WashU vs Barnard for pre-med

DigitalDad
Thu, 04 May 2023 14:19:16 +0000

Super9:

Is there grade deflation/inflation at either? How easy is it to maintain a high GPA? …
And can I do pre-med and have a social life

I was hesitant to respond, as you specifically asked about comments from someone actually on a premed track. But since I’ve not seen many responses, let me offer up a few things and you can best decide, what weight you give them.

My daughter graduated from Barnard last fall, and managed to get placed directly into a doctoral program at a health professions grad school.

Before deciding on Barnard, she had strong reservations as (after 4 years of grueling high school) she did not want to end up in a cut-throat, all-work-no-fun environment, which is how she viewed the Ivy League (there might have been a little bit of impostor syndrome at work).

As far as grades - she was a high achieving student in high school, used to working hard for top results, putting out quality papers, having good time management, preparing for exams, etc. - while having a social life, doing theatre, orchestra, chorus,…

With that work ethic and ability, she was able to maintain these grades for the courses taken at Columbia University. She definitely worked hard, but also happily balanced fun with friends, going to neighborhood bars, concerts in Brooklyn, museum exhibits, etc. I don’t think she would remotely call it “easy”, but clearly doable without the craziness and hours that she had put in during high school.

The nice thing about how the distribution requirements are put together at Barnard is, that it is very flexible, with a hundred courses or choose from. Single courses can satisfy multiple requirements, and my daughter found courses that were still generally related to her major, or other areas of interest, that also covered some/several distribution requirements. Compared to a rigid “core” elsewhere, she never felt stuck in courses she had no interest in - or creating conflicts with her schedule to take major-related courses.

The atmosphere at Barnard is cooperative, and it extends to the friends you make, and fellow students, at the other undergraduate colleges of the University.

She consistently made active use of office hours, seeking out every other opportunity offered to support her academically - and their career services. It was professors who guided her towards internship opportunities at other universities, facilities and practices in Manhattan. It was also a particular professor (who actively practiced the profession) who was crucial in laying out different professional specializations, the quite different academic paths there, etc.

Between her academic results, relevant internships and practicum, and having been a township EMT since high school with formal leadership roles, she was able to place into a selective program at grad school, after interviewing at three - something that often requires a year or two of work in the field and repeated application cycles.

PS:
https://barnard.edu/prehealth-academic-support

Columbia College and Columbia Engineering

Premedical Curriculum

Page: Premedical Curriculum - Premedical Curriculum at Columbia College and Columbia Engineering It is very important to note that medical schools in the United States and Canada each individually determine their own entrance requ Preprofessional...