“She has a 1440 M+CR superscore. Which is about an ACT 33. That won’t be very competitive for most BS/MD schools without some hook.” - Frankly, this is exactly my D’s score and it was plenty competitive. Unless completion went considerably up since 8 years ago. However, we met many and heard about many who were accepted with the lower stats than my D’s. But medical EC’s are extremely important and every applicant to bs/md has plenty.
On the other note, not only we met lots of bs/md students during interviews, but also D. met some bs/md Med. School graduates during her residency application cycle (very selective specialty). There is nothing negative to say about these fine students, they are just as good as other pre-meds and medical students. Time and again, the hard working people will adjust to any requirements and will survive in any program. There are no exceptions here, all pre-meds are very hard working and if they are not, they just fall out and given selectivity of bs/md programs, students in the programs are tops of the pre-med crowd. In addition, students that are in non-accelerated bs/md programs have exactly the same college experience and not separated anyhow from the general student body. They are involved in whatever they wish just like the rest of pre-meds. Having lower requirements just provides a great peace of mind. It does not mean that one should aim at having lower stats after UG, not at all, this part depend strictly on the student. I do not know any pre-med,. regular route or in bs/md who has lazy habits. Both my D’s best friend and my D. were in different bs/md, friend was at private and D. was at public. Both graduated Summa cum Laude with the highest stats possible. Both ended up at Med. Schools outside of their respective bs/md. They applied out for different and un-related reasons.
I am not advocating one way or another. I am just stating that if person has high enough stats and medical EC’s, and if the goal is bs/md, then why not? I do not see anything wrong with it. But I can only use my personal experience, I tend not to check any data on internet, I do not trust it because it does not reflects characteristics of specific student and her specific conditions. I trust my own experience more. And my experience is very positive.