2009-2010 SUNY Downstate Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Ooooooh, downstate has HDTV in their swell anatomy labs 👍....although their lecture hall/research labs in the Basic Science Building made me feel like I time-warped back into the '60s 👎. Didn't meet any students on the tour other than the tour guides who were like 'meh' 😕...are students happy here?
 
noshowl said:
Ooooooh, downstate has HDTV in their swell anatomy labs 👍....although their lecture hall/research labs in the Basic Science Building made me feel like I time-warped back into the '60s 👎. Didn't meet any students on the tour other than the tour guides who were like 'meh' 😕...are students happy here?
Click to expand...

Yeah the HDTV were pretty sweet. I really was impressed.
 
noshowl said:
Ooooooh, downstate has HDTV in their swell anatomy labs 👍....although their lecture hall/research labs in the Basic Science Building made me feel like I time-warped back into the '60s 👎. Didn't meet any students on the tour other than the tour guides who were like 'meh' 😕...are students happy here?
Click to expand...

awww I'm sorry to hear that -- I'm actually pretty happy here at downstate. One of the aspects I like best here is the strong community of students. Everyone is very friendly and there's a lot of cooperativity that goes on among classmates and even between the different years (e.g. people will send out review sheets that they typed up of the lectures or charts they made up to for memorizing drugs, etc). It's definitely a welcome change from my undergrad, which was hypercompetitive.

~m
 
So I've taken classes @ Downstate and done research there, the facilities are very nice. I recently went to a Sinai open house and thought Downstate's facilities were nicer. Maybe it's just b/c Sinai is somewhat under construction, though Sinai's 2nd year lecture hall is a beauty.
 
Downstate was a really interesting experience. I had mixed feelings coming into the day but left with an overall really good impression of the school. I just wanted to give you guys a heads up about the lunch though haha. I was running late to the interview because of a mixup on the subway and was really hoping to get something to boost my energy before my interview...tuna sandwiches were the only option. For those of you with slighly finnicky diets I suggest eating a substantial meal before going.
 
Tuna sandwiches caused me allergies afterwards. I got red spots over my skin.🙁
 
noshowl said:
Ooooooh, downstate has HDTV in their swell anatomy labs 👍....although their lecture hall/research labs in the Basic Science Building made me feel like I time-warped back into the '60s 👎. Didn't meet any students on the tour other than the tour guides who were like 'meh' 😕...are students happy here?
Click to expand...

When I went the tour guides really had nothing good to say about the school except the price, and since I'm OOS, that doesn't even apply to me. One of the guides also went through all the other schools in New York and basically listed why each of the other schools "sucked". Well, he actually didn't give a reason, just stated that they "sucked". "Buffalo is horrible, Einstein is the worst of them all!..."

My interviewer was also kind of a jerk and literally drilled me on why I would want to come to Downstate since I'm not from New York. In addition to asking me where else I applied, where I've interviewed, what I thought of the schools I'd visited, why I would choose a public NY school over all those private schools since they have a lot more money, etc.

Overall left me with a really bad impression of the school!
 
EBLoneStar said:
When I went the tour guides really had nothing good to say about the school except the price, and since I'm OOS, that doesn't even apply to me. One of the guides also went through all the other schools in New York and basically listed why each of the other schools "sucked". Well, he actually didn't give a reason, just stated that they "sucked". "Buffalo is horrible, Einstein is the worst of them all!..."

My interviewer was also kind of a jerk and literally drilled me on why I would want to come to Downstate since I'm not from New York. In addition to asking me where else I applied, where I've interviewed, what I thought of the schools I'd visited, why I would choose a public NY school over all those private schools since they have a lot more money, etc.

Overall left me with a really bad impression of the school!
Click to expand...


My experience was a little different from yours. The guides I had were pleasant and did well in talking and showing us around. My problem was that we didn't really get to tour the hospital that much and the facilities needed some upgrade. The anatomy lab was in the basement and freezing cold. Imagine being there in the winter? Also they split the lab with PT, PA and nursing students. You get to see diverse cases at Downstate hospital but any medical school in New York city should give you that experience. I feel the main reason most students were there was because of the tuition. Not a bad reason though.
 
first of all.. this is a NYC school, a Bk school a state school

do you ever find NYers outside or on the train running around in jubilee blowing kisses in the air all happy and ****? no, you are not gonna find it at ANY nyc school. what you will find is that OOSers will give most of the tours at the private manhattan schools and that will attract you. but NY is always going to be an independent place. don't let this "students look happy" **** throw you off. you have to understand whether or not you will be a. happy in their first 2 year curriculum b. happy seeing that patient population
 
EBLoneStar said:
When I went the tour guides really had nothing good to say about the school except the price, and since I'm OOS, that doesn't even apply to me. One of the guides also went through all the other schools in New York and basically listed why each of the other schools "sucked". Well, he actually didn't give a reason, just stated that they "sucked". "Buffalo is horrible, Einstein is the worst of them all!..."

My interviewer was also kind of a jerk and literally drilled me on why I would want to come to Downstate since I'm not from New York. In addition to asking me where else I applied, where I've interviewed, what I thought of the schools I'd visited, why I would choose a public NY school over all those private schools since they have a lot more money, etc.

Overall left me with a really bad impression of the school!
Click to expand...

If you're not from New York, but want to attend a New York state school, those are valid questions. IMO, all OOSs should be "drilled" at med schools outside their state.

As a New Yorker myself, I also backup what brooklynblunder says in his/her post.

When I attended Downstate's Info Session, everyone was very nice and friendly.
 
0_cat_state_1 said:
If you're not from New York, but want to attend a New York state school, those are valid questions. IMO, all OOSs should be "drilled" at med schools outside their state.

As a New Yorker myself, I also backup what brooklynblunder says in his/her post.

When I attended Downstate's Info Session, everyone was very nice and friendly.
Click to expand...

I agree that those are valid questions, but what he did was make it sound like I was a complete idiot for being willing to pay just as much as it would cost me to attend a private school and come to a state school instead where they have "fewer faculty members, fewer resources, a smaller endowment, fewer opportunities to have funding provided for research, etc." (his words, not mine). To me, it was like he was equating my decision to apply there with being willing to pay designer department store prices for off-brand thrift store items or something.
 
i think the reason you would go to downstate is really

1. tuition (if you are OOS, you have to live off campus for a year)
2. the clinical experience. while all NYC hospitals would offer this, i think you would be a bit more handson here. if thats your thing.

you wont get Langorne/Pres/Hosp for Spec Surg with downstate but you will get a solid training. and i loved the faculty.

as far as #1. its pretty easy to claim residency anywhere. you might have to **** around a bit. but you dont have to live in nyc to be a ny resident 🙂

call an uncle/aunt
 
hey guys i'm OOS and i'm supposed to interview at SUNY downstate on 10/13. I had a question about transportation to my hotel. I'm hoping somone from around the area can answer this question.

In one of my e-mails the interview coordinators says, "If you decide to take a taxi from the airport, please use the yellow taxi cabs. In Manhattan and around the airports you should always use the Yellow Taxi Cabs. In Brooklyn we use car service."

I didn't book reservations at one of their recommended hotels but another place that got decent reviews. I'm trying to figure how I'm going to get there from La Guardia to my hotel and the receptionist there said I can get a private car service for a flat rate of $35. When I called the actual drive, though, I had a horrible time understanding him through the phone due to his accent. $35 is pretty cheap but can I depend on this guy?

P.S. The hotel is in Brooklyn.
 
bravofleet4 said:
hey guys i'm OOS and i'm supposed to interview at SUNY downstate on 10/13. I had a question about transportation to my hotel. I'm hoping somone from around the area can answer this question.

In one of my e-mails the interview coordinators says, "If you decide to take a taxi from the airport, please use the yellow taxi cabs. In Manhattan and around the airports you should always use the Yellow Taxi Cabs. In Brooklyn we use car service."

I didn't book reservations at one of their recommended hotels but another place that got decent reviews. I'm trying to figure how I'm going to get there from La Guardia to my hotel and the receptionist there said I can get a private car service for a flat rate of $35. When I called the actual drive, though, I had a horrible time understanding him through the phone due to his accent. $35 is pretty cheap but can I depend on this guy?

P.S. The hotel is in Brooklyn.
Click to expand...

where in brooklyn is the hotel? PM me; i think i've made myself unofficial SDNer in charge of giving NYC transit directions 🙂
 
Has any one gotten this message on their status check?
Your Admissions Requirement checklist status will be sent to you by email until further notice.

I had those boxes with checks before, but it chanaged to this; any one help?
 
NeuroChaos said:
Has any one gotten this message on their status check?
Your Admissions Requirement checklist status will be sent to you by email until further notice.

I had those boxes with checks before, but it chanaged to this; any one help?
Click to expand...

Just checked... my status page was also updated to this.
 
NeuroChaos said:
Has any one gotten this message on their status check?
Your Admissions Requirement checklist status will be sent to you by email until further notice.

I had those boxes with checks before, but it chanaged to this; any one help?
Click to expand...

I got the same message. Early sign of rejection?
 
I have the same message. Does anyone know what this means


Your Admissions Requirement checklist status will be sent to you by email until further notice.
 
MegaProjectile said:
I got the same message. Early sign of rejection?
Click to expand...

Relax kids! It did this about a month or so ago. I wouldn't look into it too much, but I do think a bunch of invites went out after it went back to looking normal for what it's worth!
 
I read something about this about Downstate, because I had an interview here in 2007. It seems everyone who has received an acceptance usually got something changed on their status page first before they received their actual acceptance. I am not sure if that is what they were talking about.
 
IntelInside said:
I have the same message. Does anyone know what this means


Your Admissions Requirement checklist status will be sent to you by email until further notice.
Click to expand...


I got the same message :scared:
 
I also have the "admissions checklist will be emailed" message post interview. My guess is that it either means absolutely nothing, or that the adcom has our files open now (but that is a 100% guess).
 
I haven't checked my Downstate online status in a long time so I'm not sure if mine was a sudden change or if it's always being there. They did have a problem with this early this summer so it might much ado about nothing.
 
I have it too, pre-interview. I'm sure it's nothing. At least, I'm trying to convince myself that I'm sure it's nothing to spare myself a roller coaster of emotions.
 
bowlin123 said:
I read something about this about Downstate, because I had an interview here in 2007. It seems everyone who has received an acceptance usually got something changed on their status page first before they received their actual acceptance. I am not sure if that is what they were talking about.
Click to expand...

The status change when the invite was sent out in '07 added more boxes to your status page. So the bunch of lines at the bottom of the status page turned into more boxes for things like health forms and such.

Since it seems like its happening to just about everyone, they're probably doing some sort of upgrade or having some website issues.
 
Mine changed now. Post-interview. It probably means nothing.
 
Last year it looks like they were making their first decisions around October 19th (that person could have been early decision though), and for sure making them in the first week of November.

I doubt the change on the status page means anything, however (especially considering that pre-interview people have it).
 
dw2158 said:
lding pen! one kid had his interview in the room attached to it. so we could hear everything. everything. we tried to keep the conversation going so we wouldn't be tempted to listen... whenever there was an awkward silence someone would be like "so i drink a lot of coffee..." it was mad weird. that poor kid.
Click to expand...

I think that poor kid was me (9/10?)! Thanks for trying to cover it up though...how'd it sound from the outside?
 
tomfadial said:
I think that poor kid was me (9/10?)! Thanks for trying to cover it up though...how'd it sound from the outside?
Click to expand...

omg, it totally was you! we seriously kept talking so we wouldn't be tempted to listen. so don't worry, we only heard muffled speaking noises. that was hilarious, though.
 
From what I've heard it takes 8-10 weeks post interview to receive notice about your acceptance/recjection and I was wondering do they do post-interview hold. That would suck big time to wait only to receive a letter stating they are putting your app. on hold so they can reject you later....
 
biolover88 said:
From what I've heard it takes 8-10 weeks post interview to receive notice about your acceptance/recjection and I was wondering do they do post-interview hold. That would suck big time to wait only to receive a letter stating they are putting your app. on hold so they can reject you later....
Click to expand...

It would be a definite possibility they waitlist you. Hope it doesn't happen to us!
 
hi, Does anyone know whether interview invites are sent out via snail mail or email? I'm hearing snail mail. Snail mail... really??
 
boogerpuff said:
hi, Does anyone know whether interview invites are sent out via snail mail or email? I'm hearing snail mail. Snail mail... really??
Click to expand...

Pretty sure I got my invite through email. Never got anything through snail mail.
 
CalBear2009 said:
Pretty sure I got my invite through email. Never got anything through snail mail.
Click to expand...

Oos, I thought he meant acceptance decisions.

Yeah, interview invites are through email but acceptance decisions are through snail mail.
 
So they said they send out snail mail on the 15th? I can't quite remember.
 
So, i had my secondary sent in the first week of september. I called them next week to make sure everything was in and the lady tole me everything was turned in. I waited for a month to receive my confirmation via snail mail and never received it. So I called then this week and was told that they never recieved my mcat score😕...wierd cuz i took my mcats on 7/31 and results were out by 9/1. I was upset cuz i spent nights doing my secondary to get it to them ASAP. I obviously had to send them a hard copy of my mcats and recieved a confirmation via email the next day(like 2 days back) saying I was complete. Still havent received snail mail...I feel it was a waste of time to the secondary because my application was just sitting there for a good 1 month...just felt like sharing my story...i have no hopes anymore for an invite becasue i feel im too late now..not even my fault...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

wysdoc
2024-2025 SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn)
24 25 26 27 28
Replies
1K
Views
306K
applecrisps
A
wysdoc
2023-2024 SUNY Downstate (Brooklyn)
32 33 34 35 36
Replies
2K
Views
350K
mmssjj
M
G
2022-2023 SUNY Downstate
Replies
0
Views
2K
gretahw
G
wysdoc
2022-2023 SUNY - Downstate
26 27 28 29 30
Replies
1K
Views
311K
coolkid5678
C
wysdoc
2024-2025 SUNY Upstate (Norton)
5 6 7 8 9
Replies
403
Views
94K
Liam K
Liam K
Top