Today, we’re switching directions slightly to focus on a particular niche - future pre-meds. We’ll also discuss a little more about how to be successful in college (including how to choose the right school), which is something that all high school student should start preparing for ASAP.
So what should you be thinking about as a high school student interested in becoming a doctor?
1) Don’t worry too much about the relative strengths of undergrad pre-med programs. It doesn’t make a big difference to med school admissions
2) What matters far more is the overall quality of the institution. Stanford will trump UCLA anyday when it comes to desirability in med school applications
3) The vast majority of 4-year universities will have pre-med accreditation, so focus on other factors when choosing the right school - such as size of the student body, campus culture, faculty-student ratio, urban vs suburban environment, and so on
4) In college, focus on your GPA and start doing research early. Publishing papers, building strong professor relationships, and excelling academically are 3 areas that will really boost your chances of going to any med school that you want
5) In college, build a life beyond your pursuit of med school. A balanced application - where your accomplishments, resume, and essays show diverse interests - is much more desirable than someone who’s had a narrow, laser-like focus since freshman year
I hope after reading this post, all potential pre-med students will be a little bit smarter about college admissions and set the right goals for undergraduate success.
For more info, read my guide to Ivy League admissions.
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