should a ivy league student transfer to a state school for a direct med program

Parent Cafe
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<p>@ indianatheart,</p>

<p>These r the factors that I think about when choosing a combo undergrad and med school program vs standard UG at selective uni.

  1. How likely are you to want to definitely go to med school?
  2. What do you think of the med school in question?</p>

<p>Additionally as a transfer, you also have to consider:
A. Happiness and friends at current school
B. Possible difficulty with happiness and friends at new school given a transfer which causes some stress on kids</p>

<p>If 1 and 2 are a yes, then I say take the direct bs/md route. The reason I say this (as an MD myself) is that the undergraduate premed years are just a slog of studying and stress. And this slog of studying and stress continues until you are 30 years old and finished with residency. If med school is locked in, then kid could have much more FUN in undergrad when kid can enjoy it.</p>

<p>I know someone who chose U Miami BS/MD over Harvard with my advice. I also know someone, who has 2 physician parents, and thus did not ask for my advice, chose Harvard over Northwestern’s BS/MD program.</p>

<p>I also do not recommend compression of an 8 year BS/MD program into 7 years because it is so much work.</p>

<p>But now you have to factor A and B into the equation, which is a very individualized decision.</p>

<p>Good luck</p>

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<p>Why does he want to be a doctor? Has he articulated his reasons?</p>

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<p>The public need to know: GPA 3.8 is not average for med school admissions if it is from a top school! </p>

<p>Check page 21.
<a href=“https://prehealth.wustl.edu/Documents/Handbook.pdf”>https://prehealth.wustl.edu/Documents/Handbook.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>thanks every one for your comments…</p>

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<p>With a 3.8 at an Ivy, he’ll get a good MCAT score and will have lots of different doors open. It doesn’t matter whether he’s locked into a med school now or not, he’ll get in with that GPA. The “brand” may matter more at residency time, provided he did well at med school. And if he decides med school is not for him, the Ivy degree with high GPA will help him.
However, attending another school sounds cheaper and the result is “equally” locked in: has your financial situation changed? Or has he only now decided to become a doctor, and chosen this opportunity? Does he want to leave the Ivy? Are you concerned about his loans for med school? Is that the med school he planned on attending anyway?
Is that combined BS/MD program something he actually WANTS?
Or is the Ivy costing you too much and you want to pull him out, trying to find a landing pad?
It’s kind of unusual to leave an Ivy midway without being forced out.</p>