Thank you for the advice. Retaking SAT or ACT is almost impossible due to cancellation. But I am leaning towards submitting SAT (1510) score anyway?
I was looking through the University at Albany application on the common app, but I couldnāt find any place to indicate my interest in its BS/MD program. However, it said on the website to indicate my interest in the BS/MD program on the common app, and when I emailed University at Albany, they said the same thing. Does anyone know how to do so?
Except for 3 BS/MD programs, all others require SAT or ACT.
PS: You asked a question quoting
Why do you want to be a PA?
You have a shot at BS/MD but if that does not work out, why not pursue medicine via the traditional route?
Yes, BU BS/MD is test optional but highly recommended.
All except BU, Rochester, Case BS/MDs (and maybe GW), REQUIRE either SAT or ACT scores.
Rochester has made it clear that they will recognize the effort students have put in if they submit the test scores.
My understanding is that same is true for the other two.
Except GW (which now may be optional), all BS/MDs are now SAT SUBJECT test optional or not required.
Please ignore, I figured. Option available for EA, not in RD. Thanks.
Hi Experts, for my D, she had done hospital volunteering and some shadowing before Covid hit. But we did not know keep track of exact hours she did those activities. In common app and her resume, we want to mention hours. Can we use approximation? Also, should we go back and ask hospitals and doctors to write her letter verifying those hours? Do any BS/MD program or supplemental application/ interview from medical school require the student to prove those hours? Meaning would they ask to submit documentation of medical related activities?
Are these hours greater than 20-40 hrs ? Yes, you can approximate them. You may be asked to support those later if needed. They can also directly contact the hospital. You will provide the contact information while listing these activities. Any hours less than 20 may not be worth listing in IMO.
Yes, these are hours in the range of 20-50 (what ever was done before covid). We are mentioning some of these activities in common app ā activities section, but I donāt see anywhere to put the contact information of these activities. Space to write about activity itself is so limited that it is impossible to provide address or contact information.
Iām a highschool senior already in the process of applying to bs md programs.
I have a 4.21W, 4.36 not including freshman year.
1450 SAT taking it again end of september aiming for a 1550. I expect at least a 1500 because I did poorly on my first and only attempt and have seen better results in the countless practice tests Iāve taken.
8 APs - only 2 4s for Bio and Chem with the rest being 5s (Physics, Calc AB, Lang, Macro, Stats, APUSH)
I had applied to a number of medical research programs over the summer including RISE, REMS, and Clark Scholars but they were all cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak. I was really hoping to have that boost my ECs as my area is really limited in terms of EC opportunities. Iāve held leadership positions in many clubs but none are nationally recognized and so Iām afraid they wonāt be of much value to Unis. I feel like with my average at best for this caliber of applicants my ECs would have helped me out but instead its out of the picture entirely.
Am I beyond hope and applying be a waste of time or am I playing on a leveled playing field considering this outbreak has probably affected the ECs of many other students and so the bar would be lower?
Basically what are my chances? and what can I still control or change to help myself out here?
For the SUNY Medical Program are the additional BSMD supplements given after the initial application is submitted? Do you just need to indicate that you are interested in the program and complete the undergraduate school supplement?
Difficult to opine based on the partial information provided. Such as what is the unweighted gpa, social background (ORM, URM, other)ā¦
You have exposed yourself to a good academic rigor in BCPM which is positive, though wish you could have swapped one or two AP scores in other subjects with a 5 in B or C or both. You havenāt mentioned about subject SATs so assume you havenāt taken so far. Wonder why? They could have helped.
These are some suggestions I can think of.
- Focus on the SAT without worrying about the result, that is the best way you can give your full potential.
- Stay focused on academics at least till the end of year. Seniorities is a big repellent.
- Spend sufficient time on the essays. Talk about what you have including passion for service and medicine and your personality and outlook and don't worry about what you didn't.
- Someone earlier in the thread had shared you tube link or something of a successful applicant's insights and guidance. Again focus on what you have and don't bother what you don't in comparison to his or her's.
- Talk to teachers who know you personally and don't be shy to remind them of any unique strengths, accomplishments or aspects about you they may have noticed in their classes (and forgotten). Cookie cutter recos won't cut it.
- If you were actually selected for any of the highly competitive summer programs you mentioned above, before getting cancelled, be sure to mention that in your application.
- And finally apply to good undergrad schools and majors, not necessarily prestige driven, where you have good chances of shining in traditional route (for example BME is generally considered a tough major). Local state school may not be a bad option if going into medicine is the ultimate goal.
In our family the motto for this process is āyou just need one.ā One acceptance. So he is applying widely and hoping for that one.
But if it doesnāt happen, he has about 12 traditional schools he is also applying to and will pursue that option as a backup.
Honestly, my personal opinion, this admissions cycle is going to be crazy. People may have informed opinions but no one has experienced this before. So do your best and make sure every detail you can control is curated to the absolute best of your ability. And then- just hope for that one!
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appreciate the response
My UW is 3.8 and Iāve taken a Bio Subject SAT M, but it was 710 which is 63rd percentile and apparently isnāt worth reporting correct?
@Drillerguy -
Its good that you are planning to submit your SAT score of 1510.
First of all many students were not able to take SAT/ACT tests this cycle due to COVID.
Second of all, BSMD admission process has historically been holistic so with all other areas being strong, SAT score of 1510 could end up in a BSMD seat.
@7phyrr -
Recommend you to submit your SAT subject score of 710 for Biology.
For the same reason that I shared with @Drillerguy, its better to submit than to not submit at all. Since many students were not able to take SAT/ACT tests this cycle due to COVID, and others ended up not being able to improve their scores, lower scores may not negatively impact you during this current cycle due to COVID.
IMO, this admission cycle is very unpredictable like @mom2boys1999 mentioned!
interes
Its funny because Iāve been told the opposite. Since students havenāt been able to take tests it would be better to not submit a low score because youād be given the benefit of the doubt for not submitting at all.
not sure what to believe tbh
My personal take, many students may still be submitting subject tests even in this cycle since unlike SAT/ACT, these tests can be taken, and are taken, as early as sophomore year (or even freshman) as soon as the honors level courses in B, C, M are completed and the subject matter is still fresh in mind. So if you are not particularly proud* of your score, better not present it.
- In normal cycle I would have recommended the mean score + standard deviation as a benchmark, but now it's all up in the air, depends on one's comfort level.
But you may still have to submit SAT/ACT whether or not satisfied with the score.
need your valuable advice***************
want to apply BSMD, with MCAT not required.
Stats:
GPA=3.975 UW:4.813 National Merit Semifinalist
SAT=1550; SAT Biology=740, planning to write Math and Chemistry
Internship experience in hospital & 1 summer job in restaurant industry
Leadership roles of school clubs, Tennis team captain (total 8 leadership roles and 1 vice president)
Job shadow & Hospital volunteering
Debating which BS MD program to apply and what are the chances?
Is it better to apply ED? if yes, which one is better.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
@Jack2021, your GPA and SAT scores are good and competitive for BSMD programs. You have to apply widely to have a decent chance. I donāt know any BSMD program that is ED.
There arenāt ED BS/MD programs. Believe me, I would be THROWING my kid at that option (ha)! What happens is some people may apply ED to the undergraduate option and then still apply for BS/MD programs, be it at that same school or at other schools.
We weighed this option. Net price isnt a huge issue for my son since he will have both money from his tribe and my husbandās gi bill so ED made sense in that aspect. BUT what happens if you get accepted ED, dont get the BSMD acceptance, and some other BSMD programs are interested? ED is legally binding commitment, and though it can be broke for financial reasons, that, in my opinion, is a disreputable way to go about the process.
Basically it boiled down to if your acceptance comes up, are you willing to forego the BSMD options for that undergrad? My kid wasnāt. Itās a lot of freakin work to apply to these programs, if he was set on ED, we would be re-examining this process.
To answer your other questions, your chances are small. Everyoneās are. Apply widely and pray/hope/cross your fingers that someone likes what you have to offer. At this point the only thing you can control are your essays so make them stellar!