Hofstra Admission

4+4 Program: BS-BA/MD

If you've decided to become a physician, you've already made one of the most important choices of your life. Where you attend medical school will make a difference in your future as well. At the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, you enter an interactive and exciting educational environment designed to attract individuals interested in a creative approach to advanced learning. Our innovative, case-based curriculum, which weaves science and clinical medicine tightly together and stresses putting knowledge into action, will prepare you well for the practice of medicine in the 21st century.

Entry to this program is highly selective, and only those who demonstrate superior high school achievement and academic aptitude, and who apply to Hofstra as first-time, full-time freshmen will be considered. International students are not eligible for this program.

Applicants are expected to:

Have a minimum 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Rank in the top 10 percent of their graduating class (if applicable).
Demonstrate a minimum of 1410 (Evidence-Based Reading and Writing + Math) on the SAT or a 32 on the ACT.
Complete the CASPer®/Altus exam by mid-January. For more information and to research your testing date, visit acuityinsights.app.

The CASPer™/Altus exam is required for all applicants. CASPer™/Altus, a 90-minute online situational judgment test, serves to further enhance our holistic application review process by assessing noncognitive skills and identifying personal attributes. For more information and to research your testing date, visit acuityinsights.app (the last testing date for Hofstra is early January).

Students interested in the program must first be admitted to Hofstra University, and must apply during one of our two Early Action deadlines: November 15 or December 15. When filling out either the Hofstra application or Common Application, please be certain to indicate your interest in the program in the section of the application entitled "Special Dual-Degree Program" on the Hofstra application or “Dual-Degree Program Options” on the Common Application (please note that this field will not appear unless you opt in to having your SAT/ACT scores considered). In January, the Hofstra 4+4 Program: BS-BA/MD Application Supplement will be available in the my.hofstra.edu portal for admitted students who have demonstrated the academic qualifications to be eligible for the program and students must submit their completed 4+4 Supplemental Application by January 15.

All supplemental application materials for the program must be received in the Office of Undergraduate Admission by January 15.

Admission to the program is very competitive. Selected finalists will be invited to interview with the medical school committee. In order to be a strong candidate, we recommend that you take four years of math (with calculus), four years of English, and three years of science (including chemistry and physics).

A committee made up of representatives from the Zucker School of Medicine will review the records of applicants to the BS-BA/MD Program and will select students to interview on the following dates:

Wednesday February 26th, 2025
Friday February 28th, 2025
Monday March 3rd, 2025
Wednesday March 5th, 2025

As a dual-degree candidate, students have multiple undergraduate majors to choose from, all of which will satisfy the School of Medicine prerequisite course requirements. BS-BA/MD Dual Degree Program students will have highly skilled advisement specialists to help determine the best choice of major for their interests and aspirations. Dual-degree candidates will also participate in the Stuart and Nancy Rabinowitz Honors College, pursue a minor in a secondary area of study, study abroad, or any combination of the three.

Matriculation in the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell occurs upon completion of the student’s undergraduate degree provided that the student maintains a minimum 3.6 overall GPA as well as a minimum 3.6 science GPA at the end of the first academic year at Hofstra University and every academic year thereafter, and satisfies the pre-medical requirements with a high-level of professional behavior, without repeating a course, and with no grade lower than a B in any science course, and no grade less than a C in a non-science course. The pre-medical course requirements for BS-BA/MD students correspond to the recommended coursework for applicants to the MD program in the same academic year as the year accepted BS-BA/MD students matriculate as undergraduate students at Hofstra University. A minimum Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score equivalent to the 80th percentile at the first sitting must be achieved and submitted by January of the medical school application cycle.

For more information, please contact Hofstra's Office of Undergraduate Admission at BSMD@hofstra.edu or 516-463-6700 for more information about this or any of Hofstra's other dual-degree programs.

FAQ

Q: Can I apply test-optional for the BS-BA/MD program at Hofstra?: A: At this time, test scores are required for admission into our BS-BA/MD program. All test scores must be received by your application deadline of choice, November 15 or December 15.
Q: Do I have to apply Early Action to be considered for the BS-BA/MD program?: A: Yes. All BS-BA/MD applicants must specify that they are applying for our Early Action deadline on their application, November 15 or December 15. As a reminder, Early Action at Hofstra is nonbinding.
Q: Do I need to submit additional letters of recommendation that are specific to the medical field?: A: No. Applicants are only required to submit the general two to three required letters of recommendation with their complete Hofstra application. There are no additional required letters of recommendation for the BS-BA/MD supplemental application specifically.
Q: When will I receive the BS-BA/MD supplemental application?: A: BS-BA/MD supplemental applications are sent via email to qualified applicants around the beginning of January. Please note that you must apply Early Action and meet all of the minimum academic requirements to receive a supplemental application.
Q: Can international students apply for the BS-BA/MD program?: A: All applicants for Hofstra’s direct-entry BS-BA/MD program must be either U.S. citizens or permanent residents at the time of application submission. This being said, we have many incredible undergraduate pre-medical programs here at Hofstra for international applicants. Learn more about our undergraduate majors at hofstra.edu/majors.
Q: What is the difference between the CASPer and Altus exam?: A: The CASPer exam has been renamed the Altus exam, but it is the exact same thing! Learn more and get registered at www.TakeAltus.com.
Q: When is the last available CASPer/Altus exam date, and do I need to submit the CASPer/Altus Snapshot?: A: This year, the last CASPer/Altus testing date for BS-BA/MD applicants is January 17th, 2023. We do not require the CASPer/Altus Snapshot. We strongly recommend registering for the CASPer/Altus exam prior to the last available date, as the exam is taken online and sometimes unexpected technical difficulties can occur. We are not able to accept any late testing results, and no exceptions are made for students who do not take the CASPer/Altus exam by January 17th, 2023.
Q: How do I specify that I want my CASPer/Altus scores sent to Hofstra’s BS-BA/MD program?: A: On the CASPer/Altus registration page, please be sure that you are selecting ‘Undergraduate Health Sciences / Hofstra University BS/MD’ to ensure that you are submitting CASPer/Altus exam scores for our direct-entry program specifically.
Q: How many students apply to Hofstra’s BS-BA/MD program each year? How many are admitted?: A: Hofstra’s BS-BA/MD program is our most competitive on campus. In a typical application season, we will commonly see around 2,000 applicants indicate interest in the program on their application to fill a class of 10 to 15 students.
Q: What happens if I am not admitted to Hofstra’s BS-BA/MD program?: A: All applicants are reviewed for general Hofstra admission first, and our BS-BA/MD program second. This means that you might be admitted to Hofstra as a whole, but not the BS-BA/MD program. This happens to many applicants, and is not bad news! Hofstra has a very strong pre-medical track, and many undergraduate options in the health field that we would love to see you pursue. Check out our complete list of majors at hofstra.edu/majors.

In addition, we offer many health-oriented clubs and activities. Learn more about some of them.
Q: Can I transfer my AP, IB, or dual-enrollment credits into Hofstra’s BS-BA/MD program?: A: Students are required to take science and mathematics coursework consistent with the recommended coursework outlined by the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell. If students come to Hofstra University with AP, IB, or dual-enrollment credits in science and mathematics courses, they will be asked to repeat these courses at Hofstra. Credits in all other subject areas will be reviewed by Undergraduate Admission for potential transfer credit.
Are there any other opportunities in Pre-Health at Hofstra?: A: High-achieving students interested in pre-health studies may receive invitations to join our Pre-Health Scholars Program at Hofstra. The program provides unique programming, outreach activities, and networking opportunities tailored to our pre-health students. Some events may include sessions with the Zucker School of Medicine students, faculty, and facility. Participants can attend guest speaker presentations and benefit from a medical school application boot camp led by our Pre-Health advisor.