I am a rising senior trying to decide on applying to LMU vs. Chapman. I know there have been many threads like this, but most I have read seem to focus on students interested in film. Personally, I am interested in medical school in the future, but I am not sure if I want to go the traditional route of a biology or chemistry major for undergrad; I am really undecided on what I want to major in right now.
So, I guess I am curious about both schools’ opportunities for undergraduate research and pre-health careers, as well as their options for undecided students. I would also love any sort of generalized input on the differences in campus life and general feel – I may be able to visit these schools in the fall, but I am trying to get my college apps mostly done before school starts in September, so I’m trying to narrow things down a lot.
Some background on me: I lived in Southern California until I was 8; I was born in LA, but moved to Orange County early on, so I know a good amount more about areas like Orange and its surroundings (went to Disneyland a lot, lived in Huntington Beach, visited family in Placentia, etc). LMU’s location interests me, because I want to explore LA more and it seems like a more diverse, urban environment. But I do know Chapman is a great school, has a lovely campus, and is close to Disneyland, which I still love 
Neither of these schools are my top choice, but both interest me with what I have learned about them. Any input is greatly appreciated!
If you choose a different major than a science major, you will still have to take the pre-med science requirements and you would be at a disadvantage in med school because everyone else will have science backgrounds so you’ll be playing catch-up.
I’ll be honest, being a physician’s wife. Getting into med school is extremely challenging, even more challenging than when my husband graduated in 1990 (and that was already very challenging). My internist said her daughter and friend (both Stanford pre-meds) were worried that they wouldn’t get into any med school. The undergraduate university should be one that has a medical school and one with a higher reputation than those you are considering. UCLA, UC Irvine, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Ohio State, Harvard, Stanford, UPenn, Duke, UMichigan, UMinnesota, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown, Northwestern, Miami University, U of Miami, etc. Why? Because there are enough pre-meds who graduate from those colleges with 3.8+ GPAs and all the bells & whistles. Why would a med school accept anyone from a lesser college? Some people say that these two colleges will have lower competition, thus you can earn a higher GPA. However, a 4.0 GPA from a lesser college doesn’t equal a 3.7 GPA from a more rigorous college. Sorry to burst your bubble but you should be aware—do more research and find out if any pre-meds from LMU or Chapman have entered medical school. Just because a college offers pre-med, doesn’t mean their students place into medical school.
And there is little free time being a pre-med student because the grades are so critical. My husband always says, “There are plenty of pre-med students, very few make it to med school or even get through the pre-med curriculum.” The other thing to consider is that med students are extremely strong test-takers. If you are considering LMU and Chapman, are you an excellent test-taker?
If not pre-med, nurses earn 6-figure incomes and have less responsibilities.
I completely agree with the above poster however recently I met a young doctor who went to Siena College undergrad and then to med school in Syracuse. Yet he is working at a very good hospital starting his career just like everyone else. I was surprised that a small LAC like Siena College could be a pre-med route.
Chapman…yes I think film and arts.
Good luck.
Actually, the university’s name is not even used in the algorithm that cuts applicants. Nor is the major. There’s no advantage to a university having a med school - med schools must take students from the whole state (public’s) and the ole country (privates); pre-meds don’t take classes that the med school. And non bio/chem majors get into med school at a higher rate than these “traditional” majors - major doesn’t matter, what does matter is a very high overall GPA (excellence in your chosen field) and a high science GPA with some advanced courses beyond the basic freshman or sophomore sequence in biology or chemistry (biochemistry, neuroscience…)
The pre-med pre-requisites themselves are straightforward, although the universities are moving away from strict course requirements. The difficulty is that, regardless of the university you’re attending, you must be top10-20% in every class.
It’s true you must be a strong test taker - the MCAT is no joke. :-). But it’s totally unlike the SAT or the ACT.
Now, it’s too early for you to decide. Run the NPC and see if they’d be affordable. If only one is, here’s your answer. If both are, apply to both. Add Occidental, perhaps.
In any case, most pre-meds never get into med school, so make your choice as if you weren’t going.
@mom2collegekids and @WayOutWestMom should be able to tell you more.
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@MYOS1634: Where are you getting your information? I think you are misinformed. The undergraduate college reputation is critical for any graduate school. A 4.0 GPA from a lesser school is not the same as a 4.0 from an elite university. The reason it’s good to attend pre-med at a college which has a med school is that the curriculum will be better and the med school admissions know this. Your assertion that non-science majors are accepted more than science majors is also questionable. More science majors are likely to be pre-med, it only makes sense. Why would an English major suddenly want to be a doc?
Q: What do you call a physician who didn’t go to a top-tier school for undergrad or med school? A: Doctor. I agree with @MYOS1634. While certainly you need to ensure that the undergrad institution is accredited, MCAT + performance on premed prerequisites + extracurriculars (research) are what matter most. My D plans on premed, and will likely preferentially choose and undergrad program with a med school due to more opportunities for research as an undergrad…but I disagree that her chances of admission are lower if it’s not a UC or HYPMS. I have a friend with one S in med school and another S finishing residency, and her best advice to me was, “don’t waste money on a top tier school for undergrad” (see Q & A at the beginning of my post…); both her kids got into med school after attending state flagship schools. Another point: I believe you are also incorrect about majors. My neighbor is an MD who was a history major in undergrad. Many med schools are increasingly interested in well-rounded applicants; some are encouraging liberal arts majors (see Tulane Creative Premedical Scholars). One final note: I am a Nurse Practitioner. I did NOT choose nursing because I couldn’t get into med school. Telling someone to go to nursing school because you don’t think they can get into med school is off base–they are 2 entirely different professions. And, I don’t know where you’re getting your information, but Bachelor’s-prepared nurses (especially new grads) don’t make anywhere NEAR 6 figures.
@Labmama: Nurse practitioners think they are more than they are; they are not MDs or they would be MDs. They only know a fraction of what MDs know. Nurses in certain locations do earn 6 figures.
Unfortunately, you are only using anecdotal data. My husband was at a top-tier medical institution (the best in the nation, depending on the year) and he was involved in the application process so he has more than anecdotal evidence. The reputation of the school always makes a difference. Doesn’t mean it has to be an Ivy League, it can be Ohio State. It just needs to be an undergraduate college with a good pre-med reputation for sending students to med school. As far as being well-rounded, science majors can be well-rounded too. You are pulling up rare cases and misinforming the public.
@AnalMom
I agree 1000%.
Too many MD friends and wife is a NP…College Confidential has a way of making prestige mean more than it does for healthcare based majors.
@ahraci13, I’m sorry your thread got hijacked. @AnalMom gives good advice re: researching a school’s reputation for students getting admitted to med school, but that information is not always readily available. There are many, many great threads on CC re: premed, and people with much more experience have offered insights–take a look at some of those. Are you committed to staying in CA? If not, take a look at Tulane–they have a medical school and a program called Creative Premedical Scholars which guarantees admission to their med school for undergrads who meet their criteria/maintain GPA and major in a liberal arts major. They give great merit aid to kids with high stats who apply EA. My D was accepted there for Fall 2023 with an extremely generous merit scholarship, and it is a top contender; how awesome would it be to know you’re accepted to med school when you’re still in college and not have to go through this process again? BTW D also applied to LMU among others (RD, waiting on decision), but it’s an unlikely choice for her unless she gets a full ride, because Tulane simply has many more opportunities for premed in terms of research, premed clubs etc.
@AnalMom congrats on completely missing my point. I had no desire to be an MD; I wanted to be a nurse, and my desire to progress to become an NP years later grew from that. But whatever. Congrats on having a brilliant husband and obtaining your Mrs. degree. You must be so proud.