Does anyone else on here climb? I saw on the SLU undergrad website that one of the rec facilities was recently redone and it includes a climbing wall, but I haven't found any pictures. Has anyone who's already there seen it? On my interview day I asked about a climbing gym and one of the students said there were some gyms downtown but as they didn't climb themselves they weren't sure how good they were.
SLU Class of 2011
- Thread starter msundi83
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My head is spinning...
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They screwed up the cost of attendance.
It should read:
32,140 tuition
400 fees
11,988 room and board
1300 supplies
3146 transportation
5589 misc.
64,563 total
A new email should go out within the next day or so...
It should read:
32,140 tuition
400 fees
11,988 room and board
1300 supplies
3146 transportation
5589 misc.
64,563 total
A new email should go out within the next day or so...
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What I'm wondering is how they estimate the cost of "transportation" and "miscellaneous" to the nearest dollar
There is a few climbing facilities....I remember a couple guys from my class were really into it. I think that they're out west in the county a little bit....
As for SLU's newer, sexier rec center...I couldn't be more pissed off. I'm a pretty big gym rat, and I was at SLU for eight years. Every year, I filled out suggestion cards and completed surveys stating my desire for gym improvements......then the first year that I'm gone, and they make Super Gym. A-holes.......
The Metro Link is safe as long as you're smart about it and you don't ride it at night. That being said, the Grand stop that's the closest to the school is creepy as hell. It's down below grand, with lots of places for thugs to hide. An undergrad girl got sexually assaulted there a couple years ago.
Then, of course, SLU's public safety has a call box there and you can get an escort from the metrolink. BUT, it takes them 15 minutes or more to get there, and they have you wait in the scariest spot. And heaven forbid you want an escort during the day. They will say no.
Honestly, I rode the metrolink a lot during college and the beginning of med school...usually to the airport or to downtown for cards games. However, I began to ride it less and less as time went on.....it's kind of a time bomb.
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Hey future classmates,
I am still looking for a roommate(s) for next year. I am female from Fresno,CA and I am really pumped for next year. I will be in St. Louis tomorrow to look at apaprtments.
If anyone here is also looking for a roommate, please PM me.
I am still looking for a roommate(s) for next year. I am female from Fresno,CA and I am really pumped for next year. I will be in St. Louis tomorrow to look at apaprtments.
If anyone here is also looking for a roommate, please PM me.
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A lot of schools suggest a specific computer type. I was unable to find anything on SLU's website. Does anyone know if there is a preference? I have a mac laptop now and am unsure if I will need to get a new one. Thanks!
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I've heard of schools having a pre-orientation in June. Does anyone know if SLU has this??? Maybe the packages we get in June will say.
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A mac laptop will work just fine. A handful of students do use their laptops in class for note taking and I would say it is split about 50/50 between macs and PC's. It is really a personal preference. You actually don't need a computer unless you want one. There are plenty of computers available at the school for any work that requires a computer.
I'm a first year at SLU, by the way, if you guys have any questions about school, housing or whatever, feel free to ask.
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I don't know anything about a pre-orientation in June. What is a pre-orientation anyway? You can always come by the school and check it out on your own over the summer.
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I think it is just some fun activities for the students to get to know everyone before the year. I guess it is good for finding a roommate also.
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Orientation is where you do all the fun activities and get to know your classmates. It's probably too late to find a roommate since virtually everybody has their living arrangement figured out by that point.
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40,520 in tuition is last years budget. This year it's 42,140.
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Rising third year here. I would recommend getting a laptop. I used mine almost everyday. It was especially nice for pathology and histology. Also in the labs, you can use your laptops to see the pictures instead of rotating station to station to look at them. This saves a lot of time. It is true that there are computers on campus for use, but nothing beats having all the powerpoint lectures on your own laptop and studying at a coffee shop, the lounge, or in a quiet individual study room. Sure you can absolutely make it through without one, but for me it was worth the money for the convenience factor. Mac or PC, I dont think it really matters. I am a PC user and everything worked fine on a PC, but I have no idea about macs. PM me with any questions.
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Just buy a Mac, no question about it. Mac OSX is the best operating system on the planet. And Macs are the only computers you can run both OSX and Windows. Why buy a Dell and be limited to just Windows when you can have the option of running both OSX and Windoze
laugh: ).
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I took the Metro for the first semester of school and it is not terrible. It's not as convenient as having a car but it'll do. I bought a car for second semester and I'm glad I did. The metro was safe (for me at least but people tell me I look scary so perhaps that is why nobody messed with me.) It is not too bad during peak hours but outside peak hours taking the bus sucks, especially when the weather is bad. I had to mooch rides off of friends a number of times and I didn't like doing that.
If you are going to live along the MetroLink line then it'll be ok since the train is fast but you'll need to walk, take the shuttle, or take a bus down to the med school campus. The Grand station that everyone has talked about is halfway between the main campus and the med school. If you are a female taking the train by yourself and during non-peak hours I wouldn't recommend it just because of safety. I personally felt safe on the Metro (bus and train) but I am a bulky guy who can fend for himself. Plus I apparently look scary so people don't tend to start stuff with me. I WOULD NOT allow my mom, sister or girlfriend to ride the train alone just because I shudder at the thought of them being sexually assaulted or something along those lines. Travelling in a group would be best...
Bottom line, a car is the safest and most convenient. It is more expensive and less environmentally friendly but if you don't live in the Theresa Park lofts then you will need to commute and a car makes that commute as painless as possible (in most cases.)
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Yes - There's wireless access from just about anywhere in the school. Actually, I think all of SLU (undergrad and med campus) now has wireless access.
For those of you that are bringing laptops, just do your classmates a favor - if you bring your laptop to class and plan on playing computer games during lecture, don't sit in the front. It's been a somewhat distracting problem for those of us in M1 this year.
For all current students reading this I was hoping you'd give us your pros and cons of the school. It's been a while since I interviewed and would just like to hear some more info from people who have experienced the program. Did anyone happen to do one of the electives dealing with orthopedics? I think the description talked about orthopedic related physical exams. Thanks for your input and help to get geared up for SLU.
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IMHO:
Pros:
1. Excellent preparation for dealing with patients
2. Most faculty are easily accessible - even if they aren't great lecturers, they're very helpful one-on-one
3. Great teaching hospitals
4. Block system
5. Comprehensive syllabus with each class
6. Not a cutthroat environment
7. Great cafeterias at the hospitals
8. Great administration
9. Good computer access/ wi-fi access
10. Plenty of opportunity for varied educational experiences starting from day 1 (patient contact, procedures, clinical and lab research, outreach programs, etc.)
11. Virtual microscopy - I think you guys will not have to deal with glass slides and light microscopes at all.
12. A really nice new gym on the undergrad campus (so I've heard)
Cons:
1. Metabolism - really needs to be re-worked
2. Commuting - you WILL be commuting
3. Tuition/ Loans
4. Not the most tech-friendly; powerpoints are usually made available, but no lectures are "officially" recorded for later access
5. Surrounding area is not exactly the best place - but then again, this affords a wide range of patients
6. Tornados and power outages - not very frequent, but not uncommon.
Thanks for the reply Chanjurban. You say the surrounding area isn't so nice, does that include the Tower Grove area? I ask because that's where my wife and I have been looking at renting so I won't have to spend much time commuting. What's your opinion on the Tower Grove area? The clinical preparation is defintely something that draws me to SLU. Thanks again.
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Am I missing something? All my instructions said to do was go online to accept my aid; which I did. There was no option to choose a lender for either the Stafford or the PLUS loans. Did you guys do this online or via mail???
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You missed something. The instructions also said to go online to finaid.slu.edu/loans and pick a lender.
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I also did Wachovia for both.
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Hey! I apparently don't post this often enough - I'm not exactly the best person for advice about where to live... However, that being said...we have quite a few students living in the Tower Grove area. They've been prettying up the area and it looks better than it did about 2 yrs ago. However, I "think" it may not be considered as safe as some places a little further west (Shrewsbury seems popular for example). Sorry I can't help more.
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First off SLU has a new "school as lender option" for staffords through Wachovia. Check their site again. For those of you who already signed with other lenders you may want to see if this loan suits you better and try to get out of your contract if it does.
As for the PLUS lender discussion, I agree; Wachovia wins hands down here as well.
As for the PLUS lender discussion, I agree; Wachovia wins hands down here as well.
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The "school-as-lender" option is actually what we meant when we said we went with Wachovia for the Stafford loans. It's with SLU, but it's actually financed and serviced by Wachovia.
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oops...
The financial aid officer that I spoke with said the school as lender option was something very new for them. And it is now the only lender listed on SLU's site for Stafford loans. I assumed that this was a recent addition.
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Math? What? Who does math still? Especially during summer break!
Seriously...I actually looked up the equations for compounding interest, haha...although I could have just used a loan calculator
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Yup. It is new. From what I understand this is their first year.
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Is anyone else confused about the information SLU's GradPlus info page?
http://www.slu.edu/services/fin_aid/ss/loans/grad_plus2.php
For Wachovia it says that there is a 0.6% interest rate reduction after 12 on time repayments however, there is no mention of this "bonus" on Wachovia's webpage. The only related benefit I could find was that the 7.9% interest rate becomes permanent after 12 on time payments.
For people who are choosing Wachovia over T.H.E are you doing this because you anticipate consolidating your loans later at a lower interest rate? Ie. It does not matter that T.H.E has a lower long term interest rate and better benefits?
http://www.slu.edu/services/fin_aid/ss/loans/grad_plus2.php
For Wachovia it says that there is a 0.6% interest rate reduction after 12 on time repayments however, there is no mention of this "bonus" on Wachovia's webpage. The only related benefit I could find was that the 7.9% interest rate becomes permanent after 12 on time payments.
For people who are choosing Wachovia over T.H.E are you doing this because you anticipate consolidating your loans later at a lower interest rate? Ie. It does not matter that T.H.E has a lower long term interest rate and better benefits?
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This explains it a little bit better.
http://www.wachovia.com/personal/page/0,,325_496_11779_11784,00.html
"You receive a 0.60% interest rate reduction immediately after your first disbursement, lowering the 8.50% fixed rate to 7.90%.
This incentive rate is retained for the life of the loan, provided that your first 12 regularly scheduled payments are made on time. Automatic payments are not required to participate and deferred repayment will not affect your eligibility for this rebate."
Basically, you get the .6% reduction immediately and even get to retain it during the repayment period as long as you make the first 12 payments on time. So, basically, you are correct. There is not an additional .6% reduction, you just get to keep it during repayment.
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Basically, yes. Also for this reason:
THE: "...the 3% origination fee will be credited to your account after you enter repayment."
Wachovia: "A rebate equal to 3% of your loan amount 6 months after disbursement"
(quoted from their own websites)
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hi- I work at the med center and will be applying this year
my $.02 on housing-
I agree with chanjurban- Tower Grove is up and coming, but I wouldn't take something sight-unseen just in case. I'd say you're probably better off west off of Grand than east. Shrewsbury, Richmond Heights, Maplewood should be close and pretty safe. (Although, *ahem* watch your speed.
) Other parts of the city would be St. Louis Hills and Dogtown- relatively affordable and safe.- Joined
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I'll be heading to St. Louis (for the first time!) this weekend to go look at apartments. Anybody familiar with the area have any suggestions as to any hot spots/tourist attractions that I should check out during my visit?
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This is probably directed more towards current students or others that may have heard or asked on interview day. Are there organized medical missions during the summer through SLU? I would really like to spend a month or two in an undeveloped country and I know that other schools have specific summer programs set up.
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Thanks for the insight. I signed the MPN for Wachovia last night. Now all I have to do is get housing figured out
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I just finished my MS1 year here at SLU and I must say that it was a fantastic year. I remember patrolling these forums last year thinking, "God, did I make the right decision," which is completely normal. The only negative is the high cost of tuition, which is inherent in virtually every private school. I found the faculty to be completely friendly and the syllabus given to be very complete. I earned an Honors or Near Honors in 6 out of the 7 main classes during the year and I only bought three books (Netter Atlas, Ross Histology Atlas, and Robbins Review of Pathology). I am not saying this to sound arrogant, but merely to prove to you that you don't need to buy all the books recommended (save the money!) As far as this summer, if you want to do anything...DONT! J/K. If you must do something, the last 2-3 weeks before school starts (and ONLY 2-3 weeks) you might want to buy a book like "Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy" and begin to look through that, depending on how much of a background you have in Anatomy. Just to forewarn you, Anatomy is brutal! Or maybe it was just me, but it was the only class in which I did not get H/NH. So, be prepared for that. BUT...it gets better, I promise. So, just make it through Anatomy, pray, persevere, and keep on keepin' on knowing that the year will get better. If you have any questions, throw them up on the site and I will try to get to them. Have a great summer and God bless.
I remember patrolling these forums last year thinking, "God, did I make the right decision," which is completely normal. The only negative is the high cost of tuition, which is inherent in virtually every private school. I found the faculty to be completely friendly and the syllabus given to be very complete. I earned an Honors or Near Honors in 6 out of the 7 main classes during the year and I only bought three books (Netter Atlas, Ross Histology Atlas, and Robbins Review of Pathology). I am not saying this to sound arrogant, but merely to prove to you that you don't need to buy all the books recommended (save the money!) As far as this summer, if you want to do anything...DONT! J/K. If you must do something, the last 2-3 weeks before school starts (and ONLY 2-3 weeks) you might want to buy a book like "Moore's Clinically Oriented Anatomy" and begin to look through that, depending on how much of a background you have in Anatomy. Just to forewarn you, Anatomy is brutal! Or maybe it was just me, but it was the only class in which I did not get H/NH. So, be prepared for that. BUT...it gets better, I promise. So, just make it through Anatomy, pray, persevere, and keep on keepin' on knowing that the year will get better. If you have any questions, throw them up on the site and I will try to get to them. Have a great summer and God bless.
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Hey future classmates,
does anyone who chose the SLU/Wachovia lender option for Staffords care to elaborate on why it's better than T.H.E. or MedLoans? I'm kind of deciding between the three right now and going around in circles trying to figure out which one I should choose. Thanks for your help!
does anyone who chose the SLU/Wachovia lender option for Staffords care to elaborate on why it's better than T.H.E. or MedLoans? I'm kind of deciding between the three right now and going around in circles trying to figure out which one I should choose. Thanks for your help!
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I love how SLU puts up the orientation information page on their site, but it doesn't have any real orientation information. Its like an announcement that they will eventually put up info. Well I knew that already, haha.
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The gym downtown is awesome! And there is one gym, no "gyms." Come after 5 and you'll see all the regulars. It's called Upper Limits. I think the walls are 30+ or so, they have three auto-belays, lots of boldering and training areas, and two overhangs. 90% of the gym is roped for top roping, and 90% have bolts and quickdraws placed for leading (you don't need to bring your own quickdraws). There is an upstairs area for all the kiddie parties so they stay far, far away from the others.
