<p>A lil background on me: 2200 SAT, 32 ACT, sal of 360 kids, 3.92 GPA, two Research publications, awards in academic competitions, 800 math SAT II, 700 bio SAT II, 55554 AP, t scores, three research internships, took college courses and got A's, self-studied AP Psych.</p>
<p>I am just thinking of going to Drexel for pre-med cuz i got rejected by every ivy i applied. I figured that drexel is in philly and philly has some great hospitals and opportunities so i could definitely get something. Hopefully, I can even use my research experience in high school to get those opportunities.
Besides, Drexel is good for me cuz i can keep my GPA there and I'll work hard to beast the MCAT's. With the research/hospital/shadowing opporutnities available in philly, there's no way i can go wrong. </p>
<p>Do you guys think my train of thought is incorrect? DO you think Drexel university produces quality applicants that go off to great medical schools? Do you have a link to support your view?</p>
<p>BTw, I'm still waiting on the DRexel/Drexel 7 year BS/MD. I just found out i got rejected from Rosemont/Drexel 7 year BS/MD. SO i doubt im gonna get the former.</p>
<p>I graduated from MCP Hahnemann School of Medicine which is now Drexel University School of Medicine and a number of my classmates at the medical school graduated from the post-baccalaureate pre-med program there and they all had very high praise for it. Graduates were not only accepted at Drexel but also at other medical schools all over the country. I realize this intensive one year program is different from attending Drexel as a pre-med undergraduate but it indicates that Drexel has the expertise to train people who will be applying to medical school. </p>
<p>MCP Hahnemann was a stand alone medical school with its own teaching hospitals when I was there (1997-2001) so I really do not have a feel for how much the medical school is integrated into Drexel University (It is located at a seperate campus) or whether or not the medical school gives preferential treatment in admissions to applicants who are Drexel graduates. I also think the relationship between the medical schools in Philadelphia, which was really poisonous when I was there, has become much better since Sherrif Abduldhak of the now defunct AHERF and Bill Kelley of UPenn Medical Center were fired by their respective institutions for engaging in a feud that financially ruined both medical centers.</p>
<p>In short, here’s what you need to get into medical school: </p>
<p>meaningful extracurriculars
considerable time spent volunteering
knowledge of the field (shadowing, working in a hospital, working with patients)
scholarly endeavors (like research)
authentic leadership
a high GPA (shoot for >3.8 regardless of where you go)
a high MCAT score (>33 would be pretty ideal)
extraordinary recommendation letters from a variety of adults/profs who know you well
a unique hook
a well-written and mature personal statement
lots of potential
*a people-oriented personality, polite demeanor, and a little charm never hurt anyone either</p>
<p>Can you find that at Drexel? Seems like it. Your logic seems reasonable. </p>
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<p>Yes I do; no such link (that’s reliable) exists. Getting into medical school is not even remotely similar to getting into undergrad. I’d guess that the most surefire way to end up in medical school when you’re done with undergrad is to absolutely excel at the points listed above.</p>
<p>^What is a great medical school in your point of view? I just wanna see your expectations and standards.</p>
<p>Oh I think any allopathic medical school in the US is great. I think many osteopathic medical schools are great too. The trick is getting into one of them.</p>
<p>The four that I interviewed with were Missouri, Northwestern, Mayo, and Duke. I would have been thrilled to go to any of them (except perhaps Northwestern, only because I don’t think I’m a big-city girl) and consider each of them to be a great medical school. I met students from all over the country at my interviews, which leads me to believe that one doesn’t have to choose a specific undergrad school to get into medical school.</p>
<p>Search through this board a little bit–you’ll find that many students have debated where to go to undergrad. The common wisdom on this board, at least, seems to be that the best undergrad school for you is the one where you will thrive (ie, hast the best fit) and the one that makes the most financial sense (ie, is the least expensive). This combination should at least set the stage for you to be a successful student and for you to have some wiggle room with taking on loans for medical school. Again, good luck!</p>
<p>I mean, the bottom line question is: what are your alternatives? If you applied (foolishly) only to Ivies and Drexel, then I think Drexel is absolutely the best school in the universe for you, since it is the one that admitted you.</p>
<p>I can go to PEnn State University PArk but it would be 6 grand more. I can also go to Rosemont College, which is a half hour from philly but i would have to pay only 16 grand vs. 28 grand for drexel. I made a trap for myself by following my hopes at prestige.
Anyways, I don’t want Rosemont College cuz of the lack of opportunities there. I think there’s a dearth of them and its environment is not that great. I think Drexel is the best unless of course I could somehow magically afford Penn State.</p>
<p>Well then there you go. Why wouldn’t you go to Drexel?</p>
<p>I am…I just want to know if pre med at Drexel is any good? I’ve heard the courses there are easy and may not be up to par. This would in turn give me a harder time preparing for the MCAT’s b/c I may not have a solid foundation.</p>
<p>Well, if you’re going there anyway, then the proper mindset is to view it as the best school in the world. What would be the point in thinking otherwise?</p>
<p>Drexel is fine for pre-med. Don’t worry about that.</p>
<p>I think Drexel is the best unless of course I could somehow magically afford Penn State.</p>
<p>So, what is the issue here. Are your parents saying that they cannot easily afford the cost difference? If so, then that question is settled…you can’t afford PSU.</p>
<p>Go to Drexel…be top in your classes…get to know your profs (if you’re a top student, they will know you).</p>
<p>^Thanks for the advice. </p>
<p>No my parents can’t afford the difference. We’re gonna be taking loans for the 28 grand at DRexel. WE feel that taking an additional 8 grand loan won’t be worth it</p>
<p>The thing I’m also worried about is that my stats are SIGNFICANTLY above Drexel…so what will that mean? What are the effects of attending a school significantly not up to par to one’s standards?</p>
<p>You are looking at statistics for the average Drexel student. There will be students with lower stats and higher stats than the average. In fact I would not be surprised if there will be students at Drexel with stats that equal or even exceed yours. You have the opportunity to be one of the best students in all of your classes and garner a very high GPA which you will need to be admitted to Drexel SOM or any other medical school.</p>
<p>Frankly, I would be much more concerned if you somehow got accepted at a university where your stats were in the lower end of the distribution. It would then be very hard to get a superior GPA and your chances of acceptance at any medical school would be drastically reduced. I think admissions committes at medical schools do give more favorable consideration to graduates of the elite universities but only after a certain UG GPA threshold has been met which is usually about 3.4. Even a Harvard graduate with a GPA of 3.1 is an almost certain rejection at any U.S. allopathic medical school unless the applicant is a URM.</p>
<p>How do you know that Drexel is “significantly not up to par to [your] standards”? Have you taken a class there? Do you know the scores of your peers in your major?</p>
<p>At Drexel, like at most schools, the most able students tend to cluster in a few demanding majors. Your peers might be smarter than you think.</p>
<h1>s 16 and 17 are of course correct.</h1>
<p>There’s a broader point. Whenever you’re making a decision, you make it “at the margins.” That is, you compare it to your second-best alternative. In this case, there are no alternatives. So there’s no sense comparing.</p>
<p>Seriously. You’re going to Drexel. There’s no reason to worry about the grass on the other side of the fence.</p>
<p>I simply looked at the median SAT scores for drexel. I just compared them to mine</p>
<p>My school’s average ACT is 25.6 and average GPA is just above 3.4.</p>
<p>I had a 32 and above a 3.9.</p>
<p>It’s fun at the top, but it’s far from easy. I have worked my butt off and currently have a 3.85. My classes are hard. My professors are brilliant. My peers are intelligent people who are also fun to hang out with. I couldn’t be happier here.</p>
<p>Frankly, your tone comes off as “I’m better than Drexel. I deserve to go to an Ivy, and those Ivies messed up by not accepting me. Now, I should go to Penn State but my parents won’t pay for it.” Speaking only for myself, a student who has made a conscious effort not to take that attitude, it’s almost offensive. </p>
<p>Clearly you have not fully explored your options at Drexel, because if you had, you would know that with a little work you can create an outstanding undergraduate experience there that could lead to an acceptance at medical school. And clearly you have not fully explored this board, because if you had, you would know that your undergraduate institution doesn’t matter very much to your chances at medical school admissions–it’s the experience that matters. With some work and creativity on your end, you can have a great experience at a school like Drexel.</p>
<p>My advice? Buy a Drexel car decal. Order a shirt from the bookstore. Start doodling Drexel’s mascot when you’re bored in AP Calculus. Throw a graduation party with a theme of Drexel’s colors. Whatever it takes, learn to love Drexel. Because if you love where you are, you’ll be much more likely to be successful. Attitude is EVERYTHING in this game, and if you go into it sulking and thinking that you deserve “better” than Drexel, you’re going to be miserable–and that’s no fun. Drexel can be great. It might take some work on your end. But I can almost promise you, the reward–an incredible undergraduate experience–will be well worth it in the end. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>