2015-2016 SUNY Downstate Application Thread

Discover Your Odds of Getting into Medical School
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Accepted! Interviewed end of September and am glad to see some NYC love!
 
accepted by snail mail 2 days ago! interviewed mid october. good luck to those waiting to hear back!
 
Anyone else who interviewed early/mid September still waiting for a decision?
 
Interviewed 10/14 and placed on "hold for spring consideration." A lot of threads from previous years say conflicting things about this list...any thoughts?
 
meteoroid said:
Interviewed 10/14 and placed on "hold for spring consideration." A lot of threads from previous years say conflicting things about this list...any thoughts?
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there is typically a LOT of movement from the HFS list. I myself was taken from the list on May 16th, before it became the "alternate list," and almost every one of my friends here also came off of either HFS or the alternate list. It is nowhere near a death sentence, just adds to the length of the wait, which sucks. But when you get that phone call in May it'll be worth it!
 
grey_wind said:
curious if you ever got an answer, or if you wound up sending in an update pre-II

if anyone else knows if they are open to it, feel free to chime in 🙂
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I was just wondering this myself, but this is what I found on their FAQ:

13. How do I submit additional information?
Submit additional information only at the request of the Admissions Committee or if you have already been interviewed. All information should be sent via email to [email protected]

I wanted to send a pre-II update regarding a first-author pub (among other things), but now I am hesistant...
 
aspireMD said:
I was just wondering this myself, but this is what I found on their FAQ:

13. How do I submit additional information?
Submit additional information only at the request of the Admissions Committee or if you have already been interviewed. All information should be sent via email to [email protected]

I wanted to send a pre-II update regarding a first-author pub (among other things), but now I am hesistant...
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thanks! Glad I held back haha
 
aspireMD said:
I was just wondering this myself, but this is what I found on their FAQ:

13. How do I submit additional information?
Submit additional information only at the request of the Admissions Committee or if you have already been interviewed. All information should be sent via email to [email protected]

I wanted to send a pre-II update regarding a first-author pub (among other things), but now I am hesistant...
Click to expand...

I just sent a pre-II update yesterday and got an e-mail response thanking me for the update and letting me know that it would be added to my file. No harm in sending one in!
 
Thank you so much for the insight! 🙂
Emt2md23 said:
there is typically a LOT of movement from the HFS list. I myself was taken from the list on May 16th, before it became the "alternate list," and almost every one of my friends here also came off of either HFS or the alternate list. It is nowhere near a death sentence, just adds to the length of the wait, which sucks. But when you get that phone call in May it'll be worth it!
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Does anyone have a copy of the secondary? Unfortunately I can't see mine on the portal, and I was curious about some of the questions they asked (the rudimentary demographic stuff to be specific, I saved a copy of my secondary essays).

If anyone has those basic questions form the secondary (threw screenshots or copy and paste) mind shooting me a direct message? Thanks!
 
Dr. Stalker said:
Does anyone have a copy of the secondary? Unfortunately I can't see mine on the portal, and I was curious about some of the questions they asked (the rudimentary demographic stuff to be specific, I saved a copy of my secondary essays).

If anyone has those basic questions form the secondary (threw screenshots or copy and paste) mind shooting me a direct message? Thanks!
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Question:
If there were periods longer than 3 months, from the time you graduated from high school to now, when you were not employed full-time or in college full-time, please briefly describe your activities. (Limit 150 words)

If you are not attending college full time as of September 15, please describe your activities for the period September 2015 to July 2016. Please enter none if there are none. (Limit 200 words)

If you are not from the 5 boroughs of New York City, describe what personal experiences prepare you to live and study in New York City, and what will be your personal support system. (Limit 150 words)

If you have a specific reason why you wish to attend SUNY Downstate or a medical school in New York City, please explain. (Limit 100 words)
 
Jay_W said:
Question:
If there were periods longer than 3 months, from the time you graduated from high school to now, when you were not employed full-time or in college full-time, please briefly describe your activities. (Limit 150 words)

If you are not attending college full time as of September 15, please describe your activities for the period September 2015 to July 2016. Please enter none if there are none. (Limit 200 words)

If you are not from the 5 boroughs of New York City, describe what personal experiences prepare you to live and study in New York City, and what will be your personal support system. (Limit 150 words)

If you have a specific reason why you wish to attend SUNY Downstate or a medical school in New York City, please explain. (Limit 100 words)
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Thanks for the essay prompts, sorry I might have been unclear in my previous post; I have the essay prompts and my responses saved, but do you have the demographic questions that SUNY DS secondary asked us? Or if they asked us to manually type in our grades etc.?
 
Dr. Stalker said:
Thanks for the essay prompts, sorry I might have been unclear in my previous post; I have the essay prompts and my responses saved, but do you have the demographic questions that SUNY DS secondary asked us? Or if they asked us to manually type in our grades etc.?
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Sorry I don't have those saved. :shrug:
 
Rejected earlier today, first one of the cycle. Interviewed here on 10/21. Oh well, best of luck to those still waiting to hear back from the school.
 
entresuspiros said:
Rejected earlier today, first one of the cycle. Interviewed here on 10/21. Oh well, best of luck to those still waiting to hear back from the school.
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Sorry to hear about that. May I ask how you were informed, email or regular mail? Best of luck for the rest of your application!
 
THE_KITTENS_MITTENS said:
Just put on the "Hold for Spring Consideration" list. Interviewed 10/19, OOS, LizzyM 77. Frankly it's not like I would go if I got in anyway, as I didn't particularly care for the school. Not trying to bash those who like it, but Brooklyn and SUNY Downstate certainly are not the place for me. I'm originally from the rural Midwest, so trying to get around NYC was very foreign for me and when I got there the ladies in the admissions office were very gruff in general - very impolite and demanding. When we got to the lunch part of the interview day I only had 6 minutes before I was whisked away from the lunch/discussion table to my interview in a different building, leaving ~90% of my food behind. The place where I interviewed was about 3-4 blocks away, and during my interview my stomach kept grumbling obnoxiously because they didn't give me a chance to eat the lunch they gave me. Also, after my interview I was just expected to figure out how to get back to the admissions office, but the guy leading me to my interview didn't tell me I was liable for the return route so I just made pleasant conversation with him instead of tracking our route.

Basically, I didn't care for the school due to my experience on the interview day. No offense to those who want to go here - it's just not the environment for a rural midwestern guy accustomed to midwestern politeness. Overall, it just left a sour taste in my mouth. I'll be withdrawing my application - I actually had forgotten to until I received the email from them today. Best of luck to you all - I'm sure the school is much more well-suited to a different set of people.
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Wow. That sucks. Disclosure: Downstate is not my top choice but the school impressed me in a very strong way.

The admissions staff was very cordial and polite. In fact, the office seemed to be nicer than some other places I've visited. The hospitality was an eye-opener because I am from NYC and everyone here is usually an ass. I came a little bit late and wasn't greeted with judgement and annoyance. The Dean stopped by to talk with us and she seemed very down to earth, polite, and as enthusiastic as one can be after reciting the same speech multiple times a week. I've interviewed at another SUNY and a few schools in Manhattan and so far Downstate med students are by far the coolest and most laid back students I've met. This might have something to do with the fact that they were 3rd years (whereas other schools had mostly newbie 1st years and exhausted 2nd years - so not a fair comparison, but still). They were the perfect combination of chill but confidence inspiring and they clearly love their school. The lunch was fine, we got adequate time, were not rushed, and ate/talked in a very casual setting for about 40 minutes (if not more). The food itself kind of sucked (worst sandwiches compared to other school lunches). The applicants who had interviews got to eat for ~15 min before they were taken away. My actual interview was about a 5 minute walk from the admissions office in the hospital building. My interviewer had an emergency toward the end and had to leave urgently so I offered to find my own way back to admissions. My interviewer repeatedly refused and said that they will get in trouble if they "lose" an applicant (in a joking way); so I was walked pretty much back to the office.

Overall the school was more professional than I thought it would be, the students blew the day out of the water with their awesomeness, and the neighborhood is not THAT bad. I came in with low expectations and left extremely impressed. Did I mention what an awesome impression the students left? They were so happy to be there I **almost** would choose Downstate over a top school in NYC if given the chance (no acceptances anywhere yet...). With a little financial support and I might actually do that. Let me conclude with this: Downstate community (at least the admissions part) is more in-tune with the Midwest character of hospitality than the Brooklyn/NYC character of being jerks.

-Lifelong New Yorker
 
I liked the school, office staff, and tour guides a lot despite having, like @Thego2guy, come in without high expectations. I didn't think the neighborhood was a problem at all, but I am another New Yorker--although only for ten years. 🙂

That said, this was by far the toughest interview I've had. I've heard that from several people about Downstate, now. Like maybe they want to reflect the working atmosphere in NYC? If so, I think they are setting expectations well.

-Diamond District associate, 5 years
 
pageantry said:
I liked the school, office staff, and tour guides a lot despite having, like @Thego2guy, come in without high expectations. I didn't think the neighborhood was a problem at all, but I am another New Yorker--although only for ten years. 🙂

That said, this was by far the toughest interview I've had. I've heard that from several people about Downstate, now. Like maybe they want to reflect the working atmosphere in NYC? If so, I think they are setting expectations well.

-Diamond District associate, 5 years
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Toughest interview I had also! Hopefully my last difficult one. 1+ hr of stress.

-East side represent!
 
pageantry said:
I liked the school, office staff, and tour guides a lot despite having, like @Thego2guy, come in without high expectations. I didn't think the neighborhood was a problem at all, but I am another New Yorker--although only for ten years. 🙂

That said, this was by far the toughest interview I've had. I've heard that from several people about Downstate, now. Like maybe they want to reflect the working atmosphere in NYC? If so, I think they are setting expectations well.

-Diamond District associate, 5 years
Click to expand...

Thego2guy said:
Toughest interview I had also! Hopefully my last difficult one. 1+ hr of stress.

-East side represent!
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If I may ask, what made the interview so difficult? I have my interview at Downstate in a few weeks, and hearing this makes me nervous!
 
I'm a fellow NYC-we and I just want to get an II from here already. I don't have the strongest stats but I would kill to just get an II from here 🙁
 
THE_KITTENS_MITTENS said:
I'm glad that you had a good experience, and I'm not trying to imply that my experience was necessarily characteristic of the school. You certainly are right about the students being happy to be there. My group actually had M2's leading the tour and they were still nice. Also, at lunch I was the first to be taken out for my interview, probably because it was so far away, so I'm sure the others had time to eat their lunch.

I really do hope you get in, and as a lifetime New Yorker I'm sure it's a better fit for you. I, however, have had much better experiences elsewhere - different strokes for different folks, I guess. Best of luck!
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I appreciate it! I guess I should have prefaced my reply with "your results may vary" to other readers just like at any other school. I wanted to show a different experience at Downstate to contrast your day. Its very easy to get a one-sided view on SDN which can dissuade people and vice versa. It sounds like you were on one end of the extreme, so I guess I wanted to counterbalance with my surprisingly pleasant day (minus the stressful interview) to showcase the other extreme. Many people are vocal when their experience is poor. Those who are content rarely go out of their way to state it.

Regardless, I hope you have an awesome cycle!
 
vsuperstitious said:
If I may ask, what made the interview so difficult? I have my interview at Downstate in a few weeks, and hearing this makes me nervous!
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Three people who I personally know have said, to quote one who seems to reflect everyone, "I felt like I continuously needed to defend myself." And it's intense. Like, that person told me his interviewer BEGAN by reading out loud all the iffy comments from the committee about his app. Rough place to start.

Things that no other interview will even bring up, they will ask you to explain. It is *really* hard not to become defensive. As far as I can tell, your options are crystalline honesty and frankness, or being able somehow to hold your professional boundaries. But if you do that, you run the risk of coming off bland and cold. One of my friends went with bland, another went with honest, neither were accepted.

ETA: I should really revise to say that I have certainly read of many chill interviews on here. Which is awesome. I have several great acceptances now and tho I do still hope to go to Downstate, I don't have to jealously guard my chances. I'm mostly saying all this because I think people on here hesitate to admit to having a rough interview because they don't want to be shamed. So, n=3+, it might not just be you.
 
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pageantry said:
Three people who I personally know have said, to quote one who seems to reflect everyone, "I felt like I continuously needed to defend myself." And it's intense. Like, that person told me his interviewer BEGAN by reading out loud all the iffy comments from the committee about his app. Rough place to start.

Things that no other interview will even bring up, they will ask you to explain. It is *really* hard not to become defensive. As far as I can tell, your options are crystalline honesty and frankness, or being able somehow to hold your professional boundaries. But if you do that, you run the risk of coming off bland and cold. One of my friends went with bland, another went with honest, neither were accepted.
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if there's nothing glaring on your app, you won't need to defend yourself. My interviewer was really chill. Talked about the Mets for half the time; of course, this was before the World Series debacle.
 
You say that, but the friend mentioned above felt like he was really being grilled over *only* having a 3.72 from Columbia and *only* a 10 on his BS section of the MCAT. And he's a really chill guy who got into at least four schools.

But YMMV.
 
JessebenBenjamin said:
Oh wow! I hope none of them get lost!
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My letter did get lost!
I interviewed 9/9, and still hadn't heard anything, so I called Admissions on Monday (11/16). They said they sent me a letter 11/3 and told me to call back if I still hadn't received anything after another day or two. On Wednesday I called back, so they finally sent me my acceptance letter as an email attachment. Finally! 🙂
 
I didn't have this interview experience at all. I found that my interviewer was simply curious to know why I had struggled in certain areas and how I have improved since then.
 
furies56 said:
I didn't have this interview experience at all. I found that my interviewer was simply curious to know why I had struggled in certain areas and how I have improved since then.
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They do say on here that your interviewer can be the make or break. I'm glad yours went so well! And who knows, maybe a tough interview is not a dealbreaker.
 
my interviewer took out this sheet and spent the interview scribbling on it without making eye contact with me. i basically reiterated my entire primary application to him. it was hella awk and i felt interrogated-- by the sheet not the interviewer because the interviewer was like a proxy for the sheet of questions-- and i thought it went horribly. still got in apparently. my conclusion is that the interview is not that relevant because the experience can vary so much.
 
Bless you for this, @swearonmemum.

I'm totally not trying to trash downstate or anyone else's experiences by reporting mine, guys! I just think knowing it COULD be tough is potentially more useful to other candidates than hearing only from the people who said it was chill.
 
swearonmemum said:
my interviewer took out this sheet and spent the interview scribbling on it without making eye contact with me. i basically reiterated my entire primary application to him. it was hella awk and i felt interrogated-- by the sheet not the interviewer because the interviewer was like a proxy for the sheet of questions-- and i thought it went horribly. still got in apparently. my conclusion is that the interview is not that relevant because the experience can vary so much.
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Weird how interviewers can be so different. Mine was very very good, but I ended up choking in the end (question caught me off guard). Still got in as well :highfive:
 
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pageantry said:
Bless you for this, @swearonmemum.

I'm totally not trying to trash downstate or anyone else's experiences by reporting mine, guys! I just think knowing it COULD be tough is potentially more useful to other candidates than hearing only from the people who said it was chill.
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and @swearonmemum

Yea, completely echo the sentiment about it being my most intense interview. My interviewer made little to no eye contact the whole time haha. I was pressed to my wits end on a particular area of my research to which I eventually had to say, "I'm not sure of the figures." My assumption was that my interviewer was trying to give me a taste of "new york" which was fine haha (I'm OOS). Afterwards, while leading me back to the waiting room, the interviewer seemed like a completely different person. I suppose I was being tested on my resolve and ability to handle stress (at least that's what I'd like to think) haha.

People from my interview time-frame have started getting decisions and I haven't been rejected so we'll see. All in all, love the city, may as well be an honorary resident as much as I frequent friends and family.

Edit: Downstate is expensive!
 
teeayejay said:
and @swearonmemum

Yea, completely echo the sentiment about it being my most intense interview. My interviewer made little to no eye contact the whole time haha. I was pressed to my wits end on a particular area of my research to which I eventually had to say, "I'm not sure of the figures." My assumption was that my interviewer was trying to give me a taste of "new york" which was fine haha (I'm OOS). Afterwards, while leading me back to the waiting room, the interviewer seemed like a completely different person. I suppose I was being tested on my resolve and ability to handle stress (at least that's what I'd like to think) haha.

People from my interview time-frame have started getting decisions and I haven't been rejected so we'll see. All in all, love the city, may as well be an honorary resident as much as I frequent friends and family.

Edit: Downstate is expensive!
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just a quick comment on the expense factor for an out of state student. If you live off campus for the first year, (and have your name on a lease for an apartment,) you can apply for in-state residency and pay more-affordable IS tuition for the rest of your duration at the school.
 
Emt2md23 said:
just a quick comment on the expense factor for an out of state student. If you live off campus for the first year, (and have your name on a lease for an apartment,) you can apply for in-state residency and pay more-affordable IS tuition for the rest of your duration at the school.
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Duly noted, thanks man
 
pageantry said:
Bless you for this, @swearonmemum.

I'm totally not trying to trash downstate or anyone else's experiences by reporting mine, guys! I just think knowing it COULD be tough is potentially more useful to other candidates than hearing only from the people who said it was chill.
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I agree! And anyway, I guess it does mean nothing since I am on hold now 😛 This process is incredibly difficult to predict :shrug:
 
Are any of the current Downstate students on this thread in the MD/MPH program? I would love to ask some questions about the MPH program if you don't mind!
 
I'm not sure if anyone is in the same boat as me, but I figure this info is worth sharing in case anyone else feels the same as I do. I interviewed in early October and was wondering when I would hear back, so I called the admissions office and they said that it takes 6-8 weeks to receive a decision. I called again a week later to double check and was told 8-10 weeks to hear back. I'm not really sure how to interpret this, especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that people have heard back in less than 6 weeks, but there's nothing I can do anyways. In any case, hopefully everyone still waiting hears some good news soon!

tl;dr: may take 6-10 weeks to hear back after interview
 
themoonman2 said:
I'm not sure if anyone is in the same boat as me, but I figure this info is worth sharing in case anyone else feels the same as I do. I interviewed in early October and was wondering when I would hear back, so I called the admissions office and they said that it takes 6-8 weeks to receive a decision. I called again a week later to double check and was told 8-10 weeks to hear back. I'm not really sure how to interpret this, especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that people have heard back in less than 6 weeks, but there's nothing I can do anyways. In any case, hopefully everyone still waiting hears some good news soon!

tl;dr: may take 6-10 weeks to hear back after interview
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I know other people who are calling in and asking about decisions...honestly, like you said there's nothing we can do except wait. It's so frustrating though.
 
themoonman2 said:
I'm not sure if anyone is in the same boat as me, but I figure this info is worth sharing in case anyone else feels the same as I do. I interviewed in early October and was wondering when I would hear back, so I called the admissions office and they said that it takes 6-8 weeks to receive a decision. I called again a week later to double check and was told 8-10 weeks to hear back. I'm not really sure how to interpret this, especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that people have heard back in less than 6 weeks, but there's nothing I can do anyways. In any case, hopefully everyone still waiting hears some good news soon!

tl;dr: may take 6-10 weeks to hear back after interview
Click to expand...

from what i have been told in the past, it kind of depends on your interviewer and how long it takes for them to get their results back to the committee, and if they can be there when the committee discusses your application and whatnot. It took the school 13 weeks to give me their decision. just sit tight, and don't worry about "hmm...this guy interviewed two weeks after me and already got a decision, wtf?!"
 
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