Is it a stupid idea to attend Michigan academically if I want to attend medical school, but my stronger subjects are in English/history?
I understand I have to put in incredibly hard work anywhere to move into med school and thrive as an undergrad. However, I have heard U-M is extremely difficult in the sciences.
It is still my number one, I have visited and fell in love, and I could truly see myself here for the next four years.
I’m not looking for the easy way out, but I also don’t want to set myself up for failure.
Any advice and insight is appreciated - thanks in advance.
Michigan has a great track record for putting kids into medical school and has great departments in both the sciences (programs ranking 10th to 20th nationally) and in English (probably in/near top10) and in history (probably in/near top10). That said, you have to ask yourself: If you have concerns about competing in the sciences at the undergraduate level, what will happen to your sense of self and drive if/when you go to medical school? Because Michigan has great programs in the non-STEM tracks, you can go the slightly softer route if you want the GPA to go to med school, but then what? The joke about dogs is what are they going to do with the car when they catch it?
It seems that you should take a hard look at your successes in science to-date, and then scale them to your ability to succeed at a school that will put you into med school. Or, by reverse induction, which med schools are likely to let you matriculate, and what sort of undergraduate will put you in that pipeline conditional on doing well in one track or the other?
A lot of kids want to go to either med or law school, and reality sets in after they get their first and second semester grades. You will have plenty of opportunities to succeed at Michigan as well as opportunities to fail. Before you apply to any school, the maxim is to know thyself: what is your best and highest “use” based on both your current skills and your presumptive ability to expand those skills. From your post, it “feels” like you haven’t answered that question yet.
However you answer it, Michigan is a great school in many domains and I wish you great success in whatever you tackle.
Just because UM has a really great set of programs in the sciences doesn’t necessarily mean they’re more difficult than other programs across the country. It simply means you’re taught well and presented opportunities for success.
That being said, if your strong suit does not lie within the sciences, then regardless of where you attend school, you’ll struggle on a pre med track. Even those with strong affinities for the sciences, namely chemistry and biology, can have a difficult time attaining the grades necessary for med school admittance. That’s not to mention the handful of math and physics courses you’ll need as well. As a junior, the only people left still on the pre-med track from when I first got here are the best of the best.
So I guess my point is, if you struggle or if your grades suffer, it won’t be because of attending Michigan. In the medical track, you’re going to get a punishing curriculum regardless of where you attend, so it might as well be somewhere you love and feel comfortable.
No matter where you go or what you study, just keep your GPA high…start with freshman year since those are likely your easier classes. If you start low it will be an uphill climb to get out of the hole!