2015-2016 University of Southern California (Keck) Application Thread

Applying to Med School? Get In Or Your Money Back
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Are the specific dates for MDMPH interviews?
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Well, now that we know decisions weren't released yesterday, I'm just hoping the next meeting is the 30th and not the 7th! :)
 
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Wonder if we'll hear anything today...here's to hoping! :love:
 
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Anyone remember the time people began hearing about acceptances back in October? Should we have heard sometime by now if it were going to happen today?
 
PolarBearMD said:
Anyone remember the time people began hearing about acceptances back in October? Should we have heard sometime by now if it were going to happen today?
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I was told by evening Pacific time at the latest, and considering it's before noon there, I would say there is still plenty of time left today.
 
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PolarBearMD said:
Anyone remember the time people began hearing about acceptances back in October? Should we have heard sometime by now if it were going to happen today?
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It was 10 AM PST when I got my email
 
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Ugh... It's probably not happening today. I hate this waiting game so much.
 
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Rejected today post-secondary. Complete early October (yeah yeah I know I wasn't exactly early). OOS, LizzyM 70.
 
For people interviewing in early December--they don't review applications during Christmas break, so you won't get a decision until sometime in January. Hopefully early January.
 
Hey everyone,

I saw some old posts about people wondering if any current Keck students are on this thread. I haven't been on SDN for a while now but I'm an MS1 at Keck and would be more than happy to answer any questions any one may have (keeping in mind that I only have one semester of experiences here so far).
 
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GodComplex said:
Hey everyone,

I saw some old posts about people wondering if any current Keck students are on this thread. I haven't been on SDN for a while now but I'm an MS1 at Keck and would be more than happy to answer any questions any one may have (keeping in mind that I only have one semester of experiences here so far).
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When should we start looking around for housing?
How was the transition from your undergrad to Keck's curriculum?
What are some things we can do to prepare for next fall?

Thanks.
 
DennisdaMenace said I can go ahead and share he answers to a few questions I sent him via pm, so here ya go. Hope some of you find this helpful
Hey UCD82,
Sorry for the late response; currently on the interview trail.

To address your questions:
1. Financial aid dept is generally pretty lackluster, IMO. Very-limited need-based aid. However, numerous 1/2 and full scholarships are given for merit. These are usually given out pretty early to students with extraordinary stats or URM.

2. Yes, you will definitely need a car. This is true of any school in CA, with the possible exception of UCSF. And even then, a car would be helpful. Most schools have multiple rotation sites and having to drive is part of the job description for most docs. Not sure about car loans, but you can definitely buy something functional for about $3K although it may not look nice or come with heated seats, haha.

3. Rotations are fantastic, virtually unbeatable. County hospital gives you more opportunities to train with a diverse patient group and pathology that you just won't find anywhere else, save about 4-5 centers in the nation. In addition to LAC, you will also rotate at Keck hospital and CHLA which are world-class institutions in their own right, CHLA in particular.

Overall, attending USC is expensive thought he cost of living that the school provides is a gross over-estimation of reality. Most students rent rooms about 10-15 mins from campus int he range of $600-800 / month, including utilities. Is cost important? Certainly. However, you should definitely keep the "big picture" in mind when considering medical schools. Questions you should ask yourself:
1. Will I be truly happy here?
2. Will this medical school help me get into a top-flight residency of my choosing?

I am of course biased, but based on anecdotal experience USC does a superb job of both of these things, much more so than 90% of other medical schools out there. And I have many friends in many different medical schools.

There are also alternative payment pathways, depending on what type of medicine you would like to practice. Military scholarships will cover 100% of your cost + pay you a stipend in medical school but you have to work for 4 years in the military after residency. Primary care pathways will also forgive your loansbut you are locked into primary care and have to work in an underserved area (which really isn't bad; i.e. you could live in beverley hills and drive 20 mins to work in south central LA).

Lastly, let's examine the situation from an economics / game theory point of view.

Say going to USC will incur $150K in additional cost over 4 years vs attending a UC school.
A. Now consider that USC has a much higher Step 1 average, and gives you 50% chance of increasing your score significantly vs going elsewhere.
B. Now consider that your Step 1 score + school rep will increase your chances of matching into a competitive, high-paying specialty by 50%.
C. Now consider that competitive specialty X pays $400K/year mid-career salary vs $250K/year for a less competitive specialty.

If A, B, and C are all true / met, then the cost difference between USC vs UC would be neutralized within 1 year. Also don't forget the additional stress incurred by going to a school where you are constantly worried about matching into your chosen specialty.

I am currently applying to a competitive specialty. I applied to 46 programs and received 37 interview invitations. I will be attending 18, including: Harvard Mass General Hospital, UCLA, USC, Stanford, Yale, WashU St Louis, Mayo, University of Michigan, NYU, Cleveland Clinic, the list goes on.

It's also hard to answer your question without knowing which UC school you are talking about. The schools I would take ahead of USC are: UCSF, UCLA, and UCSD. Below that, I would take USC hands down, and it's not even close.

Hope this helps,
 
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Complete since mid July and still nothing. Wondering if my app got lost
 
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socalrulez said:
When should we start looking around for housing?
How was the transition from your undergrad to Keck's curriculum?
What are some things we can do to prepare for next fall?

Thanks.
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I guess that really depends on how quickly you want to find housing. Many of the students from my class began posting on the Facebook page around the start of summer looking for people that wanted to share housing. Also, the on-campus housing is supposed to be done next fall and I believe that they are currently accepting applications. You are completely safe waiting until a month or two after the date when everyone has to commit to one school.

My transition from undergrad to Keck was pretty smooth. They start you off with a pretty easy block relative to the subsequent blocks to try and get you used to everything, and a lot of the first block profs are very empathetic IMO. That being said, it still takes some time getting used to, but you will.

I had a hard time believing it when everyone said that there isn't really anything that you can do to prepare so just enjoy your break, but they were all correct in my experience. There is nothing academic that I would recommend doing prior to Fall classes starting.

magagna said:
How robust is Keck's financial aid? Are there any scholarships available for M1's?
I've read most students at Keck commute. How does this affect the social dynamic of the class, if at all?
What do you think set you apart during your interview? How did you decide on USC?

Thanks a bunch!
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The financial aid is unfortunately very poor for many MS1's prior to starting classes. There are some full and 1/2 scholarships that are given out prior to class starting, many of which were given out in December of last year for our class. Once you begin classes, you will receive emails here and there informing you about scholarships that you can apply to as a Keck student, some big and some small.

Almost all students at Keck do commute at the moment. Many students live in a complex called City View Terrace, which isn't very far from campus, and the others are mostly spread out throughout the city. However, I don't feel that it affects the social dynamic negatively since many students host gatherings at their homes and we have social chairs for each class that plan events for everyone to attend. It's in los angeles and there are so many things to do here that everyone is usually willing to get out of their residential bubble and go out to see other students. Also, there is new housing being built on the health campus right now that is supposed to be done in Fall of 2016.

I have no idea what set me apart during my interview. As far as deciding on Keck, I loved USC and it was easily in my top 3 after interviewed here. I also kind of hated that I loved it because of the price tag. I consider myself very fortunate that I did receive some aid from USC prior to beginning classes and that was a huge factor when I made my decision to attend Keck. Unfortunately, I can't tell you if the COA is worth it for you individually. I can say that I really enjoy Keck, it has been a great experience thus far, and everyone from my peers to the faculty are extremely nice, respectful, and approachable.
 
Looking at last years tread there was a culling around the end of December. I'm guessing we were placed into a "maybe later if we need more people to interview" pile.
 
Today should hopefully (probably) be the day guys! Hoping for good news all around :)
 
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Does anyone know concretely if acceptances will come out today?
 
Accepted!
 
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I interviewed the last week of October, so imma explode if I don't hear back today +pissed+
 
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thecon123 said:
There's hope! I interviewed 10/28 and was starting to freak out.
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Yea dude don't worry. In fact, I would call the admissions office and just ask when the committee will review your app. When I talked to them, they told me that there was a delay on some of the applications. Unfortunately, I think it might be likely that you'll have to wait until the new year.
 
order66.exe said:
Yea dude don't worry. In fact, I would call the admissions office and just ask when the committee will review your app. When I talked to them, they told me that there was a delay on some of the applications. Unfortunately, I think it might be likely that you'll have to wait until the new year.
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Ugh Keck, don't make me wait anymore </3
 
Rejected today. Congrats to those accepted, and good luck to those still in the running.
 
Rejected, OOS, app complete 8/15

513MCAT (11,10,14,10), 3.97 masters gpa, lower ugpa

This is easily the worst rejection of the cycle for me. Very disappointed =(
 
First acceptance!! interviewed end of November
 
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BleedBlue786 said:
First acceptance!! interviewed end of November
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Congrats! Low-key convinced my interviewer is holding my application hostage.

Edit: Caved & called. Will not be reviewed until January. I wonder how the prioritize review...
 
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Do any accepted students know if we have to already have roommates in mind before submitting the application for the on campus housing in Curie Hall
 
Khaleesi3 said:
Do any accepted students know if we have to already have roommates in mind before submitting the application for the on campus housing in Curie Hall
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No I am more worried about finding the 150$ deposit
 
This is a housing deposit you are talking about right?
 
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