UNM BA/MD Program

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of New Mexico
1

Hey guys! I see numerous posts about prestigious programs such as Drexel’s BS/MD or Ivy League admittance or other competitive applications. As a New Mexico student, I have applied to the University of New Mexico’s BA/MD program for the class of 2021. I don’t know how much activity this post will see, but I’m sure future applicants have/will check this page in hopes of previewing the application process. I believe an exchange of ideas is critical in growing better and stronger as a unit, so if anyone feels like sharing things like stats, experiences, results (come April) and tips for the next wave of applicants, feel free to share! I have imitated the format for Harvard’s results page to better outline stats.

Result:
Objective: BA/MD Acceptance
SAT I (breakdown):
ACT (breakdown):
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0):
Weighted GPA:
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
AP (place score in parenthesis):
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load:
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis):
Job/Work Experience:
Volunteer/Community service:
Summer Activities:
Essays (rating 1-10, details):

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details):
Rec #3 (rating 1-10, details):
Interview (rating 1-10, details):

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?:
Intended Major:
Ethnicity:
Gender:
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.):

Reflections:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected:

General Comments (if any):

2

Result: TBD
Objective: BA/MD Acceptance
SAT I (breakdown): 1460 (composite); 730 (Critical Reading), 730 (Math)
ACT (breakdown): 33 (composite); 34 English, 33 Science, 32 Math, 32 Reading
SAT II:
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.98
Weighted GPA: 4.94
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable): 7/203
AP (place score in parenthesis): 3 Lang and Comp
IB (place score in parenthesis):
Senior Year Course Load: AP English 12, AP Calc AB, Educational Methodology, AP Econ/Gov, AP Bio
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Hispanic Finalist

Subjective:
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parenthesis): HOSA–Future Health Professionals (Secretary/Historian), Boy Scouts of America (Eagle Scout), Book Club, Science Olympiad (SO Coordinator), Catechism
Job/Work Experience: Employed at Doctor’s Office, Farmhand
Volunteer/Community service: Shadowed psychologist, Church altar server and usher
Summer Activities:
Essays (rating 1-10, details): 9

Teacher Rec #1 (rating 1-10, details): 10; I didn’t see any of my recommendations, but judging from what the interviewer asked me, the athletic trainer (also a teacher) described my leadership, intelligence, and personality in a manner none of the other recommendations reached
Teacher Rec #2 (rating 1-10, details): 8; again based off the interviewer’s comments, it seemed moderately vague on leadership, but absolutely stressed my desire to enter medical field.
Rec #3 (rating 1-10, details): unknown; neither interviewer mentioned the third letter, so I actually have little clue as to how good or bad it was
Interview (rating 1-10, details): 6 and 10; as part of the program, one gets the attempt at two interviews. The first one was okay in the rapport established and nature of the questions, but I felt on edge for the latter half of the interview and was a bit unnerved by her lack of reaction to any of my answers. The second interview was perfect. It was the next day, and I was much more confident. This was one with a student, and she seemed easy-going and I felt I provided answers which emphasized my personality and desire to stay in New Mexico and work to grow to be the best physician around.

Other:
Applied for Financial Aid?: Yes; applied to Regent’s program
Intended Major: BS Biology
Ethnicity: Hispanic
Gender: Male
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): URM, emphasized New Mexico’s impact on me in a unique way

Reflections:
Strengths: Test scores, interview, essay
Weaknesses: Can’t speak Spanish, class rank
Why you think you were accepted/waitlisted/rejected:
Where else were you accepted/waitlisted/rejected: Accepted to TCU, Texas Tech, Seton Hall, UNM (regular admissions)

General Comments (if any): The minimum requirements to be eligible for the program are incredibly low for such a program, and the averages of accepted individuals is much higher. Also, walking to and from the interview was stressful as an escort takes you along. I made small talk as I wanted to portray my outgoingness and energy, but I was definitely not prepared for this… A pleasant surprise

3

@jsoens

Your post will get more traffic in the Pre-Med forum where there is a whole sub-forum devoted to just BA/MD programs–

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/multiple-degree-programs/


Btw, I have not one, but TWO kids who are attending/have attend UNM SOM. One is a UNM SOM grad who is a PGY2 at a top residency in her specialty; the other is a current MS3 (soon to be a MS4--just one more rotation to go!) who will also undoubtedly Match at a top residency in her chosen field next year.

If have any specific questions about UNM SOM, feel free to ask me. (Neither kidlet did the BA/MD program though...)
4

The decisions for the 2017 BA/MD program were released and I was wait listed. I was wondering how many people were wait listed?

5

@nmredpanda of the three that applied from my town, two were waitlisted and one was accepted (me). I don’t know how many people get waitlisted but I would guess around 28 in order to completely fill up a class if everyone declined. Do you live in rural or urban? This may make a difference in how long your waitlist is.