<p>Hi, I am applying to Northwestern and am wondering if it is a good fit for me. I will likely pursue a major in biology and go to medical school after completing my undergraduate studies. What does Northwestern University (and the city of Chicago) have that will help me as a pre-med student?</p>
<p>I’ll tell you right now: “I will likely pursue a major in biology and go to medical school after completing my undergraduate studies.”</p>
<p>You MAY be right that you’ll likely major in Biology, but it’s probably NOT likely that you’ll go to med school. I don’t know the attrition rate, but I definitely know that more of the people I know who were pre-med are no longer applying to med schools than are.</p>
<p>And NU has one of the best (most rigorous) pre-med programs in the country, along with numerous opportunities to do lab experience. Clinical experience is harder to come by.</p>
<p>^debbie downer</p>
<p><–Girlfriend who is premed and barely made it, whose frosh roommate WAS pre-med but didn’t have the work ethic.</p>
<p>Honestly OP, unless you’re absolutely freakishly brilliant or are willing to do almost nothing but study and work, you’re better off going to a worse school and getting a 4.0 if you’re sure you want to be a doctor.</p>
<p><– current premed, Bio major, frosh here.
Honestly, premed is pretty difficult here (I am quite worried about Orgo next year), but it all depends on how good you are. Getting a 4.0 may be a long shot for anybody, but if you play your cards right with the classes you take, have a good enough work ethic, and are talented enough you will get the competitive edge that you need to get into med school. Yes, you will be put through the wringer, and yes, it would be easier to go to a just as good medical school from a worse school, but if you couldn’t handle the workload or didn’t want the rigor you shouldn’t be applying to NU anyways. Also, the NU experience is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and not something you should disregard for the sake of premed. </p>
<p>So it boils down to a) how badly you want to go to med school, b) how competitive you are, and c) how much risk you are willing to take. Nothing is gained without sacrifice or risk, so it’s up to you to decide whether you are willing to take that chance. And we do have a dramatically large attrition rate.</p>
<p>As for your original question, we have a superb advising office with extensive connections to med admissions committees across the state, a rigorous curriculum to better prepare you for med school, and substantial research opportunities. There is an intercampus shuttle to take you to our medical complex, or you can work at local hospitals. There are a huge array of campus organizations such as One Step Before, Undergraduate Premedical Society, Applied Medical Society devoted to helping you and mentorship, along with other medical-themed service organizations such GlobeMed and NLVS. Then, of course, we have too many community service organizations to even mention. There are, in addition, guaranteed programs such as HPME and NUPSP.</p>
<p>There are definitely more resources and support than you can even dream of taking advantage of here; I hoped this helped!</p>
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<p>This, especially the bold part, is the key.</p>
<p>what do you mean arbiter? Take easy classes? I’m planning on being a bio major.</p>
<p>…</p>
<p>Yah, I can read. Choose your courses within the major as carefully as possible, take them with easier teachers, and take easy courses outside your major. Don’t do things like MENU. etc.</p>
<p>I’m a senior bio major at NU. Dropped out of premed about a quarter into my freshman year, still took all the premed classes though for my major. Hardest part of being a premed is getting through the intro science sequences- gen chem, orgo, bio, physics- with your GPA intact. Consider taking one or two of these during the summer, as it will make your life a lot easier during the year if you can avoid taking orgo and bio at the same time. </p>
<p>You might want to consider chemistry as a major if you think you’re up for it. It’s a tough major, but you’re going to have to take 5 or 6 introductory chem classes anyway. Plus, NU has a world-class chem department and getting a degree from it is worth quite a bit no matter what you decide to do.</p>