Frequently Asked Questions
Admission Requirements
- Are applicants required to complete a college entrance examination?
- Is there any exemption from the SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Test exams?
- Do A-levels or IB's exempt me from sending yearly transcripts?
- English is not my native language. How will my English proficiency be measured?
- I have attended an English medium high school, though English is not my native language. Am I still required to take the TOEFL or IELTS?
- Where can I find information about these required tests?
- What are the minimum SAT/ACT scores for admission?
- How can I gauge the strength of my own standardized test scores against those of students with whom I would be competing for admission to WCMC-Q?
- What is the institutional code for TOEFL and SAT for WCMC-Q?
- What is the institutional code for ACT for WCMC-Q?
- I am thinking of enrolling at the Academic Bridge Program in Education City. Will success at ABP guarantee admission to WCMC-Q?
- What is the deadline for submitting applications to the Pre-medical Program?
- Can I submit copies of my transcripts?
- Why do you require teacher and counselor reference letters?
- Which of my teachers should I choose to write a reference letter?
- 16. My teacher/advisor is not used to writing reference letters. Is this a problem?
- Must I attend an interview?
- When may I expect to have an interview?
- When should I expect to hear from Office of Admissions in regard to the results of my interview?
- How are admission decisions made? Do you use a formula?
- Do you give admission priority to Qatari citizens?
- What is the cost for studying at the Pre-medical Program at WCMC-Q?
- I need financial assistance. Will this affect my chances of being admitted?
- Is financial assistance available to non-Qatari nationals?
- Can I transfer into Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar?
- If a student is not admitted into the Medical Program after two years in the Pre-medical Program, what options does the student have?
- Is it true that students experience high workload and stress levels?
- I have always attended all-girls (or all-boys) schools. Will I fit into Cornell's co-educational environment?
- Can I speak with someone from the admissions office if I need advice?
- May I correspond with a pre-medical student to get a fuller sense of what it is really like to be a student at WCMC-Q?
Answers
Admission Requirements
- Are applicants required to complete a college entrance examination?
Yes. Applicants are required to take either the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT with Writing. We also strongly recommend taking three SAT Subject Tests in Mathematics (any level) and two sciences. These tests are independent of any particular textbook or method of instruction, thus allowing international applicants to demonstrate appropriate mastery of relevant subjects. - Is there any exemption from the SAT/ACT or SAT Subject Test exams?
The SAT exam, or the ACT exam with writing is required of all students who are applying to Cornell, with no exceptions. The International Baccalaureate or A-Levels will not serve as replacements. WCMC-Q strongly recommends SAT Subject Tests. - Do A-levels or IB's exempt me from sending yearly transcripts?
No. We need to receive yearly transcripts as well as predicted A-levels or IB marks. - English is not my native language. How will my English proficiency be measured?
Students whose native language is not English are required to take an appropriate language proficiency test. The following tests are considered suitable measures of English ability: the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). You should note that the TOEFL is only one indicator of English proficiency. We also review your performance in English courses you are taking or have taken; we consider your scores on the SAT Critical Reasoning or ACT English tests; we evaluate your writing on the application form and in the essays you submit; and we assess the communication skills you display in your interview. - I have attended an English medium high school, though English is not my native language. Am I still required to take the TOEFL or IELTS?
All students whose native language is not English, including those attending English medium schools, must take either the TOEFL or the IELTS. However, this requirement is waived for applicants who score 600 or higher on the verbal or critical reading portion of the SAT, or score 25 or higher on the English portion of the ACT. - Where can I find information about these required tests?
Please use the following links: - What are the minimum SAT/ACT scores for admission?
We don't have SAT/ACT "cutoffs" per se, but standardized testing plays an important role in the selection process. Excellence is expected. - How can I gauge the strength of my own standardized test scores against those of students with whom I would be competing for admission to WCMC-Q?
It would be useful for you to consider the test performance profile of a recently admitted class. The middle 50% score ranges (25th percentile to the 75th percentile) of students who were accepted to our Pre-medical Program in 2006 were:
Test 25th Percentile 75th Percentile SAT Verbal 490 620 SAT Math 640 720 ACT English 20 27 ACT Math 28 33 TOEFL iBT 103 116 IELTS 7.0 8.0 - What is the institutional code for TOEFL and SAT for WCMC-Q?
The institutional code for both TOEFL and SAT is: 3999 - What is the institutional code for ACT for WCMC-Q?
The institutional code for ACT: 5268 - I am thinking of enrolling at the Academic Bridge Program in Education City. Will success at ABP guarantee admission to WCMC-Q?
ABP helps students strengthen their English language and their academic skills. However, this does not guarantee admission to WCMC-Q upon successful completion of ABP. Our selection process is complex and is based on a number of other factors. For details, please review our admissions requirements. - What is the deadline for submitting applications to the Pre-medical Program?
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early in the cycle as possible. We strongly suggest submitting a completed application by February 1, especially if financial aid is an issue. Applicants for whom financial aid is not an issue may submit as late as March 1.
SAT Reasoning Test SAT Subject Tests TOEFL IELTS
- Can I submit copies of my transcripts?
To maintain procedural integrity, all transcripts must be official and must be translated into English, and be certified by the school and/or the relevant official authority. In addition, all copies of transcripts must have a true signature and be stamped by the school. Transcripts should reflect subjects studied each year and marks received. If you have attended more than one school, we will require official records from each school. We prefer transcripts to be sent directly from school authorities. - Why do you require teacher and counselor reference letters?
Your teacher and counselor are in a position to provide valuable insight into your academic abilities and potential, your learning style, your achievements in school, and your personal character traits as observed in the school community. Letters of reference provide well-documented assessments, if supported by sufficient evidence and information, which enable our Committee on Admissions to make informed decisions. Such letters are sometimes used to explain apparent inconsistency or weakness in a student’s record. In sum, letters of reference address the question of your admissibility to a highly rigorous university pre-medical program from the perspective of your past performance. - Which of my teachers should I choose to write a reference letter?
Academic references from science and math teachers are most helpful because our compacted Pre-medical Program curriculum is designed especially for students whose exceptional capabilities in those areas will allow them to achieve in only two years what normally takes four years. You should feel free to submit more than one teacher reference. - 16. My teacher/advisor is not used to writing reference letters. Is this a problem?
If the teacher or advisor you have chosen is not familiar with the practice of writing reference letters, he or she will be pleased to find clear guidance in the downloadable Reference Form we provide to each of your designated teachers and advisors. A typical letter of reference is about one page long and uses specific examples and observations to illustrate what the teacher feels are your most important qualities. Letters may be written in the teacher’s or advisor’s native language, but a certified English translation must then be provided. - Must I attend an interview?
Applicants who are granted an interview must participate in this process in order to be considered for admittance. Not everyone is granted an interview. Interviews are conducted at our campus in Doha. Please refer to our 2008 Interview Day information sheet. - When may I expect to have an interview?
Interviews are by invitation only, and take place between the beginning of January and the end of March. It is very important to realize that not every applicant will be interviewed. When your application and all required items have been submitted, the Committee on Admissions will review your file and then decide on your eligibility for an interview. - When should I expect to hear from Office of Admissions in regard to the results of my interview?
Following his/her interview, the Committee on Admissions usually decides whether to accept an applicant within two weeks. Offers of admission follow shortly thereafter. - How are admission decisions made? Do you use a formula?
We do not rely upon any single formula to determine admission decisions. Standardized testing plays an important role, of course, but probably not as much as you think. We closely examine each student's high school record, the rigor of his/her coursework, his/her grades within the context of his/her educational system standards, his/her public examination results, and his/her scholastic rank. In addition to these empirical factors, we also require applicants to write detailed and thoughtful personal statements, in essay form. Consideration of each student's extracurricular activities is a very important piece of Cornell's selection process. Moreover, we consider factors that cannot be quantified: recommendations, for example, and interviews. Finally, every student is expected to demonstrate that he/she is fluent in the English language; this is usually done by means of appropriate testing. - Do you give admission priority to Qatari citizens?
Yes, Qatari citizens who meet all Cornell selection criteria will be given admission priority. However, Cornell University selects students on merit only. This means that in order to be accepted, every applicant must meet all Cornell selection criteria. At present our student body is 20 percent Qatari, with more than thirty other nationalities. It is envisioned that in the future Pre-medical and Medical Programs may reflect as much as 70% representation by Qatari citizens, assuming a sufficient number of qualified Qatari applicants. However, there will always be a significant number of non-Qatari students because it is also a priority to build an institution with an enduring international character.
- What is the cost for studying at the Pre-medical Program at WCMC-Q?
Tuition for the Pre-medical Program will be the same as that in effect at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. For the academic year 2008-2009, the amount has been set at US $36,504. Accepted students seeking aid may apply to the Qatar Foundation which has developed a need-based no-interest loan program that can cover up to 100% of a student’s cost of attendance without regard for citizenship or national origin. - I need financial assistance. Will this affect my chances of being admitted?
Cornell University selects students on merit only. "This principle is known as need-blind admissions". In other words, the Committee on Admissions screens, evaluates and accepts students without reference to their ability to pay. - Is financial assistance available to non-Qatari nationals?
Qatari nationals who attend Cornell are funded by the government of the State of Qatar. Non-Qataris who seek financial aid may apply to the Qatar Foundation who offer need-based no-interest loans that can cover up to 100% of a student’s cost of attendance without regard for citizenship or national origin. This financial assistance program is based on a family's demonstrated need for help in meeting the cost of a Cornell education. Financial aid applications are available on the Qatar Foundation's website.
- Can I transfer into Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar?
To students whose prior academic experience has included coursework whose content may be comparable to components of our Pre-medical Program. Courses in the Pre-medical Program are integrated so tightly into the quick paced cross-disciplinary curriculum that waiver of any part of the whole for any student would place him/her out of step with the class and consequently at a disadvantage in preparing for admission to the Medical Program. - If a student is not admitted into the Medical Program after two years in the Pre-medical Program, what options does the student have?
WCMC-Q Pre-medical Program course credits are transferable; that is, those credits can be counted toward graduation requirements of an undergraduate degree at Cornell University or indeed at any other American collegiate institution to which a student might transfer. Credits based on courses in which grades of C or higher have been earned at an accredited college are commonly transferable between accredited American tertiary institutions. - Is it true that students experience high workload and stress levels?
There is a lot of work. Our faculty expect a lot from their students. However, we don't think this is a bad thing, and neither do our students. In their own words:One student found the experience "overwhelming" to start with, but ultimately reassuring. "It’s like a journey: You change and improve and, hopefully, by the end of [the program], you're going to be ready to enter the profession."
"You soon come to realize that faculty and students here are all in the same boat, we have a unique family identity. The door is always open to our professors if we have any problems or don’t understand a concept. It's the same way with students here, we all help each other with our studies and are very supportive of each other."
"No two days are the same. Then there are all the social and charity events we organize and fund outside of the curriculum, often to help worthy causes in Qatar. We have organized blood drives with Hamad Medical Corporation, fund-raising campaigns, inter-college sports events and community outreach projects, for example."
- I have always attended all-girls (or all-boys) schools. Will I fit into Cornell's co-educational environment?
There would be a natural period of adjustment, but you would be helped by upper class students who went through it before you. Our faculty and our Teaching Assistants (‘TA’s) also help you make the transition. It will be a lot easier than you think. Our students have said:"I think coeducation enriches the environment and it's more natural. I don't think it gets in the way of what we're here for."
"I attended an Egyptian [high] school in Qatar which had different buildings for boys and girls. When I came here I adjusted quickly. First of all I wasn’t sure if the girls would be embarrassed if I talked to them, but within one or two months everyone was talking."
Some of our students had always attended co-educational schools, and they face a different adjustment. One of these observed:"Although I was aware there were schools in Arab countries that had only males or females, I was shocked when I came here and the boys sat at one table and the girls at another," she said. "But soon they were all like one big family. The boys became like brothers to us."
- Can I speak with someone from the admissions office if I need advice?
Yes. The staff in the Office of Admissions is here to help you. Feel free to contact us at any time using the contact information below. - May I correspond with a pre-medical student to get a fuller sense of what it is really like to be a student at WCMC-Q?
Please contact the Office of Admissions and we will arrange for a current pre-medical student to contact you.
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