KSUCPM 1st Year - Ask Me Anything

[podiatrytime]

Let me know if any of you guys have questions regarding Kent

I'm currently a 1st year, and I remember having so many questions/concerns during the application process last cycle.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions that you guys may have about the school.

Just bear with me, as I may not reply right away.

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[Weirdy]

1) What were your stats applying? Did you ever struggle with undergrad or was it pretty easy? Traditional or non-trad?

2) Which schools did you apply to?

3) What were you looking for?

4) Did it come down to a check-list or a gut feeling when you finally chose Kent? Was it a no-brainer or did you really have to think hard between 2 programs?

5) Any differences between what you thought you'd experience versus what you're actually experience? Course load/professors/the facilities/weather/interaction with students?

6) Tips for success for incoming pre-pods about to start next year?

Sorry for the questions.

 

[Racer543]

Why did you choose Kent? What would you recommend looking into when choosing a school? Any tips for applicants?

 

[dr.phoot]

(1) do they have a class ranking system?

(2) what's their academic policy in regards to staying in school/the program? Like what's the minimum GPA that must be maintained? If you fall below the minimum do you get 2nd / 3rd chances to fix things?

(3) is everyone in the same class? Say there's about 100 of you in the class of 2018. All the 100 (from class of '18) take the same courses, sit in the same lecture hall side-by-side, etc? Or you could be doing anatomy this semster and someone else could be doing biomechanics so you're not all together?

(4) is a car a "necessity" in that area where the school is located? Or there's a school shuttle like most undergrads have? What about public transportation in the city of Independence itself?

(5) I heard everyone lives off-campus since the school doesn't provide housing. Is it true? And what are your options for food if you'll be living off-campus and can't cook? Any comments on cost of living?

(6) what's the white coat ceremony process like? When is it held? What do you guys do?

(7) is there a dress code? (Not a uniform per se, but are you expected to attend lectures dressed professionally / somewhat business casual)

(8) if a student wanted to stay in school-- even after school ends--in the summer, are there any summer programs like research, volunteer, or even jobs at the school that could keep the student occupied while they stayed in Ohio for the summer?

(9) do they make ksucpm wind breaker jerseys? Like this:

 

[podiatrytime]

1) What were your stats applying? Did you ever struggle with undergrad or was it pretty easy? Traditional or non-trad?

2) Which schools did you apply to?

3) What were you looking for?

4) Did it come down to a check-list or a gut feeling when you finally chose Kent? Was it a no-brainer or did you really have to think hard between 2 programs?

5) Any differences between what you thought you'd experience versus what you're actually experience? Course load/professors/the facilities/weather/interaction with students?

6) Tips for success for incoming pre-pods about to start next year?

Sorry for the questions.

1. cGPA: 3.25, sGPA 2.96 (strong upward trend); 750+ hours volunteering in medical field (volunteering/shadowing...etc). 6 months shadowing DPM, Biology Honors (I was able to pull off close to a 3.75 sGPA my 3rd/4th year), 2 semesters of independent research, and a medial mission trip to Russia. I also had a solid personal statement and 3 top-notch LORs.

For me, undergrad was "average". If I put in the time/effort to study, I did well. If not, I wasn't so good with exams.

2. I applied to all nine schools. Interview invites from Kent, Barry, and Scholl (waitlisted pre-interview at Midwestern).

3. Coming from a large undergrad university, I wanted to attend a small community-like place where students and faculty shared a relationship. The fact that the medical campus (KSUCPM) is 45 minutes from the main KSU campus really helps maintain the "community feel".

4. Kent was my 1st choice from the very beginning (I visited the school the summer before I applied), and I fell in love with the campus and the location. So to answer your question, it was mainly a gut feeling.

5. My experience is exactly what I expected: friendly environment (EVERYONE is willing to help! No one is trying to "out-compete" one another, and the upperclassmen are very motivating). The course load is definitely heavy, but doable (the material isn't hard but the amount/quantity of information makes school a little stressful).

6. I'm only 1.5 month into the semester, so there's still a lot I'm trying to get used to. The ONE tip I can give right now is not to fall behind on the material. We just got finished with the first round of exams, and I thought they were fair...but I'm definitely studying a lot more than I ever did in undergrad. Staying organized is the key!!!

 

[podiatrytime]

Why did you choose Kent? What would you recommend looking into when choosing a school? Any tips for applicants?

Like I said in the post above, I really liked the campus and the overall location of the school. It was more of a gut feeling than anything else.

Aside form the location of each school, I would look at board pass rates (although I have mixed feelings about this). Personally speaking, your success at a school is not dependent on the faculty/school but rather on your effort/motivation to do well. With my undergrad GPA, someone would probably say I wouldn't do well in medical school, but I did pretty well on the first round of exams (and it definitely had to do with how much time I spent studying and what resources I used).

 

[Weirdy]

Like I said in the post above, I really liked the campus and the overall location of the school. It was more of a gut feeling than anything else.

Aside form the location of each school, I would look to at board pass rates (although I have mixed feelings about this). Personally speaking, your success at a school is not dependent on the faculty/school but rather on your effort/motivation to do well. With my undergrad GPA, someone would probably say I wouldn't do well in medical school, but I did pretty well on the first round of exams (and it definitely had to do with how much time I spent studying and what resources I used).

Needed to hear this.

Thank you

 

[podiatrytime]

(1) do they have a class ranking system?

(2) what's their academic policy in regards to staying in school/the program? Like what's the minimum GPA that must be maintained? If you fall below the minimum do you get 2nd / 3rd chances to fix things?

(3) is everyone in the same class? Say there's about 100 of you in the class of 2018. All the 100 (from class of '18) take the same courses, sit in the same lecture hall side-by-side, etc? Or you could be doing anatomy this semster and someone else could be doing biomechanics so you're not all together?

(4) is a car a "necessity" in that area where the school is located? Or there's a school shuttle like most undergrads have? What about public transportation in the city of Independence itself?

(5) I heard everyone lives off-campus since the school doesn't provide housing. Is it true? And what are your options for food if you'll be living off-campus and can't cook? Any comments on cost of living?

(6) what's the white coat ceremony process like? When is it held? What do you guys do?

(7) is there a dress code? (Not a uniform per se, but are you expected to attend lectures dressed professionally / somewhat business casual)

(8) if a student wanted to stay in school-- even after school ends--in the summer, are there any summer programs like research, volunteer, or even jobs at the school that could keep the student occupied while they stayed in Ohio for the summer?

(9) do they make ksucpm wind breaker jerseys? Like this:

1. Yes, the school has a class ranking system.

2. I assume the minimum GPA required to stay in school is a 2.0 (anything below a C is failing). If you do fail a course, I think you get 1 chance at retaking it (I'm not exactly sure what happens if you fail the 2nd time around).

3. As for the first two years, the entire class has the same schedule (everyone takes the same courses at the same time...in the same lecture hall).

4. I think everyone in my class has a car, so I guess it is safe to say having a car is a "necessity" (since the school is far from the main campus, there really aren't any shuttles). I have seen bus transportation in Independence, but I don't think any students actually use it.

5. The housing options in Independence are slim/none. Most students live in Parma, Strongsville...etc, which happens to be a 10-15 drive to and from school. There are plenty of shopping centers around the area (both Independence/Parma area) and local restaurants. In comparison to my hometown, the cost of living near school is fairly cheap.

6. The White Coat Ceremony was held a few days before the first day of classes. Personally speaking, the experience was quite enjoyable. I would say the two most important parts of the ceremony are: 1. saying the class oath and 2. walking the stage

7. There is not a dress code, as long as the clothes are not outrageous or revealing in any way. I've seen some students go for the comfortable look/sport-wear while others dress somewhat business casual. It's totally up to you!

8. Since I am still new to school, I don't think I have a correct answer to this question. I do know that there are a few research opportunities for students, and volunteering at local hospitals/shadowing DPMs in the Cleveland area is always possible.

9. LET'S NOT EVEN GO THERE.

 

[dr.phoot]

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

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@1: When are you ranked? End of the four years or every year? Also, I take it your rank is personalized and visible in your student hub as opposed to a publicized list using your student ID # for identity protection?

@3: Not bad. Seems slightly intimidating, but it's something to think about after some of the things we discussed on the dating thread. I take it you break up into smaller groups / sections for things like anatomy lab?

@6: I'm curious how the ceremonies work. Do you walk across the stage, individually, to receive your coats? (Almost like a graduation). In the pictures it looks like the person next them is the one putting on their coat for them.

@9: Why not? (No disrespect was meant).
I have a bit of a soft spot for school spirit and I always like some merchandise--preferably clothing--from my Alma mater; tired of the usual tshirts and ball cap.

 

[Racer543]

1. Yes, the school has a class ranking system.

2. I assume the minimum GPA required to stay in school is a 2.0 (anything below a C is failing). If you do fail a course, I think you get 1 chance at retaking it (I'm not exactly sure what happens if you fail the 2nd time around).

3. As for the first two years, the entire class has the same schedule (everyone takes the same courses at the same time...in the same lecture hall).

4. I think everyone in my class has a car, so I guess it is safe to say having a car is a "necessity" (since the school is far from the main campus, there really aren't any shuttles). I have seen bus transportation in Independence, but I don't think any students actually use it.

5. The housing options in Independence are slim/none. Most students live in Parma, Strongsville...etc, which happens to be a 10-15 drive to and from school. There are plenty of shopping centers around the area (both Independence/Parma area) and local restaurants. In comparison to my hometown, the cost of living near school is fairly cheap.

6. The White Coat Ceremony was held a few days before the first day of classes. Personally speaking, the experience was quite enjoyable. I would say the two most important parts of the ceremony are: 1. saying the class oath and 2. walking the stage

7. There is not a dress code, as long as the clothes are not outrageous or revealing in any way. I've seen some students go for the comfortable look/sport-wear while others dress somewhat business casual. It's totally up to you!

8. Since I am still new to school, I don't think I have a correct answer to this question. I do know that there are a few research opportunities for students, and volunteering at local hospitals/shadowing DPMs in the Cleveland area is always possible.

9. LET'S NOT EVEN GO THERE.

What was your experience like visiting Barry?

 

[GypsyHummus]

What is the workload like compared to undergrad?

What about some classes like organic Chem and biochem vs podiatry courses? Harder workload?

 

[Sweatshirt]

What is the workload like compared to undergrad?

What about some classes like organic Chem and biochem vs podiatry courses? Harder workload?

I'll chime in. The workload is much more intense than undergrad. I'd say if you double (triple during exam week) undergrad workload then you have a good estimate of podiatry school. That being said it is not impossible. If you put in the work you will succeed.

So far every class is harder than any undergrad class I've taken. Except histology, it's one of our easier classes. All podiatry classes go into much more detail than undergrad classes. For example if you took biochem in undergrad you might be comfortable with 50% of the topics since we go into much more detail.

Take this with a grain of salt because all students come from different backgrounds

 

[GypsyHummus]

I'll chime in. The workload is much more intense than undergrad. I'd say if you double (triple during exam week) undergrad workload then you have a good estimate of podiatry school. That being said it is not impossible. If you put in the work you will succeed.

So far every class is harder than any undergrad class I've taken. Except histology, it's one of our easier classes. All podiatry classes go into much more detail than undergrad classes. For example if you took biochem in undergrad you might be comfortable with 50% of the topics since we go into much more detail.

Take this with a grain of salt because all students come from different backgrounds

Thanks for the response!

Just trying to get a feel to see if I can hack it. Obviously I would be entering as a full time student.

How many hours per day do you think that you study (concentrated study, like with timers and such)? 5? 8?

Is the material conceptually hard to understand (like Organic Chem) or is it just a lot of route memorization like a biology class, like memorizing powerpoint slides? Further, what would be a typical example of a test question? Anything like the MCAT, where you have to read a massive block of text and then answer the question?

 

[Sweatshirt]

Thanks for the response!

Just trying to get a feel to see if I can hack it. Obviously I would be entering as a full time student.

How many hours per day do you think that you study (concentrated study, like with timers and such)? 5? 8?

Is the material conceptually hard to understand (like Organic Chem) or is it just a lot of route memorization like a biology class, like memorizing powerpoint slides? Further, what would be a typical example of a test question? Anything like the MCAT, where you have to read a massive block of text and then answer the question?

Usually I'm in class from 2-6 hours a day, then I go home and study anywhere from another 2-4 hours. On the weekends I try to study at least 4 hours each day, usually more on Sunday. So far the material has been mostly memorization. There have been some conceptual questions in anatomy but nothing too bad. Most of your first year is just memorizing facts. There isn't any questions like how they are on the MCAT (reading a paragraph and answering questions). We have multiple choice on every test except our anatomy practical. On the practical you look at a tagged structure and need to know what it is

 

[GypsyHummus]

Let me know if any of you guys have questions regarding Kent

I'm currently a 1st year, and I remember having so many questions/concerns during the application process last cycle.
I'm more than happy to answer any questions that you guys may have about the school.

Just bear with me, as I may not reply right away.

Whats with the Kent state Board Pass Rate? It seems pretty low.

 

[Sweatshirt]

Whats with the Kent state Board Pass Rate? It seems pretty low.

They tell us lots of factors contribute to that. One, since we are the biggest school we will have more chances of people failing. Also, for some reason we are the only school that does not pre-screen students with bad GPA's. For example, at some schools if you have below a 2.5 (making that # up) you can't sit for boards. Also if your practice tests are too low they won't let you sit for boards. We are the only school that lets everyone sit for boards regardless of GPA or practice scores.

Definitely take board scores into consideration when deciding a school, but don't let it be a ultimate deciding factor. If you do what you're supposed to the first 2 years, you will pass boards. Nearly every person with the exception of a few people pass boards with GPA's above 3.2ish. We do have some people who do only the amount of work they need to just to scrape by, getting mostly C's, maybe 1 B here and there. I fear for those people come boards. Don't be like them

Kent definitely is a great school to be at. I was worried about the boards scores too but I'm happy I went here. Anybody can be successful anywhere they go as long as they put in the work

 

[wtsbnb]

I think I remember someone mentioning on my interview day of KSUCPM that students got a free gym membership to a local gym. Is this true and which gym is it?
Thanks!!

 

[Sweatshirt]

I think I remember someone mentioning on my interview day of KSUCPM that students got a free gym membership to a local gym. Is this true and which gym is it?
Thanks!!

Fitworks. There's a bunch of locations around here, most people go to the Parma one

 

[wtsbnb]

Fitworks. There's a bunch of locations around here, most people go to the Parma one

Great! Thank you!!