I am planning on doing pre-med and majoring in something biology-related or humanities. Which school would best set me up to get accepted into a good medical school?
All three of these will. What are the costs, and where would you most enjoy your time in college?
Unc ch
@ANJA26> Which school would best set me up to get accepted into a good medical school?
None of them and all of them.
So, take the whole idea of pre-med out of your decision.
Pre-med is merely a set of mostly into level courses that are offered at nearly every college (and most community colleges) in the US.
Particularly, take pre-med out of your search equation because it’s estimated that between 60-75% of freshmen pre-meds will never actually apply to medical school. (The drop off isn’t merely due to the not having good enough grades for med school, but also because most pre-meds have no idea what the life of a doctor is like, or because they decide they really don’t want to postpone beginning their careers and lives for 15 or more years after high school. Or they discover an more compatible and interesting career during college. Our high schools do a really terrible job of career exploration for our young adults.)
Out of the remaining 25% or so of pre-meds who actually apply to med school, more than 60% get ZERO acceptances.
With pre-med out of the equation, I’d focus on finding the college that offers the best combination of fit, affordability and opportunity.
Fit–because happier students do better academically. Also it’s 4 years of your life. You need to be able to enjoy it.
Affordability–because medical school is incredibly expensive (Think $75K-$100K/year) and there is almost no aid other than loans available. Pre-meds are strongly advised to minimize undergrad debt. Successful pre-meds won’t be earning a “doctor’s salary” for 3-12 year post med school while their $250+K in unsubsidized loans continue accrue interest and capitalize.
Opportunity– Opportunity include the opportunity for you to explore new ideas and interests (including those don’t lead to med school). The opportunity to find mentoring from your professors (who they will need to write their LORs for med school, grad school or whatever path you decide to pursue). The opportunity to grow and develop as human beings. (Med schools are looking well rounded individuals with interests that go beyond science and who have demonstrated leadership capabilities.)
Successful pre meds come from every type of undergrad from brand name research universities to small rural LACs to directional state Us. The name of the college a student attends carries very little weight with med school adcomms.
Adcomms are looking for applicants who embody the personal characteristics of a good physician, who are academically able, who score well on standardized exams (medicine is one continual line of career-defining standardized exams), who have strong interpersonal and leadership skills, and who are able to communicate comfortably with a wide range of people from diverse backgrounds. These are things that no college can teach you.
The main difference between colleges w/r/t pre-med is that some colleges may offer better advising and a few more resources than others. (Be aware that many college pre-med advisors are terrible and you may be better off seeking out outside advice when you go to apply.) Better resources may be helpful–like free academic tutoring, and access to nearby hospitals or clinics for volunteering opportunities.
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What is your parents’ budget and how much does each cost?
Do you like small interactive classes?
How do you feel about the co-ops?
Is UNC your state flagship?
If, like most premeds, you end up not going to med school, which university would you prefer graduating from?
I agree with @WayOutWestMom. If medical school is on the radar, you can’t go wrong with an affordable school. If you choose medical school…GREAT! You have less debt! If you don’t choose medical school…GREAT! You have less debt!