BS/MD program @VCU

[Anonymous]

Does this program look at the student accomplishment outside of academic achievement?

DD is interested in this program at VCU but is afraid that she will not qualify. 3.6 weigh GPA at Langley HS with 1510 on the SAT, and only a few AP classes. However, DD is very talented artist, has been interested in drawing and painting since the age of five. DD's art work has been on display at art galleries. One of DD's painting was sold for 40K and another painting was sold for 20K three months ago. DD wants to go into the BS/MD program and becomes an optometrist.

Does the school admission take those talents into consideration or is it just another ECs like marching band?

TIA.

[Anonymous]

Optometrists do not have M.D. degrees!

[Anonymous]

Also, a 3.6 weighted GPA is extremely low!

[Anonymous]

Congratulations on your DD's awesome drawing and painting talent. It certainly is a very accomplished and valued EC by any college. Optometrists are not M.D. doctors. Whereas, Ophthalmologists are M.D. doctors. If your DD wants to become an optometrist, she should look into what colleges offer it and what the entrance requirements are. It is impressive that acquiring such highly accomplished talent in drawing and painting did not deter your DD to also have impressive academic accomplishments. If an athlete with your DD's academic results could be a recruitable candidate by Harvard and such colleges, then your DD certainly would be a recruitable student by Harvard and such colleges.

All the best to your DD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Optometrists do not have M.D. degrees!

Yes, she better figure this out first.
Optometrists do not have MDs. They go to optometry school and get OD degrees.

[Anonymous]

Don't put all the eggs in one MD basket if she has other interests and she may change her mind. Go to VCU for their wonderful arts program, and then she can take pre-requ's for whatever grad school she wants but will still have options open to her.

[Anonymous]

OP, do you mean ophthalmologist?

[Anonymous]

These combined programs are EXTREMELY competitive. Sorry to say she won't have a shot with that stat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, do you mean ophthalmologist?

OP here. Sorry, yes, DD wants to be an ophthalmologist.

[Anonymous]

Doesn’t really matter either way. She has no shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These combined programs are EXTREMELY competitive. Sorry to say she won't have a shot with that stat.

OP here. Yes, I realized that her grade is low for these programs but I heard on NPR many years ago about NY medical school for non-traditional path students: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/02/27/173079246/new-york-medical-school-eases-nontraditional-path-for-admissions

I would hope the BS/MD program value students with artistic skills to at least consider them for those slots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doesn’t really matter either way. She has no shot.

Nor should she. Extracurriculars never outweigh academic achievements for college admissions unless you're a D1 recruited athlete, which she isn't. And any student with a 3.6 weighted GPA from Langley with a 1510 on the SAT is a chronic academic underachiever, which is not what VCU is looking for for this program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These combined programs are EXTREMELY competitive. Sorry to say she won't have a shot with that stat.

OP here. Yes, I realized that her grade is low for these programs but I heard on NPR many years ago about NY medical school for non-traditional path students: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/02/27/173079246/new-york-medical-school-eases-nontraditional-path-for-admissions

I would hope the BS/MD program value students with artistic skills to at least consider them for those slots.

You're delusional. This program is for COLLEGE students, not high school students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These combined programs are EXTREMELY competitive. Sorry to say she won't have a shot with that stat.

OP here. Yes, I realized that her grade is low for these programs but I heard on NPR many years ago about NY medical school for non-traditional path students: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2013/02/27/173079246/new-york-medical-school-eases-nontraditional-path-for-admissions

I would hope the BS/MD program value students with artistic skills to at least consider them for those slots.

Actually no OP. They should not consider these kinds of extracurricular activities—unless they were on top of acceptable academics.

If your daughter wants to go to med school, she should be undertaking AP bio, AP chem, and AP physics assuming a school offers them, in order to indicate that she is taking the most rigorous path possible in science and also to help make sure she gets over a 3.0 GPA in all science courses in college. She has to maintain that in order to stay in a BS/MD program, and to get into med school from a regular BS program.She also need to start spending time shadowing and volunteering.

[Anonymous]

OP, look at it this way. If someone posted that they had a kid with a 4.5 unweighted GPA, a 1600 on the SAT, and AP classes in chemistry, physics, and biology, but no arts or fine arts portolio or classes -- and wants to go to VCU's extremely competitive arts program -- would you think that this student would deserve a slot in that program over your daughter?