I have am a senior in high school, and am choosing my college for the next 4 years of my life!
I have basically narrowed it down to UCF’s 8 year Burnett Medical Scholars program, FAU’s 7 year Wilkes Honors Medical Program, UF Honors, and UM.
If the tuition is basically the same at all 4 places, could you all please advise me on which one you would pick and why? Thanks!
We have the same acceptance to same colleges.
Tuitions are not the same at those four, unless you got Singer/ or Stamp at UM.
The advantage of attending each school is obviously to gain an upper hand in attending their respective medical school.
As far as medical school goes, we were very impressed with UF and UM, not so much about the quality of eduction, but how they matched their students for residency. Both matched students well into good residencies. UM matched 17 students for ophthalmology this year !!
But as far as quality of medical education goes, we are most impressed with UCF. We think it has tones of potential going forward. Their students score highest on USMLE part 1 of all four schools. They scored 239 average, that is higher than Harvard med.
A far as the environment of medical school goes, we were least impressed with FAU. It looks like an ordinary high school campus.
Now coming back to question of undergrad. We like UCF. We think it gives you most bang for your money. Early assurance, honors dorm (Tower 3) with personal designated parking next to the building.
IF finance aid suit you well, UM should be your top choice. Foote scholar in Prism or DaVinci program in a private school would allow you to hone your asset. UM is a private school. It has a beautiful manicure campus. You will be hard pressed to even find a piece of trash on campus. Smaller classes, club med environment, opportunity to get in Medical Scholar program and save one year off college. UM is cheapest of all private medical schools in the country. UM would be our top choice.
UCF our second choice. FAU our third. UF last. Why? So what if you are in honors college. You are just one of the 700 students every year. Chances for those twelve spots in Junior Honors Medical are slim.
So for us, our order is UM, UCF, FAU, UF.
What is yours?
UM would be first, UCF or FAU second depending on whether you want megamammoth or small, and UF last because you have better options (even if UF honors is good, the other options seem better suited to your goals).
However, how committed are you to the premed track? Have you taken AP Calc, AP bio, AP Chem, and AP Physics, and are you willing to “retake” them for the GPA boost? Do you have AP/IB/AICE/DE credit?
I have lots of AP/AICE credits. However, I probably would retake all of my science and math courses for the GPA boost.
I basically have eliminated UF from the running for now.
I have applied for all these programs plus FSU HMS and waiting for Interview dates in March. would appreciate if someone shares Interview experiences/ rankings/Preferences Please?
We looked at UCF and USF’s combined programs and ruled them out very quickly. Other than a tuition break, they don’t really provide any real advantages, and the student is stuck with a UCF and USF degree if they don’t make it to med school. Both require students to maintain a 3.7 GPA, score above the 50th percentile on the MCAT for their respective medical school and pass the interview in order to gain admission.
There was a poster earlier who reported that the number of freshmen participating in UCF’s combined program who matriculated to UCF’s med school was 10 percent. That means that UCF is not screening their applicants, and it is hard to see any value in that low success rate.
Do you have to take mcat at fau?
Yes, you have to take the MCAT at FAU.
http://www.fau.edu/honors/academics/majors/medical-scholar-program_additional.php
The MCAT is also mandatory at UCF and USF’s combined programs.
http://honors.ucf.edu/admissions/burnettmedicalscholarsoverview
http://www.usf.edu/honors/accelerated-programs/7-year-med.aspx
Attended UCF Med Scholar event last week. Their inaugural class of 12 is matriculating this year. Data shared stated that one student graduated early and matriculated last year (they will no longer reserve a seat for early grads going forward) and 8 matriculating this year = 75% success rate for this class.
They anticipate enrolling approximately 30 into this year’s BMS program for COM graduating class of 2025.
Also shared data for this year’s COM applicant class of 2021: approx. 5000 applicants, 440 interviews, avg science GPA 3.77, avg GPA 3.8, avg. MCAT 513 for 120 seats.
Would love to hear from anyone currently in the program about your experiences and insights.
UCF BMS is a great program. Great safety net. You are welcome to apply out.
Of the most recent BMS class, 12 students, 8 to UCF, 4 to UM. 100% success rate
30 this year? That will be a big chunk of the future UCF med class.