Merits of Brooklyn College BA/MD?

[ivybound1010]

<p>I have been thinking a lot recently and honestly why would one go to this program? I have been accepted and am thinking about going but I am starting to doubt myself. </p>

<p>The program requires you to maintain a 3.5 gpa and get at least a 27 on the MCAT (9 on each section) in order to go on to SUNY Downstate. If I do not maintain the average or get the MCAT, I am removed from the program.
My other option is Cornell University. If I wanted to get into medical school from Cornell I would need to maintain at least a 3.5 and get at least a 27 and I could probably expect to get into a medical school of similar caliber to SUNY Downstate. </p>

<p>Then why wouldn't I just go to Cornell, get a better education, better experience, and also have a better shot at a much better medical school? I must really be missing something because getting accepted to the Brooklyn BA MD program is really big and I am consistenly told I should not give up a guaranteed admission to medical school. But I don't know. Please help me shed some insight onto the whole deal.</p>

[Karnage]

<p>you got accepted???! I got waitlisted man i wish I were acepted since 17 ppl are accepted :(</p>

[thefamilydoctor]

<p>Ivybound, if you think that Cornell is going to be a more fulfilling experince, go for it. You will undoubtedly be accepted to a med school from Cornell with decent stats, and perhaps even some stronger ones than Downstate. Not that Brooklyn BA/MD is a poor choice in any way, but Cornell will def enable you to reach your fullest potential! Just my 2 cents.</p>

[sar]

<p>It's not that I have any personal experience with this, but I have been told that if your goal is just to practice medicine, it doesn't matter what schools you attend.</p>

<p>I don't know... I'm in a BS/MD program, and it seems to be a lot less stressful than what my peers are going through at other colleges. I can focus on what I am learning instead of worrying about my grades (too much) or how other people are doing.</p>

<p>You might be able to enrich your own experience at Brooklyn BA/MD.</p>

<p>I'm not sure if it's still like this, but last I heard, Brooklyn BA/MD allows you to apply to other med schools too if you are willing to take the risk of giving up your guaranteed spot at Downstate. If you also got into the Honors Program, I think you'd def. have a shot at other med schools.</p>

<p>Some people might also consider cost...</p>

[brooklynmed11230]

<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I'm actually in the brooklyn program (3rd year). I completely understand where you're coming from. I was accepted into the program off of the wait-list, so I was already set on going to NYU. There was a huge debate in my house over whether or not I should go to the program. I really wanted the college experience, and Brooklyn doesn't have dorms. But at the same time, I'd have the assurance of getting into a med school. After my first semester, I was still unsure as to whether I made the right decision, partly because I had a lot of expectations/dellusions about college.</p>

<p>Now, my opinions have completely changed. The social experience you get from college has everything to do with the effort you make. At Brooklyn, you have to work a little harder to get large groups of people to do stuff (go out etc). But I think the overall social experience is a lot better than other colleges since you enter into a program that has a good number of people who are quality friends and who you'll be with for a while, as opposed to have a different set of friends each year as your housing arrangement changes.</p>

<p>Most importantly though, you can REALLY enjoy your college experience without having to stress about getting into med school. The key thing about med programs is that your mentality completely changes. When you're a pre-med student at universities like NYU or Cornell, you have to constantly fight for a spot as a big fish in a HUGE sea so that you can get into a good med school. When you take a class, you're not just taking it to learn/pass with a decent grade. You're competing for the top grade, the praise of your profs, etc. For the program, when you take your MCATs, which I'm doing in two days, you just have to worry about keeping your spot, getting straight 9's. A 27 is less than avg for the MCAT. (Note that I'm at some random website responding to a post by a person I don't know two days before my MCAT.) A 3.5 gpa and a 27 on the mcat at Cornell won't guarrantee you anything. You need a really good resume, application essay, interviewing skills, etc.</p>

<p>Basically, it comes down to how you want to spend your college years. If you don't mind the extra (and unnecessary) stress, and if name is really important, go for it. Go to Cornell. But if you want to really enjoy college without stress and if you Downstate is good enough for you, stick with the program. I'm not trying to pursuade you either into going to the program. The fact is, it's really up to what you want out of college.</p>

<p>Anyway, back to studying.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

[sar]

<p>kudos, brooklynmed11230. :-)</p>

[sphybrid]

<p>Only 17 people were accepted? Does anyone know if someone declines his/her offer, does a person definately get off the waitlist?</p>

[brooklynmed11230]

<p>After the initial group of students respond with their decisions, if there aren't 17 spots filled, our director accepts a few more students until the class has 17 students who are definitely coming. There are students that come off of the waitlist. Every year the number of kids taken off the waitlist varies. Good luck.</p>

[Karnage]

<p>Dr Miyano jsut told me that he's gonna give me a formal offer...what does that mean? he told me i was next ont he waitlist, so does that mean hes offering me a position?</p>

[AllieP]

<p>Im on the waiting list for brooklyn b.a./m.d. too. Its my first chioce college, so I wish I would get in, but it would take a miracle to get me off the waiting list. : (. And whats a formal offer?</p>

[mdh625]

<p>to does who got accepted can u please share yur stats?! </p>

<p>im a junior, hispanic female, w/ a gpa of 99.3 wishing to apply to the program!
any advice on what i shuld do to increase my chances?</p>

[david11230]

<p>Hi! im planning on applying to the brooklyn collage Ba/Md program and i was wondering if you could give me some advice! like what should i do this summer and what should my stats be. Thank you so much!!!
David
secretmurderer94@**********</p>

[circlesquare12]

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