2009-2010 SUNY Upstate Application Thread

[BigRedder]

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1) You probably won't have as many high-tech mannequins found in other schools. Also, some journals are not available online.
2) Class dependent. People seem to form groups, go to bars, etc.. Most people are pretty laid back but there are always gunners.
3) You have many options in both Syracuse and Binghamton. There are some really interesting 4th yr rotations. During 3rd yr, you get a one month elective where you can do whatever you want. This can be used to do research or doing an AI so you can get used to the whole process. Some students take step 2during this time.
4) Not really- this is one of the weak points. There are nice bars near by (armory square, google it). There are plenty of skiing options within 30 minutes. Otherwise, not much else going on in Syracuse.
7) A lot of students live across the highway in Jefferson/Madison towers. Rent is about 1k/month there. You can commute from 10 minutes away and pay closer to 400/month. Housing is very cheap and available. Some students rent out houses which can be pretty cool.
8) Not absolutely necessary. Parking is a pain but you can rent a spot for 30 bucks a month. Traffic is a problem on the North bound side of 81 from 8-9 when everyone is showing up for work.
9) Gym has horrendous hours- pretty much a joke in my humble opinion. You can do some research for most of these answers-
http://library.upstate.edu/

During finals/exam time, library hours are better. There are plenty of places to study- you have off hours access.


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I can honestly say that with the exception of 1 professor, Upstate was wonderful. It is high on the 'bang for buck' list. The biggest weakness is Syracuse itself- it is a cold, snowy and depressing city.

University Hospital is highly respected in the area and the trauma experience is amazing. You see a lot of trauma that you wouldn't experience elsewhere. If you are into ortho, there is a massive research facility (http://www.upstate.edu/ihp/) where you have access to a lot of amazing equipment, cadavers, etc.. I managed to get several publications/posters in a short period of time.

Just a few things to comment on:

As far as fun things to do, you shouldn't have trouble being entertained. You will be going to class or studying most of the day, so there doesn't need to be a huge list of possible activities. There plenty of outdoor activities: apple picking in the Fall, ice skating in the winter, and the previously mentioned skiing, etc. There are bars/restaurants near campus (SU is adjacent) and bars/restaurants downtown. There is a community theatre and some travelling shows that come through. There is a legit mall, and Wegmans galore. Anyway, as I mentioned before, you don't need that much distraction.

Jefferson and Madison cost in the 700-800 range for 1 bedrooms, including utilities. Two bedrooms and townhouses (highly in demand) cost about 1100-1200 (total) I believe.

You can get by without a car as long as you have a friend who can take you to go grocery shopping. If you live close by you can walk or bike to class. I generally only drive on weekends, and I went several months without a car. Parking at the school is about $30 or so a month, but it might be increasing.

The gym is open during the week from 7am-10pm. Weekend and summer hours are less. It is all I ever needed, and it is included in our activity fee.