2008-2009 Case Western Secondary Application Thread

[Phillyborn]

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All of my experiences with the Financial Aid office have been positive. I got in late off of the waitlist and still received some grants. I also ran into some trouble with identity theft that was going to make my GradPlus loans be at a much higher rate, and they increased the amount of school sponsored loans to fill the gap. So they are definitely helpful and willing to do what they can.

 

[chiz2kul]

As previous posters have noted, that number is very much the upper limit. As a current first year, I spent (or will have by the end of May) 53k. That includes my car, rent, tuition, everything. So by no means should you let a huge number like 70k scare you away. I spend 460 on rent, but there are quite a few people in the class of 2012 that spend in the 300s, so that number can come down even more if you're worried.

As for finding housing, I came the first day of class without a place to live and by the 3rd day, I had looked at 7 places, signed a lease and moved in. Obviously that isn't ideal, but don't worry too much about housing yet; there are a lot of places that open up in the summer.

So at the end of your first yr (after all grants/scholarships), you would have spent a lil over 50K? And this is prob gonna be annually right?

Btw, does anyone know when scholarship info comes out? (for those that were invited to apply for the merit scholarship...)

 

[Brock Samson]

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[RoadRunner17]

Has anyone heard anything from financial aid yet, i.e. the box saying the award letter was mailed has been checked off? I kind of want to know what's happening with that so I can make a decision quickly, and soon.

 

[Myuu]

Has anyone heard anything from financial aid yet, i.e. the box saying the award letter was mailed has been checked off? I kind of want to know what's happening with that so I can make a decision quickly, and soon.

No, but it did take several days for them to check the box after they'd received my info. Someone earlier said finaid should be sent out at least this week.

 

[Joe Waitlist]

During medical school, do we need to fill out all this paper work each year? Is financial aid only figured out one year at a time?--If so, how do we know what to expect during years 2-4? I don't want any financial surprises in years to come.

 

[Myuu]

The Financial Aid Office is actively processing your financial aid packages. In the coming weeks, you should expect to receive an electronic financial aid award letter followed by a hardcopy with further details and instructions. Please contact the Financial Aid Office with any questions at [email protected].

:cry:

 

[Brock Samson]

.

 

[Myuu]

We HAVE to get our financial aid awards before May 1. It would be crazy for them to expect us to withdraw from other schools without knowing how much Case would cost us. Also, merit scholarship awards have gone out.

Right, but I was hoping to have a more definite picture before then.

 

[Phillyborn]

So at the end of your first yr (after all grants/scholarships), you would have spent a lil over 50K? And this is prob gonna be annually right?

Btw, does anyone know when scholarship info comes out? (for those that were invited to apply for the merit scholarship...)

I'm sorry if this wasn't clear. The 53k is not including any grants or scholarships. It is just to show that the 70k they estimate for total first year expenses is quite generous, and if you are worried about the cost of attending, it can be significantly less. Obviously any grants/scholarships/savings you have will further decrease the amount of loans you need to take out, so these numbers just serve as a baseline.

These budget numbers are all annual, although the expected cost of attendance varies by your year in school to some extent (first year you pay for your computer, second year you pay for step 1s, etc.).

And sadly, yes, you need to file new forms every year you want financial aid. That way if you find a large pile of money in the sand over spring break, you aren't still receiving need based scholarships from the previous year.

 

[RoadRunner17]

I'm sorry if this wasn't clear. The 53k is not including any grants or scholarships. It is just to show that the 70k they estimate for total first year expenses is quite generous, and if you are worried about the cost of attending, it can be significantly less. Obviously any grants/scholarships/savings you have will further decrease the amount of loans you need to take out, so these numbers just serve as a baseline.

These budget numbers are all annual, although the expected cost of attendance varies by your year in school to some extent (first year you pay for your computer, second year you pay for step 1s, etc.).

And sadly, yes, you need to file new forms every year you want financial aid. That way if you find a large pile of money in the sand over spring break, you aren't still receiving need based scholarships from the previous year.

So the institutional grants are from year to year? If you get a couple grand in grants the first year, can you expect to get a similar amount the next?

 

[RoadRunner17]

We HAVE to get our financial aid awards before May 1. It would be crazy for them to expect us to withdraw from other schools without knowing how much Case would cost us. Also, merit scholarship awards have gone out.

Agreed 100%. I also want to get on with the rest of my life! I.e. finding housing, roommates and figuring out the logistics of moving to wherever I go.

 

[Brock Samson]

.

 

[Myuu]

Well, there's only 2 weeks left until May 1. That's not too bad considering this application process began around 9 months ago.

Very true!👍

 

[Phillyborn]

So the institutional grants are from year to year? If you get a couple grand in grants the first year, can you expect to get a similar amount the next?

I don't know, I just finished my aid application yesterday. I guess we'll see. If you find out, let me know.

 

[chiz2kul]

:cry:

We HAVE to get our financial aid awards before May 1. It would be crazy for them to expect us to withdraw from other schools without knowing how much Case would cost us. Also, merit scholarship awards have gone out.

Yea, but where is it in iapply? I cant find it anywhere??!!

 

[Brock Samson]

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[RoadRunner17]

I don't know, I just finished my aid application yesterday. I guess we'll see. If you find out, let me know.

I'd be an incoming M1 so I think you'd probably find out before me 😀

 

[chiz2kul]

It's on the Application Status page. Look under University Program Correspondence for Scholarship Award Letter.

Just saw it..took a while to come up.
I guess this is goodbye to Case for me...just too expensive..oh wells 🙁
Lol and I thought my essay was stellar haha.
All the best to you guys! 🙂
👍

 

[Brock Samson]

.

 

[cheasus]

Case really needs to get on the ball with financial aid, I received my financial aid packages from the other schools I'm considering and they don't have such an early deadline to release multiple acceptances. I want a little bit of time to make an informed decision... hopefully they don't wait until the last couple days before sending out the financial aid packages.

 

[long]

chiz2kul, I have seriously tried to squash that bug of yours 2 times on my computer screen in the past 5 minutes only to realize that it's just an avatar.

 

[copacetic]

Case really needs to get on the ball with financial aid, I received my financial aid packages from the other schools I'm considering and they don't have such an early deadline to release multiple acceptances. I want a little bit of time to make an informed decision... hopefully they don't wait until the last couple days before sending out the financial aid packages.

from my understanding case is a bit flexible on their deadline. double check through.

 

[copacetic]

chiz2kul, I have seriously tried to squash that bug of yours 2 times on my computer screen in the past 5 minutes only to realize that it's just an avatar.

lol. i hope thats not true. EPIC FAIL!!!!

 

[Joe Waitlist]

While we wait for financial aid.....
Did you guys see the new match list? Wow, very impressive in my opinion. I am interested in orthopedics, so I pay special attention to where those students match. 6 of the 8 that matched into ortho this year matched into top 20 programs. Much more impressive than last year. Any thoughts?

 

[cheasus]

While we wait for financial aid.....
Did you guys see the new match list? Wow, very impressive in my opinion. I am interested in orthopedics, so I pay special attention to where those students match. 6 of the 8 that matched into ortho this year matched into top 20 programs. Much more impressive than last year. Any thoughts?

I agree, the list is extremely impressive. Of those six, several were in top 5 programs as well. Hopefully this means positive things about the new curriculum.

 

[rhettoric]

Not to paint myself as an ignoramus, but am I the only one who has a hard time interpreting match lists?

It seems a very vague method of rating the quality of a medical school.

For one, I really don't know what distinguishes a "fantastic" match from a mediocre one. There are schools I recognize and others that I don't but I hardly think my anecdotal perception of an institution's name is an accurate estimation of their quality.

Another reason is that I have no idea if the match was a top choice for the student in question or not. Maybe there is a seemingly amazing match for a cardiology program at a famous institution but for location/personal reasons, it was actually a back-up option for the student and isn't as impressive as it seems from a cursory perception.

It just seems a little bizarre to me that, as potential doctors we would put so much faith into data that is fraught with ambiguity. I don't necessarily think MSLE scores are a better predictor of success, or even how we would measure success, but the match list fervor mystifies me.

Is there some data that compares the different institutions that I'm missing?

Oh and I think we'll be getting financial aid letters by the end of the week.

 

[chiz2kul]

Did you not get a scholarship or did you get less than you were hoping for?

chiz2kul, I have seriously tried to squash that bug of yours 2 times on my computer screen in the past 5 minutes only to realize that it's just an avatar.

 

[RoadRunner17]

I agree, the list is extremely impressive. Of those six, several were in top 5 programs as well. Hopefully this means positive things about the new curriculum.

I have heard that this graduating class is the first to have the research thesis requirement; this could be a byproduct of that.

The first class to take on the WR2 curriculum though, is the current M3/incoming M4 class. So we won't know for sure how that will help for another year.

 

[Joe Waitlist]

Not to paint myself as an ignoramus, but am I the only one who has a hard time interpreting match lists?

It seems a very vague method of rating the quality of a medical school.

For one, I really don't know what distinguishes a "fantastic" match from a mediocre one. There are schools I recognize and others that I don't but I hardly think my anecdotal perception of an institution's name is an accurate estimation of their quality.

Another reason is that I have no idea if the match was a top choice for the student in question or not. Maybe there is a seemingly amazing match for a cardiology program at a famous institution but for location/personal reasons, it was actually a back-up option for the student and isn't as impressive as it seems from a cursory perception.

It just seems a little bizarre to me that, as potential doctors we would put so much faith into data that is fraught with ambiguity. I don't necessarily think MSLE scores are a better predictor of success, or even how we would measure success, but the match list fervor mystifies me.

Is there some data that compares the different institutions that I'm missing?

Oh and I think we'll be getting financial aid letters by the end of the week.

Match lists can take time to interpret, but to get an idea of things, just look at hospital rankings. People within a field rank the hospitals, so you can get an idea of where a hospital and its program stand. Also look at how many people matched into competitive fields.
In my opinion, residency placement is an excellent way to determine the quality of a school. (How else would you gauge the total quality?) If medical students are getting into competitive, highly ranked residency programs, it reflects on the quality of the students a medical school is turning out.
Medical students do "away" rotations during their fourth year at the programs they want to attend and, based on their performance, are accepted to the program. When many students get into competitive residencies its means that students were trained well and performed well during their away rotations and residency directors were impressed.
For me, residency placement is my number one factor in choosing a medical school. Where you do your residency impacts your career and career opportunities--it's just like any other step in medical education.
Knowing what specialties and at what programs students are matching into for residency is the best indicator of the overall quality of the students a med school is turning out.
Thoughts?

 

[amph119]

Match lists can take time to interpret, but to get an idea of things, just look at hospital rankings. People within a field rank the hospitals, so you can get an idea of where a hospital and its program stand. Also look at how many people matched into competitive fields.
In my opinion, residency placement is an excellent way to determine the quality of a school. (How else would you gauge the total quality?) If medical students are getting into competitive, highly ranked residency programs, it reflects on the quality of the students a medical school is turning out.
Medical students do "away" rotations during their fourth year at the programs they want to attend and, based on their performance, are accepted to the program. When many students get into competitive residencies its means that students were trained well and performed well during their away rotations and residency directors were impressed.
For me, residency placement is my number one factor in choosing a medical school. Where you do your residency impacts your career and career opportunities--it's just like any other step in medical education.
Knowing what specialties and at what programs students are matching into for residency is the best indicator of the overall quality of the students a med school is turning out.
Thoughts?

Don't let Law2Doc see you write that.

 

[Myuu]

Oh and I think we'll be getting financial aid letters by the end of the week.

What makes you say that, Mr. Just Friended Me on Facebook?👍😀

 

[cheasus]

What makes you say that, Mr. Just Friended Me on Facebook?👍😀

I know who you are now... don't think we met at second look though.

 

[rhettoric]

What makes you say that, Mr. Just Friended Me on Facebook?👍😀

oh noes, my secret's out! Shoot me a note on fb so I know who you are on there 🙂

and the only intel I have on finaid is that I emailed wanda rollins last week and she said they were mailing out letters in 7 to 10 days. here's hoping!

 

[Myuu]

I know who you are now... don't think we met at second look though.

We should rectify that in July.👍😀

oh noes, my secret's out! Shoot me a note on fb so I know who you are on there 🙂

and the only intel I have on finaid is that I emailed wanda rollins last week and she said they were mailing out letters in 7 to 10 days. here's hoping!

Any intel is good intel! I can't get to facebook at work, but I'll send you a message when I get home.🙂

 

[RoadRunner17]

oh noes, my secret's out! Shoot me a note on fb so I know who you are on there 🙂

and the only intel I have on finaid is that I emailed wanda rollins last week and she said they were mailing out letters in 7 to 10 days. here's hoping!

Anyone who's met you will figure out who you are from your username 🙂

Hopefully these letters get out soon, I'm just waiting for that to come out so I can decide where I'll be for the next 4 years of my life.

 

[Myuu]

Anyone who's met you will figure out who you are from your username

Hopefully these letters get out soon, I'm just waiting for that to come out so I can decide where I'll be for the next 4 years of my life.

It's not like I was meowing in public!🙁

Edit: Although a quick scan through the email addresses in the back of the program booklet will give you a fairly huge facebookable hint.

 

[sirius08]

hey rhettoric, you fb friended me, too... i'm the nontrad who sent you a message. 🙂

 

[Myuu]

hey rhettoric, you fb friended me, too... i'm the nontrad who sent you a message. 🙂

I see you there, lurking in the forums!

 

[sirius08]

I see you there, lurking in the forums!

hey, i'm not just a lurker, i post from time to time! 😉

 

[Myuu]

hey, i'm not just a lurker, i post from time to time! 😉

😛

Did you find a place to live yet? I'm still in Triangle limbo.

 

[sirius08]

😛

Did you find a place to live yet? I'm still in Triangle limbo.

i probably won't start looking until june... but i'm confident that will be plenty of time. 🙂 on some level, i think i'm waiting (like everyone else) for the financial aid information from my schools. come on, case!

 

[RoadRunner17]

It's not like I was meowing in public!🙁

Edit: Although a quick scan through the email addresses in the back of the program booklet will give you a fairly huge facebookable hint.

Yup, when I got home and looked at the email addresses, I was like hmm that one email sounds familiar. Unfortunately, I guess our paths never crossed that weekend. 🙁

hey, i'm not just a lurker, i post from time to time! 😉

And I don't think I met you either 😛

😛

Did you find a place to live yet? I'm still in Triangle limbo.

Triangle is a little too pricey for me, but I guess you just can't beat the location. Did you apply for an unit there or something, hence the limbo?

i probably won't start looking until june... but i'm confident that will be plenty of time. 🙂 on some level, i think i'm waiting (like everyone else) for the financial aid information from my schools. come on, case!

Yup, Case is the last school I'm waiting to hear from. It needs to make up at least some ground on one of my other schools' COA.. but not worrying too much about it, I'll cross the bridge when I get there (hopefully soon)

 

[Myuu]

Yup, when I got home and looked at the email addresses, I was like hmm that one email sounds familiar. Unfortunately, I guess our paths never crossed that weekend. 🙁

Alas.:cry:

Triangle is a little too pricey for me, but I guess you just can't beat the location. Did you apply for an unit there or something, hence the limbo?

Yeah, I'm still filling out/notarizing paperwork/going to inspect it.🙂 Most of the super-important utilities are included, so I'm thinking (during the winter, at least) it'll even out (I hope).

Yup, Case is the last school I'm waiting to hear from. It needs to make up at least some ground on one of my other schools' COA.. but not worrying too much about it, I'll cross the bridge when I get there (hopefully soon)

Gooooooooooo Case!

 

[sirius08]

And I don't think I met you either 😛

In all fairness, we did try to find you! 😀

As for financial aid, does anyone have the "award letter sent" box checked yet?

 

[Greonis]

In all fairness, we did try to find you! 😀

As for financial aid, does anyone have the "award letter sent" box checked yet?

I recall Mr. Essman letting us know via email that we would be receiving electronic copies of our financial aid statements before the paper ones were mailed. Thus, I think it is safe to assume that those electronic copies will be emailed to us (or at least we'll get email notification) around the same time that the iApply boxes get checked off.

This is just speculation, but I can't see why they would do it any other way...

 

[rhettoric]

Anyone who's met you will figure out who you are from your username 🙂

yeah, I'm not really much for guile. What you see is what you get.

I also think I'm going to search for a place in June...want to get an SDN house together?

 

[Brock Samson]

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[dakker]

I got my financial aid award today and it was soooooooo dissapointing. In fact, it was so dissapointing that I think there might be a mistake. Anyone else get there's?

How's that? All loans?

 

[Brock Samson]

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