One thing I noticed: last year, many people (especially ORMs) got in many BS/MD programs with an ACT score of 34 but this year most people with a score of 35/36 had multiple rejections. Does this mean that it’s getting more competitive with each year?
My 2 cents…If you are an ORM It is going to be tough no matter what. Also I have seen examples where students with less scores got into Tier 1/2 BSMD programs than the ones with higher scores. Given that(ECs) were similar in some cases. Ofcourse can’t comment on Essays, but IMO a kid who gets a near perfect or perfect score very well knows how to write decent essays in most cases. In conclusion its absolutely crapshoot . More and more people are getting to know of programs that were not considered competitive till a few years ago and now are super competitive just because too many qualified kids are applying for a few seats.Our experience with the whole process was full of surprises and a few disappointments and my child did make it to the 2nd choice.Ultimately you will NEVER come to know why one did make it or 1 didn’t. Like I said before its highly unpredictable journey. My advise is-- apply to as many as you can, again just because of the process being holistic and completely unpredictable.
@9the0girl7 I’m pretty sure the college board gave the option of canceling your AP exam with no cancellation fee.
Why do not you do one or two minors if not a double major to occupy the 4th year of UG. Can you enter medical school earlier if UG is finished in 3 years. It is recommended that one takes Biology, Chemistry and Physics pre-requisites in UG not AP credits.
You can not make any such conclusion. The best strategy is to apply widely and have a realistic (low) expectations. This whole bs/md process is a crapshoot. So keep your 4yr UG route option to medical school open.
One can not necessarily graduate in 3 yrs even if one gets a lot of AP credits. It all depends on the requirements of the major which need to be met. Some majors require that you take a certain number of electives/sequences which are offered only during certain times (like in odd/even years).
Is this not dependent on your school if AP course is the part of curriculum i.e. you are not studying on your own ?
@rk2017 & @NoviceDad,
No, my S does not attend private school. His class is about 500 students, and he is #2. He is too humble if you ask me, but I was told that he is known to be smart by others in school.
In addition, I have volunteered on the advisory board and administered SAT practice exam at school for a few years. The administrators know us well.
Furthermore, no administrators and his teachers knew what BS MD was…
I have 3 kids in high school this year… and I have said more than I had to say. I hope I answer your question, and I also hope you can read between the lines…
Hello all, I am sure when you apply to bsmd programs you will also apply to some regular UG as backup, but do you apply any Early Decision at all?
Yes, the competition going up year after year with more and more top notch students (and parents) knowing about these programs and giving it a shot. Just to give a rough idea, compare both the number of posts in each year’s CC BS/MD threads and the number of reads going up leaps and bounds year over year.
@gradedu
Thank you, GL to all the kids in HS.
If you apply ED at any place, regular or BS/MD (only Brown PLME has that option out of all these programs), you are bound to attend it. So apply ED if and only if you are sure you are going to attend and will be fine with whatever financial package they may or may not give. You can’t change the mind later.
ED & BS/MD are oxymoran (self-contradiction). Per the above post, if applied Brown PLME and you got admission for Brown but not for PLME, pretty much you have to withdraw all the BS/MD apps you have applied after so spending so much time and money.
Interestingly this year a person did exactly and he got Brown PLME. Highest risk and highest reward. But beyond that, similar to him/her, as long as you are clear you are interested only in Brown PLME and not any other BS/MD program, still it makes sense. So again it all depends on your specific situation whether it is oxymoron or right strategy.
@GoldenRock It was a calculated risk to apply ED to PLME. As stated, there is a strong chance that a student is accepted only to Brown and not PLME. However, I felt that my stats were competitive enough for PLME. Additionally, I would’ve been more than happy to do traditional premed at Brown and Brown traditional was my #2 choice (after Brown PLME).
I would’ve chosen Brown premed over any BS/MD anyways because I felt that the community at Brown is where I’d feel at home for the next four years.
Also to clarify, the PLME admissions committee doesn’t even look at your application if you aren’t admitted first to Brown. Make sure you make it clear that Brown is what you want to go to, not just PLME.
Thank you.
Lot to think about your post!
Most BS/MD applications require you to follow their specific timeline (which is some cases is the same as the regular application deadline).
As folks have indicated already, if you apply ED and get accepted to their undergrad, you have to withdraw from all other applications (including BS/MD and regular undergrad).
UNLESS you are ok to attend that undergrad (irrespective of the BS/MD admission), it is generally not a strategy one recommends.
@ramen2020
Nice to have such clarity as yours upfront which will make it a lot easier.
Quite a useful hint above. Glad you got both into Brown and PLME and wish you flourish there.
Right now college board isn’t charging a penalty for nontesters. Typically missing a test would result in a fee owed.
However you should check your school’s policies. In our county the students don’t take a final in AP classes so their grade is just Q3 and Q4 UNLESS someone skips the test for an unacceptable reason and then the grade includes a final, with an F recorded for that. So a non testing student gets dinged* twice- financially and academically.
*i will say we are waiving that testing requirement for the students in this crazy time
This was answered in a similar question asked by some one else, see post (#6140 ).
If you are absolutely sure about attending Brown, apply ED Brown PLME. But understand the risk first. As others have explained that you have to withdraw your application from all bs/md programs if you get into only Brown. Is that what you want ? Why are you then applying to all these bs/md programs ? If you are so assured about Brown PLME, go ahead apply to only UG programs and one Brown PLME bs/md. But putting all your eggs in one basket for bs/md is not a prudent strategy. Are you committed to getting into any bs/md program or it is just another option to consider ?
@rk2017 @GoldenRock @ramen2020 @NoviceDad @grtd2010 thank you all for your reply. I understand the binding requirement of ED, and the forgoing of financial options. However given the higher acceptance rate, ED is still a powerful help one can use, if committed to a particular school. Yes it means you would have to withdraw from all other BSMDs, if admitted. I am just wondering if everybody is not applying ED at all? With the exception of @ramen2020 - congrats - it seems you would have happily accepted Brown UG if did not get PLME, over any other BSMDs?
There is a BSMD Early Decision program called Wayne-Med-Direct. This is located in Detroit MI. In this program you only apply ED to BS/MD and not to UG. If don’t have to attend if not admitted to BSMD.
If you are admitted, you have full ride to UG that includes - tuition, fees, and housing expenses for sure. I guess the full ride could be for the BS/MD program itself but 100% sure.
https://provost.wayne.edu/wayne-med-direct/prospective/binding#definition-50801
This is an amazing deal but they select students from socio-economic background.