About the Accelerated Application Program at Rutgers
Eliminate your "glide year" through the AAP
The Accelerated Application Program (AAP) is designed to provide our highest performing students with an opportunity to submit an application to RWJMS in the spring semester to be considered for entry into RWJMS for the fall class.
The advantages of this special program are that selected students receive an interview with RWJMS and, if accepted to the medical school, the "glide" year is eliminated. The admissions process is competitive.
Even if the student is selected for an interview, there are no guarantees for admission. We encourage students, who are selected for AAP interviews, to continue to improve their application package. This may include retaking the MCAT as appropriate. If you are selected to apply for the AAP, then you should seek advice from the medical school admissions office early in the spring semester to discuss your application and address any potential weaknesses.
Qualifications for AAP
The SGS at RWJMS MBS program leadership will determine which students in the program qualify for AAP per the requirements below:
- Students must be full-time MBS students and planning to complete all degree requirements in the spring semester of the current academic year.
- Students must have achieved an overall undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 and a graduate GPA of 3.6 in the core courses. This excludes electives and the Capstone Project for the fall semester if at least 14 credits are completed in the SGS at RWJMS MS/MBS program.
- Students must have completed all RWJMS prerequisites to be considered for admission. Robert Wood Johnson Medical School prerequisites include two semesters of biology with lab, 2 semesters of general chemistry with lab, 2 semesters of organic chemistry with lab, two semesters of physics with lab, and one semester of mathematics.
- Students need an MCAT score prior to being considered for AAP and if appropriate, students are encouraged to retake their MCAT in the spring to improve their competitiveness.
- A committee from SGS at RWJMS will evaluate the portfolios of the students who satisfy the above criteria and request a letter of evaluation from the Capstone mentor of the student.
- Candidates will then be recommended to the RWJMS Admissions Office. The RWJMS Admissions Office will approve the submission of a full AMCAS application.
- Qualifications and recommendations for AAP consideration do not guarantee an interview at RWJMS.
- RWJMS will review the AMCAS applications of students recommended for the AAP and determine who will be invited for an interview.
The AAP Process
Only the selected students will be invited to begin the AAP process in the spring semester. Students will contact the Admissions Office at RWJMS to gain permission to apply to AMCAS as a special program applicant. Students will be required to file an AMCAS application that includes a Premedical Committee Letter from the SGS at RWJMS MBS program and accompanied by individual letters of recommendation.
Applications must be complete by the due date specified by RWJMS and will be reviewed at the medical school. Selected students will be invited for an interview at RWJMS. Offers of acceptance will be made in late June or early July after the interview, after the receipt of final grades, and any MCAT scores reported by the student.
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School reserves the privilege of rejecting the application of any candidate, including those participating in the accelerated application program. Please note there are typically limited numbers of spaces that remain available in the RWJMS class for the fall at the time of AAP interviews.
One Application Per Year
Students who apply to RWJMS during the regular cycle for matriculation at RWJMS in the fall semester will NOT be eligible for the Accelerated Application Program; only one application to RWJMS is permitted per year as per AMCAS. In addition, students who apply to other medical schools during the regular fall application cycle will not be able to update information in their AMCAS applications.