<p>I have noticed a trend. It seems like the less selective bs/md programs focus a lot on medical extracurriculars while programs like HPME, PPSP, PLME, and Rice/Baylor pretty much care mostly about #s. Has anyone else noticed this? I have very good #s, but they aren't amazing (34 act/4.5wgpa/750+ satIIs). And I haven't really won any awards or anything, but my volunteering and clear passion for medicine is evident (not to be conceited, but I think that this is my strong point). Will I still have a chance at the highly selective bs/md programs like northwestern, rice/baylor, case, USC, or brown? </p>
<p>We have limited experience with BS/MD programs except that my son is interested and sought out advice from HS Career counselor. He attends a very competitive high school in Wash DC suburbs where students place fairly well in top colleges.
The counselor was very discouraging of my son’s chances despite his 4.83 wgpa and 800 SAT IIs. She cannot recall even one student placing in HPME from our school and did not think my son stood a chance without sustained medical research and publication experience. Son will be interning at National Institutes of Health, but sounds like that won’t be enough.</p>