<p>Can anybody tell me what admission to the Vagelos program is like?</p>
<p>Is it really so selectvie that it's almost random among the top students, or is it not that bad. Any statistics/anecdotes about previous admits would help.</p>
<p>Thanks...</p>
<p>When I visited, the impression I got that everyone applying has 4.0, 2350... and that the essay was a big factor. Basically most people who apply fit the bill so its a crap shoot</p>
<p>It's good to have research experience since that's such an important part of the program.</p>
<p>Clarification: LSM isn't really about research the way the Vagelos biochemistry/masters program is. I wish they'd come up with a new name. </p>
<p>It may seem like a crap shoot when you're applying, but the reality is that these joint/dual programs actually get a smaller than proportional number of applicants (the pool is extremely self-selecting, as only serious applicants tend to apply). They'll look through your application in all sorts of ways that you might not have expected, and otherwise perfect students could get rejected. </p>
<p>For example, some of these programs love to see evidence of leadership. That's not (generally) a requirement for Penn on the whole, but it's a big deal to the programs. As such, someone with perfect scores and grades who would have no problem getting into Penn might not get into the program.</p>
<p>In conclusion, you just have to apply. You can't know exactly what they're looking for, other than what's published in the program literature (they actually mean that stuff!)</p>
<p>Well, LSM does require a summer research internship as part of the program, and the one girl from my area who got into the program had a very strong research background.</p>