<p>Hi. I was accepted to the College '15 ED in December and was wondering how entrance into Vagelos works. I did indicate that I wished to pursue an MD degree but I put Undecided for my major. Do I have to do anything (contact anyone) to make them consider me for Vagelos? Thanks.</p>
<p>Science majors are automatically reviewed and notified in April after the RD decisions come out, so I would call and say that you are either interested in X science or (to be more direct) that you are interested in the program. Good luck!</p>
<p>Is there any specific person I should call? Or should I just call my regional director?</p>
<p>ED applicants are not normally invited to the program, I only know one kid in Vagelos who applied ED, he just emailed and met with the director to confirm his interest. I’ve heard the director is pretty lenient and will let you join if you have math and science AP credits and show that you are interested and you prove yourself by putting in the work. That being said, only around a third of the original Vagelos scholars are still in the program by junior year. Sometimes it’s due to the rigor of the program, but many people just leave because they have different interests. I know a few physics majors who were once in the program. Many of people leave simply because they are not interested in biochemistry, not because they don’t have an aptitude for it.</p>
<p>Ok so I need to contact the director of the program. Just out of curiosity, do more people tend to commit to the Vagelos Scholars Program in Life Sciences in Management (dual program with Wharton) than the Vagelos Program in Molecular Life Sciences?</p>
<p>Where would I be able to find the email address of the Vagelos scholars program director? I looked on the Penn website but was not able to find it.</p>
<p>The program director’s name is Ponzy Lu.</p>
<p>Here is a link to his contact page:
[Penn</a> Chemistry: Faculty](<a href=“http://www.chem.upenn.edu/chem/research/faculty.php?id=11]Penn”>http://www.chem.upenn.edu/chem/research/faculty.php?id=11)</p>
<p>Vagelos MLS is totally different than LSM. MLS is primarily for people who intend on getting a PhD (or MD+Phd) while LSM is for people who intend on going into business with a science background. In general, MLS requires a much more rigorous science curriculum. LSM is harder to get into, but once there most candidates finish the dual degree program. MLS is not that hard to get into (if you have a science background), but as mentioned earlier more than two thirds of the students leave the program for one reason or another. Since you mentioned being premed, one thing to consider is the effect on your GPA of taking such a rigorous course load. Having said that, for those who can stand the heat in the kitchen, both programs offer a truly great educational experience.</p>
<p>I was accepted ED and I put down Biochemistry as intended major. How do they contact the ED students about it - decisions portal, email?</p>
<p>As of last year, I believe all of the individuals are invited to Vagelos MLS through a letter sent after Regular Decision goes up online and people have gotten their acceptance packages.</p>
<p>anonymouse5, if you have credit for Calc BC and Chemistry (having credit for Physics C would be great too), then you should just arrange to meet with the program director when you get to campus since you are interested in biochemistry.
And just a warning to those who want to be in Vagelos and are pre-med, (I think my friend said about half of the Vagelos scholars are pre-med. My friends in the program are mostly more research/pHD oriented), from what I hear, the director is not exactly enthusiastic about medicine. They say he seems to be looking more for future researchers (especially nobel prize winners as a senior told me) and kind of makes fun of doctors in the seminar they have to take at 8 in the morning as freshman. I hear some very funny stories about that class.
I don’t know about the exact logistics in the program with how the summer research works but it seems like a few of my friends are starting to look for labs to get started in so they’ll have a good project to continue on.</p>
<p>Hahahaha YES. Ponzy kinda does look down at pre-meds (he told us a story of when he was on the Med School Admit board…let’s just say his tenure didn’t last…) and he kinda belittles biology on a regular basis…but yeah. The focus of the program is research and taking this route to become a doctor is definitely the more challenging way (more chemistry and physics classes).</p>
<p>The 8am class was hilarious…but annoying. In high school, it’s normal to wake up that early but 8am classes in college is downright awful. </p>
<p>And basically, the program works such that you get money to spend your summer at Penn (after sophomore and junior years) at a research lab. You do presentations during the summer with the rest of the Vagelos kids and Ponzy. Senior Year, you take independent study and do work at your lab. As you can see, the research focus. And yep, a lot of kids start work early so they can find a good lab and gain a foothold in their lab.</p>
<p>I remember hearing somewhere that you have to keep up a really high GPA just to stay in the program. Is this true?</p>
<p>The GPA req’t is like a 3.5 in your math/science courses. There is some leeway but this is the general standard.</p>