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Seven-Year Medical Program

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and Rutgers’ New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) has a formal articulation agreement allowing incoming freshman applicants to be accepted to both the medical school and TCNJ and to earn both the baccalaureate/BS degree from TCNJ and the MD degree from NJMS in seven years.

Students enrolled in this program spend three years at TCNJ in an approved major (Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English, Philosophy, Physics, Economics, Biomedical Engineering, Math, Spanish, or History), and four at NJMS. Engineering majors require earned college credit (by qualifying AP test scores or completing college courses) in General Physics I and II, and Calculus I and II. 

Upon completing the first year of medical school, the student is granted the BS or BA degree in the chosen undergraduate major from TCNJ. The MD degree is earned at the end of four years at NJMS.

What makes TCNJ’s 7-Year BS/MD program unique?

  • Select from a variety of majors
  • Complete minors or double majors in secondary fields of interest
  • Study abroad for one full semester while staying within program requirements
  • Invitation to join TCNJ-AZ, our 7-year medical society
  • Engage in research during the semester and during the summer (not required) in any field you want
  • There is no summer coursework required
  • Benefit from all the resources that TCNJ has to offer, and learn in an environment with small class sizes, diverse course offerings, engaged students, and committed faculty

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Important Dates

Application Deadlines Date
Application Deadline November 1
Application Completion Deadline (all materials) December 1
Supplemental Application Deadline December 7*

*Completed within two weeks of receipt or Dec 7, whichever comes first

Interviews Details
TCNJ Interview Candidates with strong supplemental applications will be offered a TCNJ interview from mid-December through the 3rd week of February.
NJMS Interview NJMS conducts final interviews for the top candidates on a rolling basis through the 3rd week of March at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

LINK TO 7-YR BS / MD SLIDE PRESENTATION  (Oct 2023)

 

FAQs

What is the TCNJ/New Jersey Medical School (NJMS) 7-Year Combined BS/MD Program?

It is a joint undergraduate-medical degree program in which a student spends three years at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in an approved major, and four additional years at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (NJMS). Approved undergraduate majors currently include biology, biomedical engineering, chemistry, computer science, economics, mathematics, English, history, philosophy, physics, and Spanish. Upon completing the first year of medical school (year four), the student is granted the BS or BA degree in the chosen undergraduate major from TCNJ. The MD degree is awarded after the successful completion of the program in the seventh year by NJMS.

What is the process for applying to the College’s seven-year medical program?

Students should apply to The College of New Jersey’s Seven-Year Medical program utilizing the Common Application (usually available by late July) available at admissions.tcnj.edu and indicate as their first choice the Seven-Year Program in the preferred major area of study (i.e., Biology, Biomedical Engineering, Math, English, etc.). Additionally, the student may want to indicate regular admittance to a four-year program of study at TCNJ as a second choice, should the student not be selected for the Seven-Year program.

School Status upon admissions: Applicant must be a high school senior. It is not possible to transfer into this program from other colleges or other 3 or 4-year programs within The College of New Jersey. If you meet the eligibility criteria, you will be eligible to be interviewed for the Seven-Year program. The first interview (via Zoom) is with a Medical Career Advisor at TCNJ. 

Assuming this interview is favorable, you will be considered for a later interview with a New Jersey Medical School Admissions representative in Newark, New Jersey. This interview must be done in person, regardless of home location. New Jersey Medical School makes the final admission determination. There is no early decision process for the Seven-Year Medical program. There is, however, an early decision process for the college (please contact admissions for that application deadline).

Admittance to Program: The admission process is not finalized until the first week in April. Dr. Nayak, the Seven-Year Program Director at TCNJ, will notify the accepted students once the list has been received from NJMS. PLEASE NOTE: There is no waitlist or alternate list, nor are there subsequent rounds of admission to this program.

Please attempt to submit your application when all standardized test scores have been taken. Your application must be postmarked by the November 1 deadline. State of residence has NO bearing on your admission to the Seven-Year program. You must, however, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident by the time you enter medical school. Again, please note that 7-year BS MD applicants are excluded from early decision options at TCNJ.

What are the MINIMUM academic eligibility requirements to apply for admission to the TCNJ 7-Year Medical Program?

The following are the MINIMUM academic eligibility requirements to apply:

  • Standardized Test Scores: Students must have a minimum SAT score of 1400 (Evidence-Based Reading and Math sections only) from ONE TEST DATE. No exceptions will be made. (The test may be taken more than once, but the combined score must be from one sitting.) Alternatively, a 34 or higher composite ACT score AND rank in the top 10% of their high school class may substitute for the SAT. However, if the SAT is taken, this score will also be considered.
  • High School academic achievements: Applicants must be in the top 5% of their class, and have an approximately 3.8 (or higher) /4.0 cumulative, unweighted GPA. You should have participated in school, community, or other activities demonstrating service and leadership. You should also have had good exposure to medicine and/or healthcare. While IB and AP tests are optional, they are strongly encouraged.

What is the deadline for applying to this program?

The Application Deadline is November 1st. The Application Completion Deadline (all materials must be received by) is December 1st.

Is there a Supplemental Application involved?

Yes, a supplemental application link will be sent to qualified candidates and must be completed within two weeks of receipt, or by December 7th (whichever comes first). Those candidates with strong supplemental applications will be offered a TCNJ interview from mid-December through the 3rd week of February. NJMS conducts final interviews for the top candidates on a rolling basis through the 3rd week of March at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

Do AP credit and previous college coursework count toward completing undergraduate requirements at TCNJ?

Yes, but with certain qualifications: The AP credit and college course(s) must be deemed equivalent to courses required by the college or major; the credit equivalency is applied to introductory, entry-level courses only (except for Foundations of Biological Inquiry), which cannot be exempted by AP credit); and at least eight classes of approved science coursework are completed at TCNJ.

During the 3-year undergraduate program at TCNJ, is the credit load per semester greater than in a normal 4-year undergraduate program?  Are summer courses required?

No, the semester load is the same as that of other full-time TCNJ students. For Biology majors, the only course taken earlier than normal is Biology Seminar, a 4-credit journal-based course usually populated by seniors. No summer classes are needed as long as the curriculum is followed.

Is there an admissions quota, and how many Seven-Year students are currently enrolled at TCNJ?

Usually, about 20 freshmen enroll in the Seven-Year Medical program at TCNJ. There is currently a cohort of about 60 students enrolled in the three-year program at TCNJ who will continue to NJMS.

What is the retention criterion for the 7-Year program?

To remain in the program, students must:

  • Complete the three-year undergraduate curriculum at TCNJ in an approved major, and earn a 3.5 (B+) cumulative and science average GPA EACH semester;
  • Earn no grades below A- in any introductory biology or chemistry science course required by NJMS (BIO 201, CHE 201, CHE 202), taken at TCNJ or at another institution;
  • Earn no grade below a B- in any course taken at TCNJ or another institution;
  • Take the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) no later than the SPRING of the third (and last) year at TCNJ. There is no minimum score required; and
  • If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must obtain U.S. citizenship or permanent resident status by the time you ENTER NJMS.

What is a typical numeric breakdown of the high school senior applicant pool for the Seven-Year Medical program at TCNJ?

Applicant Pool Number
Students who apply 400
Students academically eligible to interview 200
Students who receive an interview at TCNJ 100
Students who receive an interview at NJMS 80
Students who are accepted into the Seven-Year Program 40
Students who enter the program Fall semester 20

What financial aid is available at TCNJ?

Financial Aid and Scholarship monies are awarded through the Admissions Office and the Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Please contact these departments for further information.

Who makes the final admissions decision for acceptance into the Seven-Year Medical Program?

The Rutgers NJMS Admissions Committee makes the final decision, based on the student’s Common Application and attachments, and evaluation of both interviews.

What are the housing opportunities at The College of New Jersey for Seven-Year students?

All students admitted to the Seven-Year program are guaranteed on-campus housing during their three years at TCNJ. 

If I am not accepted to the TCNJ Seven-Year Program, what is the fate of my application?

TCNJ Admissions still process your college application if you have indicated a second-choice major on the Common Application. You will be considered for admittance to the major of your choice, financial aid, and all other offerings. Please note that the average freshman accepted to The College of New Jersey is in the top 7% of their graduating class and has an average SAT score of about 1300 in critical reading and math.

Is this program the only pathway to medical school from The College of New Jersey?

No, it is not! For over 30 years our graduating seniors have been admitted to a wide variety of US medical schools. The vast majority of our pre-meds are NOT in the Seven-Year program. Over the last five years, about 65% or more of traditional medical school applicants from TCNJ have entered one or more US medical schools. (i.e., Case Western, Duke, Dartmouth, Drexel, University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins, Jefferson, University of Virginia, University of Maryland, University of Alabama, Tulane, Mt. Sinai, Einstein, NY Medical College, SUNY-Syracuse, Temple, NYU, Pennsylvania State-Hershey, Columbia, Washington University and of course, New Jersey Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School).

Our mission is not only to prepare the pre-med for success in the application process but, more importantly, to prepare our students for success in medical school and beyond.

How can I tour The College of New Jersey including the Biology Department and dormitories?

Please see the Visit TCNJ page for tours and other opportunities to become familiar with our campus.

If I am accepted to the Seven-Year Medical program at TCNJ/NJMS, must I attend NJMS (in Newark, New Jersey)?

You are free to withdraw from the Seven-Year program at any time during your three years at the College of New Jersey. The medical school, of course, will then withdraw its guarantee. During your fourth year at TCNJ, you may apply to any medical school you wish. Your medical school acceptance will be based on the regular criteria: cumulative GPA, MCAT scores, letters of recommendation, medical school interviews, and experience.

Our Medical Careers Advisory Committee (MCAC) consists of faculty members who offer personalized advisement on all aspects of pre-medical preparation. The MCAC also hosts an informative advising website, mcac.tcnj.edu. Our local chapter of AMSA (American Medical Student Association) also offers valuable resources for the pre-medical student. The AMSA chapter sponsors presentations by health career students and practitioners, leads tours of area health professional schools, engages in charity fund-raising, and offers peer and faculty advisement on all phases of pre-medical preparation.

Note: Students formerly in the Seven-year program with good MCAT scores and grades have successfully applied to other medical schools during their junior year (i.e., Temple, Robert Wood Johnson, University of Texas-San Antonio, SUNY Syracuse, Washington University, and Duke University). Seven-year students must officially declare their intention to matriculate at NJMS or to withdraw from the Seven-Year Program before December of their Junior year.

What are the pertinent phone numbers and email addresses for questions about the program?

Admissions Office: 609.771.2131 or zahorsky@tcnj.edu

Financial Aid Office: 609.771.2211 or osfa@tcnj.edu

Student Housing Office: 609.771.2301 or housing@tcnj.edu

Program Director: Dr. Sudhir Nayak, nayak@tcnj.edu

7-Year BS/MD Program Office: 7year@tcnj.edu

*December through February is our busiest time. Returning e-mail messages can take a week or more during this period.

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