I'm an Asian male going into my Junior year of high school in Maryland in a specialized program that I tested into. Our program focuses on STEM subjects and provides us with a lot of specialized classes such as introductory courses into organic chem and biochem. But being one of the top 3 schools in the state in an advanced program, it's also highly competative.
My GPA (Unweighted) is currently 3.8, my weighted is 4.7.
SAT: 1550
Over 350 volunteer hours (70 at a senior center 100 at a hospital, the other hours are from tutoring younger kids)
Will have a summer research internship (required in my program so no worries here)
Varsity Tennis and Varsity Cross Country
AP’s (Including ones I’m planning to take): Government, US History, World History, Calc BC, Stat, Chem, Bio, Lang, Lit, Computer Science A
Planning to take SAT II: Math II, Chem, and maybe an additional social studies or English one
I've always liked working with my hands and the almost mechanical way in which the body works also amazed me, so for the past year or two I've been thinking about being a Surgeon. I'd therefore have to go into med school and need a good university which would best allow me to get into med school. Some colleges I've been looking into (non-ivy) include UNC Chapel Hill, Emory, and Northwestern (maybe even Duke?).
So being Asian and many schools using affirmative action (especially Emory) I was wondering what my chances are to get into one of the aforementioned schools? My safety is UMD, but I'm really looking for an out of state school that has some really nice pre-med programs. I know my GPA isn't that perfect 4.0 many schools are looking for, but I'm hoping that my more-rigorous course selection would help. I know Emory has nearly a 60:40 female to male ratio, so is it easier for guys to get in? Any comments or suggestions is heavily appreciated :D
You can get into highly selective schools with a 3.8 GPA so long as the rest of your application is strong (which it is). However, the low admit rates of all your colleges make them reach schools for everyone, no matter how outstanding the applicant. Their selectivity makes it likely that they will only give need-based aid, not merit aid (you have to research each school to know for sure). So run the NPC on each school to be sure you can afford to attend. You should add more safety schools - both financial and academic to your list. You’re looking at 10-12 years that you are going to have to pay for college, so you have to play the long game, financially speaking.
I’m not too concerned about finances (thankfully my immigrant parents have worked their butts off to allow me to go to a nice college, if everything goes to plan I want to pay them back) but more concerned about actually getting in. How are my chances looking?
Medical school is expensive. So you may want to keep undergraduate school costs down so that some of your parents’ money can lower your medical school debt (if you go to medical school, you are unlikely to be able to start paying off any debt to your parents or other lenders until you start practice 12+ years after starting undergraduate).
There is a big dichotomy on College Confidential about the best way to get into med school. Go with low cost state school option and save money versus the very top colleges you are looking at.
Another option, have you heard about the Kansas City Medical school program that is six years start to finish? http://med.umkc.edu/bamd/
This avoids the MCAT, and you become a doctor sooner.
I know students who spent about $10,000 just on medical school applications, its brutal today.
And many students get rejected on round one, to every medical school they apply to, because they have not really had enough clinical experiences to even know if they want to become a doctor.
Physician assistant schools may also be something to consider, and there are some in New York State that
you can look at applying straight from high school.
But for premed , I like Case Western Reserve U in Cleveland Ohio, It will allow you to walk to two hospitals, explore
clinical and research work, and give you a lot of help with med school recommendation letters, and advise on how to get in.
But the programs you seem to favor, will do that too, so you are looking in the right place, in my opinion.
Vanderbilt likes Asian American students, and your SAT is high enough for Vanderbilt, I believe.
There are less Asian Americans at Vandy.
My parents are helping me through college, I’m going to take care of Med School. But I am also going to look at some 8 year programs that waive the MCAT, but if I don’t make those programs I might be in some deep water. So in case, some of the schools I mentioned have good pre-med programs that could help me if I can’t get into a 6-8 year program.
If you are sure you can get into UMD College Park, that is a great option, and you don’t need more safeties if you have guaranteed admission as a Maryland student. Look into that. Maryland is selective and outstanding for lots of majors and in a nice city. Case Western is in between in selectivity between say Northwestern, and Maryland.
Northwestern is a school where you may want to consider applying binding early decision, and then you need to be sure you can afford it, to up your chances of getting in.
Don't worry about your GPA. You are good for both regular UG and also for some BS/MD programs. But you need to review and understand what the BS/MD programs and whether you prefer to go in the regular route or not. Or simply apply to few BS/MD and many regular UG which is of interest to you and also you feel it is good for pre-med.
Forget about all the noises about affirmative action or taking MCAT etc., Focus on what you can control and excel on those. Still students who are ORM get in to medical schools, still students from tough and top UG schools get MD admission etc., If you are focused and hard working student, you can score well in MCAT.
Agree, as a parent good to save money, but make that decision wisely. For example, we have enough savings for my D for both UG and MD. But she being a frugal monster, opted to go to OU (low tier) since they gave free tuition. But we agreed with the decision because she also got admission for BS/MD. In case if it is regular UG, then we would have persuaded her to go different school (including our state schools or Vandy or Rice where she got admissions) and not to focus way too much on Money.
Don't worry way too much on MD admission now (if you are going in the regular UG) at this point of time. It is way too early. Just focus on some good schools and get going. If you are also so much interested in mechanical aspects, Biomedical engg is a good option. Though many will state engg is oxymoron for MD admission, it is still possible, again if you are focused and ready to work very hard. Also it is an excellent Plan B, once you understand the medicine career and your interests and knowledge evolves as you go thru in life.
Suggest, to shadow few docs, if possible now to next couple of months, especially if you are planning to apply to few BS/MD programs.
Some do, but majoring in such a thing is unlikely to be of any advantage in getting into medical school, and not getting into medical school means trying to enter the job market with a major that says “failed pre-med”.
Volunteering at the nursing home and tutoring kids may not be enough. (I personally don’t think they are, for a stem wannabe to a competitive holistic.) What do you actually do at the hospital? Research (especially when facilitated by the hs) doesn’t replace the hands on aspects. Are their more ECs than sports? Nothing collaborative in math or science? Nothing that shows other interests and openness? Or challenge? You need to quickly take a hard look at what your targets expect in a stem wannabe. A bsmd program will be even more competitive.
No, you don’t need a top undergrad program. You do need a school where you can do your personal best. So right now I don’t think you know enough about either UG acceptance or what it does take to get into med school. Try to learn more.
In terms of a general suggestion, LACs such as Haverford, Carleton et al tend to offer good pre-med support as well as notable early action programs for their top students: https://www.studentdoctor.net/2014/08/04/skip-the-mcat/.
“LACs such as Haverford, Carleton et al tend to offer good pre-med support as well as notable early action programs for their top students”
The operative word is “TOP Students”, if you ARE the “top students”, it really dose not matter whether you go to a LAC or State Flag school. As long as you have the fit and affordable AND be top student, you can go to almost ANY top 200 or State flag schools in the USA and be able to go to med school upon graduation.
So the general advice is that if you can be the top 25%(10% is even better) of the entering class, you will most likely be the “top students” in that school.
“Top students” in that context referred to eligibility for the early action programs particular to the limited group of schools in the included link (reply #12). In some cases, these programs do not require the MCAT, an alternative approach of interest to the OP (#5).
@merc81 BS/MD is not part of Premed discussion. Top Students are referring to regularly admitted students not BS/MD students, which require separate application and interview.
I believe @merc81 is talking about Early Assurance programs that admit students to a partner med school at the end of their sophomore year in college.
There are handful of these and some do not require the MCAT.
U Rochester SOM accept EA applications from students from these schools: Amherst College, Bowdoin College, Carleton College, Colgate University, CUNY Hunter, Hamilton College, Haverford College, Middlebury College, Swarthmore College, Williams College, Xavier University of Louisiana
Only ~3-5 EA students (total from all partner schools) are accepted each year. If accepted EA, students must pay a hefty admission deposit and attend UR for med school upon completing undergrad. Applying to other med schools automatically forfeits their admission.
Applicants who apply but are not accepted EA are required to check the reapplicant box on AMCAS when they go to apply to medical school later.
UChicago takes in 2 of Jr.s each year from their own college for EA admission to Pritzker medical school.
Those programs do exist, but to be admitted is very difficult, like hitting the lottery.
As I’m talking with students, what many mean by this is a place where they can do research and/or shadow doctors easily. IF this is what you also mean, look for research Universities that have hospitals right with them. U Rochester, Case Western, and Pitt are commonly recommended around here.
It’s important to realize this isn’t the only way to get into med school. One can do research at many colleges (and that’s not always needed for entrance into med school, but some med schools like to see it and give it points). One can shadow without it needing to be at a hospital right next door.
As a PP wrote, the important thing is being near the top of your college class - getting that GPA needed. Then you’ll need to study for the MCAT and get a decent score. Those things can happen - or not - at any college. Pick one you like that fits you.
Have you read the student profile from U Rochester that I’ve posted before on other threads? If not, read this - then change the year in the URL and read it a couple more times.
The template is the same. The things they focus on are the things most med schools look for in successful applicants (esp starting on page 3). There are several colleges they found successful applicants from. You want to have done:
“the standard volunteer experiences, both in clinical settings and community outreach, which we’ve come to expect of medical school applicants.”