<p>My D is in her senior year UG in an eight year program. She loves the group of them working together and truly looking out for each other. Since they accepted all her AP’s she is writing a thesis and only taking 2 course so there is no pressure and no MCAT.</p>
<p>She got into a couple of lower ivies and a free ride at a state school that she turned down. The only " what if" was Yale where she was deferred. It is such an amazing place she would have likely chosen it. The residential colleges are a city block with a courtyard garden inside. They get such outstanding speakers. The money flows for Broadway shows, student activities since they have the second highest endowment in the nation. ( The school with the largest was having students complain about the poor food.)</p>
<p>The tremendous need aid Yale gives is extended to real middle class families. The recent purchase of that pharm. company campus to include all the equipment which effectively doubled their campus size and research facilities. It is a wonderful place but because of legacies, athletes, donors and others the real acceptance rate is half of what is published so it is tough for the "little people " who are unhooked.</p>
<p>As far as being unchallenged in a lesser school, they all teach material you will need to help you pass the MCAT which is no easy test. Most make you take the American Chemical society final for Organic chemistry which is very challenging. They also offer honors courses for most programs as well.</p>
<p>It is in the schools’ interests to pick the best and the brightest since it reflects on the schools at the medical school. I think these programs are more egalitarian since legacies, athletes and donors’ children are not real a factor, only your grades, scores and true desire to commit to medicine as demonstrated in your interview.</p>