I’m interested in knowing anyone’s personal experience about the premed program at Penn. I would like to apply ED this week, but have some concerns about the grade deflation that I have read about on this page. I am also considering alternative majors to biology, such as math or other sciences, if any of these majors might be better for my gpa. I like stem math/science more than the humanities. My goal is to be able to maintain a 3.7 so that I can be admitted to a med school after 4 years. I am hoping that I have a shot at ED with 75% percentile test scores, GPA, and legacy hook. Thank you.
Your academics are strong, and being a legacy will provide you with an admissions boost. However, Penn’s admissions process is holistic----meaning your interview, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities etc. need to be equally strong.
Choose the major that fits best with the “story” your application’s trying to tell. It’s not required to major in Biology or STEM to be pre-med-----it’s common purely because the pre-med requirements align with STEM major requirements at most schools.
Penn does extremely well to prepare students for medical school. You can take a look at the admission statistics here: https://careerservices.upenn.edu/medical-school-admission-statistics/
Being pre-med is difficult at every school----expect to work hard no matter where you go. If you really love Penn, are willing to devote time and effort to your studies and ECs AND can afford Penn, then apply and hope for the best! 
@PikachuRocks15 Thanks so much for your insight and appreciate the link! Penn definitely has a high % getting into med school, but I’m still concerned about the lower gpa vs national gpa. For those dropping out of the premed program due to their grades falling below a 3.5, what career path do most take, in order to still graduate on time? Do they switch to engineering, or graduate with biology? Is the curve based on giving 10% A’s? I am also looking at UNC Chapel Hill and Ohio State, and to be honest, would be happy with any of the three schools, with Penn being my number one choice b/c of the medical research and intern opportunities. I’m just a little worried about not being able to reach the top 10% of my Penn science classes in order to get an A- and failing at my goal there.
@2021senior03 I actually go to Brown, which is very different from Penn when it comes to school culture (not as pre-professional, no requirements, more student friendly grading etc.)
Don’t count on transferring into SEAS, as there’s likely a competitive transfer process or requirements you must meet. You do not need to be in the top 10% of your classes to get into A med school, but the top most med schools (like Penn Perelman) tend to have GPAs on the higher end.
@WayOutWestMom is extremely familiar with the med school application proocess, and may be able to provide some advice.
You should budget for 8 full years if you are serious about premed.
Can you and your parents afford 8 years without taking on any debt? Have you run the NPC or are you okay at full pay with at least getting through four years at Penn with no debt?
I do not see your high school stats. Are you at or above the median for GPA and test scores compared to the incoming class at Penn? Premed classes are going to very competitive at any “top 100” university in the US.
@DadTwoGirls Yes, we ran the calculation on the penn website, which shows a bit of Penn gift aid for undergrad, so my parents and I determined we can afford it and yes we will have a little debt but something we can handle. Based on GPA, test scores, leadership, extra curricular, and legacy, and essays, I have a decent shot at ED which was 19% last year. Just questioning whether I can be in the 3.7 gpa for these classes, when I’ve been used to getting As in my AP classes, and 5s on AP Chem, Bio, and Calc. Thanks for the help.
@DadTwoGirls Also wondering what my fall back is at Penn, if premed doesn’t work out. What do those students do with their major?
N= 1 My sister is a Penn grad who completed a BS in chemistry. She went to work for doing QA for the petroleum industry.
There are jobs for BS/BA biology grads. You just have work harder at preparing for them during undergrad. You can improve your chances for finding employment by:
–learning computer coding/programming/scripting skills (MatLab, Java, Perl, Python, etc.)
–developing strong data analysis skills
–minoring in mathematics or taking extra math classes, esp in areas like statistics, biostatistics and probability (which are use in risk management and the insurance industry )
–doing summer internships in industry (pharmaceuticals, agriculture, environmental management, etc)
Some of the biggest employers of new bio grads are academic and industrial research labs which employ bio grads as lab assistants or clinical research assistants. (These jobs while fairly plentiful are not especially well paying.)
Another avenue to explore, pharmaceutical or biomedical equipment sales. Pays well very, but requires good sale skills and a willingness to travel. A Lot.
Pre-med drop outs can also consider entering other medicine adjacent professions–of which there are many, though most of them will require additional training (a Master’s degree)
Searchable database of careers here: [Explore Heath Careers](Career Explorer)
All pre meds need to have a Plan B picked out because even if you have the GPA for med school, 60% of med school applicants don’t get a single acceptance. Including about 18% of top applicants. (gpa >3.8 and MCAT >95th percentile)
My daughters had Plan B careers in case they didn’t get into med school. For one it was a MPH in biostatistics followed by a PhD in healthcare policy. For the other it was a PhD in medical physics.
@WayOutWestMom Thank you! I completely agree with having a plan B, and I appreciate the information.
“if premed doesn’t work out. What do those students do with their major?”
I am not ignoring your question. I was interested in what others say about this because I have wondered about the same question.
A few years ago I got a CT scan, then left. I happened to see the same radiology technician in the elevator who had just helped me. With a daughter studying biology I asked him this same question. He replied that he had wanted to go to medical school, did not have the grades, and that is why he became a radiology technician (which did require some additional study, I think). A friend of one daughter did the same. I think that my optometrist told me the same thing regarding grades and medical school.
There are some students who have the grades to go to medical school, or in one case I know the grades to truly impress a medical school, but who do not want to become a doctor. I do not know whether this gives them a head’s up for master’s or PhD programs but a combination of high grades and research experience should help. Some cancer researchers have MD’s, some have PhD’s.
Certainly internships can be very helpful. My understanding is that premed students need to volunteer a LOT in medical environments, but if you decide against medical school something like a research internship can be helpful. I have heard of both botanical and medical research related internships, as well as veterinary related internships (but veterinary school is not any easier to get into than medical school).
If you go to a hospital (likely to be a more frequently thing for older folks) there are lots of medical professionals there. Most of them are not doctors. There are other jobs that are possibilities. Of course all those lab samples that are sent off need to be looked at by someone also.
The lawyers that I know have a wide degree of undergraduate degrees. Based on why I know them the ones I know do not have biology degrees, but I would expect that some people with biology degrees do end up in law school.
I have heard multiple stories of freshman year “biology for biology majors” being tough. I have always suspected that one motivation is to get the students who are not going to make it to medical school to think about other options while it is still early in their time at university. Most of the other options that occur to me are things that it might be helpful to have in mind sooner than after you have already graduated university.
Major in whatever you love best, and can get the highest grades in. Med schools like diversity of applicants’ majors. They’re not looking for a class of all biochem majors.
Even though it’s very difficult to achieve a high GPA in bioengineering, med schools love those applicants, too, because they know that these are the people who are going to be inventing the newest surgical/medical devices for clinical use - the doctors who have engineering background.
And yes, you can work in medicine even with a two year community college qualification - like respiratory therapy. These can be obtained for about 10K total tuition, in four semesters, earn as much as a nurse. And BTW, med schools admit people who did NOT volunteer in hospitals, but WORKED in hospitals, as phlebotomists, and various other hospital jobs that require relatively little training to get a certificate.
There are many paths to medical school. You don’t even have to do your premeds at Penn, or as an undergrad. You can always do your premeds after you graduate. As long as you have good grades in premed courses, and high MCATs, and seem like a decent human being, it’s possible to get in, no matter how you wound up with those credentials.