Just curious- how many BSMD programs super score? My son’s ACT of 32 will definitely see improvement but he scored a perfect score in the Reading and English so worried about him doing that a second time (perhaps dropping to a 35 or so).
Peopleeeee, everyone, please take a deep breath and a step back. Spend time with your families and go ham with all the turkey (ha).
Please don’t worry about residency placement. By the end of high school seniors think they have their whole life values and ideals planned out firmly, but trust me, that becomes uprooted upon reaching college. I’m not saying that any of you will necessarily switch to pre-law or something non-medical, but the fact of the matter is: values change. People change. Prestige becomes less important as you realize that the vast majority of people are kind people, and in the end, you want to surround yourself with kind people.
There’s a lot of speculation – and trust me, I get it, I lived it – but also be confident that you’ve done almost all you can and the situation is soon to be out of your hands. It’s a trite saying, but whatever happens is meant to be. Many places where you all would love to go simply wouldn’t be good fits for you. I know you’re all thinking “oh fit doesn’t really matter,” and believe me, when I was in high school I thought the same. But now, self-reflecting, I’m glad that I go somewhere where I did fit, because if I didn’t, I would have been miserable. That’s true for every one of you – if not, text me in a year after you matriculate somewhere wonderful and tell me I was wrong, that the fit didn’t matter. None of you will.
For all the people scared about a small difference in scores, don’t worry. Scores really are only the baseline tier for consideration. You know what qualities in an applicant are the most crucial? Passion (not just in medicine), dedication (again), integrity, and sincerity. I have yet to meet two of the same people in college, and I hope I don’t. When people try to mold to a paradigm, they become like all the others who mold to the same paradigm. Emphasize your quirks. Rejoice in your small differences. Get excited. No matter where you go to college, you will find your people. Whether it’s BS/MD, Ivy League, State School, or Community College, if the desire is true, you will find your way to medical school. I promise you that.
At one of my interviews, the dean of admissions spoke to all of us being interviewed (~50) and told us: “Half of you will get in, half of you won’t. But I promise that just because you don’t doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. None of you will have a problem getting into medical school [provided you maintain traction].” I think about that often, how qualified and amazing everyone in that room was. It reminds me of the 5th Solvay Conference of 1927 (look it up if you don’t know, 17 of the 29 attendees were or became Nobel Prize winners).
I’ll leave you with this tidbit:
What do you call the person who graduated last in their class from a low-tier medical school? A DOCTOR.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Re: NU-HPME
My D had an 8 in ACT-Writing and she still got in.
Stop stressing about getting 12 in writing on ACT.
Work on presenting your accomplishments in the best possible light.
Re: superscore
Most BS/MD programs do NOT superscore.
Thank you @“BSMD mom”
Any way we can get the distribution of SAT and ACT takers in their intake for any year, percentage wise? I find their tone outright negative towards ACT for following reasons, which I may be repeating myself.
- SAT is recommended and ACT can be a "substitute"
- SAT scores can be super scored but not for ACT
- "Average" act writing = 12 (100% ile), no mention of SAT writing out of 24.
I would still suggest for those applying next year, if this program is on your radar, go for SAT and drop submitting ACT even if you have a 36 (without a 12 in writing). Hope my conclusion is wrong and I will be delighted to learn so from how things go on with the current batch.
My S is planning to apply for SLU medical scholars but he has only 50 volunteer hrs in clinical settings. As he teaches for dyslexic kids do this count as a medical-related volunteer activity? Also, how should he address the shadowing hrs? As there is no specific question about shadowing in the medical scholars’ application can he add it as a medical-related volunteer activity? Please advise.
NU-HPME does not disclose SAT vs ACT.
According to my D, for regular undergrad, there are more students with ACT scores than SAT scores and they superscore both ACT and SAT scores.
HPME Committee gets application info from the undergrad application and sees all scores.
@ghytu12
Yes shadowing hrs can be included in medical related activities.
I believe helping dyslexic kids will be considered community service than medical related , if you have 2 separate categories, BUT can be considered medical related if that is the only category available on the App —— other experts here can also chime in.
Did you research on SLU Med scholars program ? Just want to make sure you know that it is not a guaranteed medical program at the time of joining SLU, but it is Early assurance - the student will not receive the decision on MD until 2nd or 3rd year of undergrad
Good luck
I’m an Asian Indian and I’m looking into these programs. How big of a factor is my ethnicity, given that Indians are considered “over-represented” in these programs? Is it true that my scores, GPA, and ec’s have to be very high to even have a chance? (I know that these programs expect high achievement in general, but still.)
Also, do these programs look into where the applicants are applying from? Do they have slight preferences for states like Wyoming or Alaska where not many people might apply from?
Hi My son is applying to BS MD programs as well I would like to introduce my self to you in this thread.
I have a question regarding NJIT’s Program: My son , although he recieved his acceptance to NJIT undergrad via mail, didn’t recieve an interview to the ADHC. Does NJIT tell him if he is accepted or rejected pre-first-interview? We are worried. Thank you.
Also for UConn, three of his teachers submitted rec letters for undergrad. He is getting another recommendation from his research intern supervisor that will be emailed in. Does he need to submit another recommendation? Or will a teacher rec which was submitted to undergrad be considered as an additional rec, so that he will have two required recs and then two additional recs? @uravgperson @GoldenRock
@TarzanDad Welcome! First and foremost, don’t be worried; your son applied and did his best, which is an accomplishment on its own. Unfortunately, I did not apply to NJIT/NJMS so maybe @GoldenRock or someone else can shed some light into the process. Many BS/MD programs did accept me to undergrad before sending an interview, though, so I wouldn’t be surprised if NJIT is any different. If you are truly curious, I am sure someone in undergrad admissions would be happy to assist.
As for UConn, just to be safe, I would email the second recommendation in, whether that be one of the teacher ones or a brand new person. I emailed my two recommendations in even though I used the same teachers on the Common App and for SPiM. The supplemental application will ask you to name who your two recommenders are (even if they are the same ones as the ones in the Common App).
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you adhere to all the guidelines stated on the website (https://admissions.uconn.edu/apply/freshman/special-programs/medicine):
Recommendation letters should address your current academic status, extracurricular achievements, personal qualities, and potential for future success in/contributions to the medical field and the community.
Recommendation letters may be sent via:
Fax to (860) 486-1476. The fax cover sheet should be sent attention to “Special Program in Medicine.”
Email to beahusky@uconn.edu. The subject line should read “Special Program in Medicine Recommendation.”
@helperdad thank you for the details
@TarzanDad Just reviewed NJIT site and this is what I deciphered.
https://honors.njit.edu/content/njms-accelerated-bsmd-program-faqs
- Assume your S submitted the separate essays to ADHC and BS/MD in addition to the common app essay.
- In variably in most colleges, UG admission, Honors College Admission, BS/MD admission are distinct and each will notify at different times. Any many will NOT formerly notify.
- ADHC will call for interview Nov-Dec for the candidates they like to interview.
- ADHC will notify in Nov-Jan who are admitted for ADHC (but not short listed for BS/MD).
- NJMS if they decide to interview call Jan-March end.
- All notifications will come via NJIT and all USPC (so delays are expected)
- No news is good news once forwarded to NJIT. It means till April 1st, calm down and you can do nothing about it.
Here we are on Dec 1st. Probably deadline for almost all the BS/MD programs should have been over. At this time of the year on wards the anxiety starts.
- Nothing is in your hand and in your control after applied. So do not worry. Just go with the current and see what happens.
- At times you will get to know one way or other only by April 1st. So develop lot of patience.
- Each program have their own way of doing things. Some notify at different steps but many will not notify. It is unfortunate but you need to get adjusted.
- Though we may believe we met all critical expectations, we don't know what each school's admission committee expects. So it is hard to predict. So just be patient and see how it will turn out. Don't allow the results of others influence your emotions. It is a crap shot.
- UG admission, Honors admission and BS/MD admission are each separate. So don't assume anything just because you got admission in UG. Whether it is UPitt or NJIT, they may give UG admission(even with free tuition) but getting admission for BS/MD is yet another ball game.
- Don't give up hope until April 1st, you never know what surprise you will get.
- Even if you decide to go in regular route, there is nothing wrong. For all you know that may be the best thing would have happened but you may realize that only after 3-5 years down the road.
Welcome back to another exciting cycle of BS/MD admission process and good luck.
@2FutureBSMDsMom Same here for my Son. We received letter with acceptance to union and it states we will hear from AMC soon. Haven’t seen any email on next step yet.
@BSMD mom
I haven’t heard anything back from TCNJ bsmd. All materials for TCNJ are due Dec. 1 so I am assuming we’ll get a response soon. The first round of interviews start in Dec. and roll through Feb. I got an email after I submitted my application that I will be notified by phone if I am invited for the first interview so we’ll see.
Anyone know when Penn State 7 year typically sends out responses?
Yes, competition among ORM background students is intense and on top of that it doesn’t help with a program like Brown’s having maximum number of slots among these programs but capped at a small number for ORM students they take into their program. To get t a feel of the typical credentials you may want to check the results threads of the last couple of years just to get an idea. No need of getting concerned from now on since you seem to have at least couple of years to prepare and achieve all these.
As far as ECs are concerned, there are a variety of activities that one can pursue, but what is important is the kind of enthusiasm, energy and commitment one displays into these activities, not a bunch of things to tick off on the applications. I believe you are still in 9th grade so choose what is of interest to you most and try to engage in a handful of those as much and as meaningfully as possible. Spend time and read through this thread to find earlier posts on kinds of activities that one can choose from.
Regarding preference for students from geographically not so represented areas, yes it carries value for traditional undergrad. Some of the BS/MD programs also seem to show some preference (One of the students that I came across few years back with kind of sub par scores on SAT subject tests made it to a well known 7 year program. I had a strong feeling that geographical and perhaps essays were the main factors which kind of compensated for the scores on those required tests).
However don’t bank much on that factor. But look at the positive factors coming from some of the states you mentioned. It shouldn’t be difficult to shine in your school not having to compete with abundant ORM students* around oneself as in states like CA, NJ and VA. You should be having relatively easier access to medical related ECs which is not that easily possible for students in these states unless they known someone in the system. So try to make best use of these advantages in the next few years and you should be able to shine through.
- During child's admission cycle met one of the fellow applicants at one of these interviews or orientations. Apparently she is from one of the above mentioned states with an over concentration of ORM background student population and got selected to a nationally renowned science and technology high school there. She (and/or her parents) chose to attend a regular public school close by instead. She was a superstar at this other school academically and had plenty of opportunities to engage in ECs (both of which may not have been possible had she chosen attending the renowned school, where she may have ended up being a middle of the pack student). She had selections from 4 of the 7 year programs she applied to (she only chose to apply for a handful and only accelerated ones). On the contrary even the top students from the other top school she chose not to attend did not have as many selections and choices.