Hello Everyone :
I am a regular visitor to CC and I can’t thank enough for the details shared in here. My daughter is a senior in HS and she is very much interested in the BS/DO program and she applied for the same. Here are the results
Accepted
Nova/NSUCOM 7 year program - good scholarship - 3.4 UG gpa with average MCAT 502
SBU/LECOM - decent scholarship - 3.2 UG gpa with NO MCAT
IIT/CCOM - Full tution in IIT – 3.5 UG gpa with MCAT above national average
NYIT/NYCOM - good scholarship – 3.5 UG gpa with MCAT above national average. Have to go thru interview with NYCOM after 3 years
Waiting
Usciences/PCOM - Attended the interview and waiting on results – Guaranteed interview with PCOM
Rutgers Camden/ROWSOM – Waiting on ROWSOM interview.
Rejected
Rowan/ROWSOM
We are NJ resident. Can you guide us on choosing the best programs among the ones listed above.
Really appreciate your input.
Note : My daugher is not interested on the traditional route and want to pursue Medicine thru 7 or 8 year programs.
I think you should wait the results from Pcom at least before make a decision. IMHO, Pcom is better and its been around for 100+ years.
Is Rowsom a DO school or md school? if it is md, MD>DO always.
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I see ROWSOM now, it is a DO school. So I think in my mind here is MY own ranking:
Pcom>CCOM>ROWSOM(because it is in NJ)>NSUCOM>NYCOM>LECOM
That is only IMHO, others may have a different ranking.
PCOM is one of the only DO schools I have heard of with regard to its good medical training. There are 3 or 5 that are considered head and shoulders above the rest but PCOM is the only one I ever remember.
^^Thats because PCOM is one of oldest and most established DO programs in the country, (Founded in 1899.) Until 1993, osteopaths had their own separate, dedicated hospital in Philadelphia, Hahnemann Hospital (founded 1849 and named after the inventor of homeopathy). While I growing up in the greater Philly area, osteopathic physicians and surgeons were common and had great reputations locally.
Hahnemann Hospital was bought by Allegheny Healthcare in 1993. Hahnemann was later acquired by Drexel University when Drexel was setting up Drexel SOM.
Pcom has its own rotation and residency in one Hospital, thus the advantage. If you are good enough, you may join the few Derm residencies in DO arena at PCOM.
CCOM is pretty good as well, IMHO. D was going there, but choose to stay in CA, she had enough Chicago weather.
Thanks all for the input. I want to mention if anything will change based on binding or non-binding with the med colleges.
PCOM - not a guaranteed seat but interview guaranteed. And non-binding and D can opt out to apply other colleges.
CCOM / NSUCOM - guaranteed seat and non-binding.
NYCOM and LECOM - guaranteed and binding.
Also IIT as an UG college… is it a hard school? Getting a good gpa in BIO major is it difficult? Any thoughts on that?
Again… you guys are awesome and thanks again…
Biology at Illinois Tech is a very solid degree but not as tough as engineering by any means. Students need to take 2 semesters of calculus and 2 semesters of physics but the rest will be chemistry and biology. The math and physics usually help our students do very well on the physical sciences part of the MCAT exam. There are also BS/MS programs which are good for getting into a medical school program.
The Biology program at IIT does a very good job at providing a solid background for students to go to pursue med school. The program provides a wide range of elective opportunities to study topics that interest you which range from medical physics/radiation to studying cancer on the molecular level. This education is also paired with a wide array of on-campus research opportunities with professors to build off your classroom education and provide a great foundation to launch a career in medicine or professional research. If you have any other questions, I am a Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics student and I would love to talk to you further.
Thanks everyone. My D got into Usciences/PCOM now. Any thoughts on Usciences as an undergraduate school?
@GoldenRock : Can you please provide your input based on your expertise?
@AimToDoctor Sorry. Unfortunately I have no knowledge related to DO programs. My D applied only to BS/MD and hence I did some homework related to those programs only.
Go with the information provided by others in this thread and what your D feels comfortable and fit.
Though PCOM is talked in this thread a lot, not having a guaranteed seat is not giving comfort feeling. Between CCOM and NSUCOM, each has its own + & -. One is 8 years vs 7 years, full tuition vs good scholarship (if finance is factor), location preference (IL vs FL). If she is comfortable with any of these 2 schools go with that. GL.
Thanks @GoldenRock. I found out that both NSUCOM and PCOM both have reserved seat but not guaranteed acceptance (they call it dual admission program). You have to go thru the interview process but the UG colleges are confirming that historically they are 100% accepted after the interview process. Do you have any stats or any details on this guaranteed interview process based on your expertise?
@AimToDoctor Even in BS/MD there is nothing called guaranteed acceptance. Technically all are ‘Conditionally’ guaranteed. But there are so many flavors with the ‘conditions’. Some, no mcat, no AMCAS app but need to maintain some GPA % in UG. Some need to take MCAT (and attain some score, minimal or same/above the previous year admitted GPA), some no need to apply to AMCAS also. But I consider all these normal, except when the condition is to go thru interview before matriculating to MD. Because to some extent student can control the score of MCAT or GPA. But interview outcome is more subjective and not totally in student control. But it is purely my own thought process.
In BS/MD world, only Temple, Drexel and Rutgers/RJWMS have the interview before matriculating to MD. All others no interview though varying flavors.
But if you have done the homework with PCOM and if interview is formality, go with PCOM. At least between NSUCOM and PCOM, shortlist one. Then dabble if you still want to go with one of this or CCOM. Good thing both PCOM and CCOM are non - binding. If PCOM has not given any aid at all, CCOM has a advantage if money is a factor.
Normally if the interview committee has a participation from DO school before admitting HS student. Did IIT/CCOM had this situation? Who interviewed in UScience/ PCOM? I assume only Uscience reps.
Thanks again @GoldenRock.
IIT/CCOM : Its clearly an early acceptance. There is no interview mandatory and she already had the interview in both IIT and CCOM as part of the BS/DO application process.
Uscience/PCOM : Interview was only with UScience reps. No interview with PCOM as part of BS/DO application process.
Yes both are non-binding. Uscience is close to home but there is risks with the interview 
I’d go with Uscience/Pcom, close to home is a BIG plus in med school. I am so glad D is in a med school closed to home where we can give much support. The work at med school is heavy, if you can support her it is a big advantage. Frankly, what is important is how you perform in each stage of your life, not where you go or where you work.
@AimToDoctor
The IIT/CCOM program isn’t a guaranteed early acceptance. It’s an early {u]conditional{/u] acceptance. The program has requirements students must meet in order to matriculate into the med school portion of the program–including maintaining a GPA.3.5 AND a MCAT score above the national average.
https://science.iit.edu/premedicine-programs-iit-midwestern-do
@WayOutWestMom : Agreed. I meant that there was no interview as long as you meet the gpa and MCAT criteria.
NON-BINDING:
IIT/CCOM : gpa/mcat
NSU/NSUCOM : gpa/mcat/interview
USciences/PCOM : gpa/mcat/interview
BINDING :
Juniata/Utica/SBU/LECOM : gpa/binding (she has the academic index covered - so no MCAT needed)
@artloversplus : Yes. Taking your suggestion into consideration as well.
Just out of curiosity, is the MCAT requirement above the National average for test takers, DO applicants, or DO matriculants because I imagine those are all different numbers?