<p>So, Im choosing between duke and umiami. It would be an easy choice for duke, but I actually liked Miami med. I dont think the undergrad is conducive to me learning. Cost is relatively the same, but my parents want me to go to miami (typical indian parents, haha). I know duke pre-med is great, but I had a few questions.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Do college take into consideration that Duke grades are tougher to accomplish (ive heard both sides)</p></li>
<li><p>Which would you choose?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Wait - if it is the 7 year program, can’t you just cruise by with a low MCAT and a average GPA? If so, and the cost is the same, I would take UMiami. In addition, you get to “save” a year.</p>
<p>If the Miami environment is not conducive to you learning, then please do yourself a favor and go to Duke. If costs are relatively the same, you’ve basically answered the question for yourself.</p>
<p>Also, you are limiting yourself in my opinion if you go to Miami Med since you could become complacent and stay at UMiami instead of trying to transfer out to a better medical school. The sky is the limit for Duke premeds and my friends here are going to places like Northwestern, Stanford, Duke, Yale, Harvard and UChicago for medical school. Turning down the school with the better academics, more accomplished peers and stronger resources will hurt you in the long run because you won’t develop as fully as you could have.</p>
<p>Essentially, you have to ask yourself: “What is the point of college?” If the only purpose in college is a hoop to jump through so that you can eventually land an MD of some kind, then take Miami.</p>
<p>If there is any other purpose to college whatsoever, the you have to ask some harder questions. But the answer in most of those situations is going to be Duke.</p>
<p>I’ve seen some consideration – kids getting into schools where their GPA would normally keep them out – IF there’s also a high MCAT score. But it’s a relatively minor adjustment.</p>
<p>one more thing bludevilmike. The one good piece of advice someone I know told me is that maybe the admissions cycle will become more unpredictable in 4 years? Like, for example, this year, undergraduate admissions was ridiculous-with not only a lot more applicants-but also with harder decisions that colleges had to make as a result. What are your thoughts on that happening to the med admissions process, or will it remain relatively the same (ie:: high gpa, mcat are most important)
Also, is there any correlation with mcat and sat-i know most people say its two entirely different tests-but are there any similarities in terms of reasoning skills.
Are you a med student?</p>
<p>I have no idea. I think that the population of applicants is no longer growing – I think it peaked a few years ago? – but if they each keep applying to more and more schools things get a little nutty. On the other hand I think that’s dealing with too many hypotheticals. I could just as easily speculate that the prestige of a medical school is going to become much more important four years down the line too. It’s all speculation.</p>
<p>Yes. Anything that has bubbles will correlate, although obviously not perfectly.</p>
<p>Is there option of 4+ 4, instead of 3+4? If so, does program allow to apply out while retaining your spot in a program? 3.7/28 is very reasonable and removes ton of stress, allowing you to enjoy you UG years more. But if you do not care to stay there for 7 years, it might not be a great choice. My D. went to bs/md with even lower requirements of 3.45/27. Ended up with very high stats, applied out, still retaining her spot, got accepted to great Med. Schools and going to one outside of her program. She was the only one who applied out, she did not like location of Med. School in her program. But if Miami is not that flexible, this experience will not apply to your situation.</p>
<p>if i choose to apply out, then I would lose my spot. So basically, its a matter having a safety net in case I don’t perform well academically as I expect.</p>