<p>Currently, I am a junior in high school aspiring to become a doctor. 8 years of college debt!!! seems like quite a hefty fine for an education. Countless sources have told me that it is better to be accepted into a low cost pre-med to save money for med school...is this true? I was under the assumption that a well established-albeit expensive-pre med program may help increase my chances of acceptance into a good med school. </p>
<p>Please see the Resources sticky thread a the top of this forum for links to several appropriate threads. Also check current threads that discuss similar questions.</p>
<p>“was under the assumption that a well established-albeit expensive-pre med program may help increase my chances of acceptance into a good med school.”</p>
<p>First of all, there really isn’t such a thing as a “pre med program”, so a “well established one” can’t really exist. Premed classes are the same classes that other STEM students take: Bio, chem, ochem, physics, etc. They aren’t unique classes. If you take your classes at a pricey private or a reasonably priced instate public then those classes will be as “established” as when the school opened. lol Unless the university opened in the last few years, it’s likely going to be established. </p>
<p>Expensive? No that doesn’t matter. Med schools don’t give a rat’s patootie how much your bio class or your chem class cost. Why would they? Med schools don’t care where you went to college as long as it’s not some completely unknown podunk school that is somehow known to have lousy science classes. There are hundreds of colleges that offer science classes that are good enough for med schools. </p>
<p>Yes, you don’t want to unnecessarily spend a bunch of money for undergrad if that can be avoided unless your family is affluent and won’t miss the money. </p>
<p>The only things that increase your chances of acceptance into med school are:</p>
<p>YOUR GRADES …your cum GPA and your BCMP GPA
Your MCAT score
Your medically related ECs
Your research
Your LORs
and, equally important…your well strategized application list.</p>
<p>“Expensive” in general, might not be expensive for your personally at all. Do research on Merit awards at colleges, include privates. You might be surprised/ Word of mouth was the best source in my D’s case. We have listened to others ahead of her. D. decided to attend public state (because she was accepted to bs/md there), but she has received very substantial Merit award at one private. D. was on full tuition Merit award and received more in later years based on her college GPA. Private UG gave her $27k / year which would have covered all but $5k / year in tuition. there are also free Medical Schools, not many, hard to get into.</p>
<p>Expensive does not equal better. Cheaper state schools can have great resources for pre-med students, as well as a long-standing track record of their graduates going to medical school, just as much as a more expensive private university can.</p>
<p>And even if it did, it’s what you do in college, not necessarily where you go. There’s so much more to your med school application than the name of your school. There may be some benefits or disadvantages according to the name of your school, but it would be so small and so hard to predict that it’s really not worth worrying about (or going into significant debt over).</p>
<p>Go to the school that can provide the education and the opportunities that you want and that you can afford financially.</p>
<p>Pre med is hard no matter where you go so do not expect to be having fun. You are going specifically to be all pre med all day every day. In reality the lower the tier the school the harder you need to work to distinguish yourself. Everybody wants to be a doctor, lawyer, or financier because that where the money is so expect fierce competitions for the top spots.</p>
<p>If you can’t have fun in college while being a pre med you can’t handle the workload in medical school.</p>
<p>^^
That’s a good point, but everything in moderation. And time management and self-discipline is key. </p>
<p>I mean yeah, I’m not implying that if you ever have to skip out on something fun in college to do work you can’t handle medical school, but a student who is “all pre med all day every day” not only sounds like someone who actually wouldn’t get in to medical school, but also clearly doesn’t have their act together and is on the express track to burnout.</p>
<p>^^^
Very true! 
I was agreeing with you.</p>
<p>oops, oh well, was a clarification worth making anyway</p>