University of Washington Undergraduate

[every1blowz]

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[Vomitonme]

How does the undergraduate program at the UW rank up against other schools?

If I passed UW with a 3.8-4.0 GPA and majored in one of the sciences or something, and got a stellar MCAT score, I could technically get into Hopkins or Harvard, right?

Also, what is the admisson rate for UW undergraduates into medical school?

Thanks.

Im guessing you can technically get into Hopkins or Harvard with nonstellar scores if you can catch the admissions committees eyes. But in all hoesnty, if you get above a 3.8 and an extremely high MCAT score you will show yourself as competent to those top tiered schools, but the problem is usually everyone else applying to those schools has great numbers. So you need some experiences in addition to set yourself apart.

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

How does the undergraduate program at the UW rank up against other schools?

I can only speak for the departments that I've either graduated from or have been in at one point or another, but biochemistry is known to be decent, computer science, neurobiology, and bioengineering are known to be excellent. Bioengineering students tend to go to grad school, and neuro students are split both ways.

If I passed UW with a 3.8-4.0 GPA and majored in one of the sciences or something, and got a stellar MCAT score, I could technically get into Hopkins or Harvard, right?

Probably. But most people, if they get accepted to UW med school, choose to stay (for many reasons).

Also, what is the admisson rate for UW undergraduates into medical school?

Don't know this one. I do know that it is statistically more difficult for UW undergrads to get into UW med school.

 

[ajnak182]

How does the undergraduate program at the UW rank up against other schools?

If I passed UW with a 3.8-4.0 GPA and majored in one of the sciences or something, and got a stellar MCAT score, I could technically get into Hopkins or Harvard, right?

Also, what is the admisson rate for UW undergraduates into medical school?

Thanks.

UW is an awesome school in terms of its curriculum, location and opportunities. I almost went, but decided to head elsewhere for reasons completely unrelated to the quality of the institution. If you can get into their honors program, I've heard very good things about it. Ultimately, UW is a great school with a solid name that will only help you get into med school. Having a tremendous med school on campus also helps ensure that you'll have plenty of research and clinical opportunities available to you. For the most part, attendance at any school will allow you to get in to med school. You just need to find the one that fits you best, the place you'll be happiest for the next four years. Don't pick a college solely because it has strong med school placement, because you may end up being miserable at that school, which will ultimately do nothing positive for you. Good luck

 

[every1blowz]

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[Iwy Em Hotep]

I’m really clueless about where to go. I want the research opportunities that I’ll get from going to UW, but I don’t like the fact that I may not even be accepted there. I really don’t know what to do.

I'm not on the admissions committee, but I can give you some ideas of what they're looking for based on the first year student body.

First off, the easy stuff. Almost all of us have:
- good GPA (3.5+)
- good MCAT (30+)
- research experience
- taken a year (or two or three )off to do graduate work, study abroad, be an EMT, etc.
- a strong commitment towards serving in rural and underserved areas
- interesting personalities (i.e. we all work together, have various hobbies/talents, help each other out)
- working knowledge of at least one other language

Many of us have:
- a great GPA (3.9+)
- a great MCAT (35+)
- first author publications
- MPH, MS degrees

But a few of us have:
- a fair GPA (3.0+)
- a fair MCAT (24+)
- no research experience
- graduated from college

So we're a broad mix. The best thing you can do is get a lot of clinical experience to be sure you want to be a physician. Travel, work, do research, get life experience. The UWSOM is more forgiving about a slightly low GPA and/or MCAT if you're really committed to medicine. The interview counts for a lot here, so a great many applicants look great on paper and may just end up having a bad day. It's unfortunate.

I would come to UW to do undergrad (but I'm biased! ), especially if you want to do research. There are lots of opportunities to do research if you know where to look and know what you want.

Good luck!

 

[cheapdate]

Thank you for your feedback.

You see, my problem is that right now I'm basically done with my MA course at a local vocational institute, but don’t know where to get my bachelors. When I had graduated form high school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, and so I chose to be involved in allied health. I didn’t know how deeply though, which is why I chose the MA course.

About half way through I decided this wasn’t for me. The clinical work was fun, the college had wonderful teachers, and I loved the education, but I wanted to be more, a full doctor. I didn’t drop out, and decided to finish it, mainly because quitting something wouldn’t be a good representation of me. Now I’m almost done with the vocational program, and I want to get into a university and start my prerequisites for med school.

Only problem is, like Iwy Em Hotep said, UW undergraduates have a hard time getting into the med school. UW is in my top-ten list of schools I want to get into. I heard something like seventy-nine 4.0 UW undergraduates are refused by the school of medicine every year, and I have no clue why. Maybe their MCATs sucked or something.

I’m really clueless about where to go. I want the research opportunities that I’ll get from going to UW, but I don’t like the fact that I may not even be accepted there. I really don’t know what to do.

I don't know how true this is, but I heard once upon a time that a student with superstar stats are refused because the school know that it's a high probability the student is applying to the school as a back up school. So they don't want to waste their time if they think the student is not going end up going there. That being said, the notion that you are filtered out for good stats seems a little rediculous to me. if you care about going to iv school that much, I know the uw bioengineering program is one of the toughest on campus, heavily research oriented, and high probability that you're going to get published if you really want to. The dept is kind of tough to get into, and most people who were accepted were already doing research. I don't know about the undergrad program, but the grad program is rated 4th in the nation (or internationally.. i forgot). The undergrad program is extremely demanding, but the program does a very good job of sending their students to grad school and med school (btw, most people in this dept are either planning going to med school or grad school).. so.. if you think you can handle it and stay up till 3 to write lab reports, try it.

If i remember correctly, the neurobiol dept send 90% of their student (or was it 90% of the student who applied got in..?) to med school, though i don't know they get to the IV schools that you mentioned. You also have to have decent to good grades to get into neurobiology, but their course work is less rigorous in the sense that there's only few neurobiol core classes, you have the opportunity to take more class outside of the department and have more flexibility

I don't know much about the biochem major, and I think it is an open major at UW. Many people in the bioeng and neurobiol dept double major in biochemistry because most of the elective courses can be use for the biochem major.

I don't know how much med school differentiate between the majors, so I don't know much of a difference it'll make. Anyway hope that help...

 

[Iwy Em Hotep]

I don't know how true this is, but I heard once upon a time that a student with superstar stats are refused because the school know that it's a high probability the student is applying to the school as a back up school.

I doubt this is true for UWSOM. Possible...but as I personally know a student who turned down Johns Hopkins to go here, I have doubts.

if you care about going to iv school that much, I know the uw bioengineering program is one of the toughest on campus, heavily research oriented, and high probability that you're going to get published if you really want to. The dept is kind of tough to get into, and most people who were accepted were already doing research. I don't know about the undergrad program, but the grad program is rated 4th in the nation (or internationally.. i forgot). The undergrad program is extremely demanding, but the program does a very good job of sending their students to grad school and med school (btw, most people in this dept are either planning going to med school or grad school).. so.. if you think you can handle it and stay up till 3 to write lab reports, try it.

I got into the undergrad BioE program, but personally didn't like it. That's just my personal opinion. A friend of mine in the department did confirm the lab report thing though.

However, he noted that BioE graduates actually didn't do that well in terms of placing students into med school. The classes are difficult, which tends to hurt your GPA and eat up all your time, so you're not able to get out and do clinical stuff or research. But I don't really know why. It could just be bad luck.

If i remember correctly, the neurobiol dept send 90% of their student (or was it 90% of the student who applied got in..?) to med school, though i don't know they get to the IV schools that you mentioned. You also have to have decent to good grades to get into neurobiology, but their course work is less rigorous in the sense that there's only few neurobiol core classes, you have the opportunity to take more class outside of the department and have more flexibility

Rumor was 100% of applicants. But, no, that's not entirely true. Many reapply and a lot of people end up going to grad school. There are a lot of us at UWSOM though, and many at other schools. The neuro program is well known at other schools and we place students at a high rate.

I don't know how much med school differentiate between the majors, so I don't know much of a difference it'll make. Anyway hope that help...

They don't really differentiate between majors. However...that said, they do take a look at your coursework to see whether or not you've adequately challenged yourself and given yourself a broad education.