<p>How prestigious is Hofstra University's BA/MD program? Does anyone have more information about the program as a whole or the medical school? If I've been selected for this program and it comes down to doing this program versus going to a top-20 university, what would you recommend?</p>
<p>Which top-20 universities would you recommend over this program? How do Cornell, Emory, and Hopkins compare to this program?</p>
<p>Personally I’d go to Emory or cornell if i were you because chances are you’d probably end up in med school in the long run anyway</p>
<p>unless of course you don’t care and just want to become a doctor, then go to hofstra and just have the best time of your life…again you probably relate moer to the emory/hopkins/cornell kids than you would the hofstra kids</p>
<p>asheroth: Really? Why do you need to make disrespectful comments about Hofstra? I’d be surprised if you’ve ever been to the school or know anything about it. Your comments are really not helpful or particularly coherent, for that matter.</p>
<p>I was accepted to the Hofstra BA/MD program. I have a list of the 33 universities that the accepted students attended before being accepted to the medical school. The list includes all the schools you have mentioned and several more prestigious ones (Harvard, UPenn, Stanford) etc. I’m pretty definite on going to this program, which means rejecting 2 Ivy Leagues. Honestly, being 6/400+ is alot more prestigious than 1/10 ( referring to the 10% acceptance rate at those other schools).</p>
<p>I’m just being honest</p>
<p>the kids who studied more in high school than others are being segregated from those who spent most of their time messing around</p>
<p>the split happens in college
Hofstra will get one type of applicant
Cornell will get the other</p>
<p>Considering that OP got into cornell he/she likely fits into the cornell type of student moreso than the Hofstra type…general populace wise.</p>
<p>I’m not saying that I was all that cool in high school, i knew a lot of people and was social but by no means cool, but now i’m pretty cool because the coolness scale changes</p>
<p>as a result i’m having a much better time in college than i did in high school</p>
<p>“Moreso” is not a word, asheroth. It’s two words. Your comments are not helpful.</p>
<p>A streamlined path to MD school seems like an easy choice if you are certain about wanting to go to MD school. But if you are uncertain, then you may regret your choice of college if you decide not to go to MD school and your choice of college based on the streamlined path to MD school is not an optimal academic and non-academic fit otherwise.</p>
<p>@callmedoc: I have that list, too. Although those people attended those top schools, perhaps they didn’t have as high GPAs/MCAT scores meaning that they ended up having to apply to lower tier med schools (e.g. Hofstra)? There’s just so much uncertainty involved with attending a medical school that’s so new; one that doesn’t have any match rates or any established history. </p>
<p>@callmedoc: Do you know if the program is binding? Why did you choose Hofstra 4+4 over the Ivies? Don’t you think you could have a better overall experience + keep your options open at one of the Ivies?</p>
<p>@anhydrous: the average MCAT score of last years entering class was a 33. That is equivalent to the entering MCAT score at NYU Med(a top 20 medical school). The GPAs were also similar. One of the current med students I talked to rejected Georgetown Med over Hofsta/LIJ. The caliber of these students is definitely comparable to those at other great medical schools. Also, I can see the average MCAT score for this years entering class to be even higher, since more people are probably going to apply.</p>
<p>I know for a fact that the program is not binding, meaning you can apply out if you please. I can see why you might want to do this, but I would not encourage it unless you have a MCAT score >33 and wish to attend another dream school. </p>
<p>I (90% positive) will choose Hofstra because I can see myself excelling over there. The medical school has a very unique integrated curriculum that is not for everyone. Also, LIJ is like the largest secular healthcare provider in America. This, along with stellar USMLE scores, translates into great residency matches. Another reason why I will probably choose Hofstra is because it’s very close to my home.</p>
<p>I personally believe the experience is what you make out of it, no matter what school you attend. I’ve talked to many students at the Ivies I was accepted to and have heard countless stories of where premed never turned to med. This isn’t to say that I wish to take the “easy way out”, but having a guarantee at a medical school I would love to attend while staying close to my family/friends is more important to me.</p>
<p>@anhydrous </p>
<p>If you were accepted to one of the top 5 schools, then the decision would be more difficult. But comparing this program to the top 20 schools, the choice is quite clear (for me at least).</p>
<p>Assuming money is similar, Hofstra BA/MD seems like the right choice to me if you really want med school. On the other, I think you need to talk to someone who is in medical or who has already gone through medical school. They will have better advice than most people on CC.</p>
<p>BA/MD is usually contingent on you keeping a science gpa of at least 3.5…if you’ll get the 3.5 anyway you’re probably just better off going to a better undergrad school. it’s win/win or lose/lose. (lose meaning you don’t meet the gpa requirement and won’t get into med school regardless) </p>
<p>you could also randomly decide not to be a doctor. having a top 20 degree and the network to fall back upon is worth way more than the hofstra degree</p>
<p>Matriculation occurs upon completion of your undergraduate degree provided you maintain a minimum 3.6 overall GPA as well as a minimum 3.6 science GPA, while satisfying the pre-medical requirements, with a high level of professional behavior, without repeating a course, and with no grade lower than a C. A minimum Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) score of 30 with 9 or better in each section is also required.</p>
<p>*** if you have these stats from your top 20 i’m almost positive you will get into a good med school regardless. i’d tell hofstra thanks but no thanks.</p>
<p>
True.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I think you made your decision there.</p>
<p>Ordinarily I recommend against the combined programs. I faced that dilemma many years back to turn down Northwestern’s 6 yr. program to attend Yale without any uncertainty that I would be a physician. That program is considerably more prestigious than the Hofstra program and would have saved my parents tons of money but I never “valued” a guaranteed medical school acceptance and you probably shouldn’t either. The Hofstra program requires a 3.6 GPA and minimum MCAT scores. If you make those elsewhere you will get into another medical school.</p>
<p>It is interesting that Brown recently changed its combined program to say you could not choose to apply to other medical schools after completing the undergraduate portion without losing your guaranteed spot at their medical school. I can only think that too many of these high achieving students jumped at a combined program but realized there were better medical schools to attend if given the option.</p>