High School Student-Parent Handbook 2015-2016: Fill & Download for Free

Q. What is the best school for premed: Cornell, Duke, Northwestern or Dartmouth?A. Why rankings are meaningless, followed by rankings. All four schools you listed are outstanding, highly regarded and have excellent record of sending well-prepared (well credentialed) successful applicants/matriculants to medical schools. And you stand a better chance of getting admitted into their own highly ranked medical schools (except Cornell’s is in NYC, not Ithaca). Choose one that fits you.Undergraduate medical school acceptance rate stats are meaninglessCM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students (College Magazine)Top Premed Colleges (college.lovetoknow.com)by MCAT and GPAby Student ApplicationsBest Universities for Pre-Med Students: List of Top Schools (Student.com)Colleges That Produce the Most DoctorsPre-Med Choice of Undergraduate College Does Affect Med School Chances: What to ConsiderTop 20 Pre-Med Schools in America - Education AmericaUndergraduate medical school acceptance rate stats are meaninglessMany parents of aspiring doctors have asked me how they can choose the optimal college for medical school acceptance. The answer is simple -- there is no answer.By David Thomas, Photo by Damon SacksRecently, the mom of a high school student asked me if I could, as an educational consultant, supply her with a list of colleges and universities that had high rates of acceptance to medical school. She had found a number of them via Colleges That Change Lives. She stumbled onto others via internet searches.In my capacity as both a college and medical school admissions consultant, I have been asked to supply lists like these many times. The problem is always the same; it's impossible.Why? Many colleges boast high medical acceptance rates that are practically meaningless, since each school uses its own methodology to calculate the statistics, creating wildly misleading results.Some colleges only calculate the number of students who were accepted to medical school using the college's officially sanctioned Pre-Med Committee. So if 100 students declare freshman year that they are applying to medical school, 50 drop out after not doing well on prerequisites, 20 get a high-enough GPA to qualify for a Committee Letter, and 18 of those 20 get into medical school. So the school claims a 90% acceptance rate, but could as easily claim a rate of 18%. Cornell is a great example of a school like this.But wait, it gets more complicated. Some of the students apply without a committee letter -- let's say 30. And 10 of those get in, meaning out of the ACTUAL APPLICANTS to medical school, 28 out of 50 got in, which yields a 56% acceptance rate. So depending on how you look at it, 18%, 56% or 90% of Cornell applicants get into medical school.And of course, some colleges do not have a Pre-Med Committee. In those cases, schools usually publish simple acceptance rates. Because of the statistical gamesmanship, these schools can appear to have worse rates of acceptance but actually have BETTER rates!The sad truth is this; MED SCHOOL ACCEPTANCE STATS ARE UTTERLY MEANINGLESS. Medical school admissions usually starts with a computer-screening process, and computers don’t weight GPAs differently (at least, not yet). In other words, a 3.9 GPA from Fresno State will always trump a 3.5 from Cornell in this process. Once the Secondary Essays are received, and humans begin to get involved in the screening process, then the subjective factors are considered (as in all admissions).So what is important? DO WELL AS AN UNDERGRAD—wherever you are. How well you do in college is more important than where you went to college. And the existence of a premed committee doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll get better advising there. In fact, the advantages and disadvantages of a premed committee can balance each other out.Medical school admissions is incredibly nuanced and tricky, and I've just barely given the tiniest example of its complexities. But first and foremost? Ignore the acceptance-rate stats. They are meaningless.CM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students - College MagazineBy Alyssa Aguero |March 21, 2016As exciting (and scandalous) as Grey’s Anatomy may be, becoming a doctor is no walk in the park. But before you even begin thinking about what medical schoolyou want to go to, you’ll have to survive undergrad first. While pre-med isn’t exactly a major, many universities offer a track that’ll prepare you for med school. Pre-med clubs, shadowing opportunities and special programs should be considered when you’re deciding how you want to begin your medical career. College Magazine took some of the load off your shoulders (you guys have a lot of work ahead of you) and ranked the top universities for pre-med students.1. UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILLNinety percent of UNC’s students who apply to medical school get in…let that sink in for a second. One of this university’s gems is their 9-week Medical Education Development (MED) summer program. This rigorous program allows students to shadow physicians and participate in lectures and seminars for professional development. MED also mirrors a first-year medical student curriculum—it’s like getting a little taste of med school. Although there is no specific pre-med track at UNC, these students still receive a lot of guidance. “I think that the way all pre-med students, regardless of their declared majors, are accommodated and assisted throughout the process is [unique],” said Danielle Jamieson, a psychology and Hispanic linguistics senior.2. GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYThe pre-med students at GWU aren’t limited to studying within the U.S. The university offers a study abroad program in the United Kingdom where students are given the option to either study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. GWU also offers an all-in-one program where students can earn their bachelor’s degree and medical degree. However, this is a selective program. Only students who have demonstrated leadership and academic excellence, and have healthcare experience are permitted in this program. These lucky students get their MCAT waived and are admitted into GWU’s Medical School at a fixed tuition (big emphasis on lucky students).GWU offers an all in one program that leads to BA/MD. Program is based on academic excellence, healthcare experience, community service and demonstrated leadership. Incoming freshman are admitted into George Washington Medical at a fixed tuition rate; MCAT is waived.3. HARVARD UNIVERSITYEver wish you had a mentor who was also a doctor and always available for you? Well, Harvard does for their pre-med students. “At Harvard, we have three separate pre-medical advisers, one of whom is a doctor, available at any time, in addition to a pre-medical advisor who lives in the same dorm as you once you get to sophomore year, which is not common at other colleges,” said Bryan Peaker, a freshman studying human developmental and regenerative biology. And the advising doesn’t stop there. Harvard has a handbook for students on the pre-med track that tells them what classes they need to take, when to take them and how to get into medical school.4. BOSTON UNIVERSITYRemember when Charlie got a golden ticket to get into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? This is a similar case for the students at BU, except instead of a chocolate factory it’s med school. With their Early Assurance Program, students are guaranteed a ticket (provisional admission) into BU’s Medical School. This university also offers a duel liberal arts and medical degree path that gives students the chance to earn both their Bachelor of Arts and medical degree in seven years, as apposed to eight. To get into their accelerated program (different from the early assurance one) you need to complete the SAT or ACT plus Writing and SAT Subject Tests in Chemistry Math 2 and, if you’re feeling brave, Foreign Language. This place keeps sounding more and more like a chocolate factory.5. GEORGETOWNImagine finding out you got into medical school during your sophomore year of college—that’s what we call a stress reliever. The pre-med students at Georgetown get this privilege with the university’s Early Assurance Program. This program is for students who want to attend Georgetown’s School of Medicine and have excelled in their studies and have completed four semesters and classes in biology, chemistry, organic chemistry. These brainiacs can apply at the end of their sophomore year if they have completed four semesters at Georgetown and have taken four pre-med courses. Another plus from this program is that the students’ MCAT is waived. Georgetown also has a few pre-med clubs like the Pre-Medical Society and the Pre-Dental Society. The Pre-Medical society not only provides advising for pre-med students, but also sponsors mock interviews and brings in guest speakers from the medical field to talk to the student members.Georgetown allows undergraduate students to gain the training needed to meet medical school criteria; program is part of the degree curriculum. A Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program is also available for bachelor degree holders who lack core Pre-Med Science courses.6. JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYSome say the best learning happens outside of the classroom, and that’s the case at Johns Hopkins University. Occasionally the professors let their students into their labs for research. The students here can get even more outside learning by taking a 15-minute shuttle ride to Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, where they can shadow doctors and conduct research. With all these opportunities, the pre-med students here don’t feel the need to compete with each other. “As undergrads, we encourage and assist each other in all of our coursework. [It’s] definitely not a cut-throat, competitive environment like some say,” said George Bugarinovic, a public health and natural sciences senior.JHU offers a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program for all medical specializations. Program is offered on the undergraduate campus, School of Medicine and at the School of Public Health; students are able to carve out their own area of study.7. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAIf you’re in no rush to start med school, you’ve stumbled upon the perfect university. U Penn doesn’t believe in giving their pre-med students a fast track path into medical school. They want their students to complete their degree in four years so they can take additional classes that will make them more prepared for med school and beyond. U Penn is also located near several large medical institutes, like the Pennsylvania Hospital, which provide them with opportunities to shadow doctors and volunteer at hospitals. Clearly, this university knows what it’s doing since 76 percent of U Penn students get into medical school.U Penn offers a few Post Baccalaureate programs, two are relevant to the study of medicine; these include the Pre Health Core Studies and the Pre Health Specialized Studies. Both programs are very selective and pave way for further medical studies.8. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTONAs one of the top medical schools in the nation, it’s no surprise that the University of Washington has one of the best pre-med tracks in the nation as well. With a large number of premedical clubs (Alpha Epsilon Delta is a big one) and numerous shadowing opportunities, these students will be wearing white coats in no time. “The shadowing opportunities and your ability to get into research your freshman year is unreal, it’s [one] you can’t get everywhere. My winter quarter of my freshman year I got to shadow a mitral valve replacement [surgeon],” said Alec Sullivan, a competitive history of ideas sophomore.9. CORNELL UNIVERSITYHere’s a shocker: another Ivy landed on our list. With its two-year pre-med track program, Cornell prepares students by offering courses—introductory biology and chemistry courses to name a few—on sciences that are related to medicine. Students also have the chance to volunteer at the Cayuga Medical Center—a non-profit hospital right by the university. One of Cornell’s greatest resources is their PATCH club—a student-run organization that brings together pre-med and pre-health students. PATCH welcomes all pre-health students and offers a supportive environment and beneficial opportunities for its members such as bringing in guest speakers to talk about their experience in the health care field.10. NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITYThe pre-med track is not an easy one, and Northwestern University gets that. Its pre-med peer mentor program (NU PPMP) selects upperclassmen with a strong academic standing to guide and support underclassmen on the pre-med track. This university is also big on research. Students are allowed to conduct their own independent study.“I joined a lab for two years and was able to take a really active role in research and actually got a Nature publication out of my time there,” said Jane Wang, biology major and 2014 graduate.NWU offers study abroad programs in the United Kingdom; students may elect to study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. A Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is also offered to those hoping to complete the course work required for medical school.Top Premed CollegesBy Joe ThomasTop premed colleges can be ranked several ways, but the title of best academic program is indicative of the overall quality of medical students that a premed college produces. There are several ways to rank top premed colleges, such as MCAT and GPA, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) scores or applications received, but the fact remains that you should find a school that is a good fit for your personality and in a location you would enjoy attending. Some feel that for many students, their success, or lack of it, might be largely unrelated to the individual medical school.Using Student Scores and GPAWhen you consider MCAT scores that are greater than 31.5 and GPAs of greater than 3.5, the list gets narrower and can give you a better indication of competitive med schools that turn out the highest achievers and therefore, get more prestigious academic acknowledgement. The average USMLE scores are better statistics to consider than USMLE pass rates, but med schools don't publish board scores for confidentiality reasons. There are some premed colleges that have high pass rates, but lower average USMLE scores. It is a combination of several factors that make up the top premed colleges on this listing of colleges.The Ten Top Premed Colleges by MCAT and GPAWashington University St. Louis: 1 Children's Place, #4S20, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, Phone (314) 454-6120, http://www.medschool.wustl.eduHarvard Medical School: 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone (617) 432-1000, http://www.hms.harvard.edu/hmsJohn Hopkins University School of Medicine: 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, Phone (410) 955-5000, Home | Johns Hopkins UniversityVanderbilt School of Medicine: 215 Light Hall, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, Phone (615) 322-2145 Vanderbilt University School of MedicineYale School of Medicine: 333 Cedar Street, New Haven, Connecticut, 06510, Phone (203-785-2696), Yale School of MedicineDuke University School of Medicine: DUMC 3710, Durham, North Carolina 27710, Phone (919) 684-2985, Office of M.D. AdmissionsStanford School of Medicine: 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, Phone (650) 723-4000, Stanford MedicineMayo Medical School: 200 First Street S.W., Rochester Minnesota 55905, Phone (507) 284-2316, Mayo ClinicNew York University: 550 First Avenue, New York, New York 10016, Phone (212) 263-7300, Education and TrainingUniversity of Pennsylvania: Suite 100, Stemmler Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, Phone (215)898-8001, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of PennsylvaniaRankings of Premed Colleges by Student ApplicationsThe number of student applications gives an indication of the most popular choices made by premed students, but a larger portion of students will not be admitted due to admissions limits. Harvard and Stanford also make this listing, but the other eight choices are not in the top ten that are ranked by MCAT and GPA scores.University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine: 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90095, Phone (310) 825-4321, University of CaliforniaUniversity of California: 110 Sproul Hall, #5800, Berkeley, California 94720, Phone (510) 642-6000, University of California, BerkeleyUniversity of Michigan Medical School: 1301 Catherine Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, Phone (734) 763-9600, Michigan MedicineUniversity of Texas Medical School: 6431 Fannin Street, MSB G420 Houston, Texas, Phone (713) 500-5116, http://www.uth.tmc.eduUniversity of Florida Gainesville: P.O. Box 100235, Gainesville, Florida 32610, Phone (352) 273-7500, University of FloridaUniversity of California San Diego: 9500 Gilman Drive, LaJolla, CA 92093, Phone (858) 534-2230, University of California San DiegoHarvard School of Medicine: 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, Phone (617) 432-1000, http://www.hms.harvard.edu/hmsUniversity of Wisconsin Madison: 750 Highland Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, Phone (608) 265-6344, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public HealthUniversity of Virginia School of Medicine: P.O. Box 800725, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, Phone (434) 924-5571, UVA Health SystemUniversity of Illinois Medical School: 601 S. Morgan Street, Chicago, Illinois, Phone (312) 996-7000, http://ww.uic.eduStanford School of Medicine: 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, Phone (650) 723-4000, Stanford MedicineChoosing a CollegeThere are many fine colleges for premed students and while some names are more recognizable than others, there is a good selection in a variety of regions across the country. The best advice when searching for the premed college choices that offer the best programs, is to find the ones that are best suited to all facets of your life and your medical education goals. Accredited colleges offer similar basic programs, but some might offer more specialized courses that are tailored to different healthcare fields. This is a consideration that most premed students use when determining the best premed college to meet their medical career goals.Best Universities for Pre-Med Students: List of Top SchoolsAlthough medical schools are often indifferent to an applicant's major, they usually look for prerequisite coursework in general and organic chemistry, biology, English, and physics. A strong undergraduate grade point average and competitive Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores can also help students gain entry to a good medical or dental school. Some of the best universities for pre-med students include Harvard University, the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and the University of Pennsylvania, all of which are highly ranked by U.S. News & World Report.Harvard University in Cambridge, MAHarvard University was ranked as the best medical research school for 2015 by U.S. News World Report. It is an Ivy League institution and has over a dozen groups for pre-med students, such as the Harvard Premedical Society, Harvard Hippocratic Society, and Latinos in Health Careers. The Office of Career Services provides pre-med planning for undergraduate students who want to apply to medical school upon graduation. Harvard also assists students in planning for careers in dental medicine, public health and advanced nursing.University of North Carolina in Chapel HillAs designated by U.S News & World Report in 2015, the University of North Carolina's medical program ranked second in primary care. Pre-med students get assistance from the Health Professions Advising Office in choosing programs and classes, applying to medical schools, and preparing for the MCAT. UNC also offers the Medical Education Development program (MED), a rigorous 9-week summer program for select students that mirrors a first-year medical school curriculum. Of the MED students who apply to medical school, 90% are accepted.The University of North Carolina has an active chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, the pre-professional health honor society.University of Pennsylvania in PhiladelphiaIn 2015, US News & World Report ranked the University of Pennsylvania eighth among national universities and fifth for medical research. A member of the Ivy League, this university offers advising and planning for undergraduate students preparing to attend allopathic or osteopathic medical schools. It also offers guidance for students interested in dental school. Through the College of Liberal and Professional Studies, Penn also provides a post-baccalaureate, pre-health program for students who have earned an undergraduate degree in a non-science major or who want to be better prepared for advanced medical study.The University is home to several medical research institutes studying Alzheimer's disease, cancer, and AIDS, as well as cardiovascular health, developmental biology, and head injuries.Top Schools for Pre-Med StudentsLet's take a look at some of the other top schools for pre-med students.Columbia University in New York, NY provides a comprehensive pre-medical handbook for students planning a pre-med curriculum. Columbia University offers a Post-Bachelor Premedical program that is considered the oldest and largest in the United States. Students from the program make up 90% of placement in American medical programs; program provides linkage to Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.Cornell University in Ithaca, NY was named 11th best university in the world by the Center for World University Rankings.Johns Hopkins University encourages students to take a year off between undergraduate and medical school to gain additional experiences or conduct research. The school is located in Baltimore, MD.Northwestern University, located in Evanston, IL, has an undergraduate research grants program that provides pre-med students with funding to conduct independent research.The University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in Minneapolis, MN offers an online interactive workshop for students called Planning for Medical School.The University of Washington in Seattle, WA has an online guide to help students prepare for medical school admissions.The University of Wisconsin - Madison advises students wishing to pursue studies in physical or occupational therapy, pharmacology, physician assistance, and nursing in addition to medicine and dentistry.The best university for pre-med studies really depends on what you want from a school, because each of the top-ranked schools has unique aspects that help to make it one of the best.Colleges That Produce the Most DoctorsBy Nick Selbe on September 24, 2015In the coming months, pre-med undergraduates at colleges across the country will be preparing to apply for medical school.But where are most of the medical school applications coming from? StartClass set out to find which undergraduate schools produce the most medical school applications.The data comes from the Association of American Medical Colleges. The AAMC notes that the data is for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as an assessment of an institution's pre-medical educational or advisory programs.Another caveat for this list is that schools with larger overall student bodies will obviously have more medical school applicants than smaller schools. Though the list is not a ranking of the best premedical schools, it is helpful to know which schools have the most aspiring doctors.#1 UCLA (919)#2 Michigan (825)#3 UC Berkeley (769)#4 UF (760)#5 UT Austin#6 UCSD#7 Cornell (509)#8 U Georgia (481)#9 Ohio State (473)#10 U Wisconsin - Madison (456)#11 BYU (450)#12 UIUC (427)#13 UC Davis (427)#14 U Washington (417)# 15 Texas A&M (411)#16 UNC (394)#17 JHU (390)#18 Duke (387)# 19 Emory (386)# 20 Rutgers (385)#21 UVA (368)#22 U Maryland - College Park (365)#23 Wash U (354)#24 U Arizona (353)#25 U Miami (348)#26 U Notre Dame (344)#27 Michigan State (343)#28 NYU (339)#28 U Penn (339)#30 Harvard (323)Pre-Med Choice of Undergraduate College Does Affect Med School Chances: What to ConsiderPosted on January 27, 2017 by Cheryl — 22 Comments ↓(Updated 2016) Some maintain that it doesn’t matter which undergraduate college you go to, as long as you get a top GPA and MCAT score. That’s wishful thinking. While high numbers are essential no matter where you go, once med schools look beyond their MCAT/GPA cut-offs, their decisions are impacted by where you attend undergraduate college, just as residency decisions are affected by which med school you attend. It’s not so much the school’s name, but the resources that it offers, that make the choice of undergraduate college so essential.This post is a long one because there are many things to consider. So, get comfy and read on.Look Closer When You’re Pre-MedPre-meds have to consider more than the basic college selection criteria — a good fit socially, the right size, talented professors, a decent location, etc. A pre-med also needs tools and opportunities that the average college undergraduate doesn’t, such as chances for research and publication, guidance from a knowledgeable pre-med adviser and, if possible, a letter of evaluation from a pre-med advisory committee. In fact, my son, AC, was so convinced the undergraduate college mattered, that he decided to transfer from his good, solid state university to a more pre-med focused university. That new college had the resources to better prepare him for the demanding medical specialty and top research med schools he hoped to (and eventually did) attend. Here’s what he considered:History of Med School Admissions. Even as a freshman, AC had an idea of what specialty he wanted to get into, and which med schools would help him get there. But after doing research, including discussions with his college advisers and professors, and Internet searches on class profiles for various med schools, he found that almost no one from his college had gone to those schools. It could have been that no one from his college had applied – that wouldn’t have been surprising considering how few pre-meds were on campus. Or, it could have been that those from his college who had applied had not gotten in. Either way, that lack of a connection between his undergraduate college and his target med schools was a concern. Such history, or lack of it, is one factor to look at in considering an undergraduate college.2008.11.25 – The physician by Adrian Clark (Flickr Creative Commons)Availability of a Comprehensive Pre-Med Advisory Committee Program. While many undergraduate colleges do not have pre-med advisory committees, there is a significant benefit to those that do. An established pre-med committee program offers expert advice and guidance as to course selection, application development, and application processing throughout the undergraduate years. An experienced pre-med adviser will protect you from rooky mistakes such as taking your organic chem classes during the summer (most med schools don’t like that) or assuming your high school AP chemistry credits will satisfy the pre-med chemistry requirement (it probably won’t).Most valuable are those committees that provide a committee letter of evaluation, which med schools prefer over only individual recommendation letters. The pre-med committee letter is given after the student provides information on his activities and research, sometimes a draft of his med school essay, and even a med school style interview with one or more committee members or other faculty. Some medical schools have relationships with certain pre-med committees, which could make a great letter from one of those committees have greater weight. Overall, an experienced pre-med committee can be invaluable, and whether your potential undergraduate college has one is an important consideration.Availability of Pre-Med Living-Learning Communities. Some colleges offer pre-med living-learning communities, much like honors communities, where pre-meds are grouped together in dorms and offered medicine-related programs. AC’s first undergraduate college did have one, and it was one of the most valuable aspects of his freshman year there. Although it had just a handful of pre-med students, the learning community offered AC exposure to other pre-meds and health professionals, presentations about and by some med schools, and community service or clinical opportunities.Pre-Med Honor Societies.. Alpha Epsilon Delta is the national honor society for pre-meds. Check to see whether your prospective college has a chapter. AC was a member of a chapter in his freshman year, and found it helpful both in meeting more pre-meds and in planning events of interest to aspiring physicians. Just be careful not to spend too much time attending meetings that won’t necessarily advance your goal to become a doctor. While groups like this can have value, especially for people who aren’t positive they want to commit to medicine, if you must choose between going to a meeting and taking part in another meaningful activity that you love, choose what you love. Being passionate about something is attractive to med schools, which seek students who will become passionate doctors.National Eye Institute : Documenting Research Findings (Flickr Creative Commons)Availability of Research Opportunities. Pre-meds, especially those planning on a research (as opposed to a primary care) medical school, need some type of research experience, preferably in an area that relates to medicine. Undergraduate schools with significant research money and a willingness to get their students into research early on, are much more valuable to such pre-meds than colleges with only small pots of research money.Potential for Publication. In addition to research opportunities, a pre-med planning on attending a research medical school benefits from a chance to publish. Generally, universities with significant research money have more publication opportunities than universities that aren’t heavy on research funding.Availability of Clinical Experience. Pre-meds, especially those interested in primary care, need opportunities to get clinical experience. Colleges with nearby hospitals or clinics could offer that potential.Rigor of the Curriculum. Top med schools often list a rigorous curriculum as a selection factor. When looking at colleges, ask these questions: Are the hard science courses strong enough that they will help prepare you for the MCAT? Are high-level science courses such as genetics or neuroscience offered? (Small, humanities-focused liberal arts colleges may not offer them.) Is the college recognized by inclusion in chapters of highly selective honor societies? Does it actively promote and advance its students to become scholars for exclusive programs such as the Fulbright or Goldwater? Med school committee members, like everyone else, are impressed with those types of honors. Does your potential undergraduate college nurture them?I can’t read a word of this essay of yours. Excellent WorkOther Considerations. There are plenty of people who want to chime in on which universities are the best for pre-meds. Online Colleges, Schools, Universities and Scholarships reviews by America edu - compiled a list of its “Top 20 Pre-Med Schools in America.” College Magazine published a Top 10 list in its 2015 “CM’s Top 10 Universities for Pre-Med Students.” And there are endless discussions about which are the best pre-med schools on forums such as College Confidential.But there are many very personal questions you need to answer before choosing your school. For example, becoming immersed in a predominantly and aggressively pre-med culture could narrow and skew your view of the world. How would that impact you as a person and an aspiring doctor? Also, the top pre-med colleges sometimes have a very competitive, almost cutthroat atmosphere, and some schools are very harsh in their grading. Will you will be able to thrive and pull the top grades you need from such a college? Consider seriously that your plans to be a doctor could end if you can’t get the grades you need for med school acceptance from that top pre-med college. You must know yourself well when choosing your pre-med college, just as you must in making the decision to pursue a career in medicine.Interview Groups told AC the Real Story: Your Undergrad College MattersGotCredit: College (Flickr Creative Commons)There are numerous debates on whether the undergraduate college you choose is important to your success with getting into med school. Some people charge that it’s all about “name dropping,” and that private schools perpetuate the myth that their degrees hold more value than less expensive public universities. The subject has been hotly debated in the college and student doctor forums. For example, see The Student Doctor Network’s “The Effect of Undergrad School on Med School Acceptance,” and “Theory: Admissions at Medical School DO Care Where You Went to Undergrad,” and Student Doc’s “Does Undergrad Prestige Carry Any Weight in Admissions?”But for AC, the tale was told when he did his interviews at a half-dozen of the best med schools in the country, and found one similarity: “I was meeting kids from the same schools over and over. They were from the Ivys, the public Ivys, and other top, very selective undergraduate colleges. I almost never met applicants from regular state schools. I know this isn’t a scientific way to make the conclusion, and I know so many of the best doctors and minds come from state schools and community colleges, but what I saw repeatedly in my interviews convinced me that coming from a top-ranked university with a lot of resources seemed to be a prerequisite for interviews at the top med schools.”Maximize the Resources of Your CollegeCollege Gameday by Phil Roeder (Flickr Creative Commons)All of this advice is valid and (I hope) valuable. But the reality is, circumstances (money, grades, scores, personal obligations, simply personal preference) may dictate you attend a college that doesn’t have a big pre-med focus. Yet, that does not mean you won’t have a chance of attending a good — or even a top — medical school. The most important way to make it to med school is to be knowledgeable and fully prepared for the journey ahead. Read all you can about different med school programs, what the schools are looking for, how to prepare for the MCAT test, even the possibility of doing a post-baccalaureate program if needed to boost your preparation for med school. Figure out how to get that clinical experience, research, community service, and leadership background that will prepare you for medicine.Learn about any and all activities your undergraduate school does have for pre-meds, and take full advantage of them. Even if it doesn’t have a pre-med advisory committee, it may have a pre-professional honor society such as Alpha Epsilon Delta. If your school’s chapter isn’t very active, join it and lead it into new and more productive directions. If there is no chapter, look into starting one, or check on whether there are chapters at nearby colleges.No honor society chapter? Start a less formal pre-med club to bring in speakers and doctors for education and possible mentoring. How to do that? Check with your school’s student activities office about the process for starting a club. Then talk to one of your professors, perhaps one that teaches a pre-med course such as biology or organic chemistry, about being your club adviser. AC was able to start an organic chemistry club at his school. It took a couple months to figure out the process, find an adviser, and then organize and publicize meetings, but the school was supportive and it eventually did happen. Your college wants you to succeed because it makes it look good, too, so let it know what you need, and ask for help.Aggressively look for a mentor who can guide you and, when the time comes to file your application, can speak personally about the qualities you have that will make you a good doctor. If you want to end up at a good med school, search out your college pre-med adviser early on, and talk about your goals. Ask for ways to help prepare you for what will be ahead as a pre-med, a med school applicant, and a med student. If your adviser is not very knowledgeable about med school preparation and the application process, ask him who is. Have him direct you to other possible resources, such as a local doctor who might take you as an intern. Or, talk to your university health clinic about letting you shadow its doctors. And, do your research on what is needed for a competitive application, then work hard to get the experience that will make you stand out in the crowd.Finally, keep in mind that, in some ways, being at a less pre-med focused university or a smaller college can have benefits, because you are more likely to stand out among your peers. You also may end up with much closer personal relationships with your professors, who will want to help you meet your high goals, and promote you in every way they can.The key is to be a knowledgeable self-starter, to ask for help and opportunities, and then to run with them. In fact, that is an essential characteristic for being a good doctor, so you might as well start building it now.TEDx GeorgeMasonU:George Mason University’s First TEDx Conference (Flickr Creative Commons)Parental Assist: Of course, there is the normal preparation needed for any kid considering colleges — take him to the schools to check them out, consider the big issues like location, costs, etc. Urge him to see whether there are any admissions talks specifically for pre-meds, and to attend them with questions ready to ask. Suggest he focus on issues such as med school admissions information, strength of any med school advisory committee, whether the committee does letters of evaluation, etc. Ask if he has specific med schools in mind yet, and offer to help research information such as med school admissions data for those schools. You could also offer to create files for each school, and/or charts to facilitate comparisons. But remember to also gauge how much your student is invested in these preparations. You should be a helpmate, not the driving force. If he isn’t interested in doing prep work himself, he probably is not ready to embrace a medical career.If it’s clear your kid is committed to pre-med, but won’t be going to a great pre-med school, be sure he understands that does not mean he will lose his dream of getting into a good or even a top med school, and becoming an excellent doctor. Plenty of exceptional doctors have come out of lesser- known undergraduate schools. It’s all about working hard to accomplish the goal.Top 20 Pre-Med Schools in America - Education AmericaMarch 8, 2011Top 20 CollegesTop 20 Pre Med Schools in America, listed by School, Average Verbal MCAT Score, Average Physical Science MCAT Score, Average Biological MCAT Science Score and Average GPA (unraked).Ø Cornell University offers a two year Pre Med track; program prepares students for entry into the four year medical degree program. Course focuses on sciences that are related to medicine; no degree is awarded.Ø Creighton University offers a 4 or 5 year Pre Med Nursing Track; a bachelor’s is awarded in both programs. A Post-Baccalaureate is also administered through the School Of Medicine; program prepares students intensively for medical school.Ø Boston University offers a Pre-Medical program in Pre-Dentistry, Pre-Medicine and Pre Veterinary Medicine, program allows students to create specific areas of study; a post baccalaureate certificate program is also offered.Ø Dartmouth Medical School offers a pre-med program in conjunction with Dartmouth College, an arrangement also exists between Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and Dartmouth College. Health professionals advise and help students applying to medical, veterinarian and medical schools.Ø East Tennessee State University (J.H. Quillen) prepares students for the 4 year Doctor of Medicine degree through its Pre-Medicine Program. Students must complete courses required by most medical schools; these include Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, English and Communication.Ø Baylor University provides a Pre-Med curriculum that emphasizes all areas of course work; medical pre-professionals are recommended to take Biology Chemistry, English, Mathematics and Physics.Ø George Washington University offers an all in one program that leads to BA/MD. Program is based on academic excellence, healthcare experience, community service and demonstrated leadership. Incoming freshman are admitted into George Washington Medical at a fixed tuition rate; MCAT is waived.Ø John Hopkins offers a Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med program for all medical specializations. Program is offered on the undergraduate campus, School of Medicine and at the School of Public Health; students are able to carve out their own area of study.Ø Georgetown allows undergraduate students to gain the training needed to meet medical school criteria; program is part of the degree curriculum. A Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Medical program is also available for bachelor degree holders who lack core Pre-Med Science courses.Ø Saint Louis University’s 4 year Pre-Medical curriculum provides a foundation in the courses required for med school. Courses include Biology, Chemistry Physics and Calculus; program allows students to complete courses across disciplines.Ø Mount Sinai School of Medicine administers a Humanities and Medicine Early Acceptance Program, program was designed to prepare students for medical school. The 8 week summer program includes studies in Physics & Organic Chemistry, as well as other health disciplines.Ø Northwestern University offers study abroad programs in the United Kingdom; students may elect to study at Kings College University of London or Oxford University. A Post-Baccalaureate Certificate is also offered to those hoping to complete the course work required for medical school.Ø Ranked as one the Best Medical Schools (US News), Ohio State’s School of Allied Medical Professions Division of Medical Technology offers a Medical Science Track that leads to a BS in Science. Program was designed for pre-pharmacy, pre-dental, pre-vet and pre med students.Ø Howard University offers a dual degree in BS/MD; program allows students to earn both degrees in six years. Program makes an easy transition from undergraduate to graduate study; an overall G.P.A of 3.5 and an MCAT score of 24 must be satisfied. Students must also meet the minimum G.P.A of 3.25 in science.Ø Temple University offers two tracks of study for students who intend to study medicine, tracks include BCMS and ACMS. BCMS-Basic Core in Medical Sciences Program was designed for those lacking the core requirements needed for medical school. ACMS is for students who wish to enhance their credentials so as to pursue a career in medicine.Ø University of Iowa administers a Pre-Medicine track that includes math, chemistry, biology and physics. Students must declare a major in a specific area, program has led to high medical school acceptance rates.Ø University of Miami offers a Pre Law Undergraduate Program as well as a Post Baccalaureate Program; the Post Baccalaureate Program helps bachelor degree holders who feel they need more preparation prior to applying to law school.Ø University of Pennsylvania offers a few Post Baccalaureate programs, two are relevant to the study of medicine; these include the Pre Health Core Studies and the Pre Health Specialized Studies. Both programs are very selective and pave way for further medical studies.Ø University of South Florida offers programs to help prepare students for professional schools of medicine, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, and many other health related fields. Students must choose another major besides the pre-professional requirement.Ø Columbia University offers a Post-Bachelor Premedical program that is considered the oldest and largest in the United States. Students from the program make up 90% of placement in American medical programs; program provides linkage to Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Early Decision Can Help You Edge Out Your CompetitionBy Peterson's Staff Monday, March 21, 2016Does getting early decision mean an automatic entry into college? This article helps you find out the truth about ED applicants.There's a lot of hype floating around that some schools accept almost all of their incoming freshmen from their pool of Early Decision (ED) applicants. While it's true that there may be a higher acceptance rate among the early action pool, this doesn’t necessarily hold true at every school, nor does it mean that all the spots get filled up early. (It also doesn't mean that all schools even have early acceptance options, because some schools are doing away with them altogether.)Realistically, all schools only have so many openings set aside for the incoming class, and they want to give those spots to the best candidates possible. If they give away every bed they have by December, then they won't have room to accept the Colorado State Spelling Bee Champion who applies in February. Some schools hedge their bets just as some students do when applying to college. They may defer a portion of their ED applicants so they can eyeball what comes across their application desks later in the year.Early admission by the numbersIt’s generally true that many of the most exclusive schools are the ones most likely to offer Early Decision admission options, and research supports the buzz that you stand a better chance of scoring a coveted spot by applying early. On average, 25 to 50 percent of the freshman classes at these schools come from ED applicants. (Those numbers could be higher, depending on the school.) However, that means that come springtime, although there’s still another 50 to 75 percent of the class to accept, you’ll be competing against a much larger pool of applicants and your chances of getting accepted are lower. So, statistically speaking, a larger percentage of the ED applicants are accepted than of the applicants who apply during the normal timeline.There are a few schools who accept a very large majority of their incoming class from their early admission applicants, and the only way to know if your choice school is among those is to do your research. Ask the school directly about their admission statistics to get a better picture of your chances of acceptance and discuss what this means with your school guidance counselor. In some cases, an Early Decision application really may be the only way to edge out your competition. Before you send off that paperwork, make sure one more time it’s what you want since an early acceptance under ED means you have entered into a binding agreement to attend that school and you can’t apply anywhere else.Keep in mind as well that some schools, Ivy League included, are starting to do away with early application options altogether. Harvard and Princeton no longer offer the option of applying early and there are a number of schools that are considering doing away with their policies as well. There are several reasons for doing so, but the gist of their reasoning is that it skews the playing field and leaves a number of students at a distinct disadvantage when application time rolls around. Schools that are doing away with early application procedures hope to soothe the competitive nature of "getting in" and allow everyone the opportunity to apply at the same time and under the same conditions.Early action and financial aidIf you’re like most students, finances probably play an important role in making your final decision about where to apply. As part of your decision process about ED, you should meet with your choice school's financial aid office as early as your junior year. You’ll be able to get an idea if the school is an economically viable choice or if it’s just too far out of the ballpark.Ask your parents to bring their tax forms so they can get an idea of their likely Expected Family Contribution, and you can find out ahead of time what financial aid you’re likely to receive. By checking it out early on, you can avoid the wrenching disappointment of getting in but not being able to go. Acceptance decisions for early action applicants show up in your mailbox months before you hear from the Financial Aid office.Early admission and youSo what does all this mean? Should you apply for Early Decision at a school that you’re considering? Not unless you are 100 percent absolutely, positively certain that it’s THE school that you want to attend above all others. However, just because you really want to go there doesn’t mean you should feel like you have to apply early, either. Early application is really only a good tactic when you and the school are truly well matched. In a nutshell, don’t waste their time or yours if you’re not really sure it’s your top choice or if there is a strong likelihood you won’t get accepted.If you decide to go for it, give your all to that crucial essay by emphasizing your strengths and vividly describing what makes the school a perfect fit for you. Schools that have Early Decision options want to accept ED applicants because they are usually the most qualified and most sought-after students, and they are students who are communicating that by applying as ED, they really want to get in to that school. Admission committees look favorably upon excellent candidates who desire nothing more than to be a part of their student body. If it’s a competitive school, you fit the profile, and you really have your heart set on it, then by all means, apply Early Decision and better your chances of being able to call it your alma mater.Early Decision & Early ActionThe benefits and drawbacks of applying earlyEarly decision (ED) and early action (EA) plans can be beneficial to students — but only to those who have thought through their college options carefully and have a clear preference for one institution.Early decision versus early actionEarly decision plans are binding — a student who is accepted as an ED applicant must attend the college. Early action plans are nonbinding — students receive an early response to their application but do not have to commit to the college until the normal reply date of May 1. Counselors need to make sure that students understand this key distinction between the two plans.Approximately 450 colleges have early decision or early action plans, and some have both. Some colleges offer a nonbinding option called single-choice early action, under which applicants may not apply ED or EA to any other college.ED plans have come under fire as unfair to students from families with low incomes, since they do not have the opportunity to compare financial aid offers. This may give an unfair advantage to applicants from families who have more financial resources.ED applicantsApply early (usually in November) to first-choice college.Receive an admission decision from the college well in advance of the usual notification date (usually by December).Agree to attend the college if accepted and offered a financial aid package that is considered adequate by the family.Apply to only one college early decision.Apply to other colleges under regular admission plans.Withdraw all other applications if accepted by ED.Send a nonrefundable deposit well in advance of May 1.EA applicantsApply early.Receive an admission decision early in the admission cycle (usually in January or February).Consider acceptance offer; do not have to commit upon receipt.Apply to other colleges under regular admission plans.Give the college a decision no later than the May 1 national response date.Who should apply early?Applying to an ED or EA plan is most appropriate for a student who:Has researched colleges extensively.Is absolutely sure that the college is the first choice.Has found a college that is a strong match academically, socially and geographically.Meets or exceeds the admission profile for the college for SAT® scores, GPA and class rank.Has an academic record that has been consistently solid over time.Applying to an ED or EA plan is not appropriate for a student who:Has not thoroughly researched colleges.Is applying early just to avoid stress and paperwork.Is not fully committed to attending the college.Is applying early only because friends are.Needs a strong senior fall semester to bring grades up.Encourage students who want to apply early to fill out NACAC's Early Decision Self-Evaluation Questionnaire, in the Deciding About Early Decision and Early Action handout. You may want to share this with parents as well.The benefits of applying earlyFor a student who has a definite first-choice college, applying early has many benefits besides possibly increasing the chance of getting in. Applying early lets the student:Reduce stress by cutting the time spent waiting for a decision.Save the time and expense of submitting multiple applications.Gain more time, once accepted, to look for housing and otherwise prepare for college.Reassess options and apply elsewhere if not accepted.The drawbacks of applying earlyPressure to decide: Committing to one college puts pressure on students to make serious decisions before they've explored all their options.Reduced financial aid opportunities: Students who apply under ED plans receive offers of admission and financial aid simultaneously and so will not be able to compare financial aid offers from other colleges. For students who absolutely need financial aid, applying early may be a risky option.Time crunch for other applications: Most colleges do not notify ED and EA applicants of admission until December 15. Because of the usual deadlines for applications, this means that if a student is rejected by the ED college, there are only two weeks left to send in other applications. Encourage those of your students who are applying early to prepare other applications as they wait to receive admission decisions from their first-choice college.Senioritis: Applicants who learn early that they have been accepted into a college may feel that, their goal accomplished, they have no reason to work hard for the rest of the year. Early-applying students should know that colleges may rescind offers of admission should their senior-year grades drop.Students and parents can use our Pros and Cons of Applying to College Early, in the Deciding About Early Decision and Early Action handout, to weigh their options.Does applying early increase the chance of acceptance?Many students believe applying early means competing with fewer applicants and increasing their chances for acceptance. This is not always true. Colleges vary in the proportion of the class admitted early and in the percentage of early applicants they admit.Higher admission rates for ED applicants may correlate to stronger profiles among candidates choosing ED. Students should ask the admission office whether their institution's admission standards differ between ED and regular applicants, and then assess whether applying early makes sense given their own profile.The ethics of applying early decisionThe Common Application and some colleges' application forms require the student applying under early decision, as well as the parent and counselor, to sign an ED agreement form spelling out the plan's conditions.Make it clear in your school handbook and at college planning events that your policy for early-decision applications is to send the student's final transcript to one college only: anything else is unethical.Keep in mindED and EA program specifics vary, so students should get information as soon as possible directly from the admission staff at their first-choice college.ED and EA applicants must take the October SAT or SAT Subject Tests™ in order for these scores to make it to the college in time.Print out and share the Early Decision and Early Action Calendar with students and parents to be sure they are aware of all the required steps for applying early.Related DownloadsWhat to Know About Applying EarlyEarly Decision and Early Action CalendarA college-admissions edge for the wealthy: Early decisionBy Nick Anderson March 31, 2016Nathan Hanshew, 17, a senior at Washington Latin Public Charter School, is embraced by the head of the school, Martha C. Cutts, after learning that he received a full-ride scholarship to attend George Washington University. GW President Steven Knapp, at lower right, visited the school March 17 to make the surprise announcement. (Logan Werlinger/GW Today)Many of the nation’s top colleges draw more than 40 percent of their incoming freshmen through an early-application system that favors the wealthy, luring students to commit to enroll if they get in and shutting out those who want the chance to compare offers of grants and scholarships.The binding-commitment path known as “early decision” fills roughly half of the freshman seats at highly ranked Vanderbilt, Emory, Northwestern and Tufts universities, as well as Davidson, Bowdoin, Swarthmore and Claremont McKenna colleges, among others, a Washington Post analysis found.The Post found 37 schools where the early-decision share of enrolled freshmen in 2015 was at least 40 percent. At Duke University, the share was 47 percent, and at the University of Pennsylvania, it was 54 percent.[Sortable table: See the details of the early decision advantage]The rising influence of early-decision enrollment underscores a stark and growing divide in college admissions between the masses of students who apply to multiple schools through the “regular” process in quest of the best fit and deal and a privileged subset who apply early and simultaneously pledge to attend just one, without fear of cost, at a time when the sticker price for private schools often tops $60,000 a year. Call them the Shoppers and the Pledgers.College admissions: The Early Decision advantageNathan Hanshew, 17, a senior at Washington Latin Public Charter School in Washington, D.C., said he applied to a dozen schools but did not opt for early decision anywhere.“That was too risky,” he said. “You’re stuck in a bond, like a marital bond.”Shopping around paid off hugely for Hanshew, a Polish immigrant, who learned March 17 in a surprise announcement in front of cheering classmates that he won a full-ride scholarship from George Washington University.Kate Morrison (Family photo)Kate Morrison, 17, a senior at Walt Whitman High School in Montgomery County, Md., said she was drawn to Bowdoin after a soccer coach there encouraged her to apply early. She visited the Maine college last spring. “I just loved it so much,” she said. “I was really, really content.” No athletic scholarship, no financial aid. But she applied early decision in the fall and was admitted Dec. 11. Her search was done.This week, angst is cresting for traditional applicants as prestigious colleges finalize who’s in and who’s out. Ivy League decisions are scheduled to be released Thursday evening. But admitted early-decision students are tranquil; they’ve known for months where they’re going to college. Early-decision applicants also enjoy a crucial edge over the regulars: Their admission rates tend to be much higher. That’s because schools want good students who really want them, and they want to lock them down.At Penn, the admission rate for early applicants was 24 percent for the class that entered in 2015. The total admission rate, early and regular, was 10 percent. Eric Furda, Penn’s dean of admissions, said the academic credentials of students who win early admission tend to be stronger than those admitted later in the cycle. Furda also said more early-decision students than ever are qualifying for need-based financial aid.“This pool is becoming broader and deeper and more diverse than it’s ever been. It’s time to start telling that story,” Furda said. “I don’t want lower-income families to be told, ‘Don’t apply early decision because you’re going to need to compare financial-aid packages.'” These days, nearly as many early-decision freshmen receive need-based grants from Penn as their peers admitted in the regular cycle, he said.The Post reviewed 2015 admissions data for 64 schools as reported through a questionnaire called the Common Data Set. The analysis covered top-60 schools on U.S. News and World Report lists of liberal arts colleges and national universities, and it found 48 schools in which early-decision admits comprised at least a third of the total enrolled class and 16 in which they comprised at least half.[U.S. News college ranking trends 2015]While most early-decision admits enroll, a few do not. The most common reason: If a financial aid offer is deemed insufficient, an admitted student may be released from their pledge.Within the Ivy League, Penn appears to be the most aggressive user of the early process. The early-decision share of freshmen at Dartmouth College was about 43 percent. At Brown and Cornell universities, it was about 38 percent. Columbia University, which also uses early decision, is the only Ivy League school that refuses to make public its Common Data Set reports.Harvard, Yale and Princeton universities also allow students to apply early, but they do not require admitted students to decide on enrollment until May 1. That technique, which enables comparison shopping, is known as “early action.” Stanford, the University of Chicago, MIT and hundreds of other schools use early action.Georgetown University’s longtime dean of admissions, Charles Deacon, said he favors early action because students should be as sure in May of where they want to attend as they were in November. He calls it a “student-centered” approach to admissions, in contrast to “enrollment management” techniques in vogue at many schools.“No matter what anybody tells you, the early pool favors those who are more advantaged,” Deacon said. “They’re the ones who have been better advised. They know more from their families. There’s an advantage, for sure, and that plays itself out particularly at the early level.”Early decision, which developed gradually among elite schools from the late 1950s through the 1970s, has drawn criticism in recent years, earning a critique in a 2001 Atlantic article headlined “The Early-Decision Racket.” In 2006, the public University of Virginia announced that it was ending an early-decision program in an effort to attract more low-income students. It now uses early action.“For us, the early-action plan makes the most sense,” U-Va. dean of admission Greg Roberts said. “And it’s more in line with our values and enrollment goals.” Most top-tier schools with early decision are private. An exception is the public College of William and Mary, in Virginia.[Nation’s prominent public universities are shifting to out-of-state students]Though some schools have spurned the practice, the volume of early-decision applications to elite schools is growing, and some of them are filling a larger share of their seats with those applicants, making it far more difficult to get in during the normal cycle.At Williams College, a premier liberal arts school in Massachusetts, a little more than 40 percent of freshmen come through early decision. Williams President Adam Falk said early decision provides stability for the college in what can be a volatile market, and it provides peace of mind for successful applicants who can then leave “an insane-feeling rat race” during their senior year of high school.Jon Reider, a former Stanford admissions officer who counsels students at San Francisco University High School, said that 15 years ago, early decision was not a central part of most of his advising conversations. Now it is. Another important variable is that ultra-selective Harvard, Princeton, Stanford and Yale are “single-choice” early-action schools, meaning that students may not apply early to any other private school, with few exceptions. So students must weigh their top choice carefully, and it can feel like making a life-altering gamble.But the calculations are much more complex than a simple ranking of choice, Reider said. Sometimes admission to that first-choice school is so tough to obtain, even in an early application, that it makes more sense to apply early decision to a second choice, or even a third choice. “You’ve got one chip,” Reider said. “One card to play. It’s an absolutely crazy system.”Even more bewildering: Some schools offer two rounds of early decision. Some — the University of Miami, for example — offer two rounds of early decision and early action.Charlotte Smith (Family photo)Charlotte Smith, 17, a senior at Walt Whitman High, put her early-decision chip on Wake Forest University, in North Carolina. Her application was deferred into the regular pool. For many applicants, that is demoralizing. For Smith, it was a relief.“I’m actually glad,” Smith said last week as she had several applications pending and some offers in hand, including some with scholarships. It’s hard in November, she said, “to pick one school and say this has everything I want.” As students, she said, “we’re still trying on different versions of ourselves.”Micah Guthrie, 17, a senior at Washington Latin, is shooting for liberal arts colleges but not through early decision. “I make a lot of my decisions last minute,” he said. In the fall, he said, “I really didn’t know a lot about a lot of colleges.”Grade Point newsletterNews and issues affecting higher education.Sign upMicah Guthrie (Nick Anderson/The Washington Post)Among his targets is Davidson, advertised on a sweatshirt he wore to school the other day. His mother, Michelle Guthrie, a registrar at Washington Latin, said money is a factor wherever he gets accepted. “We’ll make it happen,” she said. “But I’m hoping some scholarships come with those choices, too.”Davidson had the highest share of early-decision admits in its entering class among colleges The Post analyzed: about 60 percent. Davidson said it is firmly committed to access, with half of the early-decision students who were admitted qualifying for need-based financial aid. That is nearly the same as the share in regular admissions who receive need-based aid. The small college, which has a robust NCAA Division I sports program, said it also relies heavily on early decision for athletic recruiting.A few years ago, the share of early-decision students entering Emory was less than 40 percent, said John Latting, the university’s dean of admission. Now two rounds of early decision fill about half of Emory’s class. Latting said the volume of early-decision applications has doubled in the past four or five years.“Mostly what’s going on is an unbelievably competitive marketplace” for top students, he said. “Early programs bring some calm to what is otherwise a frenzy.”Latting said Emory uses financial aid aggressively to ensure it enrolls a diverse class. About 20 percent of freshmen have enough financial need to qualify for federal Pell grants, a sizeable share for a private university. But Latting acknowledged that early-decision applicants, the Pledgers, tend to be more affluent than the regulars, the Shoppers. That creates added pressure on schools hunting for more students from low-income families.“I wouldn’t for a minute say this is the right system for the nation,” Latting said.Read more:At some colleges, your gender might give you an admissions edgeInside the admissions process at George Washington UniversityColleges often give discounts to the rich. Here’s one that gave up on ‘merit aid.’Meet the man behind the new SAT: ‘I’m in the anxiety field.’https://www.iecaonline.com/PDF/IECA_Library_ED-vs-RD-Acceptances.pdfEarly Admission Ivy League Schools 2016-12STRATEGYEarly acceptance rates to Ivy League schools are drastically higher than regular — but the reason why isn't as obvious as it seemsAbby JacksonDec. 21, 2016, 2:51 PM6,213The figures may look a little out of sync with regular decision acceptance rates to those who follow admissions trends.Courtesy of Stefan StoykovThe Ivy League classes of 2021 are one step closer to attending the school of their dreams.Last week, every Ivy League school, with the exception of Columbia University, reported the number of students who applied and were accepted early this year, giving a glimpse into the college choices of tens of thousands of students.The figures may look a little out of sync with acceptance rates released during the spring.Harvard reported the lowest acceptance rate of the bunch, with 14.5% of applicants gaining acceptance. That's nearly three times higher (meaning more students were able to gain acceptance) than last spring's acceptance rate of 5.2%, which includes both the early and regular decision applicants.Business InsiderHarvard isn't the only school where early application percentage rates are drastically higher than rates released in spring.To give you an idea of where the University stands in comparison to its peers, below are the decision acceptance rates for the class of 2020, released last spring:8. Cornell University — 13.96%7. Dartmouth College — 10.52%6. University of Pennsylvania — 9.41%5. Brown University — 9.01%4. Princeton University — 6.46%3. Yale University — 6.27%2. Columbia University — 6.04%1. Harvard University — 5.2%Every single Ivy League school, by a factor of two or three, appears easier to access when applying early. The contrast appears even starker if you were to isolate just the regular decision rate from the early decision rate, though all of the Ivies announce their spring numbers as a combination of the two.So what gives?Harvard UniversityMarcio Jose Bastos Silva / ShutterstockIvy admissions offices emphasize that the reason it appears easier to get into schools during early admissions is more a factor of the strength of the applicant pool rather than an ease of acceptance.In other words, students who apply early to Harvard are probably better qualified compared the larger applicant pool, and more confident in their chances of being admitted."We have continued to stress to applicants, their families, and their guidance counselors that there is no advantage in applying early to Harvard," William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, said, in a release from Harvard. "The reason students are admitted – early or during the Regular Action process – is that their academic, extracurricular, and personal strengths are extraordinary."Harvard releases a survey on incoming freshman every year that provides details on the makeup of the class. For the Class 2019 — the most recent survey conducted— the survey indicated that students admitted early had higher SAT scores than regular admissions students, on average. Early admissions students scored an average 2239, compared to 2217 for regular admissions.Still, schools certainly find early applicants attractive as they can lock in a higher "yield" — the number of admitted students who decide to go to the college. Early decision is binding, and early action means that students are only allowed to apply to one school early (though they can apply regular decision to other schools) and then make their final choice in the spring.Some higher education experts feel that there is certainly an advantage to applying early, and that its practice is troubling, as it disproportionately helps wealthier students. The early admissions process is not possible for students who need to weigh the different financial aid packages they are offered before making a decision.Early admissions "significantly disadvantages students from low-income and middle-income families, who are already underrepresented at such schools," columnist Frank Bruni wrote in The New York Times.Still, it doesn't seem that the early admissions process is going anywhere soon. The Ivy League had a record number of early applications this year, and, more broadly, about 450 American colleges accept early applicants.The Ivy League has released early-application acceptance rates — here's where they all standAbby Jackson and Andy KierszDec. 16, 2016, 12:09 PMThe Ivy League classes of 2021 are one step closer to attending the school of their dreams.Almost every Ivy League school reported the number of students who had applied and were accepted early this year, giving a glimpse into the college choices of tens of thousands of students.Business InsiderHarvard reported the lowest acceptance rate of the bunch, with 14.5% of applicants gaining acceptance versus 14.8% last year. Applications at the school were up by 5% from the previous year, with 6,473, an increase from 6,167, according to a representative for the school.Applications were up across the board. The biggest jump in application numbers came from Princeton University, which reported 4,229 early applications last year and 5,003 this year, an 18% increase year-over-year.Early applications come with some stipulations. Harvard, Princeton, and Yale are restrictive early-action schools, meaning applicants can apply to only one school early but have until May to accept.Brown University, Columbia University (which does not release acceptance figures), Cornell University, Dartmouth College, and University of Pennsylvania are all early-decision schools, which means students must go there if they get accepted.Check out the number of early applications to each Ivy League school this year below:Brown University — 3,170 applications, 695 acceptancesColumbia University — 4,086 applications, does not release acceptance figuresCornell University — 5,384 applications, 1,378 acceptancesDartmouth College — 1999 applications, 555 acceptancesHarvard University — 6,473 applications, 938 acceptancesUniversity of Pennsylvania — 6,147 applications, 1,354 acceptancesPrinceton University — 5,033 applications, 770 acceptancesYale University — 5,086 applications, 871 acceptancesHarvard just released its early admissions decisions — here's how many students got inAbby JacksonDec. 13, 2016, 5:32 PMHarvard University released the early action decisions for the class of 2021 on Tuesday. Flickr / Sam S.Harvard University released the early action decisions for the class of 2021 on Tuesday.Applications at the school were up 5% from the previous year, with 6,473, compared to 6,167, a spokesperson for the school confirmed.Of those applicants, 14.5% gained acceptances, versus 14.8% last year."Early admission appears to be the 'new normal' now – as more students are applying early to Harvard and peer institutions than ever before," William R. Fitzsimmons, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, said, in a release from Harvard."At the same time, we have continued to stress to applicants, their families, and their guidance counselors that there is no advantage in applying early to Harvard," he continued. "The reason students are admitted – early or during the Regular Action process – is that their academic, extracurricular, and personal strengths are extraordinary."Harvard is an early action school, meaning that students can only apply to one school early, and have until May to decide if they want to accept. This policy differs from early decision, which requires a student to attend a school if they gain admission.Regular decision Harvard applicants will find out their admissions status in the spring.

Q. How much is the 3 year tuition at Stanford Law? * Cost of Attendance | Stanford Law School * Tuition Top Law Schools * Priciest Public Law Schools * Stanford Law School Financial Aid * 7 Ways to Figure If Going to Law School Is Worth It (Bankrate) * Is Going to Law School Worth It? Depends on Where (Investopedia) - Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2015 had the top 10% of lawyers earning more than $187,200. All told, it is not uncommon for a law school graduate to enter the working world with a net worth of negative $250,000. Ideally, recent graduates should earn yearly salaries equal to or greater than their total student debt. This level of pay usually allows for paying off student loans within 10 years without materially affecting a person's lifestyle. Cost of Attendance | Stanford Law School Tuition Tuitio(more)