Just want to give my 2 cents and few things to consider in retrospect for incoming students of 2028. This is mainly for students who haven’t excelled academically in the past. If you’ve always done well, you can ignore this:
26 students remediated (about 20% of the class) last year after a 2% overall curve and 3 didn’t pass remediation, but also those who re enter with the new class the following year will be in probation not only for fall, but for spring as well (aka if you fail anything you’re dismissed). You pay for remediation the following spring (32k I think) and for the cost of attendance the following repeat year, but the courses you’re repeating with the next years class are 50% of the original tuition. Most students take out 90-100k in loans for a year for tuition and living expenses.
For this class of 2027, I’m not sure what the curve will be like if there is one, but I know many in danger of not passing and having to remediate. So the number of 26 seems like it’s going to be repeated at the very least this year. Talking with the students who are repeating the year currently I can tell you it’s a stressful process and a long one. Forget about the money aspect or how it will affect your loans for the 5th yr, being in limbo for almost a year and a half after the first semester is rough. Most schools allow you to repeat a course the following semester or in the summer, but the way the curriculum is set up doesn’t allow for that. Also the claim is that it improves pass rates for step 1.
All in all the faculty are good and supportive if you reach out for help, but obviously the onus is on you to do what needs to be done to succeed and that’s how it is at any school. Just know the first semester is a learning curve for many especially if you havent been one of those high gpa or mcat individuals. Anyone can pass even if you come in with a low gpa or mcat, but if you have other similar American DO options, I would highly consider those options in order to save yourself the headache of having to potentially be held back a full year and everything else I mentioned that comes with it. Again this is my opinion and of some I know, but I want to be clear I’m not speaking for all.
