Colleges ink medical school admissions guarantee

Colleges pen agreement for Guaranteed Medical School Program

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Representatives of SUNY Upstate Medical University, Siena College, SUNY Cobleskill and Cornell University have collaborated on an agreement that guarantees qualified students placement at SUNY Upstate following their freshman year of college, without having to take the Medical College Admissions Tests (MCATS).

Students who have achieved a high school average of 90 or above and combined minimum scores of either 1200 on the SAT or 27 on the ACT may apply to the program following their freshman year at SUNY Cobleskill. Qualified students must also have achieved a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in a science-specific curriculum to apply. Applicants are then reviewed and interviewed by the SUNY Upstate admissions committee. Following a second successful year at SUNY Cobleskill, students accepted to the program will then transfer to either Siena College or Cornell University. They are guaranteed admission to SUNY Upstate upon completion of their bachelor's degrees, as long as they maintain a 3.5 GPA overall as well as in their science courses.

"Our intention is to find exceptional students who are likely to return and practice medicine in our underserved rural communities," said E. Gregory Keating, Ph.D, dean for student affairs at SUNY Upstate.

Director of Career Development Services at SUNY Cobleskill Anita Wright added, "This program saves potential medical students thousands of dollars by eliminating the need to apply to a number of medical schools."

For more information, contact the Admissions Office at SUNY Upstate Medical University at 315-464-4570 or SUNY Cobleskill Division of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 518-255-5413.