Did you have any difficulties in moving/transitioning to living on the island? Can you give any tips on this? Not sure if there is on campus living, but if there is do you recommend it? Do most students not worry about having cars?
I, like others I have seen in the forum, have had some difficulty in contacting the admissions office which was a tiny bit of a turn off and cause for some worry. I am hoping the rest of the faculty is easier to contact. I'm sure it will be different being there in person, but it makes me wonder. Do you feel like there is a large sense of community in the school? I want to go somewhere where the students are close with one another and with the faculty!
Thanks so much!
Hey LaOculista! Nice name haha. Congratulations on getting an interview invitation, I'm sure you'll do great!
Before we came to the island, we were each assigned an Orientation Committee Officer, who was a 2nd or 3rd year that served on the Orientation Committee, and was responsible for answering any questions that we may have. They definitely made the transition to the island much smoother than it would've been.
If you were already living on your own, then the transition shouldn't be that difficult, but if you're just leaving your house for the first time, then moving away to anywhere would be difficult. No matter what, people learn to adapt, and after the first couple of weeks or less, you should have completely adjusted.
The school does have on-campus housing, and I highly recommend it. It's currently $500 a month with all utilities included. It's right behind the school and it's nice to be able to walk to and from class. It's safe and saves you the trouble of having to drive back and forth. Many students live on campus until their 4th year, when they move out because they rotate in clinics that are far from the school.
Only a couple of students in our class have cars. You don't absolutely need a car your first 3 years, but some find that it really helps. Walgreens and Sam's Club are within walking distance from the school. Sometimes the school has a shuttle on Sunday that goes to a nearby shopping center. You can definitely get by without a car, either walking, taking a taxi, or hitching a ride with someone who does have one, but having one makes life easier.
As for the difficulty with admissions, I cannot personally attest to this. Most of my communication with admissions was through email. But I can tell you that our admissions counselor was out very sick the past 2 weeks.
I've never tried to contact the faculty outside of class hours, but our class president has been in contact with them throughout the semester to discuss everything from exams to class requirements.
There certainly is a sense of community here! Since the class sizes are relatively small, everybody knows each other, and throughout your time here, the professors will get to know you well.
With all this being said, being a student here is not for everyone. Every student is different, and it is important to find the school that fits
you. Most people give you their opinion, and not actual facts, so it can induce a bias either for or against a school. It helps when you visit the schools, do your research, and continue to ask questions!
