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Really, a name brand college does not matter unless and only unless your daughter wants to go to an Ivy league type school and even then it does not matter. Look ahead at the data for medical school acceptance rates and their "feeder" colleges. It may actually be harmful to apply to a top college.
For example, my best friend is an MD/PhD Neurosurgeon who went to a small, small college in Iowa. His straight A's as a Chemistry major got him easily accepted to the U of NE Department of Pharmacology as a PhD candidate. His five years there with all A's got him into the U of IA Medical School where he also received nothing less than A's making it easier to get into a neurosurgery program in TX.
While he was in NE, he maintained Iowa residency. Residency is important to state schools where they generally will not accept out of state students who do not have a 4.0 AND (I'm assuming the MCAT is scored still the same as when I took it) at least a 36 and perhaps a writing score of "S" which is what I received.
Don't forget other things that are also important. It is imperative to develop academic relationships with at least three professors who will write good letters of rec. We had one professor at my college (UNO) who wrote everyone who wanted to go to medical school a bad letter but acted like their best buddies. If the students wanted to go to grad school for chemistry (his field), he would write great letters of rec. The only reason I knew to avoid this professor was my family doc was on the admission's board in Omaha. He told me in confidence.
It is also imperative to do well on the basic sciences AND take some upper level courses. She should major in what she likes but she has to do well on the basic sciences both GPA and on the MCAT. Extra-curricular activities help but if her GPA and MCAT scores are not good, the committees will not even see what activities she was in as she will be weeded out. If she is in activities, it is important that she is a leader and not just an attender.
Throw in some research, teaching, and other work during the summers and she has a chance.
There are a lot more important things to getting into medical school (as opposed to a particular medical school) than the "right" college no matter what some would tell you.
Good luck.
Residency is important also for low cost tuition.
posted by 71.214.23...
, Tue, 31 Jul 2007 05:54:47
, Mon, 30 Jul 2007 08:48:00
, Sat, 28 Jul 2007 19:58:22
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