MSU-COM Discussion Thread 2012-2013

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I believe someone recommended a site called allmsu.com.

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Besides craiglist, is there a site for MSUCOM/MSU students to look/post for housing?

You can try this http://com.msu.edu/class_of_2017/Housing/Housing.htm
or allmsu.com, which is free to join

Some of the most common places med students live are Berrytree, The Hamptons, Waterbury, The Lodges, and Club Meridian. There are plenty of other places in the area as well, but that should at least get you started. If you're in need of a sublease you should check out the FB page for your class if you haven't already--some current 2nd years are going to be moving fairly soon.
 
Hi all,

I was accepted to MSUCOM a while ago and was told the deadline to confirm my acceptance was April 29th.

Recently I was also put on the wait list for another school, and I don't want to make an absolute decision until I know exactly what my options are.

If I email MSUCOM to confirm my acceptance, but then get accepted to the other school and change my mind, would I still be able to switch over or how does it work?

Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.
 
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Does anyone know how many people are generally accepted off of the wait list at MSUCOM?

I've been reading around and most wait list stats don't look very hopeful. Most schools do major overkill with their wait list offers and some schools put 1-2x as many students on the wait list as they'll ever take for the whole incoming class!
 
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Well, I think You had a deadline for a down payment, if You paid it then Your spot is reserved, no worries, You need to confirm attendance by 29th, but it's just for FA purposes...Your FA will be delayed if You choose not to confirm by 29th and You'll have to pay a late enrollment fee.
Does this answer Your concern brz10?
 
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Well, I think You had a deadline for a down payment, if You paid it then Your spot is reserved, no worries, You need to confirm attendance by 29th, but it's just for FA purposes...Your FA will be delayed if You choose not to confirm by 29th and You'll have to pay a late enrollment fee.
Does this answer Your concern brz10?

Yes that does thanks alot!
 
If any current students (or anyone that knows) could help out that'd be awesome! I'm thinking of getting an iPad for school however I don't know if the course packs msucom offers can be downloaded online. I know some schools do that though. Also is the class pretty much these lecture notes that are given out? Or do we go into class with a blank notebook to take notes and use the books?

Thanks!
 
If any current students (or anyone that knows) could help out that'd be awesome! I'm thinking of getting an iPad for school however I don't know if the course packs msucom offers can be downloaded online. I know some schools do that though. Also is the class pretty much these lecture notes that are given out? Or do we go into class with a blank notebook to take notes and use the books?

Thanks!

Hey, I'm pretty positive that the course packs can be downloaded as PDFs onto iPads/tablets. I also heard the school may be looking into getting tablets for students. Heard this from current students when I went on an accepted student tour (but this is just a rumor thus far).
 
Hey, I'm pretty positive that the course packs can be downloaded as PDFs onto iPads/tablets. I also heard the school may be looking into getting tablets for students. Heard this from current students when I went on an accepted student tour (but this is just a rumor thus far).

Awesome! Thank you! lol a free one would be nice. So do we just pretty much memorize the material in these things and your good to go?
 
Awesome! Thank you! lol a free one would be nice. So do we just pretty much memorize the material in these things and your good to go?

Confirming that there are electronic coursepacks for every course :) Which is great, especially for histo when you need to see things in color.

The free tablets for students is still a rumor though...some people have been pushing for it, and they had a survey for students to see who would prefer this approach, but who knows what will come of that.

The vast majority of everything you need to know is usually in the coursepack. However, there are some lecturers that only submit basic outlines for the CP so you'll either have to take notes, or you can use the scribes service.
 
Has anybody heard anything about recent wait-list activity? I've been on it since feb 22. 3.6 overall GPA, 27 MCAT. What are my chances? MSU is my first choice by far but at some point need to find a place to live at LECOM.
 
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Has anybody heard anything about recent wait-list activity? I've been on it since feb 22. 3.6 overall GPA, 27 MCAT. What are my chances? MSU is my first choice by far but at some point need to find a place to live at LECOM.

They can pull us off anytime between now and June 7th. I have no idea how it's been moving though.
 
Declining my acceptance. Good luck everyone!
 
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Confirming that there are electronic coursepacks for every course :) Which is great, especially for histo when you need to see things in color.

The free tablets for students is still a rumor though...some people have been pushing for it, and they had a survey for students to see who would prefer this approach, but who knows what will come of that.

The vast majority of everything you need to know is usually in the coursepack. However, there are some lecturers that only submit basic outlines for the CP so you'll either have to take notes, or you can use the scribes service.

Thank you! In regards to the summer homework, we need the Clinically Oriented Anatomy book. Would you recommend buying it for the class?
 
Thank you! In regards to the summer homework, we need the Clinically Oriented Anatomy book. Would you recommend buying it for the class?

I found it useful since I never had Anatomy. There are certainly electronic copies (of several different textbooks) floating around if you are savvy enough to find them. Chances are your future big sib (if you're participating in that) has a copy you can "borrow."

The lectures and lab objectives frequently reference MDA as well as Thiemes, so both can be very useful as a resource. Rohen is a great one to get because the pictures for lab quizzes come directly from it. Hope this helps!
 
On 5/1 I received an email saying that I had a guaranteed spot for next year (class 2018) which is great, but I'm still on the wait list for this year. Does anyone know what this notification means for my chances this year? Do I have a significant shot?
 
Is anyone in East Lansing still looking for a roommate?
 
Dill,
I would be pretty encouraged by getting the 2018 acceptance. It means you are on the top tier of their waitlist. When it starts moving on the 15th, you should be one the first to get pulled off. As someone currently on the waitlist, I would love an acceptance for next year.

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Dill,
I would be pretty encouraged by getting the 2018 acceptance. It means you are on the top tier of their waitlist. When it starts moving on the 15th, you should be one the first to get pulled off. As someone currently on the waitlist, I would love an acceptance for next year.

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That is awesome! :)
 
Yay, it was good news! Just got a spot! I think I'm going to die of happiness!!!!
 
On 5/1 I received an email saying that I had a guaranteed spot for next year (class 2018) which is great, but I'm still on the wait list for this year. Does anyone know what this notification means for my chances this year? Do I have a significant shot?

Wow!! That's exciting, congratulations!! Does anyone know if they take updates from wait listers? Like improved gpa, increased service hours...?
 
Does anyone know where I can find the course syllabus for the summer semester? I checked the website but can't seem to open it.

Or if the syllabus hasn't been released yet, does anyone know what time in august the semester usually ends? Beginning, mid-august, or end of august?


Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone waiting to hear back. Looks like the waitlist is starting to move. I really hope you guys get in.
 
Does anyone know where I can find the course syllabus for the summer semester? I checked the website but can't seem to open it.

Or if the syllabus hasn't been released yet, does anyone know what time in august the semester usually ends? Beginning, mid-august, or end of august?


Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone waiting to hear back. Looks like the waitlist is starting to move. I really hope you guys get in.

Here is the Class of 2017 google calendar which you will use throughout school, it's very useful.

https://www.google.com/calendar/emb...roup.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
 
Thank you for this! lol looks pretty intense. So is it normally a 8-5 day? It looks like class ends at noon maybe and then u have open lab?

It's not usually 8-5 everyday. They schedule different people for different times so you don't go that long. Summer semester you have a lot more free time than the fall. Two hours of lecture a day changes to four in the fall.
 
I have a question about paying interest on tuition. For the Stafford Loan you pay 6.8% which means that for the first $40,000 I take out to cover year 1, I'll have to pay just less than $300 just to keep the interest from accruing. Does this number just keep increasing so that by year 4 I am paying just south of $1000 every month just to keep the interest from adding to my debt?

I hope I'm wrong about this, but without subsidized loans I think we pay simple interest on the principle throughout school and that principle will increase every year. This will mean the interest payment will just keep growing too right?
 
I have a question about paying interest on tuition. For the Stafford Loan you pay 6.8% which means that for the first $40,000 I take out to cover year 1, I'll have to pay just less than $300 just to keep the interest from accruing. Does this number just keep increasing so that by year 4 I am paying just south of $1000 every month just to keep the interest from adding to my debt?

I hope I'm wrong about this, but without subsidized loans I think we pay simple interest on the principle throughout school and that principle will increase every year. This will mean the interest payment will just keep growing too right?

What an advisor told me was that your interest does keep compiling. And that means that year 1 interest will be more than year 4. She did say that the principle does not increase however, it is just the total interest on that initial loan grows because you've taken it out for a longer period of time..it'll be more. You'll still only be paying 6.8% of the initial amount you took, not the (amount+ interest complied) from year to year. So the interest is still 6.8% in year four, but not 6.8% of all that you've taken out, just of the loan you took for that year. I suggest calling fin aid and asking for a med advisor! They really help. And yeah the loans really sucks.
 
What an advisor told me was that your interest does keep compiling. And that means that year 1 interest will be more than year 4. She did say that the principle does not increase however, it is just the total interest on that initial loan grows because you've taken it out for a longer period of time..it'll be more. You'll still only be paying 6.8% of the initial amount you took, not the (amount+ interest complied) from year to year. So the interest is still 6.8% in year four, but not 6.8% of all that you've taken out, just of the loan you took for that year. I suggest calling fin aid and asking for a med advisor! They really help. And yeah the loans really sucks.
I guess I'm still a little confused. In Year 1 you're paying 6.8% interest on $40,000. But in Year 4, by the time you've taken out all four years of tuition, you're paying 6.8% every month on $160,000 right? I'm just wondering because that seems insane and if I'm right then over year 4 alone I will pay ~$12,000 just in interest (i.e., just to keep the interest from adding to my debt). Is this right?

Btw, I've tried calling the financial aid office at least 20 times in the last 48 hours and every time the line is busy. Is anyone else having this experience?

Oh subsidized loans, why didn't they renew you?
 
I guess I'm still a little confused. In Year 1 you're paying 6.8% interest on $40,000. But in Year 4, by the time you've taken out all four years of tuition, you're paying 6.8% every month on $160,000 right? I'm just wondering because that seems insane and if I'm right then over year 4 alone I will pay ~$12,000 just in interest (i.e., just to keep the interest from adding to my debt). Is this right?

The short answer, correct. Except it's even worse than that.

The interest capitalizes when you start making payments (graduate). It's "only" simple interest while you're still a student. So when you graduate, the interest compounds and kills you. The interest compounds quarterly, I will just call it 6.5%/yr for simplicity but it's actually more than that.

So correct, it's about $10,000 in interest just for the first year (40k*6.5% = 2600/yr, across 4 years). Except that 10 grand gets added to your principle after graduation. Even worse after graduation, instead of $2600/yr - it becomes $3250/yr during your internship (50k*6.5%). And $3460 worth of interest the next year, etc.

Basically whatever you take out as a principle, just double it because that's what you will owe when you finish residency unless you win the lottery or do a military scholarship. The average in-state student takes 185-190k principle, that easily turns into $350k+ with interest rolling.

If you plan on going into medicine with the goal of getting rich, just stop now.


btw, here is c/o 2013's match list: http://www.com.msu.edu/Class_of_2013/DegreesEarned.pdf
 
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The short answer, correct. Except it's even worse than that.

The interest capitalizes when you start making payments (graduate). It's "only" simple interest while you're still a student. So when you graduate, the interest compounds and kills you. The interest compounds quarterly, I will just call it 6.5%/yr for simplicity but it's actually more than that.

So correct, it's about $10,000 in interest just for the first year (40k*6.5% = 2600/yr, across 4 years). Except that 10 grand gets added to your principle after graduation. Even worse after graduation, instead of $2600/yr - it becomes $3250/yr during your internship (50k*6.5%). And $3460 worth of interest the next year, etc.

Basically whatever you take out as a principle, just double it because that's what you will owe when you finish residency unless you win the lottery or do a military scholarship. The average in-state student takes 185-190k principle, that easily turns into $350k+ with interest rolling.

If you plan on going into medicine with the goal of getting rich, just stop now.


btw, here is c/o 2013's match list: http://www.com.msu.edu/Class_of_2013/DegreesEarned.pdf
I never planned on getting rich, and if that were my goal, I'd find a way that didn't take 7 years of extremely hard work and such a huge monetary investment. I was, however, hoping to not be crippled by debt until I'm 40 - which is what looks like will happen.

The main reason I am asking is because my fiance and I want to pay the interest while I'm in school and I'm trying to figure out how (and now, more like if) we can fit the interest payment into our monthly budget.

If the average student indebtedness for 2012 grads who had 3.4% interest and who didn't accrue interest in school is $192,000, what will ours be at 6.8% and accruing from the beginning? I'd really like to see a projection for this because the difference will be substantial.

All of this makes me wonder... when will people start deciding that, regardless of it being their dream, becoming a doctor just has too many costs (time, energy, money)?
 
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I never planned on getting rich, and if that were my goal, I'd find a way that didn't take 7 years of extremely hard work and such a huge monetary investment. I was, however, hoping to not be crippled by debt until I'm 40 - which is what looks like will happen.

The main reason I am asking is because my fiance and I want to pay the interest while I'm in school and I'm trying to figure out how (and now, more like if) we can fit the interest payment into our monthly budget.

If the average student indebtedness for 2012 grads who had 3.4% interest and who didn't accrue interest in school is $192,000, what will ours be at 6.8% and accruing from the beginning? I'd really like to see a projection for this because the difference will be substantial.

All of this makes me wonder... when will people start deciding that, regardless of it being their dream, becoming a doctor just has too many costs (time, energy, money)?

The rich thing was more of a general statement and to anyone else reading. Most people end under a huge amount of debt. It drives applicants away from primary care (among other reasons).

Interest alone? Roughly speaking, you're looking at about 225/month at the start, will be closer to 900/month by the end of 4th year. It goes without saying, you are better off taking less to begin with if you're considering paying off interest.
 
The deadline for ordering the orientation material was April 12th. Does anyone know what the protocol is for those who were accepted after April 12th? It wouldn't be good to attend the convocation without a white coat.

I would appreciate it if someone could provide some information about this. Thank you.
 
Just received an email from MSUCOM, confirming my wait list and guaranteeing me a spot for class of 2018 and letting me know I can be pulled off any time from now until June 1st. I was already on the wait list so what does this confirmation email mean? Does my chances seem good??? I got into CCOM but I am a Michigan resident so MSUCOM would be a dream come true!!
 
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Just received an email from MSUCOM, confirming my wait list and guaranteeing me a spot for class of 2018 and letting me know I can be pulled off any time from now until June 1st. I was already on the wait list so what does this confirmation email me? Does my chances seem good??? I got into CCOM but I am a Michigan resident so MSUCOM would be a dream come true!!

Honestly, I'd say your chances are excellent. Whenever someone is placed highly enough on the wait-list to be guaranteed a spot for the following year, you can bet that you'll be the first one they turn to when a single spot becomes available. However, classes start next month, so it all comes down to who backs out between now and then. Good luck!
 
Honestly, I'd say your chances are excellent. Whenever someone is placed highly enough on the wait-list to be guaranteed a spot for the following year, you can bet that you'll be the first one they turn to when a single spot becomes available. However, classes start next month, so it all comes down to who backs out between now and then. Good luck!

Wow yeah I knew that. I am hoping and praying for good news! Thank you
 
Is the first Orientation day, the 12th in Lansing, mandatory? Lansing is a pretty long drive out
 
Mandatory it is, did You get the e-mail yesterday with the schedule for orientations?
 
I wonder how MSU does it.. With the holiday weekend and June 1st approaching will they pull people off any time like they said even over the weekend? I don't think I've been more nervous/excited lol
 
I wonder how MSU does it.. With the holiday weekend and June 1st approaching will they pull people off any time like they said even over the weekend? I don't think I've been more nervous/excited lol

Is there something significant about the June 1st date?
 
Is there something significant about the June 1st date?

The email I received last Thursday said "Admission from the waiting list can occur anytime from now until 6/1. Attendance at Orientation, which takes place toward the middle of June, is required for all MSUCOM students."
 
The email I received last Thursday said "Admission from the waiting list can occur anytime from now until 6/1. Attendance at Orientation, which takes place toward the middle of June, is required for all MSUCOM students."

Weird, because the email I got a while ago says admission can occur until the 7th of June. I'd assume your email is more accurate though since it's the more recent one.
 
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