for those of you who have interviewed already or are familiar with philadelphia area, any recommendations on hotels? what areas are best to stay in? do you recommend downtown/city center?
I don't know areas beside downtown/city center. City center is pretty safe, and you just have to take a subway straight down Broad st to get to Temple U SOM (past the undergrad campus).
You can look at your Temple application website and it has student host list, also Holiday Inn Express (1305 Walnut st) and Hampton Inn (1301 Race St) in Center City (downtown) that offer reduced rate for Temple students/interviewees. I called in Sept both and they're both about $120/night + tax.
I stayed at Holiday Inn and it's not bad for the price. There's free breakfast, which I love the cinnamon buns and there're free juices too. They provide iron for clothes, I didn't know so I brought my own, lol! The AC can be a bit loud, but if it's just a drone, so slept fine with it anyway.
When interviewing, you can leave your luggage at the hotel counter or bring it and leave it at Temple Admissions Office lobby.
You can park at the hotel garage at some fee/night (call them). The neighborhood seems all right, it's right next to the city hall (you can see looking down on Broad St), so the crime shouldn't be too rampant/out of control.
I just took the R1 rail (I think R2 works too) from the PHL (airport) to Market East station, walked 10-15 min to the hotel. To go from Holiday Inn to Temple School of Medicine (or hospital, which is across the street), the subway is straight shot down Broad St. Take Broad Street Subway Local (
BSL) north from
Walnut-Locust station to
Allegheny Avenue. Current fare is $2.00 (exact change). Do not exit at Temple University stop that is for the
undergraduate campus. Exit subway train at Allegheny Avenue and after
climbing stairs to street level, walk north on Broad Street toward red Temple flags three blocks to corner of
Broad and Tioga. Cross Broad Street to get to the new Medical Education and Research Building on the northwest corner of Broad and Tioga. Enter building, sign in at the security desk and proceed to Suite 124 on the first floor.
The Temple website directions say to exit at Allegheny Ave, but I would exit at
Erie station, which is one station after, b/c it's closer to Broad & Tioga, where the Med Edu and Research Building is.
I think it's pretty easy getting around by subway, so you don't need a car. Also, Broad st around 9 to 10 AM is a bit busy, so I would think going by subway is faster.
To help plan your trip in Philadelphia, use their public transportation website SEPTA:
http://airs1.septa.org/bin/query.exe/en?
Anyway, check your Temple application website, it has many info like student host list, Hampton & Holiday Inn info, and directions to and from Temple by car or public transportation.
There're plenty other hotels in the area, I think I saw Marriot. Just check on google or yahoo map. I wasn't able to get a student host b/c they're all busy studying for the Anatomy/something exam or away for their 3rd/4th year rotations. But the med students live away from the campus, so staying with them is likely not closer to Temple SOM than staying at a Center City hotel.
so my interview is thursday... flying in tomorrow...
philly transit workers on strike as of today...
fml?
Yeah, you can always take the taxi, just stop them as they're passing by on the streets.
my app is under review since 09/30 - how long does it usually take to review?
😕
Just tired of waiting
😳
Mine took 2 months when complete at 8/4. Since you applied late, maybe it'll take longer, like 2+ months.
