@gallentjill Yes, I think the resources and opportunities available to the kids in the BS/MD program will be different. I am not sure what they will do about classes, either. This is a question that I would ask the school directly. A school can definitely segregate the 4+4 students (or honor students) if they want to, either by guiding them to specific class sections or by outright labeling classes for BS/MD students. ( In my own D’s experience at NYU, I know that there were different sections of the same classes for studio art majors and music majors that were taught by full time faculty. Other non-majors and minors could sign up for the same class, but could not take the sections with art or music majors. Those classes had adjunct professors.)
BS/MD students need to maintain a certain (high) GPA in order to stay in the program and they need to get a certain GMAT score as well. So it is not quite an automatic admit. The med school has graduated 4 classes I believe (or will soon). It is climbing the ranks for med schools. I am certain that they are admitting students from highly ranked undergraduate schools and Hofstra certainly need the students who went to the BS/MD program to be well prepared for med school and to be able to hold their own against those from more highly ranked undergrad institutions.
I have no doubt that Hofstra can draw excellent professors for its classes for both undergrad and graduate programs. The school is located near an expensive suburban area and the Northwell hospitals are considered comparable to hospitals in the city.
But in general, schools see about half their incoming students in “pre-med” majors switch out. I would ask about that number at Hofstra for its regular students and then for its 4+4 students.
I would also look at the overall retention rate for Hofstra as a whole.
In no way would I encourage you to talk your D out of pre-med. But if your reason for going to Hofstra has to do with getting a lot of merit aid, I would just be aware that going to a school like Hofstra (outside of the BS/MD track ) might put her in a position of not getting the resources she needs or the encouragement and academic stimulation that might help her grow. And if she is going there because the lack of competition makes her feel comfortable, then she may not be prepared to challenge herself later (which med school–and working as a doctor–will require.)
You say that you want to give your D her best shot (at going to med school). Going to Hofstra might give her the best shot of going to school without debt due to merit aid, but it might not provide her the best shot for getting into med school or preparing for alternative careers.
As you know, I say this about Hofstra from personal experience. Our home is about 25 minutes away. I know many students who attended the school. I took over 24 credits there in grad school.