I’ve been accepted to Boston University’s College of General Studies and been given the option to complete 2 years and a summer at London. After I come back, switch to Boston University’s list of undergraduate schools such as College of Arts and Science. I’ve been a person who’s been set to enter medical school so if anyone can give me statements as to what I am getting myself into? I want to be on track for pre-med and I don’t want CGS holding me back, if that makes sense?
The BU CGS curriculum is shown here:
https://www.bu.edu/cgs/academics/our-program/courses/
It looks like the requirements may delay getting started on the typical pre-med BCPM course work.
What’s your other choices? Does it still require you to start in the spring?
This path would delay your plans. Frankly it really doesn’t seem worth it.
What are your other choices?
I’ve also been waitlisted at Boston College for Connell Nursing school. Should I fight and try to enter in? One thing to include, as a high school senior, I am taking a college course (human bio). Should that still give me an advantage to be on track for pre-med or you doubt it?
If I enter BU, I start Jan 2022 follow by a summer program at London. So basically, a gap semester.
Do you want to be a nurse or a doctor/PA?
Did you review the Pathways (under Programs) linked on the page? My S is interested in Chem and would start a course during the first gap semester, and a summer session course. But he’s also v motivated to study abroad as long as that course load is manageable.
Actually both, I don’t mind where life would direct me.
I have reviewed it but universities only add ideas that’ll make them look good and does not add the cons. I want to know what I am getting myself into if I do send a deposit to Boston U, if I am still on track to enter medical schools after 4 years.
To enter med school immediately after graduation, you must apply at the end of your junior year of college. The med school application cycle takes a full year. You apply in June of one year to enter med school in July or August of the following year.
To apply you need to have all your pre-reqs and ECs completed (you cannot update your med school application once it’s submitted) and to have taken the MCAT. Since you will need to delay starting your chem pre-reqs until you transfer to the College of Arts & science and because the required chem sequence for med school and the MCAT is 5 semesters, you won’t be ready to take the MCAT until spring of your senior year or to apply to med school until after college graduation at the earliest. This means you’ll need to take one or more gap years between college and medical school.
So, yes, starting in the College of General Studies may delay your potential admission to medical school.
Be aware that PA school has different entry requirements than does med school. PA programs require between 500-2000 hours (varies by program) PAID direct patient care employment for admission.
Most patient care jobs require you to have a certification and a state license in order to qualify for employment.
(Typical patient care jobs for PA hopefuls–medical assistant, CNA, phlebotomist, EMT, ER or surgical tech, patient care tech, paramedic, LPN, etc.)
Nursing and medicine are two very different, non-interchangeable career pathways. If you are undecided which you prefer, I suggest you do some job shadowing before you make any final decision. Or at least have several in-depth discussions with both nurses and physicians about the pluses and minuses of the respective jobs.
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The CGS program starts in January, 2022 in Boston, Summer 2022 in London or in Boston, then the 2022-2023 year in Boston. You will not be spending 2 years in London.
- BU has grade deflation and is not a good premed choice generally speaking
- premeds need to be in the top 25% of admitted students (at BU it means 1500 SAT or 34 ACT, 3.8+ unweighted gpa with ap chem, ap bio, ap calc)
- starting abroad is cool and excellent but… not for a premed who needs to hit the ground running.
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Understood! If you were in my position, what would you do? I also got waitlisted at Boston College as well.
Rather than telling us about the colleges that waitlisted you, how about you tell us about the colleges that did admit you? This way we can compare your actual choices and figure out if there are “best” or “better” ones for a would-be premed. 
Another matter is net cost. Would you have to take on a loan to pay for BU?
@sharpiees What I would do isn’t the point.
This decision is about you and your goals.
@MYOS1634 is asking some crucial questions.
What are your options? What schools have you been accepted to? What are your net costs at each school that has accepted you?
What is your Plan B if you become one of the 60% of pre-meds who don’t get an acceptance to med school every year?
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Admitted to two more colleges such as Denison Uni and Clark Uni. When dealing with loans for BU, my family only needs to pay about $2k if theoretically they didn’t take any loans out.
Given the limitations of course selection at BU CGS, why not consider Denison and Clark, if they are affordable?
Am I understanding you correctly that your family’s out of pocket for BU would be only $2/year and not require your family to take out loans above that amount?
If so, is that your least expensive choice?
I see from your previous thread you are a HEOP eligible student so that college costs may be a major factor in your choice of schools.
While starting at CGS may delay your application to medical school and require you to take a gap year, only 32% of successful med school applicants matriculate directly into med school from undergrad. 52% take 1-3 gap years post graduation or are non-traditional students (16%)
See: https://www.aamc.org/media/50081/download
Applying to medical school and medical school itself are both very expensive so it’s strongly recommended that pre-meds take on as little undergrad debt as possible.
Denison and Clark would allow you hit the ground running and to graduate from very respected colleges.
Can you calculate
(Tuition, fees, room, board) - (scholarships, loans) =…
For each college you got into
And list the result next to the college’s name?
Would the abroad component of CGS cost more or does the financiala package cover plane tickets and other extra costs?