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[quote=Anonymous]From the FAQ page on pre-health advising:

How many students arrive at the University of Chicago as a pre-med and how many actually apply to medical school?

Usually about 150 entering first-years indicate that they are interested in medical school. Each year, we support approximately 100-125 students and alumni in their applications to medical school. It is important to remember that a big part of the college experience is exploring new interests—both academically and personally—and learning more about the various career paths that are possible. There will absolutely be students who feel certain that they wish to be a physician, but after being on campus, find that their eyes have been opened to a number of different fields that they wish to explore, and possibly to select as the right path for them. Our goal is to assist in this decision-making process and support our students every step of the way.

Does the University of Chicago have “weed out” classes designed to reduce the number of pre-meds? How tough is the work-load?

Our science courses are not intentionally designed to “weed out” students interested in the health professions. Realistically speaking, yes, some students struggle in the sciences and may realize that this level of science coursework is not interesting or is not a good academic fit—and remember, medical school is going to be another notch higher. So there will be students who decide that this isn’t the best career path for them after taking a few science courses. If you are currently a student who is at the top of your class, with very little effort on your part, you will definitely find that you have to work harder here. You are basically surrounded by others just like you—the best and the brightest! So you have to work a little harder to keep up. But the work-load is definitely manageable once you figure out your study strategies, your balance of time studying vs. time spent on activities, extracurriculars, socializing, etc.

I have heard that UChicago does not have grade inflation. What does that mean for professional school? Do medical schools recognize this difference? Would it be better to go to a less-rigorous school and have a higher GPA?

You are correct—we do not have grade inflation. When medical schools look at your GPA, they are evaluating the rigor of your undergraduate institution, the intensity of your course-load, and your overall grades. They DO recognize that UChicago is not a school that practices grade inflation, and take that into account—within reason. That is not to say that you can earn a 2.0 at UChicago and expect that to be held in the same regard as a 4.0 at another school. The mean GPA nationally for applicants accepted into MD programs in 2017 was 3.71. The mean GPA of UChicago students accepted into MD programs in 2017 was 3.60. Specific to the sciences, the mean accepted science GPA nationally was a 3.64 and the mean UChicago science GPA was a 3.53. It is clear from those results that the medical schools are valuing the rigor of the UChicago experience when they consider candidates.

Speaking of numbers, what is the average MCAT score for UChicago students who are accepted to medical school?

Our students historically perform above the national average on their MCAT exam. The average MCAT score for accepted applicants nationally is 510.4. The UChicago average MCAT score for accepted applicants is a 513.8.

What is your acceptance rate for medical school?

Over the past several years our acceptance rate has been between 79-88%. The national average over the same time period has hovered around 40%.

https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/uchicago-careers-in/health-professions/pre-health-faqs[/quote]

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