Hopkins vs UPenn for PreMed

bonanza
Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:57:38 +0000

The Pre-Professional Advisors at Hopkins (and, frankly, at every other top undergraduate school) do not exist to discourage students; they exist to provide advice and support. But they also have to be honest with students about their chances or, otherwise, they are misleading them and building up unwarranted expectations. Let’s face it, if you have a 3.0 average you are not going to be accepted to a US medical school. But some students, when faced with the truth, complain that they are being discouraged from applying in order to protect Hopkins’ stellar record of medical school admissions. It’s hogwash.

Hopkins will give students a favorable recommendation for medical school when and if the student has a record which demonstrates that they are likely to do well in medical school. And for students who don’t make the grade, Hopkins will not provide a favorable recommendation. That’s not mean. That’s life. Hopkins doesn’t prevent anyone from applying to medical school ( or any other professional or graduate program). But you are not entitled to a favorable recommendation just because you graduate.