CSULA ELMN 2011

Published

Anyone else applied? I know they're supposed to notify us on April 1st but I'm curious if anyone who applied got any feedback yet. :)

Thanks Innatchka and Bababaowman for all the information. I'm really excited for orientation to meet everyone and understand more about the program. This is a logistical question. I will be moving to LA from SF and I was thinking of staying in Phase 1 housing over the summer and then figuring it out later where to stay. Is this too far from where classes will be? Should I look for an apt now? And where is a good place to stay?

Also we absolutely need a car right?

Hey rpatil88,

I'm not sure about housing; I know at least one girl in our class lived on campus over summer, but she quickly moved out. If you want to live near campus, East LA, Alhambra, and Pasadena are close.

I live in Hollywood, and I personally have never driven to classes or clinical (yet!). I take the Red Line Subway to downtown and then catch a bus to school (total 45min trip - can be a 20 minute trip on the freeway in a car). I've taken the bus or carpooled to clinical. I do have a car and insurance, but I don't like driving, so I avoid it when I can. I believe we have one clinical (Public Health) that we aren't allowed to carpool for - I think we have to make home visits and everyone goes somewhere else, so I'll start using my car then.

In terms of hospitals, here's where we've had some clinicals:

County/USC - down the block from school (has its own Silver Line Bus Stop)

Verdugo Hills Hospital - NE from school, near Glendale

Kaiser Downey - South of school; I carpooled here

Arcardia Methodist - NE of school, fairly close to Pasadena

Huntington Memorial - In Pasadena, carpooled here for Psych rotation (which ended at night), but it's also right off a Gold Line Stop

Glendale Memorial - Short bus ride from my house

Children's Hospital - right off a Red line stop, about a mile from my home

As long as you can make it to clinicals on time (usually 7am), most teachers don't care how you got there.

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Thanks so much for the info about transportation! That really helps, especially considering gas is getting crazzzy expensive. I was wondering also about breaks in the program. Between quarters, do we have a week or more? What about Christmas time? I know these are logistical questions, but just curious so we can plan now with families and such. Thanks soooo much again!

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A couple more points about transportation:

- A student bus pass costs $36/month. http://www.metro.net/around/fares/

- A parking pass costs $90/quarter. A day pass costs $6 and this makes more sense for the quarters when class only meets one day a week ($6 x 10 days on campus).

Re: Breaks

We get three weeks between Summer/Fall, three weeks between Fall/Winter, and then one week each between Winter/Spring and Spring/Summer.

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Thanks Innatchka and Bababaowman for all the information. I'm really excited for orientation to meet everyone and understand more about the program. This is a logistical question. I will be moving to LA from SF and I was thinking of staying in Phase 1 housing over the summer and then figuring it out later where to stay. Is this too far from where classes will be? Should I look for an apt now? And where is a good place to stay?

Also we absolutely need a car right?

I don't know where to tell you to live if you want to be close to campus. The neighborhoods around the school are not part of LA that I have spent much time in. Personally, I lived on the westside of LA, which I absolutely love and miss, and now I live in Long Beach, also a good place to live. I would say look in south pasadena, alhambra, pasadena, or any of the neighborhoods north and northeast of campus. They are all close and pretty safe. If you don't mind a longer drive, I can help you with places on the west side. Personally I love downtown LA but it is extremely urban/industrial down there and lacking some basics but it has a lot of character, hip bars, etc. It's what realtors would call a "transitional neighborhood"

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Rpatil88, I believe having a car is a must in LA. The school also requires a copy of your drivers license and insurance info, so I think it is required that you have a car. Hopefully, we will be able to car pool some though, cause when I asked Kathy what hospitals we do clinicals at she listed off hospitals from all around LA county.

Yea, I would bring a car. Inntchka gets around on public transportation but she also gets a lot of rides from her classmates like me. LA's public transportation system leaves a lot to be desired and personally would not want to have to rely on it to get around.

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Yea, I would bring a car.

Oh yeah, I didn't mean to imply you can do this without a car at all - you'll at least need it to complete your paperwork and health clearance packets. I was merely pointing out that there are other ways to get around LA - like lovely classmates who give rides :D or pub trans (which is really not as unreliable or scary as people would have you believe. :cool:)

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Hi,

I've been following/reading/updating on this forum for some time now. First, I would like to thank Innatchka and Bababaowman for all the great info, advice and help! I really do appreciate it. I have an interview with CSULA this upcoming Monday! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time. But with the advices I have read here, I feel more at ease and confident. I was just wondering if there are any pointers you may give in regards to the interview? Thanks :)

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5unshine- I had my interview yesterday, check out the advice that dewdrops gave a few pages back in this thread. Its spot on. Follow it and you will be fine : ) Good luck!

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Thanks Sam198!!

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This question is for Innatchka and Bababaowman: is the orientation something I can bring my husband to or should I go solo? Thanks

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Eek! I just got a phone call from Kathy! I cant believe it : )

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Congrats Sam! I also received a phone call from the coordinator earlier today. Has anyone else heard anything?

Now to think about moving arrangements from SF to LA... how is everyone else going about this?

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