The social capital issue is why I only endorse BA/MD programs like the one offered in my home state,
Applicants from rural and medical underserved areas are strongly encouraged to apply. So are UiM–especially Native Americans-- and first generation to attend college. There is no expectation for research or clinical volunteering, and the ACT/SAT minimum scores are fairly low. However, significant community involvement/service and community ties are required. Those who are accepted get free undergrad tuition, plus a supplemental scholarship to cover housing and other expenses. (IOW, they more or less get a full ride.) Program participants also get dedicated housing with a full time live-in counselor, dedicated tutoring and MCAT prep, and assistance finding research position. Program participants are guaranteed admission to the state’s public med school if they meet minimum benchmarks (GPA, MCAT, EC hours).
Because there is always some attrition in the program, waitlisted applicants can transfer into the program during the latter half of sophomore year to fill any open spaces in the program, provided they meet coursework and course grade requirements.
In return, students sign a contract upon entering medical school that they will return to the state and work for at least 4 years upon completion of residency. There is no requirement to enter primary care specialties. (In fact, among the first class of 8 to graduate med school in this program-- one went into dermatology and another into orthopedics.)
The program has proven highly successful. 100% of the students have returned to practice in the state. Most are practicing in their [rural] hometowns. Even the dermatologist is working in her rural hometown.
As indicated in my earlier posts, diversity was the reason for gutting the HPME program. Now they have publicly disclosed it.
As I have indicated earlier, NU does not even achieve its diversity goals for regular MD admissions.
Scrapping the HPME program is not the solution to addressing diversity.
@mom2boys1999 and @Vicky2019
Great, parents should support kids. There are all kind of parents in this world. It is seen in Southeast Asia all the time and folks continue it in their new found home land.
Any decision should be seen as “SWOT” i.e. strength, weakness, opportunities and threats as they teach in case-analysis methodology in business school. Risks and rewards are part of any such process.
Absolutely, scrapping HPME will not make more URMs to join NU medical school but it may be a right step towards achieving the goal. NU HPME has a majority of affluent kids in the program. HPME had no MCAT requirements so it attracted a lot of folks who were scared of taking MCAT or the risk associated with a bad MCAT score.
MCAT or no MCAT, NU-HPME with its undergrad and medical school reputation would have attracted students.
In my limited world, I have not met any student whose critieria for applying to NU-HPME was that it had no MCAT. They all thought it was a bonus.
Making a statement that HPME attracts kids who are scared of the MCAT is the most absurd thing i heard.
Both PLME and HPME do no need MCAT and most BSMD applicants apply to both. PLME gets over 2500 applications. HPME gets 5000 requests for application and they issue 1000 applications of which 90% are returned to NU. Both are attractive because they are least rigid and have a brand name (FWIW). Both allow flex year.
May be it is not the case with you. There are plenty of folks who apply to BSMD programs so that they do not have to take MCAT via regular route MD. Both NU HPME and PLME are in the list of these folks. Different folks have their own valid reasons to make their choices. How are Michigan Wolverines ? They play Minnesota Gophers on Oct 24, 2020 (ABC).
My read on NU HPME is that its purely financial. Other feeders into Feinberg pay all 4 years of undergrad expenses except for HPME. Its roughly $ 2 Million of extra revenue. Just a hunch!!!
It’s getting too close for the Nov 1st deadlines. Still writing essays and waiting for the test score!
We decided to drop UPitt GAP and UoR REMS for two reasons- 1) super high GPA and class ranking requirements 2) No. of applicants they attract due to strong programs.
If essays were all ready, would have gone for them; Considering we still need to write the essays for them, would like to spend time elsewhere rather than submitting mediocre applications. Any advise?
And, regrading subject tests-
GW requires them, Drexel will review them if submitted. Are there any other schools either require them or good to have, so that I can order them tomorrow?
FAU will use the subject tests if submitted, but its through SSAR.
@ppofbng Unsure, what you are eluding to, but there aren’t any feeders to Feinberg to my knowledge. 2nd, what makes you think HPME doesn’t pay anything for UG?
@Love4bsmd - I think you did the right thing by dropping UofR or UPitt…sometimes it’s smart to be flexible.
There are bunch of other programs (may be others too?) that you could choose from -
BSMD programs with Dec 1 deadline
Rice University. (only 6 seats)
Case Western Reserve University
University of Cincinnati
Adelphi University. (I am not sure but I don’t think all kids matriculate to med school)
Montclair State University
University of Connecticut at Storrs (in state preference)
University of Alabama
BSMD programs with Later deadlines:
University of South Alabama December 15
Florida Atlantic University January 10 (in state preference)
Brooklyn College: The City University of New York December 12
SUNY Polytechnic Institute/SUNY Upstate - December 15
Stony Brook University January 15
Sophie Davis Biomedical Education January 8. (gives preference to URMs)
regarding subject tests-
I don’t know. Probably some one else from 2021 cycle will respond to this.
@rmsm99 - we got it in one month if i remember correctly.
They stagger the UG admission, scholarship and Honors admission and finally med school interview and admission…
Unfortunately for us, we hit bad luck with UPitt med school. One of the advisors didn’t provide recommendations in time for the medical college application!
The advisor told us he submitted in time when actually there was a glitch causing the delay. And, its not easy to tell if the colleges received it or not. Application portal updates are asynchronous…
If you have a good subject test score, submit it to all test-optional/ recommended/ encouraged schools.
Following 5 BS/MD programs are test optional:
BU
Rochester
GW
Case Western
Pitt
Practically all BS/MD programs attract high number of applicants. That should NOT be a reason to not apply.
I would not worry too much about class rank. Many schools do not rank.
Having mediocre essays can be a reason to not apply.