seems a little too long and grueling. I had a relative who moved from Texas to Ca and he just had his car shipped and thought it was the best option, so I'm leaning toward that for now.

Yeah, I was thinking of driving for a while too, but I'm starting to lean towards shipping my car along with everything else. My biggest concern right now is finding my husband a job. We definitely want him to be employed before school starts so we can get in-state tuition. Anyone have any advice on a long-distance job search? We'll go through the standard avenues (online sites, mainly) and I know Owens-Corning is a major employer in Toledo, but if you've got any other ideas, please share!

Emergency!

05-13-2005, 01:11 PM

Thanks so much for your response. My decision gets more difficult by the day. Wow cool name change!!!! I wonder what prompted the change in name?

From The Toledo Blade (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050429/NEWS32/504290370)

Article published April 29, 2005

MCO set to change name, boost its image on May 6

By LUKE SHOCKMAN
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Medical University of Ohio at Toledo.

It doesn't roll off the tongue quite yet. But starting May 6, that will become the new name for Medical College of Ohio.

The Medical College of Ohio Hospital, the main hospital on campus, also is being renamed. It will be known as University Medical Center.

New signs have begun appearing on campus as part of the transition, which will end up costing the state-owned institution about $240,000 for new signs and $75,000 in other expenses, including new letterhead and display materials.

Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, MCO president, said the institution intended to replace signs before changing the name, but existing letterhead, business cards, and other material will be used up before it is replaced.

Dr. Jacobs pushed for the name change - which the Ohio General Assembly has approved - to better reflect what the school does as well as to enhance MCO's reputation.

"It's a more accurate description of what we are," Dr. Jacobs said. "We are, in fact, four colleges."

Those four colleges- which are being renamed from schools to "colleges" as part of the transition - are the college of medicine with 586 students; the college of nursing with 136 graduate students; the college of health sciences with 231 students, and the college of graduate studies with 148 students.

The college of nursing also trains about 1,000 undergraduate nursing students through a cooperative agreement with the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University.

Though the name changes might seem minor to the average person, Dr. Jacobs said the switch to "university" appeals more to potential medical students and faculty.

"I know this will help us recruit," Dr. Jacobs said. "It's prestige."

Still, Dr. Jacobs said he's realistic about how long it will take the community to get used to the new name. "I have no doubt that everyday use will take a year or so to change," he said.

Or maybe longer.

Many longtime Toledo area residents still refer to the University of Toledo as "TU" as in Toledo University - even though it officially became the University of Toledo in 1947.

MCO is the latest in a long line of colleges locally and nationwide that have switched their names to university in an attempt to bolster their images.

Bluffton College became Bluffton University last year, the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima dropped "college" from its name in 2000, and Siena Heights University in Adrian dropped "college" from its name in 1998.

The trend is less common for medical schools, but that's because the nation's 125 medical schools usually are associated with an existing university, Dr. Jacobs said. MCO is relatively unique because it's a stand-alone medical school.

Elisa Siegel, a spokesman for the Association of American Colleges, said it's quite common for hospitals on medical school campuses to add "university" to their name as MCO will soon do because "having an obvious academic affiliation is seen as positive in the minds of the public."

The name change will actually be the third for the institution.

MCO was founded in 1964 and known as the Toledo State College of Medicine until 1967, when it switched to Medical College of Ohio.

In 1967, MCO board members foresaw a need to eventually rename itself "university." Board minutes from 1967 indicate that board members felt that "the new name should be such that it can be converted to 'university' at a later time."

I'm going to sign up for driving lessons next week. Hopefully it will be enough to get me on track to drive a car by the Fall or Spring. Atleast from what I saw driving in Toledo is not as crazy as NYC, so hopefully it won't be a bad adjustment.
Driving in Toledo isn't that bad. Compared to other cities, rush hour is not bad at all. Chances are, if you live close to MUO you will rarely have to brave the routes that have the heaviest rush hour traffic.

Emergency!

05-13-2005, 01:15 PM

My biggest concern right now is finding my husband a job. We definitely want him to be employed before school starts so we can get in-state tuition. Anyone have any advice on a long-distance job search? We'll go through the standard avenues (online sites, mainly) and I know Owens-Corning is a major employer in Toledo, but if you've got any other ideas, please share!

It all depends on what your husband does/is qualified to do. A good place to start might be The Toledo Blade's jobs classifieds (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/classifieds?Category=CLJOBS) online.

Maybe call MUO and ask them for advice? I'm sure they have some resources they can point you to.

sfbear

05-13-2005, 01:33 PM

Thanks for the link - I'll have my husband check it out. I'll probably check in with MUO (it's funny writing that instead of MCO, but good) next week. My husband's currently working in IT but also has a solid background in environmental work, if that helps. AmyBEMT, you seem to have lots of great info about Toledo - are you local?

nyc25

05-13-2005, 04:58 PM

Does anyone know the board pass rate for MCO?

Llenroc

05-13-2005, 05:43 PM

I learned how to drive on the mean streets of Toledo. I was 16 back then. :D

Some of you might want to check out the University of Toledo area, since there are many apartments there, lots of young people, and its pretty close to MCO.

Emergency!

05-13-2005, 07:03 PM

AmyBEMT, you seem to have lots of great info about Toledo - are you local?

Sort of. I grew up and spent most of my adult life an hour west of Toledo (and yes, that's still in Ohio). Toledo is our closest "big city", so I've spent a lot of time in and around Toledo. Before I moved to central Ohio, I subscribed to The Toledo Blade and still read it online daily.

MCO's paramedic program provided a lot of our EMS inservice and, at one point, I seriously considered enrolling at their paramedic program. MCO was actually the first place I went when I got this crazy idea of going back to school and trying to get into medical school. They had an open house for all of their programs and then broke the group into areas of interest. Dr. Burns and a couple of medical students gave me hope that it was possible and pointed me in the right direction to get started.

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in the UT student area, but I'm a few years beyond wanting to live in a college atmosphere. With all of the students and residents at MUO, there are plenty of 20 and 30 somethings living in the area.

Hallm_7

05-13-2005, 11:45 PM

Does anyone know the board pass rate for MCO?

I don't remember the exact percentage, but I remember them saying it was really high when I was there. Also, a student at MCO (MUO) told me that last year they had someone get a perfect score on Step 1. I don't know how common that is, but I'm willing to bet there aren't many that achieve that. One of the things I was told at my interview was that they have relatively high pass rates for step 1 because of their curriculum. Evidently they have an integrated pathophysiology course at the end of 2nd year, and they say about 80% of the test is covered in that class. There could be a class like this at most schools, but the students I talked to said they thought it was a great advantage for MCO students. Another huge advantage for MCO students on step 1 is that they have the testing center on campus, so instead of travelling to another city you can just go to school like you normally would. That relieves a lot of stress and uncertainty and would have to increase performance on the test.

Vomitonme

05-14-2005, 02:37 AM

I don't remember the exact percentage, but I remember them saying it was really high when I was there. Also, a student at MCO (MUO) told me that last year they had someone get a perfect score on Step 1. I don't know how common that is, but I'm willing to bet there aren't many that achieve that. One of the things I was told at my interview was that they have relatively high pass rates for step 1 because of their curriculum. Evidently they have an integrated pathophysiology course at the end of 2nd year, and they say about 80% of the test is covered in that class. There could be a class like this at most schools, but the students I talked to said they thought it was a great advantage for MCO students. Another huge advantage for MCO students on step 1 is that they have the testing center on campus, so instead of travelling to another city you can just go to school like you normally would. That relieves a lot of stress and uncertainty and would have to increase performance on the test.

I remember Burns saying something similar in terms of Step 1 scores. That they had a student last year score something insanely high and everyone does fine in terms of scores.

Having the testing center on campus is a big plus for me especially for a test that is going to essentially determine what you can do for residency.

nyc25

05-14-2005, 08:03 AM

I remember Burns saying something similar in terms of Step 1 scores. That they had a student last year score something insanely high and everyone does fine in terms of scores.

Having the testing center on campus is a big plus for me especially for a test that is going to essentially determine what you can do for residency.

I can't seem to find the residency match list for this year or last year. Does anyone have a link? Thanks.

nyc25

05-14-2005, 01:11 PM

Are there any current MCO students on this thread.

Emergency!

05-14-2005, 02:10 PM

I can't seem to find the residency match list for this year or last year. Does anyone have a link? Thanks.
Last year's match list can be found here (http://www.mco.edu/alumni/medicine/match_day.html). I couldn't find this year's info.

nyc25

05-14-2005, 03:17 PM

Last year's match list can be found here (http://www.mco.edu/alumni/medicine/match_day.html). I couldn't find this year's info.
These are some awesome matches!!!!

nyc25

05-14-2005, 03:27 PM

Just looking for apartments.

Freakedout

05-14-2005, 04:34 PM

if you dont mind can you tell me or pm me your stats i am just curious how you got considered for the program...thanks ... I would really really appreciate this info.

btw i would choose the 4 year route... just because i rather spend 4 years studying someplace i dont enjoy as much and have a whole year to do what i want... rather than 5 years book in the nose...where i just like it a little bit better

nyc25

05-14-2005, 05:20 PM

sfbear

05-14-2005, 07:42 PM

Sort of. I grew up and spent most of my adult life an hour west of Toledo (and yes, that's still in Ohio). Toledo is our closest "big city", so I've spent a lot of time in and around Toledo. Before I moved to central Ohio, I subscribed to The Toledo Blade and still read it online daily.

MCO's paramedic program provided a lot of our EMS inservice and, at one point, I seriously considered enrolling at their paramedic program. MCO was actually the first place I went when I got this crazy idea of going back to school and trying to get into medical school. They had an open house for all of their programs and then broke the group into areas of interest. Dr. Burns and a couple of medical students gave me hope that it was possible and pointed me in the right direction to get started.

Personally, I wouldn't want to live in the UT student area, but I'm a few years beyond wanting to live in a college atmosphere. With all of the students and residents at MUO, there are plenty of 20 and 30 somethings living in the area.

MCO just sounds like it had such a great environment. That's awesome that you ended up there. We're trying to figure where to live. We're considering buying a house after six months or so (have to get to know the market, see if it's really feasible, etc) but we need somewhere to stay until then. Are there any houses for rent, or is it mainly apartments?

Hallm_7

05-14-2005, 08:48 PM

While I don't have the match list for this year, according to http://www.mco.edu/submen/mconews.html (click on the story about the match March 17) MCO had 43% primary care and 57% specialized.

NYC,
Sorry to hear about them recommending you only for the five year program. Have you considered talking with Dr. Myers or someone else with authority about them considering you for the regular 4 year program? Maybe if you told them you had acceptances at other institutions they would be willing to reconsider.

Sfbear,
I actually looked into buying a house and searched for a while, but I decided it would be cheaper for me to rent for four years and be less of a hastle. If you do look for houses I would recommend staying south of MCO if you are going to be in the vicinity of the school. The area to the north isn't the greatest, but the neighborhoods to the south are all really nice even though the homes may not be large. FYI, the taxes on a $100,000 are in the $1800-2000/year vicinity the best I can remember.

nyc25

05-14-2005, 09:31 PM

Thanks for your advice.

Did anyone on this thread have to choose between Wayne State University SOM and MCO? If so what was your decision process. Do you know the personal experiences of anyone at Wayne State compared with MCO. Everyone at MCO seems so cool and I can see I would have a wonderful time getting to know everyone. also with the excellent residency matches and caring faculty, it's an opportunity that I should not overlook.
However, Wayne State offers a pass/fail system. Does the grading system at MCO foster collaboration? I am not a cut-throat person and I want to be able to collaborate with classmates. Thanks for taking the time to ans. my q's.

Emergency!

05-15-2005, 08:49 AM

Just to clarify - I have been accepted to MUO for the class of 2009, I'm not currently a student. I will most likely end up at MUO, depending on what happens with OSU's "deferred decision" list.

As for renting a house . . . I'm sure its possible, but renting a house is typically more difficult than renting an apartment. If you are looking to buy after six months, you may want to consider an apartment complex that offers leases of less than a year.

Another tidbit of info. Dr. Myers left MUO in January. Word was just starting to filter out to students that she was not coming back after her "vacation" when I interviewed there in mid-January. She was having a difficult time with leaving and chose to leave quietly. The new Dean of Admissions is Dr. James Kleshinski. Seems to be a great guy, very excited about his new post.

I would say it can't hurt to contact MUO and talk to them about your 5 year admission. If you explain to them that you really like MUO, but due to the extra year you are leaning toward another school, maybe they would be willing to grant you regular admission (Although - since the May 15th deadline is now upon us, do you have time to do this? I'm assuming that you are currently holding multiple acceptances).

I don't think MUO is competitive at all. I think they told us at our interview that the first two years are pass/fail. Clinicals are honors/high pass/pass etc. The students who were there on my interview day said they didn't even know their rank and didn't care to. For the purposes of AOA, the class is ranked, but I think the students are only allowed to find their class rank at the end of each year. I have a friend who is a M-3 at MUO - I will ask her. Actually, maybe I will try and get her to follow this thread and weigh in as appropriate.

Amy

nyc25

05-15-2005, 10:03 AM

Thanks Amy!!! I really appreciate your input.

Hallm_7

05-15-2005, 03:07 PM

I had no idea Dr. Myers left, but it should have added up since I saw they hired a new Dean of Admissions. That's really sad. Do you know why she left or where she went?

EMDrMoe

05-15-2005, 03:07 PM

Alright, Amy, I'm here :) I'm a 3rd (VERY soon to be 4th!!!!) year student at MUO (that'll take a while to get used to).

As for competition between students, it's just the opposite. There were times 1st and 2nd year that the week before the test, people would be trading charts & things they made. As a matter of fact, I got an email from a 2nd year last week asking me about my drug chart that I made. I told the head of the academic enrichment center (tutoring & such) to give it out. Not everyone is that cooperative, but the vast majority are. We're all in this together and want everyone to do well. The funny thing is that because of the grading system, if everyone gets 90%, everyone gets honors. Guess what happens in real life - we fall pretty much in line with a bell curve. Go figure ;)

nyc25, as far as 4 vs 5 year, try to get into MCO/MUO's 4 year. If not, be very careful about your decision. I know it's a year, but you can think of it 2 ways. You can have 4 miserable ones or 5 hard ones in a place where you feel comfortable. There was a guy who graduated a year ago who repeated year one at MCO b/c he hated his med school so much that he transferred in. MCO was the only school who would even look at him, even though he was willing to repeat year one.

Ask me more questions & you'll probably get more opinion than you bargained for, lol, but I'm more than happy to answer!

EMDrMoe

05-15-2005, 03:25 PM

I had no idea Dr. Myers left, but it should have added up since I saw they hired a new Dean of Admissions. That's really sad. Do you know why she left or where she went?

She was a tremendous asset to the school and her influence will be felt for years to come. She moved to south/central Ohio where she grew up. Her parents and in-laws are there, so they wanted to be closer to them. She's still practicing PM&R though :)

Vomitonme

05-16-2005, 08:11 AM

ATC2MD

I was wondering if you had this years MCO matchlist? I have 2004 and 2003 but the website hasn't been updated for this years.

reedgw

05-16-2005, 01:29 PM

ATC2MD

I was wondering if you had this years MCO matchlist? I have 2004 and 2003 but the website hasn't been updated for this years.

Would you be willing to post this information or send a link out to the rest of us? I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks -
Grant

Vomitonme

05-17-2005, 07:14 AM

reedgw

05-17-2005, 01:24 PM

Here's the general information for the 2004 match at MCO/MUO

http://www.mco.edu/alumni/medicine/match_day.html

I have the papers for the 2003 and 2004 with more detailed information, but not on me at the moment. I'll scan them in on Friday.

hey thanks I'd appreciate that. any other information you have about MCO's curriculum would be great (aside from that provided online by their website, of course). i'm a perspective student there, so to speak, and i'd like any help you could lend me.

EMDrMoe

05-17-2005, 08:32 PM

What specifically do you want to know about the curriculum? Feel free to PM me or ask here - either way's fine :)

EMDrMoe

05-17-2005, 08:36 PM

reedgw

05-17-2005, 11:24 PM

What specifically do you want to know about the curriculum? Feel free to PM me or ask here - either way's fine :)

I already have a firm grasp of MCO's curriculum, but I'm always looking for additional resources! Are you a student at MCO, and if so, are you familiar with the MEDStart program, because I am a MEDStart student for the class of 2010! Get back to me if you can.

neuronerd

05-18-2005, 02:39 PM

Hey everyone, I'll be joining you next year at MCO. I got my acceptance on Monday. I couldn't believe it since I was one of the last people they interviewed and I'm out of state. Feels great.

sfbear

05-18-2005, 03:16 PM

Where are you coming from?
Congrats on the acceptance!

nyc25

05-18-2005, 08:28 PM

Could anyone let me know the apartments that are within walking distance of MCO Thanks.

nyc25

05-19-2005, 11:02 AM

bump

Hallm_7

05-19-2005, 11:41 AM

Here's some I found on apartmentguide.com

Oak Hill Court: 1BR $315-$370/month
Arlington South: 1BR $389/month

There may be more, but this was all that was listed on apartmentguide.

nyc25

05-19-2005, 01:22 PM

Thanks Hallm_7: Are these places walking distance from campus because I don't have a car.

Here's some I found on apartmentguide.com

Oak Hill Court: 1BR $315-$370/month
Arlington South: 1BR $389/month

There may be more, but this was all that was listed on apartmentguide.

sfbear

05-19-2005, 01:37 PM

How are you guys looking for apartments? Big online site mostly? Toledo Blade? I feel like I'm only coming across the really major complexes. Has anyone tried contacting the school to see if they have any relocation advice?

NYC - you can always use mapquest to see what's walking distance.

neuronerd

05-19-2005, 02:25 PM

Where are you coming from?
Congrats on the acceptance!

Hi!! I'm originally from California (graduated Berkeley) but right now I'm in DC at the NIH. I'm thrilled to go to mco. I loved the tour students there, they were awesome. I hope I'm like that too!!

I was wondering where people are planning to live. I called and they said that they have free and plentiful parking for students and that you can easily live nearby and drive a little to school. That's what I want to do but I want to live in a complex with lots of other med students. Are there any nice and popular complexes that anyone knows of??

Also, is anyone familiar with how to get started on the residency applications and such since I'm sure we have to start applying now for next year, right?

Maybe I'm being overzealous but I'm super stoked about this whole thing. I've never been so far from home and I'm looking forward to it!!

Can't wait to meet you all . . . .

neuronerd

05-19-2005, 02:31 PM

oops, I didn't read all of the other posts . . .I guess we are all apartment hunting. . .

the lady on the phone was very nice and said that they will send all apartment and moving guides in the middle of June. But that's when i want to go sign my lease so i don't know.

The apartments on apartments.com (link given by mco website) looked super cute . . especially coming from Berkeley and DC. . .yuck.

Emergency!

05-19-2005, 03:32 PM

the lady on the phone was very nice and said that they will send all apartment and moving guides in the middle of June. But that's when i want to go sign my lease so i don't know.

Last I looked, apartments were not really anywhere close to being in short supply in Toledo. There are a LOT of apartment complexes in the MUO area. I think you will be safe waiting until they send the guide out and making some decisions from there. I know there was a complex that looked pretty nice that my TA was looking at when she got accepted in July and they had openings in all of their available floor plans. A lot of med students were renting at that complex.

Remember that the area around MUO is not like a traditional college campus area. There are probably more people employed at MUO than there are students, so there is all kinds of housing.

neuronerd

05-19-2005, 03:47 PM

oh, sounds good. I guess I will wait then . .thanks for the tip. I just want to make sure that I get a place with at least some students that I can pair up to study with.

Thanks though. I better not jump the gun.

Emergency!

05-19-2005, 06:36 PM

[QUOTE=neuronerd]oh, sounds good. I guess I will wait then . .thanks for the tip. I just want to make sure that I get a place with at least some students that I can pair up to study with.QUOTE]

My friend there says that the students are spread out all over the place, so if you want to make sure there are other students to hang out with, you might want to wait and see what MUO sends you in June.

Hallm_7

05-19-2005, 07:25 PM

Neuronerd,
Congrats on your acceptance! That's awesome that you're at NIH. I almost worked there last summer but decided to work in a lab somewhere else (in large part b/c housing was rediculous). I'm going to be in Toledo Monday-Wednesday of next week looking for apartments. I have a list of complexes that I'm interested in, and I'm just gonna make the rounds at all of em. I'll be sure and relay what I learn on this thread for all of you. Do you know when you are going to be in Toledo looking for apartments? There are tons of apartments in the Southern half of Toledo because of UT and MUO, so I don't think you'll have problems finding an apartment. I also wouldn't worry about the residency app until you get there. They aren't strict at all, so I think as long as you live there for a year they're cool with it. Just make sure you register your car, register to vote, and set up residency before school starts so that by the time second year starts you will have the needed one year of Ohio residency.

NYC,
Yeah, both of those complexes are adjacent to campus and within easy walking distance.

alanlee

05-19-2005, 07:39 PM

Hi all! Unless I hear from another school that I'm waitlisted at, I'll be @ MCO in August...

I heard from some current students that the apartments within walking distance were sketchy (no violent crimes, just noise and drug stuff), so I've been looking about a 10-minute drive from campus. SaltySqueegee had a thread going from last year... you can probably find it by searching for "MCO Apartment Living" or something like that.

I'm from CA, but have spent the last few years in Ann Arbor (an hour north of Toledo). Actually, I've gone down to Toledo a few times to look for housing; I can post more if any of y'all are interested!

nyc25

05-19-2005, 07:54 PM

neuronerd

05-19-2005, 08:24 PM

alanlee

05-19-2005, 09:53 PM

Since I'm stuck in lab @ 11 PM at night, I'll post some more info re: what little info I've gathered on apts in Toledo:

- the 3 students I talked to on my interview day said to avoid the apartments that I saw driving into campus... all I can remember is that one of the tour guides lived @ Southbridge Square, and moved out his 2nd year. He said it's not dangerous persay, but just not a good environment. LOL... and looking at apartmentguide, they changed their name to Deerfield Run.

Sorry I can't be more helpful w/ apartments within walking distance, I unfortunately have a LOT of personal belongings (i.e. a piano), so I've been looking at places farther away from campus (still a 10 minute drive) with central a/c, a carport, and a dishwasher (the 3 amenities I decided I must have).

I initially was looking at the area around Southwyck Mall (SW of campus), because the rent is dirt cheap for a huge pad. But some SDN'ers and the Toledo Police recommended against it... again, not for personal safety issues, but for drug dealing and break-ins that occur with more frequency down there.

The area to the south of campus, especially in Maumee (the "rich" suburb) is quite nice; I saw an apartment complex off of Key St south of Heatherdowns that was quite nice, unfortunately I can't remember what the name was.

Other complexes that I do remember looking at (within a 10 minute drive of campus, in a decent neighborhood) are: Heathergate Club, Country Club, Cloisters-Kensington, and Orchard Lakes. If I end up in Toledo, I plan on signing a lease @ either Country Club or Orchard Lakes (and already have an application in at both places).

Here's the link to SaltySqueegee's thread last year: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=117005 .

-Al

lizbjrddnr

05-19-2005, 09:54 PM

I'm going to be living at Heather Hills on Heatherdowns. It's a really nice location- lots of green! A pool, washer and dryer in the apartment, lots of parking included in the rent, and an extra storage room. I fell in love with the place as soon as I saw it, although I went on to see about 8 other places before coming back and putting down a security deposit! Let me know if anyone else is planning on living there :).

Hallm_7

05-19-2005, 11:09 PM

Here's a an attachment of apartments I made tonight. It's got 25 apartments or so listed with address, phone #, rent, etc. This is by no means a complete list, and I'm not sure what the condition of these places are. Hopefully it helps out some though.

nyc25

05-20-2005, 08:54 AM

wow Hallm_7, Thanks so much!!!!!

sfbear

05-20-2005, 09:39 AM

Hallm_7,

Thanks! Congrats to you! Thanks for posting all this neat information. It makes you feel better when there's other people sharing with you. I will be in Toledo for a few days in June (not sure when, maybe towards middle to end after the information gets sent out?) so I'll try to add my take on it. I'm happy to hear that they are not so strict on residency. I was going to change residency to Maryland this year if I didn't get in anywhere so I wouldn't be "another Californian" but now I don't have to. yay.
I'm actually reeeeally glad to be moving to a place not as fast pace as DC and most of my apartment jitters is more of a excitement thing. Can't wait. ahhh.

Another Berkeley grad! What year did you graduate? I finished in Dec. 2001 (extra semester for a minor that I will never use) and I'm living in San Francisco now. I definitely share your apartment jitters - I just keep reminding myself that it's actually easy to find places to live out there that won't take half your paycheck, but it sometimes is hard to actually believe. :)
I didn't realize that there's a medical student orientation page on MUO's website under the student affairs section (I think I'd looked at every other page but that one) until this morning, and it looks like it's got some good info.
We're planning on going to Toledo for a couple days in June (probably sometime during the third week) because we want to start a lease in July. My husband needs to find a job and he's having some luck from here, but I think it'll be easier out there.

And THANK YOU to everyone who's posted info on apartments. Hallm_7, that's great info. I never thought I'd be excited to move to Toledo!

neuronerd

05-20-2005, 10:58 AM

Hey sfbear,
I was suspecting that you had something to do with Cal but I wasn't sure . . .I also did an extra semester for a minor(English) and I ended up graduating in 2003. Maybe we can meet up something in the third week of June if we are both in Toledo. That would be nice.

I was looking into the Heather Hills complex as well for moving in. I liked the floor plan, if it's the same one that I'm thinking of.

The most important thing that you guys have posted is this safety information . . .I was completely naive to think that I can rent anywhere in Toledo and be completely safe. Thanks again.

alanlee

05-20-2005, 12:43 PM

Hey all...

Don't get me wrong, Toledo isn't NEARLY as bad crime-wise as the hood of a major city (i.e. Compton, south Chicago, etc.)... some places are just better than others. I'm an ex-football player, so I shouldn't be worried, but I guess I'm just paranoid. ;) Something 'bout living in a bubble for the past 7 years (Ann Arbor is a hella safe town).

I'll second Heather Hills as a very nice apartment complex... only negatives I can remember are a few very large speed bumps (I think), and no carports; which gets kinda sucky in the Midwest winters.

If anybody's gonna be in Toledo and wants to meet up, let me know! It's only an hour drive south from a2, and it'll be good to meet my future classmates!

nyc25

05-23-2005, 04:23 PM

Does anyone have any info. on the arlington south apartments? Is it nice? Is it in a safe neighborhood? Are there any current students who live there?

sfbear

05-23-2005, 05:22 PM

nyc25

05-23-2005, 05:28 PM

It looks like I'll be heading out to Toledo either late June 11th or early the 12th. If anyone wants to meet up for dinner or something (maybe that Monday?) let me know. Also, I'll be looking at a bunch of apartments (don't have my list compiled just yet, though) and I'd be happy to check out places for people because, hey, i might end up living there too. so nyc, if no one gets back to you before then i'll check it out and see what people say.
Thanks sfbear, I would really appreaciate it.
I would definitely, appreciate if you could look up some apartments for me. are you going to stay in the hotel on campus to visit the apartments? Also how are you getting around when you get there?

sfbear

05-24-2005, 12:04 AM

Thanks sfbear, I would really appreaciate it.
I would definitely, appreciate if you could look up some apartments for me. are you going to stay in the hotel on campus to visit the apartments? Also how are you getting around when you get there?

Not a problem. Arlington South's on my list. Any others? I'm not sure where we're going to stay yet because my husband will probably need to stay for at least a week to job hunt. We stayed at the Hilton on campus for my interview, though, and it was nice to be so close. The hotel was just getting renovated so there weren't too many rooms open, but they should be done by now. Our room was just redone, so that was nice. We rented a car (flew into detroit - it's cheaper) and we'll probably do that again. I don't know if the Hilton has an airport shuttle from the toledo airport, but i would guess they probably do. It seems like there's a lot of public transport in toledo as well, but i don't have any info on that.

Emergency!

05-24-2005, 04:54 PM

Hey all! Thought I'd post a couple of articles of interest to you from today's online edition of the Toledo Blade (www.toledoblade.com).

The first article: link here (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/NEWS32/505240387/-1/NEWS)

Article published Tuesday, May 24, 2005

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY
Campus housing is being studied
Majority of students indicate an interest

The Medical University of Ohio is exploring whether to build on-campus housing for some of its medical, nursing, and allied health students.

The project would likely be jointly financed and owned by the Medical University of Ohio Foundation and Columbus-based Edwards Communities Inc., which is building a luxury apartment complex near the University of Toledo.

Larry Burns, foundation president, said the project is "still in the early stages" but he hopes to get final approval from the MUO board by the end of the summer with construction completed in about two years.

"We'd probably start small with 150 to 200 beds and then see how it would go," Mr. Burns said. "We need to make sure what we build not only appeals in location and amenities but also [to] a wide range of students price-wise."

Dr. Lloyd Jacobs, MUO president, likes the idea of his institution having on-campus housing, adding that "I really hope we can do this."

Many students agree. The foundation surveyed about 200 MUO students last month to see if they'd be interested in on-campus housing and 67 percent said yes.

MUO has 586 medical students, 284 graduate students, and 231 health science students. It also trains about 1,000 nursing students through a cooperative agreement with the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University, and those students would also be eligible to use on-campus MUO housing. Mr. Burns said the leading site now is a location somewhere on the south side of the MUO campus. Whatever area is picked, it has to be within easy walking distance for students, he said.

Emergency!

05-24-2005, 04:57 PM

Next article of interest: link to article (http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/NEWS21/50524018/-1/NEWS)

Article published Tuesday, May 24, 2005

MUO board approves boosts in tuition, fees

Medical University of Ohio students will pay more in tuition and fees starting this coming school year.

The MUO board of trustees yesterday approved 8 percent tuition increases for in-state and out-of-state medical students. That means in-state students will now pay $9,615 per semester, starting in the fall, and $1,030 in fees, which went up 5 percent.

Out-of-state students will pay $23,655 per semester, starting in the fall. Tuition has steadily increased at MUO.

Tuition increased 6 percent last year, 10 percent the year before, and 11 percent the year before that.

MUO doctorate students will see tuition increases of about 3 percent, while graduate student and certificate students will see 10 percent increases.

Not counting undergraduate nursing students, MUO has about 580 medical students and 441 students in other areas of study.

alanlee

05-24-2005, 05:59 PM

Thanks Amy, for the articles! I can't believe tuition has been jacked so much over the past few years... I guess this is a trend...

Has anyone received their financial aid package yet from MCO? I called today, and the person I spoke with mentioned LATE JUNE! That seems really really late...

nyc25

05-24-2005, 05:59 PM

that really sucks!!!!

Emergency!

05-24-2005, 06:14 PM

that really sucks!!!!

All tuition hikes suck, but keep in mind that MUO's tuition is not out of line when compared to the other state schools in Ohio. The 10 and 11% hikes occurred at a time when MUO was struggling financially and still didn't increase their tuition above the other state schools. Prior to those increases, MUO's tuition was an incredible bargain.

nyc25

05-24-2005, 07:13 PM

Help!!! I'm beggining to have second thoughts about my decision. Is this normal? Please someone let me know why MCO Rocks!!! I know it does but I just need further validation to stay firm in my decision.

HRowPhern

05-24-2005, 08:07 PM

Wow! This thread has exploded since I last checked it. I'm glad to see others as excited about starting at MUO as I am. I guess I should also mention that I am a Toledo native, so maybe I can help answer some questions about the area. I won't promise to know everything, but feel free to ask. I'm looking foward to meeting everyone this summer.

Emergency!

05-24-2005, 08:12 PM

Help!!! I'm beggining to have second thoughts about my decision. Is this normal?

Yep, its definitely normal. Despite saying all along that OSU was my #1 choice due to husband locations, I still had a hard time withdrawing from MCO when I got accepted off of OSU's waitlist last week.

nyc25

05-26-2005, 04:35 PM

Just wanted to let everyone know that the new web address for MCO/MUO is www.meduohio.edu I think I like this address.

teh-t

05-26-2005, 04:51 PM

amy i had a similar choice, but MCO made me an offer i just couldn't refuse

add me to the class of 2009!!

Emergency!

05-26-2005, 05:03 PM

amy i had a similar choice, but MCO made me an offer i just couldn't refuse

add me to the class of 2009!!

Unfortunately, since I didn't get any great scholarship offer, the decision came down to living with my husband for the next four years or living in Toledo during the week and only being home on weekends. If I had been offered a great scholarship opportunity, it would have made the decision even more difficult.

teh-t

05-26-2005, 05:19 PM

it was the most difficult decision i have made in my life

Hallm_7

05-28-2005, 05:21 PM

lizbjrddnr

05-30-2005, 09:46 PM

Hey guys,
Just gonna let you all know that I just got back from Toledo after looking at apartments for a couple days. I finally chose Heather Hills after two days of driving around and taking tours. It's $574/month with gas, water, and trash removal included. It has a washer and dryer in the unit, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and balcony. Before travelling up and seeing the different places I had decided to spend $450-500 per month, but I found Heather Hills and loved it. It had everything I wanted, was in a really nice area, and is kept up very well. If anyone has questions about it or any other suggestions just ask.

Hey Hallm 7 - I'll be in Heather Hills too- starting at the end of June. We should meet up, I am really looking forward to living there!

Hallm_7

05-30-2005, 10:08 PM

neuronerd

05-31-2005, 09:48 AM

It looks like I'll be heading out to Toledo either late June 11th or early the 12th. If anyone wants to meet up for dinner or something (maybe that Monday?) let me know. Also, I'll be looking at a bunch of apartments (don't have my list compiled just yet, though) and I'd be happy to check out places for people because, hey, i might end up living there too. so nyc, if no one gets back to you before then i'll check it out and see what people say.

Hi, I think that June 10th - 12th is the best time for me to go to Toledo also. Out of the ones on the internet, I like the Heather Hills apts the best and if there's already two of you guys living there . . .I'm really interested in moving there so we can support each other. Exciting. I'm going to buy my tickets either tonight or tomorrow for those dates so sfbear, if you and your husband are in town maybe we can meet up and compare apts etc.
Two more months guys!!

Jason110

05-31-2005, 09:57 AM

Hey guys,

while I won't be going to MUO this coming fall (they offered me a lot to come), I am a Toledo native and am willing to answer any questions you may have about Toledo, etc.

Also, I found this article in the Toledo Blade (which is the major Toledo-area newspaper). It's about MUO planning on-campus housing. It obviously won't be available when you start, but heres the link anyway:

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/NEWS32/505240387&SearchID=73209742879546

Jason

sfbear

05-31-2005, 02:28 PM

Hi, I think that June 10th - 12th is the best time for me to go to Toledo also. Out of the ones on the internet, I like the Heather Hills apts the best and if there's already two of you guys living there . . .I'm really interested in moving there so we can support each other. Exciting. I'm going to buy my tickets either tonight or tomorrow for those dates so sfbear, if you and your husband are in town maybe we can meet up and compare apts etc.
Two more months guys!!

I was looking at ticket prices, and i'm starting to think I'll go out there at the end of the week instead of the beginning. and it's always easier to get time off work at the end of the week rather than the beginning. i'm not sure yet - i'll decide tonight, though. i'm just excited to get everything started. :)

sfbear

06-01-2005, 03:32 PM

So ignore my previous post - I'll still be there at the beginning of the week (approx. 12th - 14th).

ds401

06-02-2005, 10:56 PM

Hey guys,
Just gonna let you all know that I just got back from Toledo after looking at apartments for a couple days. I finally chose Heather Hills after two days of driving around and taking tours. It's $574/month with gas, water, and trash removal included. It has a washer and dryer in the unit, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and balcony. Before travelling up and seeing the different places I had decided to spend $450-500 per month, but I found Heather Hills and loved it. It had everything I wanted, was in a really nice area, and is kept up very well. If anyone has questions about it or any other suggestions just ask.

Is the apt. a 1 or 2 bedroom?
Does that rate include a carportor garage?
Unit air conditioning or central air?
Cable/Internet Company?
Do they require co-signer for the apartment lease?
Gas....Heat is gas and not elect?
What kind of deposits and fees are required and for what ?

What would be ur second choice?
What if 500. was ur limit what apt. would u choose?
pets? My concerns are allergies if pets are allowed.

thanks!

Hallm_7

06-03-2005, 12:44 AM

That rate is for the 1 BR on the second or third floors. First floor 1 BR are $530-540 b/c they don't have washer/dryer. There are no carports or garages at this complex, so it's all outdoors. The heat is gas and is included in the monthly rent, and it's central air. This apartment has Buckeye Cable for tv and internet, and there were also brochures for SBC and DSL. The lady there said that you can package cable and internet together for $35/month or so. However, that is the bare minimum of channels and the slowest internet speed. They don't require a formal co-signer I don't think, but we'll all qualify to live there without one anyway......our yearly loans and grants equal the required 2x or 4x yearly rent. I had to pay a $50 application fee, and I think it's a $150 security deposit, but I'm not sure b/c that seems really low.....maybe it was $250.....who knows? Only cats are allowed, and I wouldn't worry too much about allergies b/c they re-paint everything and replace carpet when a new tenant comes in.

I also liked Kings Cove which is nearby, but decided against it b/c they didn't have either washer/dryer or dishwasher. It was ~$430-480 for the various 1 BR, and it is well-kept. Good luck!

Vomitonme

06-03-2005, 08:11 AM

I dunno if this a stupid question but I've never lived in an area where it snowed.

When exactly is the snowy season and how long does it last?

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-03-2005, 09:03 AM

I dunno if this a stupid question but I've never lived in an area where it snowed.

When exactly is the snowy season and how long does it last?

Definitely not a dumb question---but it all depends. Around here snow can start anywhere from the end of October or November-ish ( I have fond memories of Trick or Treating in the snow with gloves on and wearing a winter jacket under my costume!) and last till April latest. The worst months seem to be January and February in terms of it being cold and not wanting to get out of bed and into your car in the freezing cold--it can get kind of depressing! You'll be fine though--its not as bad here as a lot of people make it out to be. Driving in the snow isn't that bad either, it just takes some getting used to and maybe some sand bags if you're driving a really light car.

sfbear

06-03-2005, 10:15 AM

bumping for the class sticky

EvoDevo

06-03-2005, 10:16 AM

Moving to the Allopathic forum. Congrats guys! :)

neuronerd

06-03-2005, 03:21 PM

sfbear

06-03-2005, 04:30 PM

I don't actually have any info on the apartments, but I had the school send me some apartment info as well and it just turned out to be a rent.com magazine/ad thing. it's got a useful grid in the front that summarizes the rent, amenities, location, etc., but i wouldn't get too excited about it.

let me know how the drive goes! i'll be making it in july. :)

alanlee

06-03-2005, 10:34 PM

So I was going to make the big drive to Ohio tonight but my driving partner flaked out on me so I'm going to drive to Ohio next week.

I have a couple places that I looked at online and I was wondering if there is anyone who went to these places and what did they think. Here's what I though while looking on internet. Sorry if things like this have been posted, I didn't read it all. . .

Williamsburg of Toledo-gives 20 bucks discount a month to students for 527 a month w/o washer/dryer

Vantage Villa-cheap and close to school

Swan Park- ?

Country Club Apartments at Inver West- furnished apartments for 600 bucks a month, in unit washer dryer, carport, the works . . . they said that a lot of MCO students live there and also some faculty. Can anyone confirm??

Thanks guys, any advice would be appreciated. I asked the admissions office to send me the housing information but I'm not sure when it'll get here.

I can talk about Vantage Villa and Country Club (both owned by the same management company)... some faculty definitely live @ Country Club, I met an Indian professor @ MUO who lives there when I visited - really nice guy and highly recommended the place. It's really nice there, and close to the school too!

Vantage Villa on the other hand... there's a reason it's so cheap. It's right by Southwyck Mall (which is dying... 50% occupancy last I checked, and right down the road from the Budget Inn - the Toledo Police had to shut it down b/c of the drug problems). They'll give you a hard sell, and it's pretty appealing @ first glance - I actually put down a $100 application fee at this place before I talked with current MUO students and the TPD. I immediately withdrew my app (and lost the $100), but figure a loss now is better than having someone break into my apartment later. =P Again, it's not for personal safety issues, but moreso property safety (i.e. I like to keep my personal belongings).

I'm giving Cinci 'till June 30th to take me off their WL, then I'm going to sign a lease @ either Country Club or Orchard Lakes. If anyone signs a lease before me @ either place, let me know and I can say you referred me - I think you'll get $150 out of it... all I ask is one dinner in return. :)

lizbjrddnr

06-04-2005, 04:16 AM

lizbjrddnr

06-04-2005, 04:19 AM

That's awesome! I actually think we talked about you quite a bit. Are you the one that wanted the third floor apartment? It's looking like I'm going to be moving into what is now the model apartment. At the end of July they're moving the model to the unit above the office, so they gave me the unit it is in now. I really loved that complex, and I can't wait to move in either. I won't move up until the first of August, but when I do I'll be sure to get in touch with you.

No, I didnt' want 3rd floor- I'm in the second floor in one of the buildings (second from bottom - I"m not sure if they call it the 1st floor and the one below it ground level). Awww, I wanted the model!! :)

ds401

06-05-2005, 01:14 AM

Ohio real estate prices are not California nor Chgo. You should be able to find a decent apt for 500-575. including heat for a student. It is probabally 3-4 times that amount in chgo. As for location....it appears that off I 80/90 exit 59, Heatherdowns rd. or hwy 475 exit 23 (approx.). Also, I looked under www.toledoblade for the crime statistics and key. They have everything listed, alittle too much listed- very tedious reading.

These are the apts. I came up with so far:

heather hills
valley stream
heathbriar
glendale
southwyck Park (2 different locations)
mossing
pinetree
the ridge

Any opinions regarding safety, ect. ?

bananachip

06-06-2005, 06:55 PM

what about the apartments across the street from MCO? how much are they? are they nice?

Hallm_7

06-08-2005, 07:58 AM

Unless you have no car and must walk to school stay away from the ones adjacent to MUO. In general, MUO students live to the South or West of MUO.

Has anyone received their awards letters from Financial Aid yet? It seems like it should be about time for them to send that stuff out, and I was just curious to see if anyone else had received them.

Vomitonme

06-08-2005, 08:49 AM

Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Haven't gotten anything as of yet. Did they say they would be sen tout mid-June or we would receive them mid-June? Either way, they're pretty slow about this stuff.

what about the apartments across the street from MCO? how much are they? are they nice?

From what I've heard, those apartments aren't too great although they are cheap as hell, somehting like 350-400 a month for a 1 bedroom but I remember reading past posts about how it's not the safest in terms of personal items getting taken etc.

I had a question about the MUO website, is there a student/faculty directory that lists people's email addressses or something like most undergrads have?

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-08-2005, 10:47 AM

[QUOTE=Vomitonme]Yeah, I'm in the same boat. Haven't gotten anything as of yet. Did they say they would be sen tout mid-June or we would receive them mid-June? Either way, they're pretty slow about this stuff.

The date June 27th is sticking out in my mind--I believe that they will be mailed out that day.

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-08-2005, 10:51 AM

I just checked, its definitely the 27th that they'll be mailed out---promissary notes for school-administered aid have to be signed by August 5th :)

bananachip

06-08-2005, 01:24 PM

what's wrong with apartments? who said they steal stuff?

its toledo...how bad can it be? I dont see the point of driving to school in snow from 15 minutes away if i can live right there.

neuronerd

06-08-2005, 03:35 PM

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has been able to get the average rent for the toledo area yet.

I'm wondering if it nears 500 or 600 because there's a huge difference there.

Is anyone here besides alanlee thinking of Orchard Lakes? Or apartments farther than that? I kinda don't want to drive 15 minutes in snow for an anatomy final.

Country Club doesn't cover the utilities. That's a big ouch for me. Out of my budget. But Orchard Lakes covers it 30 bucks more a month. It also has month to month carport leases for 25 bucks a month. . . . If anyone cares. . .

Alright folks, I'll get back to you on Sat. with what I find . . .
I would much appreciate any information on MCO students and where they live and the rent costs. But I think that everyone is in the same boat as I am.

Back to shopping.

Hallm_7

06-08-2005, 07:09 PM

what's wrong with apartments? who said they steal stuff?

its toledo...how bad can it be? I dont see the point of driving to school in snow from 15 minutes away if i can live right there.

There are some pretty rough areas in Toledo, just like any other large city. I lived near downtown for a couple months one summer, and for a couple weeks there was a gang war raging outside. Everyday there was someone else that was murdered, including one teenager who was shot and killed in a drive-by at a gas station where I regularly filled up.....talk about a reality check. While the MCO area definitely isn't as bad as those areas, it isn't the greatest area either. We're just trying to give you some pointers on places where you will feel safe. I can't imagine waking up every morning worried about your car being broken into or stolen. Also, car insurance rates are significantly higher in high-crime areas of the city, so while you may pay less for rent you may pay a lot more for car insurance.

alanlee

06-08-2005, 07:35 PM

what's wrong with apartments? who said they steal stuff?

its toledo...how bad can it be? I dont see the point of driving to school in snow from 15 minutes away if i can live right there.

Who = two Toledo Police officers I spoke with while I was looking at where to live. They explicitly told me that there's a strong correlation between # of break-ins and drug activity, and there's increased drug activity near Southwyck Mall.

I'll agree that Toledo isn't nearly as bad as some other cities (Detroit, parts of Cincinnati and Cleveland, etc.), but as Hallm_7 said, I'd rather live somewhere where I don't have to worry about my apartment/car being broken into. :)

bananachip

06-09-2005, 10:17 AM

yeah, that doesnt sound good...i remember speaking to some students who told me lots of MCO students lived there, and i saw some guy washing his porsche SUV in the parking lot, so i guess i thought it was a decent place. I might come up sometime and check it out...but as I am on waitlists, like many of you, i am hesitant to sign any leases just this second.

yeah MCO seems to be a bit tardy with their info...other schools mailed out finaid info weeks ago.

Hallm_7

06-09-2005, 11:21 AM

and i saw some guy washing his porsche SUV in the parking lot, so i guess i thought it was a decent place.

Is it just me or is seeing a Porsche SUV in an apartment parking lot that leases for $350/month a little suspect? :laugh: That may have been the best indicator as to what type of "businessmen" live there.... :eek:

bananachip

06-09-2005, 11:30 AM

Is it just me or is seeing a Porsche SUV in an apartment parking lot that leases for $350/month a little suspect? :laugh: That may have been the best indicator as to what type of "businessmen" live there.... :eek:

haha, he was indian or something, he looked like he'd probably be a professor there or something because he was older.

Anyway, i think you guys are overreacting. I guess i am male and from the city, so the notion of crime doesn't seem to scare me much, especially after I saw the apartments from the outside. Usually, dangerous places look dangerous. The aparments had looked well maintained to me from outside, so I will check them out. At least I know why you guys are looking elsewhere...i was wondering why people were not treating those apartments as unofficial MCO dorms.

The rents in toldedo are really cheap. There is no difference between paying 450 a month and 550, both are like 1/4 of the price of an apartment in the city.

Are you guys bringing 4 wheel drive cars? How cold is toledo? Do i need like 10 sweaters?

Hallm_7

06-09-2005, 12:15 PM

Are you from California? You mentioning that rent is 1/4 the price of other apartments kinda tipped me off. I don't know how you all in California deal with the housing prices, so moving to Ohio (well, actually anywhere b/w the coasts) is going to be much, much cheaper. What's really amazing is that Toledo has slightly higher real estate prices than what I am used to.

It will definitely get very cold in Toledo, and you'll need multiple sweaters unless you want to wear the same thing everyday. For January (which is the coldest month) highs on average only reach freezing, so there are many days where it will never get above 30 degrees, several days where it will never be above 20, and even a few that won't reach 10. I'm not going to have a 4-wheel drive simply because I don't want to buy a new car. The road crews in Toledo are probably pretty good since they deal with this all the time, so I would think the roads will be cleared pretty quickly after it snows. I don't know if you've ever driven in snow/ice, but snow actually isn't that bad to drive on. Ice (especially freezing rain) on the other hand is horrible. Just take it slow and give yourself plenty of stopping distance and you'll be fine.

nyc25

06-09-2005, 07:20 PM

Does anyone have information on the Arlington South apts. Are the apts. nice? Is the area okay? Thanks.

bananachip

06-10-2005, 09:00 AM

yeah they havent sent us anything. I need to know if I need a car because, i dont have one and i can't afford one, haha.

sfbear

06-10-2005, 09:42 AM

Here's the bus info for toledo. There's a route that goes to MCO (32R or something), so I would think that as long as you can get to there or live close to the line, you'd probably be okay without a car.

http://www.tarta.com/routes.htm

nyc, I'm heading out to Toledo tomorrow and I'll check out those apartments for you. I don't live there, and someone who does can probably tell you better than I can, but you can have my first impression. :)

bananachip

06-10-2005, 03:07 PM

any of you guys still holding out for a better schools? this waitlist stuff is killing me.

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-10-2005, 04:27 PM

yeah they havent sent us anything. I need to know if I need a car because, i dont have one and i can't afford one, haha.

I wouldn't say that you absolutely NEED a car since there is a bus line that goes to a lot of the plazas around the area, downtown, and to MUO, but since you will most likely be living in the suburbs, it will probably make your life a lot easier to have one. Bus fare is likely a dollar or less, which is good, but I'm not sure how convenient the hours are since Toledo is not a HUGE city, or how many transfers, etc. you would have to make to get to stores and other places you'd want to go to.

neuronerd

06-11-2005, 06:03 PM

So I just got back from Toledo today. I must have gone to over 11 complexes. Every time I saw a complex, I would stop there. I've decided on Orchard Lakes although it's quite a drive from the school. After living in Berkeley slums I wanted a new place and Orchard Lakes is no more than 3 years old. It's really quiet and you only have one neighbor, across the hall. All the appliances are new, something that I definitely cannot say for some of the other places. I went to all the places on my list except for Swan Creek and another because of good SDN advice.

From my experience there, I agree with SDN posters . . .the places really close to MCO like Deerfield Run, Hunter's Ridge where not good at all. It seemed loud and there were people just hanging out outside with a million kids in the street. I don't know, I didn't see any students there and they swore that federal law prohibits giving away that information (even though all the other complexes told me the percentage of students).

I went to the admissions office and talked with some students . . .a lot live in alt stone apartments and heather hills (they said something like 20%). But I didn't want a first floor apartment that was available. Heather Hills was filling up fast so if you're thinking about there, go check it out fast. Their waiting list is growing.

Anyway, now to the important stuff . . . .while I was chit chatting with the students, I noticed that they were stuffing F Aid envelopes. I talked with Bea and she said that they are getting ready to send them out. So they are coming folks . . .finally.

If anyone is still looking for places, I can answer some stuff. But remember that I was only there for two days.

bananachip

06-11-2005, 10:45 PM

anyone know anything about MCO's orientation? what do they do? do they read our names out like individually during the white coat thing, or is it like graduation from a big public high school, with no love?

i think i'll bring a car for the 3rd year...i dont think we need one for the first two years.

and we get our letters soon...yay! more loans!

Vomitonme

06-12-2005, 01:00 AM

neuronerd

Thanks for the heads up about the different places. Did you check out any of these apartments?

Amhurst
Heathergate Club Apartments
Southwyck Park Apartments

Hallm_7

06-12-2005, 06:16 PM

I didn't check out Amhurst closely but I know it's directly adjacent to Heather Hills (in fact my apartment will overlook the fence the two apartments. It looks nice, and it's in a good neighborhood.

You can mark off Heathergate Club Apartments for sure though. I went by and talked to them because they looked nice and new. However, when I went in and told the lady that I was an MCO student she said they couldn't rent to us. It ends up Heathergate Club is subsidized housing, and they can't rent to full-time students receiving federal aid. So that basically knocks all of us out. The only way any MCO students could live there was if the student had either another PART-TIME roommate or a roommate that didn't go to school anywhere.

EMDrMoe

06-13-2005, 06:00 AM

what's wrong with apartments? who said they steal stuff?

its toledo...how bad can it be? I dont see the point of driving to school in snow from 15 minutes away if i can live right there.
I've been MIA for a while, sorry. I live in the condos next to Heather Hills (at Reynolds & Heatherdowns) right off of the turnpike. As far as commute goes, I live in a better area than right next to school and it's 2.5 miles away. If I hit every light red, it takes about 12 minutes. I haven't had any safety issues, either.

EMDrMoe

06-13-2005, 06:04 AM

I'll be checking back more often, now, if you have any last minute questions :)

Llenroc

06-13-2005, 07:21 AM

Who = two Toledo Police officers I spoke with while I was looking at where to live. They explicitly told me that there's a strong correlation between # of break-ins and drug activity, and there's increased drug activity near Southwyck Mall.

I'll agree that Toledo isn't nearly as bad as some other cities (Detroit, parts of Cincinnati and Cleveland, etc.), but as Hallm_7 said, I'd rather live somewhere where I don't have to worry about my apartment/car being broken into. :)

That's really sad to hear. When I came to Toledo in 1995, the Southwyck mall was going strong. It had a huge decline between then and about 2000 during which Montgomery Ward's pulled out and most of its wing went with it. The area around Southwyck used to be one of the best parts of Toledo, since it's in the outer part of the city near the suburbs.

neuronerd

06-13-2005, 08:34 AM

neuronerd

Thanks for the heads up about the different places. Did you check out any of these apartments?

Amhurst
Heathergate Club Apartments
Southwyck Park Apartments

Hi there. I also went to Heathergate like hallm_7 and they told me the same thing . . no students. Amhurst was also in a nice neighborhood and close to other places that have MCO students. I went to see a model apartment on Friday but they were closed all day for some reason.

I went to several places near the Southwyck mall, I can't remember exactly which one the Southwyck Park apartments were (I'll check after work) but I did go there and I did not like it as much as the places on Heatherdowns. I pretty much thought Heatherdowns was the student street. First of all, there was construction on Reynolds Rd where most of those apartments near the mall are located off of and there was a traffic jam in the middle of the day on Friday. But people were telling me that Reynolds is a crowded street anyway. Second, the people there did not seem like students, they were just hanging around outside and stuff and looking at me as I drove past. I didn't like it but maybe I'm not used to that. The apartments there were not as old as the ones near the school. Those had really really gross appliances. But these were not new either.

I think that if you guys are going apartment shopping, you will get a good idea of the type of place by it's location. Every street seemed to have the same type of complexes (just about) so you would just pick a location really.

Hope this helps.

wjlj72

06-14-2005, 06:39 PM

:) Hi everyone, I will definitely be attending MUO this August, however I will be doing the 5 year program. I was accepted to other schools, but because of out of state tuition and closeness to my family I decided to attend MUO. I am very excited to attend MUO and I am not ashamed of being placed in the 5 year program. Is any other posted admitted into the 5 year program? Thanks a lot guys and congrats on everything!

bananachip

06-14-2005, 11:06 PM

you should go to a 4 year program man. Any money you're saving will be negated by the 35g's you're losing there, plus the year of lost salary which could be quite significant.

Anyway, if you're scared of failing med school or whatever, you wont, especially since you got into other schools.

Anyway, big ups to you and maybe i'll see ya there.

mco-det

06-15-2005, 01:10 PM

Ok, I applied early decision, so I didn't get the whole tour that everyone else got. So I may have some dumb questions that were answered then. I was wondering what the technology situation there. I was plannin to get a laptop for graduation. Is it worth the money? Should I get a Mac or something like a Dell, or does it matter?

Thanks for the help! :D

:cool: There is wireless available across much of campus and they are expanding it. I'm a 2nd year at MCO and I'm glad I have my own computer. If you do get a laptop, get a PC and go with the smallest, lightest thing you can otherwise you won't carry it with you. I would agree that otherwise just save your money and get a desktop for home use.

ds401

06-16-2005, 12:55 AM

Looking for used furniture as oppose to renting a truck. Where are the "good' thrift stores near MUO?

sfbear

06-16-2005, 09:53 AM

From my experience there, I agree with SDN posters . . .the places really close to MCO like Deerfield Run, Hunter's Ridge where not good at all. It seemed loud and there were people just hanging out outside with a million kids in the street. I don't know, I didn't see any students there and they swore that federal law prohibits giving away that information (even though all the other complexes told me the percentage of students).

So I'm back from Toledo, and I'd have to say I'd agree with this. For nyc who was curious about Arlington South, I did go and check it out. It was pretty run down, all the one bedrooms are on the bottom floor (which is partially below street level), and there are no locks on the building doors so anyone can just walk in. The only upside I saw was that the one bedroom is really large (nearly the same size as the two bedroom). Although I didn't go in the other two, Deerfield run is closer (backs up to arlington south) and looked to be a smaller complex. Both looked better maintained than arlington south, but maybe someone who's been in them can give you better info.

We're going to go with the Country Club apartments, and probably move in about a month. Which reminds me, I'd better get my TB test set up . . .

sfbear

06-16-2005, 09:55 AM

Looking for used furniture as oppose to renting a truck. Where are the "good' thrift stores near MUO?

I don't know about thrift stores in Toledo, but they do have the superstores (kmart, walmart) which have cheap furniture - some that's actually decent. and it might be easier to sell it when you leave if you have a matching set.

Hallm_7

06-16-2005, 03:07 PM

Which reminds me, I'd better get my TB test set up . . .

Actually your TWO TB tests. :D I got my first this week and I'll get my second in another week or so.

BTW, I checked in with Fin Aid and they told me to expect award letters late next week.

sfbear

06-17-2005, 11:17 AM

Actually your TWO TB tests. :D I got my first this week and I'll get my second in another week or so.

BTW, I checked in with Fin Aid and they told me to expect award letters late next week.

Two tests? I thought we only had to do one. I know it's a two-step test, but it has been a while since I had it done. Like ten years or so. Guess it's time to check the forms . . . .

That's great news about the fin aid stuff - it's about time!

Hallm_7

06-17-2005, 11:49 AM

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-17-2005, 02:11 PM

Yeah, on the form it has a row for PPD #1 with a place for date given and date read. Then below that it has a row for PPD #2 (1-3 weeks later) with a place for date given and a date read. I guess they really wanna be sure we don't have TB. Just curious, does anyone know what would happen if we tested positive for TB?

Well, I'm almost positive that they will first send you for a chest x-ray to determine whether you A.) respond with a false positive or have a reaction to the TB test (I know someone who had this happen who works in a hospital and she has to have a chest x-ray every year basically since she doesn't get an accurate skin test reading) B.) have been EXPOSED to TB C.) actually have TB.

A person who has been exposed/infected with TB but doesn't actually HAVE the disease will usually be given preventative therapy which takes a long time-months to a year- to complete. Someone who actually has the disease often only has to stay in the hospital for a few days and is given a lengthy treatment. You have to stay out of any health-care related work setting until you're considerered to not be infectious any more.

alanlee

06-17-2005, 02:11 PM

Just curious, does anyone know what would happen if we tested positive for TB?

Because I grew up in Taiwan, I was exposed to TB as a kid, so I come up positive anytime I have a TB test (which means I don't have to take one anymore though :D ).

I found out when I was like 13 (and wanted to volunteer @ the hospital), so they made me get a chest x-ray and put me on anti-TB treatment for 9 months (isoniazid). This was 10 years ago, but when I was working as a paramedic, all they required from me was a clean chest x-ray and documentation of my 9-month treatment. I think MUO wants the same thing.

No biggie (it's not like I have TB), and I don't have to be unnecessarily poked once a year. :)

EMDrMoe

06-17-2005, 10:34 PM

Looking for used furniture as oppose to renting a truck. Where are the "good' thrift stores near MUO?
Wanna buy a really nice futon?

gryff

06-19-2005, 07:54 PM

Hi,
If you have not found a roommate, I am a second year living in a condo with another friend and we are looking for one more roommate. It is fully furnished downstairs, all you need is bedroom stuff. It is a great location for a great price. If you are interested email me at cquatman@mco.edu

nyc25

06-20-2005, 03:15 PM

Looking for used furniture as oppose to renting a truck. Where are the "good' thrift stores near MUO?
bump
I'm very interested in this too. It's going to cost $900 to rent a trucj from NYC. So I think it's better for me to just rent furniture there.

EMPOWERurSELF!

06-21-2005, 03:01 PM

bump
I'm very interested in this too. It's going to cost $900 to rent a trucj from NYC. So I think it's better for me to just rent furniture there.

I think that there are quite a few near campus--I remember seeing some thrift stores/second hand stores near campus last summer in plazas but I can't recall exactly what streets they're on--I'll have to search it in Yahoo Yellow Pages. You may be better off looking at Salvation Army/Goodwill type of stores as opposed to garage or estate sales, since many of those places will deliver your furniture if you don't have a van/truck/station wagon. If you're just looking at furniture to last a few years until residency, Target, Value City furniture, and even Walmart have some inexpensive and not-so-bad stuff that is easy to assemble and comes in boxes that you can get home pretty easily no matter what kind of vehicle you're driving.

Speaking of furniture, I really need a couch and can't seem to find one under $400 anywhere--and thats one piece of furniture I would rather not buy used. Any suggestions out there, future MUO-ers????

HRowPhern

06-23-2005, 12:02 PM

Just got my FinAid packet in the mail today, June 23. Anyone else hear back?

Scoops

06-23-2005, 01:14 PM

Hellooooo everyone!!! I am going to MUO this fall. I found out in March, but I rarely get on this site. Anyway, I got an apt very near the school (Hunter's Ridge) because I want to be able to walk every day. But some people on here are kinda freakin' me out about it not being a good area...I am a single female and I live alone...should I really be concerned for my safety?

lizbjrddnr

06-28-2005, 06:53 AM

Hey all of my future classmates! I hope you're enjoying the last vestiges of your childhood this summer :) (jk).

I just moved into my apartment in Heather Hills, so PM or IM or whatever me once you get to Toledo and I'd love to hang out.

Oh yeah, if any of our "elders" (i.e. M2,3,4s) are checking this thread out, give me a holler too!

Adios

Art Vandalay

06-28-2005, 10:59 AM

anyone know how apartments near University of Toledo are like? and how far they might be from MCO.

Hallm_7

06-28-2005, 11:56 AM

UT to MUO will range somewhere betweeon 10 and 15 minutes depending on which side of campus you're on and what time of day. There are several redlights on Byrne and Dorr and they can take forever to get through in the mornings with traffic.

Liz,
I'm moving into Heather Hills on the 5th of August, so I'll definitely get in touch with you. I know there are a couple more MUOers moving up that same weekend, so we can all get together sometime after that...maybe on Monday so that we can all get a chance to settly in.

lizbjrddnr

06-29-2005, 07:54 AM

neuronerd

06-30-2005, 09:40 AM

Hi guys, I'm moving in that weekend too. But to Orchard Lakes. I would love to meet up with you guys. keep us updated!!

abefromann

07-05-2005, 01:22 PM

"I don't think MUO is competitive at all. I think they told us at our interview that the first two years are pass/fail. Clinicals are honors/high pass/pass etc. The students who were there on my interview day said they didn't even know their rank and didn't care to. For the purposes of AOA, the class is ranked, but I think the students are only allowed to find their class rank at the end of each year. I have a friend who is a M-3 at MUO - I will ask her. Actually, maybe I will try and get her to follow this thread and weigh in as appropriate."

Hey, guys. I'm going to be an M2 at MUO this year. I did my undergrad in NYC and am from Ohio originally. Amy, just to clear up any confusion, Y1 & 2 are F, P, HP, & H just like years 3 & 4 are. I chose MUO over Cincy primarily because of rumors I'd heard of the crazy competitive nature of Cincy. Class of 2008 at MUO is VERY laid back and not very competitive. The work is extremely challenging, needless to say, but the people are great. The city does suck, however. I'm coming from Cleveland and NYC, so I'm a bit spoiled from that end. My friends from Cali (San Diego, San Fran -- there seem to be a lot of them) are pretty much stifled by the small city atmosphere. However, apartments are cheap and cost of living is really low. My largish apartment: $400.

A word about the curriculum. The work is annoyingly hard, which is true of any med school. So get sleep NOW. The MUO professors for the most part are great and really easy to talk to and get help from. You'll be studying almost every day after class for many hours, so just make sure you're comfortable with the actual environment at MUO. I kind of wish I had chosen a more traditional (architecture-wise) campus and a large city. But I digress. The structure of subject matter is well done, with a regional approach for anatomy and separate block for biochem and genetics. Virtual slides are also convenient (when they are working!) and owning a computer is probably a good idea because of the direction that study materials are headed in. Overall, a very midwest environment so be aware of that. Any questions, write me.