ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Applicants must have obtained a baccalaureate or higher degree, prior to the start of the term for which the student is admitted, from an accredited U.S. college or university or from a recognized foreign institution.

An “accredited” institution is any postsecondary institution that is accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency – i.e., the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Northwest Association of Schools and of Colleges and Universities, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. A “recognized foreign institution” is an institution outside of the U.S. that is recognized by that country’s Ministry of Education or similar authority as a post-secondary, academic-degree-granting institution.

The Graduate School reserves the right to evaluate whether any specific degree earned by the applicant is academically “equivalent” to, or higher than, a baccalaureate degree. Applicants with degrees from foreign institutions are encouraged to have their record formally evaluated by a recognized independent agency, such as the World Education Service, and to submit that evaluation to the Graduate School. We reserve the right to require such an outside evaluation in individual cases, at the applicant’s expense.

An exception to the requirement of a previously completed baccalaureate degree may be made for students undertaking the beginning of graduate study under a formal or ad hoc articulation agreement with the applicant’s undergraduate institution. In general, no graduate degree will be granted, and the Graduate School’s offer of admission will be revoked, if the student fails to complete the undergraduate degree within the time allowed by the articulation agreement.

Students must submit official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended.

Transcripts must be sent directly to the Graduate School from the issuing college or university in sealed envelopes, must bear the official seal or stamp of the university, and must indicate the date and name of any degree(s) awarded. Official, but non-final, transcripts are acceptable during the application process, if the applicant is still enrolled in the undergraduate or graduate institution. A final transcript showing the degree awarded must, however, be submitted to the Graduate School before the student’s initial enrollment. Failure to submit such a final transcript may prevent the student’s enrollment. If the student is allowed to enroll on a conditional basis pending the receipt of the required document(s), he or she would not be eligible for financial aid, student housing, or other services provided only to fully matriculated students.

Transcripts must be submitted from all post-secondary schools attended, even if the applicant was not a matriculated student there or even if only a single course was taken.

Each transcript should be accompanied by an explanation of the credit hour and grading system. This is particularly true for foreign institutions or if a grading system other than the traditional American 4-point system (4.0) is used. Applicants should ask their Registrars to provide such an explanation if it is not already included on the official transcript.

In the event that official transcripts cannot be provided by the applicant’s previously attended institutions – such as because of political prohibitions, or the destruction of the institution’s records – the applicant should submit an official letter from an official of the institution or the country’s Ministry of Education that explains the situation. In these extreme cases, the Graduate School may allow the submission of authenticated copies of the required documents.

Students must submit valid test scores in order to be considered for admission into a degree program in the Graduate  School.

Applicants for any of the Ph.D. programs must submit scores for the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Applicants may submit GRE Subject Test scores in Chemistry, Biology, or Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology, but Subject Test scores are not required.

Applicants for any of the Master’s programs must submit scores for either the GRE General Test or the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). If available, both scores may be submitted, but only one of the tests is required. Applicants may also submit GRE Subject Test scores, if available, but these are not required.

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A foreign applicant who has earned an undergraduate or previous graduate degree from an institution in which English is the official language of instruction may request, in writing, that the TOEFL requirement be waived. The Graduate School reserves the right to honor or deny the request.

All test scores must be reported by the testing agency directly to the Graduate School. If such scores cannot be reported because the testing agency’s time limit has expired, the applicant will need to re-take the appropriate test.

In the event that an applicant cannot take the required test without undue hardship because it is geographically or politically unavailable, the applicant may request, in writing, that the requirement be deferred until his or her arrival at NYMC. If the Graduate School grants the request, the applicant may be offered conditional admission. Failure to complete the missing test and obtain acceptable scores before the end of the first semester of study will result is the revocation of the offer of admission. Foreign applicants should note, however, that it is in general very difficult to obtain an entrance visa based on a conditional admission. Therefore, every reasonable effort should be made to take the required tests in a timely fashion.

There is no pre-set minimum standard for these test scores that would determine an applicant’s eligibility for admission. However, GRE or MCAT test scores below the US national mean, or TOEFL scores that suggest significant difficulty in understanding or communicating in English will hurt an applicant’s chances for acceptance.

Each application must be supported by two letters of recommendation from professors or other professionals with knowledge of the applicant.

The letters must be dated, signed, and written on the letterhead of the writer’s institution. These letters must be sent directly by the writers to the Graduate School Admissions Office in sealed envelopes.

The letters should address the applicant’s fitness and readiness for graduate study. This may involve the applicant’s academic abilities, creativity, intellectual curiosity, stability, integrity, and motivation, as well as other factors. The writer of each letter of recommendation should comment on as many of these factors as he or she may have knowledge of.

The applicant must submit a complete application, including a personal statement that explains the applicant’s motivation and purpose in undertaking graduate study.

The applicant must complete all sections of the application. The application must be signed in ink and dated. It is expected that the applicant will reply truthfully to all information requested on the application. Any false statements or withholding of information that is requested may result in the College revoking any offer of admission or in the student’s dismissal from the Graduate School.

In the personal statement, the applicant should explain why he or she is seeking to undertake graduate study, and why he or she wishes to do so at New York Medical College. This explanation should include both short-term and long-term (i.e., career) objectives.

The application should be accompanied by the appropriate application fee, which is currently $35 for US applicants, or $60 for international applicants.

An application is considered “complete” when the Admissions Office has received the application and personal statement, the financial affidavit (required for international students only), and all supporting documentation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transcripts, test scores, and letters of recommendation are submitted to the Graduate School by the appropriate institutions or individuals.