small LAC or state flagship for pre-med?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My DD went into UVA as pre med and did not stay that way. Chem killed her GPA and made her reconsider her career path.
She loves UVA and it was probably for the best that she got weeded out but I do wonder what would have happened at a small school with more personal attention. That said, she has lots of friends there who are still pre med so maybe it’s just her not being strong enough in stem.

Thank you for sharing this! Just wondering how radical the change in major was. Did she switch out of sciences completely?

Well she changed to anthropology with a minor on bioethics. She has taken a lot of classes related to health care, medicine and ethics so she still may end up in a healthcare setting but she’s looking at law school now to pursue bioethics. The first anthropology class that she took was called Race and Gender in Medicine and that’s what sparked her interest. She’s really never been a science girl, she’s an exceptional communicator both written and verbal and I always thought that would be wasted in the medical profession personally but she had wanted a medical career since about middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t speak to UVA, but when my premed Chem major DS at a small SLAC got Covid and had to stay in the quarantine dorm, and was freaking out about the impact on his grades, his classmates rallied round and helped him get caught up, and his Orgo professor basically retaught the classes he missed in private sessions during office hours and made sure he had everything he needed to catch up. My DS ended up doing pretty well and went on to crush Orgo 2 but he once said to me that when he stumbled he was picked up and carried until he could walk again and he will be forever grateful.

Ha I am the PP who posted about her DD who is no longer pre med at UVA. When she got Covid and then pneumonia and a collapsed lung as a result, her chemistry prof was not accommodating and she actually got poor grades including on labs that unable to attend due to her quarantine. So completely different than your kids experience. That says something to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can’t speak to UVA, but when my premed Chem major DS at a small SLAC got Covid and had to stay in the quarantine dorm, and was freaking out about the impact on his grades, his classmates rallied round and helped him get caught up, and his Orgo professor basically retaught the classes he missed in private sessions during office hours and made sure he had everything he needed to catch up. My DS ended up doing pretty well and went on to crush Orgo 2 but he once said to me that when he stumbled
he was picked up and carried until he could walk again and he will be forever grateful.

that's amazing!!! might you share the name of the school. I would like to send my dc there

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would a pre-med undergrad ever have a need to access a teaching hospital? The pre-med emphasis will be on core sciences and not actual medicine.

There is some sort of misconception out there. There are much more important factors and a school without a teaching hospital can be a great school for pre-med.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summers can be used for research, shadowing, and other opportunities that Oberlin probably lacks. Pick the school that is the best fit.

But, some students do these type of activities the entire year (12 month--not just academic year).

+1 no one does this only in summers anymore

[Anonymous]

You should pick the school where the student will be comfortable and thrive academically. You need a great GPA and MCAT to get into medical school.

More specifically, I would look for good teaching, good opportunities to work closely with a professor to get a good recommendation, and a non-weed out culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Realistically during a busy academic semester, these side activities are just not going to be that productive. Summer is a great time for them. A lot of research can be done remotely these days if that is a priority.

Tell me you don’t know a current premedwithout telling me you don’t know a current premed 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s a completely personal decision. both schools have a lot to offer, but they are extremely different from one another, and it really should depend on fit because that will lead to success.

Agree. The schools are so different I can’t believe anyone would be having a time deciding between the two. Any serious premed person would be fine from either one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would a pre-med undergrad ever have a need to access a teaching hospital? The pre-med emphasis will be on core sciences and not actual medicine.

The 1950s is calling you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Women gifted in math and science go off to UVA for premed and come out as high school math teachers. The many I know from TJ, that's what happens and I think it has something to do with the environment for women.

My DD is good in math and science and English and history . She took APs all through high school, got 5s on the exams and is a third year neuro science major medical ethics minor pre med at UVA. Does research, volunteers at Madison House and involved in a clinical activity and other pre med activities. She is doing great and feels confident going into MCATs and the application process. If someone doesn’t do well pte med at UVA it is a reflection on the strength of the student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't make the decision. For my DD it's between UVA and Oberlin. But the question here is more general. Is it better to go with a LAC that has smaller class size and better access to professors vs. a research university with access to the hospital and research opportunities?

I can’t tell is this a UVA troll or Oberlin troll? Both get so much hate here, but the are opposite cultures.Double troll?

[Anonymous]

Would professors at the smaller school be more likely to know the student well? That could impact the quality of letters of recommendation.

What does your child want? The schools are very different.

[Anonymous]

DD's premed friends at Oberlin volunteer at the local nursing home/elder care facility throughout the school year and during winter term, do biology/chem/neuro/psych research on campus and off-campus during the summer, and other than that, lead pretty varied student lives, working on admissions, playing club and varsity sports, playing in the orchestra, teaching Spanish to elementary school students, performing in student dance groups, working random students jobs at the library, etc. There's seems to be something for everyone. A friend with a car is able to commute to Cleveland to volunteer at a hospital there too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't make the decision. For my DD it's between UVA and Oberlin. But the question here is more general. Is it better to go with a LAC that has smaller class size and better access to professors vs. a research university with access to the hospital and research opportunities?

In state? How much merit at OC? Odd combination but if she truly can’t decide then go for the cheaper and pay more for the apps, interviews, med school etc

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Realistically during a busy academic semester, these side activities are just not going to be that productive. Summer is a great time for them. A lot of research can be done remotely these days if that is a priority.

That’s unfortunately not the case anymore if you want to go straight to med school. The requirements are so high now that it’s forcing many kids to take a gap year (70-80% of kids take a gap year according to pre-med advising at my kid’s school) before entering med school. My kid does work at the hospital associated with her university during the semester.