Pacific Northwest University (PNWU-COM) Discussion Thread 2015 - 2016

[ryeela66]

It took me 3 weeks to get it from them. I think they have a heavy pre screen

Thanks!

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[RodeWarrior]

Can anybody comment on the type of interview process that PNWU has used in the past?

 

[usc_92]

It took me 3.5 weeks from committee to II so don't worry!

 

[ryeela66]

It took me 3.5 weeks from committee to II so don't worry!

When you say committee, did they send you an email before they sent you a secondary saying they were looking at your application.
Thanks.

 

[F#&$#^&&@theMCAT]

When you say committee, did they send you an email before they sent you a secondary saying they were looking at your application.
Thanks.

They dont send you an email before the secondary. The committee is referring to after you have submitted your secondary they will send you a complete email, then once your app is forwarded to the committee the status becomes "committee"

 

[NagisaStar]

Can anybody comment on the type of interview process that PNWU has used in the past?

When I interviewed it was 5 multiple mini interviews. We had a prompt that we read before entering the room, and when they called us in we talked about said prompt.
I think last year they might have added a few one on one interviews. This year will probably be a combo of MMI's and maybe one personal interview.

 

[Twifi]

When I interviewed it was 5 multiple mini interviews. We had a prompt that we read before entering the room, and when they called us in we talked about said prompt.
I think last year they might have added a few one on one interviews. This year will probably be a combo of MMI's and maybe one personal interview.

Are there actors in the room you have to interact with? Or is it just addressing the prompt with an interviewer inside, voicing your opinion about said prompt?

 

[NagisaStar]

Are there actors in the room you have to interact with? Or is it just addressing the prompt with an interviewer inside, voicing your opinion about said prompt?

Address the prompt with interviewer inside, voicing your opinion and experiences about the topic.

 

[lyana]

Anyone else kinda scared to live in Yakima if accepted?

 

[csivet21]

@Iyana why do you say that? Did something happen there?

 

[lyana]

well it's a pretty high crime area unfortunately.

 

[csivet21]

Really, I thought it was a small town in the middle of no where. Good information, thanks

 

[lyana]

Well let me clarify, Yakima itself is a pretty high crime area, however, there are probably more safe places to live around the school that are a little more expensive, for example Selah.
I would like the feedback of current students.

 

[nwmedapplicant]

well it's a pretty high crime area unfortunately.

I had the same concerns after looking online etc. before I started school.

However, I never once felt unsafe for the two years I was there. Yakima is like any large city with more dangerous areas.. many of us would come and go to school all hours of the night - the security is top notch and they maintain a very safe campus. Seriously. It's well lit, active video cameras, no bushes etc to hide - it was very well planned out to be safe (the head of security at the school was a Yakima County police officer for like 20 years - he takes security very seriously). The guard on campus is armed as well. These are all precautions to prevent crime (deterrent). In two years - the only incident on campus was a bike theft - in which they caught the guy literally a day later due to positive ID on video camera. There aren't any transients, strangers etc on campus - they run a tight ship!

The new apartments next door to the school as well as many of the local housing in Terrace heights is very safe. Now - I would caution to think twice about shopping at the Walmart at 12AM, or walking to school at 1AM though..so there are some common sense precautions that apply in any city you live in. but otherwise - where the school is located in Terrace heights is actually a very safe (family safe) place to live.

 

[nwmedapplicant]

Well let me clarify, Yakima itself is a pretty high crime area, however, there are probably more safe places to live around the school that are a little more expensive, for example Selah.
I would like the feedback of current students.

Selah is nice no doubt! many students that started in Selah - ended up moving closer to campus though. This maybe different with the next class as for my class - attendance to lecture during the first year (8 - 5pm) was mandatory. I've heard that's no longer the case. So if you study at home - you'll be commuting to school less and it won't be an inconvenience.

There really isn't any public places to study Id recommend. Some people studied at the popular coffee shop near 10th - but it sucks to have to take your things with you to the bathroom etc. I do know of someone who lost a laptop there that was in his bag behind him on the floor. My advice is study at home - or school. set your things up for the day - and grind away. when you get hungry or bathroom or exercise - just leave everything and come back. The little inconveniences add up when you are super busy with work.

 

[ipseama]

Most of the crime in Yakima is property theft/burglaries/stolen cars. So, if you don't leave your belongings open to be stolen, you should be ok.
The violent crime stats are actually lower than he national average.
Yakima isn't the wealthiest of areas, so like many areas where there are a lot of residents without adequate income, theft is increased.
Also, the school is kind of separated and off on its own. There really isn't much around it, but it's only a couple of minutes drive to Walmart or the downtown area. Terrace Heights is a nice little residential community with lots of homes and families in it. I think overall the campus and surrounding area seem to have much, much lower crime rates than certain neighborhoods according to the crime maps.

 

[Bones 2020]

Good luck to everyone else interviewing tomorrow! I'm excited to see what this school is all about

 

[lyana]

good luck!

 

[bumble1768]

Hmm.. I guess that does seem kind of low. Seems like it's slightly higher for the class of 2019. Either way, if you're a desirable applicant, being from California won't hinder you. Coming from a rural area and saying you'd like to practice in Washington will do wonders.

2019 has at least double that number of CA residents. I was worried about the regional bias when I interviewed but there's quite a few OOS in our class.

 

[bumble1768]

So, if someone is from out of the area they place them in the farthest rotations (Alaska)? Yikes. I am from CA and would prefer to do rotations in washington or oregon.

It depends on who is in the class, you have a higher chance of going where you have ties and you rank it as your top choice. For 2019 we have several people form those areas so people with out points will probably not be able to get those spots. It shifts every year and you do get to declare where you would like to go, you just won't get it if someone else has more points.

 

[Mrs.dr.B]

Thanks for all the info! I decided to give up the interview spot. Good luck to everyone!!

 

[ivanpeluches]

For anyone who interviewed yesterday, how did you feel that it went?

 

[Endorphins98]

Thanks for all the info! I decided to give up the interview spot. Good luck to everyone!!

Tell them to send it my way!!

 

[JLaw13]

For anyone who interviewed yesterday, how did you feel that it went?

Well, it's going to be stressful anytime you interview for a med school. However, their administration tries to make you feel comfortable. It was from 8am to 2pm

 

[ivanpeluches]

Well, it's going to be stressful anytime you interview for a med school. However, their administration tries to make you feel comfortable. It was from 8am to 2pm

Yeah they were very comforting, which is great! I felt that it was stressful at the beginning, but then as the day went by, it got much easier, mostly since the faculty and students were so welcoming.

 

[pjsdo16]

Interviewed today! Was very impressed with the students and faculty. If you're looking a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere with lots of encouragement then this would be a good fit. Their core rotation sites are all Northwest based and the school is very intentional about serving that area. Interviews were mmi format with fair questions and faculty that were helpful and responsive. Group "interview" was low stress and seems to be just an evaluation of how you work in a group setting. Overall a good school, but will need another 10 years to grow before it becomes "great". Just my humble opinion.

 

[ivanpeluches]

Interviewed today! Was very impressed with the students and faculty. If you're looking a relaxed, collaborative atmosphere with lots of encouragement then this would be a good fit. Their core rotation sites are all Northwest based and the school is very intentional about serving that area. Interviews were mmi format with fair questions and faculty that were helpful and responsive. Group "interview" was low stress and seems to be just an evaluation of how you work in a group setting. Overall a good school, but will need another 10 years to grow before it becomes "great". Just my humble opinion.

I know! The faculty and students were very impressive! How big was your interview group?

 

[pjsdo16]

I know! The faculty and students were very impressive! How big was your interview group?

There were two interview groups (one early morning the other late morning) of about 30 people each.

 

[chonc]

Agreed with @pjsdo16 . The school is off to a great start and the faculty/staff seem to go above and beyond to make sure that students succeed academically. Testimonials of faculty staying late into the night and on weekends to swing by study rooms and help out students before a test. Maybe it's the small-town feel of Yakima, but everyone was just super friendly and welcoming.

One thing that threw me off kilter was an MMI interviewer who didn't stay on topic and instead, chose to guide our 8-min discussion towards my interviews at other schools -- how many I had, if I had one at UW, and so on. It seems this person asked other interviewees the same question so I'm not too concerned. I guess the person was purely curious about how many PNW interviewees were also being interviewed at UW or was simply trying to see if I would choose PNW over UW. Whatever the reason, I don't think the nature of the question is fair. Anyway, the turnaround for acceptance notification is fast: <1 week! Committees meet Tuesdays after interviews to re-evaluate applicants, and begin calls on Thursday. I wish I could fall asleep from now until then.

 

[ivanpeluches]

I agree with @chonc. I felt that vibe and its amazing how much the faculty/ staff make PNWU so enticing. I believe that all the students want each and everyone to succeed. Some of the students I talked to said they believe that they will all be each other's referrals and colleagues when they graduate. Therefore, they all want to see each other do well and support one another to make sure they do. I didn't quite have that interaction with my interviewer, although I interviewed a day before. It's all out of our hands now. This week will be long so I hope I can distract myself long enough to survive! At least we are all vying for 140 spots which is always good!

 

[Mavs88]

Sent in my primary with a 65 LizzyM and not from the 5 states they focus on.

• Number of applications received: 4295
• Number of supplemental applicants: 1780

Does this mean only 1780/4295 got the secondary? Heavy pre-screen? Is that based on stats because they don't have the essay yet??

 

[ipseama]

I interviewed yesterday in the second group. I liked everyone that I had the opportunity to interact with, but I was a little thrown off by the fact that 64 were interviewed yesterday and another 32 (34 maybe, I can't remember) were interviewed on Friday. So almost 100 people already interviewing for ~140 spots. I guess schools traditionally accept more than they will need because of people turning down offers to attend other schools.
Besides that, the interview was MMI format. Don't go out and study medical ethical dilemmas because none of the scenarios I had really dealt with a life or death situation. I felt that 3/4 of them were really just about measuring personality factors and to make sure I wasn't crazy. The last MMI was just about your application. The time for the questions seemed to fly by. Just stay calm, be yourself, and don't stress.
The group interview was actually a really cool experience. I'm not sure how they will even grade it, but it was interesting for sure.
Eat something before you come. They didn't offer any type of snacks throughout the day until lunch time at 1. They also didn't have any drinks available until then either, so definitely bring something to drink. Don't make the mistake I did and chug your entire water bottle 5 minutes into the morning because you will hate your life.
It was definitely a different experience than my other interviews, but I still enjoyed it. Can't wait until Thirsday/Friday to hear back.

Good luck!

 

[chonc]

Yep, definitely didn't feel so special once the AM and PM groups joined up for lunch hah. Pretty sobering to know they have at least 5 interview dates left. Assuming they interview the same # of applicants each time, that'd be ~400 interviews for ~140 spots. That's not toooo bad.

 

[Low Flow]

Sent in my primary with a 65 LizzyM and not from the 5 states they focus on.

• Number of applications received: 4295
• Number of supplemental applicants: 1780

Does this mean only 1780/4295 got the secondary? Heavy pre-screen? Is that based on stats because they don't have the essay yet??

I'd say that probably means number of supplementals submitted. I don't think they screen before secondaries that heavily.

 

[ivanpeluches]

Yep, definitely didn't feel so special once the AM and PM groups joined up for lunch hah. Pretty sobering to know they have at least 5 interview dates left. Assuming they interview the same # of applicants each time, that'd be ~400 interviews for ~140 spots. That's not toooo bad.

I believe that with the later dates, they fit in 50-60 students per AM/PM groups. I remember when I interviewed the previous cycle after the first 2-3 dates, the two interview groups increased to 120 students per date! The benefit about interviewing earlier is that you get more time to meet and greet the faculty and staff. I remember trying to talk and get to know the staff with 60 people instead of 30 was difficult!

 

[IFinallyMadeIt]

On committee for 3+ weeks. Should I expect to hear back this week? I'm getting antsy, really want to see what PNWU is all about!

 

[Bones 2020]

Interviewed 10/3. I was really impressed with the facilities and access to professors and other resources. All of the staff and interviewers were very professional and personable (at least for my set of MMI's). The stations are basically what you would expect for any interview, both medicine and a professional world.

I'm not sure why people complain about Yakima so much. I've spent time in rural areas that are many times worse. I had dinner at Cowiche Canyon restaurant downtown and it was fantastic, may go to this school just for that food haha. I felt very safe the entire time. In fact, the university has to post their crime statistics each year: http://www.pnwu.edu/files/9214/4241/7245/Crime_Statistics_for_2012_2013_2014.pdf

In general, I'm really hoping for an acceptance here

 

[lyana]

Also interviewed on 10/3. Very laid back, staff and faculty were great, so were the fellow interviewees.
Hoping for some good news this Thursday.
Good luck everyone!

 

[I'mNoSuperman]

On committee for 3+ weeks. Should I expect to hear back this week? I'm getting antsy, really want to see what PNWU is all about!

+1. Complete since 9/15 and the anticipation is killing me.

 

[Endorphins98]

My status has been committee since 9/11, so hopefully some good news this week!

 

[Ceramium]

My status has been committee since 9/11, so hopefully some good news this week!

Same boat as well. Stuck in committee since 9/11. I need to stop logging on to check my status every hour

 

[guidedcurve9]

My status was complete on 7/30 and I didn't hear anything from PNWU until 9/9 when I got my invite to interview. It's taking a while so you just have to be patient.

 

[AKNP]

II this morning!

 

[IFinallyMadeIt]

II this morning!

Do you remember when you were placed on committee?

 

[AKNP]

Do you remember when you were placed on committee?

September 3rd

 

[Bones 2020]

Did anyone who interviewed write down the board scores for each year? I just remember that every class, except for the last year given, was above average for the board scores as well as passing rates. I can't find it online

 

[MedSchoolAdvice20]

Stuck on committee as well for one month grrrrrr.

 

[Low Flow]

Did anyone who interviewed write down the board scores for each year? I just remember that every class, except for the last year given, was above average for the board scores as well as passing rates. I can't find it online

I wouldn't worry about that too much. Board scores are very dependent on the individual, not so much the school. For what it's worth, I've been glancing at First Aid alongside classes and they seem to adhere to what will be on boards pretty well (I can only assume).

 

[jt.farmer]

Interviewed there on 10/3 and I think the best part about the interview process is that they get back to you in less than a week. Thursday cannot come soon enough

 

[ivanpeluches]

Anyone else getting nervous for tomorrow?