UCLA MPH Epi Housing Situations

[jchow]

Congrats to everyone on finalizing your decisions. I'm sure wherever you all end up, you will make the most out of your experience and have a great time!

I will be going to UCLA Epi program. I was wondering if any of you had figured out your housing situations - where you will be living (on campus, off campus, addresses, contacts), who you will be living with, etc? I am in Hong Kong right now on exchange so I'm finding it difficult to meet people or contact people in next year's Epi program.

I am having an extremely difficult time finding a place to stay at and was wondering how you guys figured out where to live and who to live with. Do you have any hints on how I can find housing? Also, if any of you are interested in looking for an apartment together, I am open to being a roommate (female). I am extremely clean, considerate, a non-smoker, and very personable.

-jchow =)

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[mpurcell]

Hi! I too will be at UCLA for Epi and have been considering my housing options. I've applied for on campus housing in the grad apartments (Weyburn Terrace), however, they are really expensive (about a grand a month), so I've been thinking maybe an apartment search would be best.
I'd love to get together and look for a place, when is your exchange program over? I'm at UCLA now (finishing my undergrad) so I can keep my eyes open for the time being. When do you think you'll make it to LA?
Also, if there's anyone else going to UCLA, post and maybe we can get a few of us together to search.
Anyway, let me know your plans, and we can try to coordinate something...Enjoy the rest of your time in Hong Kong (I'm jealous)!

 

[Cster0905]

Hi! I too will be at UCLA for Epi and have been considering my housing options. I've applied for on campus housing in the grad apartments (Weyburn Terrace), however, they are really expensive (about a grand a month), so I've been thinking maybe an apartment search would be best.
I'd love to get together and look for a place, when is your exchange program over? I'm at UCLA now (finishing my undergrad) so I can keep my eyes open for the time being. When do you think you'll make it to LA?
Also, if there's anyone else going to UCLA, post and maybe we can get a few of us together to search.
Anyway, let me know your plans, and we can try to coordinate something...Enjoy the rest of your time in Hong Kong (I'm jealous)!

Hey, I'm considering UCLA -- I still haven't decided, I have just sent in deposits to Emory, Hopkins, and UCLA and will eat the cost of the deposits of those schools I don't go to.

I plan on taking pre-med classes, as well, in conjunction with my MPH courses. How is UCLA for the sciences? Please be hones; I already like the university so I'd like a realistic opinion. Being a state school, I'm sure some of the intros will be large but what about format, difficulty, etc?

Thanks so much. Being able to prepare for med school is a big factor in my decision!

 

[mpurcell]

Hey, I'm considering UCLA -- I still haven't decided, I have just sent in deposits to Emory, Hopkins, and UCLA and will eat the cost of the deposits of those schools I don't go to.

I plan on taking pre-med classes, as well, in conjunction with my MPH courses. How is UCLA for the sciences? Please be hones; I already like the university so I'd like a realistic opinion. Being a state school, I'm sure some of the intros will be large but what about format, difficulty, etc?

Thanks so much. Being able to prepare for med school is a big factor in my decision!

Well, first just let me say that i'm not getting my bachelors here in any of the sciences, so I can only give you my impression and what i've heard from friends.
So..As you mentioned and already know, lower division requisites can have hundreds of students in them, so if you still need general classes (chem, bio, etc.), you'll be dealing with that atmosphere. As you get into the more specialized courses and labs, enrollment levels are lower (though sometimes not by much!), so it really depends on what specifically you still need to take.
As far as difficulty, I know that the sciences are extremely competitive, and the curves can be brutal; that being said however, many of my friends have told me that access to professors is easier than one would imagine, and all have weekly office hours they keep. My cousin is graduating this month from USC School of Medicine, and did her undergrad at UCLA (biochem major). She thinks UCLA prepared her well for the MCATs and med school, though she is a hard worker (as i'm sure you are) who took advantage of the opportunities the university had to offer.
The facilities at UCLA are incredible, and there's lots of research going on..so if you can hook up with a professor and get involved with that, it will certainly give you an extra edge come application time.
I think UCLA is probably best known for its sciences, so I think your opportunity to prepare for med school there would be fantastic. ALL that being said though, I also know that Hopkins is on the top for the sciences. I don't know much of anything about their programs, so i can't comment on class size, difficulty, or professor availability, however, in general, for medicine and science its reputation is outstanding. I don't think you could go wrong enrolling there.
If you're a California resident however, I can see where your dilemma is. UCLA is much cheaper, and if you are a hard worker, the classes you take there will definitely get you where you're trying to go. I hope i've been able to help a little bit, let me know if you have any other questions, and i'll help you out as best i can.
If it were me, i would say, out of state- probably go to hopkins...in state, consider UCLA

 

[Cster0905]

Well, first just let me say that i'm not getting my bachelors here in any of the sciences, so I can only give you my impression and what i've heard from friends.
So..As you mentioned and already know, lower division requisites can have hundreds of students in them, so if you still need general classes (chem, bio, etc.), you'll be dealing with that atmosphere. As you get into the more specialized courses and labs, enrollment levels are lower (though sometimes not by much!), so it really depends on what specifically you still need to take.
As far as difficulty, I know that the sciences are extremely competitive, and the curves can be brutal; that being said however, many of my friends have told me that access to professors is easier than one would imagine, and all have weekly office hours they keep. My cousin is graduating this month from USC School of Medicine, and did her undergrad at UCLA (biochem major). She thinks UCLA prepared her well for the MCATs and med school, though she is a hard worker (as i'm sure you are) who took advantage of the opportunities the university had to offer.
The facilities at UCLA are incredible, and there's lots of research going on..so if you can hook up with a professor and get involved with that, it will certainly give you an extra edge come application time.
I think UCLA is probably best known for its sciences, so I think your opportunity to prepare for med school there would be fantastic. ALL that being said though, I also know that Hopkins is on the top for the sciences. I don't know much of anything about their programs, so i can't comment on class size, difficulty, or professor availability, however, in general, for medicine and science its reputation is outstanding. I don't think you could go wrong enrolling there.
If you're a California resident however, I can see where your dilemma is. UCLA is much cheaper, and if you are a hard worker, the classes you take there will definitely get you where you're trying to go. I hope i've been able to help a little bit, let me know if you have any other questions, and i'll help you out as best i can.
If it were me, i would say, out of state- probably go to hopkins...in state, consider UCLA

Purcell:

Thanks for your response. There are a lot of reasons I am considering UCLA when I have Hopkins as an option, as well.

1. From and attended undergrad on east coast, love the west coast -- change of scenery, culture.
2. I want to do research (intervention development for primary care settings) in the clinical setting and have a feeling UCLA is a bit more accustomed to and willing to foster that than Hopkins (old gentleman's club feeling, to an extent).
3. I want to work with the Latino population -- can't get a much better environment than LA.
4. UCLA's traditional curriculum allows me to take pre-med classes each quarter whereas Hopkins is condensed and the SPH is on a different semester system than the undergrad.
5. Cheaper, in the long run.
6. Much more laid back.

Having studied public health at UNC and being pre-med I am definitely aware of Hopkins' place in healthcare and education and it would be a great opportunity. But, going to med school is just as important to me and I'm not sure Hopkins will be as accommodating of that aspiration as UCLA or Emory. Clearly UCLA is a great school but Hopkins has a truly international reputation and has educated many important figures worldwide.

Also of note, UCLA's SPH is on campus whereas Hopkins' is on a different campus (I'd have to shuttle over to take pre-med classes, restricting my schedule even more). Also, I've heard that the general student body at Hopkins is not very happy with apparently rampant grade DEFLATION on campus. Not what I want to deal with, though I'm a good student, when I need to get top grades in each of my classes.

I work at Emory now and it's a great school with an atmosphere similar to UCLA's but in a small, private school mold. I may end up there. I'm relatively new to Atlanta so it wouldn't be bad staying here, but Atlanta isn't as interesting as LA or even the Baltimore/DC area.

Ugh, I HAVE NO IDEA!

 

[mpurcell]

Cster:

What a decision to make! Looking at your post, i can tell you've already put a lot of thought into this- but if i may make another comment in response to what you mentioned. After reading your post I really think you should consider choosing UCLA. Seeing as your ultimate goal is medical school and not MPH as a terminal degree, I think for your interests, UCLA can offer you the best opportunities. While it can be argued that employers may or may not be as familiar with UCLA's School of Public Health as other top schools..i assure you that medical programs certainly will be (as well as familiar with their sciences in general).
As medical programs get more and more competitive, grades and MCAT's alone aren't always enough anymore..the more experience you can get before applying the better, and the university and city have endless options to get that experience.
Obviously no matter what your choice, you'll be at a great school, and I'm sure regardless of where you end up, you'll be able to secure a spot in medical school when you apply. I wish you the best of luck with your decision!...when do you think you'll know??

ps. I know the thought of a cross-country move is daunting, but let me know if you decide UCLA, b/c it sounds like there are several of us looking for housing...you could join us!

 

[catladyMPH]

hi jchow,
i have also chosen UCLA. when i visited the school Joy Miller in the office of Epidemiology Student Affairs said she could put in a "recommendation" for Weyburn (which is the preferred on-campus housing option for the Health Sciences graduate students due to its location). I had to decline this offer since I have cats (no animals allowed). As long as you don't have pets, I would highly recommend contacting Joy (be patient, she is very busy) to see if she can help you with a similar recommendation.

hi cster,
i would choose ucla in your situation for a number of reasons.
-the public health professors are very accessible at ucla (i have heard it can be quite difficult to access your professors at Hopkins).
-the school overall is top notch, you would get great pre-med science education and the large size of the student population would most likely ensure you have several options (such as evening lectures) to fit them into your schedule. At Emory or Hopkins you might not find as many scheduling options since the student populations are so much smaller. Also, at Hopkins the undergraduate science courses would be only be offered on the Homewood campus, which is several miles from the Health Sciences campus.
-the cost is right for in-state. and if you plan on going to med school it might be a good idea to hold off on taking loans until you absolutely have to...
-medical opportunities: #9 ranked Med School, #3 ranked hospital, both huge research facilities where if you look hard enough you might find a GSR or internship to further your path to Med school
-quarter system allows more variety, good weather, laid back californians (all of which you mentioned)
-i also went to UNC for undergrad (it sounds like you did too?) i found UCLA to be similar to UNC in many ways (due to their similarity in size and being state schools) which I felt would make for a very smooth transition.

pm me if you want to discuss this more. good luck with your decision.

also, for anyone considering UCLA, one of the big factors for me in making this decision (in addition to some of those mentioned above) was being able to study under Dr. Sander Greenland, who is a very highly regarded expert on Epidemiology Methods. He wrote the book that most schools use for advanced methods courses and all Epi students take his class in the spring quarter of their first year.

 

[Cster0905]

hi jchow,
i have also chosen UCLA. when i visited the school Joy Miller in the office of Epidemiology Student Affairs said she could put in a "recommendation" for Weyburn (which is the preferred on-campus housing option for the Health Sciences graduate students due to its location). I had to decline this offer since I have cats (no animals allowed). As long as you don't have pets, I would highly recommend contacting Joy (be patient, she is very busy) to see if she can help you with a similar recommendation.

hi cster,
i would choose ucla in your situation for a number of reasons.
-the public health professors are very accessible at ucla (i have heard it can be quite difficult to access your professors at Hopkins).
-the school overall is top notch, you would get great pre-med science education and the large size of the student population would most likely ensure you have several options (such as evening lectures) to fit them into your schedule. At Emory or Hopkins you might not find as many scheduling options since the student populations are so much smaller. Also, at Hopkins the undergraduate science courses would be only be offered on the Homewood campus, which is several miles from the Health Sciences campus.
-the cost is right for in-state. and if you plan on going to med school it might be a good idea to hold off on taking loans until you absolutely have to...
-medical opportunities: #9 ranked Med School, #3 ranked hospital, both huge research facilities where if you look hard enough you might find a GSR or internship to further your path to Med school
-quarter system allows more variety, good weather, laid back californians (all of which you mentioned)
-i also went to UNC for undergrad (it sounds like you did too?) i found UCLA to be similar to UNC in many ways (due to their similarity in size and being state schools) which I felt would make for a very smooth transition.

pm me if you want to discuss this more. good luck with your decision.

also, for anyone considering UCLA, one of the big factors for me in making this decision (in addition to some of those mentioned above) was being able to study under Dr. Sander Greenland, who is a very highly regarded expert on Epidemiology Methods. He wrote the book that most schools use for advanced methods courses and all Epi students take his class in the spring quarter of their first year.

CatLady:

Thanks for your post. I did, in fact, attend UNC. I LOVED IT.....GO HEELS! I was a Health Policy and Administration (SPH) and Spanish double major, Class of '07.

Many of the issues you've outlined are correct and ones I've been chewing over. I've never doubted UCLA's reputation as a university, School of Public Health, or leader in the health sciences. I suppose what has held me up the most is the opportunity to attend Johns Hopkins, regardless of the other great options I've had (UNC, Columbia, Michigan, Emory, etc....).

I've realized, however, that if medical school is my priority, I need to place myself in a position to perform the best. Many aspects of Hopkins, especially its intensified 11-month class schedule, would make that VERY difficult, not to mention really challenge my ability to enjoy myself there. If med school doesn't work out I am confident I can gain admittance at Hopkins again and pursue my PhD there.

I'm 99.9999% sure I'll be at UCLA in the fall.

 

[jchow]

Hi Catlady and Cester! Yay! I'm so excited about starting the school year with you two. Have you both been able to find housing yet?? I have tried countless times to contact Joy Miller, but I find she's always away from her desk. Perhaps I'll try emailing again. I was wondering if you haven't found housing yet, would any of you like to share a bedroom with me. I have been contacting a couple of places off-campus. Please let me know.