<p>Warning: This will be somewhat of a rant with very many questions throughout so answers to any would be greatly appreciated. </p>
<p>First a little background: I am a sophomore boarding student at a well regarded school with a 4.2 GPA. My test scores are solid, but not extraordinary, and I am class president and honor council representative (2 per class). Finally, I take the toughest classes possible (2 APs this year as well as all honors). I also play lacrosse and have the opportunity to play at the next level. </p>
<p>Let the questions begin: I want to be pre-med in college. In fact thats all I see myself doing at this point. As I start my college search, I honestly don't know where to look. I know that I want a smaller school, but I use the term smaller loosely as I would be content with a school as big as UVa or UNC. This begs the question what kind of school is best for me academically, what kind of schools could I be accepted to with the credentials above? Also, as far as pre-med programs, which schools are best for me? Will I be able to succeed as a pre-med student at schools like Amherst and Middlebury (I could go there for lacrosse regardless of grades). Are bigger schools with a greater focus on the sciences better? Does it really matter? </p>
<p>Sidenote: Lacrosse is not a necessity for me but it is something that I am interested in, schools that I could play at are schools like Amherst, Middlebury, Williams, Dartmouth etc...</p>
<p>Again, any answers are greatly appreciated </p>
<p>Here is what you should be looking for in a pre-med program:
A school where you can get a strong GPA. You don’t even need to major in a science, as long as you take the required pre-med courses.
Strong MCAT preparation. Although this is more up to you than the college, but your coursework needs to be solid in the MCAT areas. But you do not need to go a top name-brand school for that.
Minimize your debt. Med school is expensive, the less debt you come out of undergrad with the better.
You need some kind of medical work or volunteer experience. Easily gained at a college with a hospital affiliated with it, but you can also pick it up off campus or in the summers.</p>
<p>That is really it. You can get to med school from many, many different undergrad programs, just keep those thoughts in mind as you go through your college search. </p>
<p>Figure out what part of the country you want to live in.
Do you like urban, suburban, rural?
Big school/small school?
when you take your SAT, what schools match that?
What schools are you eligibe for a scholarship for?</p>
<p>Take the SAT or ACT tests and when you have to results, sit down with your counselor and figure out a list of schools to apply to. We have no idea that 4.2 GPA means you will qualify for Williams or Wittenberg as it is a private boarding school.</p>
<p>Figure out how to minimize the cost of your undergrad degree. If you are needy that would probably be the schools that meet need. If your family is fairly well off it may be best to look at merit aid options.</p>
<p>Since you’re at a private boarding school and play lacrosse, let’s take a not so big leap and assume that finances are not a big concern. You can play lacrosse at the NESCAC level. Overall, not a bad choice for pre-med as you’ll get a very rigorous pre-med education and most/all NESCACs have a pretty balanced practice/study policy where practice hours are restricted to when classes are not in session and cutoff in time to make meals in the main dining halls. </p>
<p>The key then would be to find a NESCAC that is interested in you as a recruit and you are academically comfortable at, because you will be worked academically like all the non-athletes. Each NESCAC has a different feel, like the Ivies, they are not generic. If you like a smaller school, the NESCACs are certainly good at generating successful med school applicants.</p>
<p>If that’s the way you decide you want to go, you’ll certainly have plenty of company. Just start talking to the ones that interest you and check them out from their sports programs to their pre-med advising. If you’re recruitable and have strong grades and test scores, I’m sure you’ll have more than a few schools interested in you, and you’ll find more than a few schools that look interesting to you as well - just hope they’re the same ones.</p>