Rowan-Virtua SOM (Stratford)

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (Stratford) Stratford, NJ · Public · DO

Average MCAT: 509
Class size: 269
Tuition: $78,086 (per year, nonresident)
Out-of-state applicants: Welcome

Deadlines

AACOMAS deadline: Feb. 1, 2027
Early Decision Program: Sept. 14, 2026
Secondary deadline: March 15, 2027

Essays

Osteopathic fit

How did you learn about osteopathic medicine and why is it a good fit for you?

Why Rowan-Virtua

Explain why you are interested in attending Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine:

Broadened worldview

We seek to train physicians who can connect with diverse patient populations with whom they may not share a similar background. Tell us about an experience that has broadened your own worldview or enhanced your ability to understand those unlike yourself and what you learned from it.

Barriers (optional)

Please describe any significant barriers or challenges you may have overcome in the pursuit of your personal/professional goals:

Editor's notes

Look hard at Early Decision before you use it. You need a 3.5 science GPA, a 505 MCAT and a 126 BBFL subscore, and a rejected EDP applicant isn't considered in the regular pool. That's a real cost. Use it only if Rowan-Virtua is clearly your first choice and your numbers clear every bar.
February and March deadlines look generous. They aren't. Admissions are rolling, interviews start in early September, and the school's own guidance is to submit at least four weeks early. Aim for the summer.
Your interviewer is told to ask about your knowledge of osteopathic medicine and how your goals fit the school's mission. Two of the three required essays cover the same ground. Keep the story consistent, and bring something new to the interview.
New Jersey's only DO school is public, and it shows in the price: $50,680 in-state tuition against $78,086 out-of-state, and a non-resident pays the higher rate all four years. Nearly half of the Class of 2030 is from New Jersey. Out-of-staters and international applicants are welcome (42 international students this year), but budget with open eyes.