Anyone hear from SUNY Downstate for Summer '09 yet?

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I applied in September and haven't heard, it's pretty frustrating as they said I would hear by January.

I was just looking at the Downstate website and it looks like they have extended the admission deadline until January 30th...so it looks like we will have to wait even longer for decisions.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.
I was just looking at the Downstate website and it looks like they have extended the admission deadline until January 30th...so it looks like we will have to wait even longer for decisions.
Really. And here we knocked ourselves out to complete all the requirements and the paperwork and get everything in on time, and some lazy #%@# will get accepted ahead of us.
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That's ridiculous! I rushed to have everything in extra early because at their info session they kept stressing how preferable it is to get things in much earlier - apparently so they can sit on it for 4 months. I e-mailed them once again and all I got back was a standard "Applications are being reviewed and you will be contacted as soon as a decision has been reached". Unbelievable.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I do not understand what their intention is by extending the admission deadline. Here they're telling us how competitive the program is, they get zillions of applicants and can only choose like 20%. Now they're extending the application date. Did they not get enough qualified applicants? Why not just choose the most qualified people from the applications already received? At least, those of us who got our applications in on time showed that we're responsible people who know how to respect a deadline!

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

Well, I got a letter from SUNY-Downstate today. My heart was pounding and I opened it with sweaty palms...

In it was a list of things missing from my application, namely NET results, CLEP scores and my final Microbiology grade, which wasn't in when I submitted my application. I took the NET on December 30--the school should have gotten the results, and I ordered the CLEP scores sent to the school; they don't send them directly to students. Maybe the rumors are true that Downstate is a mess and they misplace anything that isn't in the student-managed application.

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I do not understand what their intention is by extending the admission deadline. Here they're telling us how competitive the program is, they get zillions of applicants and can only choose like 20%. Now they're extending the application date. Did they not get enough qualified applicants? Why not just choose the most qualified people from the applications already received? At least, those of us who got our applications in on time showed that we're responsible people who know how to respect a deadline!

I agree, when I saw that they changed the due date for applications I got nervous because I applied back in November. So the question is "are we not good enough?" So guys lets just pray and wait.

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May be they're just looking to make more money from the application fees.

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I called the school today and it sounds like they REALLY don't have their act together. "Oh, you took the NET already? Well it's not showing anything in our system. We're very backed up and haven't entered all the information into the computer. Call back next week."

So why did you send out the letter if you haven't even finished getting everything into the system?

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Wow, yeah I saw on the site today that they extended the deadline. I only decided to apply to Downstate like on Dec 31st, so I didn't even celebrate New Year's since I was seriously doing my application instead of partying! I do feel like I got jipped... but maybe they just want to increase their applicant pool. I got everything in on time. Is it true they only take 20% of the applicant pool? Maybe since they extended the deadline it will be something more like 15%?

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Also some questions about the NET. I was told that I could take the NET this month and have already scheduled it. I took the GRE but they wouldn't take that score in lieu of the NET. I have looked at some other Nursing entrance exam workbooks with practice tests, but don't know if they are specific to the NET or if they just prepare for general nursing entrance exams. Does anyone suggest a specific book to prepare for the NET or should I expect it to be just Verbal and Quantitative multiple choice, similar to the GRE or SAT format?

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I would say that you probably don't need to do anything special to prepare for the NET, especially if you've taken the GRE. The math on the GRE is simple arithmetic--no word problems, no algebra or geometry (well maybe some simple algebra, like being able to solve for x in a simple linear equation). You need to know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide integers, fractions, decimals and percents. That's basically it.

The science reading was like reading comp on the GRE, except that the passages were much simpler, and you are presented with only one paragraph at a time. You can also go back to previous paragraphs. However, do watch out when answering the science reading questions because there are lots of traps; the most plausible sounding answer is not necessarily the right one.

There was also a general science section, and a grammar section. I missed a few on punctuation and capitalization, so you may want to review the basic rules. For example, know what is a fragment and a run-on sentence.

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They definitely seem like a school that you need to literally call them after each time you submit something. They were claiming they didn't get my NET scores back in September. I had to call ERI and they called SUNY Downstate, and then like two days later my scores showed up on my online checklist that they have.

I e-mailed them for the 2nd time and three days later they got back to me with basically the same response. "We are currently reviewing applications and you will be notified as soon as a decision is made". Please.

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