Frequently Asked Questions

A: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School provides multiple opportunities for students to personalize their educational experience and explore scholarly pursuits outside of the required curriculum. Students are encouraged to personalize their medical education through summer research fellowships, year-long intramural or extramural research experiences, and other creative scholarly endeavors.

The “Distinction” Programs are prestigious and rigorous training experiences that recognize medical students who show exceptional interest, leadership and commitment in a particular area of their education.

Graduation with “Distinction in Service to the Community” honors students who assume a significant level of responsibility in the collaborative planning and implementation of a focused, sustainable community health initiative.

Graduation with “Distinction in Research” recognizes students who prepare, design and compose original, intensive, basic or clinical research.

Graduation with “Distinction in Medical Education” recognizes students who have shown exceptional involvement in completing a scholarly educational activity. Graduation with “Distinction in Global Health” acknowledges students who complete a collaborative sustainable global health initiative.

Graduation with “Distinction in Bioethics” recognizes and supports students who show exceptional involvement, accomplishment, and scholarship in bioethics across the spectrum of health specialties.

Graduation with “Distinction in Medical Innovation and Entrepreneurship” is awarded to students who produce an innovation with the potential for implementation/commercialization that may improve the delivery of health care.

Graduation with “Distinction in Leadership in Academic Health Care” recognizes students who have shown a strong commitment to the many career avenues in academic medicine and healthcare.

Dual degree options include MD/PhD, MD/MBA, MD/MPH, MD/CTS, MD/MS

A: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School enhances educational initiatives through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary and interprofessional curriculum so students may learn from experts in clinical, research and social sciences, as well as in the humanities and other health professions. The school-wide objectives for the medical educational program are modeled after the ACGME (Accreditation Committee for Graduate Medical Education) Competencies, encompassing the six core competencies: Patient Care, Medical Knowledge, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Systems-based Practice. The curriculum for medical students is a four-year model with a fully integrated, systems-based curriculum for the first two (preclerkship) years; core clerkships (medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, neurology, and family medicine) and five weeks of elective time in the third year; and core clerkships in emergency medicine, adult or pediatric critical care, a sub-internship, a two-week specialty boot camp and electives in the fourth year. The first two years of medical school are spent on the Piscataway campus, where clinical skills and basic science concepts are learned during lectures, as well as in 26 state-of the-art small group teaching rooms known as the Kessler Teaching Labs. It is in this environment that efficient and effective lifelong learning skills are developed for a successful career in medicine. Highlights of the preclerkship curriculum include the longitudinal learning experience of Patient Centered Medicine, early immersion into clinical skills assessment, in vivo health systems science education, service learning opportunities and a rich co-curricular environment of student-run electives and interest groups.

First Year

Traditional scientific disciplines will be presented in the context of:

• Normal organ system structure and function
• Various homeostatic mechanisms

Grading: Pass(>70%) or Fail

Second Year

Traditional scientific disciplines will be presented in the context of:

• Pathology and pathophysiology of organ systems
• Focus on prevention, diagnostics and pharmacotherapeutics for pathologies
• Neuroscience, Brain and Behavior, a comprehensive, integrated course that examines the science of the normal central nervous system and its disease manifestations

Grading: Pass(>65%) or Fail

Patient Centered Medicine (PCM)

A longitudinal integrative, clinically relevant course entitled Patient Centered Medicine, anchors the first and second years by providing relevant clinical experiences and focus that allow students to develop and hone their patient communications and examination skills.

Third Year

• One week introduction to the Clerkship Experience
• Two 8 week clerkships in medicine ans surgery
• Four 6 week clerkships in psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology and family medicine
• Time for a 3 week clerkship in neurology and electives as well
• one week transition to fourth year

Grading: Honors, High Pass, Pass Conditional Pass and Fail

Fourth Year

• Four week rotations in emergency medicine and critical Care
• Four week sub internship
• Two week Boot Camp
• Twenty one week minimum of electives

Grading: Honors, High Pass, Pass Conditional Pass and Fail

A: Students learn best via the opportunity to choose from multiple learning modalities. There is a combination of lecture/large group sessions, which are captured and available as podcasts, team-based learning exercises, interactive small group sessions, interdisciplinary conferences, clinical learning communities, standardized patient activities, simulation, experiential off-site learning, hospital and office practice learning, and laboratories.

A: Research at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School covers a broad spectrum, from clinical and translational studies designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, to fundamental studies exploring new areas of molecular, structural and developmental biology, basic biomedical research, proteomics and informatics. This range of leading research provides a wealth of training opportunities for medical and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and physician-scientists. Core facilities provide the research community at the medical school with specialized instrumentation, services and methodology. The core facilities are located throughout the campuses, allowing for accessibility by all faculty, staff and students. Our basic and translational scientists have expertise in a breadth of disciplines that advance human health from the “bench to bedside.” Researchers at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School collaborate with physicians at the school, as well as faculty across Rutgers, speeding discovery in the lab into therapeutic treatment for patients. The Clinical Research Centers are a key component in Robert Wood Johnson Medical School’s efforts to promote the value of clinical trials and the rapid development of new therapeutic products and healthcare solutions. Aligned to support both pediatric and adult investigations, the state of-the art amenities accelerate innovative research strategies of basic, clinical and translational researchers and facilitate interactions with industry sponsors and collaborators.

There are many opportunities in both basic science and clinical research settings which are tailored to medical students. Students can get exposure to research in their first year in student research electives [http://rwjms.rutgers.edu/research/mst/electives.html] and through the summer research program. We offer opportunities for research training and fellowships during the summer between the first and second year of medical school. These opportunities are designed to allow students to learn about the breadth of research at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, find their niche and identify mentors. Under the guidance of faculty, students conduct short-term research projects in selected areas of basic and clinical investigation. The objective of this program is to further acquaint students with scientific methodology and enhance their analytic and laboratory skills. The rationale for such a program is that exposure to a superior research environment will ultimately result in better and more able physicians. Learn more about the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Summer Research Program.

For students who do not want to pursue an MD/PhD but nonetheless wish to engage in a substantial research project, we also offer a yearlong Student Scholars Program which allows for meaningful experiences in the laboratory or clinical setting. Students have the option to take a period of time off during the medical education program to pursue research which may be in a basic or clinical science field. With the approval of a Dean for Student Affairs, the student will be placed in the Student Scholars Program and this will be noted on the student‘s transcript. This may be done as time off (usually one year) between years 1 and 2, between years 2 and 3, or within the clinical education program. Students have used this program to do research at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the National Institutes of Health, or other research facilities. While in the Student Scholars Program, students retain their matriculation in the medical school. Students performing research can apply to the Distinction in Research Program, where a scientific publication or thesis is written and students graduate with this distinction on the records and diploma. Learn more about the Distinction in Research Program.

View some of the research institutes affiliated with Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

A: The Cognitive Skills Program is an academic support program which is available to students in all four years of medical school. It provides services to students who may be experiencing academic difficulty and to students who wish to enhance the efficiency and the effectiveness of their study and test taking strategies. The Cognitive Skills Program's services are offered through individual consultation tailored to a student's specific needs and integrated with course curricula. Walk in tutoring sessions are offered for the first and second year courses. The cognitive skills office also coordinates peer tutoring and a seminar series with topics such as time management and standardized test taking strategies.

A: The Flexible Curriculum provides the opportunity for a limited number of students to personalize the sequence of courses. All courses continue to be taught on the existing schedule. Students who are accepted into the program are able to select courses based upon their ability to satisfy prerequisites. They are required to complete core instruction before enrolling in more advanced courses. Flexible curriculum students are required to pay eight semesters of tuition during their matriculation. Tuition payments are prorated over the duration of their educational program. The opportunity to personalize scheduling of courses accommodates students with special circumstances. The program is structured to permit the pursuit of other academic, research, employment or family interests. It also facilitates the scheduling of our combined degree programs: MD/JD, MD/MBA, MD/MPH, MD/MS or CTS, and MD/PhD. Students participating in the Flexible Curriculum during their clinical years must complete the first year and second year preclinical curriculum before entering the third year. Clerkships must be taken as complete entities, but may be scheduled as independent courses over an extended period of time. Students may schedule other activities such as research or work experiences between clerkships.

A: as a measure of academic proficiency in the second year. NBME shelf examinations are administered in each of the eight core clerkships in the third and fourth years.

A: Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students consistently score at or above the national average on the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE).

A: Through its dual-degree and interprofessional programs, the educational opportunities at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School are broad, encompassing core medical training, along with advanced scientific research, business management, healthcare policy and public health education. Dual-Degree Programs include the following: MD/PhD, MD/MPH, MD/MS in Bioinformatics, MD/MBA, MD/MS in Clinical and Translational Research, PharmD/MD, Certificate in Health Professions Education. Students can complete the credits required for their dual degree program by taking a year of concentrated course work between years 2 and 3 or between years 3 and 4 of their medical curriculum or by using the medical school flexible curriculum and integrating courses over a longer time period. View more information about the requirements necessary for each dual degree program.

A: In the pre-clerkship Curriculum, courses of the first and second year curricula, students are graded with a Pass/Fail system. In the clerkship curriculum, which include the following core clerkships: medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, neurology, psychiatry, and emergency medicine and the subinternship, critical care selective and bootcamps, students are graded with Honors, High Pass, Pass, Conditional Pass, and Fail.

A: Yes, students are required to complete course evaluations in which they have an opportunity to rate and comment on the quality of course director, lecturers, and educational material. There are multiple opportunities for students to provide feedback to the faculty including the course and clerkship evaluations, course representatives who communicate with the course director during the course, and through just in time evaluations.

A: There is a comprehensive support system in place for our medical students including but not limited to: Student Affairs Deans activities and counseling, College Advising Program, student wellness initiatives, and the Student Wellness Program. RWJMS aims to help students navigate medical school and develop tools for residency. We acknowledge that the process of professional identity formation requires a strong support base and mentorship. Student Affairs Deans are available for personal counseling. Students can interact with the Deans via scheduled appointments (morning, lunchtime, and evenings), walk-in visits, email, or telephone calls. Students Affairs Deans provide their cell phone numbers to all students. The Student Affairs Deans monitor the academic progress of students and in collaboration with cognitive skills faculty develop action plans to reach out to students in academic difficulty. They assess issues which may be impacting performance.

Student Wellness Program

The Student Wellness Program assists students in adjusting to the stressors and pressures of medical school. The free and confidential mental health for students on the Piscataway/New Brunswick Campuses, include individual, couple and family counseling, medication management, crisis intervention, and prevention oriented groups and workshops. A diverse staff of mental health professionals who are independent of the Medical School provide these services. Participating clinicians do not evaluate students academically or play any role affecting a student's status in school.

Student Affairs Deans maintain close contact via monthly meetings with the student leaders of the numerous organizations and interest groups where an open and frank dialogue regarding medical school and medical student concerns is encouraged.

They also run a career counseling series, offer many resources and menotrs, and also provide one-on-one career counseling.

Our Financial Aid department also runs an informational seminar series and offers one-on-one counseling.

A: In addition to the advising provided by each of the Student Affairs Deans, there is advising by students which begins at freshman orientation. First year students are placed into small groups which are led by second year students in the role of peer mentors. Peer mentors maintain close contact with their respective groups throughout the year providing longitudinal support system.

Faculty Advisors help medical students explore issues related to career choice, courses, ways to cultivate both professional and personal interests, and other matters of concern. A select group of clinical faculty members with close interactions with the student body and with dedicated time has been chosen to serve in the faculty advising program. Our students in the pre-clinical years work closely with their Patient Centered Medicine faculty, who also serve as faculty advisors for these two years. In addition, students entering the clinical years have a variety of faculty members who serve as a resource for elective and internship coordination and career planning advice.

A: Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School is committed to diversity in its student body. We believe that a diverse student body contributes to the educational program of all students. With increased emphasis on small group learning and self-directed learning, the opportunity to understand health and disease, physician-patient relationship, impact of culture on patient care and similar issues are enhanced by having a diverse student body as defined broadly. Whether it’s sharing your understanding of growing up financially disadvantaged or approaching problem solving from the perspective of training obtained with a non-science college major, every aspect of diversity enhances the learning environment and student experiences. Selection and recruitment is based on a holistic review of each applicant’s experiences, accomplishments, personal qualities and potential to enhance the learning environment. Information from the academic record, life history, letters of recommendation, personal essay and interview provide the basis of this review.

In addition to student groups such as Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Salud, Gays Lesbians and Allies in Medicine (GLAM), AAPI, among others, the Office of Multicultural Affairs supports programming to address the diversity in the student body and in our patient population. The new Associate Dean for Diversity and inclusion will oversee a diversity and inclusion steering committee and serve in an advisory role to the student body.

A: The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is the premier technological learning environment for faculty, students and staff. The ARC provides advanced technology and resources to support faculty and students in their learning and teaching experience. Workshops and training sessions will be offered on a continuous basis to educate participants on various technologies and solutions to enhance knowledge and access to educational resources. Additionally, electronic and print collections are available to faculty and staff to support the curriculum and educational experience. Small recording rooms are available to faculty to create podcast of lectures, medical information or any other material in support of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School missions. The ARC collection includes copies of required texts for courses, atlases and other printed resources. Materials are cataloged using National Library of Medicine classification and are organized on the shelves by subject. The ARC works in conjunction with the Robert Wood Johnson Library of the Health Sciences in New Brunswick to offer database search classes and SKYPE for library related questions. Students in the M1/M2 curriculum may borrow materials for 24 hours. Students in the M3/M4 Curriculum may borrow materials for 7 days.

The Daniel I. Kessler Teaching Laboratories accommodate the instructional modalities for the basic science portion of the medical curriculum. The Teaching Labs provide an integrated educational resource for first- and second-year medical students. Space is allocated to a series of multidisciplinary small group rooms equipped for seminars, laboratories, demonstrations, and audiovisual education. Each small group room is equipped with state of the art audio visual equipment including LCD projectors, monitors, and cameras for feedback during clinical sessions. The operation of this equipment is only accessible via authorized teaching lab staff. Each of these rooms is also equipped with white boards. All small group rooms and anatomy labs will be open from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. for student use for independent study or scheduled classes. Students can access the small group rooms after 6PM via use of your ID cards. An educational computer laboratory, located in the Link Rooms is equipped to provide student access to computer-assisted self-instruction, computer-based testing, bibliographic databases, word processing, e-mail, and the Internet. The Media Library in the North Wing of the Teaching Labs provides audiovisual instructional packages in a variety of formats. The Kessler Teaching Labs space also includes a simulation center with simulation education activities incorporated into courses and clerkships beginning in the first year. In addition there are study carrels located in three areas: North Study Area - is located on the second floor of the Kessler Teaching Labs; Central Study Area - "the airplane" is located on the second floor of Kessler Teaching Labs. Around the perimeter of the main auditorium in an area commonly referred to as "the periphery." These are quiet study areas equipped with outlets for laptops. Study carrels are available 24 hours a day. A recent renovation has added study spaces in the “periphery” (addition of # carrels, # high top seats). Office of education conference rooms have been made available to the student body, increasing small group study space from 26 to 29 rooms.

Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students can become members of the Rutgers recreational facilities at a discounted annual rate of $195. Membership includes all of the Rutgers New Brunswick/Piscataway facilities with parking. This includes free unlimited fitness classes for all our members! Rutgers Recreation operates 7 indoor facilities on the College Avenue and Busch campuses. They include two large recreation centers, a tennis facility, a free-standing fitness center, a rock climbing gym (College Ave. Gym), and a golf practice center. In addition, the department manages two parks and an outdoor challenge course. The centers are open year-round, though hours vary. Schedules listing the hours of operation for the coming week are available at the check-in desks each Friday. To gain access to the facilities, you must present a valid Rutgers ID and Rutgers Recreation membership card at the entrance. Students may bring guests by purchasing a guest pass at the door.

A: Yes they will need a laptop and the school will provide an ipad. RWJMS-OIT offers recommendations that should last throughout your four years of medical school. However, there is no need to purchase a new computer if you recently purchased a computer that has 160MB or more of hard drive space, 2 GB or more of RAM, and WiFi. View RWJMS - OIT recommendations.

A: Students begin interviewing patients in the second week of school. A comprehensive communication skills curriculum prepares students to interact with patients who have limited English proficiency, limited health literacy, and disabilities. The Clinical Skills and standardize patient program is preparation for off-site visits to clinics, outpatient offices, and sites specializing in end of life care or care for the disabled; and to elicit full medical histories and perform physical examinations.

In addition to the above required curriculum there are numerous preclinical electives including the Emergency Medicine Elective, Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Community Child Health, Valentine Mott Surgery Society, Pediatrics Interest Group, and Issues in Women's Health to name but a few.

Over sixty percent of our students participate in HIPHOP (Homeless and Indigent Population Health Outreach Project) during their first and second years. This student created and student run organization has numerous clinical opportunities with expectant mothers, cancer patients, and at risk high school students. Through involvement in HIPHOP our students enhance their health education and communication skills, improve their clinical and interpersonal capabilities and gain valuable community-oriented primary care experience.

A: The major sites for clerkship experiences are a combination of university hospitals and community hospitals: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, The University Medical Center at Princeton, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, St. Peter’s University Hospital, JF Kennedy Hospital, the Carrier Clinic, Capitol Health System, Centra State Hospital.

Students may do rotations at other institutions and there are opportunities to participate in global health experiences

A: Having a car is highly recommended for clinical rotations as clinical sites can be up to 30-60 minutes away via car. Shuttle service connecting the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences campus in Piscataway and the Clinical Academic Building in in New Brunswick is available to students. This shuttle will operate every Monday through Friday (except certain holidays/periods), from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m., with departures every 30 minutes. Pick up and drop off in New Brunswick is in front of the Clinical Academic Building. Pick up and drop off in Piscataway is in the loop in front of CABM.

A: The medical school does not offer on-campus housing, however most students readily obtain housing in the nearby communities of Piscataway, New Brunswick, Edison and Highland Park where many townhouse and apartment complexes are located. The Office of Admissions and the Office of Student Affairs will assist students in finding housing. Two "Housing Days" are held in the summer months and available housing is listed on the web.

A: More information regarding current tuition and fees can be found on the Financial Aid portion of this website.

A: Rutgers students and their families may find they need to take loans as a supplemental way to finance their education. There are a number of different types of loans available for extra funds. More information about various loans to consider are available on the Financial Aid page.

A: The Financial Aid Office works with individual students to help them to finance their medical education. The staff has an open door policy and they encourage students to use them as resources. About 80% of our students receive some sort of financial assistance. Financial aid is awarded on the basis of evaluated need computed by an approved needs analysis method. Awards may consist of a package of loans and grants when funds are available. Scholarships are available for incoming students, some of which are renewable.

A: Yes, counseling and debt management planning services are available to students upon request.

A: Yes, counseling and debt management planning services are available to students upon request.

A: Yes, you can both apply for additional financial aid (up the total cost of attendance) and you can chose to not accept the loans or decrease the amount awarded.

A:  Financial information is already being processed, so if you have not done so already, submit as soon as possible! For more information about financial aid, contact the Financial Aid Office:

Telephone: (732) 235–4689
Fax: (732) 235-3264
E-mail: Piscataway Finacial Aid: piscfinaid@ca.rutgers.edu

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A: The Curriculum Committee
The Student Curriculum Committee (subcommittee of Curriculum Committee)
The Admissions Committee

Students also serve as course reps, on student government, an task force groups, and in many interest groups and organizations.

A: Students are very much involved in voluntary community service initiatives throughout the New Brunswick community. There are a number of ways to get involved in community service at RWJMS. The Homeless and Indigent Population Health Outreach Project (HIPHOP) is a student run, service organization established by two students who recognized the need for a program that would make a difference in the community. During its nearly 25 years, more than 500 medical and health professions students, faculty, staff and community members have volunteered their service. Through interprofessional opportunities, HIPHOP members enhance their health education and communication skills, learn about the social and medical needs of local underserved populations, and gain valuable community-oriented primary care experience. HIPHOP has evolved into an umbrella program with two major initiatives: the Community Health Initiative (CHI) and the Promise Clinic.

A: The Student Government Association (SGA) oversees all school-sponsored, student events and organizations and is a highly active group on campus. Completely student-run, SGA represents the entire Robert Wood Johnson Medical School student body and serves as the students’ voice to the administration. SGA serves as a direct link between students and the faculty, staff, and alumni. SGA also obtains the opinion of the student body regarding issues that come up throughout the year, and organizes town hall meetings to discuss these issues. SGA works closely with all of the student organization leaders in order to foster collaboration among student leaders, thereby creating meaningful large-scale events that meet the needs of the student body. SGA provides financial support to enable these many events. The Student Wellness branch of the College Advising Program is run by the SGA. Student Wellness programming is organized to promote the physical and mental well-being of the student body as well as to promote intra- and inter-class camaraderie.

Students are encouraged to become involved in one of the many student-run organizations. The leaders of these organizations meet regularly with the Deans at the Student Leader Meetings to discuss issues important to the entire student body. Students are encouraged to create their own student-run organizations if their interests are not represented. View a list of active student organizations.

A: All students are required to be covered by health insurance. For those who do not have their own coverage and are not covered on their parent’s or spouse‘s policy, University-sponsored insurance is available. The Rutgers University Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) is serviced by University Health Plans and underwritten by United Healthcare Insurance Company. For an additional premium, students‘ spouses and dependents may also be covered by the University Healthcare plan. Coverage can be continued while on leave of absence. For further information, consult the Student Health Insurance Plan brochure distributed at the beginning of the academic year or use the phone numbers and websites provided above. In order to comply with the New Jersey State mandate, all full-time graduate and undergraduate students must have health insurance coverage. Rutgers initially charges all full-time students for the Student Health Insurance Plan $1,963. Students who have other health insurance coverage may opt out by submitting the online waiver form.

A: Professionalism is an important and valued requirement of all components of a student‘s academic performance at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Students are expected to perform in a consistently professional manner in order to successfully complete their academic program.

Since the medical school is committed to training future physicians who possess these and other attributes that reflect adherence to professional standards of behavior, such attributes are formally assessed throughout training. Faculty may identify students who they feel have failed to exhibit professional behavior within the context of their course or clerkship by completing a Professionalism Conduct Form. When a faculty or staff member feels a student has behaved unprofessionally outside the context of a course or clerkship, they may approach a Dean of Education regarding the behavior. If, after investigating the report, the Dean of Education feels a Professionalism Conduct Form is warranted, such a form may be submitted by that Dean. Completed Professionalism Conduct Forms are reviewed by the appropriate committee of Course Directors or Clerkship Directors (e.g., a reported incident which occurred in the first year would be reviewed by the FirstYear Course Directors Committee). In cases where an incident occurs outside a specific Course or Clerkship, A Dean of Education may submit a Professionalism Conduct Form to that Course or Clerkship Directors‘ Committee corresponding to the student‘s current year of study. A decision regarding whether or not to place a Professionalism Conduct Form in a student‘s file will be made by the reviewing committee. The student will be notified of the committee‘s decision by a Dean from the Office of Student Affairs.

A:  Robert Wood Johnson Medical School graduates consistently match to the country’s leading residency programs.

View 2015 Match List View 2014 Match List View 2013 Match List View 2012 Match List View the 2011 Match List View the 2010 Match List

A: As a state funded medical school we will always matriculate a class that is majority NJ residents. Yet we are actively recruiting out of state students and every year have increased the percentage of the student body who are not residents of NJ.

A: During your interview day the orientation and tours are student run allowing for multiple opportunities to talk with current students. We also hold two receptions for accepted students and an open house for potential applicants where members of our student groups and Admissions Ambassadors are available to answer questions. Many of our students will attend medical school fairs and our Admissions Ambassadors are available to answer e-mails if you contact the admissions office to request a forward.

A: Yes on a case by case basis. Accepted students will need to contact the admissions officer to discuss deferral and submit a request to the admissions committee for a decision on whether a deferral will be granted.

A: Yes, we do have an early decision program and use the national guidelines for the dates (application submitted by August 1 and a decision returned by October).