What do you like/dislike?
How's the weather?
Competitiveness of admission? Especially for OOS...
What's the financial aid like for oos?
Feel free to shamelessly plug the school, but I'd also like the downsides.
Ready, Go!
Be sure to check out the BCM thread on the Allo Class Threads forum
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=460609
As for your specific questions,
1) I love the camaraderie among students and faculty here. Everyone for the most part is happy to be here and happy to help each other out. I like that basic sciences were compacted into 1.5 yrs, even though with the lack of extended summer vacation after 1st yr and starting a month earlier than most schools, we effectively were in basic science (or as my friend redbeans likes to say "B.S.!") for about 2 academic years. But we were only in class from 8-12 most days! Anyway the "illusion," if you will, of starting clinics early was very nice indeed. Lots of freedom to arrange your elective and free time as you wish. 2 whole months off to study for step 1 if you wanted. You can't beat the TMC in terms of reputation, size, and range of clinical experiences. The building in which you spend all your BS time was renovated last year (new classrooms, computer spaces, study spaces, small group rooms with wide screen plasma TVs, student lounge, histology labs) so the facilities are very nice.
The lack of career guidance and general feeling of being on my own unless I specifically sought out help is a downside. However, I do know the administration is starting a faculty mentorship program for the incoming first years, so hopefully the situation will improve as they refine that program. Truthfully, I wish the basic sciences could be taught in a more efficient, more comprehensive way, but covering that much material in any med school in 2 yrs is a challenge. Baylor's been toying with using syllabi vs assigned textbook readings in the recent years with mixed results, and I'm not sure what the long term outcome will be. However, BCM is good about having a curriculum advisory board on which some med students sit. They regularly hold focus groups and take feedback seriously so if you have a complaint, chances are it'd be heard and acted upon. Our step 1 averages are also pretty high - 235. The general lack of student parking in the TMC is an oft quoted gripe, but there're ways of getting around it. Apartments along the rail are pretty affordable and you can always bike, bus or shuttle it. The Baylor gym is small and expensive for the equipment available. I use my apartment gym which is better equipped and free! All in all, I can think of way more pros than cons and the cons are quite honestly me getting to the nitpicky level. I can't think of anything glaringly bad, and other people can please feel free to comment otherwise. We've been allegedly said to be "babied" by a certain TX med school north to us due to the lack of call during our clinical years, but I've already addressed that issue in another thread.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6531984&postcount=1165
2) The weather is great, if you want to escape from the cold like I did. I grew up in an equatorial country, so Houston weather reminds me somewhat of home.
I hated living in the Northeast because of the 6month-long brutal winters. Just be prepared for some scorching weeks in the summer hitting above 100 midday and 80-90% humidity throughout the summer months. However, winters are mild and springtime is lovely (until it hits late April.
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3) Unfortunately for OOSers, admission is quite competitive, since BCM has an instate quota of 70%. When I was applying, the average MCAT for OOS pre-meds from my undergrad who got into BCM was 35, the highest among all the schools I was looking at then, whereas the instate kids who got into BCM from my undergrad had a lower average. The MCAT average for matriculants (in and OOS) from all colleges was about 33.9 then. The numbers have probably gone up since then (MCAT average for class of 07 (in and OOS) = 34.68)
http://www.bcm.edu/about/fastfacts.
4) OOS tuition is one of the cheapest in the nation, compared to private schools. That said, there isn't special financial aid for OOSers, but if you own property in TX for a year, you will then qualify for instate tuition afterward. Instate tuition is a STEAL, to the effect of ~$6000/year.
PM me if you have more questions!
