<p>Why does SLU have such a high dropout rate from mend scholars program and why do very few people get thru the interview</p>
<p>My dtr has been accepted at SLU mend scholars program, I have heard a lot about their interview and dropout rate from the program any thoughts?</p>
<p>A couple of thoughts:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Anyone good enough to get in the program is probably good enough to get in med school the normal way. They may decide to get to a better medical school, even after acceptance into the program.</p></li>
<li><p>You need a 3.5 GPA in your pre-med classes through sophomore year. That’s not a lot of wiggle room with only 4-6 classes considered in that GPA, especially when you consider that you’ve got a bunch of really tough Chem courses in there.</p></li>
<li><p>What is the “dropout” rate for pre-meds for all college students with similar stats in regular colleges? I think you’ll find that a lot of people who plan on being doctors quickly find out they aren’t cut out for it after taking real college courses in Intro Bio and Chem. I was in my 40s when I went to get my teaching certificate and had to take an Intro Bio class that was full of pre-meds. Started off with 250 in the class. Wound up with 125 taking the final, and grade distribution among the remaining students was a U-shaped curve. You either had an A or high B, or were barely hanging on with a C- or D. It was an intense class taught by a great professor, but it was a just the Intro class and it was weeding people out left and right.</p></li>
<li><p>The interview probably knocks out those candidates who are not going into medicine for the right reason. When you consider that you’ve got 20 year-olds basically applying for medical school, and you consider the maturity of the average 20 year-old, it’s not surprising that some don’t make it, even if academically qualified. It doesn’t mean they won’t make it two years later at some other school.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>I look at the program as a way of getting some top kids into SLU by offering them the carrot of early med school admission. Anyone who makes it through the hoops of the program, probably didn’t need it.</p>