NYIT BS/DO Program Student Here-ASK QUESTIONS!

[deleted678292]

I am currently in the BS/DO program at NYIT so if I can provide any insight into this program for anyone, I would be more than happy to help. I also know a little bit about the BS/DO programs that NYIT-COM also has with some of the SUNYs, so I can try to help with those too.
Quick info about the program at NYIT:
-must attain a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.5 (the trick is to get a 4.0 your first year)
-you can be on probation up to one time if you happen to not meet the 3.5 GPA one semester (however, you are only put on probation if mathematically, it is possible to raise to/keep a 3.5 GPA the semester you are on probation)
-there is no separate science GPA required
-as of now, the new MCAT score required to matriculate into NYIT-COM is a 504
-must get rec. letters
-pass the interview (the interview is meant as a formality, but you should not treat it as such-->there HAS been times when BS/DO students who have met the academic requirements for the program still do not get admission to NYIT-COM because they have failed the interview
-there is nothing in the contract that you sign once accepting your place in the program that says you must do medical or non-medical extracurriculars, but many people end up doing them because you'll need SOMETHING to talk about in the interview (and you'll also have to justify why you want to be a DO so shadowing is good)
-there's a high attrition rate for this program, but it is a combination of reasons (people thinking this path to med. school would be easy and therefore getting kicked out and people giving up their spot in the program because they did well on the MCATs and would like to apply to other medical schools (MD and DO)
-don't take this program for granted; it may be easy to get into, but you will need to work hard to maintain the academic side of it (GPA + MCAT)
Side Note: don't judge people because they don't really care for the OMM part of DO schools. Some people choose to come to this program just for the sole reason that NYIT-COM is a good MEDICAL school with good faculty. Not every DO sees themselves doing OMM, am i right?

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[FrustratedandStupid]

Could you clarify the program with SUNYs? I am a senior at stony brook.

 

[deleted678292]

Hi! NYIT-COM currently has 7-year BS/DO programs with SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Geneseo, and SUNY Old Westbury (which is right next to the NYIT campus). According to the our BS/DO program advisor at NYIT, Prof. Diener, many students in the program at the SUNYs don't end up matriculating to NYIT-COM (for reasons she did not clarify). It's kind of hard to find information about the programs at these SUNY schools online, but these are the differences I know of so far.*
NYIT program: no interview required; must follow a strict semester map [no summer classes on the map but that means more credits during the semester] (with the new MCAT, there is only room for 2 electives in your 3rd year, although science classes are recommended for those 2 slots); only 1 osteopathic principles class during your 2nd semester in the 3rd year; you have to deal with NYIT core's curriculum, which has a bunch of useless courses; Calculus is easy here compared to at other schools; monthly BS/DO meetings aimed at educating students about the new MCAT, what medical will be like (NYIT-COM students who went through the program come speak), what the application process is like for 3rd years, etc
SUNY OW program: need a 92+ GPA to get in rather than the 90+ GPA required for the NYIT program; the rumors that state that only 15 students get in to this program is NOT TRUE (there are about 39 students in the freshman class as of now); can take classes during the summer; multiple advisors available
SUNY Geneseo program: for the students anticipating on entering NYIT-COM in fall 2016, a 503 is needed compared to the 504 NYIT students need (this actually does make a big difference); however, coursework prepares you well for the MCAT
SUNY New Paltz program: interview required (supposedly very easy); can take classes during the summer; there is a pre-osteopathic seminar class every semester during the 3 years of undergrad; don't have to follow a strict semester map (can major in biology, chemistry, or physics)
*All the info. above is from old threads, whatever I could get from the internet, family members, and students in the NYIT program who know things about the other schools from their own contacts. Please correct me if I am misinformed about anything.

 

[Patrick_K]

Hi! I received a 504 on my MCAT. I have a 3.7 GPA and I major in Computer Science and Mathematics. I have research both in the medical field and outside of it. I also have volunteer experience and shadowing experience (both MD and DO) and I have letter of recs from an MD and DO. Is my application strong enough? I applied last august for this cycle and still havent heard back yet

 

[bahdahboom]

Hi! I received a 504 on my MCAT. I have a 3.7 GPA and I major in Computer Science and Mathematics. I have research both in the medical field and outside of it. I also have volunteer experience and shadowing experience (both MD and DO) and I have letter of recs from an MD and DO. Is my application strong enough? I applied last august for this cycle and still havent heard back yet

You may be best asking this question on a separate thread but to me your stats look fine for DO..im surprised you haven't heard much. What's your sGPA?

 

[Patrick_K]

You may be best asking this question on a seperare thread but to me your stars look fine for DO..im surprised you haven't heard much. What's your sGPA?

sGpa = 3.5

 

[fortunehunter]

Hi! First off, I cannot tell you how excited I am to see this post. This is exactly what I needed (I have a bunch of questions lol).

For starters, what is NYIT’s school environment like? Is there a good amount of students in the program or doing premed despite it being primarily an engineering/technology school? Is it comfortable for students in the program to be in an engineering school?

And since the program is an accelerated program, do you still have time to take electives and nonmajor classes, do research/internships, and participate in clubs, or is it not necessary since you are guaranteed acceptance into DO school (as long as the academic requirements are fulfilled)?

I also read online that it is mandatory to have higher than a B in each class. Is this doable considering the difficulty of classes, and do they try to “weed out” students once they are in the program? I know it is very important to continue to work hard once in the program, but it would certainly be comforting to know that there is a fairly average/high rate of matriculation into NYIT-COM.

Are the professors knowledgeable and do they try to help you if you reach out to them?

And do students in the program, in a sense, look out for each other (in other words, is there is strong sense of community amongst students)?

Are most of the classes taught by TAs or professors? I read online that many medical schools are starting to place more of an emphasis on group studies and veering away from traditional-style lectures.. is there any truth to this from what you know of NYIT?

And lastly, how is the location of the school (especially in terms of safety) and are there fun things to do on campus and in the nearby area (I don't want to party a lot but it would be nice to do something fun every now and then).

Thank you in advance for answering my many questions. I’d appreciate it if you would answer as honestly as I am not sure if I should attend Rutgers (College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program) or NYIT's program.

I only have a month to decide and I have found it difficult to find any comprehensive information on this program so please share your wisdom!

 

[deleted678292]

@Patrick_K, I am still in undergrad, so I'm not credible enough to give you advice. I can only offer advice about the program.

 

[deleted678292]

@fortunehunter

NYIT is a pretty small school. You will ALWAYS see the same people over and over again, which has its own pros and cons I guess. It’s a commuter campus, so most people are gone from campus by 5:00/6:00 each night. That’s why most people take advantage of free hour (Tuesdays/Thursdays from 12:30-2:00) to hang out with friends. Free hour is also when all the clubs have their meetings.

The number of people in the program vary each year because it just depends on how many students end up accepting their spots in the program, but it can range from 40-70 students. BS/DOs tend to stick with each other, so besides from the mandatory BS/DO only classes, we end up making really similar schedules, so a lot of us don’t actually end up interacting with the engineering students on campus. At the dorm though, everyone interacts with each other, regardless of major, so if you’d like to make friends outside of the program, that’s where to do it. As for being comfortable with being in an engineering school, it really doesn’t affect us to be honest.

Here is a link to the semester map for BS/DO students:
http://www.nyit.edu/files/advising/..._LifeSciencesOsteopathicMedicineBSDO_2015.pdf
Since the new MCAT is testing more subjects, we only really have room for that one elective during the second semester of third year. It’s also due to the fact that NYIT has this “core curriculum” that all students must complete. The writing classes are helpful, in my opinion, but if you come to the program, you’ll realize that FCSC 101 & FCIQ 101 are unnecessary classes. It’s not mandatory to do extracurriculars, but I strongly encourage it!

Maintaining the GPA first semester was not that big of a deal for our year because our program has many bright, motivated students as opposed to in the past, where the program consisted of a mix of unmotivated and motivated students. Right now, I am taking 21 credits and it’s not necessarily that the classes are difficult, but finding the time to do all the studying required is hard because we’re spread a little thin this semester.

The two BS/DO biology professors that you’ll have the first year are very good. You’ll have the same chemistry professor for both semesters though. He’s a very nice man and he definitely knows his stuff, but his lectures are bland, so most students end up skipping class to learn the material on their own. The professors for the other classes you’ll take first year vary a lot, so I can’t give you specific info. on them. If you join the Facebook BS/DO group, you can ask any of the current students in the program what their professor recommendations are! Yes, the professors are there to help, so don’t ever feel shy about approaching them. They may seem intimidating, but they’re really nice if you go to them individually. If you have a lot of AP classes, you’ll surely be prepared for first semester. Actually,one of my biggest regrets was not taking my AP exams seriously during senior year since AP credits don’t count in this program. It’s hard to get rid of the senioritis! For real! None of the classes are weed out classes because NYIT is not really that rigorous. As long as you work hard and honestly, the exams should be fine. The fact that not all students make it through is largely due to the fact that the program is fairly easy to get into, so there will always be not so great students who aren’t willing to put in the work needed. Your chances of making it through the program aren’t affected by other people making it through, so BS/DOs are friendly and work together to help each other.

NYIT’s Old Westbury campus is actually ranked as one of the most safest campuses in the country. There are two other schools next to it, LIU Post & SUNY Old Westbury. We don’t really interact with those students and vice versa. Old Westbury is very private and wealthy, so the campus is very isolated. It helps to have your own car on campus or make friends who do cause it can get tiring to take the buses that the school offers. NYIT offers free parking, which is a perk. By the way, the NYIT dorms are on the SUNY OW campus so if you dorm, there’s a shuttle that goes back and forth between the two campuses. They come about every half an hour. They’re on time for the most part, but some professors forget to take into account that they only come every half an hour when they decide to continue teaching class after the official end time. The school is very brown, so the major events on campus are held by the brown frats/sororities and SASA, the South Asian Student Association. The parties are held by the frats and they’re off campus. Res life tries to make up fun events for dormers, but they’re not very eventful.

There are a lot of students in the program from NJ, so the school provides a bus to the Hicksville LIRR station so you can go home over the weekends. GET FRIDAYS OFF. You will thank yourself, trust me. Rutgers is an amazing school, and all the people from NJ have said that when choosing where to go to college, ultimately their decision was between Rutgers and the program. The people who chose the program did so because pre-med requirements are easier at NYIT, they have a seat in the medical school, and they got to live further away from home. Remember, if you come to this program, you have the option of applying out if your stats are strong, but that will mean giving up your seat in the program.

You should definitely come to Preview Day in April! From what I remember from last year, the BS/DO program director, Professor Diener (who is amazing!), will give you a run through of the program and its requirements and then you’ll have to opportunity to take a campus tour, go the the gymnasium where the clubs will be advertising for themselves and grab food, go to the financial aid office to talk about loans/scholarships with a financial aid advisor, and get a tour of the dorms. If you want to live off campus, find listings and request to view them on Preview Day so you can gauge how it’ll feel like to commute to campus since you’ll be in the area anyways.

I hope I was able to help! Sorry for any grammar/spelling errors since I wrote this kind of quickly.

 

[vc714]

I am currently in the BS/DO program at NYIT so if I can provide any insight into this program for anyone, I would be more than happy to help. I also know a little bit about the BS/DO programs that NYIT-COM also has with some of the SUNYs, so I can try to help with those too.
Quick info about the program at NYIT:
-must attain a semester and cumulative GPA of 3.5 (the trick is to get a 4.0 your first year)
-you can be on probation up to one time if you happen to not meet the 3.5 GPA one semester (however, you are only put on probation if mathematically, it is possible to raise to/keep a 3.5 GPA the semester you are on probation)
-there is no separate science GPA required
-as of now, the new MCAT score required to matriculate into NYIT-COM is a 504
-must get rec. letters
-pass the interview (the interview is meant as a formality, but you should not treat it as such-->there HAS been times when BS/DO students who have met the academic requirements for the program still do not get admission to NYIT-COM because they have failed the interview
-there is nothing in the contract that you sign once accepting your place in the program that says you must do medical or non-medical extracurriculars, but many people end up doing them because you'll need SOMETHING to talk about in the interview (and you'll also have to justify why you want to be a DO so shadowing is good)
-there's a high attrition rate for this program, but it is a combination of reasons (people thinking this path to med. school would be easy and therefore getting kicked out and people giving up their spot in the program because they did well on the MCATs and would like to apply to other medical schools (MD and DO)
-don't take this program for granted; it may be easy to get into, but you will need to work hard to maintain the academic side of it (GPA + MCAT)
Side Note: don't judge people because they don't really care for the OMM part of DO schools. Some people choose to come to this program just for the sole reason that NYIT-COM is a good MEDICAL school with good faculty. Not every DO sees themselves doing OMM, am i right?

 

[eagle144]

I know that I really should not be asking this, but just for knowledge's sake, how would I go about applying out to another med school?

 

[deleted678292]

Well you would just go about your classes and extracurriculars as if you DONT have a spot in the medical school. This may be a little harder since being in the program means taking more credits per semester, but it has been done so it's not impossible. After taking the MCAT during the summer after your second year in the program, you can then assess whether or not you are competitive enough for other medical schools. Also, you'll probably be able to graduate the summer after your third year since you'll have taken an accelerated course load so you can beef up your application in that 4th "off year" as well and have time to relax while applying to other medical schools.


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[pinklove123]

How are you doing in this program as of now? If you are dedicated, will you be well off in this program?

 

[IndieKush]

Lol 4-5 years ago I was accepted into this program. After taking a campus tour I quickly noped out of it. Not hating on the program, but the facilities and student life is nothing comparable to a school like RU.

 

[Sony21]

does anyone remember when (what date ) they got their acceptance letter/email from the nyit bs/do program?

 

[133451]

I had the same question Lmao. Any luck?

 

[rad56]

I was looking all throughout to find an application status and know and good news!!! When you look up nyit status portal on Google, there's a link that's for admitted students and from there you scroll and press the blue button to sign into your NYIT dashboard (if you had already made one, but if not, then sign up with an email and password) and from there, you would get a screen either 'congratulations" or your decision still has not been posted (or something of the same wording lol) but yeah hope that helps!!! thing is though, they don't give any information about scholarships or anything so not sure if they're gonna send mail even though they should give something more concrete)

 

[Nashsidd]

I am currently in the BS/DO program at NYIT so if I can provide any insight into this program for anyone, I would be more than happy to help. I also know a little bit about the BS/DO programs that NYIT-COM also has with some of the SUNYs, so I can try to help with those too.

Hi I just got admitted to the NYiT bs/do program and I had a couple of questions...
- was wondering how hard it it is to maintain a 3.5 gpa
- what amount of scholarships am I likely to receive with a 3.9 GPA and 1520 SAT
-what is the attrition rate
-how likely are you to matriculate with the medical school if you maintain the gpa and the mcat requirement
-does nyit coursework fully prepare you for the mcat ?
- how many people get into specialized residencies following med school.

Thank You for opening this forum...very insightful.