Official: BU MAMS - Entering Fall 2006

[osin83]

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I got an acceptance email today also....

And honestly, I am not nearly as happy as I thought I would be. If I didn't get in, I would have happily attended UMDNJ and went for my M.S. next year. Now I have to make the insanely hard decision of stay home or go to BU.

Cost is the major issue: UMDNJ $15K & BU probably around $45K total
My parents would totally help me out financially either way. But I dont want to burden them any further (I got 75% scholarship in college and they paid the rest which was still a lot at my school

Im assuming the BU program is "better" as far as how it looks to med schools but I could be wrong. I would be taking med school courses in both programs. I am not looking to get myself into a top med school. I would be 100% content going to RWJ. I cant even stay focused writing this post. soooooo much to think about over the next two weeks.

Any advice would be apprecitated!!!!!!

 

[HouseIsMyHero]

Now, you make sure to tell them you will be present in the fall. And then you sit back, enjoy the summer and look for an apartment. Now would be a good time to do that, I was talking to a real estate agent in my building today, and she said things were already pretty hot. 🙂

Thanks for all the info jklasser, it's been really helpful. The BU MAMS program seems harder to understand than the GT SMP for the simple reason that Georgetown is a set one-year schedule.

So if anybody knows the answer to this question, that would be great. If I go, I really want to finish the MAMS program in one-year mainly because of cost. However, I would be willing to spend another year if I could be paid for research or paid for being a T.A. like regular grad students. I guess my question is what is the difference between taking one year and two years? And if I want to do it in one year, do I have to start earlier than September?

Any help would be AWESOME. And congrats to everybody else who got in, and good luck to everybody who hasn't heard yet.

 

[jklasser17]

So if anybody knows the answer to this question, that would be great. If I go, I really want to finish the MAMS program in one-year mainly because of cost. However, I would be willing to spend another year if I could be paid for research or paid for being a T.A. like regular grad students. I guess my question is what is the difference between taking one year and two years? And if I want to do it in one year, do I have to start earlier than September?

The medical school coursework is completed within one year. Aug 2006-Jun 2007. No need to start before orientation. I cannot stress enough, you will not be done the program until the middle of June at the earliest. A couple of kids in the program this year decided they were going to get married at the end of May. Big mistake on their part.
However, you are required to pay for four semesters. That means about 17k for the fall, 17k for the spring, 2k for the summer I and 2k for summer II. The thing is, if you decide to stay for a second year, you can apply the summer tuition towards the tuition for the 2nd yr. So 2k for Fall 2007 and 2k for Spring 2008.
Getting paid for research is at the discretion of the PI you will be working with.
The major difference between students who take 1 year and the students who take 2 years is the thesis. If you opt to do the library thesis, you can finish the program in one year. However, if you decide to do the research thesis, plan on being in Boston for two years. You will not be able to complete this during the first year.
Some students, like myself, decide to stay in Boston for the 2nd year just because we like it. I will be completing my coursework for a certificate in clinical research in the evening, and working somewhere in Boston during the day, while finishing writing up my thesis, applying to medical schools and cavorting around Newbury St. on the weekends.

 

[Lu E Lee]

jklasser17 - you have been so helpful! thanks so much for taking the time to explain all of this. its hard not to be anxious in this whole process but i'm going to try to take your advice and just enjoy the summer. good luck with the rest of your studies. see the rest of you there in the fall! now i just have to find housing.....

 

[Go Lance!]

What is street parking like near the BU undergrad campus? Will it be easy to manage or should I leave my car for the year? If I don't have a car, are there some car-sharing agencies or cheap to rent when going to the store and out on errands?
I will be living near the west end of campus off of Comm Ave.

I also would like to thank all of you current MA students who have offered so much info about the program. I am so glad that you are excited about being at BU.

 

[jklasser17]

What is street parking like near the BU undergrad campus? Will it be easy to manage or should I leave my car for the year? If I don't have a car, are there some car-sharing agencies or cheap to rent when going to the store and out on errands?
I will be living near the west end of campus off of Comm Ave.

I would not recommend bringing a car at all. Parking is very tough to find. There is an excellent shuttle that runs between the undergrad and medical campuses. And the T will get you to within a few blocks of where you want to go anywhere in the city, airport and what not. If you've got to run errands, you can utilize your two feet or the peapod home delivery system (5 bucks to deliver your groceries to your house). Having a car in Boston is not worth it, at all. It's more hassle than anything else. Parking is a premium anywhere in the city, and driving is not very fun.

Hope that helps! 😀

 

[etikit]

how is parking like the Medical Campus? Can grad students get permits, if so what is the process and price?

Do you know anybody who drives to class and what not?

 

[the alchemist]

how is parking like the Medical Campus? Can grad students get permits, if so what is the process and price?

Do you know anybody who drives to class and what not?

parking sux around the med campus, too. i got a parking permit as a grad student for one of the school lots but i had to wait on the waitlist for about a semester or more. i think i paid like $90/month in 2003 and i remember there were other lots over $100/mo. they do have meters near BUMC but i think u have to put in more money after 2 hrs and let me warn u, they ticket and boot alot in boston so i wouldn't chance it with the meters - put that extra quarter in! if u r seriously thinking of getting a parking spot with one of the school lots, i'd suggest calling early and getting on a waitlist if they don't have spots so that maybe u'll have a spot once school starts.

 

[etikit]

you don't happen to have a phone number for that do you? the one i always call is busy 24/7...almost as if there is no operator ever.

Also, does anybody have experience commuting on the Shuttle from BU undergrad campus, or from around fenway? Or is the bus system more reliable, or the T, etc.?

Sorry if you are reposting info, but I know about the T stop at Mass. Ave....how many minutes does that commute take?

Thanks again...i owe you a guys a beer or something if I ever meet you.

 

[the alchemist]

you don't happen to have a phone number for that do you? the one i always call is busy 24/7...almost as if there is no operator ever.

Also, does anybody have experience commuting on the Shuttle from BU undergrad campus, or from around fenway? Or is the bus system more reliable, or the T, etc.?

Sorry if you are reposting info, but I know about the T stop at Mass. Ave....how many minutes does that commute take?

Thanks again...i owe you a guys a beer or something if I ever meet you.

try 617-638-4915 b/t 7 am - 5 pm http://www.bumc.bu.edu/Dept/Content.aspx?PageID=2920&DepartmentID=166

walking from mass ave to BUMC takes probably 15 min depending on how fast u walk. i think there's a bus u can catch pretty much in front of the T stop that goes straight to the school. i don't remember what number though, maybe #10?

 

[osin83]

Im gonna be in Boston Sunday and Monday to check things out... Ill be staying with a girl i know going to Northeastern... trying to make sure i want to go to BU and spend all that loot

 

[junebuguf]

I guarantee that you won't be impressed with the school and the South End over a weekend visit. The neighborhood around BUMC is rough, not very appealing and the campus isnt that great either. To really make your visit worthwhile, you should talk to some of the professors, definitely Dr. Broitman and Dr. Selwyn, explain your situation, your grades, et, and get their feedback on how the program would help you. Also, inquire about how long it would take depending on when you want to apply, et. I would recommend sitting in on one of the Physio or Biochem lectures, but next week is exam week, so you'll have no luck.

 

[jklasser17]

I guarantee that you won't be impressed with the school and the South End over a weekend visit. The neighborhood around BUMC is rough, not very appealing and the campus isnt that great either. To really make your visit worthwhile, you should talk to some of the professors, definitely Dr. Broitman and Dr. Selwyn, explain your situation, your grades, et, and get their feedback on how the program would help you. Also, inquire about how long it would take depending on when you want to apply, et. I would recommend sitting in on one of the Physio or Biochem lectures, but next week is exam week, so you'll have no luck.

I definitely agree with junebug. Try and go to the GMS office on Monday and see if they can't sneak you in with somebody for a few minutes. Another office you could drop into would be the offices of Dr. Vaughan, Dr. Traish or Dr. Offner. You, however, will have to respect the fact that you don't have an appointment. And unfortunately, next week is exam week, so no luck with classes and what not. The following week would be better for that.

There are some pretty flowers in front of the med school though....

 

[etikit]

Im gonna be in Boston Sunday and Monday to check things out... Ill be staying with a girl i know going to Northeastern... trying to make sure i want to go to BU and spend all that loot

Have you ever been to Boston? I've never been...heard good things. Are you gonna get a place while you're out there...or just do some spectating?

 

[choweee]

Hey all,

I just got an acceptance letter last Friday to BU MAMS... a mild victory, but I don't think I can handle the tuition. As such, I'm seriously considering finding a lab tech job somewhere around Boston and just taking a few classes at Harvard Extension to try to up the GPA. What do you guys think are the advantages of doing BU MAMS over taking night classes at Harvard?

 

[jklasser17]

Hey all,

I just got an acceptance letter last Friday to BU MAMS... a mild victory, but I don't think I can handle the tuition. As such, I'm seriously considering finding a lab tech job somewhere around Boston and just taking a few classes at Harvard Extension to try to up the GPA. What do you guys think are the advantages of doing BU MAMS over taking night classes at Harvard?

Got to say, I would go to BU MAMS. Lots of kids here are on loans and what not, so you can definitely get some help as far as that goes. Yes, it is expensive, but this is probably the best way to prove to an adcom that you are ready for medical school.

Just my 2cents....

 

[jklasser17]

Have you ever been to Boston? I've never been...heard good things. Are you gonna get a place while you're out there...or just do some spectating?

Boston's sweet, you'll enjoy it. 😀

 

[osin83]

Welll... I arrived in boston around 930 pm Sunday ( I was in Storrs, CT all day for my sisters graduation from UCONN and the following festivities.) I have a friend who is entering her 4th year at Northeastern and she took me out Sunday night on some places on Boyleston, good times. I got up early and wandered around the medical campus. To all of you who were telling me the area around the school is bad, obviously have never visited UMDNJ in Newark, NJ. The area is not great, however, just a few blocks up Massachusetts avenue is a great area. I decided that I would be better off spending my day in Boston getting familiar with the city. My friend took me all around the different parts of Boston and I fell in love. I live 10 minuts from NYC in jersey and love city life, Boston is like a dream town to me.

As far as academics go, I know I am in for a rigorous study program at BU, and I know I can handle it and perform well. My friend is going to help me find a place to live now because I have made up my mind.

IM GOIN TO BU!!

 

[jklasser17]

My friend took me all around the different parts of Boston and I fell in love. I live 10 minuts from NYC in jersey and love city life, Boston is like a dream town to me.

As far as academics go, I know I am in for a rigorous study program at BU, and I know I can handle it and perform well. My friend is going to help me find a place to live now because I have made up my mind.

IM GOIN TO BU!!

AWESOME MAN!!! GREAT DECISION!! 😀

If you want any other housing advice, just ask...


P.S. Are you a Yankees fan, cuz if you are, I know some really great Section 8 housing you'll absolutely love.... 😀

 

[HouseIsMyHero]

AWESOME MAN!!! GREAT DECISION!! 😀

If you want any other housing advice, just ask...


P.S. Are you a Yankees fan, cuz if you are, I know some really great Section 8 housing you'll absolutely love.... 😀

Sweet guys, maybe I'll see you in September.

I got my BU package today, it's kind of confusing.

 

[osin83]

P.S. Are you a Yankees fan, cuz if you are, I know some really great Section 8 housing you'll absolutely love.... 😀

Hell yea I'm a Yankees fan.. I know how we treat anyone even resembling a red sox fan around here... if its at all the same up in boston I guess I have some rough times ahead... but no worries I can handle it.

 

[junebuguf]

I'm surprised you thought the campus and the South End were so appealing. Then again, you are from Jersey. As I mentioned earlier, if you have the summer off, you may want to enroll in summer histo, just to get it over with. Plus, you wont have to sweat histo and biochem in the fall, like everyone else.

 

[osin83]

I'm surprised you thought the campus and the South End were so appealing. Then again, you are from Jersey. As I mentioned earlier, if you have the summer off, you may want to enroll in summer histo, just to get it over with. Plus, you wont have to sweat histo and biochem in the fall, like everyone else.

HEYYYYYYY... don't knock Jersey!!! i never said near the campus in nice... its a @#$%hole down there. My friend goes to northeastern and she showed me around ALL of boston, back bay, north end, fanual hall, newberry st, and tons of bars and hangouts. Im going to be looking for an apartment in backbay or near there and commuting.

 

[jklasser17]

I'm surprised you thought the campus and the South End were so appealing. Then again, you are from Jersey. As I mentioned earlier, if you have the summer off, you may want to enroll in summer histo, just to get it over with. Plus, you wont have to sweat histo and biochem in the fall, like everyone else.

Sorry, I am going to have to disagree with this comment. It would be a rather poor decision, in my opinion, to take histo during the summer session. The 14 week course is condensed into 7 weeks. It is intended as a retake session for 1st yrs and GMSers. It will be extremely fast-paced and potentially overwhelming for a new student. The GMS program will most definitely be much more fast-paced and intensive than anything you are used to, much less speeding up the course even more. Histo is also a class that you will need study buddies for. Wait til the fall or the spring to take Histo, you will be more prepared. If you take it in the fall, you will be taking it along with Biochem and one other joke class. Biochem is not too difficult to keep up with and do well. You will be able to devote most of your time to histo and work with friends. Also make sure you go to Dr. Vaughan's review sessions. I know they sound long and tedious, but they are an excellent way to see what she expects you to know from a certain slide.

Anyways, enjoy your summer guys, and if I were you, wait until school starts to take Histo. You can finish all the coursework in a year, so no hurries to get classes out of the way.

 

[FlipLoob]

I agree with jklasser. If you're looking to get an A in Histo, summer is not the way to do it.

Sorry, I am going to have to disagree with this comment. It would be a rather poor decision, in my opinion, to take histo during the summer session. The 14 week course is condensed into 7 weeks. It is intended as a retake session for 1st yrs and GMSers. It will be extremely fast-paced and potentially overwhelming for a new student. The GMS program will most definitely be much more fast-paced and intensive than anything you are used to, much less speeding up the course even more. Histo is also a class that you will need study buddies for. Wait til the fall or the spring to take Histo, you will be more prepared. If you take it in the fall, you will be taking it along with Biochem and one other joke class. Biochem is not too difficult to keep up with and do well. You will be able to devote most of your time to histo and work with friends. Also make sure you go to Dr. Vaughan's review sessions. I know they sound long and tedious, but they are an excellent way to see what she expects you to know from a certain slide.

Anyways, enjoy your summer guys, and if I were you, wait until school starts to take Histo. You can finish all the coursework in a year, so no hurries to get classes out of the way.

 

[osin83]

I agree with jklasser. If you're looking to get an A in Histo, summer is not the way to do it.

If I were going to take summer class I would not be taking histo... but anyway im working here in Jersey until august when I will move up there

 

[etikit]

Welll... I arrived in boston around 930 pm Sunday ( I was in Storrs, CT all day for my sisters graduation from UCONN and the following festivities.) I have a friend who is entering her 4th year at Northeastern and she took me out Sunday night on some places on Boyleston, good times. I got up early and wandered around the medical campus. To all of you who were telling me the area around the school is bad, obviously have never visited UMDNJ in Newark, NJ. The area is not great, however, just a few blocks up Massachusetts avenue is a great area. I decided that I would be better off spending my day in Boston getting familiar with the city. My friend took me all around the different parts of Boston and I fell in love. I live 10 minuts from NYC in jersey and love city life, Boston is like a dream town to me.

As far as academics go, I know I am in for a rigorous study program at BU, and I know I can handle it and perform well. My friend is going to help me find a place to live now because I have made up my mind.

IM GOIN TO BU!!

sounds good, where you gonna look for a place...what area? Your opinions change after making the trip?

 

[Da Nealson]

If I were going to take summer class I would not be taking histo... but anyway im working here in Jersey until august when I will move up there

when you say ur goin to BU r u just going to go for a year?

 

[junebuguf]

There is a very good reason to take summer histo. Its a 6 credit class, so getting it over with in the summer removes a large portion of the coursework requirement. This would enable you to complete a research thesis in one calendar year, which is not really doable otherwise. You would have to opt for a library thesis to be done in one year, which is not regarded as highly, not to mention, useless. So if you can finish a research thesis in one year, as opposed to a year and a half or two years, it would save a lot of money and time, with which you could travel, work, et.

There is a myth associated with summer histo--that it is supposedly far more difficult to get through. Thats not really true. The number of people retaking in the summer is not that much, and those that do, will not be competing for high grades anyway (they're retaking for a reason). The overwhelming majority of people would get the same grade in Summer as in Fall. And though its more intensive, it is not as bad as most people claim. Having gone through the coursework, I would argue that its wholly doable in 6 weeks, and with not much more effort, if you're only taking one class.

To those who are concerned about an A, getting an A in any class here is very difficult, and Histo stands out as one the toughest. Odds are, you will get a B,B+ or A-, but getting an A- or a B+ in summer is just as feasible as in Fall (the curve is not so steep, so thats where most people end up), so you will get the same grade no matter when you take it.

You may have valid reasons to not take it in summer, but the people who reflexly dismiss doing so are wrong. Ultimately, for a little more effort (and the same result), you have more flexibility, and you can save a lot of time and money. But thats just my perspective. You will have a larger group in Fall, and if you like studying in groups, that may work for you. Personally, I've never left a group study session feeling like I was more productive/efficient than just studying myself, so that doesnt work for me. To each his own.

 

[FlipLoob]

Personally, I like actually liked histology. However, while there may be a good reason for taking it over the summer, there are also valid reasons for not taking it. It's just my own personal opinion that I would not advocate taking it over the summer. Even though it is feasible (if it wasn't, they wouldn't offer it over the summer), I think that decision requires some serious thought.

Also, there are two misconceptions that I want to address:

First, there is no "curve" in histology. According to Dr. Vaughn, "Final course grades are NOT based on the statistical analysis of your class (i.e. class mean and standard deviations)." So, I am not sure what you mean by when you say that students in the summer are not "there to compete for high grades anyway," because you don't compete against each other - the only competition is against the grading scale.

Second, histology is not a requirement - it's considered an elective, but the vast majority of people in the program do take it...and it is advisable to take it. The only required courses to be taken by all GMS students are biochem, physio, and biostats (which is exemptable, but an easy A).

There is a very good reason to take summer histo. Its a 6 credit class, so getting it over with in the summer removes a large portion of the coursework requirement. This would enable you to complete a research thesis in one calendar year, which is not really doable otherwise. You would have to opt for a library thesis to be done in one year, which is not regarded as highly, not to mention, useless. So if you can finish a research thesis in one year, as opposed to a year and a half or two years, it would save a lot of money and time, with which you could travel, work, et.

There is a myth associated with summer histo--that it is supposedly far more difficult to get through. Thats not really true. The number of people retaking in the summer is not that much, and those that do, will not be competing for high grades anyway (they're retaking for a reason). The overwhelming majority of people would get the same grade in Summer as in Fall. And though its more intensive, it is not as bad as most people claim. Having gone through the coursework, I would argue that its wholly doable in 6 weeks, and with not much more effort, if you're only taking one class.

To those who are concerned about an A, getting an A in any class here is very difficult, and Histo stands out as one the toughest. Odds are, you will get a B,B+ or A-, but getting an A- or a B+ in summer is just as feasible as in Fall (the curve is not so steep, so thats where most people end up), so you will get the same grade no matter when you take it.

You may have valid reasons to not take it in summer, but the people who reflexly dismiss doing so are wrong. Ultimately, for a little more effort (and the same result), you have more flexibility, and you can save a lot of time and money. But thats just my perspective. You will have a larger group in Fall, and if you like studying in groups, that may work for you. Personally, I've never left a group study session feeling like I was more productive/efficient than just studying myself, so that doesnt work for me. To each his own.

 

[Go Lance!]

For you current MAMS students....

What types of private loans did you find to be the best for financing this program? I figure that after the stafford loans I will need about 30k for the rest of tuition and living expenses.
Any advice would be much appreciated since Sherill in Financial Aid said it was up to me to find the private loans.

 

[osin83]

Ive been looking into apartments and I was wondering if anybody knew if the apts. that say they are available 9/1 are ever able to be moved into early? I kinda wanted to move in in august rather than wait last minute

 

[etikit]

its on the tenants and landlords

 

[Go Lance!]

Ive been looking into apartments and I was wondering if anybody knew if the apts. that say they are available 9/1 are ever able to be moved into early? I kinda wanted to move in in august rather than wait last minute

In my experiance it has been hard to find apartments that are available for 8/1 because most apartments are leased for the school year. You just need be patient and search for those that are available earlier.

 

[jklasser17]

junebug, did you take histo?

I did, and I didn't do so well the first time around, even though I put a balls-to-the-wall effort to do well in the class (I basically ignored Biochem, which I did well in, and studied Histo all the time). That isn't to scare anyone, but as FlipLoob mentioned, it is in fact an elective. But if you want to go to BU for med school, you have to take it; Dr. Vaughan is high up on the adcom. That is why I will be taking it again this summer, and I am worried about the pace. The lab portion of the test requires you to know about 100 slides/test inside and out, including function, location, interaction, etc... The written portion requires you to know a randomn sentence from a randomn page of the syllabus. All I am saying is, Biochem does not require that much work (class time plus 1.5hrs a day). Histo on the other hand requires a ton of work. Spreading that work out across 15 or 16wks instead of 7 is not a bad idea. Most kids probably had some intro to biochem or intro to physiology in undergrad which will help them with the basics in those courses. I doubt any of them had Histo.

Also, as FlipLoob mentioned, you are not competing against anyone else. You are competing against Dr. Vaughan. (In a nice way!) It's a good class, you will learn a lot.

But please, do not take it over the summer! That is not the way you want to start off your GMS program.

 

[BertieWooster]

But if you want to go to BU for med school, you have to take it; Dr. Vaughan is high up on the adcom. That is why I will be taking it again this summer, and I am worried about the pace.

Hi, I am heading to BU for the MAMS prorgam next year too. I am curious as to what you mean here. Are you saying that it is an absolute requirement to take this course if you are a MAMS student and want to go to BU med? Or, is it just highly reccommended because Dr. Vaughan is on the adcom?

 

[osin83]

What I think he is trying to say is that there are only a select few spots for students from the MAMS program in the entering BU medical class each year. They look for the top students. And if you are not going to be taking histo (one of the harder classes) the adcom will note that and will probably let a student in who took it and did well.

 

[jklasser17]

What I think he is trying to say is that there are only a select few spots for students from the MAMS program in the entering BU medical class each year. They look for the top students. And if you are not going to be taking histo (one of the harder classes) the adcom will note that and will probably let a student in who took it and did well.

👍

 

[djyujin]

I'm trying to pick between BU's MAMS program and UMDNJ's GSBS...
From what I gathered from the admission letter, it looks like its going to be hard to get into the med school prepatory track for the masters. Also how is Newark in terms of housing, living costs, etc.? I'm just totally stuck. If you guys could help me out that would be great. osin, what made u pick BU over UMDNJ?

😕

 

[junebuguf]

Histo is a de facto requirement of the program, since you're pretty much shot at BU if you dont take it. Even though BU Med only accepts a handful of people from the MAMS program, it still represents one of the best chances at an acceptance, so if you dont take, you are doing yourself a disservice. And you are competing with the other histo students, just not directly. Whatever grade scale is instituted, is based on class performance over the years. You wont be competing with the people in the same class because their grades, and any changes to the scale that may ensue because of it, wont be institued until further classes; but, you will be competing with all the people who got A's, B's et from past classes. Assuming a fairly even spread of collective ability from one class to the next, you're essentially still competing for grades. An example of this is in Immuno, where an A is a 93+. That number didnt just materialize out of nowhere, it was based on GMS and MED performance over several years.

I didnt take summer histo, I took it over Spring, but I dont think it would be that bad. I would probably compare it to the 9.5 week summer Orgo I and II w/ lab that I took a few years back. It was tough, bordering on brutal, I barely managed 6 hours of sleep a night, and pulled at least one all nighter every week for 9 weeks straight. I was pretty strung out at the end, but also really glad I got it over with in the summer.

Anyway, like I said, its just personal preference.

 

[junebuguf]

I don't know if UMDNJ tuition is cheaper for in-staters and they quality of the program may compare favorably to BU (both would be incentives to attend), but I have written/called/met with a lot of people who are on admissions commitees, and the general impression about SMPs is that Georgetown and BU are the best. On the few occasions I brought up other programs like RFU and UMDNJ, I was told they had not heard of either. RFUs program was advantageous in that it was basically a conveyor belt for their first year class--I think all you needed was a 3.0 to get in. And RFU has great match lists, in spite of its poor perception, so the program might have been considered a decent competitor to BU and G'Town because of its virtual guarantee of an acceptance.

Unless UMDNJ has some type of similar backdoor arrangement with its SMP students OR it has a great rep with local NY/NJ schools who take a lot of their grads, I would highly advise against going there because you will be at a disadvantage at virtually every other school. When the RFU program crashed and burned, so went the last quasi-guaranteed SMP. Now, everyone is forced to play the field, and you have the best odds at G'Town and BU.

 

[osin83]

here's the skinny on UMDNJ vs BU masters programs. UMDNJ you can either take 25 credits + thesis or 30 credits period. The director said that as long as your credentials are good they will let you go premedical track (medical school courses). I had 30 MCAT 3.5 gpa 3.5 BCPM gpa and they said i would do well in the program. What it is for fall is the 1st year medical school classes without gross anatomy and embryology. And no labs. It is a 7 credit course but covers biochemistry, genetics, molecular medicine. Plus yuou can take any one other course that the grad school offers. It is appealing and definitely will help get into UMDNJ if you do well, although they stated in my acceptance letter that there is no official linkage program.

The main reasons I personally chose BU is that it is without a doubt the more well known program, I commuted in college and will never forgive myself for that (worst experience of my life) and I would be doing the same for newark, my college tuition is 100% paid off so I can afford some debt before med shcool, and finally an old friend showed me around Boston last weekend and I loved it.

Instate tuition plus fees for UMDNJ program is 15K for out of state like 18K. That is for the whole program, not just one semester. I have not looked into newark housing but I know from some med students that there are some decent places to live right across the street from campus. Can't be that much, it's newark.

When I first visited UMDNJ after my med school interview i totally wanted to go. That was only until I visited other schools. I spoke with the dean of admissions and he told me there is a very good chance I will be taken off the waiting list this year. BUt honestly I think I will not take the acceptance and hold off for RWJ. Having a really bad college experience makes you very skeptical and forces you to thoroughly analyze schools before continuing your education somewhere.

 

[junebuguf]

If you have a 3.5 overall and a 3.5 BCMP, you should seriously reconsider whether an SMP is your best option. A 3.5 is a very respectable gpa, if you were to increase your MCAT by 2-3 points, you may well get in somewhere. There is a lot of risk with SMPs that many people dont realize. There were a lot of people who washed out between first and second semester, and those people have virtually no chance of matriculating anywhere. There are also a lot (perhaps the majority) who will finish with a 3.2-3.4 gpa, which is certainly respectable for med school, but is not going to impress admissions commitees, so these people have spent around 50k to end up exactly where they were to begin. At BU, a 3.7+ is considered good, and that is hard to get, no one but the MAMS program office has hard numbers, but I would estimate less than 20% end up with this gpa, so only that many people significantly increase their odds. The rest have spent a lot of time and effort and an exorbitant amount of money to either regress or maintain.

And if you are on a waitlist at some med school (any med school) and get in, you would be crazy not to go. Even doing well here is no guarantee that you will get into one of your top 5 schools--there are people walking around here who did very well in the program, waited a full year before applying, didnt get in anywhere and are now scrambling for jobs as lab assistants and pondering the Caribbean. Most people are just happy to get in somewhere and become MDs. Unlike undergrad, where you can choose to go just about anywhere, there is no such choice for med school. Even if I was forced to spend four years in med school in Detroit, I would gladly fork over the 200k for the privelege of doing so.

 

[etikit]

There is a lot of risk with SMPs that many people dont realize. There were a lot of people who washed out between first and second semester, and those people have virtually no chance of matriculating anywhere. There are also a lot (perhaps the majority) who will finish with a 3.2-3.4 gpa, which is certainly respectable for med school, but is not going to impress admissions commitees, so these people have spent around 50k to end up exactly where they were to begin. At BU, a 3.7+ is considered good, and that is hard to get, no one but the MAMS program office has hard numbers, but I would estimate less than 20% end up with this gpa, so only that many people significantly increase their odds. The rest have spent a lot of time and effort and an exorbitant amount of money to either regress or maintain.

the real deal

 

[FlipLoob]

I don't agree with the assumption that you have no chance at BU if you don't take histology. Your chances may not be as favorable, however. I know one student in particular that did not take histology while he was in GMS. He was in the fall class and is a current med student at BU.

 

[osin83]

If I cared at all in college, I would have graduated with a 3.9, but I hated it there. I pretty much spited myself with my bad grades and I will be applying to schools again this June. I have a good feeling I will get in where I want to go. I only applied to my two state schools this past cycle, I got waitlisted at both, but last year both had decempber 15 deadlines and I had my appli8cations in december 10th (my June DUI screwed everything up). Interviewers at both schools told me taht if I had applied earlier I would have definitely got in, but its so competitive at the end of the process. I have done a few things to make my application even better this time around, plus i have BU to back me up. This is something I want to do for myself anyway.

 

[Go Lance!]

Does anyone know if there are some med schools who have a tendancy to take people from the MAMS program? I still want to apply for a handful of schools during the first year of this program.

Again...anyone have any advice on private loans?

 

[d.parikh]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post to SDN. I've been reading a lot about the BU program and am excited at the opportunity I received a few days ago to attend. However, I had some questions that I am hoping some of you might be able to clear up.

I've taken the last two years off after graduating from college to improve my GPA (taking courses through Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies) and have been working in a research lab at Northwestern University. My goal is to complete this program within a year and start medical school in the fall of 2007.

If I enroll into the BU program and want to complete the program within a year, can I use my research from the previous two years as part of the research thesis? Or do I have to find another research advisor in Boston and start over? Do students work on their library thesis while taking courses or use time in June to complete the paper? What specifically entails writing a library/research thesis as far as length and content?

Thanks guys.

 

[junebuguf]

Hey everyone,

This is my first post to SDN. I've been reading a lot about the BU program and am excited at the opportunity I received a few days ago to attend. However, I had some questions that I am hoping some of you might be able to clear up.

I've taken the last two years off after graduating from college to improve my GPA (taking courses through Northwestern University School of Continuing Studies) and have been working in a research lab at Northwestern University. My goal is to complete this program within a year and start medical school in the fall of 2007.

If I enroll into the BU program and want to complete the program within a year, can I use my research from the previous two years as part of the research thesis? Or do I have to find another research advisor in Boston and start over? Do students work on their library thesis while taking courses or use time in June to complete the paper? What specifically entails writing a library/research thesis as far as length and content?

Thanks guys.

I'm not positive, but I would be really surprised if they let you use the research you've already compiled for your thesis. I'm sure you can pick up where you left off by joining a lab doing similar research, but you cannot use prior publications, research papers, thesis for an exemption from the requirement.

I don't know of anyone who does lab thesis work concurrently with coursework because most people load up on classes since thats principally why you are in the program--to take a boatload of med school classes and prove that you can do well. You could work on it if you took a lighter load, but that would hurt more than help.

Most people who choose the library thesis route take classes in Fall and Spring and complete the library thesis requirement over summer. A library thesis is written under the guidance of a faculty member who guides the scope and depth of the research. Its basically a literature review, but it would be done to benefit some department, so they would expect that you would put forth more effort than the apathetic lab reports most of submitted for undergrad bio, molecular, et.

 

[junebuguf]

On another note, Physio ended today. Its one of the best taught courses, but I can never concentrate in lecture, so I never attended, which was unfortunate since they cover a lot of info not in the syllabus. After the second week, I stopped attending labs too. And, Dr. O'Bryan said that people who dont study collaboratively in groups never get A's. So I didnt go to lectures and labs or study in groups but I have a good shot at an A, which I may just get after all since the final was easier than expected--just to prove a point that people who are more efficient by self-studying can do well here, you dont have to attend the interminable lectures and labs. Although, if I dont get an A it will have been solely because of my truancy, so there you go.