Hey,
I'm a first year at Einstein- congrads guys! I think myodana answered some of your questions, but I'll give it a shot on the more recent ones:
1- Revisit weekend: This never applied to me because I was accepted pretty late, but I know it stinks we don't really have one. Any of you who want to come up, email me and I'll show you around (
[email protected]). My roommate came back to take a second look herself, and the admissions people are super-sweet; you tell them you want to come back, they buy you lunch and set you up with a place to stay and two students to walk you around. If you are an MSTP they really take you out...check with your program or the admissions people.
2- Residency: The 'ranking', such as it is, is based mainly on 3rd and 4th year grades, which are P/F/Honors. I'm a BIG fan of the 1st/2nd year P/F; it takes a load off, and we do pretty great on the boards, so evidently we still learn the material as well as other schools. Everyone helps one another out before tests; I know more than one classmate who was pulled through by last-minute study guides and study sessions. Everyone has a strength in a different area; I tutored friends on Anatomy, and now they tutor me back on Renal and CV (physics is not my strong suit!). Don't stress the boards...you have a year-and-a-half respite from major tests! Enjoy it.
3-Random tag about UCSF: I moved out to CA to get residency the year before applying just because UCSF was my dream-school...after working there and getting to know people, I actually chose Einstein. It seemed to me that everyone there was way too stressed out about their work, and didn't have much perspective on how they fit into the greater scheme of things. Not that UCSF is a bad school; they do fantastic research. I just wanted to spend some time with a more chill group.
4-Moving in: Many people take the biochem course just to be able to move in early; I was one of these. It was great to get on campus two weeks early (and rent-free); there were events every single day, from cookouts to bar nights to museum/botanical garden trips. I took time and painted my room, bought some furniture (there's only so much you can carry on top of a Toyota Camry, coming from CA), and explored the city. I would definately recommend it. Those who didn't take the course told me later that they really wish they had.
5-Financial Aid: I'm borrowing tuition plus a little extra; my parents are giving me a little each month to cover room and board (which comes out to about $800 for me). Books are a sizable chunk...one way to help with this is to go to Donna Licandro's office early in the year and ask her if she needs assistants. You get jobs like sharpening pencils, etc, and then get book vouchers at the bookstore. I lead tours, which are about $12 per tour in vouchers (although I would do those for free, they're fun). Also, there is a bookswap early in the year, around the time Histology starts. Books are very cheap, although some have highlighting. An added perk, one they don't talk about much, is that Einstein will give you $2,000 for the summer between first and second year to do basically anything you want. I'll be doing a research project on nutrition in the south bronx; this covers my expenses for the summer. Other friends of mine are going abroad; Africa, Bolivia, DR, China...the program is well set-up and there are so many options it's a little intimidating.
The reason the average is lower than 200,000 probably takes into account MSTP's (we have more than most schools, I think), and also Army/Navy/Airforce and NHSC scholarship people. We have about 5 in our class now, and more joining. They give you a great deal (I considered it).
If you have any other questions please email me; I know what it was like last year, moving cross-country and then changing my admissions plans a week before school started! I also took three years off, so if you are a fellow 'nontraditional', give me a hollar.
Good luck guys!
Annie
