ATSU/SOMA (Arizona) Discussion thread 2008-2009

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I'm in!!!!!!! My phone died yesterday at work and I didn't realize it till this afternoon, and I had received a message telling me I was accepted!!!!!
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So excited! Anyone else have the afternoon interview on 2/27? Anyone have any advice or tips?
 
natrod13 said:
I'm in!!!!!!! My phone died yesterday at work and I didn't realize it till this afternoon, and I had received a message telling me I was accepted!!!!!
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Congrats, natrod13!!
 
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JaxB said:
So excited! Anyone else have the afternoon interview on 2/27? Anyone have any advice or tips?
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If you want to, check out SOMA's page on the interview feedback section. This will give you an idea of how the day will go. I wouldn't count on the questions in the interview being the same as the ones in the feedback section, though. And if they were, and you had a prepared answer, it would sound like a prepared answer, which is lame. I know a few people who refused to look at the interview feedback section, because they felt like they would perform better not thinking they know ahead of time what the questions are going to be, etc.

http://more.studentdoctor.net/interviewlist.php?school=408

Besides that, just be yourself, unless yourself is a *****, haha. But really, you've made it this far, so they like something about you. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. Be a nice person, ask the interviewers about themselves when you first meet - who are they, what do they teach, what is their specialty, where are they from originally, why did they choose to work at/with SOMA, etc. This is polite, and it will make you less nervous to remember that you are talking to another human being, and you won't feel like the entire spotlight is on you. Remember their names.

In the group interview, don't be a jackass. Be nice. My strategy in the group interview was this: there was one guy that did all the talking, and one kid who hadn't said a word halfway into the excercise. So I asked the kid who hadn't said anything what he thought. After that, he started speaking a lot more, and I kind of acted like a moderator of the group, bringing everyone back to the task when they would get off subject, asking people with opposite opinions to respond to each other so we could reach a compromise, etc. This worked out well for me, since I felt like everyone else knew more about the subject than I did.

Also, have you seen Gran Torino? I would suggest learning how to talk like a man. It worked in Thao's job interview.
 
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Can anyone tell me how long it took after you were considered "complete" to hear back for an interview? I want to have an idea before I start busting out some serious charm to try and get one.

On another note, has anyone else received e-mails from admissions telling you they only need "1 letter, or whatever before your file can be reviewed!"? It made me feel super special but then when I was complete I didn't hear anything back :scared:

Thanks !
 
Deceptacon said:
Can anyone tell me how long it took after you were considered "complete" to hear back for an interview? I want to have an idea before I start busting out some serious charm to try and get one.

On another note, has anyone else received e-mails from admissions telling you they only need "1 letter, or whatever before your file can be reviewed!"? It made me feel super special but then when I was complete I didn't hear anything back :scared:

Thanks !
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2 weeks. Good luck!
 
lol @ the talk like a man scene from Gran Torino! :laugh:

BTW, what is the Federal School Code to use on FAFSA for ATSU-SOMA??? I cant seem to find it on the FAFSA website (and am too lazy to search through my acceptance packet papers).
 
DrMattOglesby said:
lol @ the talk like a man scene from Gran Torino! :laugh:

BTW, what is the Federal School Code to use on FAFSA for ATSU-SOMA??? I cant seem to find it on the FAFSA website (and am too lazy to search through my acceptance packet papers).
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Here is the school code. It's actually the same one as KCOM's. G02477

So you haven't made a final decision yet? I thought that you were going to PA for sure.
 
brucecanbeatyou said:
So you haven't made a final decision yet? I thought that you were going to PA for sure.
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Thanks 'bruce.
I am still pretty certain Penn State is where I'll end up. I just get moments of "what if..." and I think that SOMA could make me just as happy of a camper. A lot of it has to do with warm weather though...and a possibility of practicing where I might end up working (Hawaii CHC). So I don't know if those items are good forms of rubrik to follow. I am not even sure if I will receive a financial aid offer before that second payment of $500 is due...but if, on the small chance, that I do get some offer that is alluring enough to make me reconsider my plans...I know I would have to look into that option deeply.
 
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DrMattOglesby said:
Thanks 'bruce.
I am still pretty certain Penn State is where I'll end up. I just get moments of "what if..." and I think that SOMA could make me just as happy of a camper. A lot of it has to do with warm weather though...and a possibility of practicing where I might end up working (Hawaii CHC). So I don't know if those items are good forms of rubrik to follow. I am not even sure if I will receive a financial aid offer before that second payment of $500 is due...but if, on the small chance, that I do get some offer that is alluring enough to make me reconsider my plans...I know I would have to look into that option deeply.
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Gotcha. Good call. Yeah, while being at the Hawaii CHC would open up some doors, it's not like you wouldn't have any open to you as a Penn State grad. Good luck with that decision! (Although if you don't come to SOMA, I'm dropping you as a facebook friend, so you might want to take that into account when choosing, haha)
 
i should have an interview sometime in march. does anyone know if the brooklyn chc has been filled up yet?
 
JPanda said:
i should have an interview sometime in march. does anyone know if the brooklyn chc has been filled up yet?
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No CHC's are filled up because nobody has chosen one yet. You do not pick a CHC until orientation.
 
kamebr1 said:
No CHC's are filled up because nobody has chosen one yet. You do not pick a CHC until orientation.
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I really hope they change this...it really messed things up for me.

What they could try ... is to have a "second look" visit wherein they invite all accepted students back to the campus once they are finished interviewing. Those who are interested in matching with just one particular CHC would be particularly encouraged to attend.

The CHC directors would be present as well. Then, mini interviews could be conducted to determine "fit." All concerned students would then be notified if they were accepted into a particular CHC BEFORE they matriculate.

Any student who does not attend will still have an opportunity to match into a preferred CHC during orientation...they just won't have priority on certain sites that others have deemed their top choice.

That could be a possible solution...
 
DrMattOglesby said:
I really hope they change this...it really messed things up for me.

What they could try ... is to have a "second look" visit wherein they invite all accepted students back to the campus once they are finished interviewing. Those who are interested in matching with just one particular CHC would be particularly encouraged to attend.

The CHC directors would be present as well. Then, mini interviews could be conducted to determine "fit." All concerned students would then be notified if they were accepted into a particular CHC BEFORE they matriculate.

Any student who does not attend will still have an opportunity to match into a preferred CHC during orientation...they just won't have priority on certain sites that others have deemed their top choice.

That could be a possible solution...
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I agree. It's pretty crazy to ask people to make such a huge committment not knowing where they are going to live for three out of the next four years. I accepted anyway, cause, well, I guess I'm a little crazy and really, really like everything else about the school. (And visited a CHC and was more or less given an unofficial acceptance at that CHC, again, it's not 100%, but that was good enough for me)

But I like your idea, Dr. Matt. It would have made accepting this acceptance much easier for me.
 
Just paid my $1000 deposit!

Good luck to everyone as you're making decisions/interviewing/applying. It's a daunting process, but it's worth it!

See (some of) you over on the 'medical students' thread...and looking forward to being classmates!
 
hey guys can you recommend a shuttling service that can help me get to and from the airport to the hotel and to the airport and back?
 
Depending on how quickly you want to get to your destination. Cheapest and slow is the bus system if you are not arriving late. There is a main bus depot within half a mile of two hotels. The terminals are Superstition Springs Blvd and Power Rd in Mesa or Superstition Springs/Center. If you take the most direct route it is supposed to be just over an hour but look it up and make a plan at http://www.valleymetro.org/. If you want a shuttle there is supershuttle (don't know the cost). Supershuttle is the option many people take who do not rent a car.

Country Inn and LaQuinta on Superstition Springs have a shuttle that will take you to and from the school interview but does not go to the Phoenix SkyHarbor Airport (only within five miles). Hope this helps.

JPanda said:
hey guys can you recommend a shuttling service that can help me get to and from the airport to the hotel and to the airport and back?
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If you are serious about the school then go ahead but make sure your application does not look last minute. The school actually expects a few late applications.

curraheeraiders said:
I actually just decided to apply to SOMA. I was just wondering if people think it's too late even though the accept apps until 3/1.
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Couple questions for you guys...

I am on the waitlist and wanted to email a couple of updates. Do you guys know where i send those to? Is it Joyce, or just the admissions email?

Also, for anyone who has toured a CHC, how did you go about doing that? Did SOMA set you up, or did you contact the CHC yourself?

And Finally, this might be a silly question, but is this school fully accredited? I know AT Still in Kirksville is, but don't know if it's any different for SOMA.

Thanks for any help!
 
megaroo612 said:
Couple questions for you guys...

I am on the waitlist and wanted to email a couple of updates. Do you guys know where i send those to? Is it Joyce, or just the admissions email?

Also, for anyone who has toured a CHC, how did you go about doing that? Did SOMA set you up, or did you contact the CHC yourself?

And Finally, this might be a silly question, but is this school fully accredited? I know AT Still in Kirksville is, but don't know if it's any different for SOMA.

Thanks for any help!
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1. Either email will work. I would send it to Joyce, though.
2. I set my CHC visit up directly with a student that I met through...SDN! If you call SOMA, though, they'll give you a student contact at the CHC you are interested in.
3. SOMA is provisionally accredited. No school can be fully accredited until they have a graduating class. Any new school is also required to set up a fund that will pay for every student's medical education at a different school in the event that they lose their accredidation for some reason. There is a lot of security in SOMA's relationship with KCOM as well. A lot of the infrastructure is already there.

A hint at people's confidence in SOMA is also the fact that the NHSC doesn't grant scholarships to students attending any school with provisional accredidation - BUT they made a special exception for SOMA. Apparently, they aren't worried about it. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
Does anyone know exactly how SOMA matches students with the different CHCs?? I am on the waitlist and would LOVE to attend SOMA, but I have doubts about where I might end up... I'm from the midwest and REALLY don't want to go to the Ohio CHC.
 
Cagall said:
Does anyone know exactly how SOMA matches students with the different CHCs?? I am on the waitlist and would LOVE to attend SOMA, but I have doubts about where I might end up... I'm from the midwest and REALLY don't want to go to the Ohio CHC.
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I don't know how it will work exactly. But I think that if you REALLY want to go to Ohio, you will be able to, especially with roots there. Plus it's not as sexy as some of the other sites, so you won't have other random people to compete against.
 
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brucecanbeatyou said:
I don't know how it will work exactly. But I think that if you REALLY want to go to Ohio, you will be able to, especially with roots there. Plus it's not as sexy as some of the other sites, so you won't have other random people to compete against.
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NOOO i don't want to go there. I'm sick of the midwest and would love HI, portland, or seattle
 
Johnson48 said:
Depending on how quickly you want to get to your destination. Cheapest and slow is the bus system if you are not arriving late. There is a main bus depot within half a mile of two hotels. The terminals are Superstition Springs Blvd and Power Rd in Mesa or Superstition Springs/Center. If you take the most direct route it is supposed to be just over an hour but look it up and make a plan at http://www.valleymetro.org/. If you want a shuttle there is supershuttle (don't know the cost). Supershuttle is the option many people take who do not rent a car.

Country Inn and LaQuinta on Superstition Springs have a shuttle that will take you to and from the school interview but does not go to the Phoenix SkyHarbor Airport (only within five miles). Hope this helps.
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how do you get to the supershuttle? thanks a lot! is there a site?
 
brucecanbeatyou said:
Oh, haha, yeah, I misread your thing. Maybe that means I should go to Ohio, haha.
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Hey everyone,

Does anyone know when we're gonna get a book list?
I'm planning to get all the books before I move to AZ and it'd probably be cheaper online. About 140 days till school starts!


Thanks!
 
Hello All! I am new to SDN and after reading through a lot of your posts have found it to be a somewhat informative website so I thought I'd post one of my own.

I have been accepted to both SOMA and AZCOM and am torn on which school to attend. AZCOM obviously has more of a developed reputation but SOMA's curriculum seems to fit my learning style a little better. At the same time, I want to make sure I am being adequately prepared for the boards. Without a previous class having taken the test yet, there is really nothing to go on. So I guess I am addressing any current students or anyone who has any information they could share with me. Do you feel like you will do well on the first round of boards? I understand they are on the basic sciences and SOMA does not specificially teach these courses. Does anyone have any information about either school that could help make my decision easier? I've done tons of research on both schools so I know the basics (i.e. what a typical day is like, tests, schedules, curriculum, rotations)...but any useful knowledge would be greatly appreciated!!

Congrats to everyone that has been accepted so far (to any school)! I'm sure you are all just as excited as I am for school to start! Thanks in advance for your response!
 
Sunshine20 said:
... but SOMA's curriculum seems to fit my learning style a little better.
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I think you already answered your own question! I was in the same boat - accepted to AZCOM and a few other schools with more traditional curricula, and it was difficult to let go of all of that security for what seemed like a gamble on SOMA.

But then I realized that when it comes down to it, I will be the one studying for and taking the COMLEX. I like the way that SOMA teaches medicine, and I will study hard for step 1, and I will rock it. If I have to learn some of the basic sciences from a review book, instead of in lecture, that's fine with me. In fact, I'm sure that wherever you go for medical school, there will be information you didn't get in lecture in the review materials.

I was a history major in undergrad, so I had this same attitude studying for the MCAT. I couldn't rely too much on information that I received in my classes, because I took only the bare minimum, so I just focused on the review materials, and was happy with my score.

So, in conclusion, if you will learn better at SOMA, that's awesome! Come learn a lot, study hard, and we'll rock the step 1 together. :D
 
I completely agree. I was accepted to other traditional schools too, but I was just so excited about SOMA, I didn't even really stop to seriously think about the others after I got this acceptance. SOMA has such an innovative curriculum, true, but I think its important to note that this isn't really a "new" strategy that has never been used before. SOMA has adopted this curriculum strategy from medical schools in Canada that have consistently ranked well in their boards. I also agree that boards is the work you put into it. You can study what you learn in class and supplement it with other material specific for boards. I'm sure this will be a class endeavor :) Good luck with your decision!
 
What both of you said is very true and definitely something to think about. I am and have been leaning more towards SOMA to begin with but I think I am going to give myself a couple more weeks just to make sure I make the right decision. Regardless, I am sure wherever I go will be great and I 100% think your success in medical school is about what you put into it and how hard you work! Thanks again for your advice! Maybe I'll be seeing you in a few months :)
 
Anyone in the middle group of the waitlist hear anything yet??
 
awwadcj said:
I just submitted my AACOMAS yesterday, does anyone know what the chances of getting an interview are?
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it takes aacomas 4-6 weeks before it sends ur application to DO schools. Then they process it and determine if you warrant a secondary. It took me personally about 6 weeks from when I sent the secondary to hear about an interview date. Unless your stats are really good, slim chance you'll get an interview.
 
A friend of mine was invited to interview here a few days ago, and it looks like the class is already full. So they are currently extending interview invites for waitlist positions only.
 
rennykim said:
A friend of mine was invited to interview here a few days ago, and it looks like the class is already full. So they are currently extending interview invites for waitlist positions only.
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was it stated explicitly that class was full and the interview was for a waitlist position only? or did your friend find out, after the fact?
 
JPanda said:
was it stated explicitly that class was full and the interview was for a waitlist position only? or did your friend find out, after the fact?
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It was explicitly stated in the email invite.
 
I interviewed on Feb 6th and just found out I'm on the "high" waitlist. I called in today and was told they already took 20 people off the waitlist and I should hear back by late april. in previous yrs they took 50-85% of the waitlist, but this year it looks like it will be quite lower from what Amy Stradling told me.
 
rennykim said:
It was explicitly stated in the email invite.
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My guess is the admissions office are pretty confident the class will be full by the time they get done with your friend's application. Admittedly, your friend did get an invitation a bit late (and after the interview, it is another 2 wks of making a decision). Best of luck to your friend!
 
I just received an interview invitation yesterday via email, and there was nothing in it saying that the class is full???? Hmmm. Maybe I got a different email?
 
Yes. Maybe your application is more competitive than my friend's and would be given different consideration. But yeah, her email was pretty clear in interviewing for WL only =/
 
rennykim said:
Yes. Maybe your application is more competitive than my friend's and would be given different consideration. But yeah, her email was pretty clear in interviewing for WL only =/
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Well this is the first time I've ever heard of something like this. Giving a waitlist interview simultaneously with regular ones? Hmm, odd.
 
Yeah, I got an interview invite just a few minutes ago, and it didn't say anything about interviewing for waitlist spot.

Anybody else interviewing the 20th?

Also, where can I find a complete list of all of the CHCs?

Thanks!
 
Anyone receiving interview invites from now on, please call and find out first about that situation. I don't want to place any false info on here but I just thought it would help knowing you could potentially be interviewing for a waitlist spot (so do you still want to go out there, or pass on the interview to save money, etc.)? I apologize for confusing anyone. Good luck.
 
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