<p>Please comment on strengths and weaknesses of each program... need to make decision soon!!!</p>
<p>I don't know much about any of them, but what amazing choices you have!</p>
<p>Any particular information you want? (Also, isn't the deadline usually May 1st?)</p>
<p>I think you would be better off cross posting this in duke/columbia/cornell sub-forums. Although Bigredmed and bluedevilmike may be of help ;)</p>
<p>However, congrats on your choices, you really can't go wrong at any of those institutions for premed..</p>
<p>Depends on what you mean by pre-med programs. The core science courses will be equal due in large part to equality of the student bodies. Tough curve at all three. The medically-related research opportunities for undergrads will probably be most accessible at Duke. The world-class medical center is on campus and many of the undergraduate departments, particularly BME, collaborate with research at DMC. Pre-med advising at Duke is reputed to be excellent. Don't know about the others. Notable Duke pre-meds include Paul Farmer and Bluedevilmike.</p>
<p>bludevilmike: yes, deadline has past, but this is for someone who cleared the waitling lists at these colleges... </p>
<p>wobudong: by pre-med, I mean the whole "shabang" (is that how you spell it??), i.e., science courses, lab facilities, professor quality & accessibility, advising system (accessibility, support level, contacts, etc.), volunteering and research opportunities... have I missed anything? basically, whatever makes a pre-med student successful...</p>
<p>I get the impression Duke is pretty good, Columbia not so hot (at least their advising) - is that accurate?</p>
<p>Also, does anyone know the med school acceptance rates for Columbia and Duke?</p>
<p>Duke is usually around 85% -- recent years have been hard on everybody and Duke is around 80%. Don't know Columbia's. Again, this is not the best metric to use anyway.</p>
<p>I don't think anybody can "comment on the programs." If you have a more specific question, we'll be happy to help however we can.</p>
<p>Science courses: one positive thing about Duke (maybe Columbia does this too?) is that any course that's larger than a certain size (I think 35) breaks down into sections of less than 12 with a TA to go over concepts in a small group setting. Undergrad TA's are to be preferred, but most of the graduate students (especially in biology instead of chemistry) are solid as well.</p>
<p>Facilities: Brand new. French Science Building (named for Melinda French, not for wine, cheese, and stifling perfumes) is like year and a half old. And kind of spectacular.</p>
<p>Advising system: Was best in the country, then our advisor retired. Now we're merely one of the best in the country. (Penn is also notoriously excellent.)</p>
<p>Volunteering: Borderline mandatory. Special program (HPIC) is set up through career office to get students into hospital for first-hand patient contact and physician shadowing. Very easy. I believe the contact is Ruby Brown-Herring?</p>
<p>Research: Pretty easy, although not centralized as much as I'd like. I've never known a science major who hadn't signed on with a research lab, put it that way.</p>
<p>I don't know anything really about Duke or Columbia but I go to Cornell and if you have specific questions I would be glad to help you out. As far as a breakdown of science courses here, they are difficult (what do you expect).</p>
<p>Hey BigRedSoldier, I actually am deciding between Duke and Cornell. I heard that Cornell is harder to get good grades in than Duke. Is that true?</p>
<p>I’m a Cornell undergrad (junior) - while I can’t speak for Duke, it is rather difficult to get good grades here (as it should be); however, NOT if you have the DRIVE and WORK ETHIC (and if you really want to be a physician, you’ll have these qualities and then some).</p>