WESTERN/COMP Discussion thread 2007-2008

Started by mshheaddoc
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cyclohexanol said:
Realize that it was never in your hands to begin with.

Secondly, don't worry about lack of DO experience, most applicants have none anyway and still get accepted without problems.

3.2 is a bit low for the average matriculant, but if the rest of your app was solid, no worries.

Lastly, sometimes they just take longer than they say. Don't sweat it too much, they'll get to you eventually.

Remember, 90% of COMP interviewees are eventually accepted.
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Thanks for the info, I guess I'll just wait patiently and stare at my gmail account. Also, I was probably unclear, I am waiting for an interview invite not waiting for an acceptance.

I like the 90% thing if it's true. They have 206 spots and ~500 interviewees but the other numbers I don't know about.
 
Any October 18 interviewees get anything in the mail? I thought I should have gotten my decision by now, but nothing yet....
 
omgseriously said:
yeah, i saw the thread about that with the table for in-state, out-of-state, etc... do we have additional sources? sounds kinda high? its wonderful news but in my head i'm thinking 'too good too be true'

multiple sources (comp website, brochures) say that about 600ish get interviewed and around 200 matriculate, so it might be safe to assume that a large majority are accepted. how large a majority?

i just wish there were more publications that confirmed that 90% post-interview acceptance...
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200 matriculants does not equal 200 acceptances. A good number of acceptances are declined for other acceptances. The actual number of acceptances is quite a bit higher than the number of matriculants.
 
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man im interested in hearing their decision, its going to be so tough between comp and kcumb for me if i get in.. nova is all but out now
 
DancerDoc777 said:
Hey surfer, how was the interview, if you don't mind me asking? Was it a group interview, like 2+ interviewers? Tough/easy/ok questions?
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I thought it was really laid back. It went well (I think..I guess I'll find out soon) It was just me with 2 interviewers. The questions were all pretty basic... just like why I wanted to go into medicine, why Western, why DO. And then they talked about all the traveling I do and stuff! Let me know if you have other questions..good luck!
 
the western interview was the easiest of the 3 DO interviews ive had so far. and i have to say, all 3 were quite easy.. i think ive been lucky, i havent been asked a single ethics question yet.
 
jzeidenb said:
the western interview was the easiest of the 3 DO interviews ive had so far. and i have to say, all 3 were quite easy.. i think ive been lucky, i havent been asked a single ethics question yet.
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Wow, that's definitely encouraging! Where were the other two interviews at? Also, what do you guys consider as an "ethics" question? Like, what would be an example of what you were expecting?
 
Umm well someone at one of my interviews was asked..."If could cure the entire world of cancer but first you would have to take a homeless man off the street and torture him until he almost dies would you do it" Thats kind of ethical..and creepy and weird...
 
DancerDoc777 said:
Wow, that's definitely encouraging! Where were the other two interviews at? Also, what do you guys consider as an "ethics" question? Like, what would be an example of what you were expecting?
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ethics question just meaning your opinion on some issue in medicine, do you support stem cell research, given scenario x what would be your course of action, etc.

my other two interviews were at KCUMB and Nova
 
I thought my interview was kind of nerve racking... almost everyone that interviewed with me got some weird ethical question such as "if there was only one liver transplant available, would you give it to your best friend in need, or a total stranger" or "what would you do if a 15 yr. old girl wanted birth control or an abortion".. stuff like that... I fortunately didn't get asked any ethical questions BUT it all depends on your file and if they have questions about you app, and usually go from there. I didn't have a good feeling after my interview bc they asked me questions about MD and DO and I didn't know if I portrayed enough interest towards DO AND I didn't feel like I really clicked with my interviewers at ALL... but I did get accepted so you just have to be honest and whatever happens will happen...
 
I finally got my interview invite, yay!

I hope they don't ask me about torturing an old man to cure cancer cause I think I would... yeah, creepy AND weird
 
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Just got my acceptance yesterday 🙂 Even after I told them about my 3 DO applications and 30 MD applications. I guess as long as you're honest you'll be fine.
 
This may seem like a stupid question at this point in the game, but do you guys think its too late to apply? I have average stats, and not much shadowing experience, but dont want to wait another year if i dont have to. I'm also looking at Touro...i know that the deadlines are in feb but seems like most people have already applied.

Any thoughts? :scared:
 
thizz6766 said:
This may seem like a stupid question at this point in the game, but do you guys think its too late to apply? I have average stats, and not much shadowing experience, but dont want to wait another year if i dont have to. I'm also looking at Touro...i know that the deadlines are in feb but seems like most people have already applied.

Any thoughts? :scared:
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Unless the application fee is too much for you right now, just apply. Plenty of people still apply up to the deadline and still get in.
 
Hey everybody-

I'm writing this from Florida right now. Just interviewed at LECOM last Monday and tomorrow I am interviewing at NOVA. However- I'm from San Diego and am really really interested in COMP. My file status was complete on October 12th and I am still waiting to hear if I get an interview or not. I am starting to freak out a little...is anyone else in the same boat?/ has anyone else waited as long to get an interview? I applied to late, huh...

Waiting nervously for any signs of hope 🙁
-phoenixxx <---pretty funny huh- can't believe it wasn't taken! haha
 
Let me try to add my 2 cents about questions of ethics in the Western Interview.

Because we just finished our "Physician and Society" class, where Ethics were covered to a large extent, I feel that I can say that Western isn't too concerned about what your ethics may consist of, but more how you reach that point. In other words, what is the thought process that led you to that answer?

Western also seems very fond of vocalizing. When we do our patient examinations (general and specifically Osteopathic) we are supposed to vocalize what we're doing. Say things like "I'm going to assess for passive range of motion. By passive, I mean that the patient is relaxed I will be performing the movements."

The same applies to ethics questions. If you can articulate why you came to a decision, based on your own core principles, it should be sufficient. And I don't think I was asked an ethics question with the idea of tricking me, anyway. 🙂

Hope this helps!
 
Hey phoenixxx,
I hadn't heard from Western at all since my file was complete sometime in late September. I was kinda starting to wonder what the deal was, so I emailed a friendly 'What is my app status?' note on Tuesday and got an interview invite today. I dont know if my inquiry did much to get the ball rolling, but you might want to try to see if it works for you.
 
DadOf2Boys said:
Hey phoenixxx,
I hadn't heard from Western at all since my file was complete sometime in late September. I was kinda starting to wonder what the deal was, so I emailed a friendly 'What is my app status?' note on Tuesday and got an interview invite today. I dont know if my inquiry did much to get the ball rolling, but you might want to try to see if it works for you.
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Thanks dadof2boys,

I actually did do that too and then just yesterday they gave me an interview!! I wonder if that was why- thanks for the reply. I am so excited, this is my first choice school- can any COMP students tell me why they chose COMP and what is special about it?

thanks
 
I know it's just a coincidence but I e-mailed them for a status update as well and two days later I got an invitation to interview. Could be a conspiracy, or it could be qualified applicants getting antsy.

What is up with a 2.5 month wait for an interview time? I understand Thanksgiving/Christmas break, but that's a really long time. Also any suggestions on airports/hotels to stay at?
 
HouseIsMyHero said:
I know it's just a coincidence but I e-mailed them for a status update as well and two days later I got an invitation to interview. Could be a conspiracy, or it could be qualified applicants getting antsy.

What is up with a 2.5 month wait for an interview time? I understand Thanksgiving/Christmas break, but that's a really long time. Also any suggestions on airports/hotels to stay at?
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It will cost you more, but I'd fly into Ontario (ONT) Airport versus LAX. Ontario is much closer to Pomona, and you won't have to fight LA traffic. There are several newer hotels in the Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga area and if you're bored you can hang out at the Victoria Gardens open air mall.

Claremont is also a nice place to stay at, as it's very close to Pomona as well - even closer than Rancho or Ontario. Claremont has a very college feel to it. I'd recommend the Press Bar. Not sure of hotels in the area, but I'm certain there are a few.

image_map-1.gif
 
the word is out people. If you still haven't gotten an interview to western call them and harass them!!

:meanie::meanie::meanie:
 
Did any of your "email = interview" attempts work within a couple of weeks or were you all waiting weeks upon weeks? I'm complete three weeks tomorrow. I'm as jumpy as a newborn toad over here.
 
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Have any of you ever regretted what you put on your secondary essays AFTER it's already been sent in the mail? (like buyer's remorse?)

I'm freaking out about my Western essays because both are about 2/3 the length allowed. I'm a really concise writer, and I hate adding "fluff" but I'm really regretting it now!
 
tifsahoy said:
Have any of you ever regretted what you put on your secondary essays AFTER it's already been sent in the mail? (like buyer's remorse?)

I'm freaking out about my Western essays because both are about 2/3 the length allowed. I'm a really concise writer, and I hate adding "fluff" but I'm really regretting it now!
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Just wondering, did you type or print? I typed mine, since my handwriting isn't the prettiest, especially considering that their secondary was in pdf format with fill-in form fields. I had a half page on the first one, and 2/3 page on the second. I think they care more about the actual content. If it seems short to them they may just ask you to elaborate more during your interview, since I basically found myself asked these again.
 
we're all future doctors here, therefore we all have horrible handwriting and all should be typing lol
 
If you had to read a thousand of these you would appreciate short and to the point.

ps. Also speak for yourself, I have GREAT handwriting (when I concentrate really really hard....)
 
No kidding. I should have known I was going to be a doctor since about the first grade, because my handwriting is so awful.

Speaking of which... does anyone here write in cursive? In kindergarten, they teach you to be neat and tidy and to color within the lines, and not to scribble. Then, around 3rd or 4th grade, they teach you that now its okay to scribble, only they call it "cursive". Then most people's handwriting eventually becomes some bastard hybrid of cursive and print that nobody can read, including the person who wrote it.
 
I was looking for some help from current students at Western regarding a new computer, I like the macbook, but I was wondering if there are any issues with getting the online lectures to run on the mac, or any other big problems students who have them run into. Thanks to cyclohexanol for already giving me advice on a PC!! Any help would be great!
 
KM6197 said:
I was looking for some help from current students at Western regarding a new computer, I like the macbook, but I was wondering if there are any issues with getting the online lectures to run on the mac, or any other big problems students who have them run into. Thanks to cyclohexanol for already giving me advice on a PC!! Any help would be great!
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Lots of students use a mac and have little to no problems. The only complaint I've heard is that viewing the streaming video lectures (apreso) on their macs can sometimes be flaky. However, I think if you run parallels and IE, there should be no problem when viewing the lectures.

If only apple made a real convertible tablet (so that it has a keyboard as well)...
 
The only people I know who are in cursive are old. When I mean old, I mean like 80.

Come to think about it, my Mom write in cursive too. She is merely 63.
 
I just got an interview invite from Western. I hadn't even filled out my secondary yet. I was so surprised. I have never been to California before so I am excited about interviewing. I won't be interviewing until February, but I was wondering if it is extremely expensive to stay in Pomona. If anyone has any suggestions on affordable places to stay I'd appreciate it.
 
Jennifer5109 said:
I just got an interview invite from Western. I hadn't even filled out my secondary yet. I was so surprised. I have never been to California before so I am excited about interviewing. I won't be interviewing until February, but I was wondering if it is extremely expensive to stay in Pomona. If anyone has any suggestions on affordable places to stay I'd appreciate it.
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They should provide you with a student host list, if not you can call your admissions counselor at COMP and ask for one.

If you can't find students to stay with, or don't want to stay with a student, most out of state applicants seem to stay at the shilo inn, which is like 5-10 minutes from school and has a shuttle that will take you to and from your interview (from what I've heard).
 
HouseIsMyHero said:
I know it's just a coincidence but I e-mailed them for a status update as well and two days later I got an invitation to interview. Could be a conspiracy, or it could be qualified applicants getting antsy.

What is up with a 2.5 month wait for an interview time? I understand Thanksgiving/Christmas break, but that's a really long time. Also any suggestions on airports/hotels to stay at?
Click to expand...



seriously, I just chose valentine's day as an interview date!
 
Hi guys!

I interviewed on 10/25th...and I am still waiting to hear back from Western. Do you guys know what the turn around time is--I've heard some mixed turned around time from 1 week to 3.5 weeks. Has anyone received anything if they interviewed 10/25th or later? Maybe...my acceptance letter got lost in the mail? (I hope that's the case). 😛
 
Angelanin said:
Hi guys!

I interviewed on 10/25th...and I am still waiting to hear back from Western. Do you guys know what the turn around time is--I've heard some mixed turned around time from 1 week to 3.5 weeks. Has anyone received anything if they interviewed 10/25th or later? Maybe...my acceptance letter got lost in the mail? (I hope that's the case). 😛
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I interviewed on 11/1 and received a letter from them yesterday. Best of luck to you....hope you hear good news soon! :luck:
 
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Is anyone interviewing at Western U COMP on Nov. 29th? If you are, are you staying with a student? Peace
 
jennifer, dadof2, house, and phoenixxx, would you guys mind posting your stats/PMing me with them? i'm interested in what they're liking... and would you mind telling how long you've been complete/waiting in desperation for an interview??



thank you!!


😉
 
Halloweenie said:
jennifer, dadof2, house, and phoenixxx, would you guys mind posting your stats/PMing me with them? i'm interested in what they're liking... and would you mind telling how long you've been complete/waiting in desperation for an interview??



thank you!!


😉
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i had a 7PS/11VR/10BS P 28P MCAT
post bacc gpa of 3.685.
overall science 3.431.
Overall GPA 3.149.

was complete for about a month before they sent an email for an interview on friday. I spoke with Diana a few times, she seems very friendly. I honestly think my LORs (I worked with a WesternU PharmD professor) and essays helped me so far
 
superfan56 said:
i had a 7PS/11VR/10BS P 28P MCAT
post bacc gpa of 3.685.
overall science 3.431.
Overall GPA 3.149.

was complete for about a month before they sent an email for an interview on friday. I spoke with Diana a few times, she seems very friendly. I honestly think my LORs (I worked with a WesternU PharmD professor) and essays helped me so far
Click to expand...



thanks for the info! i'm keeping my fingers crossed....😳
 
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