Tulane ACLP 2020 - 2021

[Turam]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a current ACLP student and figured it was a good time to start this years threads. Last years threads had a great intro so I'm just going to quote that.

Hellooo everyone,

I am a current ACLP student at Tulane, and I thought I would go ahead and start this year’s thread! I know it’s a painful to be thinking about ACLP or PB/SMPs if you’re currently waitlisted at schools and hoping to get in, but ACLP is a really excellent opportunity for applicants who have had a rough cycle to turn their luck around and get into a well-regarded medical school with the opportunity to TA gross anatomy! All 20 2018-2019 ACLP students received and completed an interview this year are currently awaiting a response from the admissions committee.

Last year’s thread (Tulane ACLP 2018-2019) contains a few really awesome posts by former ACLP students about the program. In fact, Perineal_buddy522’s post pretty much contains almost everything I could possibly say, information-wise, about all the logistics of ACLP, so I’ll spend a little time summarizing what he’s already said/what’s different this year and then move on to my own personal experience with ACLP:

ACLP Timeline:

Complete your ACLP application by May 31, 2019. You do need to have been waitlisted at an MD or DO school during the 2018-2019 application cycle to be considered for ACLP. (More information can be found on the website about applying: Structural & Cellular Biology-Anatomy Certification & Leadership Program | Medicine)

Submit your AMCAS application in the Summer before beginning ACLP. You will NOT want to be doing this during anatomy. (Though the deadline for Tulane’s secondary app is in December or January and some ACLP students opt to complete it after anatomy, if you have any other schools you’re applying to, you’ll want to have your secondaries for those schools already completed or at least drafted for other schools before ACLP begins as well.)

From August through October or early November, take gross anatomy alongside medical students. Gross Anatomy is a full-time academic schedule.

Immediately after Anatomy, Histology begins. ACLP students take only Histology, while medical students take Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, and Foundations in Medicine, so the time commitment of taking only Histology is pretty low. Most students take this time to get a job, get involved in research, shadowing, etc. Histology runs through the end of March.

In January, Leadership in Healthcare begins. This class is a new addition to the program as of last year. It is not a huge time commitment, but it runs through late April concurrently with Histology. This means ACLP students now have class commitments through April instead of through the end of March as they had in previous years.

Interview at TUSOM in late February, or whenever TUSOM’s last interview date falls.

Matriculate into TUSOM in August and serve as a TA for gross anatomy

Reasons why ACLP was a good fit for me:

To really improve my application, I would have wanted to take an application cycle off, meaning it would be another two years before I could possibly matriculate. This would also mean that I would have to retake the MCAT which I did NOT want to do. ACLP is one of the few PB/SMP programs that leads directly into matriculation after completion of the program, which is really what I was looking for, since I felt that if I was going to take another year before applying, I could probably improve my application significantly without having to go through/pay for an PB/SMP. I was also considering a DO application cycle, but I had been rejected from the two DO schools I applied to that year, which discouraged me.

ACLP appealed to me not only because of the half-time course load after anatomy ends, but because the bar of having to beat the M1 average in one course sounded a lot less stressful to me than FIU’s full-time, two-semester course load and their requirement of maintaining a specific GPA (FIU’s SMP was the other program that I got into and was considering, and is also very similar to most programs out there). ACLP also had the benefit of actually enrolling you in the same classes that the M1s are taking, so you are essentially starting medical school along with them. In the smallest, most cynical voice in the back of my mind, ACLP appealed to me because I saw it as a medical school trial-run. If, in some strange twist of fate, I decided that medical school was just not for me after testing it out (which one of the TUSOM matriculants did about halfway through anatomy), backing out of ACLP would be a lot easier than backing out of medical school, haha.

And, of course, the admission rate of 87% to TUSOM! The more I researched PB/SMP programs, the more I realized that many of them do not provide a direct path to medical school. Most of the non-career-changing-focused programs simply do nothing more than provide you with more data for your application and some connections. The more I considered many of these programs, the more I doubted that they would truly improve my application more than taking a year to get some publications and do some community service would. ACLP, however, had a simple requirement (beat the anatomy average) and, though not a guarantee, an advertised 87% matriculation rate into TUSOM, a well-established and highly-regarded allopathic medical school. That, combined with the fact that it was thousands of dollars cheaper than comparable programs (Tuition costs of FIU: $21,000; Temple: $34,000; Tulane ACLP: $16,000), and the low-stress second semester made it the perfect choice for me.

Let me know if you have any questions about the application process, the program, or anything else!

Past years threads also have lots of good information
2019-2020
2018-2019

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

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[bernice_anders]

Currently waitlisted at my top (and only) choice medical school. I would love to apply to Tulane’s ACLP just in case I need to reapply for medical schools- I think I would really benefit from this program. Do you know if the program is rolling admissions, or do they evaluate all apps after the deadline? Thanks!

 

[lvten]

All the applications are evaluated after the deadline, sometime early June I think, and then decisions are sent out a week or two after that.

Currently waitlisted at my top (and only) choice medical school. I would love to apply to Tulane’s ACLP just in case I need to reapply for medical schools- I think I would really benefit from this program. Do you know if the program is rolling admissions, or do they evaluate all apps after the deadline? Thanks!

 

[ghova05]

Is there a minimum MCAT requirement for the program/successful matriculation into Tulane SOM after completion of the program? I didn't see anything on the website.

 

[lvten]

Is there a minimum MCAT requirement for the program/successful matriculation into Tulane SOM after completion of the program? I have didn't see anything on the website.

They got rid of the minimum MCAT requirement this past year. At orientation, I remember Dr. Korndorffer said that the average ACLP MCAT score was ~510.

 

[ghova05]

How many students were accepted into the ACLP last year and how many of you matriculated into medical school for the 2020 year? If you have those numbers

 

[lvten]

How many students were accepted into the ACLP last year and how many of you matriculated into medical school for the 2020 year? If you have those numbers

21 are in my cohort this year and 20 of us interviewed earlier this month. As of now, we're still waiting to hear back about decisions. Typically, everyone who is invited to interview will get in.

Update: We received our acceptances on 3/31.

 

[fingolingo]

@lvten why did one person not get interviewed this year? Was it for an avoidable reason? Just don't want to have that happen to me.

 

[lvten]

@lvten why did one person not get interviewed this year? Was it for an avoidable reason? Just don't want to have that happen to me.

I'm not exactly sure why they didn't interview this year. It may have been because they didn't beat the medical student anatomy average.

 

[fingolingo]

I do not know why you would ever pay that high an amount and then do below average.

 

[pdog20]

Hi Everyone,

I'm a current ACLP student and figured it was a good time to start this years threads. Last years threads had a great intro so I'm just going to quote that.




Past years threads also have lots of good information
2019-2020
2018-2019

Feel free to message me if you have any questions.

Could I PM you? I have some questions.

 

[Turam]

Could I PM you? I have some questions.

Absolutely, anyone with questions feel free to PM me.

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

You'll hear back about a month after the deadline, and if accepted, will have to mail a $250 check to the SCB as a deposit since they don't accept Paypal/credit card/wire transfers. Idk why tho. Just FYI, ACLP DOES NOT QUALIFY for traditional school loans or continuing education loans because you're under the SCB dept and not the school of medicine. Though idk the details, a friend of mine in the ACLP got a bank loan, but please do speak with our secretary Shannon when the time comes. Orientation week starts last week of August where you meet the SCB staff and give your $16K tuition in check form for the same reasons as the deposit.

I emailed Shannon about personal loans and she just confirmed that students have used them in the past and that educational loans aren’t available for the program. If one of y’all or your friend has used a personal loan could you please PM me? The personal loans I found require immediate monthly payments which obviously isn’t feasible if I’m using the loan for living expenses. They also would require monthly payments during medical school which again isn’t doable when I’m living off more loans in medical school.

In the past I think people have used what are called continuing educational loans which I think if you ask Shannon about she might be able to tell you a few companies that offer them. An example is this one by Sallie Mae:

Undergraduate student loan

Get an undergraduate student loan to help pay for college. The Smart Option Student Loan allows you to choose an interest rate type and repayment option that works for you. Apply now!

www.salliemae.com

Basically it has the option to defer payments and is eligible for people in certificate granting programs which aclp is. Sorry this is the best I can do to help out because I don’t know anyone in my class that used private bank loans or in the previous class.

Just wanted to give an update on loans to any future applicants or people who have been accepted this year. The Sallie Mae loan posted earlier in this thread is unfortunately not an option. Sallie Mae disperses the loan money directly to Tulane University, where we are not registered as students and therefore cannot access the money. I emailed Shannon who was extremely helpful with explaining this and even said that Sallie Mae has not worked in the past when students have tried it. I called Sallie Mae and they confirmed this as well.

Every lender that I have found unfortunately falls into one of two categories: 1) they allow deferment of loans while in school (including medical school after the program) but will only send money to recognized degree-granting institutions (of which the SCB department is not) or 2) they will give loans to non-degree granting institutions but do not allow deferment after the program has ended i.e. you would have to start paying hundreds of dollars a month in repayments in medical school.

I am still trying to look into other options but it is not looking great, even with planning to work full-time after anatomy ends.

Almost certainly going to be withdrawing my acceptance within the week due to financial reasons. I hope someone on the waitlist gets good news soon!

The best personal loan I could get approved for, with good but not excellent credit, required immediate repayments of $500/month for 3 years which I just won't be able to pay in medical school. I hope that future applicants will keep in mind that this program is an amazing opportunity but there really are no loans available for the average 23-24 year old with no family support. Reaching out to the program and alumni for previously successful lenders has thus far been a dead end. With all that being said, if you can get the money together, the MD acceptance rate and opportunities after this program are unparalleled -- this really is the number one post-bacc and beats out all SMPs other than Temple.

This is just wildly unfair. I hope you stay on this thread and find something that works for you. Are there possibly applicable scholarships you could apply for? I know the timeline isn't ideal, but if you could get even a couple thousand of the cost covered that way, the burden of the loan lessens

Yep. Unfortunately Tulane University and TUSOM are approved schools by Wells Fargo but ACLP isn’t technically run through either school and more importantly ACLP cannot coordinate with the registrar/bursar office. I would have to find a bank that is willing to send money directly to a department within the school of medicine and if the bank called Tulane’s registrar, I wouldn’t even been on their list of current students. In a DIY post-bacc you are at least registered as a student.

Yeah the financial situation is not ideal and is something that is always brought up year after year. I do not know the reason why they have not been able to establish electronic payments or coordinate the private loans to work, but what I do know is that the SCB is a small department within the school of medicine (which can make all of this a challenge) and they're always looking to improve this situation.

This program is impossible to fund with loans so people either had family support, savings before they started, or a combination of the two. It is possible to get a job and work a ton after anatomy but I don't know of any job that you can work at while going to histology TBLs and leadership lectures and pays enough to cover living expenses PLUS $16,000 in tuition.

I would be willing to pay 25% apr if I could defer payments while I was in medical school or have like a 10-15 year repayment term. But none of that exists. It’s 3-5 years, MAYBE 7 if you have 800+ credit score and good income, and more importantly it’s immediate repayment.

Trust me, I would love so much to be proven wrong and get in contact with a bank that could help me. But so far I’ve either gotten vague solutions or silence. @Mastjt129 might have come across harsh but I know he was coming from a good place. He doesn’t want future students to get their hopes up about such a good opportunity without being realistic about finances.

@potatoyam My guess as to why this program has never gone through the steps to become more official in the eyes of Tulane University or lenders is because they simply don’t need to. There are thousands of premeds that have wealthy parents or significant savings and would pay far more than $16,000 cash to get an almost guaranteed spot at a US MD school. In other words, I doubt finding 20 people willing to put up the money has been a problem for the past 21 years and I doubt it will be a problem in the future, with medical school admissions getting more and more competitive.

Officially withdrew my acceptance. Extremely disappointed that I could not attend due to financial reasons.

I ran the numbers for different combinations of the following: multiple 0% APR credit cards with balance transfers, personal loans, taking out max loans in medical school to pay off the former two options, joining the military with a medical waiver, working 60-80 hours a week after anatomy, living in my car, commuting a long way to New Orleans. Long story short, the numbers just don’t work. The only way they do is if 1) you have significant savings 2) you have significant family support 3) you have a career that allows you to take three months off and then allows you to come back after anatomy to work remotely and pays $30+/hour 4) some combination of 1-3

It’s important to note that the conversations I had with ACLP administration and previous students reflected very highly of the program — they were responsive, helpful, and kind.

So...a warning to future applicants: please don’t apply to this program if you or your family don’t have at least $10,000 of liquid assets to put towards tuition on day one. “This program does not qualify for traditional student loans” doesn’t do justice to the difficulties you will face. You’ll basically be throwing away your application fee. If you are lucky enough to be accepted, while you try to find a way to pay for the program and eventually realize that you won’t be able to without taking on insurmountable debt that will suffocate you in medical school, you’ll constantly be reminded of why medical school classes are so heavily biased in favor of students with high socioeconomic backgrounds.

If you can afford it though, this truly is the best premed post-bacc program in the country. The risk vs. reward ratio is unmatched.

Thanks again for everyone’s support

My budget for this program is $30k. I live in Deming Pavilion which is the graduate student housing and I have a small studio apartment which is $925/month. For insurance, I am still covered by my parents, so if that's an option I would go with that. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Hi all,

I am current prospective student who just spent the weekend going through the entire 2018 - 2019 and 2019 - 2020 thread reading every detail about this program because I am strongly interested.

When I first began to read these threads the biggest question and concern I had was the cost/financing. As a first-gen student from low SES background and AMCAS Fee Assistance Program recipient, neither I or my parents have the money to not only pay cash for this but also account for the cost of living such as housing and eating.

As I read through the threads, I was hoping to find someone I could relate to with a similar circumstance. It was like reading a novel until finally enter @memdoctobe . As I read the insurmountable trials and tribulations he/she had to overcome to find a way to finance this program, I was hoping that when I got to the end he/she had found a solution. A happy ending. But unfortunately that was not the case. I applaud your efforts and I am truly disheartened at the situation. It just shows how those of us from low SES are disproportionally disadvantaged.

So I am writing today because I truly hope that in light of the situation that was at least someone (current ACLP student, leadership, prospective candidate) over the last year who has been able to figure out a possible solution. I have yet to submit my app and thus for us to find out since the deadline was extended, but I would like to know if I truly have a chance, financially. I hope someone out there has a similar situation or solution. Regardless of the outcome, I am wishing you all luck because I know we've all worked hard for the privilege to even apply to the program since a WL is required.

 

[lvten]

Hi all,

I am current prospective student who just spent the weekend going through the entire 2018 - 2019 and 2019 - 2020 thread reading every detail about this program because I am strongly interested.

When I first began to read these threads the biggest question and concern I had was the cost/financing. As a first-gen student from low SES background and AMCAS Fee Assistance Program recipient, neither I or my parents have the money to not only pay cash for this but also account for the cost of living such as housing and eating.

As I read through the threads, I was hoping to find someone I could relate to with a similar circumstance. It was like reading a novel until finally enter @memdoctobe . As I read the insurmountable trials and tribulations he/she had to overcome to find a way to finance this program, I was hoping that when I got to the end he/she had found a solution. A happy ending. But unfortunately that was not the case. I applaud your efforts and I am truly disheartened at the situation. It just shows how those of us from low SES are disproportionally disadvantaged.

So I am writing today because I truly hope that in light of the situation that was at least someone (current ACLP student, leadership, prospective candidate) over the last year who has been able to figure out a possible solution. I have yet to submit my app and thus for us to find out since the deadline was extended, but I would like to know if I truly have a chance, financially. I hope someone out there has a similar situation or solution. Regardless of the outcome, I am wishing you all luck because I know we've all worked hard for the privilege to even apply to the program since a WL is required.

I completely understand the concern as students in the past have been forced to give up acceptances due to a lack of financing options. I would consider reaching out to Shannon ([email protected]) who is the program/department manager. She'll probably have the best advice for you and will be able to best answer your questions, given your circumstances. At our orientation, they mentioned that the ACLP program was working on making a scholarship (potentially 1 full-ride), but I'm not sure if/when this will be done. Wishing you the best of luck!

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

I completely understand the concern as students in the past have been forced to give up acceptances due to a lack of financing options. I would consider reaching out to Shannon ([email protected]) who is the program/department manager. She'll probably have the best advice for you and will be able to best answer your questions, given your circumstances. At our orientation, they mentioned that the ACLP program was working on making a scholarship (potentially 1 full-ride), but I'm not sure if/when this will be done. Wishing you the best of luck!

Thank you for the insight and feedback. I hope at the very least this is an option. Even if the odds are 1/100, I'm taking them. All I need is some hope that there is a solution.

 

[YCAGA]

Thank you for the insight and feedback. I hope at the very least this is an option. Even if the odds are 1/100, I'm taking them. All I need is some hope that there is a solution.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply, Shine-Dalgarno. I am sad that the novel ended the way it did too

Shannon was able to get me in touch with some alums/current students of the ACLP but they all basically said they paid for the program with savings or their parents money and then wished me luck. Hopefully things have changed in the past year, otherwise this program just seems like a rich kid's backdoor to medical school.

 

[fingolingo]

This program is just for really rich kids (or kids with rich parents) who want to get into med school, same as every other program. Simple as that. I highly doubt any aid is available given the price is already so low and the number of applicants so high. It sucks that I'll be out 16.5k if I get in, but that's how it goes. I'm ok with that if it means getting into medical school. I think @memdoctobe nailed it when he said it's the rich kid's backdoor into medical school. Less affluent kids will need to take the front door.

@Shine-Dalgarno unfortunately all programs such as this one are not fair when it comes to socio-economic factors. That's just how life is structured. If you would be unable to afford the program, it is likely you will have to choose a program such as Georgetown's which qualifies for federal loans. That person they asked you to contact might help, who knows, but from looking into it, it looks like nobody in past threads has ever been able to get anything but private loans or familial help. I'm personally going to go with my Credit Union who thankfully offered me a loan with deferred payments for 4 years. I'll be drowning in residency with repayments, but at least I'll make it to residency. I'm equally annoyed, don't worry.

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

Thank you for your thoughtful reply, Shine-Dalgarno. I am sad that the novel ended the way it did too

Shannon was able to get me in touch with some alums/current students of the ACLP but they all basically said they paid for the program with savings or their parents money and then wished me luck. Hopefully things have changed in the past year, otherwise this program just seems like a rich kid's backdoor to medical school.

Thanks for the response. It's good to see you still out there and hope you are doing well now and/or still working at it.

But I agree. It is life unfortunately. I am currently waitlisted here at Tulane, so let's hope I just get off the waitlist and walk through the front door.

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

This program is just for really rich kids (or kids with rich parents) who want to get into med school, same as every other program. Simple as that. I highly doubt any aid is available given the price is already so low and the number of applicants so high. It sucks that I'll be out 16k if I get in, but that's how it goes. I'm ok with that if it means getting into medical school. I think @memdoctobe nailed it when he said it's the rich kid's backdoor into medical school. Less affluent kids will need to take the front door.

@Shine-Dalgarno unfortunately all programs such as this one are not fair when it comes to socio-economic factors. That's just how life is structured. If you would be unable to afford the program, it is likely you will have to choose a program such as Georgetown's which qualifies for federal loans. That person they asked you to contact might help, who knows, but from looking into it, it looks like nobody in past threads has ever been able to get anything but private loans or familial help. I'm personally going to go with my Credit Union who thankfully offered me a loan with deferred payments for 4 years. I'll be drowning in residency with repayments, but at least I'll make it to residency. I'm equally annoyed, don't worry.

Thanks for the insight, truly tho. If I had the money i'd pay for the first-class ticket too. But unfortunately like the majority of the things we face as SES, it is just another obstacle. Our whole life is like this but it does force us to get creative. I will still shoot my shot and in the months to come try to find a solution, even if it means starting a Go-Fund-Me.

I was looking at GEMS a couple of years back but during this cycle's interview trail I met a former alumni from the program and informed that mid-way through they changed the courses from graded to P/F, which for her completely messed up the GPA boost she desperately needed. So same reason I decided not to apply.

With regards to your credit union, how did you about presenting to them the need for this loan and do you think once we were to matriculate to TUSOM as T1, we could take out 'extra' loans to pay back the ACLP loan you had outstanding as opposed to waiting for residency? To my understanding, once you in med school you can take out as much as your heart desires to account for your COL. I know there are ppl who are married with families and need extra $$$ for all that with no cap.

Lastly, i am curious if maybe we could just apply to Tulane as an undergraduate or graduate non-degree seeking student and sign up for a troll class JUST so we actually exists in the Registrar system...

 

[YCAGA]

This program is just for really rich kids (or kids with rich parents) who want to get into med school, same as every other program. Simple as that. I highly doubt any aid is available given the price is already so low and the number of applicants so high. It sucks that I'll be out 16k if I get in, but that's how it goes. I'm ok with that if it means getting into medical school. I think @memdoctobe nailed it when he said it's the rich kid's backdoor into medical school. Less affluent kids will need to take the front door.

@Shine-Dalgarno unfortunately all programs such as this one are not fair when it comes to socio-economic factors. That's just how life is structured. If you would be unable to afford the program, it is likely you will have to choose a program such as Georgetown's which qualifies for federal loans. That person they asked you to contact might help, who knows, but from looking into it, it looks like nobody in past threads has ever been able to get anything but private loans or familial help. I'm personally going to go with my Credit Union who thankfully offered me a loan with deferred payments for 4 years. I'll be drowning in residency with repayments, but at least I'll make it to residency. I'm equally annoyed, don't worry.

That is a big win that your credit loan gave you a private loan with 4 years of deferment. If anyone in the future can get an arrangement like that, this program is 100% worth it IMO.

To future applicants: I would be interested to hear what the acceptance rate was this year (2020 cycle) before applying...many programs like this have had amazing acceptance rates historically and then suddenly fall off a cliff for whatever reason.

 

[lvten]

That is a big win that your credit loan gave you a private loan with 4 years of deferment. If anyone in the future can get an arrangement like that, this program is 100% worth it IMO.

To future applicants: I would be interested to hear what the acceptance rate was this year (2020 cycle) before applying...many programs like this have had amazing acceptance rates historically and then suddenly fall off a cliff for whatever reason.

2018 and 2019 cycles saw 100% acceptance rates. In this years cohort, 20/21 were accepted. Fortunately this program still has a relatively high acceptance rate, though you do have the occasional outlier.

 

[fingolingo]

With regards to your credit union, how did you about presenting to them the need for this loan and do you think once we were to matriculate to TUSOM as T1, we could take out 'extra' loans to pay back the ACLP loan you had outstanding as opposed to waiting for residency? To my understanding, once you in med school you can take out as much as your heart desires to account for your COL. I know there are ppl who are married with families and need extra $$$ for all that with no cap.

Lastly, i am curious if maybe we could just apply to Tulane as an undergraduate or graduate non-degree seeking student and sign up for a troll class JUST so we actually exists in the Registrar system...

My Credit Union is a really small one that I've been banking with for close to ten years now. I really just went in and talked to the guy I almost always talk to and explained the situation as honestly and straightforwardly as I could. I basically just begged for a special consideration and they cut me a break. I'm not going to question it; the loan will still accrue interest whether or not I'm paying.

As for taking out "extra loans," the medical school will not allow you to borrow as much money as you want. You will be limited. It is likely every year you'll have a bit more in aid offered than you need, perhaps because you chose to live below your means, and that's the "extra" money for the year. But I strongly urge you not to count on just borrowing 16.5k more, the school will not allow you to do that and it's possible the "extra" money every year over four years will not add up to 16.5k (also, don't forget your total debt load will end up being around 25k from room and board, not just 16.5k).

Also, from doing my research, I suggest you should avoid taking random classes at Tulane. You'll just be wasting your money. Every single other program aside from the ACLP at Tulane is not worth doing given their outcomes are not good at all compared to similar programs out there. My personal list is ACLP > Temple > Boston >>>> Rosalind >>>>>>> Georgetown. You will be wasting your money and time doing their anatomy graduate program or taking random classes at Tulane.

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

My Credit Union is a really small one that I've been banking with for close to ten years now. I really just went in and talked to the guy I almost always talk to and explained the situation as honestly and straightforwardly as I could. I basically just begged for a special consideration and they cut me a break. I'm not going to question it; the loan will still accrue interest whether or not I'm paying.

As for taking out "extra loans," the medical school will not allow you to borrow as much money as you want. You will be limited. It is likely every year you'll have a bit more in aid offered than you need, perhaps because you chose to live below your means, and that's the "extra" money for the year. But I strongly urge you not to count on just borrowing 16.5k more, the school will not allow you to do that and it's possible the "extra" money every year over four years will not add up to 16.5k (also, don't forget your total debt load will end up being around 25k from room and board, not just 16.5k).

Also, from doing my research, I suggest you should avoid taking random classes at Tulane. You'll just be wasting your money. Every single other program aside from the ACLP at Tulane is not worth doing given their outcomes are not good at all compared to similar programs out there. My personal list is ACLP > Temple > Boston >>>> Rosalind >>>>>>> Georgetown. You will be wasting your money and time doing their anatomy graduate program or taking random classes at Tulane.

Yo thanks for much for these thorough response, honestly. I will try to set up meeting with my bank as well as former credit union to see if there is anything I can do ahead of time. My goal is to probably start applying for jobs now and see what I can line up that will allow me to take those 12 weeks off and/or start date immediately after Anatomy.

Thanks for the clarification on loans. I was always curious how this works. During med school FA sessions on interview day I feel a lot of schools give you basic rundown but not specific enough for each of us. For example, if we already carry undergrad and graduate (or post-bac/SMP) loans. I would assume the amount you are awarded is based on the school's COA (tuition + living + misc.), which varies from school to school. So if it varies then the Federal Government loans go off whatever info the schools them not what the Feds think they know. As an example, again, if TUSOM is predicted at $100k/year, while a state school is ~$60k/year, then there must be an additional $40k wiggle room in there that you could petition to the Feds that normally is there but only offered if you went to TUSOM. I hope that makes sense. But obviously the less we can borrow, the better.

LOL @ ">>>>>>>GEMS/Georgetown". I had two friends do the Temple one but ended up getting SOL because they did not clear the MCAT minimum to matriculate (507 actual vs. 509 required, I believe?). But yeah only "linkage" I'm considering is ACLP since I already have an M.S. I ain't trying to take out more loans unless its ACLP. Hopefully, I just get off WL and can start as regular MD student. Thanks for looking out!

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

Does anyone know how ACLP will be accepting 'official transcripts' if a school's registrar is closed?

 

[whatsthepoint]

can anyone tell me if a linked SMP like this one would benefit someone like myself, or if it's just a waste of money? I have a 3.68 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA and 507 MCAT. I had 4 interviews and 4 waitlists. I've been seeing that with a 3.6+ GPA an SMP isn't necessary, but this one seems very lucrative given its success rate into Tulane SOM and other med schools. thanks in advance!

 

[lvten]

can anyone tell me if a linked SMP like this one would benefit someone like myself, or if it's just a waste of money? I have a 3.68 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA and 507 MCAT. I had 4 interviews and 4 waitlists. I've been seeing that with a 3.6+ GPA an SMP isn't necessary, but this one seems very lucrative given its success rate into Tulane SOM and other med schools. thanks in advance!

I think this program would be beneficial for someone like you! My cohort's MCAT average was around 510 and I'm sure most of their GPAs were competitive for medical school admission. For reasons like you've mentioned, I choose not to do an SMP because my GPA was already high enough and I didn't want to waste money. I'd definitely do this program over an SMP if you can!

 

[whatsthepoint]

I think this program would be beneficial for someone like you! My cohort's MCAT average was around 510 and I'm sure most of their GPAs were competitive for medical school admission. For reasons like you've mentioned, I choose not to do an SMP because my GPA was already high enough and I didn't want to waste money. I'd definitely do this program over an SMP if you can!

thank you so much for the info! Do you have any idea what my chances are of getting accepted given my stats (above)?

 

[lvten]

thank you so much for the info! Do you have any idea what my chances are of getting accepted given my stats (above)?

I think you stand a good chance with a well-written letter of intent. I'll DM you my stats for context.

 

[YCAGA]

can anyone tell me if a linked SMP like this one would benefit someone like myself, or if it's just a waste of money? I have a 3.68 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA and 507 MCAT. I had 4 interviews and 4 waitlists. I've been seeing that with a 3.6+ GPA an SMP isn't necessary, but this one seems very lucrative given its success rate into Tulane SOM and other med schools. thanks in advance!

ACLP isn’t linked or an SMP.

This program seems like a good match for you though. An actual SMP does not seem like a good match (your GPA doesn’t need any repair and your MCAT is too low).

 

[fingolingo]

can anyone tell me if a linked SMP like this one would benefit someone like myself, or if it's just a waste of money? I have a 3.68 cGPA, 3.7 sGPA and 507 MCAT. I had 4 interviews and 4 waitlists. I've been seeing that with a 3.6+ GPA an SMP isn't necessary, but this one seems very lucrative given its success rate into Tulane SOM and other med schools. thanks in advance!

If you have a 507, I strongly urge you to either do this program or heavily focus on DO schools in your second application cycle. Your application is unfortunately not competitive (but it is not awful either) and you will have trouble gaining admission to an MD program unless other aspects of your application are very compelling. If I were you and I was accepted to this program, I would count my lucky stars and make off like a thief in the night. It's better than possibly years of uncertainty.

Also, like memdoctobe said, ACLP is definitely not an SMP or a direct linkage. It's just a program that has extremely good acceptance rates to the parent institution. To me, it sounds like it's effectively a linkage given you're paying and Tulane benefits (they get free TAs).

 

[lilsebastian0327]

Absolutely, anyone with questions feel free to PM me.

Hi Turam! I have a few questions as well, could I PM you?

 

[Turam]

Hi Turam! I have a few questions as well, could I PM you?

Of course

 

[McBloodbath]

Of course

Hi Turam! Could I also PM you?

 

[MDMVP15]

Hi @Turam . Thanks for posting - I just have a couple of questions!

1) Was it difficult to beat the anatomy average? Could you go into more detail on what the anatomy curriculum was like and how you studied/took time off for rest?

2) When did you find out your interview date? Since it’s not technically a guarantee, I just wanted to know how strong the linkage is, and if people do get rejected after they interviewed.

Thank you!

 

[lvten]

Hi @Turam . Thanks for posting - I just have a couple of questions!

1) Was it difficult to beat the anatomy average? Could you go into more detail on what the anatomy curriculum was like and how you studied/took time off for rest?

2) When did you find out your interview date? Since it’s not technically a guarantee, I just wanted to know how strong the linkage is, and if people do get rejected after they interviewed.

Thank you!

Not Turam, but another ACLP student with a lot of time on my hands and some advice to offer:

1. I felt like it wasn't too difficult to beat the anatomy average (86-87%), rather it was very time-consuming. I think what makes anatomy difficult is the sheer amount of information that you need to memorize each day in order to do well and not fall behind. Anatomy is a 10-week intensive course with 4 blocks (2-3 weeks each). Each block consists of 1-3 quizzes (10 points each) and one 50-point exam. You take the quizzes/tests individually first and then retake the same exam with your anatomy group, getting grades for both. Each day, there is lecture from 8-9 and lab from 9-12. On days where there are TBLs (quizzes), we would meet from 1-3ish. A lot of medical students don't attend lecture, but as an ACLP student I'd urge against doing this.

My daily schedule: I would do the Gray's Anatomy textbook reading for the next day (2-3 hrs), do the lab reading for the next day (1-2 hrs), go to lab to review structures with a small group (2-3 hrs), and other miscellaneous review (1-3 hrs). In addition, there is a review book with questions that goes with the anatomy textbook. I'd recommend doing every question a couple of times. Depending on the type of student you are and how you learn, you could get away with studying less, but for me, I knew I would need to put in more hours to have a more detailed understanding. In terms of free time, I didn't have much of it. I didn't want to have any regrets about not giving it my all and I knew that if I pushed through anatomy and did well, I could relax after. After anatomy, I had so much free time I didn't know what to do with it.

2. We were invited to interview on November 15 and our interview date was March 6. Out of 21 people in the cohort, 20 were offered interviews. All 20 showed up and all 20 received acceptances late March. To my understanding, over the last couple of years, everyone who has been invited to interview (and showed up) has been accepted.

 

[wintersnowmen]

Is it possible to matriculate into the program while applying ED to another medical school/would there be any repercussions in doing that? Tulane is a school that I would be more than happy to go to, but if I could get into my state school as my top choice then I'd rather do that but still continue on in the aclp program

 

[fingolingo]

Is it possible to matriculate into the program while applying ED to another medical school/would there be any repercussions in doing that? Tulane is a school that I would be more than happy to go to, but if I could get into my state school as my top choice then I'd rather do that but still continue on in the aclp program

Nope, no repercussions. Doing this program is the same as doing a masters in biotech at Tulane or any masters anywhere. It doesn't have any control over where you apply or how you apply. Doing ED with this program works out really well because, if you get bad news from your state school, you still have a ton of time to apply to Tulane with zero repercussions.

 

[YCAGA]

Is it possible to matriculate into the program while applying ED to another medical school/would there be any repercussions in doing that? Tulane is a school that I would be more than happy to go to, but if I could get into my state school as my top choice then I'd rather do that but still continue on in the aclp program

I could definitely see that plan rubbing Tulane the wrong way, especially because if you don't get into your state school, you might not know until October 1 (the ED decision notifcation deadline), which is obviously extremely late to apply to other schools, including Tulane. But, you are in your own pool of applicants as an ACLP applicant so maybe ask...? Get into the ACLP program first of course (if you haven't already).

 

[fingolingo]

I could definitely see that plan rubbing Tulane the wrong way, especially because if you don't get into your state school, you might not know until October 1 (the ED decision notifcation deadline), which is obviously extremely late to apply to other schools, including Tulane. But, you are in your own pool of applicants as an ACLP applicant so maybe ask...? Get into the ACLP program first of course (if you haven't already).

@wintersnowmen don't ask them anything and don't tell them anything. They are guaranteeing you nothing and you have no legal or ethical obligation to guarantee you'll only apply to Tulane or will have Tulane at the top of your list. If you don't get into your state school, Tulane will never know you first applied ED because AMCAS doesn't report that info. Also, by the time you hear back from your state school, you'll still have months to apply to Tulane (you can apply on the very last day of the AMCAS deadline to Tulane in this program and you get no extra points for applying sooner). It's better to play your cards close to the vest rather than imply you might not follow through with the program, even though you currently plan on finishing it up even if you get into your state school.

 

[YCAGA]

@wintersnowmen don't ask them anything and don't tell them anything. They are guaranteeing you nothing and you have no legal or ethical obligation to guarantee you'll only apply to Tulane or will have Tulane at the top of your list. If you don't get into your state school, Tulane will never know you first applied ED because AMCAS doesn't report that info. Also, by the time you hear back from your state school, you'll still have months to apply to Tulane (you can apply on the very last day of the AMCAS deadline to Tulane in this program and you get no extra points for applying sooner). It's better to play your cards close to the vest rather than imply you might not follow through with the program, even though you currently plan on finishing it up even if you get into your state school.

Yeah after thinking more about this, I couldn’t agree more. You don’t need to tell them anything that isn’t on AMCAS. Good luck!

 

[fingolingo]

Yeah after thinking more about this, I couldn’t agree more. You don’t need to tell them anything that isn’t on AMCAS. Good luck!

Are you thinking of doing the program this year? Reading through your comments, I'm sorry for how things shaped up last year :/. If this cycle doesn't work out, I really hope we're classmates in August!

 

[YCAGA]

Are you thinking of doing the program this year? Reading through your comments, I'm sorry for how things shaped up last year :/. If this cycle doesn't work out, I really hope we're classmates in August!

I ended up doing a special master’s program with $60k of good ol fashion loans from Uncle Sam and recently got accepted to my top choice MD school. I’ll be starting there this fall with my long-term girlfriend! it all worked out in the end

 

[fingolingo]

I ended up doing a special master’s program with $60k of good ol fashion loans from Uncle Sam and recently got accepted to my top choice MD school. I’ll be starting there this fall with my long-term girlfriend! it all worked out in the end

Whoa, congrats! Love the come up story. Hopefully you get to save some money if it's your state school, but in the end, who cares, you're going to be a doctor!

 

[wintersnowmen]

Do the LORs need to be specific to Tulane ACLP? Or can I just submit the letters that I used this past cycle/upcoming cycle

 

[lvten]

Do the LORs need to be specific to Tulane ACLP? Or can I just submit the letters that I used this past cycle/upcoming cycle

I just reused letters from the past cycle.

 

[Shine-Dalgarno]

I ended up doing a special master’s program with $60k of good ol fashion loans from Uncle Sam and recently got accepted to my top choice MD school. I’ll be starting there this fall with my long-term girlfriend! it all worked out in the end

CONGRATS MAN!!!!! SO HAPPY IT WORKED OUT FOR YOU!!

 

[YCAGA]

Hey guys, I am about to apply to the ACLP program and I was just wondering if anyone could offer any advice based on my details below:

- I have been in the Acceptance Range (aka waitlist) at TUSOM since November this cycle
- I am also on 2 other waitlists: University of Miami and University of Connecticut
- coming straight out of college
- 3.8 sGPA/ 3.75 GPA
- 518 MCAT

Obviously this cycle didn't go well at all and I'm pretty bummed out, but I would be extremely happy to do the ACLP program. Tulane is my dream school and want to do everything I can to get in. Considering that it is now May 17th, things aren't looking up for my 3 waitlists.

Does anyone have any advice on how I should approach writing the letter of intent and statement of purpose? I plan on submitting my application (i.e. sending the email with all the stuffffs) this coming week.

I really appreciate any advice and thank you everyone for having such a productive conversation in this thread, it is really informative .

I was accepted (I did not attend though) but I basically said in my letter of intent: “I think I have a well rounded application except for poor grades early on in college and I think I will excel in medical school if given the chance to prove it.”

Sorry to hear about your cycle, those stats are insanely good. ACLP would be a great way for you to just get that shot that you deserve. Honestly this process is such a crap shoot that bad luck can sink an app just as much as anything else.

 

[fingolingo]

@Lonarg Looks like you deleted your post. This program isn't for you but it's still a good option. It's for people with bad stats who believe their stats don't reflect their ability to succeed in medical school (e.g. hard majors, difficulty transitioning to college, who knows what else, etc.) which doesn't describe you. With a 3.8/518, you're better off reflecting on the factors that led to your waitlists and fixing them. If you do this program, you'll have the highest stats of anyone in the program and most people will say you could get in without the program (which isn't true for the vast majority of people who do this program).

If you want a guarantee (well, "guarantee") of getting into Tulane, have a spare 16k, and don't want to live a year where you don't know if you'll get in or not, this is a good option for you. If your issues are because you're not good at interviewing, applied too high, have no volunteering/shadowing, etc., you might be better off saving money and just fixing those things this next year. That being said, if 16k is nothing for you, definitely do this program AND fix the things that went wrong so you stand a good shot of getting into other schools while also having Tulane as a "guaranteed" fallback, especially since Tulane is your dream.

 

[TravelingMedicine]

Has anyone been able to contact the office? I had a few questions and been trying to get a hold of them via phone.
Can anyone else shed some light on these issues?

Do we know if classes (at least for fall) will be held in person or online due to the pandemic?
Do we pay tuition as a lump sum or pay in installments throughout the year like tuition for college?
Who do we address the statement of purpose/intent to?

 

[fingolingo]

People are probably not in the med school right now due to corona. I have been emailing [email protected] with my questions.

Has anyone been able to contact the office? I had a few questions and been trying to get a hold of them via phone.
Can anyone else shed some light on these issues?

Do we know if classes (at least for fall) will be held in person or online due to the pandemic?
Do we pay tuition as a lump sum or pay in installments throughout the year like tuition for college?
Who do we address the statement of purpose/intent to?

1. I'm also wondering what will happen with this program because of corona. Will we still have anatomy or will it get moved later or become online? Will we be doing nothing for several months and then take anatomy if it moves? I don't want to pay 16k only to do nothing for four months and then take anatomy. I have been calling the school to try and figure it out but all they told me is that people are probably going to be back on campus in the fall. I don't think Tulane knows what they are going to do and I don't think anyone else knows either.

2. Lump sum.

3. I am making mine out to "ACLP Committee" and formatting it like an actual letter.