<p>Is that better to study pre-med at a big state university which also has a medical school, say U of Minnesota Twin Cities, or to do undergrad at a small private liberal arts college, say Carleton? I know that both schools have their own advantages: the U of M has a College of Biological Sciences, while at a small private school it is easier to get LoRs from profs... So do students that do Pre-Med at the undergrad college of the Big State U get a better chance to be admitted to the Med School of that State U (In short, if I go to the U of M College of Bio Sciences, do I get a better chance to get into the U of M Med School? How abt if I go Carleton?)</p>
<p>I am a parent and a faculty member in a private medical school. I am also on the admissions committee for the med school. The choice of an undergraduate college has many factors including cost. If med school is a goal, the best advice I can give is that you should go where you think you will be most successful (assuming cost is not the deciding factor). If you think you might get lost at a big university, a small liberal arts college might afford you a better chance to do well. The reverse may also be true, if you think the small school may feel too limiting for you. Of the schools you mentioned, one does not offer a huge advantage over the other IF (and it is a big IF) you do well in school. Much of ‘doing well’ is your GPA but there are other factors, too. Doing research, volunteer work (especially in the medical area to help determine if this is really what you want), and having social outlets are also important in your development during college. What college affords YOU the best opportunities? </p>
<p>The road to becoming a doctor is one of the most difficult roads to travel in our society. You have to prove to med schools, and more importantly, to yourself that this is the road for you. Consider where you feel you have the best chance to be successful, NOT the school you think a med school will find most impressive.</p>
<p>I go to a big school, you really do end up being just a number at the end of the day. I don’t regret it but it’s something to think about. Whenever big schools say they have personalized attention bla bla bla it really only applies to specialized classes and majors that have a small number of students in them anyway. Try being a chem or bio major at a big school doing premed and you will quickly be forgotten amongst the crowd.</p>
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<p>I graduated from a big state school in May (was a bio major), start med school in July, and absolutely never felt like a number or forgotten. The trick is to not “settle” for becoming a number, and to make an effort to form relationships, find great classes, and challenge yourself. It’s easy to coast by under the radar at a big state school, and it’s easy to get lost in the crowd or the numbers. But with some work and a positive attitude, it is absolutely possible (and likely) to find the individual attention you’re craving.</p>
<p>Should you choose UM, my suggestion would be to get involved early, find a way to distinguish yourself, and seek opportunities to take small classes with great professors. From my experience, it’s possible (though sometimes, challenging) to make a big school feel small and personalized. You just have to be willing to work at it!</p>
<p>I thought that many big state schools have honors classes now. My S will be in the honors Bio and Chem classes. The honors Bio has only 16 students and the honors Chem has up to 70 students. Professors demanded tons of work. But, the grading has been pretty decent. I would guess that they are similar to the class sizes in smaller colleges.</p>
<p>I did not attend the U or any other big college because most due indeed get lost in the crowd. Some don’t obviously, but I was told by a professor at the U that they are more concerned with their req research then knowing their students lol. I went to a small LAC that paid for my education. It doesn’t matter much where you go as long as its not a community college. If you have a 3.8, MCAT of 36 and good ECs, you have a good chance of getting into med school. Also, there are many LACs in minnesota that have high med school admission rates. Look into it.</p>