FAQs

All interested students should submit their application online through the links provided on our website. The Admissions Committee reviews all applications and invites the top candidates to come to Rutgers for an in-person interview. Please visit our How to Apply page for details on the application process. 

Pre-requisite courses (Genetics, Statistics, and Biochemistry) are to be taken prior to applying. Embryology may be taken prior to admission to the program. For example, many incoming students opt to take this during the Summer prior to the start of the Fall semester.

It is strongly recommended that applicants complete ALL pre-requisites at the time of application submission. Submitted applications that do not include pre-requisites may be determined to not be eligible for admissions review.

Applicants who are in the process of taking pre-requisites that are to be completed in December are advised to note this in the application (for example, in the education section of the resume or in supplemental documents). It is the responsibility of the applicant to retrieve the grades in these courses as soon as they are posted, and upload a digital copy to your online application.

Submitted applications that do not include documentation of enrollment and an official grade in all pre-requisites courses will not be reviewed by the admissions committee. On a case-by-case basis, the committee may consider a review of an application for an applicant scheduled to take one remaining pre-requisite past the application deadline. Our committee will not review applications with two or more pre-requisites that are due to be completed after the application deadline with no exceptions.

We will accept an AP Statistics class for our Statistics pre-requisite at this time. However, it is strongly recommended and in your best interest to have taken the course as close to your application submission date as possible. 

It is true that most genetic counseling programs receive many applications for a limited number of spots. However, there are things one can do to increase his/her chances of getting invited for an interview. The most competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.2 or greater. In addition, these applicants demonstrate an understanding of the profession. This is often accomplished by spending time job shadowing a genetic counselor and/or exploring the profession in other ways. Other experiences such as counseling activities, lab work, etc. are often very helpful in strengthening one's application. Although not mandatory, taking classes in Anatomy or Physiology is strongly recommended.

We do not have a minimum or required GPA score. However, the most competitive applicants have a GPA of 3.2 or greater.

GRE scores are optional to submit, not required. 

Yes! We are happy to offer in-state tuition to New Jersey residents. Please visit our Tuition and Financial Aid tab for more details.

Yes, graduates of the Rutgers GCMP program are Board Eligible.

Our program will accept approximately 10-12 students per year.

Lots of things! We utilize a variety of clinical, research, and industry settings for our students. Through Rutgers we are able to capitalize on the resources of both the Graduate School-New Brunswick (GSNB) and also the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS). Our students are also given the opportunity to train under a variety of genetic counselors employed in a range of work environments. Finally, our students will have the opportunity to continue to shape this innovative program and make contributions that could have a lasting positive impact.

At this time, enrollment in the Rutgers GCMP is full-time. Currently, the majority of our classes are in person. Select classes are offered online.

Yes, we are pleased to offer merit-based scholarships to incoming students. The scholarship opportunities are likely to vary from year to year. More information about available scholarships will be discussed at the time of interviews. Rutgers students will also be eligible to work with our financial aid department for loan assistance. We also offer scholarships to individuals that are unrepresented in the field.

Interviews are conducted virtually throughout the month of March. 

Every year we have a combination of in-state and out-of-state students. Classes also generally include students who are recent college graduates and students who have been working for a number of years. Please see our student page for more information on our current students.