Hello,
I have a D in high school interested in going to med school after undergrad. We live in Maryland. Do you have a better chance of getting into UMd med school if you go to UMd undergrad? Is there somewhere I can find data on undgrad/med school stats?
I heard if you go to John’s Hopkins undergrad its very hard to go there for med school (stats are better if you went somewhere else undergrad). Is this true?
Lastly, if GPA and MCAT scores are the two most important factors getting into med school than should you go to an “easy” undergrad to get highest GPA possible?
A very important consideration for students who plan to go to medical school is money. You have to pay for medical school (unlike, say, PhD programs), and most students have to borrow at least some of the money. So it’s a really good idea to start medical school with no debt from your undergraduate education.
You might also think about the following issue: If your daughter chooses an undergraduate program that costs less than your family can afford to pay, would you be able to promise her that the money she didn’t spend on undergrad would be available to her for medical school? Your answer to that question may affect her choice of undergraduate schools.
Her chances of getting into medical school will primarily be based on her MCAT score and undergrad GPA. It is possible that Maryland gives preference to instate applicants…but I seriously doubt they give preference based on the college your kid graduates from.
In addition to GPA…she also needs to be well prepared for the subject matter tested on the MCAT.
And just because she graduates from UMD is no guarantee she will get accepted to any medical school.
I’m not wishing to be a Debbie Downer here…but your kid is in HS…and a lot can change between now and when she thinks she might apply to medical schools.
In last reported cycle, UMd received 4837 applications. Of those, 160 started with 71.9% (or 115 students) being from Maryland. Like many state schools, home grown students seem to have an edge but many more go OOS, and many, many more start as premed and change their career goals. I think I read somewhere that Maryland is the top exporting state for sending students OOS to med school, with CA being #2. https://www.aamc.org/download/321442/data/factstablea1.pdf
Although the college D attends is not of zero importance as a premed, whether she can be a successful premed will be more on her efforts, less on where she attends. D may want to consider schools where she fits in because if she’s happy, she’ll tend to do well academically. And I can’t agree enough, med school is outrageously expensive and is typically paid for by loans. Attending a college where D can graduate with as little debt as possible is very important as well.
What’s easy, what’s hard can be in eyes of beholder (aka student), who the professor is. Yes there are schools that are known for grade deflation, but generally, most colleges will offer academics, resources and opportunities to be a successful premed.
“if GPA and MCAT scores are the two most important factors getting into med school”
There’s a saying that GPA, MCAT will get one to the med school door, but it’s the rest of app (eg ECs, LoRs, PS, interview) that will get one through the door. 60% of all students (some with 4,0 GPAs) who apply fail to get accepted anywhere, In today’s ultra competitive process, it’s really the whole package that counts, and perhaps applying broadly.
Often, students who start out as pre-med end up doing something else. Perhaps they don’t do well enough academically, or perhaps their interests change.
It’s also important to realize that pre-meds can major in ANYTHING. They just have to take certain courses as part of their overall program. If those courses are not related to their major, they take them as electives.
With these two things in mind, it can be interesting for a prospective pre-med to think about what else she might want to do if she ends up not going into medicine. Her choice may influence the undergraduate college she picks. For example, if she thinks that a career in education would be a good alternative, she would want an undergraduate college where she can major in education. Not all colleges offer education majors.
Above posters just said what I would- ditto on their words. There are many schools that work for premed. No schools are “best”. Unless you consider the ones that your D actively likes and will be motivated to do well at as best for her. Finances are a very real consideration as well. She should keep an open mind for her options- change her mind if she wants. I went eons ago when it was so much tougher to be a woman in medicine (and science).
“If she went to UMd she would have money left over from undergrad for med school.”
That is big.
UMd is also a very good school. Not knowing much about your daughter it is hard to say, but it is likely to be a very good compromise between being strong enough to help her get into medical school, while not so hard as to crush her GPA.
Also, as others have noted most students who start off as premed end up doing something else. Most state schools have a relatively wide range of majors (I haven’t looked at the majors available at UMD, but it is certainly large enough and well enough ranked that it should have a good selection).
Don’t go somewhere just because it’s cheap. If you go to the University of Maryland and can’t handle the huge size, what’s the point? Find a good combination of cheapness and fit.
The University of Maryland is huge but it often doesn’t feel huge to in-state students. They come in knowing so many people. When my son was an undergraduate there, he said he couldn’t walk across the campus without seeing a dozen people he knew .
In addition, the school has a lot of honors programs and special-interest programs for freshmen and sophomores, which tend to bring students into contact with others who share their interests. Go on their website and look up the honors college, Gemstone, College Park Scholars, and CIVICUS. And there are probably others I don’t know about. This also makes the huge campus seem smaller.
Another handy thing about the University of Maryland is that they’re likely to accept all the student’s AP credits, which gives a student who has lots of AP credits (which most top students in Maryland do) enormous academic freedom. One of my daughter’s friends (who was pre-med and is now a doctor) came in with so many credits from AP work that she was able to easily double-major in two unrelated fields and do two study abroad programs, and she still completed all her pre-med requirements and graduated on time. And she was in Gemstone. (She also didn’t pay a dime for her undergraduate education. Look up Banneker-Key scholarships.)
There are some disadvantages to the University of Maryland. Despite the attractive campus and cute little shopping area nearby, it’s not in the nicest area, and it’s Metro accessible. People come to the campus to steal things from careless students. (Since there’s never a short supply of careless students, you could probably earn a living doing this.) Never leave anything unattended except your bike, and bring the cheapest bike possible because it will probably be stolen at some point even if you paid more for your bike lock than for the bike itself. This is just the way it is. Of course, this is no surprise to city people, but the issue at Maryland is that you have to use your city smarts even though the place doesn’t look urban. It takes a while for some people to get used to this, and it’s an expensive lesson.
btw- even where one goes to medical school does not mean much for the vast majority of physicians. Harvard grads end up at their instate medical school and Harvard medical school graduates end up doing the same work with those grads in a given city based on some physicians I know. Many paths to the same job and lifestyle.
I suspect that even for OOS students a large flagship will be fine. Like cities, schools have many subset neighborhoods. A student finds groups with the dorm lived in, classes taken and activities pursued. I never saw most of my HS classmates and socialized with none of them despite being local. Being able to be with students in science classes where most are NOT planning to become physicians (I was a chemistry major who later chose medicine over grad school) is nice. Learning the material for its own sake instead of for that almighty gpa is nice. Being able to take a wide variety of electives, both in and outside the major is a plus at flagship U’s. Being exposed to TA’s who are smarter than you and have a passion for their field is good. Having the smartest kids in your school NOT wanting to become physicians is great.
The best school is one that is affordable, your daughter likes, and where she is able to achieve a high GPA and be involved. Would she make the honors program at UMd ?
Keep in mind that she may change her mind several times.
While attending med school in the home state is nice, Most of my friends’ kids ended up at med schools NOT in Michigan. Two in Florida, one in Texas and one in Illinois. I think one or two did end up in Michigan med schools, but I haven’t really paid attention unless it was a topic of conversation among us parents. My advice is just go and do well in undergrad.
D probably can get into the honors program and get academic scholarship at UMD which will make it VERY affordable then she can use most of her college money for med school. However, her dreams right are set on private colleges where it costs $60,000/year.
That’s why I am trying to fine out if it’s easier to get into UMD med school if you go there undergrad. If it’s a yes then it would solve three of the issues 1. Getting into med school 2. affordable undergrad 3. Getting high GPA. But does not solve the “dream school” or “fun” factor.
My nephew is in the honors program at UMD and during orientation they mentioned every student who applied to med school the year before from the honors program was accepted (except for one student who withdrew). Is this generally true?
I went to UMD and I had a good experience there but I am not sure if I should push UMD on my D even if it solves most of the issues.
As to Maryland crushing GPAs
The general chem seq (premed) at Maryland are courses 131, 132. From the schedule it appears there were 19 sections this semester with space for 32 students each, or approx. 550-600 students just finished Chem 131, Chem 131 isn’t the type of course that students take just to fill gaps in their schedule, or for “fun.” I suspect many have other reasons in mind besides premed, and tend to be more serious students. So one is up against a lot of serious students scrambling for the few crumbs of As (eg 10/15%?) that were doled out at end of semester. The potential for grade crushing appears very real considering the competition one faces in a weeding out course like Chem 131. https://ntst.umd.edu/soc/201801/CHEM
It is not easy to get into medical school. So put that idea right OUT of your equation.
MANY many medical school applicants get no acceptances at all. Many others get only one…and they then have the choice of enrolling…or not. And taking out loans to pay the bills.
You are trying to pick an undergrad school based on whether it will make medical school admission easier at one school. It won’t.
Getting accepted to medical school is no easy task…period.
But I will say…if medical school bills are on your future…perhaps a $60,000 a year undergrad school is not what your daughter should be considering.
Just remind her…there is not much aid for medical school students. Most likely, she will be paying the full cost of attendance at any medical school she attends.
Oh…and your parent income and assets will likely be required for your daughter’s financial aid in medical school as well…even though she will be older, and have a bachelors degree.
I’m going to be honest with you. I think you are looking at this from the wrong angle.
Getting into a medical school in Maryland will be “easier” because you live in the state of Maryland. It is generally “easier” to get into schools in your state of residence ( although it is far from easy). I don’t think it has anything to do with specifically attending undergrad at UMd. If the students in the honors program all got into medical school… remember you are dealing with a group who is very strong to begin with. It also does not mean that they all got into UMd. They may be attending a variety of schools.
Pick an affordable school where your D will be happy, maintain a high GPA, participate in activities she enjoys and that are helpful for med school etc. I would not spend $60,000 a year on college if med school might be in her future… unless money is no object at all.
Keep in mind she may change her mind, and change it again, and again… and so on.
No, not in the sense you’re hoping. There isn’t a greased path.
Med school admission is really dependent upon individual achievement. GPA, MCAT, ECs LORs etc. Just going to UMD won’t give your D an advantage in admissions unless she has all the appropriate stats & achievements & recommendations and has distinguished herself at UMD’s undergrad. If she’s an “average, middle of the road” applicant, then attending UMD may give her a tiny boost because the med school’s admission committee is familiar with how the undergrad’s health committee ranks students. But the boost is minor and does not outweigh other factors the admission committee weighs.
Note that part of the HPO (health professions office) job is to screen out students the HPO believes do not have a competitive application for med/dental school. There are minimum GPA and MCAT/DAT requirements to get the HPO endorsement. (And without that endorsement, a student cannot apply to professional school.)
UMD sends about 50-60 each year to UMD SOM. This means that about 1/4-1/3 of UMD incoming class each year comes from UMD undergrad.
Most of UMD’s successful med school applicants go out of state for medical school. (5x as many go OOS as stay in-state. See the link above)
I will note that UMD SOM does not have a strong in-state preference for in admissions. Only about 70% of each incoming class are state residents. And only about 20% of instate applicants are accepted.