First Year of Pre-med

[Yuyukachoo]

Hi, I'm just starting college this year, so I'm not too worried or excited yet, but I decided to attend an all women's college where I got a larger scholarship rather than a very well known institution. It's Simmons College in Boston to be exact, and I didn't apply for the honors program in time because I was really close to going somewhere else. Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

Thank you for your help!!

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[GoldShadow]

Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

No.

And no.

 

[Yuyukachoo]

I'm so confused about everything now after looking at some of the accepted/rejected threads....I wonder if I should try and get into the honors program somehow.

 

[Depakote]

The honors program could help, but don't feel the need to be perfect... that will only put too much pressure on you and when you inevitably wind up slipping and getting an A- or something simliar at some point, you'll just feel that much more pressure.

 

[GoldShadow]

From what I have heard and read, being in honors does not make a big difference when it comes to med school admission.

However, being in the honors program at a school usually confers advantages on you, including the ability to take smaller honors sections of classes, priority registration for classes and housing, volunteering and service opportunities, etc. If you'd like to challenge yourself, then you should try for honors.

 

[paranoid_eyes]

honors doesn't mean diddly

 

[pakbabydoll]

I have heard of 4.0 GPA but I don't think any one has ever gotten the PERFECT score on MCAT. Last I remember the highest score is 43 ( I THINK)

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I was in honors for one semester, it was the biggest waste of my time. It was supposed to "expand your mind", all it did was piss me off.

 

[Nessy]

I'm also a Freshman. Does it matter if one has a scholarship title sort of thing, for instance, if someone is a Morehead Scholar or Robertson Scholar at UNC, or a Jefferson Scholar at UVA, or a Benjamin Duke Scholar at Duke?
I don't have one. Just curious if there is some sort of "in" at these individual medical schools. Is it some sort of a coup for a med school to admit 3 Jeffersons, or 5 Moreheads......blah, blah

 

[Doctorverardoll]

Medical School admissions is more than numbers. Simmons is located in an awesome area for pre-meds. You are a short walk from Longwood Medical Area. There are numerous volunteer and research positions (Brigham and Women's, Beth Israel, Dana Farber Cancer Insitute Joslin Diabetes..etc) 5 minutes away.

Being in an honors program is not going to make or break your application. I personally dropped out of my program, because I felt a bit confined to meet the requirements (i.e. taking 66 honors courses- non of which challenged or interested me). You can still graduate summa/magna cum laude without being in the program.

Honestly, it was some of my non-academic experiences in Boston that have really helped me to shape my future. So do not forget to take some time to peruse the Musuem of Fine Arts, smell the roses in Boston Public Garden, and try some pastries in the North End.

p.s. I know some schools in the Boston area have an early acceptance program Tufts (BC and Northeastern do for sure) that you apply for in your sophomore year.

Best of Luck!

 

[Terpskins99]

Hi, I'm just starting college this year, so I'm not too worried or excited yet, but I decided to attend an all women's college where I got a larger scholarship rather than a very well known institution. It's Simmons College in Boston to be exact, and I didn't apply for the honors program in time because I was really close to going somewhere else. Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

Thank you for your help!!

How about you focus on getting that 4.0 and perfect MCAT first.

If you accomplish those two and are STILL worried about getting rejected to BU/Tufts/UMass... then we'll talk.

 

[Drogba]

I'm so glad I didn't start reading SDN until I was a junior in college...

Do your best in your classes, study what interests you and volunteer/work for something medically related to see if you truly want to do medicine. Don't worry so much about building the perfect app. Certainly don't look at the accepted rejected threads right now. Its impossible to look at the meager information provided on these threads and try and figure out why a school rejected or accepted a candidate. Personal statements, secondary essays, interviews and the thought processes of admission commitees all factor in to whether someone is accepted. Just do your best and be yourself. Anxiety is your worst enemy.

 

[F12]

Hi, I'm just starting college this year, so I'm not too worried or excited yet, but I decided to attend an all women's college where I got a larger scholarship rather than a very well known institution. It's Simmons College in Boston to be exact, and I didn't apply for the honors program in time because I was really close to going somewhere else. Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

Thank you for your help!!

No.

 

[luv2sd]

Hi, I'm just starting college this year, so I'm not too worried or excited yet, but I decided to attend an all women's college where I got a larger scholarship rather than a very well known institution. It's Simmons College in Boston to be exact, and I didn't apply for the honors program in time because I was really close to going somewhere else. Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

Thank you for your help!!

dude common

 

[PreMD86]

Hi, I'm just starting college this year, so I'm not too worried or excited yet, but I decided to attend an all women's college where I got a larger scholarship rather than a very well known institution. It's Simmons College in Boston to be exact, and I didn't apply for the honors program in time because I was really close to going somewhere else. Even if I got a 4.0 and a perfect MCAT, could my school and lack of honors program alone completely eliminate me from the medical schools around here...like BU, Tufts, and UMass?

Thank you for your help!!

Yes, the lack of honors program at your school would completely eliminate you from medical schools. The highest you could now aspire for is a high school advisor (don't forget to tell those kids to sign up for honors!)
Other deal breakers: Not rioting when the red sox take the world series , going less than third base with your orgo prof., referring to a drink in starbucks as 'medium', messing up the words to 'baby got back', having an actual bff jill, cockblocking, applying past june, sleeping more than 5 hours a night, and having sex before you're married.

I suggest transferring to UMass and keeping this list handy in your wallet and on your bed post.

 

[mvenus929]

I'm sure you can do much better things for your application than worrying about an honors program. How about you try to do things you want to do, instead of what medical schools would like?

 

[Yuyukachoo]

Thank you for those of you who helped. And to the others, I'm sure no pre-med student has ever worried about stupid things before.