Harvard International Application (help needed please)

[the_wizzz]

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Hi,

I live in the UK and I am thinking about applying to Harvard to study Medicine. Would you please answer the following questions:

1. Would the UK A-Level qualifications suffice or would I have to take a set of American exams in order to apply?
2. How competitive is it for an international application?
3. Is there anything that I should know about applying as an International student?

Thanks! 🙂

 

[dmk724]

Hi,

I live in the UK and I am thinking about applying to Harvard to study Medicine. Would you please answer the following questions:

1. Would the UK A-Level qualifications suffice or would I have to take a set of American exams in order to apply?
2. How competitive is it for an international application?
3. Is there anything that I should know about applying as an International student?

Thanks! 🙂

Hmm...I'm a little confused. Let me get a few things straight first:

1) A-level exams are taken when you are 18 years old, right? And they are taken in preparation of a course of study at a university such as Cambridge or Oxford?

2) Do you want to study PRE-medicine as an undergraduate student at Harvard University, or attend Harvard Medical school?

The thing is, the medical education systems between the US and the UK are very different. I believe that in the UK, you must decide if you want to be a doctor when you are 18, and then pursue a 6 year course of study that will cover the basic sciences and clinical stuff. (Is that correct?) In the US, we do things very differently - people go to university for 4 years (usually) and get their bachelor's degree first. Then, about 9 months before they are set to graduate, they can begin applying for places in medical schools, which are usually somewhat separate from universities. Medical school then requires another 4 years, and then you become a practicing physician, completing an internship, residency, fellowship (if you want), etc.

I'm really sorry if you already know all this and I'm just repeating stuff to you. So, in your case, what you'd probably have to do is get your bachelor's degree at a regular university in the UK, and then apply for medical school about 3 years into your studies. You'd have to take the MCAT 12 months before you graduated as well. Being from the UK, you will probably be able to bypass many of the obstacles that other international applicants must face - they need to prove that they speak English fluently enough, that they understand English, etc. You might need to worry about financial aid (because medical school in the US is damn expensive - US $37,000 for some schools), but you can worry about that later.

Like I said, I'm sorry if I'm just spitting out information that you already know, but your post confused me a good deal. 🙂 And I'm sorry for the long post. Basically, med schools don't care too much about your A-levels, they care more about your university GPA. Hopefully, all this info was helpful, and good luck!

 

[dmk724]

Sorry - I should probably clarify a few things further:

1) If you want to attend Harvard as an undergraduate, then, no your A-levels will not be enough. You'll have to take the SATs and 3 SAT II tests. (Sorry. That sucks.)

http://www.admissions.college.harvard.edu/faqs/international/

2) If you only want to get your medical degree from Harvard (and not necessarily your bachelor degree), then you don't necessarily need to attend an American university for your undergraduate studies. A UK degree should be enough. If you were going to attend university in a 3rd world country, then that would be a different story, maybe.

Good luck, and, again, hope that this was helpful.

 

[sweatybrain]

Sorry - I should probably clarify a few things further:

an American university for your undergraduate studies. A UK degree should be enough. If you were going to attend university in a 3rd world country, then that would be a different story, maybe.

From the HMS homepage:

"Supplemented their education with at least one year of college or university training in the United States or Canada if they have completed academic work outside the Untied States or Canada. (Foreign students who do not have a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an institution in the United States or Canada are rarely accepted for admission."


good luck.

 

[dmk724]

From the HMS homepage:

"Supplemented their education with at least one year of college or university training in the United States or Canada if they have completed academic work outside the Untied States or Canada. (Foreign students who do not have a baccalaureate or advanced degree from an institution in the United States or Canada are rarely accepted for admission."


good luck.

Thanks for the clarification. But would an exception be made for the OP, if he attended a university in the UK? I don't know how different the classes are, but I imagine that the quality of science classes offered in the UK would at least be comparable to classes in the US. Plus, since they're taught in English, he would obviously prove language competency.

Or maybe they require a year of study in the US or Canada to allow the student some time to get used to the culture here?

Anyway, thanks again.

 

[the_wizzz]

Thanks for your replies 🙂

I'll probably do my undergrad in the UK and then do my grad in the US.

Thanks!

 

[Friendly]

Thanks for your replies 🙂

I'll probably do my undergrad in the UK and then do my grad in the US.

Thanks!

I know of someone who did their undergrad in the U.K., Ph.D. in the U.S., then applied to an American M.D. program. Indeed, you will need a four-year undergraduate degree to enter a U.S. medical school. As an international, most U.S. medical schools will expect you to have taken the prerequisite courses (chem/biol/physics) in the U.S. - even if you have studied the equivalent material at A-level or during your undergrad....I know, it's unjust. After that, you must take the MCAT. The biggest hurdle for you, however, is funding. You will not be eligible for U.S. loans as a foreigner and the U.K. may not pay for it. I was told that it's best to stay in the country where you were initially educated if you want to apply to medical school. Hope that helps. Good luck!