CUNY City College vs. DIY Queens College vs. NYU

[melcs13]

Background: 4.0 GPA as a psychology (neuro concentration) and journalism major. Already completed a couple of science courses, I.e. GenChem I and Genetics. I am 28 and have 7 years of clinical research in immunology and neuroscience (at Columbia, Mount Sinai, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering).

I am going to be living in Queens, NY and I am limited in options due to finances and personal health issues/being disabled. I cannot go anywhere far from home. I was looking at the following options:

-CUNY City College formal postbacc (good new structured program, but a bit of a commute, and I’d have to retake chem even though I got an A).

-CUNY Queens College DIY postbacc (good flexibility, very close to home, but no committee letter and not sure if the name will be looked down upon by med schools).

-NYU formal postbacc (good linkages, committee letter, not too far of a commute, but very expensive, although the med school, which I could potentially link into, is free).

Any insight would he appreciated! Thank you.

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[gramnegative]

I wouldn't be too worried about CUNY Queens vs City in regards to 'name'. Definitely don't go to NYU for the name or linkage, unless they have a set in stone policy guaranteeing admission with certain stats. You already have a bachelor's at a 4.0; if I were in your position, I would go wherever is cheapest and easiest to get to. My vote is for Queens, especially since you won't have to retake any classes over; flexibility is a huge boon, too - you want to have space to fit in clinical/non-clinical volunteering, shadowing, and everything else that goes into a successful application.

You don't need a committee letter, especially as a non-trad; I wasn't able to jump through the silly hoops that the university I did some DIY postbacc courses at required and it didn't hurt me at all. If you don't have a committee letter, you just explain why in the field in the prompt on your application. It never came up on any of my interviews. What you will need, however, is at least two LORs from science professors, so think about how to get that if you don't have any options right now.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Background: 4.0 GPA as a psychology (neuro concentration) and journalism major. Already completed a couple of science courses, I.e. GenChem I and Genetics. I am 28 and have 7 years of clinical research in immunology and neuroscience (at Columbia, Mount Sinai, and Memorial Sloan-Kettering).

I am going to be living in Queens, NY and I am limited in options due to finances and personal health issues/being disabled. I cannot go anywhere far from home. I was looking at the following options:

-CUNY City College formal postbacc (good new structured program, but a bit of a commute, and I’d have to retake chem even though I got an A).

-CUNY Queens College DIY postbacc (good flexibility, very close to home, but no committee letter and not sure if the name will be looked down upon by med schools).

-NYU formal postbacc (good linkages, committee letter, not too far of a commute, but very expensive, although the med school, which I could potentially link into, is free).

Any insight would he appreciated! Thank you.

How strong is NYU’s linkage program?

 

[deleted367183]

I had a fantastic time at CCNY--real scientific community there that I don't think exists at the other CUNYs--but I would make double- and triple-sure about the status of the new special postbac program before committing. Its startup has been pushed off a couple of times because of the pandemic. I had friends from Queens who commuted and they thought it was worth it. But without the special program, it is VERY difficult to register.

That said, I totally did not use their committee letter option because it was not a real committee when I was there, just a random lady I didn't get along with. I had two upper-level science profs and then my undergrad advisor (humanities) to give the big picture.

I would in no way take on the debt associated with NYU (or Columbia) when you have such great options in the CUNY system.

 

[melcs13]

How strong is NYU’s linkage program?

NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
• Postbacc GPA: 3.8
• BCPM: 3.5 with no grade lower than B+
• Combined Undergraduate and Postbacc GPA: 3.5

MCAT​

• Overall score of 520 (98th percentile)
• No section score lower than 129
• No scores before MCAT 2015 will be accepted
• No scores older than 3 years old will be accepted

​

RUTGERS-NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL​

GPA​

• Postbacc GPA: 3.6
• BCPM: Not established
• No BCPM grade lower than B-

MCAT​

• Overall score of 512
• A score above 127 should be achieved for each section

RUTGERS-ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 (2.9 with strong science postbacc coursework)
• Postbacc GPA: 3.6
• BCPM: Not established

MCAT​

• Higher than a 507 is recommended
• No score lower than 124 for any section
• Average MCAT for recent matrics is 512 and no less than 127 in each section
• **CASPer must be completed prior to 2021

SUNY STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Total GPA (Undergrad + Postbacc): 3.75
• BCPM: 3.7
• Minimum GPA requirements typically miror the average GPA for their entering class (check MSAR)

MCAT​

• 88th percentile or above
• In 2019, the average MCAT was the 91st percentile
• **CASPer must be completed prior to submitting your primary application

SUNY DOWNSTATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.4
• BCPM: 3.3
• Postbacc GPA: 3.5
• No grade lower than a B+ in prerequisite courses

MCAT​

• Overall score of 509 (80th percentile)
• No score lower than 128 for the Biological Foundations section
• No score lower than 127 for the following sections: Chemical Foundations and Psychological Foundations
• No score lower than 126 for Critical Reasoning section

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Total GPA (Postbacc + Undergrad): 3.5
• No grade lower than a B- (receipt of C or below will terminate contract)

MCAT​

• Overall score of 510 (84th percentile)
• No section score lower than 126

 

[MyOdyssey]

NYU SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.5
• Postbacc GPA: 3.8
• BCPM: 3.5 with no grade lower than B+
• Combined Undergraduate and Postbacc GPA: 3.5

MCAT​

• Overall score of 520 (98th percentile)
• No section score lower than 129
• No scores before MCAT 2015 will be accepted
• No scores older than 3 years old will be accepted

​

RUTGERS-NEW JERSEY MEDICAL SCHOOL​

GPA​

• Postbacc GPA: 3.6
• BCPM: Not established
• No BCPM grade lower than B-

MCAT​

• Overall score of 512
• A score above 127 should be achieved for each section

RUTGERS-ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON MEDICAL SCHOOL​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.0 (2.9 with strong science postbacc coursework)
• Postbacc GPA: 3.6
• BCPM: Not established

MCAT​

• Higher than a 507 is recommended
• No score lower than 124 for any section
• Average MCAT for recent matrics is 512 and no less than 127 in each section
• **CASPer must be completed prior to 2021

SUNY STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Total GPA (Undergrad + Postbacc): 3.75
• BCPM: 3.7
• Minimum GPA requirements typically miror the average GPA for their entering class (check MSAR)

MCAT​

• 88th percentile or above
• In 2019, the average MCAT was the 91st percentile
• **CASPer must be completed prior to submitting your primary application

SUNY DOWNSTATE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Undergraduate GPA: 3.4
• BCPM: 3.3
• Postbacc GPA: 3.5
• No grade lower than a B+ in prerequisite courses

MCAT​

• Overall score of 509 (80th percentile)
• No score lower than 128 for the Biological Foundations section
• No score lower than 127 for the following sections: Chemical Foundations and Psychological Foundations
• No score lower than 126 for Critical Reasoning section

GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE​

GPA​

• Total GPA (Postbacc + Undergrad): 3.5
• No grade lower than a B- (receipt of C or below will terminate contract)

MCAT​

• Overall score of 510 (84th percentile)
• No section score lower than 126

Meeting those requirements guarantees acceptance?

 

[melcs13]

Meeting those requirements guarantees acceptance?

Actually, no. It says, “Eligibility for linkage is NOT a guarantee of nomination or admission. Once eligibility is determined, your completed Committee Application will be reviewed by our prehealth committee to determine nomination. Nomination for linkage is NOT a guarantee of review by the linkage program, NOR is it a guarantee of admission. Nomination reflects the prehealth committee's support of your application being reviewed by a linkage program. Review by the linkage institution does NOT guarantee an interview or an admission decision.”

So, probably not worth the debt and pressure. Thank you for asking about this.