2013-2014 SUNY Downstate Application Thread

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YankeeBean said:
What kind of program are you in? 2 year MS? are you just starting a SMP?
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I will start the 2nd year of my masters in the fall. Just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience with downstate or other schools?
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mk3255 said:
I will start the 2nd year of my masters in the fall. Just wondering if anyone else had a similar experience with downstate or other schools?
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I am in a 2 year MS as well. From what I have gathered from professors in my program, and my discussions with deans and ADCOM members at other schools, it's not that difficult to put your nose to the grindstone for 10 months in graduate school. For applicants such as you and I, medical schools will be interested grade trends continuing into year 2. If you did bad in year 1, they'll want to see significant improvement for the fall. If you did well in year 1, they'll want to see this level of performance continued or improved if not already at a 4.0 level.
 
Hi all, I have a question about one of the secondary questions: Question:
If you are not attending college full time as of September 15, please describe your activities for the period September 2013 to July 2014. Please enter none if there are none. (Limit 200 words)

I'm taking 2 years off before school. For the 1st year I was a research coordinator for a study that is ending at the end of September. Currently, I have no plans for after september. I've been applying for similar positions, but it's hard when you're working FT and have 10 secondaries sitting in your inbox haha... so how should I handle this question? I was thinking of explaining the situation, mentioning that I am applying for similar position and say that I will write an update when I have something secured or even update during interviews (if I am so lucky). Maybe I should send all of my schools this update as well. Does this sound like a good plan? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 
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mdclass said:
Hi all, I have a question about one of the secondary questions: Question:
If you are not attending college full time as of September 15, please describe your activities for the period September 2013 to July 2014. Please enter none if there are none. (Limit 200 words)

I'm taking 2 years off before school. For the 1st year I was a research coordinator for a study that is ending at the end of September. Currently, I have no plans for after september. I've been applying for similar positions, but it's hard when you're working FT and have 10 secondaries sitting in your inbox haha... so how should I handle this question? I was thinking of explaining the situation, mentioning that I am applying for similar position and say that I will write an update when I have something secured or even update during interviews (if I am so lucky). Maybe I should send all of my schools this update as well. Does this sound like a good plan? Any advice would be greatly appreciated
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Definitely tell them what you're doing if it comes up on an interview, but otherwise I would not do that. I would come up with some sort of plan and describe it to them, even if it's just to say you're doing more volunteering and hope to find a position doing research on subject x because you're interested in reason y.

I'd only update schools you're interviewing with, maybe 1 or 2 schools you REALLY want to go to if you havent been given an II and it's late in the cycle. Update policies vary by school but my understanding is that they have more than enough information to judge you by and wont look at it unless its a major new addition to your application, such as a publication. Of course, policies vary. That being the case I think it's a mistake to shine a light on your current predicament.

If you look at Downstate's admission requirements: http://sls.downstate.edu/admissions/com/procedures/index.html they are pretty explicit about not wanting additional material.

My 2 cents :) Goodluck!
 
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Is stats definitely needed for this school? I'm a math minor, so I took several math classes, just never any stats...It would suck if I can't apply for that one reason...
Edit: this was meant to go on the Upstate one sorry :oops:
 
sharpie42 said:
Is stats definitely needed for this school? I'm a math minor, so I took several math classes, just never any stats...It would suck if I can't apply for that one reason...
Edit: this was meant to go on the Upstate one sorry :oops:
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THANK GOD. I saw this post and it scared the crap out of me - I was sure it was only at upstate as far as SUNY's go..
 
Did anyone else get a request for additional information? Idk if this is a good thing or not.
 
ThunderBear said:
Did anyone else get a request for additional information? Idk if this is a good thing or not.
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Yup, I got one asking for my Spring 2013 grades because they weren't up yet when I sent my transcript to AMCAS. I don't know if it's a good thing, but I can't imagine they would ask for more info if they weren't interested in you at all.
 
I received one asking for upcoming Fall 2013 grades.
 
can anyone explain the organic chem course requirement to me?

i have taken organic I - 4 hours and organic 1 lab- 2 hours and organic 2-4 hours but NOT organic 2 lab.. i have 10 total hours of organic chem and the requirement is 8, but i don't know if i need organic II lab?
 
anyone know where/how to send updates to this school?
 
just sent in my secondary! good luck to everyone applying :)
 
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Same, wannabeMD19, but isn't it a little bit odd that Downstate scheduled the interview for us? I was expecting to be able to schedule when I wanted my interview, seeing as I will be flying in.
 
basketcase0a0 said:
Same, wannabeMD19, but isn't it a little bit odd that Downstate scheduled the interview for us? I was expecting to be able to schedule when I wanted my interview, seeing as I will be flying in.
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Yeah, pretty strange... I have to schedule a train or something down there it's not an easy trip for me either.

Wake Forest on the other hand is a long drive for me and they let me call to pick a day. Very nice set-up
 
Congrats to all who got IIs! Just thought I'd pass on though to the rest of us that downstate is one of those schools that doesn't review applications in the order they're complete, bless their hearts:
http://sls.downstate.edu/admissions/com/review/index.html

So this is one school we'll just have to be patient with I guess.

Good luck all!
 
ok i just submit and paid but when i tried to log in again it still has the 'pay now' button. does it take some time for this to change?

also if i want to check application status do i just log in to the same link as the secondary or do i go somewhere else?
 
yoyohomieg5432 said:
ok i just submit and paid but when i tried to log in again it still has the 'pay now' button. does it take some time for this to change?

also if i want to check application status do i just log in to the same link as the secondary or do i go somewhere else?
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Yup, it took like a week for them to actually process my payment. All it does though is change to "Your secondary application has been processed" or something to that effect. I think all of their correspondence is over email.
 
Did anyone get something that seemed like a reminder email? I only just received the secondary last week so I don't know why they would send me an email so soon telling me that my supplemental application is incomplete... Anyone know if they have a set deadline for submission?
 
Interview invite! My first- and my top choice :D
IS/32T/cGPA 3.77/sGPA 3.57 nontrad-ish (graduated 3 years ago)

I was complete in mid-July but as noted earlier, Downstate doesn't review apps in the order they're complete

Good luck everyone !!
 
AlexMack12 said:
Interview invite! My first- and my top choice :D
IS/32T/cGPA 3.77/sGPA 3.57 nontrad-ish (graduated 3 years ago)

I was complete in mid-July but as noted earlier, Downstate doesn't review apps in the order they're complete

Good luck everyone !!
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Got one too!!!!!! One of my top choices as well :love:
 
Congrats on all the II's guys!

Has any fellow OOS folks got II's yet?
 
II !! yay
IS/ 3.75/32

Do you guys know if we would have to write any essays on the day of the interview?
Thanks in advance!
 
For all of those with II, can you list your complete dates? Thanks.
 
QrtrLifeCrisis said:
For all of those with II, can you list your complete dates? Thanks.
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July 18th, but remember that Downstate doesn't review in the order they receive, so that's fairly irrelevant except to give you a minimum turnaround time
 
What does that even mean? They pull out random applications every day to read?

seems kinda.. odd
 
Jepstein30 said:
What does that even mean? They pull out random applications every day to read?

seems kinda.. odd
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To put it simply, yes that's what they do. Buffalo does that too, so it may just be a SUNY thing. Of course that Downstate site isn't totally accurate, since I have an II and Labor Day hasn't happened yet, but I'll allow that clerical oversight :laugh:
 
basketcase0a0 said:
July 18th, but remember that Downstate doesn't review in the order they receive, so that's fairly irrelevant except to give you a minimum turnaround time
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I'm just curious to know if later submissions are also being handed II so it is relevant, but thanks.
 
II! IS, complete late july, MCAT > 34 GPA > 3.9

one of my top choices! :love:
 
For those of us who took a year off, wouldn't the first two questions be essentially the same..? :confused:
 
LuciusVorenus said:
For those of us who took a year off, wouldn't the first two questions be essentially the same..? :confused:
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One is asking what you did before now and one is asking what you're doing from now on. For example, I've been out of school since Spring 2012, so I've been out for a year and will have a year between now and starting medical school :)xf:). Therefore, I wrote the first essay about the research I've done for the last year until now. The second essay discussed what I plan to do before starting school.
 
milkphlegm said:
One is asking what you did before now and one is asking what you're doing from now on. For example, I've been out of school since Spring 2012, so I've been out for a year and will have a year between now and starting medical school :)xf:). Therefore, I wrote the first essay about the research I've done for the last year until now. The second essay discussed what I plan to do before starting school.
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Ah ok. So if I've been out of school since Spring 2013 then that's technically a little less than 3 months and I shouldn't do the first essay, but should do the second essay?
 
LuciusVorenus said:
Ah ok. So if I've been out of school since Spring 2013 then that's technically a little less than 3 months and I shouldn't do the first essay, but should do the second essay?
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That's how I would do it if I were you, hopefully that's what they're getting at.
 
II (first). Complete about a week ago. As a reapplicant it feels good for my ego to start the cycle off with a quick turnaround for at least one school, so thank you Downstate. I was waitlisted here two years ago. Here's hoping for a different outcome.
 
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nyctranslocus said:
II (first). Complete about a week ago. As a reapplicant it feels good for my ego to start the cycle off with a quick turnaround for at least one school, so thank you Downstate. I was waitlisted here two years ago. Here's hoping for a different outcome.
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Congrats! That first interview feels great - I feel you on that.
 
If I graduated two years ago, but started my full-time position right away then do I have to do the first essay about the education/employment break?
 
II today. First one, very exciting!
In-state/3.9/37
Complete 8/9.

Is anyone else interviewing September 18th?
 
did anyone with an II get an email confirming that they got your email confirmation? I haven't heard back after confirming that my date works.
 
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