BS/MD or traditional path?

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>I'm debating between a 7 year med program at The College of New Jersey with a guaranteed acceptance into UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School and Duke University for traditional undergrad. </p>

<p>The program at TCNJ is guaranteed acceptance into Med school (just have to maintain a 3.5 GPA which isn't too hard since TCNJ is a school below my caliber academically. SMEDs, or seven-year-medical students, are pretty much geniuses on campus), and I can even do it in 6 years since I have loads of AP credit. </p>

<p>There is also an option for me to apply to a different med school while giving up my place at UMDNJ if I choose to. Is this a good path to take? </p>

<p>The prestige of New Jersey Medical School isn't as great as I would like is pretty much it. I'm told that stellar grades in med school can still lead me to a top residency, but I still feel drawn to Duke. I love the atmosphere, the weather, the academics...it's perfect. Duke's also a premed powerhouse when it comes to admissions. The problem with Duke is that it's 52k/yr (TCNJ is 12k/yr and UMDNJ is about 40k/yr). It is affordable by my family, but I'd rather not squander their money when I have this guaranteed program in hand already. Going to UMDNJ though, I feel that it's sort of compromising my abilities--I could be better than this, I keep thinking to myself. </p>

<p>Any thoughts?</p>

2

<p>You like duke and you are going to be second guessing yourself all the way to residency w njms, sounds like you should just go to duke.</p>

3

<p>My thoughts on the underlying question (“Why should we bother going to a better college?”) are here:
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/839006-undergrad-really-important.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/839006-undergrad-really-important.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

4

<p>If I take the BS/MD route, should I apply out? I am given that option, but NJMS’s match list isn’t half-bad. If I can excel there, I can easily end up where I should’ve been in the first place for residency. </p>

<p>Should I apply out if my GPA and MCAT are at appropriate levels (I’m thinking 3.8ish and 38 MCAT?). I think I can do it since I go to a very good high school, do well there, and also had a 2360 SAT (770 CR, 800 M, 790 W)</p>

5

<p>Hi WAN9STA,
I have a similar problem right now. I was just wondering, which option did you end up choosing, the BS/MD route or Duke? And are you happy with your decision?</p>