Class of 2018

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HH8911 said:
Pre-interview, sight unseen, purely on paper:

DMU/KCUMB
Nova
Western
Touro NV
RVU

Post-interview-ahh it's tough! I liked pretty much everywhere!!

Touro NV
Western
KCUMB
DMU
RVU
Nova

Which is why I suggest to everyone to check out as many schools as you can afford to, if you get the interviews. You never know which ones will impress and which ones will not live up to the expectations. Again, solely my opinion based on my experiences.
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Wow. This is an eye opener.

I'm glad that you ranked WesternU (the school I'm intending to attend next fall) as your second highest school.
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HH8911 said:
Absolutely, and keep in mind these are solely my opinions and what I experienced. There was no school I didn't like and no bad interview day or experience, just pros and cons to each that were weighed out in the end.

Nova- It was my first interview so I was definitely a little more nervous. In retrospect, even subtracting the nervousness it was the most stressful interview of the bunch. I enjoyed the day, but wouldn't say I was blown away by much.

RVU- I actually live not too far from here and was already somewhat familiar with RVU. I'd already had good experiences with getting in touch with faculty to shadow (all of whom were very receptive to my requests). I actually found my interview day to be completely relaxing and truly like the interviewers wanted to get to know me. It was the longest interview I had (about 45 min) but certainly the most conversational. Plenty of laughing and joking around, plus getting fitted for a white coat is always a confidence booster! I liked the curriculum structure, however decided not to attend RVU. It wasn't for the SDN typical reasons, but rather I have lived in Colorado for a very long time and the hubby and I are ready to experience a new place. To be honest, I couldn't care less about RVU's for-profit status or anything and the interview day very much impressed me, just needing a change of scenery.

DMU- I really liked DMU, and my interview was conversational although formally structured. Having a student interviewer was actually enjoyable, and the one I got was super nice and outgoing, so it was easy to chat and just be myself. I really liked the school, campus, city of DM, and facilities. Also loved the surgical skills lab, and I have no interest in surgery, that's how cool it was. However, it just didn't end up being the best fit for me.

Western U/COMP- Didn't particularly like how unsafe the area was, or the fact that the cab driver had to walk me up to my hotel door and inside, because he said he wouldn't want his sister or daughter walking around after dark around there (needless to say the hubby wasn't too crazy about this part either!). I liked how we got the interviews done early in the day. I was nervous for the MMI but truly, just use common sense and you'll be fine, it was no big deal. I didn't think the interview went all that well, as both my interviewers were very serious and didn't seem to loosen up, so I felt like I couldn't either. I answered their questions pretty quickly, but was able to ask them lots of questions about Western to keep the conversation going. Guess it ended up being alright in the end! As much as I love SoCal and the weather, the curriculum involved a bit too much PBL/small group stuff for my personal liking- I do better with boring old lectures.

KCUMB- Showed up to my interview day wayyyyy too early after the hotel desk clerk scared me the night before, telling me cabs in KC are near impossible to get, and don't show up half the time. On an abundance of caution, I woke up super early and took the hotel shuttle back 2-3 miles to the airport and caught a cab there, no problem. I was the very last person to interview, but my interviews were incredibly nice and this interview was my most enjoyable by far. The interviewers gave me a lot of positive feedback, and I came out feeling like I did really well. The campus was nice, and the curriculum with iPad integration was very cool also (minus required attendance :p ). Again, just didn't end up being the best fit, nothing wrong with the school.

Touro NV- The school I ultimately chose! I really enjoyed my interview day, thought it was very informative. Short interview, but I felt that we were able to cover a lot of ground in the 15-20 min. The interview was definitely structured, but I was able to find some common ground on a personal level with one of interviewers which turned it pretty conversational. TBH, using fantasy football lingo, this school ended up kind of being my "sleeper pick" if you will lol. I thought this school offered the best blend of everything I wanted in a school: lecture-based curriculum, no attendance required (for lectures), no dress code, ideal location/weather for me, board-style exams, smaller class size, the opportunity to remain in LV for years 3-4, cheap cost of living, safe area, no competition with other med students. Yeah, I saw nicer facilities and nicer campuses (ha) but this school just resonated with me. I came out of the interview-my last one- saying, yep, that's my school if they'll let me in. So this was the one that ended up being the best fit, for me personally and my situation.

Sorry so long, but hopefully it will be helpful to somebody! If anyone has questions feel free to shoot me a PM.
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Thanks for the reply, I hope you are happy at TUNCOM! fwiw the ER doc where I volunteered is an adjunct professor there and speaks very highly of the school and their program. I live not too far from Vegas, and despite the obvious touristy stuff, it really is a cool place to live.

I have to say I'm surprised at your assessment of various schools and ultimately your final decision. I guess at the end of the day, you picked what feel right for you and that's awesome. I think I'm guilty of getting caught up in the SDN mentality of thinking school X is better than school Y. Since I currently have yet to receive an acceptance to any school, I'm not in any position to be too critical :)
 
Elevencents said:
And you were worried about your one MCAT subsection.
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I believe I was walking on eggshells at every single interview, however. One slip and they would probably pull the 6 VR rug from under my feet.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
Wow. This is an eye opener.

I'm glad that you ranked WesternU (the school I'm intending to attend next fall) as your second highest school.
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I really liked Western and I'm sure you'll do great things there!
 
O Grady said:
Thanks for the reply, I hope you are happy at TUNCOM! fwiw the ER doc where I volunteered is an adjunct professor there and speaks very highly of the school and their program. I live not too far from Vegas, and despite the obvious touristy stuff, it really is a cool place to live.

I have to say I'm surprised at your assessment of various schools and ultimately your final decision. I guess at the end of the day, you picked what feel right for you and that's awesome. I think I'm guilty of getting caught up in the SDN mentality of thinking school X is better than school Y. Since I currently have yet to receive an acceptance to any school, I'm not in any position to be too critical :)
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Thank you! I too tended to get caught up in SDN mentality, but why conform to what SDN thinks I should do rather than what I feel is the best fit for myself, ya know? I am not interested in competitive specialties and realize that most of med school is what you make of it. Also keep in mind I have a hubby that factored into the decision too. Not saying I would've picked somewhere else if I were single because that's not true. But I also factored into my decision job/school opportunities for him. He's sacrificing a lot for me and my career, so it's only fair that we go somewhere he can finish school and have job prospects as well.

Sorry, I didn't scan through the thread to check, but O Grady do you have any interviews lined up?
 
HH8911 said:
Thank you! I too tended to get caught up in SDN mentality, but why conform to what SDN thinks I should do rather than what I feel is the best fit for myself, ya know? I am not interested in competitive specialties and realize that most of med school is what you make of it. Also keep in mind I have a hubby that factored into the decision too. Not saying I would've picked somewhere else if I were single because that's not true. But I also factored into my decision job/school opportunities for him. He's sacrificing a lot for me and my career, so it's only fair that we go somewhere he can finish school and have job prospects as well.

Sorry, I didn't scan through the thread to check, but O Grady do you have any interviews lined up?
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I have had 1 so far at KCUMB, and I hope to hear about an acceptance sometime this week. Other than that, I'm still waiting for an ii from DMU and my state MD school.
 
O Grady said:
I have had 1 so far at KCUMB, and I hope to hear about an acceptance sometime this week. Other than that, I'm still waiting for an ii from DMU and my state MD school.
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Nice, good luck to you.
 
HH8911 said:
Western U/COMP- Didn't particularly like how unsafe the area was, or the fact that the cab driver had to walk me up to my hotel door and inside, because he said he wouldn't want his sister or daughter walking around after dark around there (needless to say the hubby wasn't too crazy about this part either!). I liked how we got the interviews done early in the day. I was nervous for the MMI but truly, just use common sense and you'll be fine, it was no big deal. I didn't think the interview went all that well, as both my interviewers were very serious and didn't seem to loosen up, so I felt like I couldn't either. I answered their questions pretty quickly, but was able to ask them lots of questions about Western to keep the conversation going. Guess it ended up being alright in the end! As much as I love SoCal and the weather, the curriculum involved a bit too much PBL/small group stuff for my personal liking- I do better with boring old lectures.

Touro NV- The school I ultimately chose! I really enjoyed my interview day, thought it was very informative. Short interview, but I felt that we were able to cover a lot of ground in the 15-20 min. The interview was definitely structured, but I was able to find some common ground on a personal level with one of interviewers which turned it pretty conversational. TBH, using fantasy football lingo, this school ended up kind of being my "sleeper pick" if you will lol. I thought this school offered the best blend of everything I wanted in a school: lecture-based curriculum, no attendance required (for lectures), no dress code, ideal location/weather for me, board-style exams, smaller class size, the opportunity to remain in LV for years 3-4, cheap cost of living, safe area, no competition with other med students. Yeah, I saw nicer facilities and nicer campuses (ha) but this school just resonated with me. I came out of the interview-my last one- saying, yep, that's my school if they'll let me in. So this was the one that ended up being the best fit, for me personally and my situation.
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I felt that Western/COMP in Henderson would have made the perfect school. Nothing wrong with Pomona per se, but I loved Henderson.
 
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Back 5 said:
I felt that Western/COMP in Henderson would have made the perfect school. Nothing wrong with Pomona per se, but I loved Henderson.
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Haha, totally. I loved Henderson too!
 
I am finally updated! If you see anything wrong or if you're name isn't included (Most likely means you gave me IIs and acceptances w/o stats) then be sure to let me know.

Great job everyone! We're going to be doctors :):pompous:
 
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PSA: for those of you accepted, don't forget to update your immunizations and titers as soon as possible.

I finished my hep B series before, and I had no reason to get the 4-week post-vac titer then. I went to my doctor's office recently to see if I have the HBsAb antibodies. Turns out I have to repeat my hep B series. What a b...........................................ahem.
 
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Jumpstartmy5HT said:
PSA: for those of you accepted, don't forget to update your immunizations and titers as soon as possible.

I finished my hep B series before, and I had no reason to get the 4-week post-vac titer then. I went to my doctor's office recently to see if I have the HBsAb antibodies. Turns out I have to repeat my hep B series. What a b...........................................ahem.
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I was thinking of starting on my immunization stuff soon too, but was afraid that it may be too early that they may require them to be within 6 months of matriculation. Therefore, I decided to start the whole process by the beginning of the new year.
 
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Ibn Alnafis MD said:
I was thinking of starting on my immunization stuff soon too, but was afraid that it may be too early that they may require them to be within 6 months of matriculation. Therefore, I decided to start the whole process by the beginning of the new year.
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You can always call your school and ask about the vaccination requirements.

http://www.kcumb.edu/uploadedFiles/Content/Admissions/_Assets/KCUMBImmunizationStdForm.pdf <- This is the listed KCUMB one for the past year. It can be used as a guide.
 
Jumpstartmy5HT said:
You can always call your school and ask about the vaccination requirements.

http://www.kcumb.edu/uploadedFiles/Content/Admissions/_Assets/KCUMBImmunizationStdForm.pdf <- This is the listed KCUMB one for the past year. It can be used as a guide.
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Sounds like a good idea.

Also are schools open to the idea of payment installations for the large deposits or am I stuck taking out a loan for them? This is coming from someone with an average balance of ~200$ per month o_O
 
darklabel said:
Sounds like a good idea.

Also are schools open to the idea of payment installations for the large deposits or am I stuck taking out a loan for them? This is coming from someone with an average balance of ~200$ per month o_O
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When I was at the KCUMB day, one of the admissions people said she'll work stuff out with people who need extensions for the deposits. She said it's best to contact her as soon as possible to work things out financially. So maybe it's similar for other schools? I mean the DO deposits are kind of large sums, and we're not able to get the loan money until school starts.
 
JUST GOT ACCEPTED AHHHHHH!!! To KYCOM!!!

MCAT 26. 3.58 cGPA Biochemistry major.

AH!!!! I can finally stop applying to med schools ah! I applied to 35 schools..
 
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I gotta pick between KCUMB or KYCOM... KYCOM I would save more than $100000 over KCUMB.. any thoughts? Both have good pass rates and entry into residency.
 
masterwares said:
I gotta pick between KCUMB or KYCOM... KYCOM I would save more than $100000 over KCUMB.. any thoughts? Both have good pass rates and entry into residency.
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While I think KCUMB is a better school, that's too much money to give up for it. I'd likely go with the financial move here.
 
masterwares said:
I gotta pick between KCUMB or KYCOM... KYCOM I would save more than $100000 over KCUMB.. any thoughts? Both have good pass rates and entry into residency.
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But that money tho.
Any chance you can get scholarships at KCUMB?
 
touchpause13 said:
But that money tho.
Any chance you can get scholarships at KCUMB?
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geh926 said:
While I think KCUMB is a better school, that's too much money to give up for it. I'd likely go with the financial move here.
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See that's the thing. According to AACOM, I would save that amount of money ($100K+) after financial aid if I went to KYCOM...

What kind of scholarships do they give at KCUMB? At KYCOM I only saw a scholarship for KY residents.
 
masterwares said:
See that's the thing. According to AACOM, I would save that amount of money ($100K+) after financial aid if I went to KYCOM...

What kind of scholarships do they give at KCUMB? At KYCOM I only saw a scholarship for KY residents.
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Are you basing this number solely off the average indebtedness that is listed in the Osteo Book? If so, disregard and go to KCUMB.
 
Yeah from the AACOM school page. Do you have more relevant statistics from where I can gather a better decision?

Elevencents said:
Are you basing this number solely off the average indebtedness that is listed in the Osteo Book? If so, disregard and go to KCUMB.
Click to expand...
 
masterwares said:
Yeah from the AACOM school page. Do you have more relevant statistics from where I can gather a better decision?
Click to expand...

Just look at tuition and the general cost of living of the area the school is in. I bet they're pretty similar.
 
Darklabel,
ii at LMUDCOM
thanks
 
Tuition at KYCOM : $38950.
Tuition at KCUMB : $42450.

From the KCUMB "budget guide" it says that the average cost total is about $67000 per year with living cost.
KYCOM doesn't have a "budget guide" or anything, but when I was there the student said his rent was super low at $300 a month, so I am going to say 10000 for living cost per year total in KY.

I pay less than $10k per year in living cost and I live in a city in Maryland, so in Kentucky you have to be paying less than that...


Elevencents said:
Just look at tuition and the general cost of living of the area the school is in. I bet they're pretty similar.
Click to expand...
 
masterwares said:
Tuition at KYCOM : $38950.
Tuition at KCUMB : $42450.

From the KCUMB "budget guide" it says that the average cost total is about $67000 per year with living cost.
KYCOM doesn't have a "budget guide" or anything, but when I was there the student said his rent was super low at $300 a month, so I am going to say 10000 for living cost per year total in KY.

I pay less than $10k per year in living cost and I live in a city in Maryland, so in Kentucky you have to be paying less than that...
Click to expand...

Please go to KCUMB and send me your "thank you" note later.

KYCOM maybe a good school, but KCUMB is a great school.
 
Jumpstartmy5HT said:
PSA: for those of you accepted, don't forget to update your immunizations and titers as soon as possible.

I finished my hep B series before, and I had no reason to get the 4-week post-vac titer then. I went to my doctor's office recently to see if I have the HBsAb antibodies. Turns out I have to repeat my hep B series. What a b...........................................ahem.
Click to expand...

;)


Just got stabbed today cuz I'm having to continue my immunization series (how do you pluralize this word??) throughout school. It's just easier to knock it out well in advance before matriculation.
 
Lysilegluleu said:
;)


Just got stabbed today cuz I'm having to continue my immunization series (how do you pluralize this word??) throughout school. It's just easier to knock it out well in advance before matriculation.
Click to expand...

Don't forget to get the 4-6 week post-vac titer.
 
masterwares said:
I will send you one if you can elaborate and help me understand why.
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Off the top of my head:

1) KCUMB is almost a century old. This alone shows that they know what they are doing.
2) Very established clinical affiliations
3) Very involved in community outreach
4) Ability to do research
5) Dual degree programs
6) The school is located in a large city. It's not in the middle of nowhere
7) Not too expensive compared to other DO schools

This all means nothing if you don't see yourself happy going to KCUMB. Aside from the academic factors, look into other personal aspects that can help you decide which program you matriculate into.
 
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masterwares said:
Tuition at KYCOM : $38950.
Tuition at KCUMB : $42450.

From the KCUMB "budget guide" it says that the average cost total is about $67000 per year with living cost.
KYCOM doesn't have a "budget guide" or anything, but when I was there the student said his rent was super low at $300 a month, so I am going to say 10000 for living cost per year total in KY.

I pay less than $10k per year in living cost and I live in a city in Maryland, so in Kentucky you have to be paying less than that...
Click to expand...

KC is cheap itself. You're not comparing a small town vs Chicago here. You're COL will be similar. I was just trying to point out that in no way will the difference be $100k. And if you don't know why KCUMB is a better school academically you haven't done your research.
 
masterwares said:
Tuition at KYCOM : $38950.
Tuition at KCUMB : $42450.

From the KCUMB "budget guide" it says that the average cost total is about $67000 per year with living cost.
KYCOM doesn't have a "budget guide" or anything, but when I was there the student said his rent was super low at $300 a month, so I am going to say 10000 for living cost per year total in KY.

I pay less than $10k per year in living cost and I live in a city in Maryland, so in Kentucky you have to be paying less than that...
Click to expand...

I thought I just saw you asking for advice about the KCUMB interview.

Did you get accepted already?
 
Alright thanks. Well I have an interview coming up at KCUMB, but those are the only places i've heard from so I wanted to ask.

Yeah the heritage was a large part of why I applied to the school. Everything else builds off the fact that its so old versus a 20 year old school like KYCOM.

We'll see, but thanks for the heads up.
 
Just got accepted to KCOM!! :happy:

Wow, DO school was very fast with their acceptance. I interviewed in late October and got the good news today

Now, the working hard like you never had work before just begin.
 
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Congrats on all the recent acceptances.
 
My first acceptance: LECOM-B. Nice little surprise in the mail waiting for me after getting back from my TUNCOM interview.
 
First acceptance: ACOM !! So excited!
 
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Darklabel,

ii Touro-NV and in my stats it shows two ii to AZCOM instead of me having an ii to AZCOM and acceptance, thanks!
 
First acceptance yesterday! Third time applicant here, so just wanted to tell all you reapplicants out there don't give up. I was close to the point of losing hope myself, but alas, persistence pays off
:soexcited:Class of 2018!
 
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Darklabel,
Please add my first ACCEPTANCE!!!!
LMUDCOM
 
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