<p>^Every one agrees that UVa is held in high regard–I know it well because 40+ people from my high school graduating class went to UVa, and I believe it is the best public university for undergraduate studies in the country. The fact that UVa is so great makes its medical school acceptance rate so concerning. Congratulations, MechWahoo, on your numerous med school acceptances–where are you going to attend?</p>
<p>Isaac: I believe you misunderstood this discussion. UVa does not limit med school applications. Some OTHER colleges pressure students to not apply and do not give them recommendations, in order to keep their med school acceptance rate high.</p>
<p>That makes sense thank you.</p>
<p>I’m a UVA graduate and a current medical student–not at UVA (almost done with first year), as is my former roommate from UVA. We were never asked in follow up, by anyone at UVA, as to what our future plans were in terms of actual med school acceptance/rejection/waitlist/etc.
I seriously don’t think that UVA knows that we are both in med school right now??? We both went through the Susan Salko office of career services, which was great, but once the process was over, it was done. No one ever asked us the final result, they just knew we were applying. So, bottom line…I’m kind of questioning the acceptance data for UVA because I know that there was no follow up with us, whatsoever. The year I applied was Salko’s first year in her position, and she was fantastic, even under all the pressure of a new position–but she got the job done and very professionally.
I got accepted to 3 allopathic schools, waitlisted at others and withdrew. My roommate, a brainiac, got accepted to like 4-5 allopathic schools and 2-3 osteopathic schools.
I know of many great med school application success stories, but speaking first hand, I’m not sure that UVA has all the success data.
Susan Salko, in UCS is wonderful, and I strongly recommend that anyone serious about this avenue, contact her.</p>
<p>Powerpuff! So good to see you around here! I’ve been wondering what you’ve been up to. :)</p>
<p>Powderpuff – congratulations on surviving 1st year Med! One question I have on your points, which make a lot of sense – did the med.school you chose required UVa to send your final transcript (as undergrad institutions do)? If so, maybe UVa tracks those . . . . ??</p>
<p>Hello Dean J! Thanks so much for your kind words!! I miss CC, but med school has tied up so much of my time. But, now and then, I try to come back because I always loved this site 
and I have some relatives that will be in the application process soon and I’m just trying to guide them in the way that you helped guide many of us :). Thanks again for all. I’m gonna try to chime in, when appropriate, about pre-med issues, because that whole process is an education, in-and-of-itself, indeed.</p>
<p>AVA55-Thanks, for your kind words too! I’m not quite done with first year, but it won’t be long then I’m going on vacation!! Yes, the medical schools require a final transcript, which I requested from UVA’s registrar. It’s all sort of a blur, but I seem to remember that it was an electronic request to the registrar with no real identifying intent of future ambitions. Who knows, though, I certainly don’t–and don’t remember any identifying questions asked at graduation. Though, my (major) graduation event did ask for my personal information, in advance, for use at the diploma presentation, in a polite–“here’s where are grads are going” sort of way.</p>
<p>AVA55</p>
<p>Medman,</p>
<p>Isn’t Johns Hopkins med school acceptance rate about 63% (just slightly higher than UVA’s) because it too does not game the system the way many undergrad schools do? Also, not sure why A’s at Princeton, Harvard and Yale are considered so great given the rampant grade inflation at the Ivies. Indeed, a few years ago Princeton made a big splash by saying it was going to lower its mean GPA, thereby recognizing its own grade inflation. My understanding is that this effort has met with at best mixed success with A’s being given out about 40% of the time.</p>
<p>From Hopkins web site (jhu.edu/prepro/health/admission_stats.html)</p>
<p>Acceptance rates to medical school continue to decrease. The national percentage of applicants accepted to medical school in 2008 was 45.6%, down from 50.4% in 2003.</p>
<p> As a whole, Johns Hopkins has one of top 10 largest pools of applicants to medical school nationally. A total of 352 applicants with bachelors degrees from Johns Hopkins applied to medical school for 2008. Of these 223 (63%) were accepted to at least one school.</p>
<p>By the way, not slamming JHU at all. It has an awesome pre-med program and terrific students who achieve great a scores on the MCAT (avg 37-38). It also has one of the highest percentages (as well as number) of students applying to med school in the country. </p>
<p>I only cite the stats to show that getting into med school is hard even from top schools like Hopkins and UVA. When schools claim 85% admit rates, it is BS.</p>
<p>I agree with you muckdogs07, an 85% admit rate, from any school, is not reality.</p>
<p>Actually what medical school you went to helps you get into a good residency-----but more important than med-school grades----is a good recommendation from a respected person at the medical school. For example, some top residencies won’t consider DO’s…just that simple----you better have an MD, or don’t apply. Just an FYI: but medical schools tend to have connections with certain residency programs----mainly if the residency program has had good luck with graduates of the med school and/or residency directors are alumni of the med school. Makes sense.</p>
<p>The reputation of the undergraduate school can have a bearing on med school admittance. Anedotally, my wife graduated from Michigan with a 3.5 in biology, but got in bottom 20% of MCATS, but still gained admittance to an ACC med school largely based off her record at Michigan and its reputation------but to be fair----her parents did meet the director of the medical school at a wedding several weeks before she applied----so that might have helped too!</p>
Any advice for new UVA freshman pursuing pre-med path? Any Dos and Dont’s will be highly appreciated 
@curioususer DO meet with the pre-med adviser right away - preferably before selecting your first semester classes - to plan an outline of how you will prepare. Basically, what subjects you will take, and when, when to prepare for the MCAT, when to take the MCAT, when to secure and and perform internships at the hospital, when to shadow a doctor, etc.
DO put in as much effort and studying as necessary to get A’s in at least your science courses. Grades count.
DO visit your professors in their office hours, get to know at least some of them personally. When you need a recommendation, they shouldn’t be asking, “Who?”