BS/MD program chances...? (And some other questions

[BSMD Hopeful]

Let me start by saying that I am a BS/MD hopeful in the state of New York, and I was hoping that maybe some of you would have advice regarding my current situation at this moment. I am currently a junior, and I am doing pretty well in school for the most part. Here is my schedule along with current grades:

Chemistry Honors - 91
IB History HL I - 91
IB Psychology SL - 93
Choir - 100
Integrated Algebra 2 w/ Trig (regular level...I hate math...) - 85
IB English HL I - 92
Health - 99

My current GPA is an unweighted 3.7 My school doesn't weight it until the end of the whole year, and weighted averages don't show up on the report card...only the transcript.

SAT Scores:
1st time - 2050/2400
2nd time - 2280/2400
I am taking the ACT in April and the SAT II's in June (in Chemistry, Math IIc, and Literature)

Now here's the embarrassing part: I'm in resource room and I have extra time for all of the tests that I take (time and a half, not "double" time). I was able to get extended time from the ACT and Collegeboard as well, which helps, but I don't know if this is considered bad for BS/MD programs. I'm dropping resource room next year, but I am keeping the extra time.

*Would this be a deterrent for the BS/MD programs that I apply to (showing them that I had to take resource room at one point along with having extra time)? *

*Also, are my current classes not 'rigorous' enough for BS/MD programs? I've heard that they really only care about your junior grades, not necessarily your senior grades. *

With that said, this is my schedule for next year:

IB English HL II
IB History HL II
IB Math Studies
IB Environmental Science
IB Physics SL
Human Anatomy and Physiology
Sports Medicine

*Another question here is: are there too many 'electives' in my schedule for next year? I know that most of them are IB, but will classes like Philosophy and Music really have any bearing towards admission to BS/MD programs? Also, since I am (technically) taking three science classes, will this very fact alone help with admissions to BS/MD programs? (Again, I'm only taking one science this year...the year that matters the MOST apparently)*


Now here are the programs I am applying to (14 in total):

6 year BS/MD programs
1) Penn State / Jefferson
2) Howard

7 year BS/MD programs
1) Sophie Davis
2) RPI / Albany
3) Drexel University with Drexel University College of Medicine
4) Boston University with Boston University School of Medicine
5) University of Miami with the University of Miami School of Medicine

8 year BS/MD programs
1) SUNY Stonybrook / Stonybrook University Medical School
2) Brooklyn College / SUNY Downstate
3) St. Bonaventure / George Washington University School of Medicine
4) St. Bonaventure / SUNY Upstate
5) Wayne State MedStart

-In closing, I know this is a lot to ask. If somebody out there can help me though, my gratitude would be beyond grateful. I'll list EC's if needbe, but just so you know, I have A LOT of Hospital Emergency Department Volunteering (nearly 200 hours), more physician shadowing hours than I can count (both clinical and surgical which is around 350 hours), and the LOR department is accounted for.

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[schrizto]

The lack of calculus might be a problem. For HPME, they want you to take calculus before you enter the program. I'm not familiar with the IB curriculum but the class you take senior year would be equivalent to precalc, right? It says on the HPME website:

Before beginning the HPME, you must take a year of calculus, including differential and integral calculus.

Most applicants to BS/MD programs have taken calculus by senior year, so you have a disadvantage there. However, if you're getting accommodations in testing you probably have a learning disability so I don't know if they are related. Also, ECs? BS/MD programs especially look for medical related ECs.

btw, you call NEOUCOM and UMKC "far reaches". Compared to the rest of the list, they aren't. The far reaches would most definitely be HPME and Rice/Baylor, which are two of the most selective BS/MD programs in the country.

If you are a NY resident, you might want to look into the Sophie Davis program because it is limited to residents of NY.

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

The lack of calculus might be a problem. For HPME, they want you to take calculus before you enter the program. I'm not familiar with the IB curriculum but the class you take senior year would be equivalent to precalc, right? It says on the HPME website:



Most applicants to BS/MD programs have taken calculus by senior year, so you have a disadvantage there. However, if you're getting accommodations in testing you probably have a learning disability so I don't know if they are related. Also, ECs? BS/MD programs especially look for medical related ECs.

btw, you call NEOUCOM and UMKC "far reaches". Compared to the rest of the list, they aren't. The far reaches would most definitely be HPME and Rice/Baylor, which are two of the most selective BS/MD programs in the country.

If you are a NY resident, you might want to look into the Sophie Davis program because it is limited to residents of NY.

Thanks for the advice. IB Math Studies topics cover pre-calc and calculus. It's essentially a continuation of Algebra 2. I'm aware that Rice/Baylor and HPME are also very very competitive, but I think I'll still apply to them and see what happens.

As for Sophie Davis...I would LOVE to go to that program...thing is I don't want to go into Primary Care.

As for my EC's:
-190+ Hours of Volunteering at my Hospitals Emergency Department
-250+ Hours of shadowing several physicians. One is an Orthopaedic surgeon from Downstate, and I have a LOR from him
-Many other EC's that really aren't "medical" related per se, but are stuff that I have been doing since I was 4-5 years old...like my instrument. I've been playing viola for 14 years, and have played multiple concerts that might count as "community service".
-National Honor Society...if that helps.

LOR's:
-D.O. Rheumatologist that I shadowed
-D.O. Cardiologist that I shadowed
-M.D. Orthopedic surgeon from Downstate
-Chemistry teacher
-Viola teacher of 14 years
-Guidance counselor
-AP Euro teacher from 10th grade agreed to write one. He's a very popular teacher at my school, and we got along extremely well during my year with him.

 

[tennisball80]

I think your chance is pretty decent. Make sure you apply as early as possible. And good luck.

 

[schrizto]

I think your chance is pretty decent. Make sure you apply as early as possible. And good luck.

For BS/MD programs, applying early doesn't make a difference. They don't start evaluating anyone until past a deadline, although the deadline may be a lot earlier (think Nov or Dec date) than undergrad-only (usually Jan).

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

I'm probably going to drop NEOUCOM and replace it with the U. of Toledo's BS/MD program.

And also...I'm thinking about dropping IB Philosophy from my schedule for next year so that I can have at least one free period. Do any of you think this is a good idea, or should I keep it in my schedule?

 

[EyEnStein 07]

You're an NY resident and your not applying to Sophie Davis/CCNY ?

Edit: Oops, just read the thread lol. If i were you i would just apply everyone. Your up there in the pool, so you where you get interview invites or w.e, is going to be based on luck pretty much. If this is what you want to do, apply where ever you can but
more important make sure you want to go.

Are all the programs you listed guaranteed? I think some i have seen before requiring low MCAT scores.. IN that case its probably not as worth it, but which ever you do...try to make sure you apply to Guaranteed programs over ones that have requirements that need to be met.

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

I recently heard that taking SL courses are pretty useless unless you take the corresponding AP exam (so colleges can actually "accept" it or something?). Is this true? ARE my classes for next year not really good choices for wanting to go into a BS/MD program? Oh, and I dropped philosophy from my course schedule, because I wanted to have a free period just incase I need it to finish a test or something.

 

[leodavis]

as a Sophie Davis grad, I'd recommend applying to their program if you're interested in the BS/MD route. especially considering that you're applying to Brooklyn, the competitiveness of SD is on par or even less, I'd say.

the primary care thing is more of a philosophy--there's no way they can force you to enter a field you're not interested in. you'd be assessed a relatively nominal fee to compensate the subsidized education, but overall (and to the chagrin of the faculty) the proportion of our grads going into PC is comparable to the national average. and there are the intangible benefits of training in a diverse population on the CCNY campus.

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

as a Sophie Davis grad, I'd recommend applying to their program if you're interested in the BS/MD route. especially considering that you're applying to Brooklyn, the competitiveness of SD is on par or even less, I'd say.

the primary care thing is more of a philosophy--there's no way they can force you to enter a field you're not interested in. you'd be assessed a relatively nominal fee to compensate the subsidized education, but overall (and to the chagrin of the faculty) the proportion of our grads going into PC is comparable to the national average. and there are the intangible benefits of training in a diverse population on the CCNY campus.

One thing I've been wondering is how competitive is it exactly? This is one program I would have really loved to go into, but the primary care philosophy is really the thing that keeps me from wanting to apply. I don't know for sure if I would be able to afford the 'nominal' (as you say) fee of $75k...which kinda seems to defeat the whole purpose of receiving "instate tuition", am I right?

 

[leodavis]

well, lately the admissions rate has been roughly 12% (as of my term on the '07 ad-com), so it's tougher than most normal undergrad programs, but much less competitive than the more selective BS/MD programs.

$75K sounds like a lot when you have no income, but divided over 5-10 years as a practicing physician, it's peanuts. don't let financial concerns guide your thinking at this point. your best bet is to apply to as many programs as you can and decide which will be the right fit for you on the interview trail.

I feel I should mention...there are disadvantages to these BS/MD programs that are difficult to appreciate as a high school student. [I realize you've probably heard all this] the value of a traditional liberal arts education, of a "real" college experience is hard to describe. I often felt my friends at traditional 4 year schools had much more freedom than I did--to travel, research, whatever. it's easy to fall into myopia in these accelerated programs.

in an accelerated BS/MD program you're trading a year of youth, freedom, exploration for a year of responsibility and paperwork as a practicing MD. nothing's going to dissuade you at this point (I heard all these things too), I just hope you find the right fit.

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

well, lately the admissions rate has been roughly 12% (as of my term on the '07 ad-com), so it's tougher than most normal undergrad programs, but much less competitive than the more selective BS/MD programs.

$75K sounds like a lot when you have no income, but divided over 5-10 years as a practicing physician, it's peanuts. don't let financial concerns guide your thinking at this point. your best bet is to apply to as many programs as you can and decide which will be the right fit for you on the interview trail.

I feel I should mention...there are disadvantages to these BS/MD programs that are difficult to appreciate as a high school student. [I realize you've probably heard all this] the value of a traditional liberal arts education, of a "real" college experience is hard to describe. I often felt my friends at traditional 4 year schools had much more freedom than I did--to travel, research, whatever. it's easy to fall into myopia in these accelerated programs.

in an accelerated BS/MD program you're trading a year of youth, freedom, exploration for a year of responsibility and paperwork as a practicing MD. nothing's going to dissuade you at this point (I heard all these things too), I just hope you find the right fit.

Ah. See now one thing I thought about that additional 75k was that you had to pay it immediately or you wouldn't be able to graduate or something like that. Another question I have is how to apply. I would apply to the CCNY and then wait for the Sophie Davis secondary or something like that?

 

[leodavis]

instructions to apply are available on the website here.

you apply to both CUNY and SD, listing CCNY as your first choice. applying to the Honors college is not feasible, as its curriculum would conflict with the BS/MD program.

out of 800-1000 applicants, ~200 are offered interviews, and roughly 75 are selected. I believe apps are due in January, interviews are from the end of Jan to March, and letters go out April 1.

good luck, if you do decide to apply.

 

[Ravendown]

Thanks for the advice. IB Math Studies topics cover pre-calc and calculus. It's essentially a continuation of Algebra 2. I'm aware that Rice/Baylor and HPME are also very very competitive, but I think I'll still apply to them and see what happens.

As for Sophie Davis...I would LOVE to go to that program...thing is I don't want to go into Primary Care.

As for my EC's:
-190+ Hours of Volunteering at my Hospitals Emergency Department
-250+ Hours of shadowing several physicians. One is an Orthopaedic surgeon from Downstate, and I have a LOR from him
-Many other EC's that really aren't "medical" related per se, but are stuff that I have been doing since I was 4-5 years old...like my instrument. I've been playing viola for 14 years, and have played multiple concerts that might count as "community service".
-National Honor Society...if that helps.

LOR's:
-D.O. Rheumatologist that I shadowed
-D.O. Cardiologist that I shadowed
-M.D. Orthopedic surgeon from Downstate
-Chemistry teacher
-Viola teacher of 14 years
-Guidance counselor
-AP Euro teacher from 10th grade agreed to write one. He's a very popular teacher at my school, and we got along extremely well during my year with him.

Even if you don't want to be a primary care M.D> sophiedavis will still consider you. Compared to the material you learn in the 1st 2 years of med school, this program is the way to go. And primary care includes internal medicine, which most people go into i think [that's just a guess though]. In any case, how do you know you don't want to go into primary care? How much experience have you had with these other disciplines? Don't be so quick to say something; school look at that, and it says wonders about your character.

As far as the resource room goes? I think that'd be a disadvantage. If you don't need it, then why use it? I doubt programs would want a student with a learning disability, as they may assume that you have a greater chance of not completing the program.

Source: I go to sophie davis.Awesome school. Awesome program. You'll never find any 7 year program like this in the country. I guarantee it.

 

[Ravendown]

who are you leodavis...who are you...

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

As far as the resource room goes? I think that'd be a disadvantage. If you don't need it, then why use it? I doubt programs would want a student with a learning disability, as they may assume that you have a greater chance of not completing the program..

-Well, I actually tried to opt out of it last year so that I wouldn't have it this year. Too bad guidance ****ed me over with my schedule. But for now, I'm stuck with this. I've been able to handle pretty well on my own without the help of R.R., so much in fact that I really don't do anything in that class. Actually, I don't even receive a numbered grade in that class. As far as the "disabilities" go, I actually don't have any...but the extra time needed on tests is something I've come to appreciate very much. That's about as far as it goes. Does Sophie Davis ask for your Senior class schedule? If so, would the tremendous shift in the difficulty of classes (3 IB's to 5) be considered a plus?

EDIT: I also edited the list of BS/MD programs I am considering.

 

[Ravendown]

Yeah it would definitely be a plus. My senior year i had a full schedule [10 periods from 8 to 3:40 PM]. For comparison my classes included:

Ap Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Medical Diagnosis
Sci-fi english
[weight training, but who cares about gym really?]
Calculus
Women's studies [i'm a guy btw]
Wood working [and a few other classes that i can't remember]

More classes definitely shows that you want to learn and continue your education...or something like that [even though you'll be a senior and many seniors don't take that many classes].

Some good things about the school are: Class is pretty small so you get to know most people really well; professors know your name; no MCATS; guaranteed to match to one of our med schools participating etc.

You should visit the school when you have a chance though to see if you would like the environment as well.

From your resume up there, it looks like you would have quite the strong application for the school. I wish you well.

 

[BSMD Hopeful]

You had a class for Organic Chemistry alone? That's pretty nice. My chem honors class only focuses on Organic Chem for 3 weeks or so. -.-

I wish I had a "Medical Diagnosis" class as well...but I don't think I would want to stay until 3:40 pm. School for me ends at 2:39 pm (with a full class schedule)

Thanks! Sophie Davis, after reading and researching more about it, is one of those programs that I will surely try my best to get into. That and the Brooklyn and Stonybrook ones as well.

 

[Ravendown]

no problem. I wish you well in your endeavors.

 

[deathlyhallows]

Hi I’m going to b a senior this fall and I was wondering if I have a chance in Sophie Davis…
SAT: 750M 700CR 680W
ACT: 30
GPA: not sure but on my transcript it says 97.8
AP Classes: World History (5), AP USH (5), AP Chem (4), AP English (5)
*This year i'm planning on taking AP Eco/Gov't, AP Bio, AP Eng, & AP Calc
ACTIVITIES:
Volunteered in the library; Volunteered in the hospital; won a gold metal at the math fair; Science Olympiad for 3 years; Euro Challenge; Red Cross (2 yrs); Key Club (2 yrs); ARISTA (2 yrs)
REGENTS: Earth Science (90), Bio (94), Chem (93), Physics (94), Integrated Algebra I (93), Geometry (95), Algebra II/Trig (92)
*I had all honor classes throughout & AP classes…I only had regular Art, Music, Health, and PE

 

[ceoDoctor]

Hopefully I will be in your position thi stime next year let us know where you got accpeted to.

 

[barsoum.michael]

You can still apply to Sophie as long as you filled out a Macualy app. Sophie doesn't have a code for it so it can be in ant order you want.

Hi!

I'm going to apply to Sophie Davis, and applied to CCNY under the Macaulay Honors Application but listed Hunter college 1st in the Macaulay App. Does this mean that I can't apply to Sophie Davis?