Western / COMP 2007

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Can anyone from the accepted class take it or do you have to have a certain GPA/MCAT score?
 
Originally posted by melancholy
Adobo- Sounds good... considering I used to work in a lab with almost all Filipino and Vietnamese folks and have had pot lucks, I don't know why I've never tried it. Just as long as there won't be any caninus-adobo (Sorry Tae!)[/B]

Gah, I know what I feed my dog - he wouldn't be tasty at all. 😉


Dogs- Don't forget the vet school should be in operation by the time school starts up! There should be more pets wandering around campus hopefully (although I "think" they are going to try a different learning system in the classroom of using animal models instead of real animals) and perhaps they'll even open up a small pet clinic too. Guess we're going to need more park space...[/B]

Woo-hoo - free animal care!

- Tae
 
Hi, I am also from so Cal. and I decided to take the summer prep course instead of the ISAC..
Actually I didn't apply for the ISAC.
Is it worth taking the course eventhough you can't get the credit for it??
Thank you Melancholy for your infos..... ^^ 🙂
 
Regarding ISAC, from what I remember they used to send out ISAC applications based on certain numerical statistics of those accepted into the incoming class... so it was sent to people regardless of anatomy experience or not. Depending on who the professor running ISAC this year is, you can usually call their number on the application and chat with them about taking the course or not.

As far as SAPP is concerned, it is only three weeks but still a great way to gear yourself towards studying for anatomy. It is a more laidback environment and you still learn quite a bit which helps to get a jumpstart on things. SAPP is easier to do because it starts later than ISAC and doesn't have to last as long. It's also nice to get to know some people ahead of time and become acclimated to the school. From what I've heard, there's not really any pressure to learn in SAPP, so _it is what you make of it._ Some people really benefitted from it and others gained minimally, but still had a good time.

Overall, I'd recommend doing either of these courses if you don't need a portion of your summer for vacationing, moving, family matters, etc. Just remember that you can still do fine in anatomy without the courses and that this is your second to last free summer!
 
<b>ISAC</b>- I don't know if it was different last year <b>melancholy</b>, but our year, you have to have a previous course of some sort of anatomy to get the invite for ISAC. That being said, it doesn't matter that the previous course has to be "human anatomy". Some of my classmates got the invite because they took vertebrate anatomy, physiology or something similar but "anatomy" related. I know this because I know someone who didn't get the invite, wanted to be in ISAC but had problems convincing the professor who's in charge to let them in ('cuz they didn't fit the requirement above). Well, they succeeded in convincing the prof, took ISAC and did great with the course! So yeah, you don't really need to take human anatomy before to do well, but I guess there is some sort of requirements that you must have. Also, like <b>melancholy</b>said, you don't need to take ISAC to do well with anatomy in the fall.
Anyway, have a good weekend, everyone!
 
ISAC- Well, I think it was the same case my year... our application said we were required to have previous anatomy experience. I have no clue how I got an application because I never took anything even close to anatomy/physiology. I ended up talking to Dr. Younoszai on the phone and got a verbal agreement to go along with ISAC.. so maybe that is the safe route in case someone doesn't have any previous experience. He still didn't have much faith in me until after I took my second anatomy exam and scored much better than the first one. What a guy! =)
 
Hey everyone, just thought to ask a quick question,

About rotations, how early do you think students should start looking into it. I was hearing about this med student, 1st yr, who's already volunteering at potential places where he might be doing his rotation. Just thought to ask what some of your opinions are, thanks...
 
kpax18-
being a first year myself, I can tell you almost for sure that none of my classmates are volunteering at local hospitals because they might want to do their rotations there. A lot of people do volunteer in clinics in the area, but those are for clinical experiences. As far as rotations go, those are determined by a lottery in feb of our second year. So, volunteering in the hospitals where we do rotations may give you an idea where you would like to work, but should not affect your chances of getting a rotation there (it's not like applying for residency).

Maybe some second years can shed some more light on this subject?
 
I concur with Kickedmybutt for the most part (Mr. Wu is that you? hey that rhymes! the slacker part gave it away.. j/k). I don't recall the majority of my classmates volunteering at a rotation site they were really interested in. I do know of people who have volunteered at sites and because of that exposure to a certain setting, they became more interested in rotating through that site in the future. There are opportunities to shadow certain docs at different hospitals so that might be another opportunity to chat with interns/residents/attendings at a certain place, but then again.. you can do that at social functions or other times outside of work as well. Usually, people save their chance of being seen (by the places they are interested in) until the end of the 3rd year or their 4th year before interviews for residency roll around. Showing interest helps, but when you get to do your serious rotation there it allows them to see many more sides of you (as a medical student and perhaps future colleague) that they might not see otherwise. Even between 3rd and 4th year rotations, the attendings may not remember all the details about a medical student because they see quite a few passing through... so it's good to save your best for the 4th year when you have the experience and know-how to impress them.

Of course, volunteering never hurts if one has the extra time to do so. Just remember that if you are volunteering at a site, there may already be med students there anyway doing scutwork here and there... so it may be a battle to get face time already. (Since I'm just a lowly second year, maybe a third or fourth year can comment?)
 
Thanks for the reply

Yes, any 3rd or 4th yrs out there to comment?
 
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Hey,

I just sent in my last deposit so i will be attending COMP with all of you guys!!!

I need some help with housing. My wife will be finishing physical therapy school and will not be moving out until Dec. so i am looking to rent a room from someone from Aug through Dec. If you guys hear anything or know of anyone that could do this, please let me know.

See you August.
Brian
 
Anyone landed on any apartments?

Just curious

Was out there in Claremont the other day, and found out that if you were a Claremont resident you can use the Claremont colleges' library for free....fyi

How's the library at Western? havent really seen the whole jist of it myself...
 
I'm going to check out apartments at the end of April, though my search criteria I think will be different than yours - dogs and baby.

When I get back, I'll be sure to post what I find.

- Tae
 
Wow.. I didn't know being a Claremont resident gave you access to the Claremont College libraries although I know quite a few of our classmates will study in those libraries (how they get in these days, I don't know but I could ask). I've heard they are pretty nice though... with internet connections for your computers and everything!
 
Looking forward to hear from you Tae...
I think there are a good number of apts out there accepting pets, at least with the ones I've looked.
I believe most 2 bedrooms are around $1000 more or less...
Let me know if you can find cheaper ones than that price.
So far I'm pretty interested in Claremont Palms, the one on San Jose ave, seem nice and pretty close to Claremont and Western campuses...
 
Originally posted by kpax18
Looking forward to hear from you Tae...
I think there are a good number of apts out there accepting pets, at least with the ones I've looked.
I believe most 2 bedrooms are around $1000 more or less...
Let me know if you can find cheaper ones than that price.
So far I'm pretty interested in Claremont Palms, the one on San Jose ave, seem nice and pretty close to Claremont and Western campuses...

Yeah, I checked that one out online, and they only accept one dogs that weighs <30 lbs. I have two dogs, and one of them's a 75 lbs. Lab, so that place isn't for me.

I have noticed that the online classifieds, such as www.latimes.com, list much more affordable places. But since, I have to travel three months in advance, it's doubtful that most private landlords know what will be available that far ahead. I will be checking the classifieds once I hit CA, though.

- Tae
 
Hello all1

I just got accepted to COMP today and am pretty sure that I will be there Fall 2003. I'm from Texas, but went to undergrad in Boston and lived in New England for 7 years. So I know snow!

Yes, the whole housing thing is always such an ordeal, especially if you don't know the area at all. At my interview, they did mention that they had a huge black binder that is filled with housing oppurtunities for COMP students. I think it's in the student affairs office. Regardless, when I go out there to look for a place in May (probably) I'm going to call COMP for some suggestions. It's really intimidating to try to drive all over S. Cali to look for a place, so I think I'll focus on Clarement, Diamond Bar, Chino Hills, or even Pomona. I guess I'll just drive out to the listings they have available.

Anyway, I'm excited to meet all of you and look forward to hearing more news from COMP.

Tiffany
 
Congrats Elysium...
Good luck in your apt hunting...

Heard that anytime before the end of April would be ideal to sign a lease, cuz that's when people are moving out according to this one leasing lady.
Claremont and Chino Hills are great areas.

Hey Tae-
Are you moving in before or during the summer? Just curious
I plan on getting settled in by June

kevin
 
Originally posted by kpax18
Heard that anytime before the end of April would be ideal to sign a lease, cuz that's when people are moving out according to this one leasing lady.
Claremont and Chino Hills are great areas.

Hey Tae-
Are you moving in before or during the summer? Just curious
I plan on getting settled in by June

kevin

Hi Kevin,

Ideally, I would have liked to have moved in a month or two before school starts. However, I have to work as much as possible before the move, and more importantly, my wife is due in mid-June, so we can't move prior to, or immediately after, delivery.

Hopefully the larger apartment complexes will have some advance knowledge of tenants moving out in July by the time I fly out there in late April ...

If anyone's around in late July when I drive myself and our two dogs cross-country, I'd love to meet all of you when I move in.

And while you're there - grab a box ... 😀

- Tae
 
Sometimes apartments will have move-in specials if they have an opening that comes up soon but they haven't had someone sign up for the spot already or they really have a need to fill an empty apartment. Of course, apt. complexes don't like to lose money on empty units so you can sometimes benefit from this. I'm not sure how many apartments do this sort of thing, but it's always good to check just in case you're in a bind and can't make it out early enough. Sometimes they also give you a little discount for the move-in fees if you help them out by taking the apartment.

Oh yeah, I've also heard some encouraging things about future plans for the vet clinic across the street and a possible health and wellness program they might offer for Western U. folks who have pets. This maybe preliminary, but when the Dean of the Vet Med school talked to the student government senate, she mentioned something like having to bring in your pet four times a year, but you get free shots/care as well as 1/2 and possibly more discount off pet food. I suppose what they benefit is having more experience/pets to work with. If the funding goes through for the future clinic and things go on schedule, there'd probably be a ground breaking around the end of 2003. I think they will have an interim vet clinic around Upland in the meantime that would be about 10 minutes east of Pomona... but they are aware that students' class schedules may not be conducive to the clinic being that far so they said they'd work on schedules and being able to drop off/pick up your pet etc. It may all be speculative at this point, but it's nice to hear about something new, you know?
 
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Originally posted by tkim6599
Hi Kevin,

Ideally, I would have liked to have moved in a month or two before school starts. However, I have to work as much as possible before the move, and more importantly, my wife is due in mid-June, so we can't move prior to, or immediately after, delivery.

Hopefully the larger apartment complexes will have some advance knowledge of tenants moving out in July by the time I fly out there in late April ...

If anyone's around in late July when I drive myself and our two dogs cross-country, I'd love to meet all of you when I move in.

And while you're there - grab a box ... 😀

- Tae

No problem, help you out anytime, as long as my stomach is filled...just kidding 😉
Yeah, Definitely, we all should meet up and whenever you need help with moving just holler over the PM.

melancholy- any suggestions on apts in terms of location and prices? how much do you pay a month if you dont mind me asking

Kevin
 
Just want to rate this thread ....5 Stars...😀
 
Originally posted by kpax18
No problem, help you out anytime, as long as my stomach is filled...just kidding 😉

Actually, I was thinking pizza and beers. I figure I could pay for movers, or buy 'za and suds and get to meet some of the people I will spending the next four years with?

'Course, the beers come *after* the dishes and TV get brought in ... 😉

- Tae
 
Originally posted by melancholy
Oh yeah, I've also heard some encouraging things about future plans for the vet clinic across the street and a possible health and wellness program they might offer for Western U. folks who have pets. This maybe preliminary, but when the Dean of the Vet Med school talked to the student government senate, she mentioned something like having to bring in your pet four times a year, but you get free shots/care as well as 1/2 and possibly more discount off pet food. I suppose what they benefit is having more experience/pets to work with. If the funding goes through for the future clinic and things go on schedule, there'd probably be a ground breaking around the end of 2003. I think they will have an interim vet clinic around Upland in the meantime that would be about 10 minutes east of Pomona... but they are aware that students' class schedules may not be conducive to the clinic being that far so they said they'd work on schedules and being able to drop off/pick up your pet etc. It may all be speculative at this point, but it's nice to hear about something new, you know?

That sounds great! My Lab - the one on the right, is pretty healthy and is easy to work with, though he's on prednisone for some strange allergy that cropped up last year.

My Basenji, however, has an idiopathic seizure disorder and requires phenobarb - and even then she has seizures 5-6 times a year. She's also a bear to work with, and would provide an excellent experience as a 'difficult' patient. 😛

I'm all for 'free' care - as long as it's good care. I'd still have a private vet for the both of them ...

- Tae
 
Originally posted by kpax18

melancholy- any suggestions on apts in terms of location and prices? how much do you pay a month if you dont mind me asking

Kevin

Glad to hear people are so enthusiastic about coming to COMP. Lemme see if I can help you out with the apt situation with this quick run-down of the surrounding areas where people often live.

Chino Hills (where I live) - very quiet middle class neighborhood; a little more pricey, a 2BD will run you about 1200 (100 less for 1BD); avg commute time to campus is 10-20 min depending on which part of Chino Hills you are leaving from; occasionally, the smell from the surrounding ranches is unbearable

Pomona - some apt are closer to campus but others as far as 15 min away; more afforable, 1BD for less than 1000; neighberhood is not very residential

Diamond Bar - Too far (>20 min), too expensive, I wouldn't bother

Claremont - Sorry, don't know much about the area, but free access to claremont college library is convenient

Ontario - a lot like Pomona, maybe a bit quieter; commute is at least 15 min; I think housing prices are same as Pomona

anyway, those are the more popular places where people live. I hope the info I've given are accurate. In general, Chino Hills and Diamond bar are the expensive areas, most others are about the same. All the areas are loaded with stores and conveniences. Um, I can't think of much else to add. Maybe melancholy will...
 
Chino Hills (where I live) - very quiet middle class neighborhood; a little more pricey, a 2BD will run you about 1200 (100 less for 1BD); avg commute time to campus is 10-20 min depending on which part of Chino Hills you are leaving from; occasionally, the smell from the surrounding ranches is unbearable

:laugh: I smell that all the way in Riverside

Hey Tae- have you thought of what to name your baby yet?
 
Originally posted by kpax18
:laugh: I smell that all the way in Riverside

Hey Tae- have you thought of what to name your baby yet?

I think it's been settled as Ethan, but since I don't make those decisions, that's subject to change. :laugh:

- Tae
 
Hmm.. apartments..

Chino Hills - 2 bedrooms for about 1200 and 1 bedrooms for 950-1100. Usually fairly nice and quiet complexes with suburban surroundings. More conveniences always opening up nearby. Commute to school is about 8-15 minutes. The smell doesn't get into my apartment and usually clears up after the morning. It is not always present and I consider it a very minor disadvantage for living in the area. Note, DSL/cable modem access is not available in some areas of Chino Hills (this hasn't been a problem anywhere else from what I know) and TV antenna reception is poor which forces many people to get cable TV. Nice, modern parks. Highway access to the 71, 60, and 57. Closest LA Fitness is about 4-7 minutes away in Chino Hills itself.

Pomona (more specifically Plaza Apts across the street from school)- 1 bedrooms for at least 690? and 2 bedrooms for probably 1000-1100. Area isn't as nice, but you could live right across the street from school. Noise in the apt. complex may or may not be a factor. A number of DO/PharmD students do live in the apt. complex, but most don't walk back and forth at night and it's not a problem for most as security guards will practically escort you up to the gates of your complex. You have to drive about 5-8 minutes to get to I-10 or hwy. 60 and LA Fitnesses are approximately 10-15 minutes away since they all seem to be scattered around Pomona, but not IN Pomona.

Claremont - College-town-like atmosphere. Small shops, lots of restaurants and trees, somewhat older apt complexes. Rent is probably comparable to Chino Hills, but perhaps _slightly_ cheaper. About a 8-15 minute commute depending on traffic on local streets. Proximity to Claremont Colleges is nice for a place to jog around (with or without your dogs) as lots of students/locals jog around there. Lots of green space in the parks. Not as modern and up-to-date as Chino Hills in terms of stores around, but Montclair is the city next door with a small mall and other stores you'll want to go to. Quick access to I-10 and now, 210. Closest LA Fitness is either in LaVerne or Upland so probably 5-10 minutes.

Diamond Bar - There are a few complexes scattered around and I don't know the pricing, but it is probably comparable to Chino Hills and MAYBE a little more expensive. The complex I am aware of is about 8-10 min from school and is very nice/quiet. Comes with washer/dryer. Diamond Bar has a nice modern and clean look to it for the most part and is sandwiched between Chino Hills and Rowland Heights (Rowland Heights is where you can get your fill of Asian culture). Quick access to 57, 60, and 71. LA Fitness is within 8-14 minutes. The selection of stores and conveniences is comparable to Chino Hills.. more on the modern side. I'd love to have a house up on a hill here. (although Chino Hills wouldn't be too bad either) Drive to school will take about 10-20 minutes depending on what side of DB you live on.

Ontario/Upland - Cheaper (2 bedroom for 900 maybe?) or at least comparable to Pomona prices. Areas range in quality/security so it's nice to drive around the area and get a feel for it. Parking may also vary based on the apartment complex. Ontario has access to both I-10 and Hwy. 60 and Upland has access to 210 and I-10. Both are within 15-20 minutes of I-15 which takes you to Vegas (Vegas baby!) or SD. You're also about 10 min. or less from Ontario International Airport (Southwest flies through here a ton and I believe JetBlue also flies through Ontario). For the other city locations previously mentioned, drive to airport can be as fast as 15-30 minutes based on traffic.

I'll tell you about the complex I live in. I live in Chino Hills about 8-10 minutes from school locally. My roommate and I pay 1237 for a 2 bd/2 bth. Parking is always conveniently available and families feel safe enough to let their kids roam around at night. Each apt. comes with the a refrigerator, dish washer, gas stove/oven, and washer/dryer which is nice. I live 1-2 minutes from two supermarkets as well as 2 minutes from Costco (think Sam's Wholesale)/Sports Chalet/Petsmart/hardware store. There are also like four places to get Starbucks within a five minute radius.. go figure. Lots of shopping around although I have to drive about 10-15 minutes to get to a mall. Two or three parks about 5-10 minutes away that are pretty nice. LA Fitness is 5 minutes away. If I have the craving for Asian food, Diamond Bar/Rowland Heights is a mere 10 minutes away.

Ok I'd better stop now before I go on forever. Let me know if you have any more specifics to ask about any of these cities because I'm sure one of us could have an answer. Have a good day!
 
Thanks Melancholy for all that information. I'm sure we're all going to be bugging the crap out of you in the next few weeks. I was surprised to hear that people could sign leases as early as April for July/August. When I lived in Boston (East Coast represent!) most agents didn't know about vacancies until a month ahead of time (that's because tenets didn't let them know they were leaving until a month before they left). The rule of thumb was that you could find the best selection 6 weeks before you wanted to move in. It sounds like that isn't the case in S. Cali.

Also, would you guys recommend getting a real estate agent for renting apartments? In Boston and Texas that's pretty standard (in Boston, it's pretty much mandatory). How much is it (if you know)?

Also, the day I flew into Ontario airport, the smell of cow **** almost knocked me down. Then someone told me that there are some farms or something behind the airport! I was afraid Pomona was going to smell that bad - but thankfully, no.

Tiffany
 
mmmm, for some decent Chinese or Korean food, might wanna live closer to Rowland Heights....😉
 
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Haha.. no need to live too close to Rowland Heights since it's only about 15 minutes from school via highway. It's always nice to go by once in awhile for some grocery shopping, korean/chinese/japanese food, etc.

As far as apartments go, it never hurts to call ahead and get an idea of how early management knows about openings. It may vary from place to place so you can usually call and give them the time of the year you'd be inquiring about openings to see what sort of response they give you. April does sound a little early, but it depends on when you want to move in I'm sure.

Hmm.. I don't believe I've heard (yet) of a classmate using a real estate agent for finding an apartment. It might help, but it could be easier and cheaper to do a little footwork and research and contact the different complexes on your own first. Most people around here just drive to the diff apartments to get a tour and find out about openings. I didn't know things were like that back in Texas. I'd think with all the land available and cheap rent, it wouldn't be necessary to use a real estate agent.. heh.

Well, regardless of where you live, you'll be at school some mornings and you'll smell the "smell" as you're walking into the building from the parking lot. It usually dissipates before noon and it is not present all mornings by any means.

Any other questions.. about golf courses, recreation, etc.? Malls?
 
Hi everybody,

Looks like you kept <b>Melancholy</b> busy!! 🙂 But I'm sure he's glad to help. I'm looking for a new place as well. We're looking into renting a house instead. It's usually cheaper or the same price for more space and less problems with parking. Coming from Arizona, where parking is ample everywhere, I didn't get why they only give you one parking space where I live (Upland- Pebble Groves Apt.). And it's hard to find additional parkings within the apt.- there are only about 5 guest parking spaces, but of course they're always unavailable. We're looking into the daily bulletin classified ads - www.dailybulletin.com and Penny Savers and our school's classifieds. We're studying for the 2nd Neuro exam (the biggest of 4) right now, so we haven't really seriously looked yet. But so far, renting houses (aside from buying which we can't afford) seems to be the best choice.

Maybe you would want to look into it.

Oh, looking for something to do in the summer? Learn Spanish. I went to Baja for a medical mission trip this past weekend, and man, I wish I can take their history and treat them (with OMM!!!)w/o a translator. I think we saw around 200 patients in one day!! If I get the pictures developed and scanned, I'll upload them here. Exciting stuff 🙂
 
So what do med students at COMP do during their time off, assuming there's such concept....🙂

What are some of the fun things you guys do besides the LA fitness and playing basketball on that half-ghetto court 😀
 
Oh yea.. how is the LA fitness? I like to lift weights... quite frequently too.. so i'm loving COMPs policy on subsidizing membership fees for us poor medical student weight lifters...
 
Regarding the apt. next door that has the sign "We Welcome Students"- that's the Plaza Apt. that <b>melancholy</b> talked about. See previous posts.
For fun- 1st semester, there wasn't much time for fun stuff 🙁 But when we have time, we went to the beach, shopping, hiking, camping, clubbing. I usually drive to San Diego 🙂 Someone usually hosts parties/bbqs throughout the year, after big exams and such. Also, over the break, a lot of my classmates went to Big Bear for skiing/snowboarding, and the Clippers' game (couldn't afford Lakers' tickets). We went karaoke-ing several times too. Fun! hehe... But yeah, we mostly just go out to eat or go work out in our hour or two off from studying.
L.A. Fitness- they're pretty nice. Most have pools/hot tub, weights and lots of machines to run, climb on. Although I don't recommend going during rush hour- 5-6 pm. Lots of my classmates use the YMCA next to school during lunch to work out- dedicated ppl...

Better get on to Neuro. Catch you all later.
 
Thought I should join the thread. I didn't read every post, but I'll being seeing everyone in August

SM-UCLA Tech... I grew up in Santa Monica, too. Went to Samohi (graduated in 1979) and went to UCLA. Got a wife and a house now in Larchmont (near Hollywood) and I'm going to commute too. What's your real name so I can look you up in August?
 
Hi All!

Haven't posted for a while...

From the posts, I learn that there is a YMCA across the street and LA fitness close by. Is it true that there is no admission fees at YMCA if we use our student ID? Can I use my student ID on the YMCA in Claremont? Also, is it true that the school will pay $100 towards whichever fitness center we pick?

Do you know if YMCA offer classes (like swimming, aerobics, etc.) during the year? If that is the case, maybe I should consider joining YMCA...

I also will be going to LA late April to look for apartment. Chino Hills sounds like my place but I worried about the Internet connection. I cannot live without high-speed Internet!

Thanks!
Corina
 
Hey kpax18, since you're from Claremont I was wondering if you could give some advice about good apartment complexes, newspaper listings, or other good real estate resources for that area.

I think I'll probably join LA Fitness. It sounds like a really nice facility. Plus, I like taking aerobics classes and I'm sure they have a pretty good offering.

I can't wait to meet you guys! Who's going to be having a party during orientation is what I'd like to know!

Tiffany
 
It is great to read everyone's input about living situations. The information is extremely helpful because I am so clueless about the area. Does anyone know if it is recommended to look for apartments in person, or is looking on the internet sufficient?


Also, my main question is about finding a roommate. I feel like I need to start looking for places to live, and I would really like to have a roommate next year (I am not big on living alone, plus it will be cheaper). I know the school said they provide a service to hook people up with others in our class, but has anyone received information about this? Are there other people looking for roommates?

Thanks!
Kat
 
Yeah, thank you for all the info on the area around COMP. I'm pretty clueless about the area as well. I actually went to Chino Hills for the first time yesterday to check out some complexes I found on the internet and I was wondering what current residents of the area thought about them. I looked at Woodview and Green Valley Apts. Please, any info on these complexes, would be helpful. What apts do you live in Melancholy and others in Chino Hills?? I figure I'll live in either Chino Hills or Claremont from what people are posting on this thread. What particular complexes in Claremont are many COMP students living in?

Thanks again for the information!

Kat, I pm'ed you!

CAC
 
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Hi folks,

I thought I'd try and space out my posts so I don't post all the time and look like someone who is pretending to be in medical school, but not really is attending so I have all the time in the world to post. Oh yeah, I was also in Canada for the last half of my spring break to attend the AAO (American Academy of Osteopathy) Convocation which was a really worthwhile trip even though it was a bit far (next year it will be in Colorado).

YMCA- As a Western U student, you get free access to the Pomona YMCA. (You don't have to sign up for this as they automatically let you in with your Western U. ID from day one.) I am not quite sure if it is a free membership overall or just with that one site. They do offer classes at the Pomona YMCA though... aerobics, swimming, etc. so that might be something to check into. I believe the Student Affairs office in the SSC building (Student Service Center) has information on YMCA classes.

LA Fitness membership is something like $40 for the entire year, (You can add another $5-10 to have access to the racquetball courts.) which is a huge discount in general. Unless one plans on never exercising in a gym or has a preference towards another gym such as Bally's (which you can also get through the school) or 24 Hr Fitness (if you don't want to give up your preexisting membership because of area availability), I'd suggest putting down the $40 for LA Fitness. Different LA Fitness gyms also have your assortment of aerobics, step, hip-hop, yoga, and water aerobics classes I believe.

Lack of broadband in Chino Hills- I don't know what is wrong with Verizon who seems to have some monopoly over the communication lines in this area, but they have never gotten around to expanding much in the area and they don't seem to let anyone else really help out the area in terms of meeting internet cable/dsl needs. Maybe things will get better in the next few years. My suggestion would be to spend a few minutes on www.dslextreme.com to see what the updated posts from Chino Hills residents say about improvements in the area. Obviously, people who have houses around here will really push and do whatever it takes to get more broadband access in the area. I've almost gotten used to my dialup connection though.. sigh!

Roommate finding service- I'm not sure what this is referring to exactly, but I have a feeling it is the deal where they have all incoming students fill out and return this profile/survey which they subsequently put in a big binder in the Student Affairs office. You can then come in and flip through the binder to find prospective students and read their profiles to get an idea if their preferences match yours. I know people have done this in past years with mixed results... although you might have better luck than the random roommate selection process we were at the mercy of as college freshmen! You could always start with trying to find a potential roommate here in one of the COMP threads since you have a headstart in communicating with a few folks already.

As far as looking for apartments, you can get away with doing some of your research work on the internet, but in the end it is much better to do a little driving and check out apartments and their surroundings. You could probably do this over a weekend with a little "guided" help on what areas/cities/streets to keep an eye out for.

CAC- Woodview apartments.. seems like you ended up checking out a slightly different area of Chino Hills from where I live. Granted, the area around Woodview Apts. is only about 5 minutes away (and 1-2 exits down the 71 Highway), it is slightly different. There are other COMP SDN'ers who can vouch for that area and the apartments around there. My exposure to the area and Woodview has been positive. You're also "just that much closer" to the LA Fitness in Chino Hills. Lots of commercial stuff in the area and you do have the nearby access to 71 to get you places. Probably a 11-15 minute drive to school depending on your route. I think you can also get DSL/cable access down in that area of Chino Hills (CH) as opposed to my area of CH which has no access to broadband internet.

If you take the 71 highway south from Hwy. 60, you can take Peyton, Chino, or the Grand Ave. exits to get to the part of Chino Hills where some of us also live. I believe to get to the Woodview apts. you'd take the Chino Hills Parkway/Pipeline exit or something. The area where I live with is a few minutes closer to school and has just as much proximity to commercial stores as the previous area in addition to having a Costco right across the street. It's still only about five minutes from LA Fitness (plus the area around Woodview) and you're slightly closer to the 60 highway locally.

Some of us live in apartments along Peyton Avenue. I believe Eagle Canyon and Portofino apartments are related while there is also Rolling Ridge and a few others around the area. Portofino is the one I live in so I could go into all sorts of detail about that. Let me know what sort of information you want to hear about it. I can also get details on Eagle Canyon as I toured around there too.

As far as Claremont goes, there are a lot of apartment complexes and living possibilities. I'll let someone else talk about them.. heh. I should also add that some people wanting to save money can try and find rooms for rent from houses in the areas surrounding Pomona, which can be significantly cheaper although living conditions can vary significantly and can be either really good or just bearable. I think Student Affairs may actually have a listing of people who are renting out rooms due to the fact that medical students tend to be a little more responsible and thus are above-average tenants for those looking to rent out rooms.

Okay! Time to get back to studying. Enjoy the weather for those of you who are in Cali.... and for those of you who aren't.. too bad! (j/k) 😛 Seriously, if someone needs to visit the area sometime, don't hesitate to ask for more detailed info about the local area when the time comes.
 
Thanks for all the info Melancholy!

I didn't fall in love with Woodview apts, so I'm happy to hear that I was in a different area than you all have been talking about in Chino Hills. I would definitely like to know more about both Eagle Canyon and Portofino. Are they gated complexes? New apts? Feel pretty safe? Large apts? Washer/Dryers in apts? Is there a discount for Western students? At Woodview they said that they waive the $400-500 security deposit for Western students (FYI for anyone interested...).

Any and all info! Thanks again for taking the time to help us incoming students out.

CAC
 
<b>Corina</b>- I thought I couldn't live w/o a fast connection at home when I got here too! But it turns out that I spend so much time at school that I use the ethernet connection there. So I just disconnected the DSL line at home. School is close by so if I need anything, I can go to school and use it. But then it depends on your studying style too. If you like to study at home, then I suggest get DSL. But if you're like me and practically live at school most of the time, then you don't really need the fast connection. Besides, internet tends to be a major distraction for me- I'm bad. I'm posting in class right now!!!

<b>Kat</b>- I met my roommate on SDN 🙂 For the most part, it works out fine. My neighbors/classmates got together through the school's roommate finder service. And it worked out fine for them too. But then I also know of other ppl that the service didn't work out so well. My advice is to sign a 6-months lease only- just in case...

Anyway, we just took a HUGE neurosensory exam, and I'm still recovering. I hope you all are enjoying your week. Oh, anyone going to be here on April 9th- wednesday? I'm putting on a musical talent show for the 2 classes and you all are welcome to drop by!! Just drop me an email first.
 
Woodview is okay although I haven't lived there.. just that I've visited once or twice. Parking lot spots are a bit small and the complex is rather big in my opinion. I'll get someone else to write about it. Granted it doesn't look as nice as some parts of Chino Hills, there are plenty of other areas where students live that aren't as nice.

Portofino is gated.. and for the most part, I think Portofino and Eagle Canyon seem pretty safe. (Parents feel safe enough to let their kids ride their bikes and walk around around Portofino at night.) Portofino is pretty quiet for the most part although if you have a first floor apartment, sometimes you can hear the people in the floor above you stomping around so that is a little annoyance there. Parking really isn't a problem there either which is nice because I get home at midnight sometimes and I don't have to walk very far with all my heavy books.

Size-wise.. I think the Portofino apartments are average. If you have the money and get a single, it's definitely adequate in my opinion. In the 2 bedrooms, my roommate doesn't have much furniture so he has a ton of space in his room. I, on the other hand, have a lot of "junk" so my room gets a little crowded after various papers/books/magazines/clothes get piled here and there. (NX811 can vouch for this.) Still, I'm happy with the size of it all.. including the balcony, living room, and dining room area.

Portofino comes with washer/dryer in every apartment which is actually a very nice convenience. It also comes with fridge, dish washer, and gas stove/oven. I don't think there is any student discount although they usually have some sort of move-in discount depending on when you sign up, so it's good to ask about. Also, calling these apartments ahead of time will let you be prepared in terms of having to bring proof of income/bank account or whatever documents you will need... that'll save some time in the long run.
 
Both Woodview and Portofino are very good apartment complexes. They are located at opposite side of Chino Hills, with Portofino might be a couple of freeway exits closer to COMP. I know people lived in those apartments, and have visited them often.

Lenny has already given you a lot of information about Portofino and I do not want to repeat. The only comment I have about it is that the gate does not require any card to open. All you have to do is to push a certain number to open the gate. Also, the parking spaces are not assigned. Hence, sometimes you might have difficulty to find a parking space since visitors can take space away, and an apartment might have several cars. IMHO, there was inadequate parking spaces. The parking spaces are very very narrow. You might have a tough time to get out of the car. In order to avoid the parking hassle, my friend had to spend $50 a month to rent a garage from the Portofino management. Additionally, I find some of the neighbors quite rude. For example, my friend lived at the downstair apartment. People upstair were extremely noisy at 6 AM daily. When my friend asked them be a little more quiet, she was told that "I am not paying $2,000 a month to be quiet here. Forget it!" The portofino management could not do anything about it.

Woodview apartment was really nice. It was not gated. It did have assigned parking, and a few parking spaces for visitors (even though they are always occupied). It was more convenient than the Portofino apartment since LA Fitness is nearby, and there were plenty of restaurants around. Also, the entire apartment complex was very quiet.

I think before you decide on any apartment, you should look at those located at Claremont and Pomona. They are safe, near COMP, and you can also go to the Pomona Colleges libraries nearby. Besides, those apartments are quite a bit cheaper.
 
It's Lanny, not Lenny...

Anyway, I think it depends on what part of Portofino you live in. Actually, whether or not you get noisy (and annoying) neighbors pretty much can vary from apartment to apartment.. and what part of the apartment complex you live in... so it is sort of random. I knew some pretty quiet parts of the Plaza apts. Yeah, some of the parking spots are kinda small, but others are pretty large. They have a number of covered spots that are first-come-first serve too. Depending on where you live in the complex, there can be an abundance of parking or you may have to walk a little farther, but usually not more than a minute or so.

Yeah, Claremont and Laverne (just west of Claremont and a location for the nearest LA Fitness to the two towns) have a wide variety of apt. complexes to choose from, but talking to someone who has lived there before can really help before you make a decision. It all depends on what sort of environment you like...
 
Portofino is a very nice apartment. I can very easily see why Lanny and many others like it. We like it enough that we signed a one year lease for it. It is one of the very few, if not the only one, apartment complex that " comes with washer/dryer in every apartment which is actually a very nice convenience. It also comes with fridge, dish washer, and gas stove/oven."

Woodview comes with dish washer and gas stove/oven only. There is a coin-operated laundry on site. I remember it was hellish to move that BIG fridge upstair to the apartment. I did like the assigned carport parking though.

As I mentioned earlier, Woodview did not have any gate. Portofino had a gate which did not require a card-key/remote control to open, and the gate only allow cars to go in/out. People can walk through in/out of the apartment complex.

The Pomona apartment complex that my friends lived did have a gate that required a remote control to open. The gate was really a metal door that allowed only residents and cars to go in/out. It was really a very safe apartment. Very similar to Woodview, it provided assigned carport parking, but no fridge. It also had 24 hour guard patrol.

Now that my two friends graduated from COMP and I am stuck with two fridges in my garage.

For those apartment hunters, I suggest you start looking sometime in May. You might have to put a deposit and wait for an apartment to become available.
 
Hey guys, THANK YOU so much for all the apt info in Chino Hills. VERY helpful to get your guys' opinions.

Does anyone know of any complexes in the areas you mentioned, Claremont and Laverne?? Specific names of complexes are so much easier to research on the web for someone like myself, who isn't familiar with the area at all.

Thanks again for being so helpful.

CAC
 
I have lived in Eagle Canyon Condominiums since I started at Western....I have been happy living here...its a very nice area...close to Parks, Restaurants, Movies, Grocery Store, Costco, etc. and it is close to school too...only takes 8-10 min to get to school and I don't go anywhere near the 10. Its not far to ride your bike either...I have rode my bike to school a few times...when i felt like getting exercise or when my car was in the shop....There is a student in our class who rides her bike practically every day(unless she runs to class...i'm not kidding)...and she only lives a couple blocks from here.

I consider it safe, although someone did break into my garage earlier in the year...they must have cut the padlock or something....golf clubs and some scuba gear were stolen, but the bicycles weren't...I have a feeling that is was someone in the apt. complex or someone I knew...and that they must have known that that stuff was in there....but oh well.....(BOTTOM LINE IS YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR S--- REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU LIVE...THIS IS THE WORLD WE LIVE IN)

Wherever you live, if you are renting...get Renter's Ins.!!! You never know when you'll need it...(and it would cover your laptop if it is stolen, which has happened to people at school)

When I came out to look for places to live I looked all over Chino Hills and Claremont....I like the area in Chino Hills, and Eagle Canyon was the best value I thought(not to say its inexpensive...its not...its one of the more expensive properties), BUT I calculated cost/square foot and it all equals out...plus it was closer than some apt's off Chino Hills Pkwy, it has a garage...and it has washer/dryer hookups INSIDE...which I like. I have an extra fridge in the garage so I can buy bulk at Costco and save $.

Portofino would've been my second choice...followed prob. by some apts in Claremont....

I'll be moving closer to Arrowhead Regional Medical center for rotations next year, but Eagle Canyon has been good for the 1st two years....IF you have a roomate though....I wouldn't get a one bedroom here.....It's Not a gated community by the way

If you want a roomate, get the Roomate Request Forms and check out who else is looking.
 
Originally posted by kpax18
So far I'm pretty interested in Claremont Palms, the one on San Jose ave, seem nice and pretty close to Claremont and Western campuses...

I'm interested in the Claremont Palms, as it is one of the complexes that allows pets. But, I was looking around for info and found this rating site, and the 'ol Claremont Palms didn't rate so good: LINK .

Well, nothing like seeing it person to get a better idea. I'm going to look around these complexes at night, to get a better idea of how noisy/safe the places look.

- Tae
 
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