<p>Aerodynamics-</p>
<p>You have every reason to be scared of U-Va’s pre-med program. It is in fact designed to weed out less able applicants and is extremely competitive. I know this first hand, having had a daughter with credentials almost exactly like yours not stand a chance and bail out well before her senior year at U-Va. She’s perfectly happy with her chosen field and has no regrets about having attended U-Va, but in hindsight she now knows she was being unrealistic in thinking she could rise to the top among such a highly capable and driven group of classmates and get admitted into med school. </p>
<p>It may be blasphemous for me to suggest this on the U-Va board, but if you truly believe that med school is the right path for you then you should strongly consider enrolling at VCU instead of U-Va and shooting for its guaranteed admissions program. VCU is not only a far better school than most U-Va boosters give it credit for, it is much more diverse than U-Va in almost every way except for the percentage of students from out of state. Your path to med school going to VCU would be a much more smooth one than going to U-Va, and you’d be pursuing your dream in a very welcoming environment.</p>
<p>I know this is tough advice for a high school senior in Virginia to consider – your classmates won’t be nearly as impressed when you tell them you’re going to VCU – but it will pay dividends down the road. </p>
<p>I say this as a big fan of U-Va, by the way.</p>