UOP and kids

[PharmChem]

Are there any people here who have been admitted to or hope to attend UOP and have children? I'm a single mom and just visited Stockton this past week. While I was there, I found out that Stockton is the second most likely city to get your car stolen in. Also, it is not safe to go out at night by yourself in the city. If accepted, I'd probably be too busy with my daughter and school to be going out at night. However, such statements make me wonder how safe it is to be living in the city, especially with a precious little one with you? Any one who grew up there or going to school there with kids please share your experiences or thoughts.

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[Requiem]

I don't know much about the area, however I know a guy going into his 3rd year there.

Hopefully the area is good, cause the school seems disorganized and frustrating.

 

[JRL]

Stockton is a bad area

Its very Hot, theres nothing really out there except ghetto and farmland. And yes, they steal cars all over that area, Modesto and Stockton.

Stockton isnt completly ruined like Oakland yet, but its gettin there in a hurry.

 

[ilostmyspacebar]

hey pharmchem...have you gotten financial aid pakage? i haven't received mine yet...i'm still waiting =/. where are you planning on living? i'm looking for rooms for rent and all the houses seem to be really new and nice but i guess the neighborhoods might be bad.

 

[PharmChem]

hey pharmchem...have you gotten financial aid pakage? i haven't received mine yet...i'm still waiting =/. where are you planning on living? i'm looking for rooms for rent and all the houses seem to be really new and nice but i guess the neighborhoods might be bad.

Congratulations on getting in this year ilostmyspacebar. Oops! I am considering applying to UOP, and having a child, I like checking out the environment before I even submit my application. Where are all the new and nice houses? When I visited, all I saw where old neighbourhoods that looked so ghetto. The student who gave me the tour advised me to check out some apartments on Rosemarie Lane as he said most students lived around that area. I was not impressed by that neighbourhood at all. It's pretty close to the school and all, but I could not see myself living there for 3 whole years. Tell me about the new houses and roughly how much it would cost to rent one. Also let me know about your financial aid package. The student who gave me the tour is in his second year and he told me that he takes out about $60 000 a year in loans, has no dependents and lives at Brookfield house. I imagine it would be at least $20 000 more for me. ilostmyspacebar and all the other people going to UOP please keep me and others posted on financial aid packages, accommodation and student life in Stockton.

 

[chusifer]

i got my financial aid package. it consisted of roughly $30k-ish in loans. the package estimated a total annual cost (tuition + living) of about $60k. i'm dependent on my parents so im sure my loan package is a little less than some others.

as far as living, i think pacific has a hall dedicated to students with family. so maybe you could apply to one of those living areas.

i too have been browsing some rooms for rent...its a hell of a lot cheaper than san diego, which im happy about. but i need to find a roommate...

 

[PharmChem]

i got my financial aid package. it consisted of roughly $30k-ish in loans. the package estimated a total annual cost (tuition + living) of about $60k. i'm dependent on my parents so im sure my loan package is a little less than some others.

as far as living, i think pacific has a hall dedicated to students with family. so maybe you could apply to one of those living areas.

i too have been browsing some rooms for rent...its a hell of a lot cheaper than san diego, which im happy about. but i need to find a roommate...

Thanks chusifer. I did see the 2 resident halls when I visited, but I assumed they were all for single students. I'll probably call tomorrow and confirm. That would be a great option.

 

[pharm23pharm]

Thanks chusifer. I did see the 2 resident halls when I visited, but I assumed they were all for single students. I'll probably call tomorrow and confirm. That would be a great option.

I went to Stockton twice and the first time when I went, someone stole my car! Enough said!!!

 

[ForeverPharm]

I went to Stockton twice and the first time when I went, someone stole my car! Enough said!!!

Is it really so bad regarding security????!! I'm considering this school as second choice...$60,000 is insane...

 

[pharm23pharm]

UOP's security is not good at all!!! I got my car jacked in the middle of daylight. I parked my car at the back of the school, near a ghetto pawn shop and a couple of hours later, my Toyota Civic was no where to be seen.

As for the tuition and total living expenses, 60k is outrageous. It is the most expensive pharmd school in America with the BIGGEST class (of course, this is not counting that corrupted school in Hawaii).

However, UOP's curriculum is very good. 2 years of academia, then 8 months of rotations and then you are all done with well over 150k in student loans.

 

[marrymenatalie]

UOP's security is not good at all!!! I got my car jacked in the middle of daylight. I parked my car at the back of the school, near a ghetto pawn shop and a couple of hours later, my Toyota Civic was no where to be seen.

As for the tuition and total living expenses, 60k is outrageous. It is the most expensive pharmd school in America with the BIGGEST class (of course, this is not counting that corrupted school in Hawaii).

However, UOP's curriculum is very good. 2 years of academia, then 8 months of rotations and then you are all done with well over 150k in student loans.

Don't be offended, I'm not flaming you. Don't buy a common car that's easily car jacked, such as a Civic, Camry, Accord. Plus don't leave it by a pawn shop. You're just asking for it to be stolen.

Also, UOP's total cost isn't really 60k. For the 2005-06 year it was 52k if you live in Brookside, but they overestimate it by adding the most expensive meal plan. If you live off campus and have a roommate, then total cost could easily be about 45k as long as you can cook you're own food.

If you're looking at cost for california schools, I remember Touro would be about 200K for all 4 years if you lived there. Western and USC are about the same if you lived there. They would be between 150-175k depending on you're living costs. I don't know about Loma Linda or the UCs, but I think UOP is cheaper than Touro, USC, and Western, as long as you're cost efficient.

 

[ForeverPharm]

I have a Honda Civic also, the reason people buy them becausae they are reasonable in price. If I had money I would have bought A Porsche
I guess we have to pay more attention than others.

I cook, but with the pressure of Pharmacy school, especially 3 year program, do you think you will have a time to cook?

Loma linda is 32k a year, but housing is cheap in loma linda. the whole thing probably b/w 160-180K. But it is such a demanding program, you have to fulfill the chapel requirement: every week of basically praying.

UC's are CHEAP. 18k for tuition, BUT living in SF is expensive! San Diego is better expensewise.

 

[chusifer]

the cost at uop is comparable to other private schools in california. $42k for 2 years and $28k for the 3rd year is $110k for tuition only. that's less than 4 years at usc or western. stockton probably has lower living expenses relative to other college cities (i know its definitely cheaper than ucsd). so its not as outrageous as you may think.

 

[ICA]

Since you mentioned you had kids, I would definitely check this out:

http://api.cde.ca.gov/APIBase2006/2005Base_Co.aspx?cYear=&cSelect=39,SAN,JOAQUIN

Scroll down to "Stockton City Unified"... most of their public schools are ranked 1, 2 or 3 (out of 10) - sad.

There is a school ranked #7 (Rio Calaveras Elementary) and I suggest trying to get your kids into that one if you do decide to go to UOP.

Having a kid myself, the public school system played a big role in deciding which school I would attend - I declined UOP. (Next year, I will try to enroll my son in a #10 ranked school in South Pasadena... crossing my fingers!)

 

[pharm120]

I replied to you in the other pharmacy forum. But all I can say is if you can get into any other school, do it! It's not a good town, it's not a good school. If this ends up being the only place you get accepted at, then you'll have to deal with it. But as long as you have a choice, try to stay away from it all. I have never known such uncaring faculty / administration in my life. In fact, we all just got an email saying the school of pharmacy will no longer provide help for students with disabilities during midterms / finals because they are *too busy* and there are *too many disabled people for accomidations* (even though I've never seen a single one). You have to go to the main part of campus now if you are disabled and want to take your midterms / finals.

 

[PharmChem]

Thank you all for all the informative responses. You have just helped me to make up my mind on UOP. Good luck to those going there in the Fall. I hope you will have better experiences. As for me, I'm going to try Midwestern CPG in AZ and maybe USN.

 

[ilostmyspacebar]

hey pharm120...

what year are you at UOP? I'm going to be attending UOP in the Fall. U said 1 out of 6 people stay an extra year....is it just to take one class? do they still have to pay a whole bunch of money for that last year? bcz if they fail one class, i dont understand why they would have to take a whole extra year of classes......what was your undergrad major? from what I read on these forums, it doesn't really matter where you go to school in terms of finding a good job (unless u want to do clinical) so UOP can't be that bad. thanks in advance

 

[TheChemist]

Take Pharm120's comments with a grain of salt. He/She is obviously a disgruntled UOP student that has failed a class. Pharmacy school is not supposed to be easy and every school will always have that one a**hole professor. The only time that Pharm120 posts is when He/She has something negative to say about UOP. Honestly I’m getting tired of it. You seem like a very negative person who probably blames the world for all of his or her problems.

Everyone that I have talked to has liked UOP. It’s a well established program that you can finish in three years. Yes UOP is in a bad area and that is why I’ll be living in Sacramento. But, if you are applying to other California schools you should be aware that USC is in a horrible area of LA. I took a wrong turn getting there for my interview and I thought I was going to get shot. Western in Pomona and Loma Linda are also not in the best of areas. Touro is located in an abandoned military base. It seriously feels like you are in some horror film. UCSD is in a great area but living expenses are going to be very high. At UCSF the living expenses are going to be even higher.

 

[ForeverPharm]

Yes UOP is in a bad area and that is why I’ll be living in Sacramento. But, if you are applying to other California schools you should be aware that USC is in a horrible area of LA. I took a wrong turn getting there for my interview and I thought I was going to get shot. Western in Pomona and Loma Linda are also not in the best of areas. Touro is located in an abandoned military base. It seriously feels like you are in some horror film. UCSD is in a great area but living expenses are going to be very high. At UCSF the living expenses are going to be even higher.

this is the best description I've seen,
I've seen UCSD, UCSF, Touro (yes, it looks like a deserted island, the school is fine though) never seen western , but Pamona is .....
No idea about loma linda or USC (I've heard east LA is pretty bad).

 

[igcgnerd]

I live south of stockton like 10 minutes away and have worked in stockton for quite a few years. It has its good parts and bad parts just like any city with a population as big as it is. I feel safe to go out at night and i wouldnt think twice about having kids there. The central valley is one of the best places in california to raise a family. If you want to attend school but live in a more suburbian area there are plenty of areas surrounding stockton all within 10 min of UOP.

 

[ilovepharm]

i have some friends who just visited western and they told me that it's actually in a very nice area.....??

when i went to usc for a workshop, I could tell that it's not in such a great area, but the students there told me that you can get pretty nice apts 10-15 minutes away.

as for ucsd and ucsf, it's expensive but gorgeous!