Requirements

Listed below are the requirements to apply for admission to the Pre-Medical Program.

1. Secondary School Completion
2. Standardized Tests
3. Interviews
4. Letters of Reference
5. Personal Statement

 A. Secondary School Completion

• The equivalent of an American college preparatory education, including rigorous 'university preparatory' mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics and other relevant subjects.
• Strongest possible university preparatory curriculum offered within the applicant's school system (applicants are expected to complete A Level exams in British schools, AP exams in American schools, and HL exams in IB schools).
• Graduation with outstanding academic merit.

B. Standardized Tests

College Entrance Examinations

• SAT Reasoning Test or ACT with Writing.
• SAT Subject Tests are recommended in Mathematics Level II and two relevant sciences.

We strive not to use minimum scores as absolute cutoffs in screening, but academic excellence is expected. Strength in appropriate academic disciplines emerges best when high test scores are evaluated in conjunction with other reliable indicators.

English Language Proficiency Examinations

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) or IELTS (International English Testing System).

All applicants must demonstrate a suitable standard of English proficiency.

Cornell University recognizes that international students of the highest caliber may not have achieved the requisite language skills by the end of their secondary studies. Such students are advised to enroll in an appropriate intensive English language program. Local students whose language proficiency may be an issue may be selected to join our new Foundation Program.

C. Interviews

• Interviews are granted to applicants whose credentials are congruent with our selection criteria. A minimum of two personal interviews are required to help the Committee on Admissions become acquainted with the applicant in ways that all their other credentials cannot. Applicants who are granted an interview must participate in this process in order to be considered for acceptance. Interviews are all held in Doha, Qatar.

D. Letters of Reference

• All applicants should submit a minimum of two letters of reference written by their science/math teachers and their principals/college advisors. The Committee on Admissions reviews their candid comments on each applicant's intellectual and personal promise in order to distinguish among many qualified applicants. The most useful statements provide specific examples of the applicant's academic commitment and talent and of the personal qualities or accomplishments that make the applicant unique.

E. Personal Statement

All applicants are expected to submit a personal statement that addresses his or her interest in and suitability for a career in medicine. Because there is no combination of grade-point average and standardized test scores that will guarantee admission to our program, our Committee looks beyond these numbers. We look for applicants who can demonstrate that they have taken fullest advantage of opportunities that have come their way, care about their community, and have developed special talents in other fields beyond their academic studies. Ideally, a personal statement should reflect such qualities as:

• Motivation to enter medicine
• Maturity and stability
• Intellectual potential
• Leadership qualities
• Love of learning
• Strength of character
• Special abilities or talents
• Achievements
• Diligence and dedication
• Integrity and honesty
• Sense of fairness
• Compassion