33 ACT - pre med - WHERE TO GO TO UG??

Pre-Med & Medical School Pre-Med Topics
1

<p>bright kid, shadowing this summer. "likes" at this point, smaller liberal arts schools. am aware of med school admittance criteria (30+ MCAT, 3.7+ gpa) and seemingly it not mattering much where that gpa comes from. can afford private but need to have good reasons for doing so. DON'T want to over go for prestige (possibly sacrificing gpa, opportunity to research, opportunity to stand out) and lose track onto medical school by doing so!! Heard too many stories of bright kid getting into Prestige U, not cutting it gpa wise and losing their dream of being a doctor. student is top 15% of top ranking HS, 4.0 weighted, average EC, strong shadowing experience if that matters.</p>

<p>Wash U st. louis?? concern is cutthroat competitive environment, and hard to get the gpa </p>

<p>Tulane? no major concerns</p>

<p>Rhodes? small. no other major concerns</p>

<p>Williams? can child get in?? don't know enough about the school other than great LAC</p>

<p>Davidson? too rural for research/hospital opportunities, tough gpa</p>

<p>OR</p>

<p>Honors at Texas Tech? only reason to go here is medicine track 'seems' very doable, chance to really stand out, med school/hospital on campus, honors school makes it 'smaller'.</p>

<p>UT austin. big, child seems overwhelmed</p>

<p>A and M. decent medicine track here. think size would be mediated by local community feel, 'brotherhood' of aggies advantages,</p>

<p>other U??? instate is Texas, but this can be done elsewhere I am aware. Duke, etc. More interest in south, southeast up through northeast. middle usa is ok. not interested in west. Prefer interesting town/city, but overall package to meeting goal of being a doctor is MAJOR factor.</p>

<p>New to forum, researching posts, thanks for any tips!!!</p>

2

<p>You might want to put this in the premed forum–you might get more replies there.</p>

<p>Definitely smart for you to be thinking about not paying the big bucks for private undergrad when you’re looking at med school loans down the road. </p>

<p>WashU has a great reputation for premed but it’s extremely competitive for admission–and very expensive. SIL did premed there and was very satisfied with the program. Maybe look at Emory? Another premed factory in the Southeast.</p>

3

<p>A poster whose daughter is now in med school at Yale chose Rhodes over other schools because of a great merit scholarship. By all accounts she had a great experience. Look for curmudgeon’s post for more info. There’s a lot to be said for someone who is certain about med school (and many, many kids change their minds), to save money as an undergrad.</p>

4

<p>There are some excellent resources on the premed forum–look at the thread at the very top of the forum and you’ll get a great introduction to the ins and outs of the premed world. That said, I’m another parent whose D chose Rhodes over some other, better known schools. D also was offered a great merit scholarship there. She went in thinking she would probably chose to go on to grad school in the sciences, but was undecided, and had many interests, including a couple of foreign languages, religious studies, and so on. Fast forward to the June after junior year. Suddenly the path became clear: MD/PhD. Fortunately, she was a Biochem major, and had completed almost all the prereqs (and had relevant volunteering and research). Rhodes was incredibly supportive, and she managed to get her application done and the MCAT taken by mid-August. (This is NOT at all the recommended timeline!) She is now beginning M2 in an excellent MSTP program. This is all to say that I was so impressed with the ways in which Rhodes supported her in this decision. Being at a small school where she really knew several professors well worked in her favor. It also worked in her favor to be in a city where there are many opportunities to volunteer. Her classes were rigorous, and she did quite well on the MCAT with prep time of about 8 weeks (while also working in a full time research internship). Your mileage may vary, but this is my way of saying that small, liberal arts colleges in cities can be a great choice!</p>

5

<p>Check out the University of Miami for another southeast option with strong science programs and merit aid possibilities.</p>

6

<p>Jane, thanks!! where IS the pre-med forum?? Good tip on Emory, I presume both Emory and Wash U are not only competitive to get in, but also competitive within. THAT is an environment I don’t think he would like. May be a bit naive on the ‘back biting’ if that is a factor at any of these pre-med factories. thanks!</p>

<p>mathmom. thanks for the info on Rhodes, I will look at Curmudgeon’s posts! I am aware of the numbers that change their mind, so I am really supportive of all the shadowing he is doing now…but DO want him to go somewhere that he can stay IF he changes his mind…and I see that a LAC could be a good place for that…some honors universities would be less likely for him to stay at, as he is going solely for the premed track. he IS a bit of a LAC type kid…</p>

<p>shy, wow!! great experience your child had!! not sure what MSTP is (medical school tp) but that is great! congrats!! any opinion on the ‘fact’ that a 3.7+ gpa and 30+ MCAT is the minimum…assuming average research experience? Any OTHER small LAC in a city that you could recommend? I feel our search is too small at this point. I don’t want a back biting environment, supportive and cooperative student body is an important factor!!! Great info, thanks!!!</p>

<p>my3sons, I will!! next stop! merit aid sure helps the price tag, and don’t think we can qualify for any other. thanks!!!</p>

7

<p>To find the pre-med forum, look at the Discussion Menu on the left side of your screen, then choose Discussion Home. Scroll down to Professional and Graduate School, choose Pre-Med, then choose Pre-Med topics.</p>

<p>MSTP is the Medical Scientist Training Program, programs funded by the government to train MD/PhD candidates.</p>

<p>As for other urban, liberal arts colleges, my D looked seriously at Trinity in San Antonio. It is a bit bigger, but does have a liberal arts college feel. Macalester, in St. Paul, might be a possibility. Goucher is in a suburb of Baltimore.</p>

8

<p>Pre Med forum:</p>

<p>[Pre-Med</a> Topics - College Confidential](<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/]Pre-Med”>Pre-Med Topics - College Confidential Forums)</p>

<p>Pre Med Resources thread that SPU talked about:</p>

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1486654-premed-resources-thread-start-here-first.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1486654-premed-resources-thread-start-here-first.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>MSTP = Medical Scientist Training Program (a NIH fully funded MD/PhD program available at a very limited number of medical schools)</p>

<p>The average MCAT score for new med school matriculants has been creeping upward for several years now. For 2012, the average MCAT for matriculants was 31.2</p>

<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/download/321494/data/2012factstable17.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/download/321494/data/2012factstable17.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Oh, and there will be brand new MCAT format starting in 2015–with new increased course requirements for test-takers.</p>

<p>~~~~</p>

<p>D2 liked Colorado College. Small LAC with a unique one-course-at-a-time curriculum in Colorado Spring, CO. CC is among the few undergrad colleges that still utilizes an actual cadaver lab for its Anatomy & Phjysiology class.</p>

<p>Lots of outdoorsy kids with great skiing nearby.</p>

9

<p>Actually Emory has a fairly generous curve (except at Oxford where there is none), so it’s not terribly competitive. I’ve heard that premed advising is outstanding and research, particularly in medical related fields abounds.</p>

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<p>shy, found it, thanks, I will see if I can move this over there. Trinity might be an option. A concern with TOO much of a change geographically (boston, st. paul, baltimore) is that the sheer adjustment to college will be so exaggerated with that far/different of a move that the move alone will affect his performance gpa wise, and general well being in college. but, hate to shortchange him…</p>

<p>wowmom, colorado springs could be a great place. like the lab too. was it an exceptionally liberal feel to the student body? ds is (now) fairly conservative, but is very outdoorsy, too.</p>

<p>whenhen, yes, emory is one to check out too. a ‘generous curve’, meaning a’s are a possibility?? :slight_smile: ‘not terribly competetive’ meaning student body is cooperative as opposed to excessively competitive? not sure I am understanding this. I had thought Emory was like Wash U. </p>

<p>thanks all, what a great source of info!!! much needed!!!</p>

11

<p>(from another forum, advised to place this here, newbie!!)</p>

<p>bright kid, shadowing this summer. “likes” at this point, smaller liberal arts schools. am aware of med school admittance criteria (30+ MCAT, 3.7+ gpa) and seemingly it not mattering much where that gpa comes from. can afford private but need to have good reasons for doing so. DON’T want to over go for prestige (possibly sacrificing gpa, opportunity to research, opportunity to stand out) and lose track onto medical school by doing so!! Heard too many stories of bright kid getting into Prestige U, not cutting it gpa wise and losing their dream of being a doctor. student is top 15% of top ranking HS, 4.0 weighted, average EC, strong shadowing experience if that matters.</p>

<p>Wash U st. louis?? concern is cutthroat competitive environment, and hard to get the gpa </p>

<p>Tulane? no major concerns</p>

<p>Rhodes? small. no other major concerns</p>

<p>Williams? can child get in?? don’t know enough about the school other than great LAC</p>

<p>Davidson? too rural for research/hospital opportunities, tough gpa</p>

<p>OR</p>

<p>Honors at Texas Tech? only reason to go here is medicine track ‘seems’ very doable, chance to really stand out, med school/hospital on campus, honors school makes it ‘smaller’.</p>

<p>UT austin. big, child seems overwhelmed</p>

<p>A and M. decent medicine track here. think size would be mediated by local community feel, ‘brotherhood’ of aggies advantages,</p>

<p>other U??? instate is Texas, but this can be done elsewhere I am aware. Duke, etc. More interest in south, southeast up through northeast. middle usa is ok. not interested in west. Prefer interesting town/city, but overall package to meeting goal of being a doctor is MAJOR factor.</p>

<p>New to forum, researching posts, thanks for any tips!!!</p>

12

<p>Most science classes (if there is a curve) are curved to a B which is actually fairly high. I believe most schools of Emory’s caliber curve to a B-, and some even limit the number of As students in the class can earn. </p>

<p>At least at Oxford, study groups are the norm for the science classes. From what I’ve seen when some of the Atlanta campus premeds were studying during a volunteering trip, study groups are also very popular there. I have some high school friends at schools which I consider to be cutthroat and their descriptions of intro science courses are almost nothing like what I’ve observed at both Oxford and the Atlanta campus. </p>

<p>I’ve also heard Emory and Wash U are very similar, and in fact they’re our “rivals”. However, the academic philosophy at Wash U may be different than Emory even if the schools seem superficially similar.</p>

13

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1486654-premed-resources-thread-start-here-first.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1486654-premed-resources-thread-start-here-first.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

14

<p>I’ve always read that Davidson has excellent med school admission stats. Have you searched the Davidson forum on CC for relevant threads? I found this post in one of them.

<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12488297-post9.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/12488297-post9.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

15

<p>i-wanna…yes, I am, interesting information. I think my post remains a question. Or, kindly say, if not, what is the purpose of the forum? Each situation is unique, and hopefully someone has some input? thanks all!! :)</p>

16

<p>OP, it appears from your post that your kid and you have a lot to hash out about UG selection that is totally independent of any “pre-med” concerns.</p>

17

<p>My advice is the same regardless of what career path a high school student wants to pursue…</p>

<p>Matriculate at the best undergraduate institution that’s the best fit. If the student is good enough to get into med school, then it will happen.</p>

<p>To add to the current discussion…
“A-/B+” students at Ivy League schools get into med school…all the time. At the good med schools, admissions committees are sophisticated enough to consider a student’s curriculum and the UG institution attended to figure out whether the GPA is “good enough” for acceptance into an MD or MD/PhD program.</p>

18

<p>Any place you love and preferrably that will award you full tuition / full ride in Merits.
Check if they have good pre-med advisory / committee</p>

19

<p>I think first, you and your son need to identify what your primary concerns are (other than pre-med) w/r/t to college selection.</p>

<p>Cost? Geographic location? School size? Merit potential? Gender balance? (Lots of LACs have skewed M/F enrollments) LAC vs. research school? Lots of pre meds vs hardly any?</p>

<p>As you stated, any college can provide adequate pre med prep. There are upsides and downside to each of the potential selection factors I’ve mentioned. </p>

<p>There is no perfect school for pre med. </p>

<p>I have 2 children: one attended a small top 30 research-oriented undergrad;one went to a huge, mid-ranked state flagship. Guess what? They both thrived where they were planted, found research positions, found mentors and trusted advisors, found volunteer and clinical service opportunities, made friends, found their intellectual peers, had a variety of interesting experiences. Both are going to med school. (Potentially even the same med school–D2 is in throes of this year’s cycle. D1 is a MS3 who’s eyeballing orthopedics as her eventual specialty.)</p>

<p>But until you and your son make some basic decisions–you’re not going to get too many suggestions because your ideas and list are so scattered.</p>

20

<p>To answer your original question about Williams: sounds like a reach for him, although being male and not from New England might help. It is a beautiful place, it does not meet the criteria of being near an interesting city. Something you might want to look into is the University of Vermont. It is a smaller, more LAC-like state U in a reportedly cool little city, Burlington, and everyone who goes there seems to love it. Great for outdoorsy types.</p>