<p>“That said, it is nowhere near the same undergrad experience as UVA in so many ways. You’d really have to make an important value judgement to make that particular leap.”</p>
<p>I agree with FLVADAD that VCU is a completely different undergrad experience from U-Va’s. But different doesn’t mean “better”. </p>
<p>As for MechWahoo, nobody is arguing that generally speaking higher ranked schools do better when it comes to med school admission. I’m not recommending that the OP go to JMU or ODU over U-Va. We’re talking about VCU’s guaranteed admissions program to VCU’s med school, a program specifically designed to encourage top students interested in med school to attend VCU undergrad. Any Virginia high school student who’s seriously interested in medical school owes it to themselves to consider this option.</p>