BS/MD Program Chances

[joysim]

Hey everyone. This is my first post on SDN, so I'm apologizing in advance if I'm breaking some sort of taboo.

I am planning on applying on applying to the following programs, but I'm really focusing on Rutgers/NJMS, as that is my first choice.

Programs: uconn spim,rutgers/njms,tcnj/njms,north hpme,brown plme,penn state,pit gap,case ppsp,rice/balor med,boston u,temple,siena/albany,stevens/njms,slu


Residency: NJ

Class Rank (Top 10%)
Unweighted GPA: 3.9/4.0
Weighted GPA: 5.3/6.0
ACT Score: 34
SAT Score (1500)
SAT Subject Math 2: 780
SAT Subject Biology: 750
SAT Subject Chem: 710

AP Classes: (Before Senior)
AP Physics-5
AP Computer Science- 5
AP US History-5
AP World History- 5
AP Lang - 5

Senior APs
AP Lit
AP US Gov
AP Chem
AP Calc BC
AP French

Central NJ resident in a highly competitive public high school. Large Class size (700+).

Major ECs
- Eagle Scout(Various Troop Leadership Positions)
- varsity Wrestling
- nhs
- nshs
- nsshs
- NYLT/NAYLE
- HOSA
- MUN(Several local awards)
- Key Club
- Science Olympiad
- Organizer of toy drive for local food pantry (5 years)
- Non-Medical Volunteering(200+ hours)


Medical Experience
- St Peters Medical Exploring (Executive Board)
- Research with professor at FDU
- Shadowing Radiologist(50+ hours)
- Shadowing Anesthesiologist (50+) hours
- Hospital Volunteering (200+ hours)
- SMART at NJMS
- Coriell Medical Experience
- EMT Ride-Along Volunteer for 2 years

Awards:
- Eagle Scout (OA Brotherhood)
- Nominee to NJ World Health Forum
- world conservation award
- black belt
- Science Olympiad Awards
- Presidential Service Award

UG Schools I'm applying to
-Cornell
- UPenn
- Vanderbilt
- Georgetown

I'd really appreciate any input on my chances, and how I could strengthen my application for these programs. Thank you again.

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[Goro]

Sorry, outside my expertise

 

[imhopeful432]

Agreed - your scores are a bit on the lower side for a lot of BA/MD programs, but your extra-curriculars can make up for that! You're going to want to make sure those extra-curriculars shine through in your essays and interviews. When I went through the application process, having an adviser who could prepare for me for the essays/interviews was really useful!

 

[joysim]

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. I's really helpful.

Cheezin - Thanks for the feedback. I was just wondering is you think I should retake my ACT/SAT and aim higher. I am at the point in school where there isn't much I can do for GPA. Also, how do you think I fare at some of the UG schools I mentioned. Thanks again

 

[Cheezin]

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. I's really helpful.

Cheezin - Thanks for the feedback. I was just wondering is you think I should retake my ACT/SAT and aim higher. I am at the point in school where there isn't much I can do for GPA. Also, how do you think I fare at some of the UG schools I mentioned. Thanks again

Yeah no problem, it's honestly not worth retaking your act/sat tests- The threshold is like 33-34 so you are above that, I don't think admissions really care what your score is at that point, just most will have 35-36.
And for your undergrad schools I would assume you get into like 3 out of the 4, also depending on your race and affirmative action, if you are asian/indian male then maybe 1-2 acceptances because affirmative action... but besides that you should be fine and if you are African American or Latino then you'll get into all of them.

 

[imhopeful432]

Thanks again everyone for the feedback. I's really helpful.

Cheezin - Thanks for the feedback. I was just wondering is you think I should retake my ACT/SAT and aim higher. I am at the point in school where there isn't much I can do for GPA. Also, how do you think I fare at some of the UG schools I mentioned. Thanks again

I would actually recommend you re-take the SAT or the ACT if you think you can hit 35 or 1550. That's probably the major factor holding you back. I personally re-took the SAT and went up 50+ points the summer before my senior year - definitely think that and having really strong essays made the difference for me.

 

[joysim]

Hey I applied to 20+ bs/mds this last cycle, mostly weaker programs but I got an interview at pitt (had lots of competition from my school, people got into brown plme and case ppsp), so i was pretty decent. Just telling you where I am coming from and how much experience I have. You act/sat is average and gpa would be below average (at the St, Bonaventure undergrad interview, average unweighted gpa was 98.5, You AP courses I would consider to be below average, but you have a great deal of extracurriculars and community service and medical experience which should help you a great deal. I would expect you to get an interview from the majority of the programs you applied to (if you write good essays), and then do well in your interviews (everyone has bad days, but you can practice with the undergrad/early med interviews).

You should definitely get acceptances into all the programs linked with NJMS because they only take NJ residents pretty much and you stand out enough for 1 state. Also don't worry about not having research experience, it isn't critical.

Goodluck and do your applications early! It is a lot of work trying to do apps when school actually starts

Alright, so 1 more question. Sorry, I'm kind of new to this info, especially cuz with 700 kids, my GC doesn't really get to see all of us very often. With all BSMD programs, can you get into their undergrads without the med school? So you don't really need to apply to other undergrads if the bsmd undergrads accept you?

 

[imhopeful432]

Alright, so 1 more question. Sorry, I'm kind of new to this info, especially cuz with 700 kids, my GC doesn't really get to see all of us very often. With all BSMD programs, can you get into their undergrads without the med school? So you don't really need to apply to other undergrads if the bsmd undergrads accept you?

That's right - you can get accepted into the undergrad portion only without being accepted to the BS/MD portion

 

[Cheezin]

Alright, so 1 more question. Sorry, I'm kind of new to this info, especially cuz with 700 kids, my GC doesn't really get to see all of us very often. With all BSMD programs, can you get into their undergrads without the med school? So you don't really need to apply to other undergrads if the bsmd undergrads accept you?

Yeah so pretty much for every program excluding HPME and WUSTL (and U of R REMS) programs you need to be accepted into their undergrad school and many schools also require you to be admitted into the honors college BEFORE you can even apply to the BS/MD programs (maybe not for all programs but it is very common), which is why it is so important to do all of your applications early. If you get rejected from all BS/MD programs then you can still go to all of the same schools because you likely would have gotten into the UG schools first.

 

[joysim]

That's right - you can get accepted into the undergrad portion only without being accepted to the BS/MD portion

So how would you say I fare for BS/DO programs, such as NYIT or Penn State/LECOM

 

[Cheezin]

So how would you say I fare for BS/DO programs, such as NYIT or Penn State/LECOM

I don't know anything about NYIT but the LECOM program is good because you get in and you can choose to go into any of their affiliated undergrad schools. I think if you have a good GPA (3.8+ with 5+ APs) and a high ACT/SAT (33+ maybe) and a genuine interest in going into medicine then you should get in pretty easily.