2016-2017 California Northstate University Application Thread

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cantelopeavocado said:
ok I would love to get involved on campus instead of traveling that far. I googled and UCSF seems like quite a drive. Not in state so that would be difficult to do in a summer ... how is the grading/doing well in classes
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Yeah, UCSF is 100 miles away. I would sublet down there in summers or stay with family. Davis/Sacramento is much closer and easily doable, though.

Grading is THE BEST. I love our system. It's Honors/Pass/No Pass for most classes. There is no curve, so if everyone got 90, everyone would get honors (though that has yet to happen). It's a very forgiving system as well. We take a few formatives each block to gauge our progress/understanding. These don't count for our final grades, but if you fail one, there is some sort of remediation you go through to make sure you get ready in time for the final (people rarely fail). If you fail a summative exam (the only exams we take that matter for our grades), you are given extra instruction throughout the week, and then given the chance to take the final again (with different questions).

Because there is no curve (and also because just about everyone is really nice and helpful), we all share our resources with each other, and it's been a really nice learning atmosphere. Not cut throat at all. The faculty is also always willing to help, and will often hold extra reviews/meet with students one on one to make sure everything is copacetic.

As for your loan question, @baratheonfire isn't too far off... As of now, they are private loans, so there is no loan forgiveness. However, the interest rates are typically pretty low (depends on your credit/cosigners), so that's nice. Here's the Sallie Mae website- they're one of the loan providers for CNU. https://www.salliemae.com/student-loans/managing-your-loans/payment-basics/getting-started/
 
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nosarcasm said:
Yeah, UCSF is 100 miles away. I would sublet down there in summers or stay with family. Davis/Sacramento is much closer and easily doable, though.

Grading is THE BEST. I love our system. It's Honors/Pass/No Pass for most classes. There is no curve, so if everyone got 90, everyone would get honors (though that has yet to happen). It's a very forgiving system as well. We take a few formatives each block to gauge our progress/understanding. These don't count for our final grades, but if you fail one, there is some sort of remediation you go through to make sure you get ready in time for the final (people rarely fail). If you fail a summative exam (the only exams we take that matter for our grades), you are given extra instruction throughout the week, and then given the chance to take the final again (with different questions).

Because there is no curve (and also because just about everyone is really nice and helpful), we all share our resources with each other, and it's been a really nice learning atmosphere. Not cut throat at all. The faculty is also always willing to help, and will often hold extra reviews/meet with students one on one to make sure everything is copacetic.

As for your loan question, @baratheonfire isn't too far off... As of now, they are private loans, so there is no loan forgiveness. However, the interest rates are typically pretty low (depends on your credit/cosigners), so that's nice. Here's the Sallie Mae website- they're one of the loan providers for CNU. https://www.salliemae.com/student-loans/managing-your-loans/payment-basics/getting-started/
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Curious, do you know why there are no federal loans available and could that change in the future?
 
sammiesings said:
Curious, do you know why there are no federal loans available and could that change in the future?
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This is actually a major point of contention. I'm not in the know-how on any of that, but I know most of the students (and some faculty) are pushing for federal loans. I'll let someone else who is more in the loop with this answer you more specifically. @GnomeBeGone ?
 
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Withdrew from here today. Good luck everyone, such a great school!
 
Hi, does anyone know if we can send update emails before we get an interview invite?
 
doctortobe17 said:
Hi, does anyone know if we can send update emails before we get an interview invite?
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Yes you can! I emailed the admissions email and asked if it was allowed to send them one and in what format. I got the response that yes they accept them. I sent mine in PDF and they confirmed the receipt of my update and that it had been added to my application.
 
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hophophop said:
Yes you can! I emailed the admissions email and asked if it was allowed to send them one and in what format. I got the response that yes they accept them. I sent mine in PDF and they confirmed the receipt of my update and that it had been added to my application.
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thank you so much
 
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Did Northstate say that we will hear back on the 3rd calendar week after our interview day or am I mistaken?
Can anyone verify?
Thanks!
 
fantiffsy said:
Did Northstate say that we will hear back on the 3rd calendar week after our interview day or am I mistaken?
Can anyone verify?
Thanks!
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Correct, they said acceptances/rejections would hear back 3 weeks after the interview. Those who don't hear back are on the waitlist and can hear back any time until the end of the cycle.
 
dental15triodino said:
Correct, they said acceptances/rejections would hear back 3 weeks after the interview. Those who don't hear back are on the waitlist and can hear back any time until the end of the cycle.
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Is it three weeks or two weeks? I saw some older posts said 2 weeks? Did something change this cycle. Hope I get an interview and love the quick turnaround.
 
cantelopeavocado said:
Is it three weeks or two weeks? I saw some older posts said 2 weeks? Did something change this cycle. Hope I get an interview and love the quick turnaround.
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They said three weeks but I think some people may have received a decision before that too. So I guess what they meant is within three weeks.
 
I interviewed here on Friday. It's a pretty cool school with welcoming faculty, staff, and students. Please feel free to ask any questions!


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So I've been complete since July 25th. Does anyone know if they give any timeline as to when we can expect to hear anything back?
 
Complete on 8/8 and silence. Emailed about status on 10/14 and met with cryptic response that app has been received, reviewed, and that I may/may not get II via email.
 
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Complete 7/16
Interviewed 11/4 (very short notice so people who have not heard anything back yet do not lose hope!)
Accepted 11/18 (got the phone call a couple of hours ago)

I am super excited!!!

After visiting, I actually loved the program and am super happy!
 
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trimethylpurine said:
Do they email you saying you're complete?


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All I got was a short email with something along the lines of "This e-mail serves as a confirmation that your completed Supplemental Application has been received."

If you are unsure, I would email them.
 
Interviewed: 11/04;
Accepted by phone: 11/18;
Deposited: 11/30;

Good luck to all future medical doctors !
 
Last edited:
Just got an interview invite today. Was complete in late July.
 
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Just got a II -- my first in CA ^.^ (IS, LizzyM ~67, secondary submitted ~8/1).

Only was offered a single time and it's really soon...don't expect a ton of advance warning!
 
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cboy77 said:
How soon is it?
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Roughly ~10 days between when the invite arrived and the interview date. Of course I have no idea how representative this is, maybe NucleusO can provide another data point?
 
herrgray said:
Roughly ~10 days between when the invite arrived and the interview date. Of course I have no idea how representative this is, maybe NucleusO can provide another data point?
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Received invite Nov 21st for an II on Dec 2nd.
 
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CNU - is part of the "for profit" what is keeping the school from being approved for financial aid?

Also, what is the biggest difference in that this is a"for profit" school for the students?

I would appreciate an honest answer to the questions above.

For everyone else - does anybody know of any other for-profit MD schools? The only for-profit medical schools I could find were either DOs or Carribean schools.
 
mangomaniac said:
CNU - is part of the "for profit" what is keeping the school from being approved for financial aid?

Also, what is the biggest difference in that this is a"for profit" school for the students?

I would appreciate an honest answer to the questions above.

For everyone else - does anybody know of any other for-profit MD schools? The only for-profit medical schools I could find were either DOs or Carribean schools.
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Cause the government cannot afford to open more nonprofit medical schools. We suffer from a shortage of doctors in the states so Northstate decided to open a college of medicine to help with this shortage. According to the dean, they have made $0 profit off students so far!


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curlyhairmd said:
Cause the government cannot afford to open more nonprofit medical schools. We suffer from a shortage of doctors in the states so Northstate decided to open a college of medicine to help with this shortage. According to the dean, they have made $0 profit off students so far!


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I understand, but I wonder if a part of the reason they are having difficulty getting financial aid for students is because it's a for-profit organization. Would governments fund a for-profit school? Wouldn't that be similar to funding a private company? Although I was looking at Rocky Vista, a for-profit DO, and they seem to be getting federal aid..
 
mangomaniac said:
I understand, but I wonder if a part of the reason they are having difficulty getting financial aid for students is because it's a for-profit organization. Would governments fund a for-profit school? Wouldn't that be similar to funding a private company? Although I was looking at Rocky Vista, a for-profit DO, and they seem to be getting federal aid..
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It's also not fully accredited yet, so maybe that's why it doesn't get aid? I'm not sure (can someone else answer this question?)

I believe it is for-profit cause the government didn't approve it to be nonprofit.


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mangomaniac said:
CNU - is part of the "for profit" what is keeping the school from being approved for financial aid?


Also, what is the biggest difference in that this is a"for profit" school for the students?

.
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a) Short answer: Alvin Cheung. They could have gotten COP and then signed on COM as an add-on.

b) Loans, no university hospital, and makes reading SDN more depressing than it usually is :p
 
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GnomeBeGone said:
a) Short answer: Alvin Cheung. They could have gotten COP and then signed on COM as an add-on.

b) Loans, no university hospital, and makes reading SDN more depressing than it usually is :p
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Excuse my naivety but what's COP vs. COM?

Edit: Nvm. Just realized you're referring to the college of pharmacy. What's the connection for financial aid?

Good point on the university hospital. Anybody know if they have it within their plan to build one? The school seems pretty ambitious in their future planning, I would assume they would (especially as a for-profit facility) have one in the plans.
 
Reading an article they linked to on their website and can't help but be troubled by how poorly it's written :eek:

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article58753268.html

Starts out with ".... 25, took a year off after she graduated from UC Berkeley to work as a laboratory manager and apply to medical school. She didn’t get in. Anywhere."

Then "More than 52,500 students applied to medical school for the 2015-16... There were more than 67,000 applications."

Also "The class is diverse. More than half the students are Asian. Male students outnumber females by more than two to one. Almost 80 percent of students are California residents. For now, the school is not accepting applications from foreign students."

:rofl:
 
mangomaniac said:
CNU - is part of the "for profit" what is keeping the school from being approved for financial aid?

Also, what is the biggest difference in that this is a"for profit" school for the students?

I would appreciate an honest answer to the questions above.

For everyone else - does anybody know of any other for-profit MD schools? The only for-profit medical schools I could find were either DOs or Carribean schools.
Click to expand...

The "for profit" status itself doesn't affect me as a student at all (other than the stigma associated with it). Elk Grove has many rural areas nearby, and for profit medical schools are springing up in rural areas throughout the country: http://www.usnews.com/news/business...profit-medical-schools-springing-up-across-us

The loan issue is obnoxious, and as someone who is planning on going into primary care/was hoping for loan forgiveness, it's kind of a bummer. I'll always be honest here, and you've brought up the only thing about this school that has really bothered me so far. I know I will eventually be debt-free, but the lack of transparency regarding why exactly Alvin Cheung decided to forego federal funding for the COP (and by way of add-on, COM) makes me angry. As students at a new school, we are implicitly gambling, and I wish the board was more communicative about the federal aid issue.

In regards to your linked article- I'm guessing you're not a local. The Sacbee is notoriously awful, haha. I'm not surprised that the article is so poorly written. Any press is good press I guess? I will say though, that our class *is* extremely diverse, not just in race/culture, but in life experience and future goals. I'm humbled and inspired by my classmates on a daily basis. I might just be feeling especially mushy given the upcoming holiday, but I really am very thankful to be where I am, and with the people I get to surround myself with.

As always, feel free to PM me, or keep posting your questions here! Happy (almost) Thanksgiving, and best of luck this cycle
 
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mangomaniac said:
Reading an article they linked to on their website and can't help but be troubled by how poorly it's written :eek:

http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article58753268.html

Starts out with ".... 25, took a year off after she graduated from UC Berkeley to work as a laboratory manager and apply to medical school. She didn’t get in. Anywhere."

Then "More than 52,500 students applied to medical school for the 2015-16... There were more than 67,000 applications."

Also "The class is diverse. More than half the students are Asian. Male students outnumber females by more than two to one. Almost 80 percent of students are California residents. For now, the school is not accepting applications from foreign students."

:rofl:
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We had no control over how that article was written, unfortunately.
 
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Does anyone know if they have been approved for the HPSP scholarship? Would it apply to a for-profit school??
 
michellesuzie said:
Does anyone know if they have been approved for the HPSP scholarship? Would it apply to a for-profit school??
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You can apply for HPSP and attend CNU. I think there are two people in my class who are HPSP recipients.
 
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aim-agm said:
The interview process consists of 6 sets of 2 MMI questions with 5 minutes per question. Each set is with its own pair of a faculty and student.
Last year there was a somewhat different MMI setup which included a group MMI of 3 applicants interviewed by a faculty member and student, which might be the "group interview" referenced.
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Could you elaborate a little bit more on what the timeline is for the MMI? This is my first MMI so I'm a little nervous! Thanks in advance!
 
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Does anybody know what percentage of II have been sent out at this point and how many more they are still planning to give out?
 
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mangomaniac said:
Does anybody know what percentage of II have been sent out at this point and how many more they are still planning to give out?
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Unless a school has a tracker on their website, no applicant will have this information.
 
ileantotheleft said:
Could you elaborate a little bit more on what the timeline is for the MMI? This is my first MMI so I'm a little nervous! Thanks in advance!
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It's 3 mins to read the prompt and 5 mins to answer. Then you will be asked a traditional question after you've answered the MMI one. You have another 5 mins to answer that one.

So in total, each station is 13 minutes. There are 6 of them.


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