With the college admissions process (mercifully) finished :), now I have to choose which school to go to.
I have been accepted into UVA, UNC, U Pitt, VCU and William and Mary. I am trying to decide which of these schools would be best for undergrad before I apply for medical school.
Specifically, through my research, I have found that the most important part of the medical process is the GPA, which is why I do not want to go to a school that has widespread grade deflation. However, I am graduating from TJHSST, which is one of the most intense schools in the country, so I can keep up with rigorous coursework.
I would also like to see if I can graduate a year early from wherever I go so that I can spend a year getting clinical experience. I should have about 12 AP credits unless I mess one up this year :).
Finally, I would like to go to a college with a high medical school acceptance rate, or maybe a college with a good medical school that prefers accepting their own students. An added bonus would be if the school has an MdPHd program, since that is the program I really want to attend, although I realize it is very difficult.
Right now, I am leaning towards Pitt because of their really good med school and opportunities available, but if anybody has any additional information or advice, it would be much appreciated :).
Wow! I also went to TJ class of '12. I received admissions to UVA, UNC, Georgetown and William and Mary. I faced the same Delima you’re facing right now. I decided to go to William and Mary and I don’t regret my decision at all! Since the classes are really small (Like 11 people) I’ve gotten to know my professors really well, and they’ve written me stellar recs for med school. I also like that a lot of my friends from TJ moved here with me, so it wasn’t as scary starting school. William and Mary has an awesome pre-med research program Scribes. You are at research centers and hospitals with professors and doctors. You do need to work hard to get a good grade, and good medical schools know that. Actually, W&W has like an 80% acceptance rate into medical schools while the national average is around 40%. W&M prepares their students exceptionally well for medical school - it’s known as one of the best pre-med schools. In addition, you have the option to double major! I majored in Kinesiology and Microbiology, and a minor in Spanish language studies and Saxophone performance. I have been accepted into Stanford Medical school and am so happy I decided to go to W&M. Well Good luck with your decision, all are great schools!
Any of these schools will prepare you just fine for the MCAT and for med school applications. Go by overall fit and cost.
Thank you all so much for your input. In the end, I decided to go to UVA thanks to the overall fit, plus I have some friends there who got me some connections 
However, I was just offered First-Year Spring Admission to Cornell, and my parents are strongly urging me to consider it. I am not quite sure though, since I heard that Cornell is difficult for pre med due to the low curve. Still, the overall academics are definitely better and there are probably more opportunities.
Any additional input or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
how could you possibly believe that at Cornell “the overall academics are definitely better” than UVA?
Oh, wait, the rankings? Which undebatedly capture the the differences in undergrad education.
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Still, the overall academics are definitely better and there are probably more opportunities
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what? Based on what?
Are you still premed and certain about that?
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School Name: Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, VA)
GPA: 4.154 W (3.719 UW)
Test Scores: 2330 SAT (1600 M+CR), 36 ACT (35 Reading, 36 for rest), 800 Math 2, 770 Chem, 760 US History
Demographics: Asian Male
My parents want me to wait for my other decisions to come back, but I am seriously considering
My parents are strongly encouraging me to consider [Cornell]
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First off, you wanted an undergrad that has a med school that would strongly consider its applicants. That wouldn’t be Cornell.
UVA Med matriculated 58% instate… The instate vs OOS applicants is 19% vs 81%. UVA very likely strongly considers its own applicants who are instate.
Uva = Cornell
What makes you want to take Cornell over uva?
Do they cost the same and can your parents pay both from income and saving?
I think the family is impressed by Cornell being in the Ivy Athletic League
mikemac, constructive information would be more helpful than snark. Why do you disagree with the rankings? Like I said, any input would be appreciated.
MYOS, my parents have assured me that they can pay for wherever I want to go.
mom, it is definitely true that my family is impressed by the Ivy League, and I have heard that Cornell is not that much better than UVA. But why do you think that I should not go to Cornell? Attending a school that considers their own students, while helpful, is not the main criteria. For me, it is about being accepted to any good medical school.
Basically, the main reason I asked the question was to get some feedback about whether Cornell is an upgrade on UVA in any way pertaining to being accepted to medical school. Any information related to that would be awesome.
Thanks
Cornell is NOT an upgrade to UVA for premed. For engineering and math IMO yes.
I guess my question would be why you guys think this way. You have not really given me any concrete information other than that Cornell does not strongly consider its own applicants, which I have already said is not that important to me. If there is something else, such as matriculation rates, or some sort of stigma against Cornell grads, that would be the information I am more interested in. Something that really shows that I would be at a disadvantage going to Cornell or at an advantage going to UVA.
There is no stigma against Cornell med school applicants, or UVA med school applicants…or the applicants from 200+ universities in the US.
Cornell’s med school RECENT matriculation stats are a bit hazy since they only include the rates of their applicants with a 3.4 GPA or better. If you go back to 2010 when they reported on all applicants with any GPA, the reported rate is 67%. I’m guessing that their acceptance number has dropped, so they’re now opting to exclude applicants with GPAs under 3.4 from their recent reported data of 71%.
UVA includes all GPAs in their most recent reported data with a rate of 55%.
But either way, reported data means nothing to any individual, as all applicants aren’t equal, and the individual seeking the info may not be a strong applicant.
Strong applicants with the same stats from both schools would have the same chances of acceptance (except maybe if the applicant is a Calif resident). So, whether the applicant is coming from Cornell or UVA, it’s his stats that will determine his chance, not his school.
I couldn’t tell if either school writes Committee Letters but maybe I wasn’t looking in the right place.
Personally, I think going to Cornell is a waste of money as a premed when you have UVA instate. I’m guessing that Cornell would be about twice the price. If your parents are wealthy and can also easily pay for med school, then fine.
BUT…if going to Cornell means sacrifice and maybe not being able to help with med school costs, then it just doesn’t make much sense to me.
Thank you mom, that was exactly what I was looking for
It truly is a toss up, since my parents can afford to send me to Cornell plus med school. I’m thinking of visiting both places one more time to truly decide where the best fit would be.
Thank you so much for your input!
Since it sounds like your parents are very affluent and can afford $250k for Cornell, and probably $350k for med school (total $600k), then visit and pick your fave. Good luck!