LAC pre-med/pre-dental - Need guidance!

College Search & Selection
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<p>First time poster.. but my eyes hurt from browsing this place.</p>

<p>Okay, I'm a high school junior from Oregon. My mom is a dentist and my dad is a biochemist so my parents have been steering me towards the sciences, specifically the medical field. I'm not terribly fascinated with these sciences just yet. It could be my teachers, or it could just be my lack of interest in self learning currently. But anyway, I've been refusing to completely pick what I want to do. I could very well end up being a dentist, though, like my mother wants. She thinks it'd be a real fit job from me and has been trying to convince me to get into dentistry my entire life. And now that I've grown up, I've actually started to consider it and I can actually start seeing myself in that category. Of course, I still have until next year to make my applications.</p>

<p>The idea of going to a small LAC school attracts me because I want me and my mind to grow in the liberal arts and in overall knowledge and have a fun time at school. The fact that I love the weather in the Northwest definitely limits my choices for an LAC. I've went to several schools around here and I'm liking the feel of Willamette, and Lewis and Clark. I'm also considering Whitman, though I'm not completely sure if I can get into that. I'll definitley try, but the weather there isn't my ideal northwestern weather either. Also, L&C's hippie and weed reputation make me question this school as well as the idea of the Greek lives at Willamette and Whitman. I could make my college list maybe bleed into California, but I don't like it too hot. I've considered the Claremont schools or Occidental but I don't really know the difference between them yet. I kind of just want a school where I'd fit in and have fun at while learning. I want a good community.</p>

<p>So obviously, I would love to go to an LAC, but I was wondering how it would be to go pre-med or pre-dental in an LAC. Or if I should consider going to something more medical-based. People have taught me that getting into dental school really only takes a good GPA and a good DAT score, so I'm worried that it'll be so hard that I can't keep that. And that I should actually just go to some state school where I could easily pull out a 4.0 GPA.</p>

<p>There's too many college options... Money isn't too big of an issue. I might be able to pull out a few merit-based scholarships, but that's not my focus currently. Right now, I just want advice on where I should be going. However, if it helps.. I don't have my PSAT scores back, and I haven't taken my SAT. But I plan to get my full IB diploma with an unweighted 4.0 GPA, along with a good amount of ECs like varsity tennis (4 years), band (flute/7 years, 4 years high school), piano (12 years), newspaper (3 years), key club (2 years), library volunteering (3 summers). My brother's at Rice University and he wants me to go there with him but it's way too hot in Houston, and frankly, I don't think I'd get in or do well if I did.</p>

<p>My question is whether or not it's a good idea for me to decide to go to an LAC and if there are any other school suggestions.. and that would be wonderful. If you guys have any other questions or comments, feel free. I'm a newbie at this.</p>

<p>Oh yeah, thank you in advance. <3</p>

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<p>There is no reason why you can’t be pre-med or pre-dental at a LAC: Lots of kids are. You just have to complete the course requirements for admission to these graduate schools. </p>

<p>Choosing a LAC is more about choosing a particular kind of education-small, interactive classes, a smaller (less than 3,000 students) learning environment, often a rural or suburban location, no grad students, faculty who are focused on teaching, etc…</p>

<p>If that sounds like you, then there are many options outside of the west coast: Look at the midwest, for example: Grinnell, Carleton, Macalest and Oberlin all have very strong sciences if you are prepping for pre-med or pre-dentist, but also offer lots of other options. In the NE, Bowdoin, Colby, Bates, Middlebury and Vassar are worth checking out. I’m leaving out some of the most competitive ones just because it sounds like you don’t want an super-intense culture.</p>

<p>None of these schools suffer from the problem of being “too hot.” Bring good winter clothes. And I suggest you read the “Why Grinnell” thread on CC under Grinnell College to a get an indepth feel for at least one of the mid-western LACs.</p>

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<p>One more thing, re parental steering. It doesn’t hurt you to take a few science classes in college and see how you feel about it. A summer or two working in a dental or medical office would also help you get a solid sense of whether you really are interested. If you’ve given it a fair shot and the answer is to ‘how would you like to be a dentist or doctor’ is ‘not so much’-then you’ll be able to articulate why and meanwhile be testing other areas that you might like better.</p>

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<p>Holy Cross-very strong pre-med/pre-dental with nice campus 1 hour from Boston.</p>

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<p>You might also consider the University of Puget Sound.</p>

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<p>Haverford ¶, Williams (MA), Trinity (TX), Davidson (NC) and Union (NY) are all good also for pre med.</p>

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<p>Thanks much M’s Mom. That helped me quite a bit. I’m definitely reassured of my decision to go to an LAC. I want that small class size feel and being able to know people. I guess I could look into schools outside of the west coast more closely because I’ve kind of been just putting them to the side and not really looking into them at all. I’m going to try to be more open. Also, I’m definitely still going to take science classes. I really can’t think of anywhere else I could end up at. I’ve worked in a dental office before, and the job doesn’t seem perfect… but like I’ve said before, I could definitely see me there.</p>

<p>Thank you par72, but I’m not religious, so I’d like to stay away from schools that are highly religious. I know you don’t have to be that religion to go to a school… but it’s just not my cup of tea.</p>

<p>I’ll definitely look into Puget Sound. I don’t know why I’ve never even bothered to research that school. Thanks for the suggestion.
And thanks poi, I’ll look into those as well. I’m probably going to cross off Trinity though… I lived in Texas for 6 years of my life. Definitely not something I’d like to repeat. >_<</p>

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<p>Cookie606,</p>

<p>You should take M’s mom’s advice and also definitely visit Whitman. It’s an excellent school and has a fabulous science program. Whitman has a lovely campus and is highly regarded and ranked. It’s also an excellent feeder school too. The schools she mentioned in the midwest are top notch as well.</p>

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<p>Okay, I’ll try to drag my mom into driving me out there. It’s a few hours of driving, but I would really like to visit. I know one student that transferred there and she loves it. The more people that tell me to get out to visit Whitman, the more my mom will consider it. Yay.</p>

<p>I have my 2007 U.S. News magazine to shows me the list of liberal arts colleges. When I go down the list… it’s kind of hard to know the difference between any of these schools, and it feels like that if I were to go out of Oregon, Washington or California, I would just pick a random one… since they all appear the same to me with a different state abbreviation.</p>

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<p>IF it makes your mom feel any better, we drove up to Portland and looked and Lewis and Clark(8 hour drive) and then drove to Walla Walla(another 4 hrs). </p>

<p>It is worth it. Especially when you consider it may be the place you call home for four years of your life. Let us know if you go and how you like it.</p>

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<p>Oh yes! I forgot to tell you wonderfuls about my visit. We drove out east to Whitman a few weeks ago. That place is so beautiful! It was even more gorgeous than I thought it would be. Those leaves made the campus look GOLDEN! I’ve lived in the Northwest for the last two-thirds of my life, and I still amazed by the beauty of nature. Maarvelous.</p>

<p>I think Whitman is prettier than Lewis and Clark, despite what PR says. :)</p>

<p>Aanndd… the other stuff about the college was neato too. The tour guide wasn’t the best, but at least she took us around most of the school. My schedule worked out so that I could only come on a Saturday if I wanted to make it before the winter and keep my perfect attendance so I didn’t visit classes. I heard that Whitman had a wonderful fall beauty, and I needed to see it!</p>