<p>I actually don't know where to start, or rather how to. I want to get into HMS but I know my chances are slim. I've read about the application process, and about the needed requirements and such. It's just that.. well I'm a minority. I'm currently a nursing student, studying in some third-world country. I've read that getting in is difficult as it already is and that chances of a foreign shmuck who has never studied in the U.S., such as I, is .. most likely less than 50 percent. I just wonder why foreign students rarely get accepted. I know they look for somebody with high intellect, somebody who's passionate and all that blah. Oh, I don't know really. I want to get into Harvard, not because it's "Harvard". But because I think that I would actually benefit from the experience and opportunities Harvard'll open. How cliche eh? Geez, what are my chances really?</p>
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<p>For the record, I think you just contradicted yourself :).</p>
<p>Anywayyyyayayya I don’t know anything about medical school admissions besides you need an awesome GPA and a great MCAT score. I’m also positive they’re not completely adverse to accepting international students… actually it doesn’t even really make sense (for a school as international as Harvard) - but who knows.</p>
<p>Less than 50 percent? Those are <em>great</em> chances!</p>
<p>@intenex ~hopefully that wasn’t sarcasm :)</p>
<p>I guess I ought to try the impossible and see. Don’t have much to lose anyway, well besides the last ounce of my dignity. O_O hoho~</p>
<p>They do like international students. Its just that they want to give them opportunities as undergraduates, not have to bring them along as graduates.</p>
<p>^ Not true at all. Quite the opposite I think. </p>
<p>From what I can see - it’s extremely difficult for international students to study medicine in the US, not just because of the general difficulty of admissions, but also specifically because of visa issues.</p>
<p>From Harvard:</p>
<p>[OCS-Students:</a> Career Areas / Health and Medicine / International Students](<a href=“http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students/careers/medicine/international.htm]OCS-Students:”>http://www.ocs.fas.harvard.edu/students/careers/medicine/international.htm)</p>
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<p>I do wonder what the point of this thread is. A google search would have been more productive than a collection of uncohesive questions. But then again, I think the Harvard forums tend to attract these kinds of useless threads.</p>
<p>Seriously, if your chances are around 50% percent, that’s mind-bogglingly stellar. Where did you get that number from?</p>
<p>HMS acceptance rate is less than 3%. I think you need to do a bit more research.</p>
<p>@theskylitup Yeh, this thread may be useless. And yes, I actually did try searching for answers before posting this thread, but I realised the answers didn’t quite… suffice to what I was looking for. HMS is hard getting into. Anyone would know that. I just wanted to understand why it’s extra hard for people like me, no matter how intellectually competent or capable you may ever be. </p>
<p>Oh blah. I’m still 18, I’ll be graduating next year. Guess I’ll just have to see where the wind’ll blow. hoho :]</p>
<p>Yeah, HMS acceptance is about 1/10 of 50%. Further, you don’t qualify as a URM under the AMCAS guidelines because of the fact that you aren’t a citizen of the US. Whether HMS follows these guidelines or not IDK. Why is it harder for foreigners to get into US medical school? Well, for one, you are more likely to leave and not benefit the US patient population. Even in a private school, there is substantial government funding involved as well as that medical school’s own interest in their own patient population. So they hold internationals to an even higher standard out of hope that they will either stay in the US and do them proud or go back to their country and become famous there. Ultimately, seeing as you are already in the nursing program I would suggest that you stick to it or try to get into a medical school in your country. If you can’t do that, it probably isn’t worth mooning over HMS anyways. If you can, you will be better off as a physician to serve your own country’s needs.</p>
<p>As an aside, you need a bachelors to get into most US medical schools. I don’t know if your nursing degree is one, but if it’s not you will need to get one. Preferably you would get one in the US.</p>
<p>Sallee, as you are 18, are you sure you mean HMS (Harvard Medical School), not undergraduate (Harvard College)? Generally (and certainly for HMS) you need a bachelor’s degree to go to medical school in the United States, including a regimen of required courses (2 semesters of biology, 2 of organic chemistry, 2 of inorganic chemistry, 2 of physics). If you’re 18, it’s very unlikely (though not impossible!) that you’ve reached this point.</p>
<p>Are you sure you shouldn’t be applying to college (a bachelor’s degree)?</p>
<p>@admiral </p>
<p>yes I am sure I meant HMS. I’m finally going to receive my bachelors’ degree in a couple of months. And I’ve already taken up a year of each of the above mentioned subjects. Gaa. I am determined to get my ass into any good medical school. lol</p>
<p>You’re not getting in if you’re not American.</p>
<p>When did you graduate from high school?</p>
<p>@electronica so much for diversity then. ~</p>
<p>@DMOC I graduated from HS in 06. O_O mm why?</p>
<p>Nursing majors are looked down upon by many med schools…</p>
<p>I don’t exactly know why, it just is. I THINK the general reason is that it just makes it sound like you have no idea what you want to do with your life or something.</p>
<p>EDIT: found it. </p>
<p><a href=“http://■■■■■■/9Gujp9[/url]”>http://■■■■■■/9Gujp9</a></p>
<p>@Grisam Really? I thought that would give me the extra edge. Because compared to other majours, I have a broader clinical experience. E.g. With surgeries, medications, dealing with different patients. Stuff like that. Damn it. O__O</p>
<p>^I did some more research and from what I’ve seen, you should be fine as long as you have a strong reason for going from nursing school —> med school. </p>
<p>My advice to you is to apply to apply to med schools outside of HMS and ESPECIALLY look at med schools in the Caribbean. They are actually a pretty decent option and many students do successfully in them.</p>
<p>CC, however, is not a good source for med school. Check SDN (Student Doctor Network) or other sources - it’s much more geared towards med school admissions.</p>