Minimum MCAT

[mathnerd88]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Perhaps, but there were a lot of people who were accepted in the beginning who probably won't get in anywhere else. If this was truly a money making scheme they'd have handed out spots like candy to people with higher stats while they had a captive audience. As it is, they were only ahead of some of the other schools by a couple weeks, and most schools by about a month. And the staff have said they were really surprised by the number of people who put down deposits. I think they really thought that the $3000 would be more of a deterrent, and since they've now discovered it's not quite the deterrent they thought it would be, they're trying to free up some of those seats by offering a partial refund. In the end though, students are using BCOM as nothing more than a safety net until they get into the schools they really want, and I really don't blame BCOM for using them in turn to raise more money for the school.

This is true. LECOM used to operate this way prior to this cycle, but the deposit was only $1500.

My thought was that while some students did get accepted with lower stats, the majority may have had better stats whom BCOM knew would get accepted elsewhere. BCOM started accepting students by the end of June, and schools are ONLY starting to accept students by end of September/beginning of October with the exception of AZCOM which was end of August/beginning of September, that gives BCOM an extra 8 weeks at least comparatively to other schools.

However, majority of schools give until Dec. 14th to put down that deposit. It was in BCOM's best interest financially to have the majority of the class put down that $3000 deposit before anyone else had a chance to elsewhere.

 

[mathnerd88]

I don't agree with this, not fully, atleast. If BCOM started accepting people in June (not sure if this is accurate, but) then we are talking about a school that started accepting students the same month applications were released to the public. Most schools don't start interviewing until August-October. I have nothing against BCOM, but I don't agree with anyone who says it is okay to use someone for financial gain because they are ASSUMING they are being used in return. No amount of that is okay. If BCOM was legitamtely accepting many applicants on the basis that they felt the turnover rate would be high, then by all means that is perfectly fine, but if they did so to exploit the early securing of a seat then I have no respect for that decision. Again, I am not saying this is what they are doing, I am only replying to the above poster.

AACOMAS traffic guidelines stated that DO schools who accept candidates before November 15th have until Dec. 14 to put in their deposit.

https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/cib/2016_aacomas-instructions.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Clearly, some schools don't follow this. (BCOM, LECOM, and CUSOM come to mind.) At least CUSOM gives an applicant until November 15th to decide instead of December 14th. LECOM gives you 30 days after acceptance, which was end of October for this cycle. Prior cycles LECOM gave acceptances super early (starting in July.)

 

[OrdinaryDO]

AACOMAS traffic guidelines stated that DO schools who accept candidates before November 15th have until Dec. 14 to put in their deposit.

https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-source/cib/2016_aacomas-instructions.pdf?sfvrsn=6

Clearly, some schools don't follow this. (BCOM, LECOM, and CUSOM come to mind.) At least CUSOM gives an applicant until November 15th to decide instead of December 14th. LECOM gives you 30 days after acceptance, which was end of October for this cycle. Prior cycles LECOM gave acceptances super early (starting in July.)

Yeah, unfortunately they are only guidelines.

 

[mathnerd88]

Yeah, unfortunately they are only guidelines.

I can see why some schools do it. LECOM does it because its tuition is super low, so at least they pass the savings from those $1500 nonrefundable deposits when people withdraw prior to this cycle. CUSOM gave applicants plenty of time to figure out if they want to go elsewhere, while BCOM just gave applicants a month to decide, two months before anyone can get an interview/acceptance elsewhere.

If BCOM made it so the deposit was due maybe November 15th, just like CUSOM, then I'd have more respect for that school. They have nothing to lose if they legitimately want to accept students who would actually want to go to that school by pushing the due date later. With a higher deposit compared to other schools, only students who really want to go there would've put the deposit down. They could've also offered an early decision program like some of the DO schools.

 

[RurouniKarly]

I don't agree with this, not fully, atleast. If BCOM started accepting people in June (not sure if this is accurate, but) then we are talking about a school that started accepting students the same month applications were released to the public. Most schools don't start interviewing until August-October. I have nothing against BCOM, but I don't agree with anyone who says it is okay to use someone for financial gain because they are ASSUMING they are being used in return. No amount of that is okay. If BCOM was legitamtely accepting many applicants on the basis that they felt the turnover rate would be high, then by all means that is perfectly fine, but if they did so to exploit the early securing of a seat then I have no respect for that decision. Again, I am not saying this is what they are doing, I am only replying to the above poster.

They didn't start accepting people until August, so while they did get started early, it wasn't outrageously so.

 

[RurouniKarly]

This is true. LECOM used to operate this way prior to this cycle, but the deposit was only $1500.

My thought was that while some students did get accepted with lower stats, the majority may have had better stats whom BCOM knew would get accepted elsewhere. BCOM started accepting students by the end of June, and schools are ONLY starting to accept students by end of September/beginning of October with the exception of AZCOM which was end of August/beginning of September, that gives BCOM an extra 8 weeks at least comparatively to other schools.

However, majority of schools give until Dec. 14th to put down that deposit. It was in BCOM's best interest financially to have the majority of the class put down that $3000 deposit before anyone else had a chance to elsewhere.

The first BCOM acceptances didn't go out until 8/5. I'm not sure where you and OrdinaryDO are getting June. Do you guys know of someone who was given an offer in June?

 

[mathnerd88]

The first BCOM acceptances didn't go out until 8/5. I'm not sure where you and OrdinaryDO are getting June. Do you guys know of someone who was given an offer in June?

Sorry, my mistake. I must've thought of the wrong information. I wanted to clarify that I meant the II were given out from late June, and acceptances were in first week of August. Still, almost every school did not give any acceptances until at least late September, which is still four weeks after BCOM's deposit was due. My point was that they still gave out acceptances way too early, and still gave applicants no time to decide if they had gotten in elsewhere.

They gave a lot of II between end of June until early August, when the first acceptances were given out. One poster said there were 25 students in one of his interviews.

 

[RurouniKarly]

Sorry, my mistake. I must've thought of the wrong information. I wanted to clarify that I meant the II were given out from late June, and acceptances were in first week of August. Still, almost every school did not give any acceptances until at least late September, which is still four weeks after BCOM's deposit was due. My point was that they still gave out acceptances way too early, and still gave applicants no time to decide if they had gotten in elsewhere.

They gave a lot of interviews between end of June until early August, when the first acceptances were given out. One poster said there were 25 students in one of his interviews.

It'll be interesting to see what the final numbers are in terms of how many offers BCOM has to make to fill the class by next August. I suspect that since BCOM did accept so many lower stat people in the beginning that there won't be as much turnover as the BCOM administration or anyone else expects. I wonder what percentage of the current ~110 deposits are "squatters."

 

[mathnerd88]

It'll be interesting to see what the final numbers are in terms of how many offers BCOM has to make to fill the class by next August. I suspect that since BCOM did accept so many lower stat people in the beginning that there won't be as much turnover as the BCOM administration or anyone else expects. I wonder what percentage of the current ~110 deposits are "squatters."

Yeah, most of the squatters won't withdraw until the last day the $200 refund incentive expires, because it gives them more time to see if they had gotten in elsewhere. Best to secure a school early and let this drag on as long as possible, at least until December 14th when all the other schools' deposits are due if accepted before Nov. 15.

 

[Bubbab]

No one forced anyone to apply to BCOM and their policies are very clear to anyone with the ability to read English.
I asked them about an extension because I need time to get the money together. They told me I have to sign an affidavit withdrawing all other applications and promising to turn down any other acceptances and they would extend until December 15.

 

[Goro]

At my school, a 26 or better. Ditto AZCOM, CCOM, the Coastal Touros, and Western.

A 24 is an effective floor. Lower than that and you're in risk territory for failing out of med school and/or failing boards.

So I know that DO programs place more of an emphasis on an application in its entirety, but is there still a minimum MCAT requirement for most? My application is very strong (3.9 GPA, lots of research including a thesis, lots of EC's, clinical volunteering, etc) EXCEPT for my MCAT score.

 

[lyana]

Just some encouragement to the OP.
My MCAT scores were 24 and 23 ( worse the 2nd time), and my GPA a little bit lower (3.8).
I applied very early to 12 schools, and got plenty interviews and acceptances. So it is definitely doable. I was studying to retake MCAT while applying, fortunately, I did not have to retake it.
I am not sure if I would apply with that MCAT at this pint in the cycle tho...

 

[mathnerd88]

No one forced anyone to apply to BCOM and their policies are very clear to anyone with the ability to read English.
I asked them about an extension because I need time to get the money together. They told me I have to sign an affidavit withdrawing all other applications and promising to turn down any other acceptances and they would extend until December 15.

Nobody is saying BCOM forced applicants to apply. What I'm saying is that applicants naturally apply to almost every school they can in order to GET an acceptance. You don't put all your eggs in one basket.

What I am trying to say is that BCOM didn't NEED to do what they did if they wanted students to actually go there by forcing their hand to pay the $3000 fee and have it due early before students can get acceptances anywhere else. They could've waited until December 15th, like you, and have the deposit due then. That way, they could have every single student who actually wanted to go there regardless of acceptances elsewhere commit. Instead, they asked for $3000 early before other applicants can have a choice to decide which school actually fits them best.

Policy being clear or not, BCOM's intentions don't fit logically with their actions. Again, BCOM may be a great school, but their policies regarding admissions don't seek to reflect their actual intention.

 

[Bubbab]

Nobody is saying BCOM forced applicants to apply. What I'm saying is that applicants naturally apply to almost every school they can in order to GET an acceptance. You don't put all your eggs in one basket.

What I am trying to say is that BCOM didn't NEED to do what they did if they wanted students to actually go there by forcing their hand to pay the $3000 fee and have it due early before students can get acceptances anywhere else. They could've waited until December 15th, like you, and have the deposit due then. That way, they could have every single student who actually wanted to go there regardless of acceptances elsewhere commit. Instead, they asked for $3000 early before other applicants can have a choice to decide which school actually fits them best.

Policy being clear or not, BCOM's intentions don't fit logically with their actions. Again, BCOM may be a great school, but their policies regarding admissions don't seek to reflect their actual intention.

You sound like someone who complains about fire because it burns you. It is what it is. Get over it (and yourself).

 

[asdf123g]

.

 

[mathnerd88]

You sound like someone who complains about fire because it burns you. It is what it is. Get over it (and yourself).

So are you equating BCOM to fire? That doesn't sound like a good analogy. There is nothing wrong with offering your own opinions.