SUNY-Downstate & Pre-reqs

Hi everyone,

I'm a second degree student currently finishing up my pre-reqs. I'm applying to SUNY-Downstate for their accelerated program that starts June 2006. Do you have to finish all of your pre-reqs before you put in your application? I've heard "rumors" that b/c it's so competitive, they don't really look at the applications of students that haven't completed their pre-reqs. I want to plan accordingly - thanks so much for your help!

Katie

Hello,

I applied for SUNY Downstate for June 2005 and I was rejected. When I applied I was finishing up my pre-req., so I don't know if that affected my chance of acceptance. I though I'm a good candiate because I have a 3.85 gpa and graduate credits (3.65 gpa) and a lot of healthcare experience. I guess I'm not good enough for them. Good thing I applied to another school and got accepted there, which I start school in Fall 2005. If I were you, have a back-up plan, apply to atleast 2 or more schools.

Good Luck!

Hello,

I applied for SUNY Downstate for June 2005 and I was rejected. When I applied I was finishing up my pre-req., so I don't know if that affected my chance of acceptance. I though I'm a good candiate because I have a 3.85 gpa and graduate credits (3.65 gpa) and a lot of healthcare experience. I guess I'm not good enough for them. Good thing I applied to another school and got accepted there, which I start school in Fall 2005. If I were you, have a back-up plan, apply to atleast 2 or more schools.

Good Luck!

Where are you going in the Fall? I am also applying to NYU, Pace, LIU, Columbia, Hunter and possibly some others - I'm not entirely sure. I really want to go to Downstate but know that it's really competitive. You have really great grades - it's surprising that you didn't get accepted. I wish we could just know exactly what they were looking for - it would make our lives a lot easier!

Where are you going in the Fall? I am also applying to NYU, Pace, LIU, Columbia, Hunter and possibly some others - I'm not entirely sure. I really want to go to Downstate but know that it's really competitive. You have really great grades - it's surprising that you didn't get accepted. I wish we could just know exactly what they were looking for - it would make our lives a lot easier!

I'm going to NYU's 15-month accelerated program. You're right that SUNY Downstate is very competitive because they only accepted 30 students each year. I'm sure a couple of thousand of highly qualified students applied and majority got rejected. If $$$ is not an issue, considers private schools. I'm glad I did!

Good Luck

Katie, I had a horrible experience applying to SUNY-Downstate as did many others (I am currently in the program and that's also an administrative hell, but that's another thread)---when I applied, I was in the process of taking pre-requisites and was not told by the school to hurry and finish them--instead, just got a letter telling me my application was complete and that I would have to complete the pre-reqs by the June 1, '05 start of the program....Then, months later, they write back asking for grades on the 3 remaining pre-reqs before rendering a decision on my application (which, frankly, I don't fault them for wanting---it's just that they could have told me of this need months earlier!)...bottom line: I think it helps to get the pre-reqs done quickly and keep in touch w/the Admissions Office to let them know your progress....Good luck. It'll all be worth it in the end! By the way, this web site was a great help in the process and I am now---after a small respite after the first hectic months of the program--am going to become a paying member of this website--let's support this wonderful resource--for pre-nursing students, current students, and careerpeople.

I have no advice. Just wanted to comment - how things have changed. I graduated from DMC in 87 - but it was an upper division 2 year program then (which I believe they no longer have). Much larger class size (approx 100), easy to get into (nobody going to BS programs at the time). I will say - it was an excellent nursing program when I was there.

Good luck.

Thanks for the information. I really appreciate. I put in my application on October 17th (just last week) and they sent me an email saying to keep an eye out for an application status letter soon.

I'm finishing up my last two pre-reqs this semester - A&PII and Microbio. I now know to keep them up-to-date on my grades.

I'm currently in the CUNY system for my pre-reqs which is an absolute administrative nightmare! There are definitely secrets to your success here! lol

I graduated from SUNY-Binghamton so I know all about the SUNY admin. problems too!

Do you like the program at Downstate? I'm particularly interested in the clinical course that takes place in Downtown Brooklyn. Working with an underserved communities is what I want to do long-term so this would be an especially exciting opportunity.

Thanks so much for your help!

As I said, my very old experience at SUNY was excellent. I'm not sure how it is now. Best clinicals I had were at University Hospital - peds was great, saw things you hardly ever see - and an underserved population. Also had a great community health clinical. Worst was doing psych in G building at KCH - (you'd go crazy if you had to stay there no matter how you started out) but may have changed.

I guess it depends on the hospitals you get assigned to. KCH and UH probably expose you to the most.

Good luck.

...

Hi, I just got accepted to SUNY-Downstate's accelerated program for June 2006, I also got accepted to NYU's Accelerated Program but it starts January 17th (very soon). I haven't taken my finals for 2 of my pre-reqs due to the transit strike, they all got rescheduled for next week, but I still got accepted. Hope that answers your question. One more question, does anyone know if it is worth it for me to take out the loans and go to NYU or should i go to Downstate and save the money. Is there a big difference between the two schools. Speaking with NYU graduates, they also complained that they didn't get the experience they expected. Anyone know?

thanks,Eli

Congratulations on your acceptance! SUNY-Downstate is my first choice school. They offer a great education and it's really affordable.

I've also heard good things about NYU. I'll be applying there as well for the class that starts in Fall 2006.

If you don't mind me asking, what two classes did you take this semester that Downstate required? I only ask b/c the admissions office, after me telling them that my grades would be delayed due to the transit strike, told me that the admissions committee wouldn't consider my application until I had all of my pre-req grades in. The one thing that I've learned from this application process is that SUNY-Downstate likes to contradict themselves.

And it's not like my transcript is this horrible thing that they would absolutely need my grades - I have a 3.9GPA! Sorry for the rant, Downstate has been my headache this week. lol

Again, congrats on your acceptances! Schools competing for good students should be the way it is!

-katie

It was micro with lab and anthropolgy. They were also giving me a hard time last week. They said that I need to have all my grades in before they can consider me and that it would be beneficial to get them in before the deadline. Since i knew I wouldn't be able to I accepted NYU and was really nervous because their financial aid package is terrible and i would have to take out a terrible amount of loans. Now that I got accepted to Downstate I'm confused. I would like to go to the better school and the school that is more affordable. I just do not know which is the better school. By the way, with your high GPA I wouldn't be surprised of you recieve an answer from them soon despite what they told you about the pre-reqs. Im not sure that everyone in the admissions office really knows what they are talking about. Thats a big problem with the CUNY/SUNY schools. Good Luck. Let me know how its coming along.

Eli

I know a lot has changed since I applied. Like I said before, I got accepted to the program without having a grade for several science classes. Each year, as nursing gets more popular, admissions become more and more competitive. If someone applies with a BA with all completed prereqs and another applies missing a bunch of classes, it only makes sense to prefer the completed BA first. Then again, there are other factors that come into play too - grades, work experience, cultural diversity, personal essay etc.

Either way its worth applying and trying to give it your best b/c you never know what goes through their heads when they sort through the hundreds of applications.

In terms of the program, I dont think any accelerated BSN program can be very proud of themselves. Its not possible to learn everything and develop critical nursing skills in such a short time. I have recently started my first job as an RN and with a week or two I learnt more about nursing than I did a whole year in school. I think its like that everywhere. I'm learning a lot on the job and I'm actually started to think that I do know a little bit about nursing... though not very much yet! =)

Give it your best, study hard, and welcome to nursing!