(((~:$$$ UC Irvine School of Medicine, Class of 2012 $$$:~)))

[Daydreamer2008]

Palo verde is very good, especially the newer buildings, they have big rooms, a nice community center, it's much newer overall than verano barf

the only problem i have with pv is that they don't have ac, and i am so sick and tired of suffering for like 4 months every year in an overheated apartment ... this is the main reason i choice vdc

if you can get pv, i'd highly recommend

yikes! no AC!? That kind of scares me especially after the weather we've been recently experiencing in SoCal. I don't know if I can survive no AC in a heat wave like this. Does anyone know that if we apply to VDC, do we also have to turn in the main UCI graduate housing form as well? I guess I could call on Monday and ask. If anyone knows, please share!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[adoredoctor]

hey all! got the call from Dr. Peterson today--I'm so excited! Go Irvine!

 

[Doublecortin]

yikes! no AC!? That kind of scares me especially after the weather we've been recently experiencing in SoCal. I don't know if I can survive no AC in a heat wave like this. Does anyone know that if we apply to VDC, do we also have to turn in the main UCI graduate housing form as well? I guess I could call on Monday and ask. If anyone knows, please share!

yeah, it truly amazes me how the planners of verano and palo verde didn't think of including ac , *****s! i would really pay as much as it takes for electricity so that i don't have to suffer during heat waves

 

[alwaysaangel]

yeah, it truly amazes me how the planners of verano and palo verde didn't think of including ac , *****s! i would really pay as much as it takes for electricity so that i don't have to suffer during heat waves

Its really not that bad. Some fans and keep the windows open and you're fine. (a friend of mine who I spend a lot of time with lives in Verano) Not that many people have A/C in SoCal. I mean it gets warm but its not like we live somewhere where its consistently 105 degrees and humid outside...

You guys need to go visit Texas or Kentucky or Georgia for a week or so then come back, you won't think the heat is so bad...

Also isn't Verano like 20 yrs old? Few things had A/C 20 yrs ago.

 

[Doublecortin]

Its really not that bad. Some fans and keep the windows open and you're fine. (a friend of mine who I spend a lot of time with lives in Verano) Not that many people have A/C in SoCal. I mean it gets warm but its not like we live somewhere where its consistently 105 degrees and humid outside...

You guys need to go visit Texas or Kentucky or Georgia for a week or so then come back, you won't think the heat is so bad...

Also isn't Verano like 20 yrs old? Few things had A/C 20 yrs ago.

really?!? Ouch!

 

[alwaysaangel]

really?!? Ouch!

You make me feel old.

In 1980, individual room air-conditioners were more common than central air-conditioning. Nationwide, 30 percent of households had room units, compared with 27 percent with central air-conditioning.

And thats nationwide - numbers would be higher in the midwest and states like Nevada, New mexico and Arizona - so I imagine CA was pretty low.

Anywho, to anyone choosing their housing. Don't let heat be too much of a deterrent especially if you're trying to save money. Verano I agree is UGLY, but cheap and perfectly livable. PV has some really really nice units and for the cost they're awesome. It only just started getting hot and it will cool down by September, and many of you won't be around for your summer after MS1 anyway. So while I understand if you grew up with AC it might be hard to give it up. To anyone still on the fence - this isn't the Valley - we're 3 miles from the beach and have a nice breeze. Its not that hot, and for saving 200/month all year if you're not completely adverse to being a little warm - its worth it.

 

[Doublecortin]

You make me feel old.


And thats nationwide - numbers would be higher in the midwest and states like Nevada, New mexico and Arizona - so I imagine CA was pretty low.

Anywho, to anyone choosing their housing. Don't let heat be too much of a deterrent especially if you're trying to save money. Verano I agree is UGLY, but cheap and perfectly livable. PV has some really really nice units and for the cost they're awesome. It only just started getting hot and it will cool down by September, and many of you won't be around for your summer after MS1 anyway. So while I understand if you grew up with AC it might be hard to give it up. To anyone still on the fence - this isn't the Valley - we're 3 miles from the beach and have a nice breeze. Its not that hot, and for saving 200/month all year if you're not completely adverse to being a little warm - its worth it.

I am older than you, trust me! I am just so used to the comfort of having ac that I can't image life without it

 

[alwaysaangel]

I am older than you, trust me! I am just so used to the comfort of having ac that I can't image life without it

Haha, fair enough. I grew up in a house where we didn't run the heater in the winter hardly and didn't have AC because my parents are super frugal. So you just close the windows at the hottest part of the day to keep the heat out and open everything up with fans when its cooler. It works.

I guess I'm just surprised that so many people are worried about A/C where I grew up in Ventura almost no one had AC.

 

[Doublecortin]

Haha, fair enough. I grew up in a house where we didn't run the heater in the winter hardly and didn't have AC because my parents are super frugal. So you just close the windows at the hottest part of the day to keep the heat out and open everything up with fans when its cooler. It works.

I guess I'm just surprised that so many people are worried about A/C where I grew up in Ventura almost no one had AC.

the fact that you are spending sooo much time on SDN, alwaysaangel, makes me hopeful that med school is not so hard after all

 

[alwaysaangel]

the fact that you are spending sooo much time on SDN, alwaysaangel, makes me hopeful that med school is not so hard after all

It isn't. But I am also a chronic procrastinator. I need to be studying for neuro but I HATE NEURO!

But no its not so bad. If you're good at studying and embrace H/P/F (and accept that when 10% of the class is going to honor I know at least 10 people are smarter than me in neuro - like say the neuro majors). You do fine. Learn what you need to pass the test and the important points for boards and you will have lots of time to spare if you don't waste too much time watching TV and other little stuff that people forget they do and don't seem to count as 'spare time.'

 

[Daydreamer2008]

It isn't. But I am also a chronic procrastinator. I need to be studying for neuro but I HATE NEURO!

But no its not so bad. If you're good at studying and embrace H/P/F (and accept that when 10% of the class is going to honor I know at least 10 people are smarter than me in neuro - like say the neuro majors). You do fine. Learn what you need to pass the test and the important points for boards and you will have lots of time to spare if you don't waste too much time watching TV and other little stuff that people forget they do and don't seem to count as 'spare time.'

Hey alwaysaangel! I had a question about the elective courses. Do we sign up for those once class starts? And do u think it's doable if I am interested in at least 3 of them? (we have 2 years to do them, right?)
Thanks for all your great advice by the way!!!

 

[Daydreamer2008]

Its really not that bad. Some fans and keep the windows open and you're fine. (a friend of mine who I spend a lot of time with lives in Verano) Not that many people have A/C in SoCal. I mean it gets warm but its not like we live somewhere where its consistently 105 degrees and humid outside...

You guys need to go visit Texas or Kentucky or Georgia for a week or so then come back, you won't think the heat is so bad...

Also isn't Verano like 20 yrs old? Few things had A/C 20 yrs ago.

Ya I actually spoke with someone who lives in Palo verde and they don't mind the A/C situation. She mentioned the ocean breeze helps a lot as well

 

[alwaysaangel]

Hey alwaysaangel! I had a question about the elective courses. Do we sign up for those once class starts? And do u think it's doable if I am interested in at least 3 of them? (we have 2 years to do them, right?)
Thanks for all your great advice by the way!!!

You could pretty easily do 3 electives in one year. Most second years aren't in them they run them. They are usually evening courses once a month or so so 3 is completely doable if you're efficient with your time.

As far as how you sign up - yeah you'll hear about them sometime in September when the 2nd years come back. Then you just show up to the first meeting and you are considered "enrolled." They are useful but they are really run more like clubs with roll taken then they are formal classes.

 

[Doublecortin]

 

[phomp]

hey alwaysangel and other current ms's! thanks for being here to answer our questions despite your busy schedules...it is immensely appreciated

i was wondering..with there being weekly exams, are there finals as well? if so, does a final take place one week after a previous exam or is there more time to study for that?

is the exam schedule/class schedule (with dates) for this past year posted anywhere that we can see?

as a result of my family situation, i will probably have to travel quite a bit..so am seeing if there might be a way to tentatively plan...(ie buy and hoarde cheap plane tickets )

thanks again

 

[Doublecortin]

hey alwaysangel and other current ms's! thanks for being here to answer our questions despite your busy schedules...it is immensely appreciated

i was wondering..with there being weekly exams, are there finals as well? if so, does a final take place one week after a previous exam or is there more time to study for that?

is the exam schedule/class schedule (with dates) for this past year posted anywhere that we can see?

as a result of my family situation, i will probably have to travel quite a bit..so am seeing if there might be a way to tentatively plan...(ie buy and hoarde cheap plane tickets )

thanks again

where are you gonna be traveling? Paris?

 

[Daydreamer2008]

hey alwaysangel and other current ms's! thanks for being here to answer our questions despite your busy schedules...it is immensely appreciated

i was wondering..with there being weekly exams, are there finals as well? if so, does a final take place one week after a previous exam or is there more time to study for that?

is the exam schedule/class schedule (with dates) for this past year posted anywhere that we can see?

as a result of my family situation, i will probably have to travel quite a bit..so am seeing if there might be a way to tentatively plan...(ie buy and hoarde cheap plane tickets )

thanks again

Hi Phomp. I found this online:
http://www.ha.uci.edu/som/meded/forCurrentStudents/academicHolidays.html

It's the schedule for the class of 2010, hopefully that can help you in the meantime...

 

[phomp]

where are you gonna be traveling? Paris?

lol..geez i wish!! a friend of mine forwarded this to me the other day...warning it may be too graphic for young innocent eyes..haha...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/opinion/13druckerman.html?scp=2&sq=france+mothers&st=nyt

i was like..are you SERIOUS?? the french health care system really goes the extra mile... those are people's tax dollars! apparently, they also do your laundry for six weeks after having a kid...

haha, anyways...

i'll be shuttling back and forth to san francisco... i need a crying emoticon for all the future cash i'm going to blow.. yay.

did you get out of your stats class yet?

 

[phomp]

Thanks DayDreamer..you are frickin awesome!

 

[phomp]

woo! three posts in a row. i really need to focus on my job..

anyone know when we will find out when we can move in to our new places? need to demand that friends and family take off work, school, studying for the mcat, etc to help me move. haha.

 

[Doublecortin]

lol..geez i wish!! a friend of mine forwarded this to me the other day...warning it may be too graphic for young innocent eyes..haha...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/13/opinion/13druckerman.html?scp=2&sq=france+mothers&st=nyt

i was like..are you SERIOUS?? the french health care system really goes the extra mile... those are people's tax dollars! apparently, they also do your laundry for six weeks after having a kid...

haha, anyways...

i'll be shuttling back and forth to san francisco... i need a crying emoticon for all the future cash i'm going to blow.. yay.

did you get out of your stats class yet?

i really don't want to risk it, I think I'll take it online :cry:

 

[Doublecortin]

woo! three posts in a row. i really need to focus on my job..

anyone know when we will find out when we can move in to our new places? need to demand that friends and family take off work, school, studying for the mcat, etc to help me move. haha.

if you need help moving, you can PM me, I live and work at UCI and I have a car

 

[alwaysaangel]

hey alwaysangel and other current ms's! thanks for being here to answer our questions despite your busy schedules...it is immensely appreciated

i was wondering..with there being weekly exams, are there finals as well? if so, does a final take place one week after a previous exam or is there more time to study for that?

is the exam schedule/class schedule (with dates) for this past year posted anywhere that we can see?

as a result of my family situation, i will probably have to travel quite a bit..so am seeing if there might be a way to tentatively plan...(ie buy and hoarde cheap plane tickets )

thanks again

None of the classes really have 'finals'. You take a histo and physio shelf right before Spring Break in March.

Like I said in general you have one test every Monday with maybe 1 week off a month. Some months you don't have any weeks off but you have easier tests you can plan to travel before. I had a long distance relationship most of this year and managed to see my ex 1-2 weekends/month so its definitely doable.

Unfortunately all schedules are on the internal system so you need to log in to see it and you won't be able to do that until closer to August. Plus the MS1 schedule isn't up that I know of.

 

[inkare]

i really don't want to risk it, I think I'll take it online :cry:

At least you know you are going to UCI, I've signed up for a summer stats class for the possibility of attending UCI, lol. I had to take biochem this past semester for UCI as well. I'm set on going to NYU right now, but I think I would prefere UCI.

 

[phomp]

thanks for the offer, DC! have fun with stats...just took my stats final last night after not studying at all...yuk.. look forward to meeting u in a couple months.. (i think i actually met you on second look day...but not sure! haha..)

feel your pain, inkare...jumping through hoops for the "possibility" *sigh* congrats on nyu! that is beyond amazing!

 

[Doublecortin]

thanks for the offer, DC! have fun with stats...just took my stats final last night after not studying at all...yuk.. look forward to meeting u in a couple months.. (i think i actually met you on second look day...but not sure! haha..)

feel your pain, inkare...jumping through hoops for the "possibility" *sigh* congrats on nyu! that is beyond amazing!

oh, yeah, who were you?

 

[phomp]

um..no one special actually. i was the asian chick at the end who went around to all the groups asking where i could find food. i just remember some dude running around telling everyone to join the facebook...i assume that would be you. haha.

 

[inkare]

um..no one special actually. i was the asian chick at the end who went around to all the groups asking where i could find food. i just remember some dude running around telling everyone to join the facebook...i assume that would be you. haha.

Haha, sounds like our own Doublecortin. UCI people rock, close friends and family would reluctantly offer to help you move, but as I see on this thread, UCI classmates, whom you never met, wholeheartedly do !!

 

[Doublecortin]

um..no one special actually. i was the asian chick at the end who went around to all the groups asking where i could find food. i just remember some dude running around telling everyone to join the facebook...i assume that would be you. haha.

yep

 

[Doublecortin]

bump everyone,

who's stoked about the Lakers!

All the way, baby!

 

[go lakers]

<----

 

[Doublecortin]

bump

 

[Doublecortin]

Lakers

 

[penguinny]

Hi All! I just got accepted (off the waitlist) on Monday! I'm still SO excited~!!

I am worrying about housing right now. As much as I'd love a single room/studio apt at Palo Verde or Verano Place, I don't think it's very possible since I don't have guaranteed housing and I know the waitlist is very long... So does anyone know where would be some good off-campus housing place that's not too far from campus (since I am not very familiar with Irvine area)? (I am particularly interested in single-room apartment or studio.)

And nicksain mentioned Corona del Mar, where's that? where can I get more information on that? THANK YOU very much!!!

2. Housing - I live in Corona del Mar (a village of Newport Beach) and it takes me 10 minutes door to door to tamkin (with traffic). Friends who live in VDC/PV take about that amount of time door to door as well due to the slow one lane campus loop and the ridiculously large number of stop signs always present on any college campus drive loop.

Hopefully that'll help you guys make decisions - feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

 

[alwaysaangel]

Hi All! I just got accepted (off the waitlist) on Monday! I'm still SO excited~!!

I am worrying about housing right now. As much as I'd love a single room/studio apt at Palo Verde or Verano Place, I don't think it's very possible since I don't have guaranteed housing and I know the waitlist is very long... So does anyone know where would be some good off-campus housing place that's not too far from campus (since I am not very familiar with Irvine area)? (I am particularly interested in single-room apartment or studio.)

And nicksain mentioned Corona del Mar, where's that? where can I get more information on that? THANK YOU very much!!!

Hey, CONGRATS ON THE ACCEPTANCE! Thats really exciting.

Yeah unfortunately you won't be able to get a 1bdrm this year. I just emailed Palo Verde about getting on the waitlist now to get in at the beginning of next year and they told me I may or may not get to the front of the waitlist by then. And single students aren't eligible for the 1bdrms at Verano.

As far as looking for a 1bdrm or studio - unfortunately you're going to be pretty financially limited in that respect. I only know one person in my class who lives alone and her parents bought her a condo...

I tried looking into studios and 1bdrms when I was looking into moving here and it just didn't work. Cheapest was 1000-1100 which you'll find is really stretching your budget. Look here for amounts of money you get in loans for off-campus housing. http://www.ofas.uci.edu/content/costs.aspx?nav=11

The best advice I can give you if you're adamant about a 1bdrm is to start looking on craigslist.com for 1bdrms in Orange County. Then google maps the location and see where it is relative to Bison Ave and Health Sciences Rd, Irvine, CA. That will tell you about your commute. You probably will find that you are a 20+ minute drive to get a 1bdrm within your budget. Try Tustin, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, etc. No way will you be able to find an affordable 1 bdrm in Corona Del Mar.

If proximity is more important than having a 1bdrm you may want to check out the facebook group for this years class and ask around for roommate(s). Thats what I ultimately did and its not a bad deal - I have my own master bedroom and have tons of my own space for $945/month (includes $25 pet rent).

We are soon going to have a survival guide out for you guys and it will include information on finding housing.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[etf]

got the call yesterday, and will be joining you guys and gals in the fall!

 

[penguinny]

THANKS so much for all the information, alwayssangel!!! That's REALLY helpful!

Yea, one-bedroom apartment/studio are indeed really expensive... I wanted it because my parents said it's more convenient if I have a one-bedroom since they might want to visit often from Hong Kong! But I think I'm leaning toward getting my own single/master bedroom in a 2-room apartment -- which is more affordable. Where approximately are you living now? Where would you recommend me looking for 2-room apartments then?

I'll probably come up to Irvine after my graduation commencement in late June and try to look at the different offcampus apartments (and compare prices, etc.)...

THANKS again!!! ^^

 

[Sprite]

We're working on a website (hopefully in the next two weeks) that'll let you interact with the 104 or so students we've got at UC Irvine, and will let you match roommates, find apartments, and check out the survival guide. Sorry we can't get it sooner --- we've got our final anatomy exam next Friday. Yikes!

When this website comes up, I strongly recommend looking at housing with another medical student (MS1 or even an MS2). Being able to share notes, books, and advice is incredibly helpful, and you'll see that flying solo works to your disadvantage.

 

[penguinny]

oh wow cool, thanks!!!!! ^^ so glad we're getting all these help from you guys~! feel very loved.

Oh I was wondering if there is anywhere I can get the textbook list for MS1??

And good luck on your anatomy exam (and other tests)!!!

 

[nicksain]

There are studios in CDM for near 1K / month if you drive around and look.
As for where CDM is....
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=....612189,-117.86459&spn=0.068049,0.150375&z=13

also - dont worry about textbooks right now.

You probably will find that you are a 20+ minute drive to get a 1bdrm within your budget. Try Tustin, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, etc. No way will you be able to find an affordable 1 bdrm in Corona Del Mar.

 

[lomend]

Anyone know how I would go about finding the school calendar for first years? It doesn't seem to be on the UCISOM website. Maybe I'm just not searching hard enough. =T

 

[alwaysaangel]

Anyone know how I would go about finding the school calendar for first years? It doesn't seem to be on the UCISOM website. Maybe I'm just not searching hard enough. =T

Its in a locked area called Merlin - you cant get into it until you get your email address. Once you get that PM me and I'll tell you how to get in.

 

[go lakers]

So I need to go out of town for a few days in September for a research conference and I'd like to book the flight as early as possible. Any current student know who might be the best person @ UCI for me to ask "permission," or at least to try scheduling around this? Like, a Dean of Student Affairs? ...Or is it going to be too tough to miss a few days of class (probably a Mon and Tues in late Sept) ?

Thanks.

 

[alwaysaangel]

So I need to go out of town for a few days in September for a research conference and I'd like to book the flight as early as possible. Any current student know who might be the best person @ UCI for me to ask "permission," or at least to try scheduling around this? Like, a Dean of Student Affairs? ...Or is it going to be too tough to miss a few days of class (probably a Mon and Tues in late Sept) ?

Thanks.

What day is it? If there's a test that day it just won't be possible unfortunately. A conference would probably not be an acceptable reason to miss a test. And maybe if you had CF on Tue you would need to trade with someone.

Otherwise no one cares if you miss class.

 

[HEADintheCLOUDS]

So I need to go out of town for a few days in September for a research conference and I'd like to book the flight as early as possible. Any current student know who might be the best person @ UCI for me to ask &quot;permission,&quot; or at least to try scheduling around this? Like, a Dean of Student Affairs? ...Or is it going to be too tough to miss a few days of class (probably a Mon and Tues in late Sept) ?

Thanks.

You might go to the Dean of medical school. They are the highest wth the most power, and can probably excuse you from school, EVEN a test day. Since the conference is for learning purpposes (i am assuming its not a comic book thing) and UCI needs its students to learn as much as possible to keep up. Plus if they say no then you need look no further since they are the highest upon high.

 

[go lakers]

What day is it? If there's a test that day it just won't be possible unfortunately. A conference would probably not be an acceptable reason to miss a test. And maybe if you had CF on Tue you would need to trade with someone.

Otherwise no one cares if you miss class.

9/22 & 9/23. I'll email the school and see what happens..

 

[alwaysaangel]

9/22 & 9/23. I'll email the school and see what happens..

Looks like it should be fine. Unless they change your exam schedule there is no exam until the 29th. And that week is the first week of community preceptorships which are easily rescheduled.

Email to be sure but looks like it will be a good week and I think the school will say you can safely buy tickets now.

 

[go lakers]

Thanks again, alwaysaangel.

 

[Daydreamer2008]

Bump!
Is anyone still waiting on their financial aid packages?

 

[etf]

Bump!
Is anyone still waiting on their financial aid packages?

yes.