Frequently Asked Questions
- Who is a typical UNECOM student?
- Do you accept International students and those from outside of New England?
- What are average GPA and MCAT scores for the entering class?
- Do I need a letter of recommendation from a D.O.?
- What is the acceptance rate?
- Can I transfer credits, academic years at another medical school or professional degrees?
- Do you have any open houses scheduled?
- How do I make arrangements to visit campus and talk with students?
- Will a representative be traveling to my area?
- Can a current student contact me?
- How much are tuition and fees?
- Is there on-campus housing? Where do students live?
- Where do students do their third- and fourth-year rotations?
- How do students do on boards?
- Does UNE offer a concurrent MPH degree?
1. Who is a typical UNE COM student?
- The average age of a first-year student is 26 years old.
- There is generally a 50/50 split between men and women, but all four of the current classes have more women than men.
- Nearly 10 percent of the class identify themselves as non-white.
- Not all students have undergraduate degrees in the sciences, but most have some type of professional health care or human services experience before applying.
- More and more students are applying after completing a master's degree.
- Students come from around the country and the world, but the majority are from New England (approximately 60-70 percent) and the northeast states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York (up to 20 percent).
2. Do you accept International students and those from outside of New England?
As a private institution, there are no limits on accepting students from outside the U.S. However, the number of international students is low; for example, 4% in The Class of 2015; with 5 students from Canada. If higher education is completed in the United States, there are no extra application steps. If any of the higher education credit is completed outside the U.S., UNECOM will likely need to have transcripts evaluated by an independent organization (World Education Service is used fairly often) prior to the AACOMAS application. Please know that International students are evaluated by the same criteria as all applicants. As a private institution, there are no quotas for Maine or New England students. Generally, 60% of our student body is from New England. Specifically, 70% of the class of 2015 and 75% of the class of 2014 are from New England. On average, 9% of the students are from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania (combined). Although each class is different, there are usually students from California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Utah. Depending upon the year, we will have students from other states as well. In addition to those from New England, The Class of 2015 has students from California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, DC and Washington state.
3. What are average GPA and MCAT scores for the entering class?
Grade Point Average (or GPA) has been above 3.5 for several years (with science GPA at 3.45 for several years). The Committee on Admissions prefers that applicants have scored at least a 3.4 overall (catalog-published minimum is 2.7). Medical College Admissions Test (or MCAT) has been 27 for several years. The Committee on Admissions prefers that applicants have scored at least 8, in each section, and at least 24 overall. Applicants with a single 7 in their MCAT score may face an admissions challenge. Applicants with (2) 7s or a single 6 or 5 have an even greater challenge in the process. Most successful applicants have scores composed of 8s, 9s, and 10s, with scores fairly balanced between the sections. The Committee on Admissions prefers scores not more than two years old at time of application. August and September scores can be used for the annual application cycle; and technically, the January scores can be used in an admissions cycle, but candidates are cautioned that UNECOM does not offer the supplemental application until an MCAT score is received; and by mid-year, many applicants have interviewed and been accepted. Please know that Applications close on February 1 (Supplemental Applications close March 15) each year.
4. Do I need a letter of recommendation from a D.O.?
Letters of recommendation fall into two categories: Academic and Professional. The Academic Letter requirement can be met one of three ways: a letter from a pre-health committee, a letter from a pre-health or academic advisor, or letters from two (2) faculty members (preferably from the Sciences). The Professional Letter requirement should be from someone acquainted with the applicant's character and can be from a DO, an MD, or other allied health professional, a supervisor, a non-academic mentor, a commanding officer, and the like. A letter from an osteopathic physician is not required, but strongly recommended; a DO letter can be used to meet the Professional requirement.Candidates can, and often do, submit letters beyond the minimum requirements; all letters will be considered in the complete file review. Letters of recommendation can be sent by mail, electronically through Interfolio, or by pre-health advisors through VirtualEvals. Click here to read more about the application process from a current catalog published by the Registrar.
5. What is the acceptance rate?
UNECOM received more than 3,615 AACOMAS applications for the class entering August 2011. More than 3,300 supplemental applications were offered to qualified candidates. Less than 400 applicants were interviewed last year, with nearly 220 acceptances offered to fill the class of 124 students students.
6. Can I transfer credits? Can I transfer academic years from another medical school or professional degree?
Only students who attended another school or college of osteopathic medicine are eligible for transferring into the second or third year of osteopathic medical studies.
7. Do you have any open houses scheduled?
We generally hold open houses in the summer months only, but we welcome prospective students and applicants to arrange for a personalized visit to our campus anytime. Contact the COM Office of Constituent Services at UNECOMadmissions@une.edu or 207-602-2329 with your request.
8. How do I make arrangements to visit campus and talk with students?
Contact the COM Office of Constituent Services at UNECOMadmissions@une.edu or 207-602-2329 with your request. Appointments can be made with the COM Coordinator of Recruitment; when classes are in session, visitors are paired with a volunteer tour guide to attend classes and meet other students. In all visits, prospective students and candidates will have the opportunity to tour campus.
9. Will a UNECOM representative be traveling to my area?
Our "On-the-Road" travel schedule may be viewed on a separate web page; please click here to see the latest. As well, you may contact the COM Office of Constituent Services at UNECOMadmissions@une.edu or 207-602-2329.
10. Can a current student contact me?
Yes, quite possibly...each year there are many eager, outstanding first- and second-year students who are willing to email dialogue with prospective students and current applicants. Contact the COM Office of Constituent Services at UNECOMadmissions@une.edu or 207-602-2329 with your request. Initial contact from one of the student volunteers will be made through email within a week's time.
Currently, tuition is $46,700 for the academic year, not including fees for malpractice insurance and other services. Financial Aid funds are determined, on a case-by-case basis, and awarded for the first year budget to include equipment, instruments, laptop computers, books, health insurance, and other relevant items. Indirect costs are also included in the student's financial aid budget to cover expenses that the student may have while attending school (August-May for the first year). General allowances may include rent, utilities, food, transportation, and personal expenses. Student's actual expenses will vary. Therefore, for specific and current financial information, please click here to visit the website for our Financial Aid Office.
12. Is there on-campus housing available? Where do students live?
There is no on-campus housing available for osteopathic medical students. Students live in the surrounding cities of Biddeford, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, or other towns within 2-8 miles of campus. A few students choose to live further from campus, in Portland (Maine’s largest city); rent is generally higher than in the Biddeford-Saco area. A few even live in New Hampshire or in Massachusetts north of Boston; these students will have a drive of at least an hour one way. Most students sign 12-month leases; classes run from early August through late May.
13. Where do student do their third- and fourth-year rotations?
Third-year rotations are at Clinical Campuses throughout the northeast. Students select their third-year site through a Clinical Campus Assignment Process (C-CAP). Clinical Campuses are spread throughout New England in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Each student will complete the following rotations: 12 weeks of internal medicine; 6 weeks each: family medicine, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, surgery, psychiatry, and rural medicine (AHEC); and an AHEC rotation is in Maine, regardless of assigned/selected Clinical Campus. Fourth-year selectives (16 weeks) and electives (18 weeks) are conducted at locations throughout the country, and sometimes overseas, at hospitals or clinics of the student’s choice. Selectives include the following: 4 weeks of an internal medicine sub-specialty; 4 weeks of a surgery sub-specialty; 4 weeks of emergency medicine; 4 weeks of manipulative medicine. The Class of 2011 completed rotations in nearly 40 different states and the District of Columbia, as well as electives in Africa, Europe, and Central and South America.
14. How do UNECOM students do on boards?
UNECOM students who took COMLEX Level 1 exam during the 2010-2011 year achieved an overall pass rate of 94.5% --Ranking UNECOM fifth among Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
UNECOM students who took COMLEX Level 2-CE between July 2010 and May 2011 achieved an overall pass rate of 88.1% on the computer-based written portion –Ranking UNECOM eleventh among Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
UNECOM students who took COMLEX Level 2-PE between July 2010 and May 2011 achieved an overall pass rate of 98.3% --Ranking UNECOM sixth amongst Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.
15. Does UNECOM offer a concurrent MPH degree?
Yes, the UNE College of Graduate Studies offers a flexible online Master of Public Health degree that allows students to advance at their own pace. Students have the option to begin their MPH prior to their medical studies and continue working on their concurrent MPH degree through medical school. Visit the Graduate Programs in Public Health website for more information.
Updated October 25, 2011