Hearing chatters that colleges may extend May 1st acceptance decision deadline as so many students were unable to visit campus and other issues facing at home in current environment.
interesting public health policy proposal https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2764427? potentially affecting upcoming med school matriculants.
@applestudent23
It is a tough one but I am leaning towards Drexel/Drexel.
They are still working out their Tower Health arrangement and it is a large program.
However, for students with focus and hard work, one can get into competitive residencies from Drexel.
The traditional pre-med route at UMD is cheaper with better undergrad experience but it will come with its own risks.
All the very best.
Yes, I think right now weāre leaning towards Drexel, but each option comes with a trade off and any gain also comes with a loss, which makes it pretty difficult to decide.
Thank you for all you guidance and help!
I agree, thereās definitely the potential to do better, but is it worth the risk of giving up a seat.
Also, if I decide to go to Drexel for UG and am confident enough of my profile after 3 years, I could apply out of the program to say UMD SOM where I would still be considered an in-state applicant (I think, because my primary residence would still be MD?) Iām not 100 percent sure if thatās how it works thoughā¦
hey everyone, Iām having a tough time deciding between three programs (each with their own pros and cons). The programs are Union/AMC, TCNJ/NJMS, and Cincinnati. Iām not going to use match lists as an objective factor to compare between these schools, because theyāre really more reflective of individual student proficiency.
One last note, I am out of state for all three options! However, the med school tuition that factors into total costs was calculated using in-state residency, since I would be able to get in-state residency by the time I enter med school as an M1.
Finances arenāt really a problem, so Iād prioritize better connections/career prospects/etc. over financial impact.
[Union/AMC]
-No MCAT
-Maintain a 3.5
-MBA option
-8 year program
-Cohort size is roughly 15
-mandatory study abroad through National Health Systems program
-More expensive compared to others, Total UG/Med school cost will be roughly $440,000
-Location is not the greatest
-Less prestigious med school (AMC is fairly low ranked on USNWR and Residency Program director surveys)
-Small school, 2000 students
[TCNJ/NJMS]
-the MCAT is required, but no minimum (and multiple attempts allowed)
-Maintain a 3.5
-7 year program, but I would be able to finish my UG in two years
-Cohort size is roughly 20
-Able to finish UG in two years w/AP credits and spend the third year doing research, internships, study abroad, 1-year MPH at Columbia, etc.
-Many current students do research at Perelman, which is very close to TCNJ
-Location is a plus, as Philly and NYC are located within an hour
-Total 7 year cost is $388,000 (if I spent 3 years at TCNJ). If i spent two years at TCNJ, the cost is roughly $356,000
-Mandatory research required of all SMED students (either at TCNJ, NJMS, Perelman, or any lab)
-Rutgers NJMS is better ranked than AMC in most regards
-Mid-sized school, 7000 students
-A really great social community around the program! They have a 7-year medical society that hosts social events and such to encourage comraderie among all SMED students at TCNJ. They also have an Alumni society for all TCNJ/NJMS students going back to 1991. This program has that sort of support.
[Cincinnati]
-80th Percentile MCAT required in at most two attempts
-Maintain a 3.5
-8 Year program
-Cohort size is roughly 8-10
-Total 8 year cost will be $500,000
-Cincinnati is the highest ranked out of AMC and NJMS, probably has the best facilities. It is #44 on USNWR.
-Large school, 44000 students.
-Not as much community in the Connections program compared to TCNJ/NJMS.
I was able to tour both AMC and Cincinnati, but not NJMS because of COVID-19. I feel that my final decision is coming down to be between Cincinnati and NJMS. Cincy is the better med school yet more expensive, while TCNJ/NJMS has a great community and is cheaper, but less prestigious.
Ultimately, now that Step 1 is P/F, will my residency prospects really be affected that much if I was to go to NJMS over Cincy? Thank you all so much!
What are all your thoughts?
Please read the detailed post from @dblazer on the topic of residency match
So that addresses the role of med school prestige, but Iām still not sure about which program Iād choose.
I know it is a futile waste of energy, but I am stressed for my kiddo.
And he is stressed which feeds my stress. All of his extracurriculars are canceled. His research internship canceled. His summer programs at Boston U and Tufts canceled- no word on the others and some have already said they will be online and thatās a serious loss in experience. He has been studying for his SAT II in June which he isnāt even sure will happen.
It just sucks and I wanted to whinge for a minute and wonder how these BSMD applications are going to go/look for the upcoming cycle. Sigh. He had a lot going on that came to a screeching abrupt halt. Freakin ārona.
@mom2boys1999 Everybody more or less in same boat. So donāt worry about things that you donāt have control of. Think about more for kids who has loved ones affected by crisis and canāt even focus on academics. This is an unprecedented situation that will pass and life is full of opportunities.
Also current crisis will give hopefuls reality dose of what the life of MD can be if one decides to take that route, especially risk averse folks.
@starplatinum Though I am not aware of the specific sub-specialty strengths of each institution, I donāt see any appreciable difference in the quality of the matches at Cincy vs NJMS. I actually think NJMS match results look slightly better. Both mid-tier schools and their match lists reflect that.
Just a contemplative question - Every candidate on this forum has worked their butt off all 4 years in high school to ensure highest GPA, class rank, standardized test scores, APs, EXs, research, leadership, publications, patents, primary and supplemental essays. What is the magic formula that got only some - the coveted interviews, and even selectively from there - some admissions. As I read through posts, I truly empathize and feel for all my peers that didnt land an interview, and even after interviews, didnt land an offer, or offers which was not their top choice. Select few have more than one and that too in great programs. We all truly are high performing and this roller coaster can do a number on morale.
What is the magic sauce?
Well, only one person here constantly promotes Times ranking. So you have to do your own research to see how good they are. My suggestion is look at the categories you are interested and make your own list.
What do you guys think about the UCF Burnett Medical Scholars Program? We are out of state and received full tuition for the undergrad because of NMF, and the medical school is also pretty cheap. However, the attrition rates for the program seem pretty low, in terms of how many students actually end up going to the medical school. How hard is it to meet the GPA and MCAT requirements?
Just to clarify Drexel/Drexel is an EAP program. They changed a few years ago. Drexel SOM is ranked 91 in the bottom pile by USN. Drexel UG is also not ranked high.
Drexel University SOM 3.67 511 91 (USN ranking)
It will not be a good idea to put too much emphasis on residency match list at the start of bs/md. Do you know what specialty you want to pursue ? It will change when you start your M3 and M4. Any one can get into any residency if one works on it. For a NJ resident, TCNJ/NJMS is a very good choice.
Drexel/Drexel is an EAP program. They changed a few years ago. Is there a guaranteed seat with Drexel SOM when you join the program ? Find out.
He can work on his essays and story to tell for bs/md programs.
@applestudent23
https://drexel.edu/undergrad/apply/freshmen-instructions/accelerated/
at the bottom, please read the following.
Please note that due to the new version of the MCAT introduced in 2015, the College of Medicine reserves the right to revise the above requirements. Acceptance into the College of Medicine is not guaranteed.
Please get a clarification from Drexel University folks.
@applestudent23
https://drexel.edu/undergrad/apply/freshmen-instructions/accelerated/
at the bottom, please read the following.
Please note that due to the new version of the MCAT introduced in 2015, the College of Medicine reserves the right to revise the above requirements. Acceptance into the College of Medicine is not guaranteed.
Please get a clarification from Drexel University folks.