I’d suggest taking a look at Allegheny College. It’s in northwestern PA, less than a hour from the NY State border. The campus is classified as suburban - it’s probably a little closer to “rural” than you prefer, but it isn’t total middle-of-nowhere either. It’s a very good school but likely to give generous merit for your stats. (Probably similar to Rhodes in that regard - Rhodes is also a good suggestion and more urban than Allegheny.) Allegheny not only has strong pre-health advising; it also has a better array of cooperative arrangements with medical and PA schools than most colleges. These include (copy/pasting from website):
Drexel University College of Medicine Affiliation
Each year up to two Allegheny students are offered early assurance of admission to Drexel University College of Medicine if they meet certain criteria. These criteria include a GPA of 3.5 or better (with no grade less than a “C”) and the recommendation of the Health Professions Advisory Committee. The required MCAT scores will depend on the version of the test that is taken. Under the new scoring system the candidate must achieve a total minimum score of 506, with minimum subscores of 127 in the Chemical/Physical, Biological/Biochemical, and Critical Analysis sections of the test, and a minimum of 125 in the Foundations of Behavior section. Candidates who qualify will interview at the College of Medicine in June and gain early acceptance. Qualified students are encouraged to have early contact with the medical school and should see the Director of Pre-Professional Studies for further details.
Jefferson Medical College Affiliation
Under the Physicians Shortage Area Program (PSAP), certain Allegheny students who intend to practice in underserved rural areas may qualify for preferential admission to Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, as well as special premedical advising from Jefferson faculty. Qualifying students have rural or small-town backgrounds or family ties and intend to practice in non-metropolitan areas, preferably in Pennsylvania. Allegheny is one of six Pennsylvania colleges and universities whose students are afforded special consideration as PSAP applicants, of whom a maximum of 24 are admitted to the program each year.
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Affiliation
Early assurance programs are offered with LECOM in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy for students meeting the criteria. Viable candidates for the medical school program must have an overall GPA of at least 3.4 and a science GPA of at least a 3.2. The MCAT may be waived if certain academic criteria are met. Applicants must: interview at LECOM; have completed the pre-requisite courses; and have the support of the Health Professions Advisory Committee. Qualified candidates should meet with the Health Professions Advisor for further details.
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) Affiliation
Each year up to three students are offered admittance to PCOM provided they meet certain criteria. These criteria include completion of the course requirements listed in the PCOM catalog, an overall GPA of at least 3.25, a minimum of fiftieth percentile scores in each section of the MCAT, and support of the Health Professions Advisory Committee. Applicants must interview at PCOM and are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible in the application cycle. Qualified candidates should meet with the Health Professions Advisor for further details.
Allied Health Professions
The following cooperative programs are available:
- Nursing (3+3, 3+4) with the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing of Case Western Reserve University*
- Occupational Therapy (3+2) with Chatham University*
- Physical Therapy (4+2) with Chatham University*
- Physician Assistant Studies (3+2) with Chatham University*
In all cases, students complete at least their first three years at Allegheny. In the case of physical therapy the degree is DPT and the undergraduate degree (including the Senior Project) must be completed prior to starting graduate studies.
Admission to all of the programs is competitive, and the existence of a cooperative agreement does not guarantee admission. The programs with Chatham University have specific criteria for guaranteed admission and guaranteed interview. Students are encouraged to see the Director of Pre-Professional Studies for these details as well as for the forms required of all students planning a cooperative program.
Students must complete the standard requirements of a major, a minor, FS courses, and distribution courses in order to obtain the Allegheny degree. Certain combinations of majors and minor work especially well to satisfy both Allegheny requirements and the prerequisite course work for the graduate program. Students are encouraged to consult with the Director of Pre-Professional Studies in their first year for this information. Careful planning is critical to success in these programs.
Allegheny has an interesting Global Health major that can be attractive to pre-health students, if that appeals. They also have a unique Integrative Informatics major that could open up some interesting alternative career opportunities, if you found the content appealing.
Juniata, which was mentioned above, also has an Early Assurance program with LECOM.
Another you might look at is Agnes Scott. It’s a women’s college in suburban Atlanta. They give good merit, and they have cross-registration agreements with Emory and Georgia Tech. They also have a very cool Public Health major in cooperation with Emory’s Public School of Public Health. Agnes Scott College - Public Health Program This is a great premed major but also opens up more alternative career pathways than an undergrad bio degree.