My son is a first-year student at NCF. He is not pre-med, but I know that NCF has a very strong acceptance rate (well above the national average, and on par with the most elite colleges) at medical, and other professional and graduate schools. One reason NCF isn’t higher on some popular rankings is because its four-year graduation rate suffers from students who underestimate the rigor and demands of thesis work and independent study projects. Even though the college has no letter grades, it is small enough for teachers to know who you are and whether you’re bothering to show up. If you decide to attend NCF, let them know ASAP that you are potentially interested in a pre-med track, so that you will be assigned a suitable adviser.
My son hasn’t complained about a culture of gossip at NCF. I’m sure that it exists, but it would exist at even a large university, where students are likelier to break down into small groups. Feel free to PM any specific questions, and I can relay them to my son.