Aug 2002 - AMCAS and MCAT completed
Sept 2002 - Secondary completed
Jan 2003 - interview notice via e-mail
Feb 2003 - interview
March 2003 - high priority alternate list via snail mail
May 2003 - admission via snail mail
The high priority alternate list really does exist. It comes along with health forms, financial aid forms, a request for official transcripts, and a notice to take the American Heart Association CPR certification. The letter specifically states that "MOST" people are eventually accepted off of the high priority alternate list during the spring and summer months. It also states that preference for the people on this list are given to those who submit all official transcripts and also "clear" themselves with the Student Health Service (a very arduous task in which you need to complete all the immunization forms, as well as visit your doctor for a physical and a bunch of lab tests). If you're born outside the U.S. like I am, then you need to actually get a 2nd TB test done at the Student Health Service at Downstate in order to get "cleared". I made two 7-hour roundtrip drives to Brooklyn to get this done: one day to get the TB shot, and another day to get it read. Why? So that I could get "cleared" by the Student Health Service and thereby get preference in admissions off of the high priority alternate list. I was accepted ten days later. I don't know if my efforts helped any in the admissions decision, but I wasn't going to take any chances. You really have to want it.
As for those of you that were put on hold, waitlist, hold changed to waitlist/alternate......if your letter doesn't specifically say "high priority alternate list", then you're not on it. Of course, I don't know if they are still adding to the h.p.a. list or not. Could be that the list was made early in the spring as a one-time thing. Once that list is exhausted, Downstate would probably then go to the normal waitlist/alternate list. In the end, I hear from current students at Downstate that the turnover rate is extremely high and that many, many people eventually decide to go to other schools. Good news for anybody waiting for admission, doesn't matter what list you are on!