<p>Phead:</p>
<p>your post #18 reinforces my point. ~33% of Frosh enroll at The Hop in hopes of becoming an MD. Only a handful (hundred?) make it thru three years to take the MCAT; others end up as social science majors (which Hopkins is also pretty good at, particularly Classics)....but, any med school matriculation statistic is virtually meaningless, particularly at schools that screen out unlikely acceptees, or encourage them to take a gap year and then apply.</p>
<p>^^^ Agreed, it all gets back to what BRM said in post #5, but there are folks that will never believe it.</p>
<p>It is an absolutely AWFUL idea to choose a school based on matriculation rates to med school. Absolutely AWFUL. So many people will change their minds that it's almost worth it to pick the school based on everything BUT the pre-med support. :rolleyes:</p>
<p>Med school admission rates for a particular school will tell you little about the likelihood of any particular student reaching med school from that school, when the student is only a freshman.</p>
<p>Surest path to med school:</p>
<p>Find the academic setting in which you can be a star - for many students this may be their 2nd or 3rd tier state school, or perhaps a less selective LAC (especially LACs in the same city as a med school, the science profs at those LACs often have ties to profs at the med school and can get their students into research settings, or just a job), or perhaps go to the selective school, but forgo the pre-med stuff entirely, majoring in something else, then do a post-bac pre-med program at local state U. Become an EMT.
The importance of becoming a star is that you need top grades, you need to be known to your professors so that they can write you good recs and you need access to some sort of practical medical experience - doctor shadowing, work in a hospital or other setting, EMT, something.
Johns Hopkins sounds great until you realize how difficult it will be to distinguish yourself from the other 33% of the total class - all who made great grades in HS and have great SATs - much easier at a less competitive school. Virtually all of those kids in that initial 33% at JHU are capable of going to med school, not all NEED to go, but some number do change their plans who might have go on to med school from a different setting.</p>
<p>Going to schools based on premed records is incredibly dumb, considering the vast majority of pre-med drop out of the track before even taking the MCATs. The "best" places for pre-meds also tend to be the places where the curve will own your soul.</p>
<p>I know this thread is old, but perhaps for future reference to those who search for this info about premed (which is what I was doing, lol) may find this useful:
Amherst</a> College Premedical Outcomes</p>
<p>There's a lot more information there in other pages since it's part of a Amherst College Premedical guide.</p>
<p>The best assurance to have a spot in Med. School is to get into combined BS/MD or BA/MD program. Some of them do not have MCAT.</p>
<p>I think you have to find out much more about the student before you an answer the question - what is the best pre-med? </p>
<p>Are they WOW types? Then UG makes little or no difference. They'll have the MCAT, GPA, rec's, clinical experience, and research if they go to Harvard or Hiram.</p>
<p>Are they not WOW exactly but will have the grades and testscores (but maybe not the full package), then going to a place where they will not just blend in may very well be the ticket IF the school is a fit otherwise. That could be great program at mega-uni or at an LAC. Depends on the fit for that kid. Where will that kid thrive?</p>
<p>And as to that kid who gets in but struggles (compared to other pre-meds) with grades at a Tippy-Top program? IMO they have some tough decisions and soul-searching to do. </p>
<p>Your choice of UG will NOT make-up for a 26 MCAT or a 3.0 GPA. Maybe some think it should but it doesn't , based on my scouring of the mdapplicants website (admittedly not the best data since it is self-reported but it is data).</p>
<p>Clinical experience is also a big part of med school admissions.</p>
<p>It's probably good to know what you're getting yourself into.</p>