Pre-med at Pace?

[schrodingersdog]

I'd lie to expressedly apologize for any typos or mishaps, as I am on my phone.

I've recently become very interested in Pace University. It's within New York City and encompasses strong financial aid, scholarships, majors I see myself pursuing and small class sizes. It's somehow everything I could ever want in a college. However, I am unfamiliar with its pre-med program entirely. I've attempted to do some research online, but have done so to no prevail. I'd really love some insight to the pre-med program at Pace. Hypothetically-speaking, would its position as a relatively less-competitive school hinder me during the medical school admissions process? Do doctors commonly come out of Pace?
Thank you so much!

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[youngmo]

Great grades + Great MCAT + Great EC's = Acceptance

Talk to your pre-med advisor and ask about previous students from Pace that have received acceptances.

 

[Mansamusa]

I've always heard that Pace is really expensive. If you are from NY, look into the CUNY Macaulay Honors Program. Or CUNY schools in general. Minimizing your debt + high GPA + high MCAT is what you want

 

[Chelsea FC]

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[Mansamusa]

Yeah, I saw on their website that COA is $62K and the average person financial aid gets a $20K grant (of course that could be more depending on OP's efc). And it isn't on the list of schools meeting 100% of financial need

Many people from my school didn't know about the honors college and the full tuition scholarship that comes with it. Just wanted to give OP other options that may meet what they are looking for 🙂

 

[Chelsea FC]

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[Chelsea FC]

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[Chelsea FC]

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[schrodingersdog]

Wow, thanks so much! do you attend Pace? What are the credentials one must meet for the honors college? I'm from a non-traditional academic background and will probably complete my first 30-or-so credits at my local community college. Will this revoke my eligibility, or is the honors college open to transfers? If able to utilize financial/merit aid, I would really love to attend Pace. Otherwise, the price is pretty exorbitant in comparison to other schools I am realistically considering and I am in no place to spend a fraction of that much money. :/

 

[schrodingersdog]

No, I'm not currently a resident of NYC, so I think CUNY Honors would be out of the question.

 

[medicalCPA]

No, I'm not currently a resident of NYC, so I think CUNY Honors would be out of the question.

When I was looking for universities to attend, I don't remember seeing anything that indicated that CUNY Honors was only restricted to NYC residents. Unless you're worried about a place to live?

 

[Chelsea FC]

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[schrodingersdog]

When I was looking for universities to attend, I don't remember seeing anything that indicated that CUNY Honors was only restricted to NYC residents. Unless you're worried about a place to live?

Yes, I should have clarified. Housing would definitely be a factor.

 

[schrodingersdog]

No problem! Your name has been edited out.

 

[LizzyM]

I have been doing med admissions for 15 years and I've never seen an applicant from Pace. I'd for sure ask Pace to tell you which med schools its alumni are currently attending. Be very afraid if most of the schools they name are off shore.

 

[DoctorSynthesis]

I have been doing med admissions for 15 years and I've never seen an applicant from Pace. I'd for sure ask Pace to tell you which med schools its alumni are currently attending. Be very afraid if most of the schools they name are off shore.

If your school isn't on the east coast that might be a factor why you have never received an application. If you did receive an application from a Pace student and their application was good would you consider them? Also you have probably never received an application from someone from my undergrad either. Plenty of the Pre-Meds who came into my school with low high school stats ended up overseas. The ones who went to my undergrad and did well in highschool ended up in great medical schools! It seems from my experiences the outcome of where students ended up depended more on the individual student then the school itself.

 

[Chelsea FC]

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[LizzyM]

I don't disclose my location but I will say that I see applicants from every part of the country and a strong pre-med program will produce applicants that apply to a wide geographic range of schools just because students are encouraged to "apply broadly".

I would consider a student from Pace if they applied but why aren't they applying? Do they have weed out classes that weed out almost everyone? Is the admission criteria such that they don't have a large pool of particularly strong students and so I'm not seeing them because their MCATs are on the low side? Not sure... OP ask more questions before you sink your time & money into that school, or any other school.

 

[Chelsea FC]

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[DoctorSynthesis]

I don't disclose my location but I will say that I see applicants from every part of the country and a strong pre-med program will produce applicants that apply to a wide geographic range of schools just because students are encouraged to "apply broadly".

I would consider a student from Pace if they applied but why aren't they applying? Do they have weed out classes that weed out almost everyone? Is the admission criteria such that they don't have a large pool of particularly strong students and so I'm not seeing them because their MCATs are on the low side? Not sure... OP ask more questions before you sink your time & money into that school, or any other school.

Goro likes to say that certain schools act as a feeder school for medical schools. I'm sure students apply broadly but generally they apply broadly in a specific geographic area. If your from the east coast you would generally apply broadly from schools in the east coast. Again not knowing what school your an adcom for its hard to say whether thats a factor or not on why you haven't seen an application from a pace student. Its also completely possible you have seen an application from a pace student and forgot.

I think a big reason why they aren't applying is that their pre med population is small to begin with. Coupled with the fact that you are on an admission team of a highly competitive medical school that most pace students probably aren't at that level. That doesn't mean they aren't getting into US medical schools at all though! I agree that OP should ask more questions, however, I'm not sure if where the students are ending up is the most important question to ask. When I was applying to college almost every school would tell me some big names their graduates got into and that they had 100% acceptance rate into medical school. However, they probably only had a couple of their top students get into those schools and that acceptance rate they quoted was only because they were counting the 20 or so that their admissions committees recommended (they would only recommend those with high stats). Plus the people from my school that ended up in powerhouse medical schools has no bearing on future students success. Neither does the people that ended up overseas. Their destination was due to their own work nothing inherent in the school. I think the more important factors in play are what research opportunities are available, what is the cost, what are the sizes of the class, what is the environment like, what is offered, what is it like socially and so on. There is without a question if your a strong applicant from pace you can get into a medical school. Going to pace doesn't mean you will end up overseas. Its probably harder due to the lack of prestige and knowledge of their graduates, however, the MCAT should tell adcoms if their students are academically prepared or not.


Anyway thanks for your input on the discussion LizzyM I appreciate your input on the matter due to your role in the admission committee.

I have some follow up questions though.

Would you expect more out of a student from pace in order for them to be accepted?
If so why would you hold them to the higher standard? Lack of familiarity? Lack of prestige?

 

[LizzyM]

Would you expect more out of a student from pace in order for them to be accepted?
If so why would you hold them to the higher standard? Lack of familiarity? Lack of prestige?

I would not expect more from them but the school's lower ranking would play a very small part in the admission decision (easy to be a big fish in a non-competitive pool than it is to rise to the top in a school that recruits the top HS students.

 

[schrodingersdog]

I should disclaim that I'm on my phone again!! please excuse any errors or typos!
So, conclusively, I shouldn't apply to Pace? I guess I'd been misled by a common sentiment that a high GPA and MCAT will translate themselves in a certain way, with little regard to the institution (with obvious exceptions). But yes, I can see where that would prove itself erroneous. My main predicament is that I'm a non-traditional student, specifically an early GED recipient. I'm currently a community college student and plan to transfer to a 4-year by the time I would have traditionally graduated high school. However, I'm not in a rush. I really just don't plan to accumulate more than 60 credits at community college, and that's where I'd be left. Let it be said that my goal isn't to gain admission to the most prestigious medical schools nor have a fancy undergrad degree. I really want to get through undergrad affordably, live in a setting I genuinely enjoy and find enriching, and ultimately, earn admission to a domestic MD program. I enjoy and am familiar with New York City, and Pace offers a generous amount of aid, both need and merit-based, even for my situation as a transfer. It also offers multiple courses of study I have considered for a Bachelor's degree. However, my main goal is to become a doctor, and if that means compromising an otherwise ideal school for myself, I would be more-than-willing to oblige. Any recommendations as to what I should do next, as far as transferring goes?

 

[LizzyM]

I should disclaim that I'm on my phone again!! please excuse any errors or typos!
So, conclusively, I shouldn't apply to Pace? I guess I'd been misled by a common sentiment that a high GPA and MCAT will translate themselves in a certain way, with little regard to the institution (with obvious exceptions). But yes, I can see where that would prove itself erroneous. My main predicament is that I'm a non-traditional student, specifically an early GED recipient. I'm currently a community college student and plan to transfer to a 4-year by the time I would have traditionally graduated high school. However, I'm not in a rush. I really just don't plan to accumulate more than 60 credits at community college, and that's where I'd be left. Let it be said that my goal isn't to gain admission to the most prestigious medical schools nor have a fancy undergrad degree. I really want to get through undergrad affordably, live in a setting I genuinely enjoy and find enriching, and ultimately, earn admission to a domestic MD program. I enjoy and am familiar with New York City, and Pace offers a generous amount of aid, both need and merit-based, even for my situation as a transfer. It also offers multiple courses of study I have considered for a Bachelor's degree. However, my main goal is to become a doctor, and if that means compromising an otherwise ideal school for myself, I would be more-than-willing to oblige. Any recommendations as to what I should do next, as far as transferring goes?

Are you saying that you are 16 years old, have a GED, and are planning to attend community college? If you aren't afraid to say, can you give us the first 3 digits of your zip code or otherwise specify your state of residence?

 

[schrodingersdog]

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[LizzyM]

You may have an interesting story and when the time comes to apply to universities, you should look at some of the best, particularly if you have done very well in community college and come from a low income family. There is quite a bit of scholarship funding at the top schools for top students who come from low resource families. PM me if you want to talk more about your circumstances without going public.

 

[schrodingersdog]

Will do! Thank you 🙂

 

[scrapy]

Lol your warning is two years too late

 

[DrFortiusNatando]

Lol your warning is two years too late

Yes, not sure why this post popped up again - from 2016. I did not initially notice the date myself. So not helpful for OP!
But in case anyone else is interested, PACE would not be a top choice for undergrad for a premed.
They do not have a strong premed advising office or strong pre-med coursework. If a PACE student DID get a 4.0 and a 52x and did all the other right things, they would likely get into a US MD school, but they would be starting on a lower stair then a similar graduate from CUNY or a SUNY.

PACE is a private school that bc of its location, is comparably very expensive, and has little financial aid. For the most part, it is expensive to live there or anywhere near the school. There are much better schools within NYC and NYS and many are public. ADCOMS generally give appropriate deference when college students have chosen a school that is obviously a good deal for them financially, but going to an expensive school like PACE, without appropriate resources to support premeds, would not be a good choice if one knew they were pre-med.

PACE does have some very good programs for educating teachers, speech therapists, etc. Two of my neighbors' kids went there. One dropped out first semester and the other graduated and now teaches special-needs children in NYC. Her father is a surgeon, so they were not concerned about the costs.

As LizzyM pointed out, many top UG schools, including Ivys, MIT, Stanford, Duke, NESCAC schools, etc offer close to full tuition to very disadvantaged students and are looking to bring in students from economically-diverse backgrounds. Some, like Brown and Williams College, even give significant funds to cover (international) travel home and to pay for a laptop, etc.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Why would a Pace student with a 4.0 and 520+ MCAT be starting on a lower stair than a University of Albany graduate with the same stats?

 

[LizzyM]

Why would a Pace student with a 4.0 and 520+ MCAT be starting on a lower stair than a University of Albany graduate with the same stats?

More likely than not, they are equivalent. NYU, Columbia and Cornell grads with 4.0/520+ would be starting on higher stairs.

 

[Walter Raleigh]

Agreed. I'd even go as far as to say that a Podunk State grad, a Pace grad, and a UAlbany grad are all equal; the Harvard or Stanford grad is on a higher stair - but not by much; "prestige/major difficulty" is worth 0.2 points' worth of GPA at most and usually more like 0.1. The 3.6 from Caltech loses to the 4.0 from Podunk State.