When does POD school start?

[bonvivant07]

Hi, I am asking for a friend who wants to go into Pod school. Most of the schools she checked out has rolling admission ( is this similar to med school rolling admission?)

So when do classes start? Are there spring/fall/summer starting classes ( similar to some Caribbean med schools) or is it just fall?

And does someone know where I can find a chart comparing all the stats of each school? I know there are only 9 but my friend doesn't want to dig into each school to see what the GPA/MCAT, tuition and all is. Is there a guide out there somewhere? Thanks!

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[darkandtwisty]

As far as I know, all of the schools start in the fall, except for NY. NY gives you the option of starting either Jan or in the Fall. I wish there was a chart comparing the schools, but unfortunately I haven't found out yet. I've been working on one, and it has taken quite some time to do.

 

[Paulywog]

Barry usually has orientation at the end of August with classes starting the following week.

 

[bonvivant07]

thanks for all the quick answers!

One more thing, does any of the schools give preference to instate residents? I am a resident of GA but i see there is no schools in GA. Basically, what schools would I have the least shot of getting in because of state residency? Thanks

 

[UNMorBUST]

thanks for all the quick answers!

One more thing, does any of the schools give preference to instate residents? I am a resident of GA but i see there is no schools in GA. Basically, what schools would I have the least shot of getting in because of state residency? Thanks

State residency plays no part in admissions. All Podiatry schools are private, so there is no preference.

Here is a list of all 9 podiatry schools.
http://www.aacpm.org/html/collegelinks/cl_schools.asp

 

[bonvivant07]

How come there is instate tuition and out of state tuition? I remember seeing a chart somewhere. Also, this chart kept track of instate/out of state student ratios?

 

[dtrack22]

Temple gives state residents a $3k tuition break. Only school I know of. But I believe that even with the tuition break, it is still the most expensive program in the country (not counting living expenses).

With 1000 applicants for 600+ seats, nobody has the luxary of giving preference based on residency. Gotta take whatever they can get.

 

[Bob Debilder]

So I have a couple of questions.

1. Do all Pod Schools start in the last week of August or later, or are there any that start earlier?
2. By when do they require final grades?

Basically, my situation is that I have one or two pre-req classes that I need to take during the summer before Pod School starts (assuming I get accepted). I attend a UC, so our first summer session of 2 (the one I need to take), lasts from the last week of June to the first 2 or 3 days of August. One potential complication, is that the school website says that "final grades" for this summer session are available around mid-August (~ August 18th).

Is that cutting it too close, and would that disqualify me from any (or all) of the Pod Schools? Or would I narrowly beat the deadline?

 

[GypsyHummus]

Dat bump doe.

 

[Bob Debilder]

Dat bump doe.

Lol, I know it's a longshot, but I saw a thread related to my questions and didn't know where else to ask haha.

 

[Podstar]

So I have a couple of questions.

1. Do all Pod Schools start in the last week of August or later, or are there any that start earlier?
2. By when do they require final grades?

Basically, my situation is that I have one or two pre-req classes that I need to take during the summer before Pod School starts (assuming I get accepted). I attend a UC, so our first summer session of 2 (the one I need to take), lasts from the last week of June to the first 2 or 3 days of August. One potential complication, is that the school website says that "final grades" for this summer session are available around mid-August (~ August 18th).

Is that cutting it too close, and would that disqualify me from any (or all) of the Pod Schools? Or would I narrowly beat the deadline?

Kent started the last day of July this fall. You can probably find start dates on the school websites.

 

[Bob Debilder]

Kent started the last day of July this fall. You can probably find start dates on the school websites.

Damn, well alright, thanks for the response.

 

[Podstar]

Damn, that's the one that's easiest to get into right?

They are all pretty easy to get into, it's staying in that seems to be the challenge for most.

 

[Packers4lifeDPM]

AZpod starts end of July.

 

[Bob Debilder]

They are all pretty easy to get into, it's staying in that seems to be the challenge for most.

Really? Why is that? Do students just not take it seriously or something? Also, for me specifically, Kent (which someone here earlier told me accepts the lowest GPA people) is like the one school I'm really hoping to get into. Long story short, I went to college in a place I hated as an awkward, unprepared 17 year old and completely screwed the pooch. I was counting on DO grade replacement, but I was gonna apply next year and they ended Grade replacement this year.

 

[Podstar]

Really? Why is that? Do students just not take it seriously or something? Also, for me specifically, Kent (which someone here earlier told me accepts the lowest GPA people) is like the one school I'm really hoping to get into. Long story short, I went to college in a place I hated as an awkward, unprepared 17 year old and completely screwed the pooch. I was counting on DO grade replacement, but I was gonna apply next year and they ended Grade replacement this year.

My advice would be to shadow and make sure podiatry is the career you want and that you are not substituting it for DO.

 

[de Ribas]

1. Do all Pod Schools start in the last week of August or later, or are there any that start earlier?

I think most if not all start either in last week of July or first week of August.

. By when do they require final grades?

Is that cutting it too close, and would that disqualify me from any (or all) of the Pod Schools? Or would I narrowly beat the deadline?

You should contact the schools directly.

 

[Bob Debilder]

My advice would be to shadow and make sure podiatry is the career you want and that you are not substituting it for DO.

Absolutely, and I thank you for your advice. Honestly though, with the situation that I put myself in, and after the way AACOMAS pulled the rug from under us in January, my only option in life now, is to learn to love pod. And I don't say that in a negative, resentful or disparaging way at all. In fact, after the shock in January, the sheer fact that I still have some option open in life, and the fact that there is one door (pod) that's not completely shut on me, is absolutely amazing; and is basically a lifesaver (I was practically suicidal when I first read about the change in AACOMAS policy).

 

[de Ribas]

Absolutely, and I thank you for your advice. Honestly though, with the situation that I put myself in, and after the way AACOMAS pulled the rug from under us in January, my only option in life now, is to learn to love pod. And I don't say that in a negative, resentful or disparaging way at all. In fact, after the shock in January, the sheer fact that I still have some option open in life, and the fact that there is one door (pod) that's not completely shut on me, is absolutely amazing; and is basically a lifesaver (I was practically suicidal when I first read about the change in AACOMAS policy).

you mid sharing your stats?

 

[Bob Debilder]

you mid sharing your stats?

Honestly, they're so freaking pathetic I'm embarrassed to even share them anonymously on the internet. Just assume I'm someone who desperately needed DO grade replacement, and that with my old grades even Kent State is a reach school. My only hope is that unlike Med schools, Pod schools don't pre-screen apps below certain GPA's, so that way they will be able to see my MCAT scores and my upward grade trend.

And if in the near future Pod Schools also begin pre-screening due to a sudden surge in applications, then I may essentially be out of options in life.

 

[de Ribas]

Honestly, they're so freaking pathetic I'm embarrassed to even share them anonymously on the internet. Just assume I'm someone who desperately needed DO grade replacement, and that with my old grades even Kent State is a reach school. My only hope is that unlike Med schools, Pod schools don't pre-screen apps below certain GPA's, so that way they will be able to see my MCAT scores and my upward grade trend.

And if in the near future Pod Schools also begin pre-screening due to a sudden surge in applications, then I may essentially be out of options in life.

Is it at least 2.5? Have you taken MCAT?


People list their stats all over SDN with various GPA numbers. It is just if you want to get honest and appropriate advice.

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Honestly, they're so freaking pathetic I'm embarrassed to even share them anonymously on the internet. Just assume I'm someone who desperately needed DO grade replacement, and that with my old grades even Kent State is a reach school. My only hope is that unlike Med schools, Pod schools don't pre-screen apps below certain GPA's, so that way they will be able to see my MCAT scores and my upward grade trend.

And if in the near future Pod Schools also begin pre-screening due to a sudden surge in applications, then I may essentially be out of options in life.

I mean pod school is pretty easy to get into, but they do have some minimums. You cant apply with like a 2.0 and a 480 MCAT and expect to get in. And if you do, you probably won't last the 4 years. There are so many options in health care, it doesn't have to be pod. Theres nursing, PA, optometry, post bacc options for DO school, Physical therapy, etc. Make sure youre interested in podiatry. Its a long process to even become one and it'll take a lot of motivation while in the trenches of school and residency

 

[Bob Debilder]

I mean pod school is pretty easy to get into, but they do have some minimums. You cant apply with like a 2.0 and a 480 MCAT and expect to get in. And if you do, you probably won't last the 4 years. There are so many options in health care, it doesn't have to be pod. Theres nursing, PA, optometry, post bacc options for DO school, Physical therapy, etc. Make sure youre interested in podiatry. Its a long process to even become one and it'll take a lot of motivation while in the trenches of school and residency

"Minimums" as in concrete cutoffs, the way Med schools now pre-screen applications by certain figures? Or if you are weak in one section (say GPA), would they overlook it as long as you do significantly better on the MCAT and also show clear improvement over time in grades as well? My biggest challenge is beating pre-screening, once my app is through and at least gets looked at, I can have things going in my favor like MCAT or grade trend or volunteering or personal statements/LOR's.

And I've been doing research ever since the DO school news broke on the different possibilities. I want to be a doctor, originally it was DO, but I'm open to podiatry or optometry. Those two seem to be the most attainable goals at this point, podiatry due to the lower GPA requirements; and optometry because I read on here that apparently, if you retake the exact same class at the exact same institution, the optometry school app allows grade replacement. So with these 2 options left, there's no question of not wanting or not liking it. Also, the fact that pods now do a 3 year residency which gives them surgical privileges is a huge plus factor for me.

 

[de Ribas]

"Minimums" as in concrete cutoffs, the way Med schools now pre-screen applications by certain figures? Or if you are weak in one section (say GPA), would they overlook it as long as you do significantly better on the MCAT and also show clear improvement over time in grades as well? My biggest challenge is beating pre-screening, once my app is through and at least gets looked at, I can have things going in my favor like MCAT or grade trend or volunteering or personal statements/LOR's.

And I've been doing research ever since the DO school news broke on the different possibilities. I want to be a doctor, originally it was DO, but I'm open to podiatry or optometry. Those two seem to be the most attainable goals at this point, podiatry due to the lower GPA requirements; and optometry because I read on here that apparently, if you retake the exact same class at the exact same institution, the optometry school app allows grade replacement. So with these 2 options left, there's no question of not wanting or not liking it. Also, the fact that pods now do a 3 year residency which gives them surgical privileges is a huge plus factor for me.

I don't think schools have strict minimum cut-offs, but each schools can have something in mind. You can look at the Podiatry schools handbook and see GPA range for all 9 schools. That will give you an idea.

I think the average for all 9 is like 3.3 for cGPA and 3.1 for cGPA.

 

[Bob Debilder]

I don't think schools have strict minimum cut-offs, but each schools can have something in mind. You can look at the Podiatry schools handbook and see GPA range for all 9 schools. That will give you an idea.

I think the average for all 9 is like 3.3 for cGPA and 3.1 for cGPA.

Thank you. That is what I need, schools that will at least look at my app, even if I am originally not what they had in mind. Because with DO, I was in a situation where without grade replacement; the schools, SMP's etc wouldn't have even looked at my app - I'd have been pre-screened out due to my mistakes as a 17 year old.

If my app at least gets a look in podiatry schools, I then have the opportunity to convince them through different things like grade trends, test scores, personal statements, LOR's, volunteering, and hopefully interviews as well.

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Thank you. That is what I need, schools that will at least look at my app, even if I am originally not what they had in mind. Because with DO, I was in a situation where without grade replacement; the schools, SMP's etc wouldn't have even looked at my app - I'd have been pre-screened out due to my mistakes as a 17 year old.

If my app at least gets a look in podiatry schools, I then have the opportunity to convince them through different things like grade trends, test scores, personal statements, LOR's, volunteering, and hopefully interviews as well.

Itll depend on how low your stats are. What are your stats?

 

[CappnNono]

I think even if you have a low GPA but you do well on your MCAT they will definitely look at you.

 

[DPMStudent159]

"Minimums" as in concrete cutoffs, the way Med schools now pre-screen applications by certain figures? Or if you are weak in one section (say GPA), would they overlook it as long as you do significantly better on the MCAT and also show clear improvement over time in grades as well? My biggest challenge is beating pre-screening, once my app is through and at least gets looked at, I can have things going in my favor like MCAT or grade trend or volunteering or personal statements/LOR's.

And I've been doing research ever since the DO school news broke on the different possibilities. I want to be a doctor, originally it was DO, but I'm open to podiatry or optometry. Those two seem to be the most attainable goals at this point, podiatry due to the lower GPA requirements; and optometry because I read on here that apparently, if you retake the exact same class at the exact same institution, the optometry school app allows grade replacement. So with these 2 options left, there's no question of not wanting or not liking it. Also, the fact that pods now do a 3 year residency which gives them surgical privileges is a huge plus factor for me.

If you are looking to be a DO, why are you willing to settle for podiatry or optometry? Optometry is a totally different career choice. Why don't you just do some post bacc classes to raise your GPA to a 3.0 and use your good MCAT score to apply? If I wanted to be an MD/DO, and I became an optometrist, I know I wouldn't be happy with myself at the end of the day because I settled for something that I didn't want because of a GPA hurdle.
I am not saying podiatry or optometry is not a great field, I am hoping to get into pod school soon myself to start in August!

 

[de Ribas]

Why don't you just do some post bacc classes to raise your GPA to a 3.0 and use your good MCAT score to apply?

even with 3.0 GPA, the chances to get into DO school are extremely low unless there is a story behind it or some other interesting things in your life. You can try as much as you want, but at some point you realize that you can't get in and have to move on. There are a ton of students with 3.3-3.5+ who get rejected every year.

I am not saying it's not possible.