2016-2017 Baylor College of Medicine Application Thread

[WedgeDawg]

Indicate any special experiences, unusual factors or other information you feel would be helpful in evaluating you, including, but not limited to, education, employment, extracurricular activities, prevailing over adversity. You may expand upon but not repeat AMCAS application information. 2000 character limit.

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[RK.md]

Good luck to everyone applying to Baylor Med! I owe so much to the training I received here!

 

[psychic_detective]

Does Baylor consider academic fresh start? I'm using it at the other Texas schools, but I know that since it is private they may not. I have a bunch of >10 year old grades bogging me down from before I was in the Army.

My stats

cGPA 3.0ish (with academic fresh start cGPA 3.9)
mcat 518

Also, if they don't, should I apply anyway?

 

[anhtimmy]

Does Baylor consider academic fresh start? I'm using it at the other Texas schools, but I know that since it is private they may not. I have a bunch of >10 year old grades bogging me down from before I was in the Army.

My stats

cGPA 3.0ish (with academic fresh start cGPA 3.9)
mcat 518

Also, if they don't, should I apply anyway?

Apply regardless. The worst thing that can happen is you get rejected.

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

Does Baylor consider academic fresh start? I'm using it at the other Texas schools, but I know that since it is private they may not. I have a bunch of >10 year old grades bogging me down from before I was in the Army.

My stats

cGPA 3.0ish (with academic fresh start cGPA 3.9)
mcat 518

Also, if they don't, should I apply anyway?

I believe since this is recognize by the state of TX, every Texas school has to adhere to it if you meet all the criteria. As a 2016 entry class candidate to bcm, I can tell you for sure that I've called the admission office for less valid questions. Call the admission office, they will definitely clear that up for you. Even if they refuse to recognize your "fresh start" still apply for admission. From what you described, your journey so far is definitely unique and qualifying enough to earn you an interview spot. All you have to do then is convince them you're a great choice. P.S; admission committee like it when a candidate shows great success after a poor start so either way, you're good

 

[lodestar]

For several years now, I (as a BCM student parent and college faculty member and advisor) have been encouraging applicants to BCM .

re:
Baylor is now ranked #8 in Primary Care and #20 in Research according to USNWR!

Personally, I am not that impressed with the methodology of USNWR in its rankings (which seems to rely a lot on opinion gathering), but it has aggrandized itself to matter in discussions about medical school rankings...now the medical schools themselves tout their USNWR rankings.

BCM also has recently continually been among the top handful in "Lizzy M score" averages of its acceptees...AND has been number 1, or close to it, later in average Step 1 scores. One recent class averaged 244 on the Step 1 to lead the nation's 141 M.D.--granting medical schools.

That, in turn, helps assure excellent residency matches.

Our daughter just graduated from BCM and had recently matched (in March) at a very good Ortho program, and landed interviews before that at other top programs despite deciding late on Orthopaedics. (She opted for Ortho after considering Plastics, ENT, Ophtho, and especially Derm).

She has NOTHING BUT PRAISE for the preparation and experience she had at BCM (they train at the Texas Medical Center, the world's largest complex of medical services), the esprit de corps among her fellow BCM students, and the dedication and caring of the faculty. This faith in BCM was validated when she scored in the 93rd percentile on both Steps 1 and 2.

BCM bills itself as "the most affordable private medical school," but it might well be that it proves to be less expensive than your IS public school(s) as well. After establishing residence in Texas, our net cost was ~$70k less than our IS public medical school would have been for tuition.

~~~~~~
http://www.studentdoc.com/top-10-medical-schools.html

According to our proprietary ranking tool (based primarily on average Lizzy M scores of acceptees...a conflation of average GPA's and average MCAT scores), StudentDoc's Top 10 medical schools for 2014 are as follows:

1. Washington University in St. Louis
2. Harvard University
3. Johns Hopkins University
4. Baylor College of Medicine
   Stanford University (tied)
5. Mayo Medical School
6. Yale University
7. University of California, San Diego
8. University of California, San Francisco
9. University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
10. University of Pennsylvania

Understand as applicants to medical school that you face a methodical process generally, notably so at BCM. It could be next May before BCM accepts you-- but it would be worth the wait if they do!

Keep your chins up, and carpe diem on your interviews (a learned skill for most)...more on that later.

 

[PB&Jam]

Is it worth it to apply to Baylor as an out of state student? I have heard their acceptance rate for OOS is quite low...

 

[lodestar]

Is it worth it to apply to Baylor as an out of state student? I have heard their acceptance rate for OOS is quite low...

~~~~~~

I would have to update the stats, but there are surely quite a few OOS applicants per available spot, for multiple reasons including reputation and value/bang for your buck. When our daughter was accepted back in 2012, I calculated that 1.1% of OOS applicants would actually enroll (~45 among just > 4,000 OOS applicants).

As I recall, OOS applicants are up from the 4,000 back then to perhaps 7,000 today. That indeed means long odds to be sure, but there are so many pluses if you best those odds. OOS matriculants are 25% of each class, or ~ 45. OTOH, many public schools are virtually unavailable to OOS applicants.

https://www.bcm.edu/education/schools/medical-school/prospective-students/our-students

https://momentumblog.bcm.edu/2013/07/22/welcome-new-baylor-college-of-medicine-medical-students/

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

Is it worth it to apply to Baylor as an out of state student? I have heard their acceptance rate for OOS is quite low...

In my opinion, Baylor is the most OOS friendly medical school in Texas. With that being said, I'm pretty sure a good chuck of each class are IS. Bottom line, apply if you have the money, you have a great chance if your numbers are at least 3 points better than their class stats, and/or there's something exemplary about you. I had the first interview date last year, there were about 47 of us, and I counted 17 OOS interviewees

 

[720606]

May be a silly question, but for the medical students on here, does BCM give merit scholarships? If so, do you know how frequent and large the are?

 

[lodestar]

re:
May be a silly question, but for the medical students on here, does BCM give merit scholarships? If so, do you know how frequent and large the are?

~~~~~~

BCM definitely gives merit scholarships, which is like ice cream on the cake, because it is already VERY affordable by medical school standards even without a scholarship.

Our daughter (an OOS applicant) got a 50% merit scholarship offer with her offer in early May (from the WL). It was in the form of 50% of the OOS tuition for MS1, then 50% of the IS tuition for years MS2-MS4. Translated-- they expected her to establish residence ASAP, which we did. BCM was then far cheaper (~ $70k for tuition) than our IS public school...in fact, it would have been well less costly than the IS public school even without the merit scholarship.

BCM is too modest when claiming that they are "the most affordable private medical school in America"...normally, they are the best value PERIOD. And given their high average Step scores and great Match Lists, they are surely a stunning value in terms of bang for your buck.

 

[720606]

re:
May be a silly question, but for the medical students on here, does BCM give merit scholarships? If so, do you know how frequent and large the are?

~~~~~~

BCM definitely gives merit scholarships, which is like ice cream on the cake, because it is already VERY affordable by medical school standards even without a scholarship.

Our daughter (an OOS applicant) got a 50% merit scholarship offer with her offer in early May (from the WL). It was in the form of 50% of the OOS tuition for MS1, then 50% of the IS tuition for years MS2-MS4. Translated-- they expected her to establish residence ASAP, which we did. BCM was then far cheaper (~ $70k for tuition) than our IS public school...in fact, it would have been even less costly even without the merit scholarship.

BCM is too modest when claiming that they are "the most affordable private medical school in America"...normally, they are the best value PERIOD. And given their high average Step scores and great Match Lists, they are surely a stunning value in terms of bang for your buck.

Thank you so much for the information! I'm IS so I hope they show me some financial love!

 

[OrangeMed]

Does BCM have any bias for Community College students who later transferred to a four-year university? Any special love for Californians?

 

[iforget2]

Anyone know of applicants with a LizzyM of 69 get into Baylor?

 

[mdhopeful545]

does anyone have the secondary topic for baylor as well as the corresponding character/word limits? also what are the rules for submitting the secondary- do you have to it until you submit amcas or can you do it before? and can you fill it out on your own or do you have to wait for an invite from baylor? thank you!

 

[lodestar]

A little about LizzieM scores generally and vis-a-vis BCM...

BCM clearly averages > 90th percentile on the MCAT (34+ on the old scale...LizzieM is surely ~72) for acceptees. Odds are always somewhat better for an IS applicant since 3/4 of a class must come from Texas, and there are considerably more OOS applicants for just 25% of the slots.

A unique/distinctive major can be a plus...BCM brags each year about the number of different majors in their matriculating class.

~~~~~~
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/were-can-i-find-the-med-school-lizzym-score.397499/

(from LizzieM herself)
I came up with this about a year ago (2006) as a way to compare an applicant's stats with a school's average stats. (BTW, median is one way of measuring "average", which is a measure of central tendency. Mean and mode are other ways to describe "average").

Your LizzyM score: your gpa(10)+ MCAT.
A school's LizzyM score (M for medical ) avg gpa(10) + MCAT - 1.

A school that has a LizzyM score greater than your Lizzy score is a "reach." Most schools on your list should have LizzyM scores that are equal to or less than your Lizzy score.
~~~~~~

To find the raw numbers to use in the calculation for each school you are interested in applying to, find a copy of the AAMC MSAR at your local premed office or buy it online at:

http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/msar.htm

 

[FootballFoot]

What do you think are the pros of Baylor over SW?

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

1. Both have similar curriculum, but Baylor has been using theirs longer than UTSW has.
3. It's located at a medical center; perfect if you want to join associations etc that organize collaboration between people from different medical fields.
3. You start rotating before taking the step 1 for both schools, but at BCM, you take the NBE. Students feel it helps them get in the right mindset.
Honestly? I truly feel both schools are excellent, I picked BCM over UTSW because I think it's "better" (basically gut feeling). Before I made the decision, I asked friends I had in both schools. They made redundant arguments, I just got the feeling that one pick one school over the other for personal reasons/ gut feelings. Also, Houston vs Dallas?

 

[720606]

.

 

[lodestar]

One huge plus for BCM is surely the Texas Medical Center-- the largest such medical complex on Earth.

http://www.texasmedicalcenter.org/members/
http://www.texasmedicalcenter.org/about/

Texas Medical Center (TMC) is the world’s largest medical complex. Since opening in 1945, TMC has been pioneering patient care, research, education, and prevention.

Today, TMC comprises: 21 renowned hospitals, 14 support organizations, 10 academic institutions, eight academic and research institutions, seven nursing programs, three public health organizations, three medical schools, two pharmacy schools, and a dental school.

If memory serves, BCM was a pioneer of the 18-month (vs. the traditional 24 month) preclinical idea. In any case, it works very well.
A random plus: good public transportation...you do not want to park around BCM/TMC. A student rate round trip on the bus is $1.20 per day.

 

[HMOC]

Does anyone know when Baylor begins to review applications ? Or how long AMCAS has been transmitting for this cycle ?


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[720606]

If I'm not wrong, AMCAS will begin transmitting on the 24th (Friday). I don't know about reviewing, but secondaries go live on july 1st. Does that help?

 

[HMOC]

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[desiredmembername123]

If I'm not wrong, AMCAS will begin transmitting on the 24th (Friday). I don't know about reviewing, but secondaries go live on july 1st. Does that help?

Is this true for most schools? Or only baylor?

 

[720606]

Is this true for most schools? Or only baylor?

For the secondary date, I can only speak for Baylor.

 

[OMG I'm going to be an MD]

Is this true for most schools? Or only baylor?

No, for some schools you can complete your secondary app even before you complete the primary. Others send you an invitation after going through your primary. It's a good idea to check each school'd admission page for accurate information.

 

[brigaton]

re:
May be a silly question, but for the medical students on here, does BCM give merit scholarships? If so, do you know how frequent and large the are?

~~~~~~

BCM definitely gives merit scholarships, which is like ice cream on the cake, because it is already VERY affordable by medical school standards even without a scholarship.

Our daughter (an OOS applicant) got a 50% merit scholarship offer with her offer in early May (from the WL). It was in the form of 50% of the OOS tuition for MS1, then 50% of the IS tuition for years MS2-MS4. Translated-- they expected her to establish residence ASAP, which we did. BCM was then far cheaper (~ $70k for tuition) than our IS public school...in fact, it would have been well less costly than the IS public school even without the merit scholarship.

BCM is too modest when claiming that they are "the most affordable private medical school in America"...normally, they are the best value PERIOD. And given their high average Step scores and great Match Lists, they are surely a stunning value in terms of bang for your buck.

Just out of curiosity, what was your daughter's credentials? GPA? MCAT? ECs? Because just getting into this school will be difficult enough as an OOS applicant, but getting a scholarship? Good for her.

 

[Iwannaknow]

Just out of curiosity, what was your daughter's credentials? GPA? MCAT? ECs? Because just getting into this school will be difficult enough as an OOS applicant, but getting a scholarship? Good for her.

I think, in some ways, it's easier to get a scholarship for OOS students. If you have high enough stats to get into Baylor, chances are they really want you to attend and are willing to spend some dough on that. Take an equivalent IS student, and chances are much higher the student will attend, due to proximity to home. It's harder to get someone from Maine, for example, to attend and they need to add incentive.

 

[flapjack3d]

How strict are they on the requirement for LOE's to be from less than a year prior to intended matriculation?

 

[lodestar]

re:
Just out of curiosity, what was your daughter's credentials? GPA? MCAT? ECs? Because just getting into this school will be difficult enough as an OOS applicant, but getting a scholarship? Good for her.

~~~~~~

Thanks for the kind words...she graduated High Summa Cum Laude from a top-rated college. She was voted the most accomplished sorority girl on campus (among 1,000+) while running several organizations...was tapped for ODK, etc. Also chosen the sorority sister (among ~ 150) who best exemplified the ideals of of her sorority. She also had a distinctive major...BCM brags about the number of different majors of each matriculating BCM class. MCAT was the old system, 90th percentile.

My sense is that the numbers say that it is considerably harder indeed to get into BCM OOS-- now > 7,000 applicants for ~45 slots.

A side note about scholarships IS vs. OOS...by today's standards, the face rate for IS tuition for BCM is REMARKABLY LOW...way lower than public schools IS in other states, even basic liberal arts colleges. It is true that BCM nails you for ~ $10k in annual fees, but check those out also elsewhere at medical schools. Even OOS, the face rate for tuition at BCM (just < $20k) is also way lower than many state medical schools are now IS. Ergo, even with NO scholarship, BCM is simply a stunning cost value...and then the stellar results (nation-leading average Step scores and matches) on average only further enhance "the bang for the buck."

Again, less than half of those accepted from OOS by BCM actually enroll at BCM, BUT that can indicate that some chose a full free ride at their state medical school(s), or simply went instead to Harvard, Washington U., Hopkins, etc. A rare few superstars (hi MCAT's, 4.0's from top colleges, great personalities) have a few top choices to choose among.

 

[Toutie]

@lodestar you may want to alter your post a bit to protect your daughter's anonymity.

 

[lodestar]

@lodestar you may want to alter your post a bit to protect your daughter's anonymity.

Thanx for the feedback (I did as you suggested). I had thought anonymity was substantially moot, since she is already in a well-regarded surgical residency, but you reminded me that today some/a few people can seek to be mischievous, etc. My intent in even bothering to be here now is to return the favor that we got from these fora several years ago, and as a college faculty member and adviser, I am accustomed to proffering savoir-faire advice. I learned A LOT here that was useful in little practical ways and saved us time and otherwise wasted effort. E.g., you can glean much about Step 1 prep from SDN.

 

[yellow-mango]

Do you have to apply for financial aid or scholarships to get a merit scholarship?
or automatically considered?
I have not received the secondary information yet.

 

[720606]

Do you have to apply for financial aid or scholarships to get a merit scholarship?
or automatically considered?
I have not received the secondary information yet.

From speaking to people at BCM, everyone who submits a primary will get a secondary. Their website says July 1st, but I'm not sure if it will change with the early transmission of apps to schools this cycle.

 

[lodestar]

Do you have to apply for financial aid or scholarships to get a merit scholarship?
or automatically considered? I have not received the secondary information yet.

~~~~~

N=1, but the scholarship offer came with the offer of a spot in the 2012 matriculating class...no application for financial aid had been made, AFAIK. She then immediately canceled other WL spots and the IS public school acceptance so other people could get offers. There was no looking back once BCM called and offered a 50% merit scholarship. The decision would have been automatic even without the merit scholarship.

 

[mdhopeful545]

From speaking to people at BCM, everyone who submits a primary will get a secondary. Their website says July 1st, but I'm not sure if it will change with the early transmission of apps to schools this cycle.

i was under the impression that come july 1st anyone can go fill out the secondary without an invitation....correct me if i'm wrong

 

[720606]

i was under the impression that come july 1st anyone can go fill out the secondary without an invitation....correct me if i'm wrong

Maybe it's just the invitation to do so that will be sent out.

 

[doctororsomething]

Incoming MS1 for Baylor! Message me if you have questions about the application or the interviews.

 

[mdhopeful545]

when the secondary opens we can submit it regardless of whether our amcas has been verified or not right?

 

[Iwannaknow]

FYI it's open. I just don't know if I should submit.

 

[azdy]

Yes the secondary is open. Anyone can access it via their website. It is the same prompt as last year.
I just submitted Really excited for this school, it is definitely my first choice.

 

[FootballFoot]

Does Baylor send an email to ask you to submit the secondary, or are we meant to just do it on our own?

 

[azdy]

Does Baylor send an email to ask you to submit the secondary, or are we meant to just do it on our own?

I did not receive an e-mail asking me to submit it. I just created an account on their website. Here is the link: https://www.bcm.edu/education/schools/medical-school/admissions/supplemental-application
Go ahead and read over the page and click on create a new user to make an account when you are ready.

 

[azdy]

By the way I think that it is worth mentioning that the essay prompt is really quite similar to TMDSAS Essay # 3, so if you are instate and did the optional essay you might just have to trim some characters

 

[believe <3]

Yes the secondary is open. Anyone can access it via their website. It is the same prompt as last year.
I just submitted Really excited for this school, it is definitely my first choice.

Do you know if we submit the secondary to Baylor first without adding it to the primary until later (like after we receive MCAT scores), are we still considered reapplicants for this school?

 

[azdy]

Do you know if we submit the secondary to Baylor first without adding it to the primary until later (like after we receive MCAT scores), are we still considered reapplicants for this school?

Hmm I am not entirely sure if I understand the second part of your question. Do you mean that you submit the secondary right now, and then later this month decide not to apply this cycle and to apply next cycle instead?
If that is what you are asking, I am not sure the exact consideration that might be given. I would advise not submitting right now since you would 1) waste 100$ 2) You have time right now to make your decision, there is no point in rushing just so you can apply early. Applying early is an advantage if you can do it. It is a disadvantage for those individuals who end up rushing and submitting low quality work. and 3) I do not think you should take the risk of being considered a reapplicant here in another cycle.

 

[mdhopeful545]

i plan on submitting my secondary asap as it turns out you don't have to have your primary already verified to do that..but my primary probably won't be verified till mid to end july...do you guys think that's too late for baylor?

 

[michpicc15]

One of the questions asks if I am the first in my immediate family to graduate college. I am a first-generation college student because neither of my parents completed a bachelor's degree, but my sister did. Most other schools ask if I'm the first generation to graduate college (yes) but I am technically not the first in my family. I should put no, right? (sorry if this is a dumb question)

 

[azdy]

One of the questions asks if I am the first in my immediate family to graduate college. I am a first-generation college student because neither of my parents completed a bachelor's degree, but my sister did. Most other schools ask if I'm the first generation to graduate college (yes) but I am technically not the first in my family. I should put no, right? (sorry if this is a dumb question)

I would put No

 

[azdy]

i plan on submitting my secondary asap as it turns out you don't have to have your primary already verified to do that..but my primary probably won't be verified till mid to end july...do you guys think that's too late for baylor?

I personally don't think that the timepoint your primary app will be received and secondary app be submitted will be too far apart. That being said, your application is not considered complete until you have primary, secondary, MCAT (and LORs I think). I would take my time with it and submit when I am ready. No need to rush it, but at the same time no need to delay it. I would just submit when I feel ready.