Downstate Acceptances?

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Thanks for the info radioh3ad. I just called the office today and they said that you have to wait up to 8 weeks for a response from your interview. Seeing as how allisonbk and clocks interviewed around 9/14 and got their responses a few days ago, it was about 6 weeks. Hopefully it'll be the same for rest of us.

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Hey Radioh3ad and madonna,

Downstate pushes a lot of anatomy, supposedly more than average schools. We're just finishing up our musculoskeletal block, and I have to say it's been quite intense (supposedly head & neck is worse, but I can tell you all about it in a month or so..) Yes, we are assigned eight people per cadaver here, but we're divided into two groups of four and we alternate dissections - which means you'll do about two or three labs a weeks with your group. Although actually doing the dissection is an important learning process, you'll quickly find that most of the learning is done after that particular section of the body has been dissected. Dissection can be a rather tedious and tiring procedure (a lot of skinning, defatting, and cleaning..) Before each lab however, we always have about a 1/2 hour cross-over period where both groups will be present together to review structures or participate in tags which the instructors have placed for us on the cadavers. The labs are open 24/7 which means you're free to be in there, and any of the other labs, to practice and review as much as you like whenever you like. That's when the learning really happens. The lab professors are quite amazing really. They rotate through the different labs for each block or half block. From what I see, they are all very passionate about teaching anatomy. I wasn't as impressed with the genes-to-cells lecturers, but that's a pretty dry block to start with.

As for East Flatbush, well it's no wonderland. But if you'd rather live somewhere pleasant, there are places like Park Slope, Prospect Heights, or Carrol Gardens not too far away (just to name a few). I live in Park Slope and it takes me 25 minutes to get here by subway or 15 minutes by bicycle. I strongly recommend not living in East Flatbush if you're the type that needs to get away from the med school environment at the end of the day. There are probably about 40% of us first-years who don't live on campus, and that number increases (not surprisingly) after the first year. However if you want to live here, make sure you send in your housing application early so you won't have to deal with being shuffled around. From what I hear, there are always housing options, but they might not be the ones you want. The pros of living here are:

1. you can roll out of bed and go to lecture (and then roll back into bed)
2. you can access the labs easily
3. you live closely with your peers (..not necessarily a good thing i guess)

and that's probably about it.

Finally, there are a great number of people from all over the US representing numerous cultures here. Downstate prides itself on its student diversity, so you can be sure that there is a huge contingency from CA :) And for any of you out-of-staters: it's pretty easy to switch to NY in-state residential status after the first year. There's nothing as sweet as being able to pay your entire tuition with your credit card.

Well, I hope that's helped. Tell me if there's anything else you'd like to know. Good luck!

N
 
nkhotakota said:
Hey Radioh3ad and madonna,

Downstate pushes a lot of anatomy, supposedly more than average schools. We're just finishing up our musculoskeletal block, and I have to say it's been quite intense (supposedly head & neck is worse, but I can tell you all about it in a month or so..) Yes, we are assigned eight people per cadaver here, but we're divided into two groups of four and we alternate dissections - which means you'll do about two or three labs a weeks with your group. Although actually doing the dissection is an important learning process, you'll quickly find that most of the learning is done after that particular section of the body has been dissected. Dissection can be a rather tedious and tiring procedure (a lot of skinning, defatting, and cleaning..) Before each lab however, we always have about a 1/2 hour cross-over period where both groups will be present together to review structures or participate in tags which the instructors have placed for us on the cadavers. The labs are open 24/7 which means you're free to be in there, and any of the other labs, to practice and review as much as you like whenever you like. That's when the learning really happens. The lab professors are quite amazing really. They rotate through the different labs for each block or half block. From what I see, they are all very passionate about teaching anatomy. I wasn't as impressed with the genes-to-cells lecturers, but that's a pretty dry block to start with.

As for East Flatbush, well it's no wonderland. But if you'd rather live somewhere pleasant, there are places like Park Slope, Prospect Heights, or Carrol Gardens not too far away (just to name a few). I live in Park Slope and it takes me 25 minutes to get here by subway or 15 minutes by bicycle. I strongly recommend not living in East Flatbush if you're the type that needs to get away from the med school environment at the end of the day. There are probably about 40% of us first-years who don't live on campus, and that number increases (not surprisingly) after the first year. However if you want to live here, make sure you send in your housing application early so you won't have to deal with being shuffled around. From what I hear, there are always housing options, but they might not be the ones you want. The pros of living here are:

1. you can roll out of bed and go to lecture (and then roll back into bed)
2. you can access the labs easily
3. you live closely with your peers (..not necessarily a good thing i guess)

and that's probably about it.

Finally, there are a great number of people from all over the US representing numerous cultures here. Downstate prides itself on its student diversity, so you can be sure that there is a huge contingency from CA :) And for any of you out-of-staters: it's pretty easy to switch to NY in-state residential status after the first year. There's nothing as sweet as being able to pay your entire tuition with your credit card.

Well, I hope that's helped. Tell me if there's anything else you'd like to know. Good luck!

N

I think i'll have to use two cards maxxed to be able to pay $19K. better start applying for 2 yr 0% interest cards~
 
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Whooooohooooooooo, accepted 11/7! To those of you still waiting, I think turnaround time is about 6 weeks from interview. First acceptance! YAY!
 
Got my only interview notice from SUNY Downstate for January on 11/6.

3.25GPA, 36MCAT. PM if you have more questions.
 
Complete mid-October and no word or anything. I'm actually Downstate alumni already (from the PA Program). Hope that helps.
 
zero2hero said:
Whooooohooooooooo, accepted 11/7! To those of you still waiting, I think turnaround time is about 6 weeks from interview. First acceptance! YAY!

YAY! congratulations zero2hero! I knew more good news was coming! :)
 
awwww right! accepted on Christmas Eve. so which you guys definitely going? i'm hoping for a stony brook acceptance and then i'd probably have to make a difficult decision btw the two.
 
radioh3ad said:
awwww right! accepted on Christmas Eve. so which you guys definitely going? i'm hoping for a stony brook acceptance and then i'd probably have to make a difficult decision btw the two.

I interviewed at Downstate on 11/9 - haven't heard boo since. Do they contact you by phone. email or snail??
 
I interviewed at Downstate on 11/1, and got an acceptance Christmas eve 12/24. GPA 3.95, MCAT 29. Good luck!
 
radioh3ad said:
awwww right! accepted on Christmas Eve. so which you guys definitely going? i'm hoping for a stony brook acceptance and then i'd probably have to make a difficult decision btw the two.

I will most likely be attending Downstate. I am still waiting to hear from one other school- but it is a long shot- and Downstate is still one of my top choices. Who else will be there in the fall?? :)
 
ArchmageNH said:
I interviewed at Downstate on 11/1, and got an acceptance Christmas eve 12/24. GPA 3.95, MCAT 29. Good luck!

Hi. Thanks for the info. But can you tell me the method by which you were contacted? I moved recently and have been experiencing some delays in getting my mail. I'm hoping they call or e-mail -if it's snail mail I'm afraid I might not get the info (if I get any at all) on time.
 
Still learning said:
Hi. Thanks for the info. But can you tell me the method by which you were contacted? I moved recently and have been experiencing some delays in getting my mail. I'm hoping they call or e-mail -if it's snail mail I'm afraid I might not get the info (if I get any at all) on time.

It comes snail mail to your permanet address....Ive been reading up on different posts and you should hear almost exactly 6 weeks from the day you interviewed. I interviewed 10-18 and heard 11-28.......so if you dont hear Id call...Good luck!
 
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minnie2240 said:
It comes snail mail to your permanet address....Ive been reading up on different posts and you should hear almost exactly 6 weeks from the day you interviewed. I interviewed 10-18 and heard 11-28.......so if you dont hear Id call...Good luck!

yes. exactly 6 weeks for me too.
will you be attending minnie?
 
allisonbk said:
yes. exactly 6 weeks for me too.
will you be attending minnie?

Just to add my experience, mine came 5-6 weeks as well (37 days).
 
Hey, I interviewed on 11/8 and haven't heard anything since, either. I was getting nervous so it's good to hear that maybe this 6 weeks to hear back rule isn't true for everyone. I'm thinking maybe with Thanksgiving and Christmas things are a little delayed for those of us who interviewed in early November. Downstate is at the top of my list as of right now, so basically I'm stalking my mailman everyday. He comes right as I'm going to work and he doesn't even pull up to the mailbox anymore, he just pulls up to the driveway and hands me my mail . . .


Still learning said:
I interviewed at Downstate on 11/9 - haven't heard boo since. Do they contact you by phone. email or snail??
 
i interviewed on 9/27 with a low undergrad gpa (3.15) and high grad gpa (3.97), 38P (3rd time) as a 1st time applicant. i'm pretty sure i didn't do very well in my interview but i was able to keep the conversation going over an hour. i sent a thank you card and made it slightly personal.

from then till christmas eve, i contacted the admissions office at least 3 times and each time i was told to hold on a few more weeks. finally the last time, 12/10, Ilana told me that things were taking up to 10 weeks or more for a few applicants and told me to hold on. i received the acceptance (brown, page sized envelope) snail mail at my permanent address on 12/24.

and the rest is history.

i'm super happy and i hope you guys get to enjoy the feeeling of acceptance, if not this year, then the next.
 
allisonbk said:
yes. exactly 6 weeks for me too.
will you be attending minnie?

Sorry for the delayed response. I was vacationing in Mexico. I'm not sure yet if I'm going to attend Downstate. I really want to be in NY but I did not like the area or the facilities so Im going to wait to see what other New York acceptances I get......
 
Just wondering if anyone who interviewed mid to late Nov at downstate has heard anything this week...

I guess the holidays could be slowing things down, but damn this waiting is killing me!

Also, for the people that did not get accepted (rejected/waitlisted), did you also hear in about 6 weeks...or just those of you who got the fat envelope?
 
I think things might be slowing down there not only because of the holidays but also because of the influx of August MCATer applications. Hopefully you'll hear from them soon, just hang tight.
 
any nov interviewees heard from downstate recently?
 
anyone heard from downstate this week? i interviewed on nov 17th and i'm getting really antsy...
 
What do you think of Downstate? Do you like the location/students/faculty/curriculum?

nkhotakota said:
Hello Downstate Applicants / Future Matriculants!

I am an MS1 at Downstate. Just wanted to wish you all the best of luck during this trying period - I know what you're going through and I wanted to remind you that the light at the end of the tunnel is closer than you think.

Please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about SUNY Downstate. I will try my best to answer them for you.

Once again good luck, and take care! Don't forget to breathe and relax..

N
 
Just as a reference:

I interviewed Nov 2 and got my acceptance Dec 27th...hope that helps
 
karat said:
anyone heard from downstate this week? i interviewed on nov 17th and i'm getting really antsy...


i interviewed close to that date and called today. they said because of the holidays, things are a bit slow, and that i would hear within the next two weeks.
 
Just curious....considering everybody here has already applied to Suny Downstate. Does anybody know if applying early decision is a good idea to Downstate? I am positive it is my first choice. I will be applying this coming July of 2006.

My stats inlude:

In-state resident
GPA overall: 3.95
Science GPA: 3.95
MCAT: Taking in April....scary

I was involved in a program my senior year of HS, in which only fifteen students were accepted. HS class for two hours in the morning and then to the Hospital for the rest of the day, all week, all year. We took Anat/Physo, Healthcare in the Economy, Health and law....and such. We rotated three days a week for about three hours a day with designated docs in every field, subfield and area of the Hospital. Very intense and TONS of amazing experiences to share. This is my major push for shadowing/reason to pursue medicine.

TA in Cell Bio labs, TA in teaching cell bio lectures (50-100 students), working 15-20 hours a week while in school as a waiter and almost 40 when school was out. Graduating in 3.5 years.

Deans List during every applicable semester.

Playing the cello and painting murals/canvas for relaxation.

More shadowing/volunteer this semester (spring of Junior year) and hopefully a research project spring or summer time.

Does this sound like a strong profile for EDP. Thanks for all of the feedback. Best of luck with all of you and your med schools acceptances :) :) :)
 
I just mailed in my secondary yesterday, do I still have a chance at downstate?
 
i interviewed on 12/1 and am still waiting to hear on a decision.....8 weeks is coming up on thursday, but that includes the holidays where i'm sure nothing happened....how long do i wait before i give their office a call? or should i just hold out?
 
blackavar said:
i interviewed on 12/1 and am still waiting to hear on a decision.....8 weeks is coming up on thursday, but that includes the holidays where i'm sure nothing happened....how long do i wait before i give their office a call? or should i just hold out?


I interviewed with you on 12/1 and haven't heard either. I called two weeks ago and they said 8-10 weeks b/c of the holidays. So we have a little more time. let me know if you call and get any other info.
 
tcar18 said:
I interviewed with you on 12/1 and haven't heard either. I called two weeks ago and they said 8-10 weeks b/c of the holidays. So we have a little more time. let me know if you call and get any other info.

i called and they said my letter had been sent out yesterday! interviewed 11/18.
 
I got the good news letter today!! Interviewed on 12/01 - good luck to everyone else!
 
interviewed 12/13; heard yesterday!
 
congrats on getting into downstate :) If you don't mind, could you post your stats?
 
Can someone please tell me the lower and upper limits regarding MCAT Physical, Verbal, and Biological at the SUNY DOwnstate College of Medicine located in the MSAR.

Thanks in advance.
 
According to the 2006-07 MSAR, Downstate's stats for the MCATs are:

Verbal 4-13 (median 10)
Physical Sciences 6-15 (median 11)
Biological Sciences 7-15 (median 11)
Writing Sample K-T (median P)
 
romict said:
According to the 2006-07 MSAR, Downstate's stats for the MCATs are:

Verbal 4-13 (median 10)
Physical Sciences 6-15 (median 11)
Biological Sciences 7-15 (median 11)
Writing Sample K-T (median P)


Hey thanks romict. Greatly appreciated.
 
my pleasure :)
 
Mcat: 10, 10, 10 P

BCMP: 3.5
CUM: 3.2

lots of research
 
romict said:
congrats on getting into downstate :) If you don't mind, could you post your stats?

verb - 8
phy - 11
bio - 10
wri - S
 
Anyone hear anything recently? I interviewed 1/5 and am seriously starting to go insane, especially since this was my only interview so far...this coming thursday will be 6 weeks, but I dunno if they're behind or not. I have 2 more interviews coming up soon, but probably for the waitlist, and I'll cancel them anyway if I get into Downstate. Any January interviewees get a decision? Thanks and good luck to everyone.
 
MAC12383 said:
Anyone hear anything recently? I interviewed 1/5 and am seriously starting to go insane, especially since this was my only interview so far...this coming thursday will be 6 weeks, but I dunno if they're behind or not. I have 2 more interviews coming up soon, but probably for the waitlist, and I'll cancel them anyway if I get into Downstate. Any January interviewees get a decision? Thanks and good luck to everyone.

I interviewed in the middle of December and haven't heard anything yet.
 
Just putting it out there again. Anyone interview at Downstate mid-december or early january and get a decision yet? Thanks.
 
i interviewed mid dec (thurs the 14th or 1th maybe?..whatever date it was), and i just heard this weekend.

MAC12383 said:
Just putting it out there again. Anyone interview at Downstate mid-december or early january and get a decision yet? Thanks.
 
idealist said:
i interviewed mid dec (thurs the 14th or 1th maybe?..whatever date it was), and i just heard this weekend.
If you dont mind me askin, was it an acceptance? I'm wondering if they've sent out any waitlists/rejections yet. Thanks.
 
I received an email on Friday saying:

"Congratulations on your acceptance to the College of Medicine, SUNY
Downstate Medical Center! According to our Office of Financial Aid, they do
not have a financial aid application from you. Perhaps you have decided that
you do not need to apply for financial aid, and that is fine. However, if
you do wish to apply for a financial aid package, you must submit an
application as quickly as possible."

Yet I haven't received a paper acceptance yet and I called and they said that they couldn't tell me anything but it is a good thing. That was all.

Has anyone else had this happen? I know I am pretty much accepted but I want to withdrawal from all my other schools to get my deposit money back ASAP since Downstate is my top choice
 
benfolds21 said:
I received an email on Friday saying:

"Congratulations on your acceptance to the College of Medicine, SUNY
Downstate Medical Center! According to our Office of Financial Aid, they do
not have a financial aid application from you. Perhaps you have decided that
you do not need to apply for financial aid, and that is fine. However, if
you do wish to apply for a financial aid package, you must submit an
application as quickly as possible."

Yet I haven't received a paper acceptance yet and I called and they said that they couldn't tell me anything but it is a good thing. That was all.

Has anyone else had this happen? I know I am pretty much accepted but I want to withdrawal from all my other schools to get my deposit money back ASAP since Downstate is my top choice

I would email the Admissions VP (check on their website for the name, or in the folder they gave you during the interview). I waited for my acceptance for over 3 months and couldn't get anywhere with the front office. After I emailed the VP, I had an acceptance in my email inbox later the same day, a paper acceptance a few days later in the mail, and even an apology for it taking so long. Good luck. I'm sure you're fine.
 
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