<p>I got accepted into University of Richmond and I would greatly appreciate it if someone could tell me about their pre-med programs and pre-med advising.</p>
<p>My dad is an orthopedic surgeon and was at the top of his class in medical school and he said that some of the best kids at his med school came from a school called Carleton College in Minnesota. They have a 98% acceptance rate into medical school and I think it was 3rd in the Princeton Review for best pre-med schools so I would look there</p>
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<p>Utterly impossible. Think about it…if Carleton really had those numbers, 99% of every premed would be applying there. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>i would like to know about the requirements for say a school like northwestern and jhu. i’d like somebodies opinion on both of these schools.</p>
<p>Sakky I’m trying to find the best premed program for me and I was wondering what you thought of Vanderbilt,Universary of Alabama,William and Mary,St.Louis Universary,and Washington Universary in St.Louis.Also if you recommend any other premed programs in the south please tell me.I want to to have the highest chance possible to get into med school.</p>
<p>Please use the New Thread button to start a new thread to ask your question.</p>
<p>If you click on a member name, it gives the option to see other posts they have made, Sakky has not been active for almost a year.</p>
<p>“to find the best premed program”
-Only you can determine the best premed program for you personally. The general rules DO NOT EXIST. You can be at any UG in any major or combo of major(s)/minor(s). You personally will be responsible for getting high stats, engage in ECs, obtain great LORs, apply early,…etc. You will not find place that will do any of this for you. People from the lowest of the lowest ranked UGs are getting into Medical schools if they have what it takes.</p>
<p>I disagree with Miami. It just doesn’t fit with reality that students from better undergraduate schools are more likely to get into med school, all things being equal. I am of the opinion the differential of getting the good grades is less dramatic. I have taught at Stanford since 1993 and I can assure you the undergraduate schools of the admitted students is exactly what you would expect - Ivy League schools and equivalently good schools. The advanced physicians I work with all came from top programs.
Dr. Hack</p>
<p>^Well, and who are UG student at Ivy’s? I would say that it has more to do with the Med. School acceptance than Ivy itself. In addtion, I can tell you that my own kid (who graduated at the top of her private HS class and ALL top kids from that HS before and after her go to Ivy, while she decided to go for free to state public UG) has no problem currently in her Med. School class filled with many of Ivy graduates (including many with advanced degrees). She had no problem getting into to 20 Med. Schools while applying to very few. She never felt that kids from Ivy’s bupmed her out of acceptance. I cannot base my comments on others’ experiences, I have only one kid in Med. School. However ALL of her pre-med friends (from her state public) are currently at Med. Schools. some are more selective than others. She was told many times that she is doing well and her Step 1 score also reflects that. I am not saying that this was / is easy. It has been very challenging. However, she felt all along that she has one big advantage over many (not all, but good number) of kids coming from the top Ivy/Elite schools. She believes that she is ahead of them in personal growth / social skills and it makes a difference. She has easier time connecting to others because of various non-academic experiences at her public state UG. She stil believes that she went to the UG that was the best match for her personally and that allowed her to be successful achieving her various goals.</p>
<p>I disagree with Hack. I know that those from top schools would like to believe that they have some unique “get into med school” pass or “get into the best residency” pass, but that’s really not true. On that “other premed forum”, I have seen a number of HYPSM undergrads end up with ZERO acceptances this past app cycle.</p>
<p>My son only completed 6 med school apps (against my wishes…lol). He interviewed at 3 and got accepted to all 3. Two of the med schools offered him nice merit awards. He’s attending his top choice. He went to his state flagship for undergrad. He was Sal of his high school class, had strong test scores, could have gone to a “better school”, but chose a near-free ride. </p>
<p>I’m confident that he’ll excel at his SOM and get into a competitive residency (which he desires). In the end, when he is thru residency and has his practice, no one is going to give a rat’s patootie that he went to his state flagship for undergrad. </p>
<p>I think that Hack is overlooking is that HYPSM undergrads are a unique bunch to begin with. Nearly all have super stats, which is what got them thru the elite doors to begin with. Those same type of kids with those same stats who opted to go ELSEWHERE, are just as likely going to find med school app success.</p>
<p>I venture to guess that if a student was planning on going to his/her state school, then by all means, go to a state UG. But, this discussion may be comparing apples to oranges here. </p>
<p>If you are interested in attending a top research medical school, I have heard (from LizzyM) that there is a slight advantage for having attended a top UG school. There’s a slight numerical increase. But whether that pans out with super strong LoRs, amazing research opportunities, and fabulous GPA/MCAT scores, is unknown. </p>
<p>I can think of all sorts of anecdotes that sway one way or the other, but that’s just what they are: anecdotes. Is there a difference in the student body at a HYP and other well-known research universities vs a small LAC vs a state school, you decide. I do believe that it’s up to the student to make the most out of those college years, no matter where she/he goes.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids,
Yes, I am glad that your S. has similar experience and I completely agree with you.</p>
<p>This is a very insightful forum, thank you.</p>
<p>limabeans,
Here is advantage that my D. (from non-flagship state public) had:
The assistant dean of admission was from the same UG as she was. She has just mentioned that she still have a great relationship with the person primarily because of that. I bet that a huge % of her class is from Ivy/ top Elite and they seem to be just as challenged and SOM is very well aware of this fact from year after year after year. However, I agree, go to any UG you wish, just do not expect that the UG name will carry you forward, you will have to do on your own …all the way thru your own practice or whatever is your final goal…</p>
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Huh??? :o I’m afraid you lost me on that one.</p>
<p>^I’m assuming that was supposed to be “into top 20” med schools.</p>
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An “incest” effect, as it is rumored?</p>
<p>I think one CCer (who is a radiologist resident now) once posted that, if you get very good grades and very good MCAT scores (e.g., 3.9+/37+) and are from a top college, he thinks there may be a slight break in ECs when applying to a top research med school. (I think he had had two years of research in his last two years in college, and an additional year of research in the gap year, but no publishment before the application – which he considered as not having an astonishing EC, I think.)</p>
<p>Some students shine in the state university environment and some students shine in a top college environment. (I think DS belongs to the latter camp as he is good at taking tests and getting good grades, but is not particularly good at securing a long list of other premed related achievements. He believes many premeds around him inflate the significance of their achievement.)</p>
<p>The students from either environment could be successful and get into a top med school if they shine in their school. Let’s just leave it like that.</p>
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More like marrying a cousin, I guess. 
The real “incest” effect is admitting kids from their own undergrad school.</p>
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This is America, ain’t it? It’s good early practice for resume embellishment/padding down the road. :D</p>
<p>^^There are a couple of research articles in PubMed that show that resume inflation is common among pre-meds in several countries (Scotland, New Zealand and Germany, IIRC).</p>
<p>I guess it shows that I don’t inflate my resume when I ask this: how do you do that?</p>