I know that pre-med isn’t a major and I’ve heard from many people that there isn’t really a great school for pre-med because it’s a bunch of science classes, but there have to be some programs where there are lots of internships, research opportunities, and strong science classes.
Also, I’m from California and I have a shot at UCR, UCSC, UCM, but I’m considering going out of state. Does anyone know of schools with substantial scholarships that have the stuff I listed above? I’ve already looked into University of Alabama and their scholarship. Are there any other universities known for their sciences that have great scholarships?
What are your stats? Most scholarships will be based on your GPA and test scores. UCR is an excellent in-state option since they opened a Medical school and have slots set aside for UCR applicants. Also you want to attend a college where you have the best chance at maintaining a high GPA and access to medically related EC’s. How much can you afford? You might want look at SDSU and CSULB as some other in- state options. Both have good pre-professional advising programs.
It’s not universally accepted that some colleges aren’t better than others in furthering the goals of their premed students. Fiske, for example, has been know to list premedicine under “Strongest Programs” for certain colleges in their guide. If you are interested in schools that are strong in science, provide good research opportunities and which have good financial aid, you will find more than you might elsewhere within the following online list: “The Experts’ Choice: Colleges With Great Pre-med Programs.”
If you want to explore out of state options, there’s no reason you wouldn’t stand a very good chance at a college like Franklin & Marshall. But that’s just an example, using one college. If there’s an underlying point, I’d say it’s that your options may be wider than you think.
I suggest you start by learning more about what becoming a strong med school applicant takes. Read thru the very informative FAQ at http://www.rhodes.edu/hpa/15890.asp They also have a nice writeup in the PreMed Essentials link on the left side of that page. There is also an excellent online handbook at Amherst I recommend to get an understanding of the process and what really matters
One thing to avoid is placing any importance into acceptance numbers. Some schools boast incredible rates, but it boils down to one of two things. Either they start with great students (think Stanford, etc) or the school weeds out students. Look out especially for the “committee letter” which small schools with average students coming in wield like an axe to prevent all but the strongest applicants from applying right out of college; to no surprise, they often boast 90% or better med school “acceptance” numbers for their undergrads. Soon a regular poster will chime in to recommend one such school, Holy Cross.
I always ask kids that say they want to be doctors, why an M.D? Not that I know it is wrong for you, it may be the right fit, but have you actually looked into the medical field and considered the alternatives? From the day you start college it will be 11-15 years before you are a practicing doctor, depending on what field you go into. In other words, think back to 1st grade; all those years since then matches the minimum it will take to become a practicing doc! Its almost a reflex action among HS kids, they think of a career in medicine and its “I’m pre-med!” Doctors are far from the only ones in the health field that help people. Physical therapists, radiology techs, nurses, speech pathologists, to name but just a few. Before you go heavily into debt and commit so many years I suggest you explore the alternatives.
If you were looking at the U of Alabama - and are not averse to the South - you might also take a minute to look at Emory. They are known for their med school, they are very solid overall, and are likely pretty strong in the sciences. A 34 ACT is well above their average score, while your 3.5 is below average. Worth a shot, if you like the school. Emory has really strong financial aid for those who need it - not sure about their scholarship offerings.
What I have read on this site ~100 times is the following, whenever people ask about the schools they should consider for pre-med:
Get good grades…
From a decent/accredited school…
And graduate with little or no debt.
Many schools will fit that bill. You can figure out an estimated cost (and the amount of debt you might take on) by running the Net Price Calculator for the schools you are considering.
@mikemac I have been considering a PA or NP as well. Are the undergrad courses you take for these professions the same as an M.D.? I did some research and they look very similar.
@prezbucky I’m okay with anywhere in the South, it’s just that Emory is private so compared to U of Alabama it would be a LOT more money and I’m trying to reduce the cost in order to save for grad school. I’m not sure if my family would qualify for financial aid
UCM/UCR/UCSC are good target schools based on your UC GPA. What are your test scores?
You might also want to consider CSULB and SDSU as in-state options. Both have excellent academics for any pre-professional degree (PA/NP/MD) that you may want to pursue. SDSU especially has a very good Pre-Professional advising center and my son’s roommate for this coming year is Bio/Pre-Med major and is heavily involved with the Pre-med club on campus which has a lot of Medically related opportunities such as volunteering/shadowing available.
I don’t know, but it is worth digging farther into what it takes to be a strong candidate for these programs. It’s going to be more than just the classes.
In addition to classes, many medical programs want to see people with actual exposure to the field so that they understand what they are getting into. Sometimes this is an official requirement, often it is implicit. If you wanted to apply to PT school many directly require exposure (see http://www.ptcas.org/ptcas/public/pthours.aspx?navID=10737426790) And med schools will not accept people without some experience in the field as the link from Rhodes makes clear.
Even in HS you can start by volunteer work in a medical setting which will give you an opportunity to see and talk with doctors, PA’s, nurses, etc.
^^Yep. It was meant to figure out the OP’s regional preferences. The South is wonderful in many ways, but it seems so many students on this site are looking only at the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and/or California.
34 on the ACT! When applying to med school, is it looked down upon if you went to a state school instead of a UC in California?
I do volunteer at a hospital right now and I love it. I think it’s great for anyone trying to get a closer look and what the every day lives of people in healthcare are like.
Is there a specific calculator you can use? Can someone link me one if they know of a good one?
Look into Rhodes, st Olaf, Dickinson, Davidson , Kenyon , Denison, in addition to the usual suspects … Run the NPC’s to make sure there would be affordable but they 're excellent academically and offer merit aid.