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Comments from the Class of 2011

Adelphi University

Because of the clinical neurosciences pathway.

American University

Clinical experience.

Amherst College

Columbia post bac linkage. Save time by doing linkage. Tuition. Location, family in NY

In state tuition discount, urban experience, excellent reputation.

Binghamton University (SUNY)

Excellent clinical opportunities, diversity

Cost of tuition

It is a great school and a great location. The people are awesome here and I’ve only heard good things

Financial reasons, location, friends referred.

Tuition cost for in state. Proximity to home. Clinical experience.

I got in here. Close to home, Experience. Less money.

Boston College

Good diversity of research. Students said to get a lot of hands on experience.

Excellent clinical exposure and training. Live in NYC. Serve underserved community

Boston College

Location, tuition, great dermatology program.

Brandeis University

Location in Brooklyn, cheaper tuition, great clinical education.

New York is close to home and in-state tuition is really helpful. I am really excited to begin classes especially because of the strong emphasis on good doctor-patient relationships and clinical experience. Downstate doctors are supposed to be the most prepared when beginning their residency.

Brooklyn College (CUNY)

SUNY Downstate offers an excellent clinical unparalleled by any other institution in NYC. That coupled with the cost, diversity, and proximity to family and close friends made it an excellent choice

I was in the BA/MD program and was excited by the diverse culture of the school.

BA/MD program

It was part of the BA/MD program. Also, tuition rates are extremely reasonable compared to other med schools.

Had a great experience with the MPH program.

Great clinical, BA-MD program with Brooklyn College.

Because of its convenience of proximity to many sites in New York.

I chose Downstate due to financial considerations.

I heard great things about the professors and students. The opportunities offered here, in terms of research and residency options are a great attraction.

BA-MD program at Brooklyn College

I was part of the BA/MD in Brooklyn College

I attended the BAMD program

The best school that fit my situation

I chose to attend Downstate because of the BA-MD program

Diversity, inexpensive, close to home, only place I was accepted

I was in the BAMD program, but the reason I would choose Downstate would be the great experience and education I would receive from this institution.

BA/MD Program, great clinical

Brown University

I perceived it as the best opportunity offered me by any MD school.

In-state tuition. Cool people. Wanted to stay in NY. I liked the diversity of the neighborhood.

Excellent clinical experience, diversity, location in NYC.

Close to Family. Diversity.

Carnegie Mellon University

Great Ophthalmology program. One of the best clinical exposure environments in the nation. Close to home.

College of Staten Island (CUNY)

Location, reputation, economic consideration.

College of William and Mary

I chose Downstate because of the clinical experience and in-state tuition.

Columbia University

I wanted to study medicine in an urban environment and Downstate is the best place to do so. Many Alumni enter into academic medicine. Downstate is a well respected academic institution.

Location, in state tuition, great clinical experience

I came for several reasons – Kings County, NYC

For the best clinical experience. Convenience and price.

Only school accepted to. Local. Wide variety of affiliated hospitals.

Not in order of significance: Location, Diversity of student body, patient population, clinical exposure, price.

Great location. Good research. Good MD program

Location, tuition, reputation.

Great clinical education.

Cooper Union

Location and training

Cornell University

Price, location, state schools are cool

Location, near home, urban environment, cost

Only place admitted

The urban setting and the chance to witness a diverse patient population

Inexpensive, urban location, good school.

Diversity, friendly environment, location, proximity to home.

The school has an excellent clinical program along with a multicultural diverse student body and surrounding community. These conditions I feel will give me the best training. Plus in-state tuition is great.

As a Brooklyn resident, the location was very convenient, as was the tuition. Diverse class, excellent clinical training and residency placement also contributed to my decision. I love NYC. Faculty found to be very warm and inviting.

Proximity to home, the availability of education/experience at an affordable price.

Outstanding school with a great reputation. Affordable costs. Convenient location. Diverse population.

Reputation, research, location, underserved area in medicine

Location, in-state tuition which is very cheap.

SUNY Downstate offers great clinical training to the students at affordable in-state tuition. It is also close to my family in Queens.

Location, great clinical experience, cost.

It is a perfect fit for me.

In state, near Manhattan, near home

Cornell/Hunter College

Clinical opportunity, location, price.

Lehman College (CUNY)

In state tuition

Drexel University

Excellent hands on experience combined with a solid medical education in Brooklyn! Who could ask for anything better?

Emory University

Plethora of patient populations

Fordham University

The clinical experience I will receive will hopefully prepare me for residencies. Also, I ultimately would like to practice in NY and maintain the NY culture

Georgia State University

Closer to family, clinical experience

Haverford College

I liked the location and the tuition was affordable.

Hunter College (CUNY)

I love working and learning in an urban environment. I also liked the price of going to a state school.

Clinical neuroscience pathway. Opportunity to study emergency medicine @ diverse location across the street from major metropolitan hospital. Students/staff extraordinarily helpful during interview process. Impressive interviewer.

SUNY Downstate was my number one choice because of the school’s curriculum, clinical experiences, and location.

Johns Hopkins University

To have access to a large range of facilities for our rotations/clerkships. To learn in an urban/immigrant setting. To be in NY. For MD/MPH program.

Kenyon College

Location, location, location. In-state tuition. Good clinical reputation.

Lehigh University

Was accepted into the MD/PHD program. Interested in some of the research labs, specifically neurology/robotics.

Medgar Evers College (CUNY)

Because of the amazing research facilities.

New York University

Great clinical reputation. Affordable

Great clinical experience and New York City location.

I wanted to learn in an ethnically diverse neighborhood. Brooklyn is the best.

The clinical experience here was the biggest draw. I also really wanted to be NYC.

High diversity, Area.

Downstate is located close to home, has affordable tuition, and is widely known for its excellent clinical training.

Location, clinical exposure/experience is the best of all the places I visited.

I decided to attend SUNY Downstate Medical Center, because it is one of the best schools in New York State.

Because it was the only NY school that accepted me. Plus great education.

I’ve always wanted to come here. Clinical exposure, cost, and Brooklyn.

Northwestern University

In-state tuition, diversity of community, NYC.

Notre Dame University

I wanted to work in urban environment. Close to home. Close to city. Good reputation.

Oxford University (St. Peters College)

I decided to attend COM at Downstate because of its reputation for excellent clinical training and its NYC location.

Queens College (CUNY)

It was recommended by my mentor. Close to home. Downstate has a great reputation for providing first rate healthcare to community.

Good school, every good doctor I know graduated from Downstate.

Rutgers University

The area and therefore the clinical exposure the school has to offer. Also, the school’s reputation and academic programs.

St Lawrence University

NYC, clinical experience, diversity, opportunity

St. John’s University

I decided to attend the College of Medicine at SUNY Downstate Medical Center because it has a great reputation of academics. Also as a student here at SUNY Downstate you are exposed to clinical experience starting from your first year, which is an advantage.

Stanford University

I have many good friends attending Downstate and they have all had very positive experiences. Clinical education is said to be excellent and the low tuition is great.

Great clinical opportunities, location – my family is in New York, in state tuition.

Stony Brook (SUNY)

Because of the amazing clinical aspect

It’s cheaper, close to NYC, I like the students when I came to interview. They were nice and friendly

Reputation of school and opportunities for valuable clinical experience.

Clinical experience. Proximity to home. Low tuition and in-state tuition.

I chose SUNY Downstate because of proximity to home, reputation, and clinical experience.

Cheap tuition, great clinical experience, close to home.

Better clinical experience

I decided to attend SUNY Downstate College of Medicine because of my internship experiences at SUNY Downstate during my summers in undergrad.

Proximity to home. Educational value. Affordable tuition. Diversity

The diversity of the patients at the associated hospital.

I am originally from Queens, NY and attended high school in Brooklyn. The location and urban area enticed me to Downstate. I feel I will have great, fulfilling experiences at Downstate.

I fell Downstate is the best school to graduate from to land a residency in NYC

SUNY Geneseo

My main reason for attending Downstate is the location. I have always wanted to live in NYC and this was the school I chose.

The atmosphere and the environment (I love Brooklyn). Also the clinical exposure sounds very promising.

Swathmore College

Patient population diversity, in-state tuition.

Syracuse University

Best combination of urban medical experiences, cost, and location.

Syracuse University & New York University

I decided to attend SUNY Downstate due to the diversity of the people the teaching hospital serves and its positive reputation as a medical school.

Temple University

I heard great things about SUNY Downstate, and its location.

Touro College

Great school, low tuition, diversity

Tufts University

State school tuition and clinical experience.

Univ. of Mass/Amherst

Clinical reputation, cost effective, diverse student/patient populations.

University of Arizona

I decided to attend SUNY because of the unique clinical opportunities available to students – also because I wanted to live in NYC!

University of California — Berkeley

Location in Brooklyn and cost/value.

University of California — Los Angeles

First and only school to accept me (but it was my first choice)

One of my mentors recommended this school because it emphasized problem-based learning and had a diverse patient population.

My mentor spoke highly of Downstate and I liked the fact that it offered a neuroscience program (PATH) for those interested in Neurology.

University of Connecticut

Great clinical education, cheap tuition, close to home

The first school I got into and like the cost/location/quality compared to other schools.

University of Connecticut & Columbia University

Good atmosphere of fellow students. Wanted to go to school in NYC.

University of Maryland

Reputation, finances, location.

Location, cost.

University of Massachusetts

The cost of attendance, clinical experience, and location were all key factors in my decision to attend SUNY Downstate.

University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill

The chance to experience inner city medicine.

University of Pennsylvania

NYC (proximity to Manhattan for wife’s job) Clinical exposure and experience. Potential for in-state tuition for 3rd years.

University of Rochester

The clinical experience, great academic reputation, positive atmosphere and attitude of current students.

Clinical experience. Cost. Location

I got in.

Because it’s known for its great clinical experience and location in a major metropolitan area.

Exceptional clinical training. Also in the heart of NY.

University of Scranton

The school’s reputation, location and type of experience I will get.

University of Texas — Austin

Great clinical, in urban center, in Brooklyn, student guides and faculty interviewers made good impression.

University of Virginia

My mother is an alumnus, and I’ve always heard how much she loves the school. I also wanted to be in Brooklyn (my hometown).

Because of its excellent clinical reputation and how wonderful and impressive all of the students, professors, and other personnel I met were.

University of Wisconsin — Madison

I wanted to go to medical school not too far from home (I grew up in Long Island) and the in-state tuition is very tempting. Also the school has a great reputation and great clinical experience.

Washington University in St Louis

In state tuition. Already live in Brooklyn. Older student body. County hospital. Hands on education. Wanted to stay in NY.

Wesleyan University

I wanted an urban medical education. I got in.

Williams College

Very urban setting, diverse student body, great clinical experience, overall cost is less.

Xavier University of Louisiana

Great reputation, in-state tuition, live in Brooklyn, work with diverse population.

Yale University

Wanted to be in NYC, great clinical experience, in-state tuition.

Because I love New York and Brooklyn and the hospital here is a great place to learn hands on medicine.

York College (CUNY)

I decided to come to Downstate because it’s close to home. The neighborhood of Brooklyn is very diverse and the faculty is world renowned.

Downstate's excellent reputation for giving their students the best clinical training.