Match Colleges Biology/Premed

Hello everyone! This is my first time posting to this forum. As you can tell by the title I am looking for help finding match Colleges. I want to major in Biology and am pre-med. I’m not sure if a liberal arts college or university would be better either, but the smaller class size of a lac seems advantageous.

My stats:

  • Unweighted GPA: 3.36
  • Weighted GPA: 3.9
  • Took mostly Honors and AP
  • Good Highschool from IL
  • Act: 32
  • Barely any volunteer hours and extracurriculars (I realize how bad this is)
  • Finance isn't a top priority, getting the best education I can and having a higher chance to get into medschool is more important

Thanks to anyone that helps

Medical school is a popular dream with smart kids coming out of high school. The reality is that almost none of them actually go there. As you mature, you find out that you have passions in other things. Never choose a college based on a medical dream out of high school.

That being said, if you do decide medical school, finances should be the number one priority anyway, because medical school is atrociously expensive. You’ll be surprised how many bright medical students can’t finish medical school because of student debt from their undergraduate. Find a good affordable school that has flexibility and get top grades.

The things that matter most for med school are 1) GPA and MCAT; 2) ECs and the ‘15 experiences’; and 3) money.

So from your point of view, the school where you will get the highest GPA and still have time for meaningful ECs, with no/minimal debt is the school for you.

When you say ‘finance isn’t the top priority’ does that mean that your parents will pay $70+/year for 8 years? If not, it is a top priority. You don’t want undergrad debt on top of med school debt- and don’t be thinking ‘I’ll make so much money as a doctor it will be easy to pay it off’. Some do, many don’t. There is a poster on CC whose parent finished paying off their med school debt just as she was starting college (with med school dreams lol).

Figure out a budget that doesn’t require debt (or not more than the ~$5K you can get on your own) and come on back with other characteristics of a college that would appeal to you.

What schools are currently on your list?

Consider these schools (starting with your general region…not sure what you are open to). If your school has Naviance see how you measure up to historical admission decisions (I am not sure they are all matches):

UIUC (LAS)
Miami of Ohio
Truman State
UIC
Loyola U Chicago

LACs
-Ill Wesleyan
-Beloit
-College of Wooster
-Allegheny College
-DePauw

You will need to do better in college than in high school, since a very high college GPA is necessary (but not by itself sufficient) to get admitted to a medical school in the US. See https://www.aamc.org/system/files/reports/1/factstablea23.pdf for admission rates based on college GPA and MCAT (of course, there are other things needed).

Thank you for all your responses. Yes I realize medical school is hard to get into. I slacked off freshman and sophomore year in highschool but woke up junior year. If anyone could suggest more match schools for me and my goals, I would appreciate it. Also whether I should go to a LAC or University. Thank you!

Are you full pay for college ($70k/pa) or do you need financial aid?

I will receive financial aid because of my family’s income, but my family has a large saving for college

Remember, medical school is very expensive, so saving money as an undergraduate can help you eventually finish medical school with less debt than if you spend lots of money (or go into debt) for undergraduate.

Plenty of good match-range schools in your region have been mentioned, to which I will add:

LACs:
Lawrence
St. Olaf
Dickinson
Denison

Universities:
U of Iowa
U of Minnesota
Marquette

Thank you, by the way I am willing to go anywhere for college.

Do everyone- especially you- a huge favor and run the EFC at some of the colleges you are interested in. What you think you will qualify for and what the colleges think are not always the same.

I took everyone’s considerations and made a second post.

Match Schools, Biology Major (Pre-med)

Hello everyone! This is a follow up to my last post with more information and specifics. I want to major in Biology and am a Pre-med. Yes, I am dead set on medicine.

My stats:

  • Unweighted GPA: 3.36
  • Weighted GPA: 3.9
  • Took all Honors and AP (except for english
  • Good Highschool from IL
  • Act: 32
  • Barely any volunteer hours and extracurriculars (I realize how bad this is)
  • Family of 6, annual income 60k
  • I do not care where the college is located

~ looking for a college with:

•Lots of research opportunities for undergrads

•hospital and/or medical school nearby for volunteering and shadowing opportunities

∆ University vs Liberal Arts College

  • So from what I know so far, Medical schools care about: MCAT, GPA, EC's, and letters of recommendation

•MCAT: Im guessing LAC has the advantage, as they have a more, “well rounded education” which would probably be useful for the MCAT as a biology major

•GPA: I’m guessing my GPA will be higher at a LAC, as class size will be smaller as well as a better connection with my proffesors

•EC’s: I’m guessing Universities will have more research opportunities and more resources for volunteering and shadowing. However, I have also read that LAC offer a lot more undergraduate research, so not sure about this section

•Letters of recommendation: I’m guessing LAC wins because smaller class size and better professor connections

If you read all that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If anyone can clear any misconcsptions I have as well as address LAC vs University for pre-med and me that would be great. And which schools I match with my stats. Thank you for your time, I appreciate it.