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Subj: Advice
Date: 10/24/99
To: bestpremed@aol.com
Hello Alex.
Before I begin I would like to thank you in advance for this wonderful website and for the opportunity to ask you for advice.
My story is this, in a shortened form. My girlfriend and I are both premed in the same college. We're sophomores now and have taken and will continue to take absolutely the same courses (we have the same majors). Our college is in Upstate NY and thats where we live, but our permanent residence is in Brooklyn.
Aside from getting into med school, our biggest goal is to get into the same med school. Do you have any advice on how we may go about doing this? Should we give med schools the "take us both or reject us both" ultimatum? (foolish in my point of view). Or should we mention each other at interviews and hope they see us as one entity. I've heard that it's possible for 2 people to apply using one application but I don't know if that is true.
Here are a few facts to consider in your reply: (please omit when posting this on your page) {Comment: Above average statistics}
Finally, we want to go to a med school in NY CITY because we want to stay close to our families. In fact, SUNY Brooklyn is our #1 choice!
Do you think we stand a chance of getting in together? Is thare anything we can do to help our situation (perhaps talk to the head of SUNY Brooklyn to see what he or she says). I thank you once again and await your reply. P.S. Are you foreign born and if you are, are you Russian? I'm asking because my girlfriend and I are.
Reply
Well, that's a very touching story. It may be very disappointing to hear but Life can be Cruel.
Your hunch is a very good one--giving "take us both" or "leave us both" ultimatum will not get you very far.. I do not know anyone in a situation identical to yours. I know that some schools will try to be accommodating if a current STUDENT has a spouse who is applying to medical school.
Your idea to mention the fact that your other half is also applying to their school during an interview is a much better option. Another option is to wait until one of you gets an admission and then call the admissions; tell them how much you want to attend and that you have a girlfriend/boyfriend (fiance/e) who is also applying. Then ask them whether they can consider his/her application too. No matter what your statistics, NEVER give them an ultimatum. The best you can ask for is their consideration.
I am pretty sure that both of you can NOT apply using one application.
The truth is that unless you're engaged or married, medical schools may not take such request as seriously for obvious reason (which may not apply to you but they cannot know): relationships tend to break-up.
I think you should not discount the idea of going to different medical schools within NYC. You won't be seeing each other nearly as much as you're seeing each other now or if you went to the same school but at least it's close enough to spend a weekend together.
Well, I'm not part of the admissions at SUNY Downstate so I can't help you there. Of course, you always have the option to talk to the admissions at Downstate (SUNY Brooklyn). In fact, it would not be such a bad idea to discuss your case with the Dean of Admissions--just call her up or make an appointment to see her when you're in NY and ask her for advice. She seems to be a very nice person. In fact it would not be such a bad idea to call a few schools in NYC just before you apply or send your secondaries and ask them for advice. If they ask you to spell your names then go out and celebrate--they may be willing to help you.
P.S. Yes, I'm one of those pesky foreigners and Russian too. Downstate is very diverse and a lot of fun despite all the work.. Mnogo nashikh.
Good luck to both of you,
-Alex
