Hi I am currently wondering what college I want to go to, I live in Washington state. I am going to do running start (dual enrollment) and basically graduate high school with an associates degree. The credits I believe can only be used in Washington states, and the best college here is University of Washington right? But the thing is I believe I can get into a better college, and I want the higher prestige, but if I go to UDUB, I’m in-state, close to home, and already completed 2 years of free college. But on the other hand, I really believe I can go to a t30 or higher. What should I do? If I earn an associates, can I become a transfer student to any college (my dream one is Johns Hopkins) and continue on like that with already have done 2 years? Thanks 
Also, I am interested in becoming a surgeon, and I want to go to Johns Hopkins for medical school if that matters at all.
The University of Washington is a very good school. If you are interested in medical school, then you need to budget for 4 years of medical school after you get your bachelor’s degree. As such, being in-state will be a win, and avoiding any extra years of undergrad will also be a big win.
Prestige is not going to matter much at all for medical school admissions. Undergraduate GPA and MCAT scores will matter a lot.
You can’t apply to medical school with only two years of college (the college courses you took in HS won’t count). You’ll only be 20 years old, and medical schools frown on it. Plan on a full four years of undergraduate.
People face this issue all the time. If you pick the Running Start, you’ll get the benefits if you stay in Washington. If you’d rather go to another school you can but that school might not give you credit for classes you took in high school as dual enrollment or as AP.
I’d do the running start and then you’ll have the option to use them in Washington or apply to other schools. No harm in doing the program but deciding to apply to JHU or Duke or Harvard.
@brantly What? I don’t think you understand… I go to the local community college and get college credits while at the same time it counts towards high school. I think its 5:1. I graduate high school like everyone else but have 2 years of college on my belt. Also medical schools frown on you being 20?
Does not make sense to go out of state and throw 2 years of credits away. That is not to say the University of Washington will accept all those credits or that they are meaningful credits. Med schools do not care where you did your undergraduate studies. They care about grades and MCATS. I would go to your local flagship and then apply to med school.
With your strong academic record, I absolutely think it’s worth a try to apply to more prestigious schools.
While the University of Washington is a great option and has an excellent reputation, it doesn’t hurt to try apply elsewhere to see what kind of offers you receive. Top Colleges have large endowments and it’s not uncommon for it to be less expensive in the long run to attend a school such as Brown, Amherst, Princeton, etc. If they accept some of your college credits, so much the better. Another option is to apply as a transfer student. Many schools are now committed to enrolling a limited number of transfer stidents each year; its extremely competitive but worth a shot. Lastly, since you’re such a strong student, I think it’s worth a look at competitive programs such as these where you’re conditionally admitted to medical school before you’ve completed your undergraduate degree.
https://www.bu.edu/academics/cas/programs/seven-year-liberal-arts-medical-education-program/
https://www.brown.edu/academics/medical/admission/apply-alpert-medical-school/routes-admission
@UrbanMum The OP has not posted any information to indicate that he has a “strong academic record” other than graduating high school with an associate’s degree. That is not uncommon.
OP, what is your GPA and ACT/SAT score? Why do you want to attend Johns Hopkins medical school as opposed to the University of Washington, other than the prestige factor?
Yes, that is correct. I do understand. You take college courses concurrent with your HS courses. It will be very difficult to get into medical school via that route, having attended college for only two years after HS graduation. There are no short cuts. You have to enter college after your graduate HS and attend for four years. It is not ideal to be a 20-year-old applicant to medical school. Med schools prefer experienced, mature candidates. The median age of incoming med students is 24. That means half the students would be at least five years older than you. The other half probably hovers around 22-23, not 20.
Good luck, but med schools will probably expect you to complete a minimum of 2 years of college at a 4 year university (more if your credits don’t transfer) before applying, meaning you’ll have to figure in at least one gap year after graduating from a 4 year college. Your time at the 4 year college should include UD science courses to give med schools confidence you can handle med school academics.
All US med schools are good schools and can provide you a pathway to wherever you want to go as MD. As most who start premed change their minds and of those who actually apply, 60% fail to get even one admission anywhere, you’ll be very, very happy to get just one acceptance, much less one at JHU. Med school education is pretty much the same at all US med schools, don’t be focused on prestige.
Also med school is crazy expensive and is typically paid for by loans. Consider a 4 year school where you can graduate with as little debt as possible. Although the prestige of your college may not be of zero importance, what will carry far more weight and may get you an invitation to interview at a med school is your GPAs, MCAT, ECs, etc…. Of course if you blow the interview, say adios to your chance at that med school.
You do know that after 4 years of med school, there is at least 5 years post med school training to become “just” a general surgeon, more if you subspecialize.
@Jugulator20 I know about that last thing, I want to specialize in neurosurgery and the residency is 7 years long, but totally worth it.
@brantly If I can show that I am mature in an interview I doubt they’ll care would they? About my age. Also the classes I take will be on my college transcript as real classes, it counts towards my GPA.
You should take the path that most improves your odds of admission. Applying at age 19 or 20 does not give you the best odds.
When you apply to med school you’ll be competing with people who’ve had 4 years of undergrad experience and medical related ECs. I don’t think it’s easy to get into med school, and I believe it requires more than successful completion of a set of particular courses. @mom2collegekids understands med school admissions and can give more insight, but I don’t think rushing through college is the best strategy. Spending the time to build a strong app may serve you better.
Prestige is completely overrated, especially when you have 2 years worth of college education. You’d basically be throwing away all your credits and starting over at a school that costs more than triple the tuition.It’s not worth it. You’re better off graduating with low debt and saving it for medical school.
^^This strategy will be for naught if he doesn’t get into medical school. Besides, attending undergrad beyond the age of 20 doesn’t have to happen at an expensive school.
Each college has a different policy on what college credits (that were earned before graduating from high school ) they will accept. Variables include: whether the credits were counted towards your high school graduation, whether or not the credits were earned at a 2-year or 4-year college, whether the classes were taught on the college campus or in a high school, whether they were taught online or in person, how many credits were taken, etc. It’s all very confusing, and you have to scour the colleges’ web sites to get the details…but in general the elite colleges are pickier and have more restrictions on which classes they take. You might be able to find one or more that you consider better than UW that will accept your credits.