Western/COMP Discussion Thread 2008-2009

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For those who were interviewed or accepted already, any comments or warnings as to what to expect on interview day?

It was a long day, so be prepared to stay until 4 unless you are in the first two groups to interview. The lunch was mediocre and it was hard to keep my energy up all day (bring snacks?). Other than that, there are some presentations and an OMM demonstration and lots of waiting.
 
You know how it says "APPLICATIONS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN
30 DAYS MAY BE DELAYED IN PROCESSING."

If you send out your supplemental like 32 days later after receiving the secondary, are you screwed?
 
Sweet! I'll be the tall guy looking nervous as hell trying to be nonchalant. :scared:

In my experience, that's about 80% of the interviewee population. Tall guys trying to look nonchalant.😛
 
You know how it says "APPLICATIONS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN
30 DAYS MAY BE DELAYED IN PROCESSING."

If you send out your supplemental like 32 days later after receiving the secondary, are you screwed?

i dunno about screwed, but my guess would be that your app me be delayed in processing.
 
Just got my secondary....from what was said on the first page, that puts me in a pretty alright position.....top choice!......KA-CHING!
 
Ummm, I did some extensive searching on the Western U's website and I've been trying to find the link that actually leads me to a page that lists all the tuition and fees. What I found was a long essay-like cost-benefit discussion that never really lists their school tuition anywhere.

Does anyone know just exactly how much it costs per year in tuition to attend Western? And what are the living expenses if you plan to stay on campus?

Heh, is it THAT expensive that they can't just straight out listed on their site?
I'm far from being accepted to really consider this seriously, but it's still nice to know.
 
You know how it says "APPLICATIONS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN
30 DAYS MAY BE DELAYED IN PROCESSING."

If you send out your supplemental like 32 days later after receiving the secondary, are you screwed?

Possibly not. I ended up deciding I didn't want to pay the $ and apply to the school so I didn't complete the secondary at all. And then i still got an interview invite. Hmmm...strange. I locked it in and it's so far off that I'll see what happens in the meantime. Still didn't complete the secondary.:laugh:
 
Ummm, I did some extensive searching on the Western U's website and I've been trying to find the link that actually leads me to a page that lists all the tuition and fees. What I found was a long essay-like cost-benefit discussion that never really lists their school tuition anywhere.

Does anyone know just exactly how much it costs per year in tuition to attend Western? And what are the living expenses if you plan to stay on campus?

Heh, is it THAT expensive that they can't just straight out listed on their site?
I'm far from being accepted to really consider this seriously, but it's still nice to know.
Here is the link you were looking for,

http://www.westernu.edu/xp/edu/financial/financial-budgets-osteopathy.xml

Also you can't plan to live on campus unless you like sleeping outside or in a lecture hall. 😛 (they don't have dorms)
 
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Also you can't plan to live on campus unless you like sleeping outside or in a lecture hall. 😛 (they don't have dorms)

there's technically the Helix which is across the street, altho not owned by WesternU 👍

I actually wouldn't mind sleeping in lecture hall sometimes, if only to spare me the trouble of commuting to school on exam days... except they close buildings by midnight 🙁
 
so i totally misread the DO handbook. when Western listed their average scores under requirements, i thought they mean those were the cut offs. good thing my boyfriend caught on! so i added them to my list and just received their secondary.

my questions:
1. if i don't have a committee, how many LORs do they want? 2 sci profs and 1 physician? please correct me if i am wrong.

2. will they waive my secondary fee if i have an aacomas fee waiver? if so, do i mail them a copy with my secondary?

any help is appreciated. i'd call the office, but i really want to get out the secondary by monday morning (eastern time).

thanks all!
 
so i totally misread the DO handbook. when Western listed their average scores under requirements, i thought they mean those were the cut offs. good thing my boyfriend caught on! so i added them to my list and just received their secondary.

my questions:
1. if i don't have a committee, how many LORs do they want? 2 sci profs and 1 physician? please correct me if i am wrong.

2. will they waive my secondary fee if i have an aacomas fee waiver? if so, do i mail them a copy with my secondary?

any help is appreciated. i'd call the office, but i really want to get out the secondary by monday morning (eastern time).

thanks all!


I'm not sure about the fee waiver...but as for letters of rec, if you don't have a committee, they require letters from 1 sci professor and 1 physician.
 
I'm not sure about the fee waiver...but as for letters of rec, if you don't have a committee, they require letters from 1 sci professor and 1 physician.

Thanks!!

Can we send the LOR through VE or do they want snail mail?
 
I'm not sure about the fee waiver...but as for letters of rec, if you don't have a committee, they require letters from 1 sci professor and 1 physician.

they finally emailed me back.

if you don't have a committee, it's 2 sci profs and 1 physician.
 
they finally emailed me back.

if you don't have a committee, it's 2 sci profs and 1 physician.

That's odd considering the secondary application instructions says 1 physician and 1 science professor. Interestingly enough it's 2 science professors and 1 physician according to the aacom manual. For the record I sent in 1 professor and 1 physician...
 
Anyone know when the committee meets today?
 
is it true that this school is located within a strip mall or that it looks really weird because it is where the cat in the hat was filmed?
 
it is near downtown pomona, where the cat in the hat was filmed. the strip mall aspect did not bother me at all. To me, it seemed like a campus withing a city. And you won't be hanging outside much anyways. I loved that school!

is it true that this school is located within a strip mall or that it looks really weird because it is where the cat in the hat was filmed?
 
is it true that this school is located within a strip mall or that it looks really weird because it is where the cat in the hat was filmed?

haha thats a funny description, and partially true. it doesnt look wierd, its in a nice moderately small downtown area with a cool culture.
 
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YAHH I GOT MY INTERVIEW INVITE WITH WESTERN!!!!

I was complete yesterday 11/11, and got a call today for the interview, 11/12.

Best thing is that they gave me such a quick interview date (11/20) that I am excited to be there, even lthough, I'll be there for work that day. HA!

Who else is going to the 11/20th interview date?
 
YAHH I GOT MY INTERVIEW INVITE WITH WESTERN!!!!

I was complete yesterday 11/11, and got a call today for the interview, 11/12.

Best thing is that they gave me such a quick interview date (11/20) that I am excited to be there, even lthough, I'll be there for work that day. HA!

Who else is going to the 11/20th interview date?

Great! Considering how quickly the school issues its decisions, you will know by the end of the month! Good luck.
 
Congrats on the invite. Cool that you don't have to wait long for your interview.👍
 
Well guys, I interview tomorrow!!! :scared: Wish me luck and all that other stuff. :luck:
 
You know how it says "APPLICATIONS NOT COMPLETED WITHIN
30 DAYS MAY BE DELAYED IN PROCESSING."

If you send out your supplemental like 32 days later after receiving the secondary, are you screwed?


Hey sorry for the really late reply...NO you will not be screwed, I filled mine out like two months late (I never got the e-mail?!? Who knows what happened) and I'm interviewing tomorrow. Good luck and get it in asap 🙂
 
G'luck to those who interviewed today. Western had a practice earthquake drill, so I am pretty sure that delayed the agenda.
 
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G'luck to those who interviewed today. Western had a practice earthquake drill, so I am pretty sure that delayed the agenda.

ya it was pretty funny, i felt like i was in grade school again. we all went out to the parking lots and had to stay with our admissions counselor.

Western's board pass rates and match percentage were outstanding, i was thoroughly impressed today. Good luck to everyone waiting to hear back!
 
Hey everyone,

I just applied to Western and I'm waiting on possibly receiving a secondary.

DoktorB could you tell me what their match rate was and specifically how they stated it?

It was interesting, at my AZCOM interview they stated that 92% (or close to that number) got one of their top 3 picks.

However at my CCOM interview they said 81% got their TOP pick.

To me there is a big difference between these statistics and so I'm wondering how Western stated theirs....
 
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I visited Western today for the Osteopathic Medicine Awareness Conference. I didn't submit their secondary and went in part to confirm or dispel my fears about the place.

The positives: They have a good program and high quality students who match into many different specialties in many different hospitals. Their graduates definitely go places. The administration also seems well organized. A retired navy admiral is the dean and he was a friendly dude who answered a lot of questions.

The negatives: The campus sucked major balls. Man, I'm doing my postbacc at a crappy state school and it sucked worse than that. The inside of the health professions center was nice, and their OMM, cadaver labs, and lectures halls are well suited for their educational purposes. But damn, Pomona is depressing as hell. Despite it's major positives I do not want to go here. Other schools have the same positives. The four years of tuition I'd pay for Western could go to a cheaper school's tuition (i.e. Nova, UMDNJ) AND a 1 bedroom + 1 bath apartment's rent. This is just rationalization of course, bottom line is I don't want to go to school in California.

I'll post pictures later. I took pictures of the surrounding area, the exterior, the interior, the OMM lab, and the cadaver lab.
 
Hey everyone,

I just applied to Western and I'm waiting on possibly receiving a secondary.

DoktorB could you tell me what their match rate was and specifically how they stated it?

It was interesting, at my AZCOM interview they stated that 92% (or close to that number) got one of their top 3 picks.

However at my CCOM interview they said 86% got their TOP pick.

To me there is a big difference between these statistics and so I'm wondering how Western stated theirs....

ooh, good question.. they actually had it in a powerpoint presentation they showed us. I cant remember the percentage...they had some really competitive residency spots on their list i remember. it was very high..thats all ive got.
 
Correction... the CCOM percentage who got their TOP pick was 81% (had to look at my notes from the interview).
 
The Health Professions Center
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The first floor of the Health Professions Center
Many of the pharmacy students' classes are here.
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The student lounge, which is right behind the staircase area.
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The second floor of the Health Professions Center
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This is where simulated patient interactions occur
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Lecture Hall 2, where you'll be sharing classes with the DMD students (disclaimer: hearsay)
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The men's bathroom. Old, but the toilets flush adequately.
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Next time you should go to photobucket and resize your pictures so they aren't GIGANTIC.
 
The campus exterior
A random apartment complex nearby
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OMM and cadaver lab are in a seperate building
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First floor of the library
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More outside scenery
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just in case my last post gets engulfed by the 8 X 10 photos on this thread........you should go to photobucket and resize them!!!!!!!
 
The Helix, their on campus student housing
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Bartlett theatre, on the first floor of the health professions building. Where interviewees are given orientation I think.
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just in case my last post gets engulfed by the 8 X 10 photos on this thread........you should go to photobucket and resize them!!!!!!!
That's time I could spend in the lounge. I'll think about it.
 
I remember calling and asking if the envelope requirement was necessary and I was told it wasn't. However, if you want to be a good little boy/girl then just follow directions. gl

I just went to rite aid to find the correct sized envelope, but no luck! I guess I will just have to use the regular sized business envelopes...I tried!
 
get it from the post office they got one close enough... 6X9
business is too big...



I just went to rite aid to find the correct sized envelope, but no luck! I guess I will just have to use the regular sized business envelopes...I tried!
 
Hey ILikeFood, I also attended the osteopathic awareness info session. Our tour guide neglected to show us the medical library and Bartlett Theater, so thanks for the photos of everything 🙂laugh🙂 that I missed. Yeah the campus doesn't get any bonus points for aesthetics, but all the facilities were adequate and the new buildings look like they will be more modern and impressive. That includes the completed Banfield Pet Clinic, the future Health Education Center (which will be the new home of COMP) and Patient Care Center. The PCC will be the site of their new interprofessional case-based learning program, which sounds really cool, because in the future will you really be sitting around with six other doctors discussing one patient, or will you be sitting around with a PA, RN, PT, PharrmD, DVM (okay in real life the vet probably won't be there) but you get my point.

Everyone from the OMS1 tour guide to the dean seemed nice and laidback. An OMM faculty treated a girl from the crowd for some lower back pain. That was neat. They did spend too much time on "history/about osteopathy." I think if you bothered to attend you are a prospective student and thus have probably heard the DO taglines before. Student panel members didn't seem overly enthusiastic to be on the panel, but they all seemed happy with the school. Dean of Admissions said they've gotten tons of applications and might have to add more interview and committee meeting days. A lot of people had "Is it too late to apply" and Jan MCAT questions. She didn't discourage anyone but said apply right NOW. I submitted a week ago and continue to kick myself for my procrastination. Lunch was okay. I appreciated the veggie option, which was sprouts, avocado, and cheese on white bread, a bag of chips, a sad pasta salad and a lemon bar. I like free food. Area wasn't too bad, it's a commuter campus so the most important safety advice is to not to leave anything valuable visible in your parked car.
 
The pictures are great, but i think the school looks better in person. The only thing is that the surrounding area is really ghetto.
 
The pictures are great, but i think the school looks better in person. The only thing is that the surrounding area is really ghetto.

i hate the word ghetto. POMONA IS NOT A GHETTO.
 
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