Boston University MAMS 2020-2021

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Does anyone have any idea of when I could be hearing back? I was marked complete in late March and have heard nothing :( this program is my #1! Does anyone know who I can contact to see the status of my application?

I'm not sure, but I would email their general MAMS email and ask to make sure they received everything for your application perhaps. I applied in April and heard back in a few weeks, if that helps at all for reference. Good luck!

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Honestly, I would just enjoy your summer! There is a lot of information that will be taught, but if you stay caught up in the courses it is very doable. There isn't any reading material that I know of that they recommended to read beforehand...I think the best advice I can give you is start out with everything you have and really fine tune your studying habits to optimize your studying time. It is a lot easier to cut down your study habits because they are getting the results you want than trying to work your way up to several hours of studying in the middle of the semester.



I'm not aware of any tuition changes, but I don't think it would be unfair to guess that if they were to go full remote next year that the rates would change.

As for studying, I think what has benefited me the most is pre-reading for lectures (ie looking at the slides/syllabus beforehand and really trying to digest the concepts) and then going into lecture with questions in mind that allows you to follow the lecture actively. I don't know about you, but during undergrad I did not take advantage of my lectures. I would go in, passively write notes, go on social media, and message my friends, but I was there so I thought that's all I really needed until the exam came up and I had to teach the material to myself all over again. In MAMS, I took advantage of lectures as being my second exposure to the material making my study time much more efficient. If you're sitting in a 1.5/2 hour lecture you might as well take advantage of the time! That being said, I know several people who do not benefit from sitting in live lectures simply because that isn't how they best learn. So, my next biggest study tip is study efficiently. Find what works for you, and be honest with yourself. If you like Anki and massive amounts of flash cards, that's great, do that! If you're more like myself and benefit most from writing out notes, write all the notes you desire and use up dozens of Muji pens while you're at it! Find a good rhythm of how you want to use whatever technique you choose to your advantage, and make sure you are doing it intentionally and not just going through the steps to get done. This isn't for everyone, but my way of going over each lecture is to go through material 4x (this isn't in one sitting, rather throughout the weeks with other lectures staggered in): 1. preread lecture (usually the night before), 2. lecture with active listening and note taking, 3. detailed notes outside of class on the material, and 4. a final review, and by that time I am pretty well versed and ready for the exam.


Thanks for writing this out! Super helpful. Did you find that lecture material was all that was needed- or are there books to buy as well?
 
Thanks for writing this out! Super helpful. Did you find that lecture material was all that was needed- or are there books to buy as well?
Hi, sorry I haven't been on for a while and just saw your responses––feel free to DM me on here!
 
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I just got accepted to BU MAMS program. I have several questions for the current BU MAMS student or alum:
  • Does the program provide letters of recommendation after completing the program? (committee letter or individual letters?)
  • Is it easy to get to know the professors? I know that this program has about 170-180 students(please correct me if I am wrong).
  • Was this program helpful when you retook your MCAT? Is there any formal MCAT course weaved into the program?
  • How do you study for each course while in the program? What worked for you and what did not?
  • What's the requirement to get an interview with BUSOM after the program, such as GPA threshold or MCAT threshold, or a combination of both?
    • I know that CWRU MSMP program will guarantee an interview with CWRU medical school if an applicant's undergraduate GPA>3.4, graduate GPA>3.5, and MCAT score >90 percentile.
    • Does BU MAMS have similar agreement?
Thank you so much in advance!!

Hi, I'll try to add on to what was responded previously:

• Yes, there is a committee letter provided after your first year (i.e. if you wanted to apply the year after your courses, but are still officially enrolled because you are working on your thesis you will still have the committee letter for that cycle).
• I would say yes. It is definitely a program where you get the most based on how much you put into it, but all of the professors and faculty I've talked with are very receptive and supportive. Most have them have been teaching the MAMS course for a while now and truly have your best interest in mind.
• I haven't taken the MCAT yet, but I would bet I score significantly better in June. I had a decent score to start out with, but the work ethic and study skills I've gained from this program has definitely made me a better student and test taker. There is a Princeton Review course you can enroll in to prepare you for a June exam after the first year of classes and it is a little under $1600. It is a good supplement for topics not covered during MAMS.
• I'm happy to answer the study question in PM! I did different things for different courses, but am happy to share course specific details!
• There is no official linkage or guarantee for acceptance into BUSOM, but since BUSOM is very familiar with MAMS there has been a lot of success for MAMS students getting accepted. The last class had 27 MAMS students! If you do choose to do MAMS, my advice is to thrive and do well in the program to optimize your chances.

Hope this helps!
 
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I just submitted my application and awaiting for my LOR to be sent in. After your applicaiton was deemed complete, how long does it usually take? I have been seeing a large mix around here.

Thanks!
Hey! In my opinion, it goes one of two ways. You either get accepted or you get placed "on hold". Most people who were accepted heard back in roughly 3 weeks. Or... like myself and some others, you get placed "on hold" which I've been told is similar to a waiting list and you will eventually hear back in June.
 
I've been trying to get a hold of the admissions office for the BU MAMS program (email plus several calls) but they seem to be busy. Does anyone know if it's too late to apply? I understand they are rolling admissions but I don't know if they're getting anywhere near their enrollment cap (if they have one).

Stats: ~3.0 GPA with strong upward trend, 512 MCAT, 2 time applicant (1 interview first cycle, 3 interviews and 2 waitlists second cycle), stellar ECs, stellar LORs.

Also, have they mentioned anything about how long they will be remote learning? I'm in Seattle and I'd like to stay here for a few months to save money on rent.
 
I've been trying to get a hold of the admissions office for the BU MAMS program (email plus several calls) but they seem to be busy. Does anyone know if it's too late to apply? I understand they are rolling admissions but I don't know if they're getting anywhere near their enrollment cap (if they have one).

Stats: ~3.0 GPA with strong upward trend, 512 MCAT, 2 time applicant (1 interview first cycle, 3 interviews and 2 waitlists second cycle), stellar ECs, stellar LORs.

Also, have they mentioned anything about how long they will be remote learning? I'm in Seattle and I'd like to stay here for a few months to save money on rent.
Here's my two cents. I don't think they are at capacity yet. However, they receive A LOT of applications. This is just my opinion, but I think they seem to put a preference on people who have taken the MCAT (done well) AND have already applied to medical school (especially if you applied to BU). You have a lot to consider, but if you've already thought about the logistics of attending the program, I would say go for it.
 
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Hello! I have been marked complete since 4/23 and I am afraid that I haven't heard back yet, should I be worried yet? Or when I should I email them concerning my status?
 
Hey! In my opinion, it goes one of two ways. You either get accepted or you get placed "on hold". Most people who were accepted heard back in roughly 3 weeks. Or... like myself and some others, you get placed "on hold" which I've been told is similar to a waiting list and you will eventually hear back in June.

Do you happen to know till when in June they gave the accepted students to respond by?
 
Hello! I have been marked complete since 4/23 and I am afraid that I haven't heard back yet, should I be worried yet? Or when I should I email them concerning my status?
Hey! I wouldn't be worried regardless, don't stress yourself out over it. It's only been about 3 weeks for you so I don't recommend contacting them just yet. However, use your best judgement. They will eventually get back to all of us.
 
Do you happen to know till when in June they gave the accepted students to respond by?
I'm not sure. :unsure: I assumed they give each accepted student a short window of time to respond. It's just the recommended deadline for applying is June 1st. To my knowledge, this is when they will fill the leftover spots with on hold people, if there is room.
 
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Hello! I have been marked complete since 4/23 and I am afraid that I haven't heard back yet, should I be worried yet? Or when I should I email them concerning my status?
Hi! I was marked complete 4/21 and heard back 4/27 so it might be worth a shot to email them and see what's up. Not sure about response time though since I emailed them three days ago at [email protected] and still haven't heard back yet
 
Does anyone have any updates yet on if the program is planning to do online or in-person classes in the fall? Harvard Med is going fully online in the Fall.
 
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Does anyone have any updates yet on if the program is planning to do online or in-person classes in the fall? Harvard Med is going fully online in the Fall.
They are currently planning for on-campus classes for the fall, but I think it could change at anytime.
 
Has anyone gotten in without test scores? I know myself and a few others are waiting for a decision without having taken the GRE/MCAT!
 
Thinking about submitting an app, hope I'm not too late! Wanted to shoot my shot haha. Congrats to everyone already accepted and good luck to everyone else!
 
Thinking about submitting an app, hope I'm not too late! Wanted to shoot my shot haha. Congrats to everyone already accepted and good luck to everyone else!
Nice! I just applied last week, there is still hope for us late applicants!
 
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Has anyone gotten in without test scores? I know myself and a few others are waiting for a decision without having taken the GRE/MCAT!
I and several other people got in without test scores! A bunch of us haven’t taken the MCAT yet and did not take the GRE before applying. Good luck!
 
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I and several other people got in without test scores! A bunch of us haven’t taken the MCAT yet and did not take the GRE before applying. Good luck!
Do you mind sharing your stats? I'm worried, it's been a while! haha
 
Just to confirm - the only way to talk about our experiences is through our CV, right? There aren't any other separate entries or sections where we can list our activities on the online app?
 
Just to confirm - the only way to talk about our experiences is through our CV, right? There aren't any other separate entries or sections where we can list our activities on the online app?
Yeah that's all I did!
 
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Great, thanks! Just making sure I'm not missing some extra secondary application lol
 
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For anyone familiar with the different postbacs, how does this program compare with the following:
Georgetown SMP - I just know it's super well-known and super hard
Temple ACHS (not ACMS) - you get 2 linkages (which are I believe conditional interviews) assuming you meet certain score requirements
U Toledo MSBS - conditional interview if you get 3.0+ in their program; in-state tuition if you go there for MD
EVMS MM - most students get an EVMS MD interview; if you do well, also allows you to opt out of preclinical coursework and replace it with research, tutoring, etc. in effect lowering tuition for those years
All except Temple involve coursework with medical students. How does BU MAMs compare with linkages, interviews, etc.?
 
For anyone familiar with the different postbacs, how does this program compare with the following:
Georgetown SMP - I just know it's super well-known and super hard
Temple ACHS (not ACMS) - you get 2 linkages (which are I believe conditional interviews) assuming you meet certain score requirements
U Toledo MSBS - conditional interview if you get 3.0+ in their program; in-state tuition if you go there for MD
EVMS MM - most students get an EVMS MD interview; if you do well, also allows you to opt out of preclinical coursework and replace it with research, tutoring, etc. in effect lowering tuition for those years
All except Temple involve coursework with medical students. How does BU MAMs compare with linkages, interviews, etc.?

From my understanding, Temple and U Toledo have stronger linkages. Nothing is guaranteed at BU. I would go wherever is cheapest/strongest linkage!
 
Those who submitted their applications without test scores, about how long did it take for you to hear back with a decision?
 
Those who submitted their applications without test scores, about how long did it take for you to hear back with a decision?
I submitted last week without scores and haven't heard anything.. When did you submit?
 
I submitted at the beginning of April and haven’t heard back. I think if you got your app in before COVID they responded quickly. Since then, I think they’re waiting for all people with test scores.
 
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I submitted last week without scores and haven't heard anything.. When did you submit?
I also submitted last week. Still haven’t heard anything. I hope they haven’t filled all their seats yet.
 
Hey guys! I just finished my undergrad with a cgpa 3.31 sgpa no idea. I have strong EC's but no test scores. Am I in a disadvantange since I don't have a test score? Should I quickly take an online GRE or something. Boston is one of my top choices.
 
Hey guys! I just finished my undergrad with a cgpa 3.31 sgpa no idea. I have strong EC's but no test scores. Am I in a disadvantange since I don't have a test score? Should I quickly take an online GRE or something. Boston is one of my top choices.
Honestly you have a solid GPA for the program, I would just wait it out. If for some reason you do poorly on the GRE it might look bad. I think they want the 75th percentile for GRE scores. I'm sure they'll be getting back to people without test scores soon!
 
Just thought I would share that BU MAMS on Facebook posted today that they are still accepting applications for the fall.
 
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Just thought I would share that BU MAMS on Facebook posted today that they are still accepting applications for the fall.

now if only they would review the application I submitted over a month ago... that would be great. Although at this point it’s seeming kind of like a silent R, an official decision would be nice
 
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now if only they would review the application I submitted over a month ago... that would be great. Although at this point it’s seeming kind of like a silent R, an official decision would be nice
Same here! I have been waiting since January. I've already been accepted at other schools I just hate the not knowing, lmao.
 
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Have you heard anything about a decision yet?
I reached out to them at the end of March and was told my application is "on hold". Which I've been told by others is their unofficial waiting list. Other than that nothing.
 
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Same here! I have been waiting since January. I've already been accepted at other schools I just hate the not knowing, lmao.
Do you know when they gave accepted students to reply by? I thought I saw someone post it in this thread but I can't find it!
 
Do you know when they gave accepted students to reply by? I thought I saw someone post it in this thread but I can't find it!
I don't know for sure, but I thought it wasn't a specific date. Instead they gave you a few weeks to pay your deposit which would hold your seat. Maybe someone else can chime in on this... @golden2020 @day2day
 
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I don't know for sure, but I thought it wasn't a specific date. Instead they gave you a few weeks to pay your deposit which would hold your seat. Maybe someone else can chime in on this... @golden2020 @day2day
I was accepted on February 24 and had until March 24 to make a decision, so it seems like everyone gets a month to commit or give up their spot. That makes me think that there probably won't be some big roll out of acceptances in June to those on hold. Seems like it'll be more gradual than that, with a few people taken off hold here and there or maybe they save those spots to accept new applicants and revisit those on hold in August to fill any remaining seats.

To give you guys an idea of where the class is at, our Facebook group has 113 students in it right now. They typically take 160 to 180, so they're probably getting close to the end. Fingers crossed for those of you still waiting to hear back!
 
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I was accepted on February 24 and had until March 24 to make a decision, so it seems like gets a month to commit or give up their spot. That makes me think that there probably won't be some big roll out of acceptances in June to those on hold. Seems like it'll be more gradual than that, with a few people taken off hold here and there or maybe they save those spots to accept new applicants and revisit those on hold in August to fill any remaining seats.

To give you guys an idea of where the class is at, our Facebook group has 113 students in it right now. They typically take 160 to 180, so they're probably getting close to the end. Fingers crossed for those of you still waiting to hear back!
Thank you for the feedback! Congrats to you and fingers crossed!
 
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I'm extremely frustrated with this whole process. It seems like they've said they don't require test scores but then won't accept anyone without them. I feel like I've been led on just to get my application money and then ignored after.
 
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I'm extremely frustrated with this whole process. It seems like they've said they don't require test scores but then won't accept anyone without them. I feel like I've been led on just to get my application money and then ignored after.
Yeah, I kind of feel like they definitely prefer students with scores which is really frustrating especially right now because I would have had my scores back by now if the exams weren't canceled/postponed
 
Yeah, I kind of feel like they definitely prefer students with scores which is really frustrating especially right now because I would have had my scores back by now if the exams weren't canceled/postponed
Totally appreciate the frustration you guys have for the process, but just wanted to let you know there are a lot of people who got in without GRE/MCAT scores, including myself. Don't lose hope! They just told us yesterday that we'll definitely be on campus in the fall and I think they've been super overwhelmed with trying to plan everything. Applications are probably pretty backlogged right now. Really keeping my fingers crossed for you guys!
 
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