<p>im a rising junior and in the process of formulating a college list.</p>
<p>i am looking for a college with a strong premed program and strong premed advising. the most important characteristics for me are:</p>
<p>-urban/suburban
-liberal ideology (i dont think id be able to fit into a very conservative school)
-small to medium undergrad pop (this isnt TOO important)
- strong premed program obviously</p>
<p>i am a hispanic female, 3.75 uw gp, 4+ weighted, decent ECs (school newspaper, sport, clubs, tutoring, work at a hospital) PSATs: forgot the exact scores, but i was in the 98th percentile for writing and cr, and 74th for math.</p>
<p>my parents would be able to provide around 5,000-10,000 a year, but it would be harder since i have a younger sister whos a year younger than me, so they would have divide the money available.</p>
<p>i would really really appreciate any responses. thanks a lot.</p>
<p>You sound like a strong candidate, and eligible for need-based aid. You should look at any school known to give a lot of aid. U of Rochester is great for premed, and gives aid. Also, Case Western Reserve, Rice University, Cornell, Emory, Vanderbilt, Boston College (maybe too conservative though), Boston University, George Washington U. Many of the liberal arts colleges are great for premed and have aid. Look at Bates, Vassar, Ohio Wesleyan.</p>
<p>You probably need to find out whether you will be eligible for need based aid by finding out what your family's expected family contribution (EFC) will be. If you are eligible for enough need based aid to match what your parents have told you they can help you with, then look at schools that commit to meeting 100% of financial need. Of the schools mentioned above that might include Cornell, Vassar, maybe BC. It would include other LAC's including Wesleyan, Williams, Bowdoin and the Ivies. If you are going to need merit based aid then your list needs to include schools that can provide a significant amount of merit aid. Rochester offers some aid but only a few full tuition rides. Flagship state universities and privates like Johns Hopkins, Villanova, Mt. Holyoke might fit on your list. The key to med school acceptance is a great GPA and your MCAT scores. Premed advising exists at almost all schools that offer natural science majors. Being at a university that is associated with a medical school is of some use for getting paid work experience in a medical center to determine if this is the right career path for you. I would check out women's colleges for possible scholarships for minority female students planning to major in the sciences. Given your stats you should have many options. Good luck</p>
<p>Amherst is good for premed and has a very interested premed website (good for any premed to look at). If you are OK with women's colleges, Wellesley (near Boston) may be worth looking at. I think that Cornell would be possible. It's competitive and the location is not good if you are a city person, though.</p>
<p>Look for schools that offer need-based and merit aid. There are some schools out there that really want economically diverse minority students. They may be willing to pay <em>a lot</em> of your expenses. Look into Duke, Rice, Emory, and WashU.</p>
<p>For what it's worth, Loyola University Chicago has a strong pre-med program. One of my daughter's friends turned down offers at some of the schools already listed. She has loved both the environment and the academics and is extremely happy with the choice. The location is in a Chicago neighborhood with easy access to the city and the north suburbs.</p>
<p>I would repeat the suggestion made by others to look into Emory. You didn't state your standardized test scores, but the rest of your academic numbers and your stated preferences make Emory a strong and viable choice. It's no secret that your URM status would help you, but Emory does more than just talk the talk, their multicultural programs for ALL student are to be commended. They have a very high ranking for diversity. Not to be ignored is that they have an outstanding reputation for being generous in their need-based financial aid. To get a better idea to your own situation, go to one of the financial aid websites that will allow you to estimate your family's EFC (Expected Family Contribution). This will be the basis for how most colleges will consider your "financial need". Emory is committed to meeting 100% of your "demonstrated financial need" -- something they determine from the student's submission of CSS PROFILE and FAFSA applications for financial aid.</p>
<p>Important to your interests, the school has an outstanding track record for advising and mentoring their students, including those interested in a pre-med track. The opportunities for internships and volunteering at the nearby Emory Hospital, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and the headquarters of the American Cancer Society make Emory attractive to many who are considering focusing in health sciences. The faculty/student ration of 7:1 assures close contact and access to professors.</p>
<p>If you go to the Emory discussion board (Colleges/Universities > CC Top Universities > Emory University), you will find a post I did on "Tips for Emory Applicants for Class of 2011". It will have some good suggestions. Also, you may want to peruse some of the other posts if you are interested.</p>