About Albany?

[CaliMed]

I would appreciate any information about Albany Medical College you can give. What kind of reputation does it have? How is the area? Are the students happy there, etc. We don't hear much about the college here on the west coast so any information will be appreciated. I did interview there and liked it but would like to hear other opinions about the med. school.

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[DrSuga]

The reputation is OK...most people think of it as a safety school. They have combined undergrad/MD programs with three area schools, which means that many students are between 19-22. To even this out, Albany looks for a lot of "non-traditional" students. On my interview day, I was the only student still in college, whereas at other interviews, there were a ton of college seniors and few non trad. applicants. I feel like I have a pretty good sense about the school, since I have done a lot of my patient-care work at the hospital, spent a summer conducting bio. research at the College, and have a father who is a clinical professor at Albany. As a warning, my opinion may be slightly negative, because of my close contact with the school. I have seen, first-hand, the downsides to a school like albany and heard the negative things that many of the professors have to say about the school. It is expensive, and the Albany area really isn't as lively as NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc...It is a mid-size city and the state capital. I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a school and its surroundings. If you want more info. PM me....I'd be glad to help!!

 

[THE instiGATOR]

I liked what I was shown during my interview. I was, however, told by the student with whom I stayed that the school is not worth the tuition. I was told that if I have other options, which I do, to pass on Albany. I don't think I will have to worry about this, though. I sent an update email today and was promptly told that I would soon receive a decision via snail mail. Since many have said that acceptances were sent by email, I can only assume that I will get a big fat REJECTION (as expected). Anyone get an acceptance in the mailbox or should I add an Albany rejection to the other thread?

 

[C U in MD school]

SwampMan: dont worry yet. i dont think your getting a rejection. did you do really bad in your interview? the reason i say dont worry is bec i know that the dean is very old school. so she may not like the email acceptance thing, bc at my interview she said something about that. when did you interview?

CaliMed: if you get into a cali school dont even think about going to albany. it's a great school but think about all the money you will save. on my vist to the school, i kind of noticed that the students were not as happy as i had seen at my other interviews. anyone else had the same impression?

 

[CaliMed]

It is nice to see that you used the words "great school" when describing Albany. I had a good interview at Albany, I liked the school and the city. I also liked NYM. I interviewed at New York Medical in November. Is NYM sending out acceptances to people who interviewed in November yet? I have interviewed at 7 colleges and 2 have been here in California. An acceptance in California would be nice, and I would save lots of money but I may not have the luxury to make a choice. Good luck

 

[THE instiGATOR]

C U: I was under the impression that acceptances were going to be issued via snail mail also, but a few SDNers have already been notified through email. A good deal of emphasis was put on the fact that Albany favors the traditional approach, a hard copy notification, so I was surprised when others said they were being emailed.

I interviewed on the 5th of December. I think I presented myself well. My only worry is that my interviewer may hold my position on certain ethical issues against me. He assured me he wouldn't. Oh well, I should have the decision by the middle of next week.

 

[C U in MD school]

SwampMan: u are right. the ppl who got immediate acceptances got a email. however, now that thats over. they are going back to the regular applicants like you and I, so they will go through snail mail.

please correct me if i am wrong anyone.

who did you guys interview with?

 

[ssd]

well, i know that swampman interviewed the day before i did, so my fate must be hanging in the balance as well...

i have not seen any posts about albany acceptances since those first couple of days of emials. i thought i remembered hearing that acceptance and rejections would be coming through snail mail and that waitlist decisions would be emailed. i am hoping that i have a letter coming to me. i would much rather know my fate one way or another rather than hold out for several months hoping to come off the waitlist. i was waitlisted at a couple of schools last year, and the waiting game absolutely sucks (especially when you get rejected in the end). i like albany, and would definitely jump at the chance to go to school there.

may all of us get a nice acceptance letter in the mail soon!!!!!

swampman: did you go to hahnemann yet?

 

[ssd]

now i don't know what to think...

i just got off the phone with one of my interviewers from albany. she told me that no decisions were made yet on the people who interviewed during my interview week. she said that she can't really give me any helpful advice until she knows what my committee score is. she told me that she will call me next week when my score has been determined.

obviously there have been a few people already accepted from the the week i interviewed. my score should have been determined the tuesday after my interview. i'm not liking the sound of this...

 

[THE instiGATOR]

ssd: I cancelled my Hahnemann interview. I'm pretty sure Albany has made decisions about people who interviewed during our week.

This is exactly what I was emailed: "You will soon be receiving via mail the decision of your interview."

Now maybe that means that they will make a decision soon, but I interpreted it to mean that my decision was already in the mail.

Good luck ssd.

 

[ssd]

my interviewer gave me the impression that she will know for sure by the middle part of next week whether i am accepted/rejected/waitlisted. maybe she is telling the truth, and the letter that we will both be getting "soon" means within two weeks

 

[THE instiGATOR]

You could be right, ssd. In ADCOM vernacular, soon could mean anything! I'll give you a heads-up if I get it by the end of next week, which I should if it is in the mail already.

 

[ssd]

yes, please let me know if you hear anything, and i will do the same.

good luck to you.

 

[C U in MD school]

i interviewed on 12/12 and i still havent heard anything. hmmmmm

ssd: u called ur interviewer? wow...

SwampMan: I didnt get a email yet. why dont u compare your email to some of the ppl who got in few weeks ago? find out what there email said and let us know.

this stupid process is soo strange. just when u think u figured it out, each school does its own thing.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

C U: I posted my email. It was merely that one sentence. If SMW, or another Albany acceptee, would like to post her acceptance email; you can see what it says. I can't help you any. Mine was just in response to an update I made.

Good Luck!

Maybe someone can call to see if a batch of letters has recently been sent. I have already called once and don't want to push it.

 

[SMW]

Hi guys, Good luck to all who are waiting to hear. My email said that a letter was in the mail, but so as not to keep me in suspense, they wanted me to know that the letter began with "Congratulations!" Snail mail notification of acceptance (a large packet) arrived shortly thereafter.

As far as students' happiness there, the students I met said they were just happy to be in med school. And they were a great group of kids. A bunch of them kept me in hysterics with their comedy routines after the evening student-hosted info meeting when we went out for a drink.

 

[THE instiGATOR]

Uh oh, no mention of "Congratulations" in my email. Maybe I should respond with a question about the word's presence or absence .

 

[ssd]

my interviewer called me back this afternoon. she said that no decision had been made on my file, and that i was still under consideration. she said that it will be awhile before a final decision was made. i asked her if that meant weeks or months, and she said probably months. looks like i get to keep my fingers crossed for an eventual acceptance off the waitlist. looks like i better prepare for the long haul...

 

[C U in MD school]

ssd: it looks like were gonna become good friends with this one.

swapman: hope u get that acceptance.

 

[CalBear]

hey guys,

hope you guys hear good news soon. interviewed on 12/6 and got accepted 12/18 via e-mail. here's what my acceptance e-mail said:

TO: XXXX

FROM: Sara J. Kremer, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student
Records

DATE: 12/18/2001

RE: Status Update


Be on the lookout for an envelope from the Albany Medical College.
Lest we keep you in suspense, it contains a letter with the words "Congratulations…you have been accepted for admission…"

I hope you are as excited to receive this good news, as we are to send
it!

 

[CalBear]

BTW, the subject line of the e-mail was:

ALBANY MEDICAL COLLEGE APPLICATION STATUS - A


maybe the "A" stands for acceptance?

 

[CaliMed]

CalBear have you interviewed from any California schools, and if so have you heard from them?

 

[CalBear]

calimed,

i have interviews with UCSD and Stanford scheduled for the next few weeks. i'm kind of nervous b/c i would love to stay in CA. how about you?

 

[CaliMed]

CalBear
I have interviewed with UC Davis and Irvine. No word yet from either. On hold for interview with UCSD.......yea right!~

 

[CalBear]

calimed,
i hope you hear good news from UCI and UCD soon. Don't worry about the hold for UCSD. A friend of mine knows someone who got that hold letter last year who was offered an interview soon after. i don't know whether or not he eventually got accepted.

 

[CaliMed]

Cool..............thought it was a brush off.
Good luck to you!