Oklahoma - (Prospective) Class of 2010 part 01

[oudoc08]

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Okay, I'm looking at the map that OU so kindly provided me and think I'm getting a good idea of areas to avoid. Sort of unrelated, but Midwest City is okay? For some reason, I always thought it was scary.

I'm going to OKC in early June and will have to find a place to live then. It seems like a lot of the big apartment complexes are in the NW (like 122nd & May). Would that be a hellish commute? I guess I should look at Moore, too, since dh might be taking classes at OU.

I'm also going to see if I can find anything in the Paseo or Heritage Hills area -- those both sound neat. All I can say again, though, is that renting in OKC appears to be dirt cheap.

To be quite honest, I don't think anywhere in OKC is a terrible commute compared to larger cities. I live on the far side of Edmond, and have on average a 20-30 minute drive to the HSC, which is probably the longest it would take you to get from anywhere in the metro to the HSC. Of course normal rush hours add a few minutes each way, but for me it was worth it to find a decent neighborhood. Moore/Norman area or Edmond would both be about the same distance and either are pretty decent, just have to put up with occasional construction nonsense on I235/35. Some people feel the need to be really close to the HSC, especially for the first year, but looking back (and being mostly a homeschooler) I can say that wasn't that important for me. In addition, for 3rd/4th year, I'm getting ready to commute nearly everyday, and it hasn't even hardly crossed my mind that it's going to be an issue.

Midwest City/Del City area is very neighborhood dependent, and I'd want to know somebody who could tell you exactly what neighborhoods to stay away from before committing there, although there are some decent places.

 

[Jwax]

Okay, I'm looking at the map that OU so kindly provided me and think I'm getting a good idea of areas to avoid. Sort of unrelated, but Midwest City is okay? For some reason, I always thought it was scary.

I'm going to OKC in early June and will have to find a place to live then. It seems like a lot of the big apartment complexes are in the NW (like 122nd & May). Would that be a hellish commute? I guess I should look at Moore, too, since dh might be taking classes at OU.

I'm also going to see if I can find anything in the Paseo or Heritage Hills area -- those both sound neat. All I can say again, though, is that renting in OKC appears to be dirt cheap.

I live at 122nd and Penn; the communte to Norman from here is about 40 min; the commute to OUHSC is probably about 15 min. Biggest prob in the commute is the construction on broadway extension, which you could probably avoid by taking Hefner parkway to I-44 to I-235 to OUHSC. Frustrating commute to OU though (as I went down 4x a week this year).

Midwest City has a gang prob, and probably a somewhat correlated drug problem, but the city itself seems nice enough, imo. Good luck & I'm happy you're coming here as well (although I'm sure you did not make someone on the oos waitlist very happy).

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

Okay, I'm looking at the map that OU so kindly provided me and think I'm getting a good idea of areas to avoid. Sort of unrelated, but Midwest City is okay? For some reason, I always thought it was scary.

I'm going to OKC in early June and will have to find a place to live then. It seems like a lot of the big apartment complexes are in the NW (like 122nd & May). Would that be a hellish commute? I guess I should look at Moore, too, since dh might be taking classes at OU.

I'm also going to see if I can find anything in the Paseo or Heritage Hills area -- those both sound neat. All I can say again, though, is that renting in OKC appears to be dirt cheap.

IMO, Midwest City is not bad at all, particularly the areas closest to Tinker. They have many military neighborhoods, and having grown up military, there aren't many safer places to be. They certainly have a few areas I wouldn't want to live, but that's true of anywhere. I wouldn't discount them-- the rent is very inexpensive, and there are many perfectly safe neighborhoods.

If you're worried about the commute from 122nd & May, I definitely wouldn't think about Moore-- the commute from Moore is a nightmare. It's not great from 122nd/May, but it's not as bad.

I'll also plug where I live, mainly because I hadn't really thought about it before I moved here. I live around NW 45th & May (very near Baptist hospital), and I love it. It's safe, inexpensive, convenient, and the commute is no problem at all... no construction, and it takes me 15 minutes tops from my house to the HSC.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Moore isn't terrible. 😛 You just have to know which way to go when all the idiots are clogging up I-35.

I can get there in 15-30 minutes depending on the time and route.

15 minutes is <7 AM on I-35.

30 minutes is during rush hour and taking Shields.

Don't discount Moore solely on the basis of I-35 construction cause they'll be finished with it sometime... Granted, I think they've been working on I-35 ever since I can remember driving to Oklahoma City. They're getting pretty close to finished with the I-35/Shields interchange.

 

[Antigunner]

I live up at Coffee Creek (220th) and Penn, and I can usually make it to school in just over 20 minutes, as long as I leave before 6:45 or after about 8:00. I take the Broadway extension every morning, and the only time I ever have trouble with it is around 7-8 in the morning, or about 5 on the way home.

My advice is to live wherever you like the area, and not to worry about the commute too much. There are plenty of us around that live quite a ways from school and don't have a problem with it. I think you'll regret moving into an unsafe area a lot more than a longer drive to school.

 

[Mr. Freeze]

I might be biased, but I wouldn't say that MWC has a gang "problem" anymore than Stillwater has a redneck problem, or Edmond has a spoiled little rich kid problem. Cornrows and pants hanging off your ass does not a gangster make. That element is there (in volume) to be sure, but for the most part it remains on the north side of 10th and beyond. That said, there are areas I know I don't want to live that are seedier than others, and it is always quite a culture shock to come to visit as MWC has entirely different demographics than Stillwater...

I think for me, I'm more worried about whether or not whoever looks at my house in 4ish years will think it is a bad area. Because there is bad stuff everywhere. You just have to know how to find it.

It is funny though, we've looked at A LOT of houses. We were in one not too long ago and the realtor said, "Ohhh. This one doesn't have a security system." Two things I've noticed that are different from the Stillwater market is that NONE of the houses I've looked at here had systems, and none of them had this Florida Room thing going, which is a fancy way to say enclosed porch. If a house is missing one of those, it's a liability. ???.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

It is funny though, we've looked at A LOT of houses. We were in one not too long ago and the realtor said, "Ohhh. This one doesn't have a security system." Two things I've noticed that are different from the Stillwater market is that NONE of the houses I've looked at here had systems, and none of them had this Florida Room thing going, which is a fancy way to say enclosed porch. If a house is missing one of those, it's a liability. ???.

Hmm, my thoughts about Midwest City are based on my brother's impressions -- he had a girlfriend who lived there and thought it was pretty shady. Of course, he was a sheltered Stillwater boy then. My parents' house doesn't even have a deadbolt -- they would never imagine getting a security system. Houses in Portland don't really seem to have security systems, either.

So what's the point of an enclosed porch? 😕

 

[Mr. Freeze]

Of course, he was a sheltered Stillwater boy then.

😀 That explains it!! Everybody I work with thinks I'm some sort of urban hoodlum, 'cuz of being from there. Ok, so I know what a blunt is and I'm handy with a can of spray paint. But it's pretty comical how much street cred they give me. Show up to work ONE time with earrings and a beanie and all the sudden I'm Tupac's long-lost albino brother!?!?!?

Enclosing the porch = +++ sq. footage = more $$$. In theory, anyway. A lot of them are shoddily done. But they also retain the exterior door (usually sliding) so it isn't too big a deal. Don't even get me started on garage conversions...

However, saying MWC isn't bad will only increase the number of people with the same budget and commuting concerns scrounging for the same houses. Did I ever tell you guys about the time I got car-jacked on Air Depot?? 😉

 

[No1Cub17]

speaking of MWC, my friend (who will be an MS2) has a house there he needs to rent out. he's living there - he's got 2 open rooms. rent will be approx. $300/month i think. i've been there several times - it's in a good area, and it would be a VERY short drive to school (10 min or so). PM me if you/anyone you know is interested!

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

However, saying MWC isn't bad will only increase the number of people with the same budget and commuting concerns scrounging for the same houses. Did I ever tell you guys about the time I got car-jacked on Air Depot?? 😉

That's why I was pretty general about where I'd found my house - as long as it was on the web, I was afraid some enterprising SDN'er would swipe it! But, the ad is off the web and I think they'll probably cash the deposit check today. I'll live on NW 15th just west of Portland. Not a neighborhood I would want to live in the rest of my life, but it is, from what I can tell and from what oudoc08 said (any comments, WhoIsJohnGalt?), my new neighborhood (Musgrave-Pennington) is about as safe as it gets that close in. Obviously there is some property crime and I'll have to watch the car (the garage has been converted to a den that will make a great place for my study without cluttering the living room). Big yard for the dog, and I've already introduced myself to some of the neighbors. Friendly, hard-working people who obviously care about their neighborhood. Although, frankly, for what I'm paying I still think I could have gotten a fireplace and a pool if I'd looked hard enough....

I didn't want to pay rent for June because I won't even start moving things down from the homestead in Tulsa until weekends in July, but I decided to go ahead and do it to beat whatever OUHSC housing rush there is. Guess that was a good decision.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

So for you guys who are renting houses, where are you finding the rentals? Should I just look in the Daily Oklahoman and craiglist, or is there some other good place?

Other OKC question -- is Lake Hefner nice? I notice lots of apartments seem close to it and was wondering if it's a pleasant place to live. The bike/walk trail seems nice.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I didn't want to pay rent for June because I won't even start moving things down from the homestead in Tulsa until weekends in July, but I decided to go ahead and do it to beat whatever OUHSC housing rush there is. Guess that was a good decision.

Now I'm scared about missing the housing rush.

On another note, has anybody had any luck with emailing the financial aid office. I sent them a detailed email yesterday asking about a few things and haven't heard back yet. Will I hear back or should I just try calling again?

 

[midwest77]

Hey all...so I know we have already discussed lenders and stuff but I am definitely new to this and had some questions for anyone that knows any more than i do..which is probably all of you...(direct me to the page that we talked about this if its all already been answered...)

So I have some money already saved up...should I take out the maximum amount of aid that i got or should I use up my savings first?

If I have a scholarship, can I decide which loan I take less of. For instance, my unsubsidized loan was 30K. Can I say that I only want 20K of that and use my scholarship on the rest?

Just because I accept the subsidized and unsubsized amount on the financial aid form, does that mean that I have to take that full amount? Do you reccommend taking the full amount or just taking the bare minimum of what you think you will need?

Has anyone decided on a lender?? I know that sheet is due in the next week or so and I havent decided. Thanks in advance for your help. Look forward to meeting all of you. I havent even thought of a place to live yet...yikes!!

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

So for you guys who are renting houses, where are you finding the rentals? Should I just look in the Daily Oklahoman and craiglist, or is there some other good place?

Other OKC question -- is Lake Hefner nice? I notice lots of apartments seem close to it and was wondering if it's a pleasant place to live. The bike/walk trail seems nice.

We found ours in the Oklahoman. Another thing you can do is just drive around the neighborhood you want to live in (or a neighborhood that you found a rental ad for) and look for signs... most houses that are up for rent have signs in front of the house to that effect with phone numbers. Most of the houses we looked at were actually just in the neighborhood of places that had put ads in the paper.

I like Lake Hefner a lot... it's a good place to get in some exercise when you need a break from studying. The commute's not terrible either. Can't speak for any of the apartments around there though (don't know anyone who's lived there).

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

Now I'm scared about missing the housing rush.

On another note, has anybody had any luck with emailing the financial aid office. I sent them a detailed email yesterday asking about a few things and haven't heard back yet. Will I hear back or should I just try calling again?

There's no housing rush... no worries. It's not like Norman where you have thousands of students looking in a very small area... HSC students are pretty spread out around the metro area, and you have to realize there's only about 2500 students on our whole HSC campus (3/4 of which already have a place to live). So you won't have any trouble.

Regarding the financial aid office, just remember this is a crazy busy time for them, and they don't just work for the college of medicine... they've got all the colleges to deal with. I know you're anxious, but you only actually have to have everything worked out by the middle of August, so there's no big rush 🙂 They'll get to you when they can.

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

So I have some money already saved up...should I take out the maximum amount of aid that i got or should I use up my savings first?

Personally, for the first year, I would recommend taking out all the aid. See how much you spend, and if you end up with some left over at the end of the semester, you'll know to take out less from then on. It's a lot easier to give them money back (or to take less in the future) than to beg for more in the middle of the semester. As far as your savings, unless it's really substantial (>20k), realize that it's a drop in the bucket compared to the amount you'll be taking out in loans over the next four years, so I would hang on to it. You never know when you might need a new car, want a down payment on a house, get married, etc. And since you won't be earning money in med school, you might be very glad you have it.

If I have a scholarship, can I decide which loan I take less of. For instance, my unsubsidized loan was 30K. Can I say that I only want 20K of that and use my scholarship on the rest?

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe it will automatically replace your unsub... everybody gets a certain amount of sub loan (I believe around 8500), and everything above that amount that you have to take out is unsub.

Just because I accept the subsidized and unsubsized amount on the financial aid form, does that mean that I have to take that full amount? Do you reccommend taking the full amount or just taking the bare minimum of what you think you will need?

No, you don't have to take the full amount. I think you have a week or two after they give you the money to return it for no interest. But, as I said above, I think you should take the full amount the first semester until you see what your bills will run, etc.

Has anyone decided on a lender?? I know that sheet is due in the next week or so and I havent decided. Thanks in advance for your help. Look forward to meeting all of you. I havent even thought of a place to live yet...yikes!!

I used the Bank of America no fees option (lender code was mentioned awhile back, but I don't know if off the top of my head).

 

[No1Cub17]

Personally, for the first year, I would recommend taking out all the aid. See how much you spend, and if you end up with some left over at the end of the semester, you'll know to take out less from then on. It's a lot easier to give them money back (or to take less in the future) than to beg for more in the middle of the semester. As far as your savings, unless it's really substantial (>20k), realize that it's a drop in the bucket compared to the amount you'll be taking out in loans over the next four years, so I would hang on to it. You never know when you might need a new car, want a down payment on a house, get married, etc. And since you won't be earning money in med school, you might be very glad you have it.

I would sort of disagree...they give you WAY MORE than you need in Fin Aid. You dont even have to be thrift, but if you spend your money even fairly carefully, you'll end up with thousands left over. I took out several thousand less than I could have, and I still have several thousand left over. That will easily carry me through the summer and the fall semester at least. Remember that interest starts accruing the instant you take out the loan. So I would try to come up with a budget, and take out only that amount. I dont think it's really that hard to take out additional loans during the semester if you need it, though I would check with the Fin Aid office to be sure. Honestly other than rent, food, oil changes, a bar tour here and there, and plane tickets home, I really dont even have time to spend most of that money. But that's just my 2cents.

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

I would sort of disagree...they give you WAY MORE than you need in Fin Aid. You dont even have to be thrift, but if you spend your money even fairly carefully, you'll end up with thousands left over. I took out several thousand less than I could have, and I still have several thousand left over. That will easily carry me through the summer and the fall semester at least. Remember that interest starts accruing the instant you take out the loan. So I would try to come up with a budget, and take out only that amount. I dont think it's really that hard to take out additional loans during the semester if you need it, though I would check with the Fin Aid office to be sure. Honestly other than rent, food, oil changes, a bar tour here and there, and plane tickets home, I really dont even have time to spend most of that money. But that's just my 2cents.

I see what you're saying, but my point is that you won't know how much you need until you get through a semester. If you end up with several thousand left at the end of the semester, then you just take out even less the next semester, and you don't end up taking out any more total loan money. That extra few months of interest that you're paying one semester out of eight isn't going to make any real difference in the amount you pay back, and at least that way you don't have to worry about money stress. I just know that I had no idea how much I would actually have time/need/inclination to spend until I was actually IN medical school.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

There's no housing rush... no worries. It's not like Norman where you have thousands of students looking in a very small area... HSC students are pretty spread out around the metro area, and you have to realize there's only about 2500 students on our whole HSC campus (3/4 of which already have a place to live). So you won't have any trouble.

Regarding the financial aid office, just remember this is a crazy busy time for them, and they don't just work for the college of medicine... they've got all the colleges to deal with. I know you're anxious, but you only actually have to have everything worked out by the middle of August, so there's no big rush 🙂 They'll get to you when they can.

Glad to hear I don't have to worry about housing. Yeah, I shouldn't worry about the financial aid stuff either -- it's just about how to file for GradPlus loans instead of alternative loans, and lots of sites aren't even letting you apply yet anyway. I'll give them some more time and maybe call next week or so.

Thanks for all your helpful posts here!! 🙂

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I see what you're saying, but my point is that you won't know how much you need until you get through a semester. If you end up with several thousand left at the end of the semester, then you just take out even less the next semester, and you don't end up taking out any more total loan money. That extra few months of interest that you're paying one semester out of eight isn't going to make any real difference in the amount you pay back, and at least that way you don't have to worry about money stress. I just know that I had no idea how much I would actually have time/need/inclination to spend until I was actually IN medical school.

You know, this is my thought, too. I agree that they are pretty generous with the aid. We're getting something like $17500 for living expenses for 9 months. Even spread out over 12 months, that comes out to $1450/month. Then, of course, the $2500 for a computer and $4500 for books, both of which I doubt we'll need -- I certainly know I won't buy a computer that expensive. However, I'm going to take out all of it the first year, and yeah, see how much I have left over. The last thing I want to do is worry about having too little money to pay my bills -- also, since I've never lived in OKC, I don't really know how much I'll need.

 

[Antigunner]

I see what you're saying, but my point is that you won't know how much you need until you get through a semester. If you end up with several thousand left at the end of the semester, then you just take out even less the next semester, and you don't end up taking out any more total loan money. That extra few months of interest that you're paying one semester out of eight isn't going to make any real difference in the amount you pay back, and at least that way you don't have to worry about money stress. I just know that I had no idea how much I would actually have time/need/inclination to spend until I was actually IN medical school.

I had to take out a small extra loan midway through the fall semester, because my staffords didn't quite cover all of my tuition/fees. Granted, it was only about 2K, but I had absolutely no trouble getting it. I understand where you're coming from, and I agree that it is difficult to come up with a budget before you actually get started, I just wanted to let you know that it is actually fairly simple to get an additional loan partway through the year if you need it.

 

[Amxcvbcv]

Adjusting your loan amount is as easy as going to the financial aid office and filling out a simple form. Once you've been approved for the loan and selected a lender, it functions like a pre-approved line of credit (for lack of a better description). If you find out you've taken out too much, you've got 120 days to return (that's what the fine print on my MPN said, check yours to be sure) any amount of the principal and they'll adjust the fees accordingly if you're using a fee charging lender. If you find out you need more (up to the maximum, that is) do the same thing. This is one of the reasons I recommend taking just as much as you think you need. There is no reason to rack up interest charges on money that you don't need. The best interest rates I've seen on savings accounts lately hover just over 4% and CDs are in the neighborhood of 5.25% (that's not even considering the possible ethical/legal ramifications of "investing" your student loan money), so you're not going to be able to break even considering unsubsidized interest rates are now pegged at 6.8%. Even if you're only talking about something like 5000 dollars, if you take it out in August and realize next summer that you really didn't need it you now owe $340 in interest. Sure $340 doesn't seem like much when most of us are going to be staring down close to or over $100k in debt by graduation, but I can think of lots of things I'd rather do with $340 besides giving it to a bank just because I didn't want to sit down and write up a budget. 😛

People don't get rich just by making lots of money. People get rich by making lots of money and by watching how much and where they spend it. 😉


To answer the other question, yes, you can say how much of which loan type you'd like to take out. If for some crazy reason you only wanted to take out unsubsidized loans or wanted $5k of subsidized and $20k of unsubsidized, make the appropriate marks on your award letter and send it in.

 

[oudoc08]

Any American Idol fans out there? I've got the McPheever 🙂 Actually, I thought she should have gone home last week, but after Chris got booted (absolute BS), and seeing her sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" last night (she was singing that directly to me, by the way), I'm all about the Kat.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I think we've talked about this before, but how much is the school health insurance? What type of prescription drug coverage does it have? Oh yeah, and what about dental?

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

I think we've talked about this before, but how much is the school health insurance? What type of prescription drug coverage does it have? Oh yeah, and what about dental?

Here's the link:
http://student-affairs.ouhsc.edu/current/student-health-insurance.asp
The certificate of coverage doesn't say anything about rates - but you'll find it on the enrollment form. Prescription drug coverage is only available with the "higher" option.
We'll have to ask the current students, but my impression is that, as far as dental goes, we're going to be at the mercy of the dental students in their clinic.

 

[midwest77]

hey thanks everyone for your responses. i think i might be getting the hang of all this financial aid stuff. i really just think it comes down to me sitting down and writing a stupid budget...barf! well only 10 more days of work til i am done for the summer!!!

 

[Doctor Bagel]

Here's the link:
http://student-affairs.ouhsc.edu/current/student-health-insurance.asp
The certificate of coverage doesn't say anything about rates - but you'll find it on the enrollment form. Prescription drug coverage is only available with the "higher" option.
We'll have to ask the current students, but my impression is that, as far as dental goes, we're going to be at the mercy of the dental students in their clinic.

Thanks! I'm definitely going for the higher option. I guess my husband should do private insurance until he gets a job with benefits. I wonder if AMSA has dental. Otherwise, I might look into private programs.

 

[glp]

Here's the link:
http://student-affairs.ouhsc.edu/current/student-health-insurance.asp
The certificate of coverage doesn't say anything about rates - but you'll find it on the enrollment form. Prescription drug coverage is only available with the "higher" option.
We'll have to ask the current students, but my impression is that, as far as dental goes, we're going to be at the mercy of the dental students in their clinic.

damn. that is some expensive a$$ health insurance. i have crappy $5000 deductible coverage right now that runs me $60 a month, but when i was a full-time student last year at OU i paid $100/month for the same macori coverage and now rates have gone up to $150/month. im kind of debating keeping my high deductible coverage which basically just covers catastrophic injury or paying $90 more a month for macori's coverage.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Thanks! I'm definitely going for the higher option. I guess my husband should do private insurance until he gets a job with benefits. I wonder if AMSA has dental. Otherwise, I might look into private programs.

You know, you might check with the Oklahoma Bar Association. Professional organization group insurance coverage is often a very good deal. I could always get sort of decent coverage through the Oklahoma Society of Certified Public Accountants.

I'm not thrilled with the Macori coverage, but I'm going to have to go that way. COBRA continuation of my hospital PPO would be $350 month, so $150 doesn't sound so bad. I can't get cheaper coverage since primary care is all through the FMC on the Macori policy but also (drumroll... ) that $150 rate is based on a bunch of people in their early twenties and no way can I get other coverage that cheap at my age. If I hadn't quit smoking five years ago, an individual policy would be more than my house payment!!

 

[Amxcvbcv]

I'm a current Senator with the OUHSC Student Association, and we've been trying to figure out student insurance for the coming year.

Based on what I know right now, we don't know who the insurance carrier will be for the next year. The HSC is accepting bids for student insurance with the Norman campus in an effort to get better rates. It's not likely that they'll be any better than what they were this year simply for the reasons already pointed out. Most of the people that need the coverage are twenty-somethings that just don't want comprehensive healthcare coverage right now. I've been over this in other threads, so I won't completely rehash this here. I am personally one of those folks that needs good health insurance to be financially in the black, so I know how some of you feel.

I already told my classmates they'd be the first to know when I hear what the health insurance option(s) will be for next year, so I'll post it here second. 😛

Edit: Holy grammatical error, batman! (My wife's an English teacher, and neither of us can abide bad grammar. 😛)

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I'm a current Senator with the OUHSC Student Association, and we've been trying to figure out student insurance for the coming year.

Based on what I know right now, we don't know what the insurance carrier will be for the next year. The HSC accepting bids for student insurance with the Norman campus in an effort to get better rates. It's not likely that they'll be any better than what they were this year simply for the reasons already pointed out. Most of the people that need the coverage are twenty-somethings that just don't want comprehensive healthcare coverage right now. I've been over this in other threads, so I won't completely rehash this here. I am personally one of those folks that needs good health insurance to be financially in the black, so I know how some of you feel.

I already told my classmates they'd be the first to know when I hear what the health insurance option(s) will be for next year, so I'll post it here second. 😛

Thanks! I'll look forward to your post. As a woman of child-bearing age, I need comprehensive coverage. I'm not planning on getting pregnant, but it just might happen, and I don't want to financially screwed in the deal. Most of the cheaper private plans exclude maternity and well-child coverage, so I basically have to go with the school option at least until the husband gets something better.

Tulsa, you know what's depressing. At 30, I'm already getting those higher health insurance rates. I'm not old!! Yeah, there's no way I'm going with Cobra because that costs a fortune.

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Tulsa, you know what's depressing. At 30, I'm already getting those higher health insurance rates. I'm not old!! Yeah, there's no way I'm going with Cobra because that costs a fortune.

I hear ya. I read the other day from a credible source that the risk of death from all causes doubles every 7 years after age 37. I guess I'd better make sure that somebody I attend lectures with actually paid attention in CPR class.

I'm pretty healthy, but I probably should go to the doc - I'm sure at 44 I've reached the age where I need Lipitor regardless of how much I exercise. But, I don't want to get snagged in the "treatment within the past six months" pre-existing limitation, so at this point I've decided to continue to deny my real age until August.

Please do keep us posted, Amxcvbcv. Thanks for fighting the good fight.

 

[Mr. Freeze]

I don't want to have to do the COBRA thing either, but I don't know really what else to do. Given my wife's "condition" (she cringes every time someone says that) it seems like it would be easier to keep the same provider at least until well baby and post-prego stuff starts, even though it will sting to pay those premiums for a little bit. She went to the Women's Center (whatever it is called) at OUHSC and they said we'll probably "make" a small enough amount of money to qualify for SoonerCare, which I guess is a free to reduced price health care program. Which would save a lot of money...

There are a lot of guys that I work with that retire after 20+ years at the fire dept. and then go, oh ****, how am I going to pay for insurance and end up getting a city job again. One guy that retires in Sept. is looking at paying 1200 a month for insurance. I can't imagine...

I guess I'd better make sure that somebody I attend lectures with actually paid attention in CPR class.

If there were ever a place I would not want to have a heart attack, it would be in the lecture hall with 160 MSI's, all of 'em going, "I saw this on TV once!!" You might as well tie a rib-eye around your neck and hop over the fence at the big cat exhibit...

I'll throw a pocket mask in my lap-top case just for you 😀

Since there was some budget discussion above, when I turn in my award letter is that when the decision needs to be made as to how much money I am accepting or is it at a later time (prior to disbursement)?

 

[bluespin83]

I don't want to have to do the COBRA thing either, but I don't know really what else to do. Given my wife's "condition" (she cringes every time someone says that) it seems like it would be easier to keep the same provider at least until well baby and post-prego stuff starts, even though it will sting to pay those premiums for a little bit. She went to the Women's Center (whatever it is called) at OUHSC and they said we'll probably "make" a small enough amount of money to qualify for SoonerCare, which I guess is a free to reduced price health care program. Which would save a lot of money...

There are a lot of guys that I work with that retire after 20+ years at the fire dept. and then go, oh ****, how am I going to pay for insurance and end up getting a city job again. One guy that retires in Sept. is looking at paying 1200 a month for insurance. I can't imagine...



If there were ever a place I would not want to have a heart attack, it would be in the lecture hall with 160 MSI's, all of 'em going, "I saw this on TV once!!" You might as well tie a rib-eye around your neck and hop over the fence at the big cat exhibit...

I'll throw a pocket mask in my lap-top case just for you 😀

Since there was some budget discussion above, when I turn in my award letter is that when the decision needs to be made as to how much money I am accepting or is it at a later time (prior to disbursement)?

I've new to SDN. I don't know if this has been answered, but is the waitlist moving yet? My anxiety grows everyday. Also, do they accept according to your number on the list or pull you from any order. I have a friend who on the waitlist too, but she's OOS. How does that list look as compared to the in-state list? I'm sure it's shorter and she has a better chance thane me. Any inside info from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

Since there was some budget discussion above, when I turn in my award letter is that when the decision needs to be made as to how much money I am accepting or is it at a later time (prior to disbursement)?

Turning in your award letter is the time when you should make the decision about how much to take out IF you're making it prior to disbursement. As Nick said, you have something like 120 days post-disbursement to return whatever you want without paying interest on it.

 

[Mr. Freeze]

Now I see it. Ya'll's posts are so chock full of information, sometimes a little falls through the cracks...

 

[glp]

anyone doing anything fun this summer? everyone ive talked to has told me to take off and travel europe but airfare is so expensive ($1300). i never did it in college or after i graduated so im kind of inclined to go for it. anyone else have any good ideas?

 

[Reddink]

anyone doing anything fun this summer? everyone ive talked to has told me to take off and travel europe but airfare is so expensive ($1300). i never did it in college or after i graduated so im kind of inclined to go for it. anyone else have any good ideas?

I'm getting together with a couple of buddies and we are heading out to Vegas. Should be a lot of fun.

Also, I just wanted to let you guys know that if you haven't received your financial aid package yet, you should probably call the financial aid office. I live in Norman and have yet to get mine so I called the FA office. They told me that they had mailed it on April 27th, but since I didn't get it yet, they were going to mail me another copy. Just giving you a heads up if you haven't gotten it yet.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I've new to SDN. I don't know if this has been answered, but is the waitlist moving yet? My anxiety grows everyday. Also, do they accept according to your number on the list or pull you from any order. I have a friend who on the waitlist too, but she's OOS. How does that list look as compared to the in-state list? I'm sure it's shorter and she has a better chance thane me. Any inside info from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

Thus far, it appears that two posters on this thread have been admitted off the waitlist, so there is some movement. Both were instate, so I don't know about the oos. I don't know if there's any inside information available -- from what I've gathered, they're not open with applicants on the waitlist about their chances of being accepted. However, I'd suggest calling Dottie anyway. Also, letters of intent can't hurt.

Hey, did anybody get the email about joining the class of 2010 blog?

glp, if I could afford to go to Europe right now, that's what I'd be doing. Instead I've got to work and move and all that other stupid stuff. 🙁 DH and I are going backpacking, which'll be cheap and fun.

 

[JohnnyOU]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

 

[glp]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

congrats!

 

[Jwax]

I've new to SDN. I don't know if this has been answered, but is the waitlist moving yet? My anxiety grows everyday. Also, do they accept according to your number on the list or pull you from any order. I have a friend who on the waitlist too, but she's OOS. How does that list look as compared to the in-state list? I'm sure it's shorter and she has a better chance thane me. Any inside info from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

The waitlists are moving... not sure how much. I've been too chicken to call admissions and ask 😳 . The in-state list has some 63 people on it, I believe, and the oos has 17? Something along those lines. In years past, 20 people off the waitlist is typical (so they said), but last year they took the entire waitlist (some 40+ people), and I suspect that is why there are so many on the waitlists this year. Oh, the suckfest that is waiting for a red envelope continues... along with the suckfest of trying to find a job since I may have to work (instead of be a medical student) next year 🙁 .

 

[Jwax]

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got all hopeful after reading this so I decided to run out and check my mailbox.....

Big red Pizza Hut coupons, that's all.... 🙄

 

[Doctor Bagel]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

Whoohoo!!! Now you don't have to take the MCAT again. 😀

 

[Non-TradTulsa]

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

ROCK AND ROLL!!! I really have been thinking about the people I like from SDN, hoping they'll get in. Once Jwax and a couple of others get in, I can go back to reading trashy books for the summer. (And these stupid intersession Spanish courses are over, which are a lot of work between now and June 1!)

Way cool... congratulations, Johnny.

I'm over being irritated with glp today . My summer is going to be spent working like a dog so that they'll still like me here at the hospital when I leave at the end of July. They've figured-out I'm leaving for real finally and my desk is getting stacked higher and higher - plus, I've interviewed potential replacements, which has been kind of emotional after 10 years here.

I did get the blog invitation, exlaw. Gosh, that scared me. I had assumed that was junk mail when I saw it earlier and didn't read it. When I saw your post, however, I thought "oh, no, they're already excluding me from fun things because I'm so old.... ".

Paranoia is a terrible thing. 😳

 

[JohnnyOU]

Thanks guys and gals. 🙂

I'm probably older than you non-trad. lol

I'm mailing off all my acceptance and deposit tomorrow and heading
up to Kansas for a 3-day lake party my father-in-law is hosting. It's not to celebrate me getting in...he scheduled it a month ago.
BUT...instead of taking my Kaplan mcat book, I'm taking Milton's Paradise Lost 🙂

I can't wait to meet everyone.

Johnny

 

[midwest77]

Johnny OU that is soooooo exciting!!! I wish I could relive that moment of finding the big red envelope. I'm stressing cuz I am four people away from getting accepted to University of Missouri School of Medicine (my undergrad) which means I might be accepted next week and have to make a decision between there and OU. I was kinda hoping that they would just never make it to my number on the waitlist so I wouldnt have to bother deciding but it looks like decisions will have to be made. Parents pulling for OU, boyfriend pulling for MU...Me, lost in the middle. I am sick to my stomach about having to decide. I just dont know where I would be happiest. I sound like an ass I realize since I actually have options but I just needed to vent I guess.

In other news, I got the blog invite too and almost erased it also!!! Seems pretty cool. I also turned in my fin aid thing and decided to go with T.H.E. as my lender. Well congrats to everyone who has gotten in and hopefully the waitlist gets movin'!!!!!!

 

[RachelD]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

Congratulations!! Guess you won't be needing those MCAT books! 🙂
See you in August!

 

[WhoisJohnGalt]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

I'm so excited for you!!!! CONGRATS!!!! 😀

 

[oudoc08]

😀 😀 😀 😀

I'm IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am FREAKIN IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am SOOOOOOO happy.

Got my big red envelope about 30 minutes ago.

YAY YAY 👍 🙂 😀

Congratulations, that's great news! Enjoy your summer, and burn that MCAT book.