Make sure he starts working on the essays right after he gets the prompts. He or she may end up making multiple revisions. As suggested to another parent who PM ed me recently, find out if the company you work for has benefits specific to employees’ children. Such as free counseling and essay reviews by professional advising and guidance companies. Many employers provide such benefits and people are not even aware of them. Also some companies provide scholarships to employees children based on academic achievements and PSAT scores.
Also be sure not to submit ACT score if applying to a certain program who seem biased against that test takers.
Looking by numbers, bsmd programs fill up 5% of the seats in medical school vs 95% of the seats filled by regular 4yr UG medical school route. Consider bsmd just as a first chance or attempt. Why put such an emphasis on this tiny effort ?
Best strategy is to apply widely and have low expectations. Always keep 4yr UG regular route option open even after securing a bird-at-hand( bsmd program admission). All you need is ONE acceptance to have a bird-at-hand.
Unless one has clear choice of what area to do residency, how useful is research activity at NJMS ? Assuming there is no minimum MCAT score but a minimum GPA requirement for bsmd, one can have a relatively stress-free regular 3yr UG at NJIT/NJMS bsmd.
@NoviceDad - Thanks for sharing your perspective. You are so right about attitude. Dealing with fatigue and rejections will make the kids stronger. Developing positive attitude in the face of failures is a lesson only learnt from experience!
@grtd2010 - Thanks for your perspective. Applying widely and having low/realistic expectations is important. You are so right in pointing out that BSMD application or even admissions into one or two colleges is very small compared to life or to success in life. Success doesn’t translate to happiness and happiness in life is defined by so many different things.
Applications to medical school will come after a few years and for those who persist and are determined, success is very much possible.
@grtd2010 - Yes ofcourse, you are right. I only considered the MD degree but residency, specialization will take longer. For practical purpose, it will take 13-15 years. It’s a long journey for sure.
LECOM may not be guaranteed since it has affiliations with many feeders and the policies may be different for each. They may have high attrition, so better due diligence. Nova seems to have a decent name, but who knows, even that may not be guaranteed. Know of a student who went for the direct dental program and dropped out of it. Couldn’t ask any embarrassing questions to find out further details.
One thing about the DO programs, they are as expensive as the MD programs. So feel it may be better to try traditional route first and then decide whether to go for DO if need be.
Go read the faq web page of NU HPME where they post the stats regarding the test scores, the tone of their words and the reading between the lines. They expect ACT takers to be perfect writers (with a 12 = 100% ile) and they don’t super score. They are very flexible with SAT though. There may be other programs too with any such bias, but this one was so eye catching.
LECOM is the largest DO school in the country. It has a 100% residency match rate.
LECOM COMLEX Board 1 pass rate is >95%.
NOVA has a residency match rate is ~95% and COMLEX Board 1 pass rate is ~ 91%.
Your choice of BS/DO vs BS/MD vs traditional UG depends on a number of factors.
You have not shared your stats or other details and therefore it is difficult to comment.
NU has no bias against ACT or SAT.
Writing is optional, but recommended for the ACT.
In fact, more NU undergrad freshmen enter with ACT scores vs SAT scores.
Yes, they do have a system issue in superscoring of ACT but HPME can access the ACT superscores from the general undergraduate admission.
This is my issue with NU-HPME – why have two systems? And even if you have two systems, there is there no interoperability? Why do students have to submit two applications?
Here is the relevant link to HPME’s entrance requirements:
"Applicants are required to take the SAT Reasoning Exam and SAT Subject Exams in Math Level 2 and Chemistry. The ACT may be substituted for the SAT Exam. There are no substitutions for the Math Level 2 and Chemistry Subject Exams. Writing is optional, but recommended for the ACT.
The SAT can be superscored on our request form and application. The ACT cannot be superscored in our system for this application cycle, but can be superscored for general undergraduate admission. HPME can access these scores and take them into consideration."
My emphasis is not on NU undergrad but NU HPME. Do we have a break down of the recent batches of those admitted to the program by ACT vs SAT takers? Why do they not mention anything about SAT writing scores? Perhaps they made ACT writing “recommend” lately but as of last year I think it was required with the stats for that mentioned as 12/12 = 100% ile.
I am reminded of the profile of this student from last year (2019) results thread who got selected in around a dozen or so BS/MD programs applied to. His parent was mentioning on the main thread that though they are IL residents and live close to NU, their son never received even an application from the program. Can’t but suspect the bias as being the primary reason.
My advice to folks interested in that program, if you have both SAT and ACT scores, submit only SAT scores and don’t even bother mentioning that you took ACT. Submit ACT if and only if you have no other recourse and have low expectations to even receive an application or getting called for an interview.
Hope I am wrong, but highly doubt it.
Also read someone mentioning on this forum that UPitt GAP program has the same bias, for SAT and against ACT, but I don’t have any idea.
@helix8@NoviceDad
MY S is in the FAU BS MD program. This program is a true BS MD Program.
The Medical school interview is a formality as long as GPA and MCAT requirements are met. If you are still want to check, you can ask the program director.
How does he like it at FAU? Is he in the Wilkes or the UHP program also by chance? Just curious how he was liking it! CONGRATS to him that is really amazing!
@Vicky2019 - When I came up with this list, I looked into programs that would take an SAT score that is lower than the typical BS/MD applicant (seeing that I have a 1470 and most applicants have 1520+). I mainly shied away from top tier programs such as Brown PLME and Case Western seeing that I knew I most likely had no chance of getting into the programs.
@PPofEngrDr For the west coast schools, I mainly applied to them to make sure I had a backup plan to take the traditional route into medicine. I live in California so I would get in-state tuition and I’ll be able to save up for med school.
For Howard University, I first applied early action there for their BS/MD program in November. I received my acceptances to other BS/MD programs in March and Howard University BS/MD applications were due during that time. Since I was busy with interviews and senior year, I decided not to apply.
Yes ofcourse, you are right. I only considered the MD degree but residency, specialization will take longer. For practical purpose, it will take 13-15 years. It’s a long journey for sure.