2014-2015 University of Southern California (Keck) Application Thread

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DirkN said:
Just got the acceptance email! Interviewed 1/28. LizzyM of 74!

Will be attending here. Fight on!!!!
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AWESOME JOB, DIRK! FIGHT ON!
dirk-dance-o.gif

Sidenote: Oh god... I dance exactly like Dirk Nowitzki.
 
hellanutella said:
AWESOME JOB, DIRK! FIGHT ON!
dirk-dance-o.gif

Sidenote: Oh god... I dance exactly like Dirk Nowitzki.
Click to expand...

Thank you!!! What are the odds you'll come next year and we'll be classmates?? Also that's my all time favorite dirk video, so much swag I cant handle it. If he only he had a decent-looking haircut...
 
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I'm from CT, and only have ever been to LA for the interview. LA definitely seemed pretty sprawling, but I really, really, really want to do this without a car. I drive a beater that would in no way make it across country, and don't want to drop 7k on a used one once I get out there, if I can avoid it for the first two years. Is this realistic? People have suggested Koreatown and Highland Park as solid locations for bars/restaurants, affordable rent, and close metro access to get to Union Station for the shuttle to the HSC. Can I realistically do this without a car?

Also, USC is absurdly expensive, but looking at the COA budget, it seems it may be a little inflated to me. Do I really need to spend $3500 on books first year?
 
nm825 said:
I'm from CT, and only have ever been to LA for the interview. LA definitely seemed pretty sprawling, but I really, really, really want to do this without a car. I drive a beater that would in no way make it across country, and don't want to drop 7k on a used one once I get out there, if I can avoid it for the first two years. Is this realistic? People have suggested Koreatown and Highland Park as solid locations for bars/restaurants, affordable rent, and close metro access to get to Union Station for the shuttle to the HSC. Can I realistically do this without a car?

Also, USC is absurdly expensive, but looking at the COA budget, it seems it may be a little inflated to me. Do I really need to spend $3500 on books first year?
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I was looking at housing and there's an apartment complex (Mozaic) right next to Union Station. Shuttle would be extremely accessible. I would personally still bring a car, but I can see myself getting by without one for MS1/2 before rotations.
 
nm825 said:
I'm from CT, and only have ever been to LA for the interview. LA definitely seemed pretty sprawling, but I really, really, really want to do this without a car. I drive a beater that would in no way make it across country, and don't want to drop 7k on a used one once I get out there, if I can avoid it for the first two years. Is this realistic? People have suggested Koreatown and Highland Park as solid locations for bars/restaurants, affordable rent, and close metro access to get to Union Station for the shuttle to the HSC. Can I realistically do this without a car?

Also, USC is absurdly expensive, but looking at the COA budget, it seems it may be a little inflated to me. Do I really need to spend $3500 on books first year?
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Re: cars... Check out the awesome USC guide @Swartzlehman posted back in the thread [x]. It's got info on commute times and transit options for each area.

Current students would be the best source of info, but IMHO living in LA without a car is doable but by no means convenient or enjoyable. (Source: lived in LA for 5 years without a car). I can't speak for K-town or HP, but I've lived for several years in Pasadena and have found the Gold Line to be pretty fast, reliable, and safe at night. Personally, I'd shell out for car... but that may be because I've got 10+ years of LA-commuter culture drilled into me. 😉 You can't put a price on not having to lug a full load of groceries in 100+ degree heat onto a bus.

Good luck!

DirkN said:
Thank you!!! What are the odds you'll come next year and we'll be classmates?? Also that's my all time favorite dirk video, so much swag I cant handle it. If he only he had a decent-looking haircut...
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We'll have to see how these finaid packages pan out! 🙂 I know it'd be nice not having to uproot and move all over again.
 
UC Undergrad said:
Aren't those the ~$2k/mo. apartments?
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Correct, for a 2BR (half that amount w/ a roommate). COA on the Keck website uses $1,200/month as their estimate for rent/utilities, so that was the upper limit when I was searching. Of course I would look for cheaper, but I figured taking the free shuttle daily would also save on gas money.
 
Just looked at last year's match list..holy **** I am so stoked!!
 
Also accepted on Tuesday after interviewing two weeks prior! I'm glad to see that so many of us heard good news 🙂

Also, does anyone know where I can find a link to the 2014 match list?
 
wegotthis14 said:
Also accepted on Tuesday after interviewing two weeks prior! I'm glad to see that so many of us heard good news 🙂

Also, does anyone know where I can find a link to the 2014 match list?
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Keck will be sending you an email with the match list pretty soon. They indicated in the email that it was only given to accepted applicants. Congrats btw!
 
wegotthis14 said:
Also accepted on Tuesday after interviewing two weeks prior! I'm glad to see that so many of us heard good news 🙂

Also, does anyone know where I can find a link to the 2014 match list?
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Ill pm you
 
Karasu said:
Can someone who was accepted please post the conditions of acceptance?

Their admissions office told me that it's OK for me to withdraw from courses so long as they're not prerequisites. I wanted to make sure that there isn't a
"successfully complete all coursework undertaken this year" clause in the acceptance letter. Thanks in advance.
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Did you ever figure this out? I just withdrew from two community college courses I was taking to satisfy a social science requirement for a DO school. I emailed admissions and they explicitly told me that my my acceptance offer would not be rescinded if I withdrew. Now I am starting to get neurotic that maybe the person at the medadmit email made a mistake, and my offer will be rescinded. I have nothing to worry about, right?
 
nm825 said:
Did you ever figure this out? I just withdrew from two community college courses I was taking to satisfy a social science requirement for a DO school. I emailed admissions and they explicitly told me that my my acceptance offer would not be rescinded if I withdrew. Now I am starting to get neurotic that maybe the person at the medadmit email made a mistake, and my offer will be rescinded. I have nothing to worry about, right?
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I called them late last year and was told since they have no requirements my withdrawal doesn't matter. I also emailed them recently and got it in writing-- I think we can both stop worrying.
 
Interviewed on 1/28. Is Dr. Arias sending decisions every other Tuesday or every Tuesday? Keck is my top choice, and it's hard to peel myself away from my inbox. 😕
 
Can anyone shed some light on what the weekly schedule looks like and when the day usually starts for Fall and Spring MSI? I'm trying to plan a housing location and commute that isn't completely terrible, keeping in mind that I only really have to show up twice a week (for ICM and PPM?) since all other courses are audio/visual recorded. I'm also going to try and see if I can get by without a car for the first two years. I'll be living with my brother who has one and will go with him for groceries and such. Although I know taking the bus would take about an hour and a half every morning (which I don't mind too much if it's only twice a week), I'm looking for a place in West L.A. Thank you! I look forward to meeting many of you who are also part of the Class of 2019!
 
For any current students, how do you think the split from Doheny and emergence of USC Ophthamology is going to affect USC's research ranking, if at all?

From the USNews website, the current list uses data from 2013 and 2014 surveys, so the school's current ranking has seemingly already taken this change into account. But perhaps now that a full year has gone by, the ranking will change? Hopefully for the better? 🙂

According to the school's website, they recently recruited 12+ new research faculty to the Ophtho department and are putting out even more research than before..

For reference, http://eye.keckmedicine.org/usc-eye-institute-adds-12-faculty-physician-scientists-in-2014/
 
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Do we have to buy student insurance from the school if we're still on our parents' plan? I can stay on my parents' plan for the first two years, but I'm from Connecticut, so that's where my insurance is.
 
Congrats to everyone who was accepted!

Does anyone know when classes start?
 
Withdrew my acceptance last week. Finances played a large role. You'd think they would do something about the terrible financial aid. I think there are a lot of pretty good students that would love to train at LAC but the lack of financial aid just makes it a complete non starter.
 
soccerusa said:
Withdrew my acceptance last week. Finances played a large role. You'd think they would do something about the terrible financial aid. I think there are a lot of pretty good students that would love to train at LAC but the lack of financial aid just makes it a complete non starter.
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I'm sorry you feel that way! I absolutely fell in love with the school and wouldn't mind paying the reasonable (for a private school) 50k tuition. Still hopeful for scholarship as well, a girl from my undergrad just got a half-tuition scholarship yesterday via phonecall and she was accepted way back in October!
 
Do any of you think it's wrong to send an update letter that somewhat asks for financial assistance? I was accepted on Oct 15.
 
nm825 said:
Do we have to buy student insurance from the school if we're still on our parents' plan? I can stay on my parents' plan for the first two years, but I'm from Connecticut, so that's where my insurance is.
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You can opt out of school insurance once you start school and you get a refund I believe. A lot of people do this and they make announcements for when the last day to opt of school insurance is. All you have to do as provide proof that you are in fact insured and would have access to care with your insurance policy.
 
PingPongPro said:
You can opt out of school insurance once you start school and you get a refund I believe. A lot of people do this and they make announcements for when the last day to opt of school insurance is. All you have to do as provide proof that you are in fact insured and would have access to care with your insurance policy.
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Thanks. You can opt-out even if your plan is cross-country and anywhere in CA would be out-of-network?
 
Does anyone know if we are supposed to receive anything in the mail about our acceptance, or just the email and portal tab?
 
DirkN said:
Does anyone know if we are supposed to receive anything in the mail about our acceptance, or just the email and portal tab?
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I got a letter about a week later and then a finaid email (just had to fill out one form) several weeks after that, but nothing else thus far!
 
hellanutella said:
I got a letter about a week later and then a finaid email (just had to fill out one form) several weeks after that, but nothing else thus far!
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Thanks! Are you closer to deciding where you will be attending next year?

Waitingwaitingwaiting said:
Any acceptance comes out today yet?
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Acceptances should come out today, but I think they came out closer to 1PM pacific time 2 weeks ago. Good luck, I'm crossing my fingers for you!
 
DirkN said:
Thanks! Are you closer to deciding where you will be attending next year?



Acceptances should come out today, but I think they came out closer to 1PM pacific time 2 weeks ago. Good luck, I'm crossing my fingers for you!
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Thank you. U r so nice 😉
 
Accepted! Received an email at 11:30 am PST this morning. Interviewed 1/27. Lizzy M score ~74

Been a lurker on these forums during this app cycle. Just wanting to let others know they have started sending some out today so keeping checking your emails and good luck!
 
SDcharge said:
Accepted! Received an email at 11:30 am PST this morning. Interviewed 1/27. Lizzy M score ~74

Been a lurker on these forums during this app cycle. Just wanting to let others know they have started sending some out today so keeping checking your emails and good luck!
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Congrats!!
 
I just took a look at USC's match list that they gave us on interview day. For internal medicine, well over 50% stay at USC for residency. I'd say it was close to 2/3 that matched at USC for IM. Isn't that an abnormally high amount staying? Other match lists I've seen might have 5-6 people staying, but not over half.
 
SDcharge said:
Accepted! Received an email at 11:30 am PST this morning. Interviewed 1/27. Lizzy M score ~74

Been a lurker on these forums during this app cycle. Just wanting to let others know they have started sending some out today so keeping checking your emails and good luck!
Click to expand...
Congrats! I interviewed on the same day! Is USC your top choice? I'll definitely be attending
 
Shams al Deen said:
I just took a look at USC's match list that they gave us on interview day. For internal medicine, well over 50% stay at USC for residency. I'd say it was close to 2/3 that matched at USC for IM. Isn't that an abnormally high amount staying? Other match lists I've seen might have 5-6 people staying, but not over half.
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I think it's actually pretty common. Just looking at Baylor and UT Southwestern's match lists, they have well over half of their IM students going back to their respective schools. I'd imagine this would be even more pronounced at schools like USC/UCLA/NYU which are located in highly desirable locations, since a lot of students would rank their home institutions pretty highly considering they want to stay in the area for a long time, and they have a good chance of matching back into their schools.
 
DirkN said:
Congrats!!
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Thanks! Congrats to you as well!

crd775 said:
Congrats! I interviewed on the same day! Is USC your top choice? I'll definitely be attending
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Thanks! Awesome, glad to hear you got in as well! This is my first acceptance, so as of right now it is lol.

I have not finished all of my interviews yet, so it is hard for me to say it is for sure my top choice.

However, I really liked Keck when I visited and would be happy to stay in SoCal.

I am ecstatic to be accepted to such a great school and I am definitely leaning towards attending even if I got in elsewhere.
 
nm825 said:
I'm from CT, and only have ever been to LA for the interview. LA definitely seemed pretty sprawling, but I really, really, really want to do this without a car. I drive a beater that would in no way make it across country, and don't want to drop 7k on a used one once I get out there, if I can avoid it for the first two years. Is this realistic? People have suggested Koreatown and Highland Park as solid locations for bars/restaurants, affordable rent, and close metro access to get to Union Station for the shuttle to the HSC. Can I realistically do this without a car?

Also, USC is absurdly expensive, but looking at the COA budget, it seems it may be a little inflated to me. Do I really need to spend $3500 on books first year?
Click to expand...

No you definitely don't need to spend that on books.

I don't think it's a good idea to not have a car...you without a doubt WILL end up relying on people for rides places, which is fine, but fair warning. We have ICM focus experiences that involve going various places, your ICM instructors might work at a different hospital that's not on campus, you might do your research at CHLA, etc. Up to you though, I know it's possible.

crd775 said:
Can anyone shed some light on what the weekly schedule looks like and when the day usually starts for Fall and Spring MSI? I'm trying to plan a housing location and commute that isn't completely terrible, keeping in mind that I only really have to show up twice a week (for ICM and PPM?) since all other courses are audio/visual recorded. I'm also going to try and see if I can get by without a car for the first two years. I'll be living with my brother who has one and will go with him for groceries and such. Although I know taking the bus would take about an hour and a half every morning (which I don't mind too much if it's only twice a week), I'm looking for a place in West L.A. Thank you! I look forward to meeting many of you who are also part of the Class of 2019!
Click to expand...

See above re: car. BUT how do you plan on getting from West LA to campus for ICM and PPM? Bear in mind sometimes ICM is two days a week, plus PPM. Plus first year you have anatomy, which will probably be on different days, and nearly everyone attends for that. Throw in path labs, microanatomy labs, etc. that most (again not all) people attend.... Yes, there are people who only come to school for the strictly required things, but most are there most days, I'd say.

nm825 said:
Do we have to buy student insurance from the school if we're still on our parents' plan? I can stay on my parents' plan for the first two years, but I'm from Connecticut, so that's where my insurance is.
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You have to be able to get treated in CA. I don't know if it has to be in network. Why not switch, or get both (which is an option)?
 
skittles1, thank you very much! That was very helpful. I'll definitely be looking into getting a car then haha
 
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