@sammyGA
The info provided by @theman2567 isn’t new or special . Any serious BSMD candidate should already know and be able to answer those questions with out much preparation if they are genuine and passionate about getting into one of these programs. All those questions in his post are all generic essay and interview questions that any program might ask and shouldnt hurt anybody’s chances.
@sammyGA do not start beef
My D was accepted last year to both NU HPME and Brown PLME. With regard to NU admission process you need to clear the first hurdle of GPA and SAT/ACT scores and what courses you took to obtain the GPA BEFORE they will send you an application link. I think your math may be a problem since most admits probably have AP Calc AB or BC and even beyond. You’ll basically need close to a 800 on Math 2 and NU REQUIRES Chem Subject test with close to or a 800 on that as well. (they do not substitute Bio). Happy to provide more information.
Things are changing in residency matches. The allopathic and osteopathic matches are now the same. You will find many DO’s in specialties. The most critical thing for placement is not being a MD or a DO it is how hard you work, USMLE scores and letters from clinicals.
Welcome to this forum and thanks for offering to share your insights!
If I may ask and if you are ok with sharing, where did your D choose to enroll?
During application process what was submitted for standardized testing for HPME, SAT or ACT? (they seem to have bias against ACT by requiring/expecting sky high writing section scores, 12/12).
My D also applied this year to HPME and she did not take SAT.
Just ACT ( she is national merit semifinalist)
So this means She is at disadvantage due to ACT for HPME. She did received supplemental application already.
Does it matter where you match ?
Only advantage I see matching to top residency programs which are mostly MD ones is having more exposure and money for research and better mentors. I do not know if with DO degree you can match those top residency programs and may be this will change in few years
Folks
Re: Residency
Residency is years away and other than looking at overall & relative trends in residency at a particular medical school, at this point, the focus should be on applications and getting that coveted interview.
Case Western and Rice/Baylor are due this month-end.
Re: NU - HPME
You are NOT at a disadvantage if you submit only ACT scores.
You are AT a disadvantage if your SAT II - Chemistry score is <=700. You may not get a supplemental application.
They look at the student’s overall profile.
My worry for HPME is that its GPA requirements to maintain your med school seat have been increasing every year - its now at 3.7 up from 3.4 about 3 years ago.
Re: Interview questions
It is prudent generally NOT so share any specific questions but questions like Why medicine? Why BS/MD? Why this specific college? Why accelerated? are all very generic and kind of expected interview questions.
Let’s move forward on this topic.
@“BSMD mom”
Good luck to your D and hope it works out for her and any other applicants to that program with only ACT. The statistics given on their web site does mention though that the “average” ACT writing section score is a 12 (out of 12, which is 100% ile). There was no mention of SAT writing section anywhere (out of what, 24?). That makes one suspect their approach and attitude towards these two standardized tests.
Ironically, majority of successful applicants to that university at large submit ACT (source: common data set for NU)
Repeating by copy pasting the stats from their portal:
Average Test Scores from 2018–2019 Application Season
SAT Exam
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 762
SAT Math: 792
ACT Exam
ACT Composite: 35
ACT Writing: 12
SAT Subject Exams
SAT Chemistry: 777
SAT Math Level 2: 790
NU GPA requirements for BS MD students to maintain med school seat for science only GPA is 3.55 and overall is 3.7.
Upitt and WAshu science GPA requirements are 3.75 and 3.8 which is to be considered
Has everyone received an email from NJIT/NJMS for the first interview? I still haven’t gotten an email from them, and I would be surprised if I didn’t at least get the initial interview considering my test scores and extracurriculars.
@helix8 - i also havent received anything yet.
Y’all chill with the interview anticipation. It’s currently Thanksgiving week. In a few weeks it’ll be Christmastime. It’s holiday season – it’s BUSY since people are scrambling to wrap up their years, jobs, prepare for break, etc.
Don’t expect many interview invites until after the break, in early-mid Jan.
@BSMD Mom,
NU HPME, Regarding ACT, is it true that they expect 12 in writing? My daughter is a junior and doesn’t have 12 in writing and was wondering if she needs to take SAT.
@Cherax Love your comment about chillin given the recent posts about not stressing out. BSMD process is totally unpredictable (you know first hand).
@brown2024. Please dont judge me and throw around words like “selfish” and telling me what i can and cannot do. Not engaging with you anymore…
@2FutureBSMDsMom @starplatinum. All cool. No beef on turkey day.
Happy thanksgiving everyone.
@rk2017,@NoviceDad, @parentanddoc and everyone thank you so much for all the very helpful information. Really thankful for these discussions this thanksgiving.
Everyone try to enjoy holidays.Happy Thanksgiving.
@Smilescreen Please look at the post #973 where ,@rk2017 says that HPME average ACT writing is 12. My D also do not have 12. But she did not wanted to take it again so have our fingers crossed ,I will let you know her outcome. But you should consider taking ACT again or SAT if you really want to get in to HPME as you still have time.
@helix8 My D gave first interview last week. But be patient, they said they are conducting interview in small batches. I think they said they will continue interview until last week December. So do not come to any conclusion. Just have patients. I know it is not easy to wait for reply as we are also waiting anxiously for other colleges to responses.
Retaking ACT any number of times need not guarantee a 12 on writing. It is perhaps easier to score a perfect 36, with 36 in each of the 4 sections, 5s in all the AP English language / literature tests and As on all the high school language classes than a 12 in ACT writing since it involves good amount of luck too to come into play.
So if one is really serious about this program and have the necessary background, ingredients and time, consider taking SAT and target a score higher than 1550 and submit only that.
I am not saying that those who submitted ACT only in this cycle are not going to make it there. But the tone of that information is negative towards ACT takers. We don’t know what is the break up of the current admitted batch there in terms of SAT vs ACT takers and so just can’t discount or disregard the information they themselves provided on their website.
@uravgperson & @GoldenRock thank you very much for the uconn details
Since some of you are starting to talk about residency placements, I think I’ll put in my 10 cents. While it is important to consider residency placements, they should not be your primary reason for choosing one BS/MD program over another. Please don’t forget to consider the undergradute experience. If you look at UConn’s residency placement, it’s about 50-50. But the undergradute experience is wonderful with many opportunities to get involved. Contrastingly, NJMS has a terrific residency placement, but you have to make sure you really enjoy the undergradute experience from the feeder school—especially a school like NJIT which is situated right in Newark. My point is—cliche as it may be—the end goal matters, but your journey there is way more valuable and important.