Should I interview at Albany Medical College?

[Messerschmitts]

Hey guys, I've just been invited to interview at AMC (Albany Medical College) today via e-mail. Last year (or last month even) I'd have been thrilled, but I've already gotten into SLU, and these plane tickets are starting to get really expensive. AMC isn't even a ranked school, and it looks really cold there.... Anyone have any good reason I should attend the interview? What are some of the..."special features" of the school, the selling points? Another way to ask is: why would I rather attend AMC than SLU? (All other things being equal, since I have no ties or families with either location, being from California). Any current AMC students want to stand up for their school and tell me why I should continue considering the school?

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[Turkeyman]

Don't worry about it

 

[USArmyDoc]

If it was me and I had an acceptance to a school that I really liked, I wouldn't interview. Why spend money if you know you will go to SLU?

 

[DrHuang]

n

 

[ShyRem]

If you loved SLU, don't go to Albany if you don't want to. You should call Albany, tell them to rescind the rejection to ShyRem, and tell them I'll be there for your interview .

Don't waste your money if you don't want to. No one will hold it against you.

 

[medicomel]

i turned albany down after i got into Loyola. now that you have an acceptance in hand, just do the > or < comparison. it should be easy choice for you at this point.

save your $$$

 

[Messerschmitts]

nah, save ur money...SLU>>>Albany

check out this link about albany vs SLU
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=60181&highlight=SLU

Wow, you're right dude! I read through the thread, it sounds like SLU gave AMC a royal @$$-whuppin' in the department of applicant impressions. I am definitely not into the gloomy rural atmosphere. SLU it is then. Ha ha, it feels so awesome to have CHOICES of where to go after last year's debacle!

"Dear Albany Medical College, I regret to inform you that I am no longer considering your otherwise fine medical school for matriculation. This year I have received a multitude of interview invitations including one acceptance so far; thus this rejection in no way reflects upon your school's ability to train fine physicians. I wish you the best of luck in gathering a superb entering class for 2006."

Alright, I'm going to call AMC and tell them there's a super lady called ShyRem on SDN whom they should interview in lieu of me! (If only it worked that way; hey anyone not want to go to OSU? )

 

[.edu-MD]

i turned albany down after i got into Loyola. now that you have an acceptance in hand, just do the > or < comparison. it should be easy choice for you at this point.

save your $$$

On the other hand, it's hard to do a comparison with a place you know nothing about. A website and literature can only tell you so much. You wouldn't understand the cold dreary winters unless you've been there in January.

 

[bubbleyum]

AND i am willing to take anybody's albany interview spot too!
so shyrem, if in the next couple of days you get an acceptance, i've got dibs on that interview

 

[ShyRem]

messerschmitts, you are too kind! I know you'll be fabulous at SLU!

Bubbleyum, the only hopes I have for an allo acceptance is VCU, and their next decision date is 12/15. *sigh*. But if I have any extra, I'll sent them your way.

 

[theunderdog]

honestly, save your money.

i interviewed at albany 4 years ago. the location really sucks. the city is dead after 8pm or so...

take the advice of an earlier poster and do a comparison.

 

[medicomel]

On the other hand, it's hard to do a comparison with a place you know nothing about. A website and literature can only tell you so much. You wouldn't understand the cold dreary winters unless you've been there in January.

speaking of literature, they did have the cutest brochure.

 

[crys20]

If you are 100% sure that you would rather live in St. Louis than Albany, I wouldn't interview at AMC. I interviewed at Albany earlier this month and while the location does suck the proximity to very nice cities (NYC, Boston) as well as Lake Placid and Canada is very cool, although maybe not a huge advantage for med students with minimal free time. The school itself was just fine though, very nice people, very laidback interviews, a nice hospital and a good rep in the upstate NY area. I would be happy there, although the winters are really bad, I'm sort of used to that anyway. It's very expensive though, so I can't really justify moving to a not great city at such a high cost.

Certainly don't discount schools because "they're not even ranked", honestly USNews rankings mean very little.

But agreed, cancel ASAP to open spots for others if you feel you for sure will not attend AMC over SLU. My thing with this process has been that I really don't want any regrets and I would really like to be sure in whatever decision I make. That, and the $152 flight to Albany is really a drop in the bucket compared to what I've spent on education thus far and will spend in the next four years. Even if you went and hated it, at least you'd be more sure SLU (or wherever you ultimately decide to go) was right for you, ya know?

 

[Messerschmitts]

If you are 100% sure that you would rather live in St. Louis than Albany, I wouldn't interview at AMC. I interviewed at Albany earlier this month and while the location does suck the proximity to very nice cities (NYC, Boston) as well as Lake Placid and Canada is very cool, although maybe not a huge advantage for med students with minimal free time. The school itself was just fine though, very nice people, very laidback interviews, a nice hospital and a good rep in the upstate NY area. I would be happy there, although the winters are really bad, I'm sort of used to that anyway. It's very expensive though, so I can't really justify moving to a not great city at such a high cost.

Certainly don't discount schools because "they're not even ranked", honestly USNews rankings mean very little.

But agreed, cancel ASAP to open spots for others if you feel you for sure will not attend AMC over SLU. My thing with this process has been that I really don't want any regrets and I would really like to be sure in whatever decision I make. That, and the $152 flight to Albany is really a drop in the bucket compared to what I've spent on education thus far and will spend in the next four years. Even if you went and hated it, at least you'd be more sure SLU (or wherever you ultimately decide to go) was right for you, ya know?

Hmm...you definitely have a good point, that was my concern too, like "what if I go there and I love it?" If I don't at least go I'll never know. (Although judging from others' comments and my own research on the location, that doesn't seem too likely...). I guess I'll sleep on it for a night or two. On the other hand it's true, they do have the cutest informational packet! It's very clever.

 

[crys20]

agreed....like granted the chances of "what if i go there and love it" are slim, there is still SOME off chance, ya know. AMC has a lot of good points, honestly the biggest problem is the location but the people who are there for the most part seem to really like it. i found that flying to albany was not expensive whatsoever, and you can stay w/ a student, or hotels there are cheap...it was one of the less-costly interview ventures i had.

i had an instate acceptance before going to albany and i was tempted to not go. i also made this incredibly costly trip to a DO school in des moines...i'm not really considering either school anymore but despite the $$$ spent i don't regret going and checking them out at all if that's any help...i don't think you will either even if you go and all that happens is that you confirm that you don't like albany. i figured i waited for this time, the application process and interviews, why not go and see what's out there.

 

[C.P. Jones]

speaking of literature, they did have the cutest brochure.

not if you're talking about the one that looks like an acceptance when it comes, and even after you open it.....and the whole time thinking "but i haven't even interviewed yet!"

 

[crys20]

i know, its like "prescription: 4 years at albany medical college", what the hell is that.

 

[Will Ferrell]

interview! You may want to go to school in the northeast later on.

 

[NapeSpikes]

speaking of literature, they did have the cutest brochure.

True. But the prescription of four years at Albany Med? Such teases they are.

 

[Scalpellum]

SLU > Albany

 

[dbhvt]

Rumor has it community docs in the Albany area are reluctant to refer patients to Albany med faculty.