BS/MD program help...

About the Ads
vstexas09

vstexas09

Full Member
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
146
Reaction score
2
16, senior, (skipped a grade), Indian...

GPA: i dunno about unweighted, but 4.9 on weighted scale
Rank: 2 out of 998
area: east side of houston, so not many ppl know abt programs, and are very rare to go off

the horrible part:

9th grade: Pre-Ap

10th grade: World History AP (4)

11th grade (horrible): AP US History (4), AP ENg comp (3), Calc AB (2; no teacher, substitute the whole year), SAT: 1900 (will take again in Oct. and will guarantee above 2100), not taking ACT, but subject tests (US history, and maybe bio or phys...and also math...any suggestions on which?)

12th grade: Calc BC, Eng AP, Eco AP, Psych AP, Physics AP, Bio AP, Govt AP (i promise to pick up my slack)

extra curricular: nat. honor society, class rep, VP of nat. tech honor society, academic decathalon, debate, gents (high school frat), science club, HOSA, journalism (newspaper), comp. animation, will join more this year

made a movie with class and became a local hit, part of my interests...along w/ journalism

Med EC: 400 hours: 2 hospitals, 1 doctor's clinic, 1 physical therapy clinic...

i'm interested in internal medicine, so i have followed a doctor for so many years, but i'm considering cardio, so i followed a doctor during the summer in the cath lab...

Extra: active youth member, youth sports team (basketball), went to mexico on a medical mission for a few days, assist with education, medical aid...

chance me for:

Regulars (4 yr):

Penn, Dartmouth (got a lot of letters from them), Cornell, Georgetown, UT Austin (super easy, guaranteed admission)

really interested in BS/MD:

Drexel, howard, thomas jefferson, temple, tufts, boston u, stony brook...

chance me, but give me advice on things i should work on...thanks and it's really appreciated...

i wanted to be more specific on the thread title...i know...i'm not the greatest test taker, but bear with me...
Members don't see this ad.
 
ivies are a reach for everyone, even with perfect stats

if you get the sat above 1450 on the 1600 scale i would say you are in good shape for the bs/md programs
 
Members don't see this ad :)
chris1264 said:
ivies are a reach for everyone, even with perfect stats

if you get the sat above 1450 on the 1600 scale i would say you are in good shape for the bs/md programs
Click to expand...

except they don't use 1600 scale anymore...they use a 2400...lol
 
If you want to do BS/MD, see if you can find ones that have low GPA, no MCAT requirements to continue on...I know that when I applied, GWU needed a 3.3, no MCAT to continue on to med school after 3/4 years...the stats you need to get in are really high...equivalent of 1500 or better, and mandatory 710 on verbal...the 2100 is good, but you really want to shoot for 2250 or above to get into some great programs (Northwestern, Brown, BU, etc.)...good luck, make sure your personal statement for the med portions is good...don't go out there "i wanna help people cuz i shadowed a doctor and the patients looked upon him with admiration, etc, etc...make yours unique if you get the essays...some have interviews, some don't, but for the ones that do, i understand that they really want to see your committment to going there...without directly expressing it, sort of hint that if accepted you will attend...my friend is at u. miami and apparently that is how his interview went...good luck
 
vstexas09 said:
11th grade (horrible): AP US History (4), AP ENg comp (3), Calc AB (2; no teacher, substitute the whole year), SAT: 1900 (will take again in Oct. and will guarantee above 2100), not taking ACT, but subject tests (US history, and maybe bio or phys...and also math...any suggestions on which?)
Click to expand...

As far as SAT IIs go, I would definitely suggest Math 2 and Chemistry. Those two are definitely required for the Northwestern program (HPME) and the BU program (SMED). I can't remember the specifications for the other ones I applied to, but those are typically the ones that are required or "strongly suggested".

By the way, SAT score aside, I think your stats are pretty awesome. :) If you can get that SAT score up, you should be in a good position to have a chance at some really competitive colleges and programs.
 
vstexas09 said:
16, senior, (skipped a grade), Indian...

GPA: i dunno about unweighted, but 4.9 on weighted scale
Rank: 2 out of 998
area: east side of houston, so not many ppl know abt programs, and are very rare to go off

the horrible part:

9th grade: Pre-Ap

10th grade: World History AP (4)

11th grade (horrible): AP US History (4), AP ENg comp (3), Calc AB (2; no teacher, substitute the whole year), SAT: 1900 (will take again in Oct. and will guarantee above 2100), not taking ACT, but subject tests (US history, and maybe bio or phys...and also math...any suggestions on which?)

12th grade: Calc BC, Eng AP, Eco AP, Psych AP, Physics AP, Bio AP, Govt AP (i promise to pick up my slack)

extra curricular: nat. honor society, class rep, VP of nat. tech honor society, academic decathalon, debate, gents (high school frat), science club, HOSA, journalism (newspaper), comp. animation, will join more this year

made a movie with class and became a local hit, part of my interests...along w/ journalism

Med EC: 400 hours: 2 hospitals, 1 doctor's clinic, 1 physical therapy clinic...

i'm interested in internal medicine, so i have followed a doctor for so many years, but i'm considering cardio, so i followed a doctor during the summer in the cath lab...

Extra: active youth member, youth sports team (basketball), went to mexico on a medical mission for a few days, assist with education, medical aid...

chance me for:

Regulars (4 yr):

Penn, Dartmouth (got a lot of letters from them), Cornell, Georgetown, UT Austin (super easy, guaranteed admission)

really interested in BS/MD:

Drexel, howard, thomas jefferson, temple, tufts, boston u, stony brook...

chance me, but give me advice on things i should work on...thanks and it's really appreciated...

i wanted to be more specific on the thread title...i know...i'm not the greatest test taker, but bear with me...
Click to expand...


If you're interested in Tufts, it's a bit different from what I think you might believe.

I think there's an actual 8 (or 9?) year BS/MD but it's only for the school of engineering, and as I was not an engineer I'm not sure how that works. I do know it's really competitive though.

As for a normal BS/MD at Tufts, what we have is an early acceptance program. You don't apply straight out of high school, you apply as a sophomore at Tufts. So, right now you'd just have to worry about getting into the undergrad. Then, as a sophomore you'd have an option. Basically, you would need to have taken a full year of bio, full year of general chem and at least one year of orgo (organic chem) to apply, and have to have maintained at least a 3.5 gpa in the process....which, I gotta tell you, is not easy in those classes (very very very few people can pull it off). Then you'd apply. If you get in, super. I believe it's non-binding, and they'll ask you whether you actually do want to go at the end of your Junior year. If you do, again, super. You'll be able to go to Tufts Med right after you graduate, and you'll have to take the MCAT but your score won't count. If you don't want to keep the commitment to Tufts Med afterwards, you can drop your spot and apply everywhere you want.

In my opinion, the obvious pro of this program is the fact that the MCAT is irrelevant and hey, you'll definitely know you're going to a good med school, which is great. When everyone around you is stressed about going to med school, you'll be able to just sit and wait. Kinda nice.

There are definitely many cons, however (and these are probably the same cons for all BS/MD programs). Tufts is THE most expensive med school in the country. Tuition's crazy, and Boston is absolutely not a cheap city to live in. Because you're committing to it, they have no reason to give you financial aid, so unless you have parents (or a rich uncle) who is willing to foot the bill, be prepared to be very very heavily in debt. Also, you might find that you want to keep your options open, especially after you take the MCAT. Finally, being in one of those programs is pretty limiting, curriculum-wise. You're forced to take certain classes within a certain time, which doesn't allow you to explore your interests (and hey, maybe change your mind- wouldn't be the first time) as much as just pursuing a regular ol' premed concentration.

Anyways, hope this helped. Good luck!
 
what do u guys think my chances are to GWU??


and what do u think...do i have a chance, or am i barely "passable"?
 
In normal 4 year admissions when we've got volumes of data and published statistics, "What Are My Chances" threads are guess-work at best given the non-tangibles that go into admissions.

BS/MD programs have a lot less published data for their admissions.

I'll go through what you've put up and let you know what you can work on:

Strengths-
GPA: I don't know what your's will translate to on an unweighted scale, but a weighted 4.9 won't hurt you anywhere.
Class rank: same as above, you're clearly an excellent student
Extra-curriculars: You've got strong ECs with med involvement. BS/MD programs want to see this.

Don't sweat the grades on the AP tests, it sounds like you've nailed the class work.

Where you can improve-
Standardized testing- You say you're going to take the SAT again, your current score isn't bad, but if you think you can do better, go for it. If you haven't done any sort of prep-class, you might try that (esp if you're not a good test taker, they can help you overcome that). You might explore taking the ACT.

Also (and I'm telling you this b/c I'm trying to help)... Maybe it's just how you appear over the internet, but you're coming off a bit neurotic (style and volume of posts). I'd be concerned that this could hurt you if this manifests itself and makes you appear immature in an interview.
 
The reason I sound "overly neurotic" is just that I was introduced to this program last week. I tried to contact my counselors, but they're not the ones on the helping edge...

and clearly to me, it doesn't matter where I go, as long as I end up becoming what I pursued for so long...

so with that in mind...do you guys have any suggestions as to which schools I could apply to, along with the help of handling any financial hassles?
 
vstexas09 said:
The reason I sound "overly neurotic" is just that I was introduced to this program last week. I tried to contact my counselors, but they're not the ones on the helping edge...

and clearly to me, it doesn't matter where I go, as long as I end up becoming what I pursued for so long...

so with that in mind...do you guys have any suggestions as to which schools I could apply to, along with the help of handling any financial hassles?
Click to expand...

I would look at the websites for particular schools and see which programs interest you.

Keep in mind, if you're competitive enough for a BS/MD program and you maintain your work-ethic through college (just as you'd have to do through med school), you'll probably be competitive enough to get in through the standard admissions process, so don't feel that you absolutely have to get into a joint program out of HS.

I would give this thread a good read. It has a lot of info on BS/MD programs, including a partial list, and questions you'd want to consider when selecting a school/program.
 
that thread really helped..thanks!!


i just am a little anxious about if i apply to all these, that i will get rejected...

and the financial help, what's the chance that i do get aid??
 
vstexas09 said:
that thread really helped..thanks!!


i just am a little anxious about if i apply to all these, that i will get rejected...

and the financial help, what's the chance that i do get aid??
Click to expand...

If you get rejected, you get rejected. These programs are highly selective, they reject more people than they accept. Same with the standard medical school admissions track. If you don't get in, you can try again after college... It wont be held against you

Loans are almost always available to pay for school. You might not be getting scholarships, but there's always some way to pay for it... (most students use student loans to pay for med school)
 
Members don't see this ad :)
is there a possibility that you could get rejected at all of them??

and depakote, if you can remember, what were your high school stats, what programs did u apply, and where did you get accepted??
 
vstexas09 said:
is there a possibility that you could get rejected at all of them??
Click to expand...
It is definitely possible, ~50% of 4 year med school applicants are not accepted in a given year, so it's very possible that those stats could apply to BS/MD programs. I'd apply to 4 year colleges as well.

vstexas09 said:
and depakote, if you can remember, what were your high school stats, what programs did u apply, and where did you get accepted??
Click to expand...

I attended a wasn't exactly a gunner in HS (which was pretty competitive to begin with). My GPA was ~3.5, I had a 31 ACT, I forget what my SAT was, but I think it was somewhere around a 1300 on the old scale. My school didn't rank. I had a pretty good number of medically related ECs and played a couple of sports.

I wasn't really aware of BA/BS MD programs so I only applied to the 1 I knew of.. UMKC's 6-year program*. I was accepted.

*this is not the most competitive program out there from an admissions standpoint, and I was a state resident, I wouldn't use my stats for comparison if you're applying to programs like Northwestern, Baylor or Rochester.
 
so what would you consider would be help me..b/c frankly, i dont want to apply to brown, or northwestern...


schools like Howard, GWU, Penn St., Stony Brook...

do you think I have a chance at these schools??
 
vstexas09 said:
so what would you consider would be help me..b/c frankly, i dont want to apply to brown, or northwestern...


schools like Howard, GWU, Penn St., Stony Brook...

do you think I have a chance at these schools??
Click to expand...

A chance? Probably.

Why no to Brown and Northwestern? Those are some great programs...

Personal advice:

If you're going to apply to joint degree programs, make sure you're picking a program you'll be happy with. If you're a huge fan of urban life, that's great, but I have trouble picturing a 16-17 year old from Texas jumping in to downtown Washington, DC and loving it.
 
I live in Houston proper, and it's very urban...however, i have visited those cities, so I know how it is...and have lived in each for a week...

it really reached out to me...

I know I will love it, it's different I know, but it's definitely better...

tomorrow, i will visit my counselors to discuss my chances, and what options I can look forward to...

is there anything I thing i should mention or I should find out??

P.S. do you think a recommendation letter from the superintendent of schools would help? (his son is my best friend..so I know him very well)
 
vstexas09 said:
I live in Houston proper, and it's very urban...however, i have visited those cities, so I know how it is...and have lived in each for a week...

it really reached out to me...

I know I will love it, it's different I know, but it's definitely better...
Click to expand...

That's a relief, I was concerned you were jumping at the program without having considered the surroundings.

Still, I would make sure to apply to a variety of schools and make sure to have back-ups (of the 4-year college variety).

vstexas09 said:
tomorrow, i will visit my counselors to discuss my chances, and what options I can look forward to...

is there anything I thing i should mention or I should find out??
Click to expand...

Find out where other grads of your school have gone, what programs they've entered. Maybe see if you can be put in contact with them...

See if there are any programs he recommends you apply to. Any 4 year colleges as well...

vstexas09 said:
P.S. do you think a recommendation letter from the superintendent of schools would help? (his son is my best friend..so I know him very well)
Click to expand...
Wouldn't hurt, but how much it helps really depends on what he's able to say about you. If it's a character reference, then it probably won't make that big of a difference. If he can attest to your various extracurriculars, your school involvement, your academic leadership, etc. Then it might be a good letter that could positively impact your application to colleges. For MD programs, it doesn't hurt to have a letter from a physician you've had clinical experience with... someone that can attest to your interest in medicine. This is helpful, but not required.
 
vstexas09 said:
that thread really helped..thanks!!


i just am a little anxious about if i apply to all these, that i will get rejected...

and the financial help, what's the chance that i do get aid??
Click to expand...

FYI if you go to UMiami every top 2 in their class gets a 100% scholarship and all people who enroll in the B.S./M.D. program are guaranteed a 75% scholarship.
 
On the counseling part, almost everyone has stayed in Houston, they're not aware of the program..

i was notified however, that schools were interested in accepting students from rare areas...

there has been two students, one went to MIT back in 1999, and the other last year to Cornell

the latter was a big surprise...b/c she wasn't that smart, not that involved, and it's a mystery on how she got in...

as far as getting in contact...i've tried, but they're both busy...

it's very rare from students of this area to go off to schools like that...


on the other note...my mom used to work for a doctor at his clinic...i think he'll definitely put in a good word..
 
this goes to show you how our schools work..

i went, but she wanted to postpone till next week, b/c she was too tired..


she told me that a month ago..
 
are u considering the program that miami has as well? There's was based more on the essay and on the interview if u are worried about your test scores
 
orangeANDgreen said:
are u considering the program that miami has as well? There's was based more on the essay and on the interview if u are worried about your test scores
Click to expand...

Does miami give preference to FL residents?

bear in mind that many state school BS/MD programs are geared towards in-state residents and out of state applicants are held to much higher standards (and also tend to be forced to pay much higher tuition rates, sometimes for the whole 6-8 years)
 
it's a private school and they said they favor in state kids somewhat, but not as much as you would expect. On the day I interviewed, of the 20 students scheduled on my day, 6 were from florida--so they probably do have some favoritism but not an overwhelming amount as some other schools may

tuition is the same for in state and out of state, because its private
 
orangeANDgreen said:
it's a private school and they said they favor in state kids somewhat, but not as much as you would expect. On the day I interviewed, of the 20 students scheduled on my day, 6 were from florida--so they probably do have some favoritism but not an overwhelming amount as some other schools may

tuition is the same for in state and out of state, because its private
Click to expand...
I didn't realize Miami was private.
 
Depakote said:
Does miami give preference to FL residents?

bear in mind that many state school BS/MD programs are geared towards in-state residents and out of state applicants are held to much higher standards (and also tend to be forced to pay much higher tuition rates, sometimes for the whole 6-8 years)
Click to expand...

In the past Miami's program was only restricted to FL residents. Over time that has changed and last year when I did admissions tours most students were not from Florida.

In-state tuition is less than out-state because the state does subsidize Miami a bit for taking FL residents (although it is a private school).
 
drexel med school has a lot of both 7 and 8 year med programs with various different undergrad schools, such as drexel undergrad, villanova, monmouth univ, etc. i would definitely look into those.
 
sorry guys...i was away on a school trip the past few days..

and by the way...does monmouth offer BS/MD? I looked on their website and couldn't find it...

im definetely considering drexel..
 
quick question, just to refresh my memory:

how many years would it take a regular student to go through undergrad and med school...

is it 8 yrs??
 
vstexas09 said:
quick question, just to refresh my memory:

how many years would it take a regular student to go through undergrad and med school...

is it 8 yrs??
Click to expand...

traditionally it's 4 years of undergrad and 4 years of med school...

Undergrad can be made shorter depending on if you take classes over the summer and how many classes you take per semester...

Med School 4 years.
 
if i apply to manmouth..which is an 8-yr accelerated prgm, what's so accelerated about it??
 
vstexas09 said:
if i apply to manmouth..which is an 8-yr accelerated prgm, what's so accelerated about it??
Click to expand...

a quick skim of the program's page makes it look like it isn't an accellerated program but it guarantees acceptance into medical school as long as certain requirements are met... not necessarily any faster, just less stress. (sweet deal)
 
i talked to my counselor today and there apparently is a big conflict with every AP class im taking

do you guys know which ones i should take...but i have to keep eng. and eco.,

which classes do you think i should definetely take??
 
take ones you find interesting.

browse through the clubhouse and the Exam HQ, there's a few threads on picking AP classes...

I'm not sure what your school offers, here was my take when another poster asked for input on his list:
You'd probably want to retake any med school requisites once you get into college, but that doesn't mean taking the course in HS would hurt you (just that you wouldn't use it for college credit). The other option is to take one of the humanities and have one less class to worry about when you're checking off degree requirements.

Art History- never had this as an AP, took it in college and it was somewhat interesting. You might enjoy this... although I have no idea what the AP exam is like.

Biology- this wouldn't be a bad base for some of your college work, but you will wind up repeating it if you take a pre-health science track.

Chemistry- same as above, but probably the most valuable course available. Chemistry is your friend, but can be the bane of your existence. Good to master the basics early. *I'd put this on the list of classes I wish I had taken in HS (took AP Bio instead)

Physics B, Physics C- I'm told these are brutal. That and you'll need physics if you're pre-med. I'd say save yourself the trouble unless you're applying to MIT or a physics heavy school.

Calculus AB- Not bad, but you'll need some math if you go premed. Same deal, you can master it now and have a cake-walk later or apply your effort elsewhere.

English Literature- don't know much about this one. Many schools require a semester or two of English, but through personal experience, they're much more willing to accept alternative credits for this than a science course. If there's anything that they'd take an AP for, it'd be this.

Music Theory- um... do you like music? (I know nothing about this course)

Psychology- This wouldn't be a bad choice. Lots of majors have an intro Psych requirement (which is painful) before you can get to the fun classes like Abnormal Psych. It's not a med school requirement so you can get the credit now and then have some fun with the upper levels in college if you find that you liked it.
Click to expand...

in general... med school requisites will probably need to be repeated if you're applying via a standard admissions cycle. Taking non-required classes that will fulfill a major requirement wouldn't be a bad idea, but in general, it's a good idea to take a class you'll enjoy.
 
english, calculus BC, Psych, Gov't, physics, bio--and that's all AP,

which should i keep, and which should i let go??

im trying to find which could get me the highest GPA


i have to keep economics, and english..which do you guys think i should drop??
 
Last edited:
and i can't access the page link you gave me deepakote...

can someone tell me which classes i should def. take...

and to where i can get the highest gpa..
 
if u can get in contact with ur counselor u should talk to him or her about it.
 
she didn't give me any suggestions on which ones i should take...

that's why i'm asking you all to help me...
 
vstexas09 said:
english, calculus BC, Psych, Gov't, physics, bio--and that's all AP,

which should i keep, and which should i let go??

im trying to find which could get me the highest GPA


i have to keep economics, and english..which do you guys think i should drop??
Click to expand...

Ok, so you need to take:

English and Econ

That leaves
calculus BC- You can take this, but you'll probably have to take some calc in College, just FYI
Psych- This would be a good one to take. :thumbup:
Gov't- wouldn't hurt to take this.
physics- I'm told this is a particularly tough class (GPA :thumbdown:) and a rough AP test. Plus you'll probably have to retake it in college if you're applying to med school. :thumbdown:
bio- This isn't a bad class, but again, you'll either have to retake it in college or take upper level courses if you're applying to med school. Still, if you're looking to keep 1 class, I'd keep this one b/c it's a decent foundation.


Personally, if you were going to take 5 classes (standard courseload?) I'd say take English, Econ, Psych, Govt and Calc or Bio (your choice) in that order.

vstexas09 said:
and i can't access the page link you gave me deepakote...
Click to expand...

Follow the instructions here.
 
thanks for your help depakote..

so you seriously think that i don't need to take physics?

but i can keep both calc and bio?
 
you don't need to take AP physics... I was assuming that you are fulfilling your requirements to graduate. If you haven't taken any physics at all, you should probably take some, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend AP.

and I said calc OR bio... not "and"

(but it's your senior year, do whatever you want)
 
wow depakote..you truly are a psychic! i had to drop that class to make room for whatever...

when i visited my counselor today, she made me so depressed by discouraging me of joining the accelerated program, and how i reay had like a 99.9% chance of not making it in...

i just don't know what to do next...
 
vstexas09 said:
wow depakote..you truly are a psychic! i had to drop that class to make room for whatever...

when i visited my counselor today, she made me so depressed by discouraging me of joining the accelerated program, and how i reay had like a 99.9% chance of not making it in...

i just don't know what to do next...
Click to expand...

what reasons did she give to indicate that you wouldn't get in?


Edit:

keep in mind that it isnt the end of the world if you don't get into a BS/MD program. Going to a 4 year college gives you the opportunity to apply through the standard admissions cycle and there are plenty of great schools to apply to that route including every school that offers a combined progam.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

Tern
Brown BS/MD vs United States Naval Academy
Replies
4
Views
137
Wamuu
Wamuu
squirrelnut
Brown vs. Uconn BS/MD vs. pitt vs. BU vs. Top Liberal Arts Schools
Replies
10
Views
278
Tern
Tern
B
BS/MD
Replies
1
Views
2K
northtown
northtown
D
  • Locked
.
Replies
6
Views
1K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
K
NSU KPCOM 4+4 BS/DO program
Replies
1
Views
1K
SweetBurger
SweetBurger
Top