A number of colleges in New Jersey offer premedical programs for students hoping to enter the medical profession, a field the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts will grow by 22 percent through 2018. Located throughout the state, these programs help students complete the necessary requirements for admission to most medical schools, while providing a well-rounded liberal arts education.

Monmouth University

Located approximately 60 miles south of New York City, Monmouth University is a private, nonsectarian university with more than 4,700 undergraduates. Students must apply for the school's Medical Scholars premedical program while still in high school. During the program, students complete the requirements for a bachelor's degree and for medical school admission as well as an internship at Monmouth Medical Center. After graduation, students receive guaranteed acceptance to Drexel University's School of Medicine, where they complete their medical training.

Monmouth University 400 Cedar Ave. West Long Branch, NJ 07764 (800) 543-9671 monmouth.edu

Montclair State University

Founded in 1908, Montclair State University is in Montclair, New Jersey, around 15 miles west of New York City. The public university is home to more than 13,000 undergraduate students, 97 percent of which are New Jersey residents, reports the 2009 Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. The university offers an 8-year combined bachelor and M.D. degree program with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The program is only open to New Jersey residents from financially disadvantaged backgrounds who apply while still in high school. The program requires year-round study as students complete special research and enrichment projects during the summer months.

Montclair State University 1 Normal Ave. Montclair, NJ 07043 (973) 655-4444 montclair.edu

Rider University

A private, nonsectarian college, Rider University is located in Lawrenceville, a northern suburb of Trenton. Founded in 1865, the school is home to nearly 4,800 students. The premedical program does not require students to apply in high school, but students are encouraged to enter the program as early as possible. Students complete a bachelor's degree in a major of their choosing and take courses in three semesters of biology and two semesters of chemistry, organic chemistry and physics. As a part of the program, students meet with a specialized academic adviser for a program and receive an interview from a panel of faculty annually. The program does not provide guaranteed acceptance into any medical school.

Rider University 2083 Lawrenceville Road Lawrenceville, NJ 08648-3099 (609) 896-5042 rider.edu

St. Peter's College

Situated in the urban setting of Jersey City, St. Peter's College has more than 2,400 undergraduate students. The Jesuit Order of the Roman Catholic Church established the school in 1872. Students at St. Peter's College who were in the top 10 percent of their high school class and received a score of 1400 or higher on their SATs may enroll in the premedicine program. Students complete the major requirements for biology, chemistry and biochemistry within 3 years. Provided they receive acceptable MCAT scores, students then receive admittance to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey to complete their medical training.

St. Peter's College 2641 Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07306-5997 (201) 761-6000 spc.edu

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