<p>Well, I'll basically ask for everyones advice, since it seems like you are all really good at giving it. </p>
<p>Here's the details:</p>
<p>I'm a junior at a top school in Illinois
I scored a 31 on my ACT
I have a decent 3.55 GPA, but can prob. raise it to a 3.7 next year.</p>
<p>I'm getting ready to begins to college application process, but I want to know which pre-med programs out there are a best fit for me?</p>
<p>I've been looking around the Big 10 (excluding UMich, since that's out of my league) and have decided on applying to UW-Madison, UIowa, UIndiana, UIllinois, (here come the not Big 10's) Boston University, Dartmouth (if I'm lucky), Cornell, and USC. </p>
<p>Is it worth for me to apply to these schools? And I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post this here, or in the chance area. If so, just tell me, and I'll remove it from here. </p>
<p>Also, could you try to tell me which schools out of those are the easiest to get into? And have the best program.</p>
<p>It really doesn’t matter where you do you premed as long as you do well wherever you go. A more competitive school could give you a slight boost GPA wise but not much. On the other hand, if you go to a more competitive school you might do worse gradewise. I would suggest going to a school that fits you well. Things to look for a research opportunities, premed advising, acceptance rates for medschool, any activities you would be interested in, and such. You really want to go to a school where you can shine at.</p>
<p>Dartmouth & Cornell-CAS are probably out of reach. If UMich is out of your “league” the Ivy League is beyond…</p>
<p>USC might become a possibility if you can raise your numbers – they love high test scores.</p>
<p>Thanks, and mentally, I’m aware that Dartmouth & Cornell are way out of reach. But UMich is a reach, but not too far if I am able to get my GPA up, which I will. </p>
<p>And USC is more of a “cool if I get in, whatever if I don’t” I have no true desire to go there, although it would be awesome, I wouldn’t feel upset if I was rejected. </p>
<p>But my top two schools, which I have visited already and talked with people who work there are U of I and UW-Madison. I’m feeling really good about UW-Madison, but not so much about U of I, since my cousin, who has a 28 on his ACT and 3.9 GPA got deferred, but eventually let in. Seems really, really difficult to get into their pre-med program currently.</p>
<p>As a medical school faculty member I can tell you that all of your schools are fine and the choice of major is not important. What matters is doing well in the prereqs, in your major and on your MCATs. If you do that at any of these schools you will be very well positioned.</p>
<p>You will also HAVE to interview for medical school so good social skills are a plus.</p>
<p>The most important thing though, is to make sure you really want to go to medical school. It is just too long ( absolute minimum of 7 years in addition to college), too hard and too expensive otherwise. There are easier and better ways to make a lot of money, so be sure that’s not your motivation!</p>