A school some don’t even know about for pre-med is one of my favourite US schools, Harvey Mudd:
It’s a bit of a reach for anyone, but you certainly have a shot.
The only issue is that the school is well known for not practising grade inflation, so don’t expect an easy ride. However, it will give you a top-notch preparation, especially if you want to do medical research.
There are so many options to consider (honors colleges at bigger schools, small liberal arts colleges, and a number of things in-between), but I’ll start off with a tip…think the midwest, flyover country. Schools on the coasts or in major cities like Chicago have a lot more demand, so they don’t need to be as generous in offering merit aid as the schools in the middle of the country. There are some fabulous schools in the midwest that would have extremely low admit rates and much less (if any) merit aid given if they had a different location. For someone with these stated desires, use that to your advantage.
Below are some small colleges to get some reactions from your kid/family. Perhaps small midwestern schools are right up your kid’s alley. Or maybe they’ll say they prefer mid-sized schools or large schools or urban schools or schools on the west coast or schools that play sports on national television, or they want a more prominent Greek scene, or, or, or…These schools are sorted by my guesses as to your kid’s chances for admission based on a combination of your kid’s profile and the school’s admission rate.
Extremely Likely (80-99+%)
Likely (60-79%)
College of Wooster (OH): Everyone is expected to do a senior thesis in order to graduate, and this school is well-respected academically. About 1700 undergrads. College of Wooster – Colleges That Change Lives
St. Olaf (MN): A beloved favorite on CC with about 3100 undergrads St. Olaf College – Colleges That Change Lives
Toss-Up (40-59%)
Lower Probability (20-39%)
Low Probability (less than 20%)
ETA: The Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) profiles are marketing material, but I find that the profiles tend to do a pretty good job of giving a feel for a school.
However, by the percentage of graduates matriculating into medical school, large publics like the University of Michigan, UCLA and UCB appear to place outside of the top 50.
AustenNut is right about this. Another school in Minnesota is UMN-Rochester. It is a school located adjacent to the Mayo Clinic, and was created as a feeder school to the Mayo system. It only has 2 majors both of which are health-sciences related. One of these majors is essentially Pre-Med (also appropriate for Pre-PA, Pre-Dental etc.) It is a very small school and not at all the typical college experience with big sports or big Greek etc. But every student is taken under the wings of the Mayo with all their mentoring and research and clinical experiences. All students receive in-state tuition, so it is very economical. But this is very much a fit school. Your student would need to be 100% sure they wanted some sort of biomedical focus to their education. UMN-Rochester does belong to National Student Exchange which allows the student to do semesters away at any of the other ~200 participating schools, in case the student wants a taste of more typical college life in a non-freezing location.
Are you saying they place outside of the top 50 medical schools? In my opinion…so what? You don’t have to go to a top 50 medical school to become a doctor, and in fact, where you do your residency is more important than where you get your undergrad degree, and where you attended medical school.
In addition, “rankings” for medical schools are questionable. IIRC, many medical schools are not providing rankings info any longer.
@WayOutWestMom will correct my comments here, if needed.
In addition, it has long been said that person graduating medical school at the bottom of the lowest medical school will still be called…doctor.
No.
Please clarify what you are saying, then!
By the percentage of graduates matriculating into medical school, the University of Michigan placed 53rd nationally, UCLA placed 54th nationally and UCB placed 55th nationally based on information in this site:
I can’t attest to the complete accuracy of the site, however.
Unless I’m misunderstanding what this statistic means, I’m not sure that’s a useful metric unless you assume that everyone in a particular college wants to go to med school. Schools with big engineering and business programs, as a quick example, will probably not have many of those graduates interested in medical school.
Part of going to college is meeting people who grew up in different households -people who live life differently, who have different opinions. Being able to connect with people from all walks of life is a valuable quality in a medical provider. It is something that can’t be taught but is gained through life’s experiences.
Think about the doctors you’ve been to. There are some who are brilliant but who have no chairside manner. There are others who are very intelligent and understand you, your lifestyle, and circumstances. Which doctors do you prefer to see?
Great suggestions/discussions, I apologize I loosely said top notch academics, my daughter is very social, very well grounded and fun loving and outgoing. I am sure she will enjoy wherever she will go, she would love to have research opportunities, clubs. As a parent I need to think about her travel from home, weather and other psychological and logistical parameters
I know it’s far from home, but have you considered looking at Rhodes College. Lots of research opportunities for undergrads. I am guessing, but I think your student would get decent merit aid there as well.
Anyone remembering @curmudgeon will remember that his DD did her undergrad there on a full ride, and then was accepted to Yale Medical School. Rhodes might be worth a look see if you are looking outside of your geographic area.
Updating with today’s AP result, She got three 5s out of three exams. Super happy today 
List your HS coursework
(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)
English: AP Lang (Score of 5), AP Lit (Planned in Sr yr)
Math: (including highest level course(s) completed) Calc-2 (Community College), AP-Calc AB (Score of 5), Stat (Community College)
Science: (including which ones, such as biology, chemistry, physics) AP- Bio (Score of 5), AP-Chem (Score of 4), AP-Physics C (Sr Yr) , Hons Chem
History and social studies: AP WH (Score of 4)
Language other than English: (including highest level completed) Spanish-3
Visual or performing arts: (Community College Art course completed)
Other academic courses: AP-Psyc*(Score of 5)*, Biomed Hons courses
Congratulations to your D on her great AP scores!
Is there any more clarity about the preferences and parameters for your D’s college search?
Sounds like you are flexible about size and scope. Maybe a Goldilocks school like Wesleyan would work for you? Nominally a LAC, but on the larger end of the spectrum; equally deep bench in science, math as well as the visual and performing arts. Huge Cali network:
I’ll second the suggestion of Wooster. Very good for sciences. The only other school with this independent and faculty mentored senior thesis has been Princeton. On my tour, I was surprised by the number of students I encountered who were children of faculty at other colleges. That tells me something about Wooster.
Starting this fall, Hobart & William Smith College will start requiring the same senior thesis. It’s another small LAC that’s worth looking into.
As others have said - this is tough. She can go to Alabama for mid 20s and join the McCullough Pre Medical Scholars program if accepted. There are big flagships from $30K to $50K for her stats.
There are mid size schools - and in your case WUE schools.
You know who’s got great students - the UCs…and Nebraska and U New Hampshire, etc. So it’s hard to say great academics.
Maybe you want a program like my daughters - she chose a regional public (College of Charleston) over a top LAC and some near top publics. She was a Charleston Fellow - a sub group of Honors - and they have Medical U of SC down the street. I’m not saying she’d get Fellows but could be a candidate - but it’s $50K a year. Is that better than a Bama at $23K or Kansas at $30K, etc.
So you do need a #, etc. and for med school, I’m not sure it matters where you go.
I’m a Vanderbilt Cancer patient - you know where their residents went undergrad? And I added a few more schools:
t’s interesting. I had cancer last year and went to Vandy - its radiation residents come from mostly unheralded undergraduate schools. I put some Duke too.
Find the right school - start with budget which you need to define for 8 years - and go from there. There’s lots of schools with great price points - and lots of schools with great opportunities. Don’t say campus type or weather, etc. don’t matter because they do and you’ll want her to be happy. But you also don’t need to go to the biggest name to be a doctor.
Her stats will get you $$ - and I don’t see the need to ratchet pressure on a test. 1500 is exceptional. Good luck.
Neurological Surgery
Vandy
OK State
Florida State
Pitt
Florida A&M
Duke - Family Medicine
Tuskegee
UCF
UMN
UNC
Gannon
Earlham
Campbell
Heck, my derm is an UK and E Carolina med school.
Please clarify what you mean by your headings “family medicine”, “neurological surgery”. Most of these colleges don’t have affiliated medical schools. A student doesn’t major in these things as undergrads anyway.
Fact is…this student can take the required courses for medical school applicants at any of the colleges you listed plus MANY more.
@Jay_K I do agree, your student needs to choose a college where they think they will be happy and do well for four years of undergrad. Happy students do better and this kid will need to be at the top of their game to apply to medical school.
Also, check the current status of student loans. They are now limited to $50,000 a year for medical school students…and medical schools can cost $100,000 or more. So consider colleges with minimal to no loans for undergrad.
These are the undergraduate colleges of current residents in those disciplines at the hospitals i mentioned - Vandy, Duke, etc. Being a resident at a top hospital doesn’t require undergraduate attendance at anywhere special (same with nursing).
Your point is the point - they can go wherever. They don’t need a top name.
The OP doesn’t really talk budget other than to say - they want top notch academics (can be anywhere and may not be at places you think - one doesn’t know) and they’d like scholarships…..but of course, some schools are cheaper full pay than others with scholarships.
OP says campus type/environment are not important - but one would think they want their student in a place of comfort to excel.
But I’m simply making the point - as you just did - you can go anywhere - so spend your 8 years wisely financially and at a place of comfort.
Unless one puts up a budget # that they desire to stay to, then it’s hard to have a budget.
But generic statements like - we’d like money, of course, are great - but don’t really give one anything to target - which is ok if $100K a year is fine.
Thanks
Shortest, simplest answer. Unless you are very wealthy, student goes to the cheapest place where they can have a decent college experience and get a very high GPA, because one can do their premeds anywhere, and still get into med school.