<p>Well, I am neither pre-med or pre-dent, but I have plenty of friends who are. I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can from both their experiences and mine:</p>
<p>Competitiveness: The answer to this is yes. Most students at UW are competitive in that everyone is striving to do their best, but of course, they're usually happy and willing to help. Professors often encourage students to work in study groups and there are programs on campus (like CLUE) where you can meet with tutors. Don't worry, you can get plenty of help if you're active about seeking it.</p>
<p>GPA: Most of my friends who are pre-med have struggled with their classes as the grades for many of those classes (chem, bio, etc.) are based on 2 or 3 tests, a few labs, and a final. Of course, there are other courses you have to take to fulfill your Areas of Knowledge credits that can help boost your GPA.</p>
<p>Advising: There is the Gateway Center for Undergraduate Advising, but I would encourage you to go to the particular departments that you're interested in. The Gateway Center advisors have to serve thousands of students on campus, so they're almost never helpful at all. If you know which departments you want to go into, you'll probably have more luck with their advisors. But then again that's not guaranteed as they also serve a large body of students. Nevertheless, if you're persistent in seeking answers, you will be able to find everything you need.</p>
<p>Faculty: For a lot of your beginning classes, the faculty will probably be less helpful as they have hundreds of students who are all seeking the same things you are seeking--good recs and strong relationships. It isn't too difficult to get a good rec or find your professors if you are very clear about what you want. Profs hate it when students waste their time, so if you're looking to have a conversation with them, you should do a little prepping so you can get them talking about something their interested in. Ask a few questions and inquire about learning more--that'll work wonders for you when they write your rec letter. They all have office hours, so make sure you go to them all to keep in contact with them.</p>
<p>Social Life: There is plenty of stuff to do on and off campus. Personally, I think UW is a very active school. Most of the people I hang out with are very involved in at least one or two activities. I don't like drugs or drinking either; I spend a lot of my time doing extracurricular/leadership activities. A lot of people also play intrumural sports and take advantage of great opportunities and events on campus (movies and games in the HUB, art galleries and exhibits, etc.). Plus the bus system is very accessible for you to get downtown for sports games, symphonies and concerts, and exploring Seattle.</p>
<p>I hope these answers are helpful, but I also want to pass on some advice from my own experience and from some upperclassmen pre-dental and pre-med students: Even if you're sure about what you want to be and what you want to study, don't limit yourself to just courses in that field. Take a diverse set of courses that make you not only a well-rounded student, but a well-rounded person. </p>
<p>Don't choose a major just because you think it will make you more competitive or more attractive to a medical or dental school. Instead, major in something you love and have a passion for while making sure you take the right prereqs for medical or dental school. I have a friend who is pre-dental but majoring in Spanish because he enjoys it. I know someone who got into UCSF Medical School and finished undergrad with a degree in Archeology. My doctor is a great neurologist who is famous in his field but majored in History. My point is major in something you love so that you can enjoy the classes, do well academically, and still be able to pursue the tracks that you want.</p>
<p>The underlying message in all of this is basically, as the CEO of the Pampered Chef Doris Christopher says, "Find what you love and pursue it with a passion." You will enjoy what you're doing a lot more, and be more successful because of it. Anyway, if you want any more tips or advice about UW, feel free to email me.</p>