<p>I was recently invited to the PRISM program and I'm debating whether or not I should join. It looks like a great opportunity! However, I want to go into medicine and GPA is a large factor. The smaller, specialized science courses with lots of undergraduate research really appeals to me, but the curriculum is difficult. I am not afraid of a challenge because it will help me succeed in the long run, but at the same time, grades are important for medical school admission.</p>
<p>Can any current UMiami students give me some more insight, please? What is the general opinion about the PRISM program on campus?</p>
<p>My S is currently a freshman at the U. He had the same decision last year. He is on the pre-med track and wants to go to medical school. He opted not to do Prism. He takes the same sciences classes as the Prism students. There are Prism only science classes so the it is usually the same students in the Prism bio, chem, org chem classes. However as non Prism he had choice of professors for each subject, including taking smaller sized honors classes. He already has two research opportunities lined up for next year. The non Prism science classes are challenging, and he has liked his professors. So you can thrive if you don’t do Prism.</p>
<p>I remember being in a Singer parent Q&A session last year listening to Dr. Green and Dr. Gillis try to explain the program and it’s potential benefits to parents - and they were struggling. It was not clear what type of student would benefit from the program, and the details about how it actually worked, or how it fit in with Foote and Honors programs were very unclear. I have not seen one positive post on CC about it (altho admitedly I don’t read them all…). Most of what I have seen track with what racquetdad said - their S’s and D’s are thriving without the benefits (?) of prism.</p>