<p>So I've been accepted to UCLA, Johns Hopkins, and Wesleyan pre med. I don't really know too much about Wesleyan in this field (I know its great for liberal arts). Is Wes pre med comparable to JHU and UCLA pre med? Are there a lot of research opportunities like at the other two? I am concerned about keeping a high GPA for medical school as well and I know that UCLA and JHU have pretty harsh grade deflation. I have also never visited Wes and cannot attend WesFest, which doesn't allow me to get a feel for the school's culture. :( Which school do you think I should go to? Thank you!</p>
<p>Wes “premed” is excellent. You major in whatever field you wish, and work with the premed advisor to make sure you’re completing all the requirements for med school. Wes is great for research because you get the personalized attention of a liberal arts college with the high powered science of a PhD-granting institution. Wes even has stem cell research. </p>
<p>Wes churns out such great research that the Apker prize, awarded for outstanding achievements in physics by undergraduate students, was won by a Wes student twice in 5 years. Keep in mind the Apker gives the award to 2 students per year - 1 at a PhD granting school and one non-PhD. The Wes student beat out students at all the large research PhD institutions, coming from a program that awards just a few PhD degrees annually. Also, grade deflation isn’t really a thing here. Sure, you work hard, but you can keep your GPA high. Plus, no competitive premed atmosphere. PM me if you want more details. </p>
<p>Congratulations on your admissions! I am on the admissions committee at an excellent medical school, and we look at a variety of factors. All of the schools you mentioned are excellent, going to a particular one of them won’t make much difference in your acceptance. In fact, it is viewed favorably to attend a top liberal arts school, as the work if known to be rigorous, and you stand out a little from the students at Ivies/major research universities. Major in whatever you want, even something like English or Humanities, as long as you have the science prerequisites (a major of “pre-med” looks too narrow). Research opportunities at Wesleyan are probably BETTER than at Hopkins or UCLA because you’re not competing with all the grad students and have closer relationships with your professors.</p>