Thread for BSMD Applicants 2019

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
722

@Cherax
No one really knows how the admissions committee decides whom to admit.
Case Western like others follows a “process”. Process typically involves primary reviewers, secondary reviewers and Admissions Committee.
What weightage they give to which factors is more of an art and subjective - which is why we cannot figure out what exactly they are looking for.
In one of the threads, a medical student/professional had explained the process at his/her school in detail. I believe @rk2017 or @GoldenRock may have the link to that.

Also, note during this BS/MD admissions journey, you may come across a situation where a “lower” ranked university sends you a rejection but a “higher” ranked university sends you an interview invite.
So, stay patient and stop worrying about they colleges decide. It is OUT of our control.
Focus on sending your best application - this is within our control.

723

@bamd Thanks! I received the email invitation as well. I live across the country, and it would be difficult for me to fly out for the honors interview. However, my email didn’t mention anything about the Skype option? Was the Skype option mentioned in the email itself or found after you followed the link?

724

@dreamsophiedavis there is one transfer student in my year. He did one year at Macaulay brooklyn college, and he was contacted by sophie telling him to apply again after being waitlisted the year before. classes are easy for me because i had a very rigorous schedule in high school. i know people who didn’t take many APs do struggle a bit, but it depends on how much work you put in.

725

Has anyone else received an email from RPI/AMC yesterday? Mine says I have been put on hold… Not quite sure what this means? Input would be much appreciated :slight_smile:

726

@medgirl6 When did u do the CASPer test?? we didn’t get any updates yet… thx

727

Hey guys,

I was applying to Northwestern’s HPME and a bunch of other BS/MD and BA/MD around NJ, NY, and PA like Drexel, Rutgers, and Temple.

I was wondering if you guys could chance me for HPME and if possible, other BS/MDs because a lot of BS/MDs look for similar aspects in an application.

I am absolutely sure that medicine is my choice, and I know what I am getting into, and I am beyond excited to pursue a rigorous BS/MD curriculum and medicine.

ACT: 34
Top 6% of class
Unweighted: 4.0 out of 4.0
Asian Female

SAT Bio: 770
SAT Chem: 780
SAT Math Level 2: 800

AP Biology: 4
AP Physics 1: 4
AP Chemistry: 5

National Finalist for Chemistry Olympiad
Won an Essay Contest to help kids
Was Part of Varsity Golf for Two years and won the Coaches and Scholar Athlete Award for Golf

Hospital Volunteering: 150 hours

Shadowing: 20+ hours, still continuing

Research: Researched a popular disease at New Jersey Medical School with a biomedical team

I have strong essays (both common app and supplemental) and have a bunch of clubs and honors societies with 3+ leadership positions.

I have really good recommendation letter and a lot of ECs that I did not mention here are really unique.

With all this effort, do you guys think that I have a shot at getting into atleast one of the local BS/MDs around NJ, NY, and PA or HPME?

I know HPME is really competitive with kids with perfect 36 and 5 on AP Bio and atleast 50 shadowing hours because I only have 20.

Is it worth even applying to HPME? What about my chances at those other BS/MDs because I have already applied there.

CHANCE ME! THANK YOU GUYS!

728

@ShrutiSapphire Trying to know your chance is futile. No one knows for sure. Even adcoms of one program can not predict the outcome of another program (whether BS/MD or later MD). It is as good as flip a coin.

Your profile is a typical profile of a BS/MD candidate and you have equal chance. You have covered most of the key areas. Apply broadly and be open to go via regular channel also if need be.

Apply all feeder school for NJMS (TCNJ, NJIT, Rutgers, Stevenson), Stonybrook, Rochester, Pitts, PSU, CWRU, Temple, Northwestern (no pain, no gain - just apply ), OU, Tulsa.

729

Again NW HPME this year raised their UG requirements - 3.7 UG GPA, and 3.55 sciences GPA, this is getting tough, OMG !!!

As an undergraduate, an HPME student attends the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Communication, or the McCormick School of Engineering on the Northwestern Evanston campus. HPME students participate in a flexible, individualized undergraduate program that may be completed in three or four years prior to matriculation to Feinberg School of Medicine. Though HPME requires specific science courses to ensure a strong foundation for medical school, each student’s course of study is different. Students work with faculty advisers to design a custom curriculum incorporating special academic and personal interests. HPME students must have a 3.7 cumulative GPA and a 3.55 science GPA at the time of graduation from the undergraduate program.

730

@Mimic17 Thanks for the info.

Just to get a feel, based on your personal experience how hard it is? Assuming typical BS/MD profile are intellectually above average and have good work habits, is that hard, especially 3.55 sGPA?

Besides the GPA aspect, how are you finding your experience? Having fun and have life or very rigorous and having no time to balance work-life?

731

Very good experience so far

732

@ShrutiSapphire,

Your national level finalist status in Chemistry in particular may catch the eyes and attention of HPME folks.

733

@ShrutiSapphire
Further to what @GoldenRock and @rk2017 has said.

You have a very competitive profile.
Except may be UPitt, all other programs are within the realm of possibilities.

734

@ShrutiSapphire,

you mean you were selected for study camp (top 20)?

735

@NoviceDad


[QUOTE=""]
"Except may be UPitt, all other programs are within the realm of possibilities."

[/QUOTE]

What not UPitt (or what makes UPitt a difficult one) when one is within real for NW and other top program)? What does UPitt look for?

736

did anyone apply for Rutgers/RWJMS? is it a separate application or honors college application is sufficient?

737

@RedMan108 Don’t try to read every word and interpret. All of us give view points based on their individual experienced faced / heard / discussed. But no one knows for sure. So apply broadly if possible.

The reason behind UPitt is, for wacko reason UPitt has a requirement GPA highest possible. What does it mean? it is 4.0 if 4.0 is the scale or 100 if 100 is the scale. But in reality they do invite to apply even if the GPA is less than perfect.

At least good they invite (similar to NW) in that way students don’t have to waste time.

UPitt is equally top tier program similar to NW and WashU. UG you will get free tuition which is a icing on the cake (unlike the other programs).

738

Thanks @GoldenRock


[QUOTE=""]
UG you will get free tuition which is a icing on the cake (unlike the other programs).

[/QUOTE]

that is why I am interested and monitoring it closely. Got full tution for UG…now, waiting for next level, at least a shot at their interview…

739

@ShrutiSapphire - It’s just not scores, APs, stats and activities, it also depends on your strong application, luck, and more important is the interview process which is very crucial in the BS/MD programs selection process, in particular to NW HPME.

My 2 cents.

740

@RedMan108,

Based on what I remember in interaction with them and what I have read here and elsewhere, the following is expected from Pitt. A student is expected to take the highest possible level of course offered in the school in every subject, irrespective of level of interest, and get highest possible grade in each of them. That means you may be out of luck if you got an A- here or there. Then you need highest possible standardized scores i.e. 1600 or 36. For those taking ACT, I would not be too surprised if they are looking for a 36 in every subsection and not merely the composite.

(composite can be = 36 for average of 4 sections ranging from 35.5, 35.75 or 36. Total 15 or so combinations of section scores all equating to 36, but they may very well be looking for the one combination of 36 C = 36 R and 36 M and 36 S and 36 E).

741

@rk2017 What range is considered an A grade if high school does not give a letter grade. Also all grades (GPA) are not created equal. Every school may give different grades.