Nova OR more $$ for Western's Interview?

Started by Tensyle
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Tensyle

Tensyle

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I got accepted into Nova.

I have an interview coming up at Western at the end of this month...should I save the money and not go to Western, or is Western a better school that I should go to the interview and then decide? FYI I live across the country from Western.

Any thoughts/suggestions?
 
Tensyle said:
I got accepted into Nova.

I have an interview coming up at Western at the end of this month...should I save the money and not go to Western, or is Western a better school that I should go to the interview and then decide? FYI I live across the country from Western.

Any thoughts/suggestions?
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I think you should go to the interview at Western. You never know . . . you could completely fall in love with the school. Also, it's better to have options.

Good Luck :luck: I'm jealous of both your acceptance and interview. 😉
 
prionsRbad said:
I think you should go to the interview at Western. You never know . . . you could completely fall in love with the school. Also, it's better to have options.

Good Luck :luck: I'm jealous of both your acceptance and interview. 😉
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Ditto, especially the last part. 😀
 
Tensyle said:
I like Nova's campus, but i havent seen Western's campus... do you know what their campus is like?
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I've never been to Nova, but Western's campus isn't that great (no offense to the people who think it is though). Pomona isn't that good of a town, usually a lot of crime...and I can say this because my home town is about 15 minutes away. A lot of students live a little farther away from campus in the nicer neighborhoods so they commute. But yes, when I first visited Western, I was turned off..but they have a great curriculum. And I have yet to hear anything really bad about the school from current students, and I am really considering on attending there.

Oh, so to give you a better picture of how the campus was built, think of an old strip mall...with a school built on it (ie, buildings that Western owns).

I hope this helps!
 
TLe said:
I've never been to Nova, but Western's campus isn't that great (no offense to the people who think it is though). Pomona isn't that good of a town, usually a lot of crime...and I can say this because my home town is about 15 minutes away. A lot of students live a little farther away from campus in the nicer neighborhoods so they commute. But yes, when I first visited Western, I was turned off..but they have a great curriculum. And I have yet to hear anything really bad about the school from current students.

It's good to have options =)
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The interview feedback for Western has a lot about how the area is "sketchy" but that could mean a variety of different things. How bad is Pomona really? I lived in South Boston for a year and some areas around there were just plain scary, I certainly don't want to do that again.
 
HouseIsMyHero said:
The interview feedback for Western has a lot about how the area is "sketchy" but that could mean a variety of different things. How bad is Pomona really? I lived in South Boston for a year and some areas around there were just plain scary, I certainly don't want to do that again.
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Well, I haven't lived at home for the past 5 years, so the area could have possibly gotten better, but not that much better. My father works in that area, so whenever I mention to him how "ghetto" it is, he says "It is not!" But needless to say, one of my friends who goes there right now says that rotations should be good around the area because of how its dangerous, so we'll get a lot of "interesting cases" and a "busy ER". Also, where I live now, I like to take walks in the evenings to just breathe in the cool air. But in Pomona, especially if you're female, you shouldn't walk around at night by yourself at all. So, the area isn't "scary," but the term sketchy seems about right.
 
ok evryone that complains about pomona are probably people who were raised in areas where its safe to leave your kids running around outside after dark.

Pomona is not that bad, its nothing compared to Rochester where i live, nothing compared to NYC nothing compared to kansas city, nothing compared to miami, and so on.

yeah theres crime, and yea i prob wouldnt wanna raise my kids there, but its not that bad as people claim it is
 
im not too concerned with what the area is like around the campus

what about the curriculum of nova vs. western? also, what about clinical rotation sites?...im not familiar with the hospitals in either area, so any insight about the hospitals would be appreciated...
 
well the area Nova is very expensive, I don't know about Western. I like Nova's campus too.
 
ok i got interviewed and accepted at both schools i think i can offer perspective that is unbiased by students who chose to attend either school

nova was much prettier as a whole. However on the tour i felt like they emphasized the athletic facility more than the medical building. We didnt even get to see any of the labs and all i got was a tour guide telling me that it smells terrible inside (westerns lab smelled fine).

The admissions staff at nova is an unorganized mess, but it seems like that doesnt affect u once u get in.

I liked westerns curriculum MUCH more than nova's, and gauging from students ive talked to at both schools, western students are much higher on western than nova students are on nova (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=463724)


the cost of living in south fl and socal are both astronomical so they cancel out. i thought the area immediately around the school at western was worse, but 20 minutes away is a gorgeous shopping mall in rancho cucamonga and other nice areas


in conclusion, i enjoyed my time at western more than i enjoyed my time at nova and i think youd be selling yourself short by not going to the interview at western.. i ALMOST did this too but i chose to go and im glad i did.
 
I have interviewed at both and it's a tough decision. I loved the students at Western but did not like the facilities at Western in comparison to Nova. Nova is absolutely gorgeous and it looks like they have a lot more money. Western lacked basic things like a friggen cafeteria! It just does not seem like a "University". But here's the hard part...Western has a nice curriculum and it seems more laid back with their dress code which makes Western more appealing. Nova's residency matchlists seem pretty strong, maybe due to higher board scores? For Western, it's pretty intimidating competing with kids from UCLA and Stanford for residency spots.

Ughh! If I get accepted to Western, it will be a tough decision!
 
jzeidenb said:
ok i got interviewed and accepted at both schools i think i can offer perspective that is unbiased by students who chose to attend either school

nova was much prettier as a whole. However on the tour i felt like they emphasized the athletic facility more than the medical building. We didn't even get to see any of the labs and all i got was a tour guide telling me that it smells terrible inside (westerns lab smelled fine).

The admissions staff at nova is an unorganized mess, but it seems like that doesn't affect u once u get in.

I liked westerns curriculum MUCH more than nova's, and gauging from students ive talked to at both schools, western students are much higher on western than nova students are on nova (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=463724)


the cost of living in south fl and socal are both astronomical so they cancel out. i thought the area immediately around the school at western was worse, but 20 minutes away is a gorgeous shopping mall in rancho cucamonga and other nice areas


in conclusion, i enjoyed my time at western more than i enjoyed my time at nova and i think youd be selling yourself short by not going to the interview at western.. i ALMOST did this too but i chose to go and im glad i did.
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I second this. NOVA interview spent a large part of the tour at the athletic facilties, and we never saw the inside of labs. I know staying in shape is important during med school, but then again we are there for the academics. The interview day was chaotic like you mentioned. It's the residency programs that have kept it on my list, not the match list that everyone talks about -- I think that has more to do with the individual than the school.

I almost canceled my western interview b/c I had other acceptances, but I'm glad I went. They have a good curriculum it seems, and the students are happy. It is close to several other schools in the area, which helps in term of doing rotations there I would think. Tuition is something I do think about, but then again I do have my reservations with NOVA too.

All in all GO TO THE INTERVIEW. I am glad I did. I have thought of questions I didn't think before: like when everyone says their board scores are this or that, what to really take away from the info that is given to you.
 
wow thanks for all the awesome insight. Here's another thing that im considering...im waiting to hear back from my CCOM interview...and that is my top choice DO school...and the interview went well, and I am instate for CCOM, so my chances are pretty high of getting in. Shouldnt I rather spend the money to put down a deposit at CCOM or NOVA, rather than travel for more interviews? I understand that going to the interview can be really valuable, but Im counting on hearing from CCOM so i can withdraw from Nova too...

I'm not sure when CCOM adcom meets, but I think I should hear back from CCOM by thanksgiving-ish. I feel i'm gambling huge here, but i think i should take the risk - its gonna cost like over 500 bucks to go to Western's interview...and I just dont have the mind to spend more money for the app season...im squeezed dry.
 
that is a different situation. if your heart is set on ccom, find out if you can possibly learn of their decision before you make travel arrangements to western, if you get in, and you know thats where you want to be then fine, thats your prerogative.

but from what i read in your OP, your heart is not set on nova, your heart is set on saving money, and i know it burns a whole in the wallet but thats a pretty piss poor reason to cancel an interview to a school as good as western.
 
jzeidenb said:
that is a different situation. if your heart is set on ccom, find out if you can possibly learn of their decision before you make travel arrangements to western, if you get in, and you know thats where you want to be then fine, thats your prerogative.

but from what i read in your OP, your heart is not set on nova, your heart is set on saving money, and i know it burns a whole in the wallet but thats a pretty piss poor reason to cancel an interview to a school as good as western.
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:laugh: point taken.
 
Tensyle said:
wow thanks for all the awesome insight. Here's another thing that im considering...im waiting to hear back from my CCOM interview...and that is my top choice DO school...and the interview went well, and I am instate for CCOM, so my chances are pretty high of getting in. Shouldnt I rather spend the money to put down a deposit at CCOM or NOVA, rather than travel for more interviews? I understand that going to the interview can be really valuable, but Im counting on hearing from CCOM so i can withdraw from Nova too...

I'm not sure when CCOM adcom meets, but I think I should hear back from CCOM by thanksgiving-ish. I feel i'm gambling huge here, but i think i should take the risk - its gonna cost like over 500 bucks to go to Western's interview...and I just dont have the mind to spend more money for the app season...im squeezed dry.
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CCOM is a good school, and if my husband has his way I will end up there next year. Location, history, most importantly great clinicals (but worst smelling anatomy lab of all the schools interviewed at--but that is trivial). But like the previous poster mentioned, what is another 500 bucks when you're going to be 200k in debt by the end of it? I know that sounds like I am not taking the cost seriously, but trust me, I am. It is a huge factor in my decision.
 
Shouldnt I rather spend the money to put down a deposit at CCOM or NOVA, rather than travel for more interviews? I understand that going to the interview can be really valuable, but Im counting on hearing from CCOM so i can withdraw from Nova too...
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NOVA will not give you, your money back if you put the deposit down then end up withdrawing. This happened to my friend who got in there pharmacy school and waitlisted at UF pharmacy school. He got in UF at the last time and NOva never gave him, his 2000$ back.
 
pakbabydoll said:
NOVA will not give you, your money back if you put the deposit down then end up withdrawing. This happened to my friend who got in there pharmacy school and waitlisted at UF pharmacy school. He got in UF at the last time and NOva never gave him, his 2000$ back.
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oh schnapp. i hope i get into ccom before the nova deposit is due
 
All schools clearly state that their deposits are nonrefundable that is not just a NSU thing. In fact, they actually let you put the deposit down in two installments a few months apart. I think the Touro schools look for a $2K deposit 2 weeks after acceptance that is ridiculous and a reason why I would not apply to any of their programs.
 
first of all, we cant take interviewees into gross lab (if that's what you're talkling about) during your tour because there is a strict confidentiality policy. i did take a group up, inside the histo lab and even introduced two professors to the interviewees.
anyway, i got accepted both into nsu and western u. last year and it was a no brainer for me to go to nova. western u's campus is horribly un-characteristic of a decent medical school and the biggest turn-off for me was the students. the impression i got was that they were a bunch of over-eager gunners wannabe. they were all talking about the clubs that they joined just so they can list them on their resumes and bla bla bla....
i'm in nova now and have not regretted my decision. the systems based approached to medicine is outstanding. for instance, i just came back from the hospital under our IGC track and i get to see and practice a lot of stuff i learned in the classroom/curriculum and apply them to the patients. i'm only in my first year and yet, i can see thru all these learnings in med. school that i'm slowly but surely developing physician-like traits, knowledge, and skills. dont get me wrong, nova is not without faults but the good far out-weights the bad....:hardy:


ViolinCello said:
I second this. NOVA interview spent a large part of the tour at the athletic facilties, and we never saw the inside of labs. I know staying in shape is important during med school, but then again we are there for the academics. The interview day was chaotic like you mentioned. It's the residency programs that have kept it on my list, not the match list that everyone talks about -- I think that has more to do with the individual than the school.

I almost canceled my western interview b/c I had other acceptances, but I'm glad I went. They have a good curriculum it seems, and the students are happy. It is close to several other schools in the area, which helps in term of doing rotations there I would think. Tuition is something I do think about, but then again I do have my reservations with NOVA too.

All in all GO TO THE INTERVIEW. I am glad I did. I have thought of questions I didn't think before: like when everyone says their board scores are this or that, what to really take away from the info that is given to you.
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