Which Ivy League School Has The Best Pre-Med Program

Last Updated on December 24, 2022

The Ivy League (also known as The Ancient Eight) is an American collegiate athletic conference comprising eight privateresearch universities in the Northeastern United States. The term Ivy League is typically used beyond the sports context to refer to the eight schools as a group of elite colleges with connotations of academic excellence, selectivity in admissions, and social elitism.

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h Ivy League School Has The Best Pre-Med Program, Overview of Ivy League School Has The Best Pre-Med Program and Ivy League School Has The Best Pre-Med Program Requirements.

overview of Ivy League School that Has The Best Pre-Med Program

re-medical (often referred to as pre-med) is an educational track that undergraduate students in the United States pursue prior to becoming medical students. It involves activities that prepare a student for medical school, such as pre-med coursework, volunteer activities, clinical experience, research, and the application process. Some pre-med programs providing broad preparation are referred to as “pre-professional” and may simultaneously prepare students for entry into a variety of first professional degree or graduate school programs that require similar prerequisites (such as medical, veterinary, or pharmacy schools).

College rankings are helpful when starting your college search, but no ranking list is perfect since there’s no way to come up with an officially objective system that applies to all students.

In an effort to be as transparent as possible, I’ve compiled this list of the best pre-med schools using the factors described above.

Keep in mind that all of these schools are all stellar options, and the ranking numbers themselves aren’t particularly important. What matters more is how these schools might or might not fit your college criteria.

list of Ivy League School that Has The Best Pre-Med Program

1: Harvard

Harvard’s Office of Career Services estimates that 17% of any one of its classes will apply to med school—that’s a huge fraction of the student body! Pre-med applicants with a 3.5 GPA or higher had a 93% acceptance rate to med schools in 2013, whereas average acceptance rates that year were about 42%.

Harvard College offers a peer pre-med advising program in which students are assigned a pre-med tutor sophomore through senior year.

Harvard University houses the #1 ranked medical school in the US and also boasts extremely strong biological sciences departments. There are several affiliated teaching hospitals nearby, too (which are great for both research and clinical experience).

2: Johns Hopkins

Johns Hopkins is well reputed as a very highly ranked med school and medical research institution, which means you’ll have numerous research and clinical opportunities. You’re sure to have access to impressive resources, as the university is affiliated with one of the best teaching hospitals in the country.

Undergraduates at Johns Hopkins follow a pre-med advising program track (which isn’t a major). This advising track includes individual appointments, small group meetings, and other special programs designed to help aspiring med school students succeed. The school also has many health-related student organizations, which also provide opportunities for undergraduates to build their med school résumés.

3: Stanford

Stanford isn’t just a top-ranked college—it also houses a top-ranked medical school. Special pre-med advisors are available to discuss ideas, plan your coursework, help you visualize your long-term objectives, and give you options for gaining experience in the field. They also offer internship opportunities for undergraduate students, which can help you get clinical hours and stellar letters or recommendation.

The pre-med community at Stanford seems especially organized and cohesive. The Stanford Pre-Medical Association offers lots of information and resources to students, all in one place. Unfortunately, however, there aren’t good statistics about how many Stanford graduates make it into medical school every year. But since Stanford has world-class degree programs, you can bet that number is pretty high.

4: University of Pennsylvania

UPenn’s Perelman School of Medicine is one of the best in the US; access to this med school means tons of research opportunities. But don’t just take my word for it! In 2020, 80% of Penn students who applied to med school were accepted—that’s well above the national average of 44% that year.

The school also offers a pre-health advising program to guide students through fulfilling pre-med requirements and successfully applying to medical school. Also, certain majors (like engineering) have a pre-med focus to help prepare you for the next step of your med school journey.

5: Columbia

Columbia is home to a top ten med school. As undergraduates, though, students are assigned a pre-med advisor and attend informational meetings sponsored by the Premedical Committee. Columbia’s convenient NYC location also guarantees easy access to countless clinics and hospitals, giving you plenty of opportunities for clinical and research experience.

Additionally, Columbia provides pre-med students with a sample course curriculum to help them meet the minimum requirements for med school applications. This handy sheet—along with the top-tier advising services offered at the university—can help you get an edge on the competition when it comes to medical school admissions. Unfortunately, though, Columbia doesn’t release statistics on how many of its undergraduates are admitted into medical school each year.

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6: Duke

Not only is Duke one of the best universities in the nation, it also offers a robust pre-med program. Students get plugged into the pre-med advising program as soon as they walk on campus, and they also have incredible opportunities including health-centered study abroad programs and hands-on research experiences.

The med school acceptance rates for Duke undergrads are phenomenal—according to Duke, 70-80% of its college students get into med school, which is nearly twice the national average. This likely has partly to do with the fact that Duke hosts a top-10 medical school.

7: University of Washington

You might have noticed that all the schools on the list so far have been private schools. But not the University of Washington! UW is one of the best public med schools in terms of research and primary care, and pre-med students benefit significantly from these resources.

Pre-health career coaches and advisors help students with academic and vocational concerns, such as picking classes, job shadowing, research, and volunteering through a combination of individual and group meetings. There are also many pre-med student groups, including Alpha Epsilon Delta and the Student Health Consortium, which help you continue your pre-med education outside of the classroom.

While there aren’t medical school acceptance statistics available for the University of Washington, the fact that its medical school is one of the best in the US ensures pre-med students will get a top-tier education.

8: UNC Chapel Hill

Unfortunately, UNC doesn’t track specifics when it comes to med school acceptance rates for pre-meds. We can presume the number is fairly high given that UNC has a very good reputation across many health fields for both undergraduate and graduate students. They also offer specialization tracks, which can set you apart as you apply for medical school (especially if you want to go into medical research).

UNC offers an interesting nine-week Medical Education Development (MED) summer program, an intensive program for smart and committed students who have lacked past opportunities to move toward a career in the medical field. If you’re not ready to attend college as a pre-med but want to become a physician, this could be a good option for you.

9: Cornell

An impressive 76% of Cornell pre-meds with a GPA of 3.4 or higher got into medical school in 2016, and 63% of all Cornell applicants were accepted into medical school the same year. If you end up as a pre-med at Cornell, you’ll be in good company: about 17% of undergrads there are interested in pursuing a career in medicine.

The school’s Health Careers Program provides specialized advising, programs, information, and an Evaluation Committee to pre-med students. This Committee is particularly helpful when it comes to getting letters of recommendation for medical school applications.

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Outdoorsy students might not mind trading an urban environment for the scenery in Ithaca, NY.

10: Northwestern

With a top-15 med school, Northwestern offers lots of research and clinical opportunities. It helps that the school is located in a bustling urban area. Unfortunately, there’s no available info on pre-med acceptance rates to medical schools for students at Northwestern. However, Northwestern does publish a list of medical schools that its graduates have been admitted to in the past five years, which includes top programs like Harvard’s and Columbia’s medical schools.

Northwestern also provides pre-med students with tons of resources, many of which are available on the school’s pre-med advising website. These advisors help students with everything from choosing courses to applying to med school. Pre-meds are also welcome to schedule individual meetings or stop by during drop-in hours, meaning you’ll get plenty of hands-on help.

11: Georgetown

We’re including Georgetown on this list because it offers a pretty interesting option for students who like to plan ahead called the Early Assurance Program. If you’re a high-achieving pre-med student at Georgetown, you can get assurance of admission at Georgetown School of Medicine at the end of your senior year. That’s a great deal, especially since Georgetown’s School of Medicine is one of the top 60 medical schools in the nation.

Best Non Ivy League Schools For Pre Med

Best Non-Ivy League Schools for Pre-Med

7 out of the 10 best schools for pre-med are non-Ivy League. These include: 

  1. Harvard*
  2. Duke University
  3. University of Pennsylvania*
  4. Washington University in St. Louis
  5. Rice University
  6. Stanford University
  7. Northwestern University
  8. Brown University*
  9. Amherst College
  10. Case Western Reserve University

(*) denotes Ivy League.

1. Georgetown University

Location: Washington D.C.

Acceptance Rate: 15%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1370-1530, 31-34

Undergraduate Enrollment: 7400

Georgetown University offers a wide array of research opportunities through the Georgetown University Research Opportunities Program (GUROP), where students can conduct research alongside faculty members. Many opportunities can also be found at the Georgetown University Medical Center. Students can gain clinical experience through volunteering at the Georgetown University Hospital, joining the Georgetown EMS (GERMS), and working at several partner clinics around D.C.

2. Emory University

Location: Atlanta, GA

Acceptance Rate: 19%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1350-1520, 31-34

Undergraduate Enrollment: 7000

Emory’s pre-health advising supports students through workshops, events and small sessions to prepare students for the medical school application process. The university offers many research opportunities and even allows students to get course credit for research. In order to teach students the fundamentals of research, some research opportunities at Emory require students to also enroll in a course while conducting research. The university also offers a fall and spring research symposium where students can present their work to peers and mentors. 

3. Swarthmore College

Location: Swarthmore, PA

Acceptance Rate: 9%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1380-1550, 31-34

Undergraduate Enrollment: 1500

Swarthmore College offers robust one-on-one advising with pre-med students. The college partners with the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Jefferson University Hospital, and the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania to offer volunteer experience for students. If students are interested in research, the college offers many opportunities to work alongside faculty and even summer research grants. 

4. Johns Hopkins University

Location: Baltimore, MD

Acceptance Rate: 11%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1450-1560, 33-35

Undergraduate Enrollment: 6000

Johns Hopkins has an entire “pre-professional” office dedicated to helping students pursue graduate opportunities of all types. Besides many strong undergraduate research programs, Johns Hopkins provides many opportunities for clinical experience through volunteer work across Baltimore. Additionally, the university has many student organizations dedicated to learning about the health profession including a chapter of Alpha Epsilon Delta, Hopkins Organization for Pre-Health Education, and the Women’s Pre-Health Leadership Society (WPHLS). Many of these organizations allow students to network with physicians at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

5. Vanderbilt University

Location: Nashville, TN

Acceptance Rate: 10%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1450-1560, 33-35

Undergraduate Enrollment: 6800

Vanderbilt offers solid pre-med advising and like many research universities, has a robust research program. The Vanderbilt Undergraduate Clinical Research Summer Internship, for example, is a unique program that allows undergraduates to conduct research with a professor and while also working at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The university also offers many undergraduate pre-med organizations and clubs that are geared towards certain STEM majors. The proximity of the Vanderbilt University Hospital to the university allows students to form connections with physicians as well.

6. Tulane University

Location: New Orleans, LA

Acceptance Rate: 17%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1350-1490, 30-33

Undergraduate Enrollment: 7900

Tulane University leads the country in groundbreaking medical research, and the university encourages students to become as involved as possible. Many students are involved in research in the Cell and Molecular Biology department and are eligible to apply for prestigious summer fellowships to continue research. The university also has 11 pre-med societies with different focuses, ranging from autism awareness to international and public health focus to the university-wide student-run EMS.

7. Bowdoin College

Location: Brunswick, ME

Acceptance Rate: 10%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1360-1610, 31-33

Undergraduate Enrollment: 1800

Bowdoin College has an impressive medical school admissions rate. In 2015, 91% of Bowdoin College students who applied were accepted to medical school, and the annual acceptance rate is 87%. Students who conduct research with professors are eligible to apply for a fall research award, or the college also provides smaller awards of $800 monthly for student research.

8. Miami University

Location: Oxford, OH

Acceptance Rate: 75%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1200-1380, 25-30

Undergraduate Enrollment: 17,300

Miami University has a unique pre-med program because it actually offers pre-medical studies as a “co-major.” This means that students in this major take classes to explore careers in medicine and learn all about the pre-health application process through coursework. Students are also offered special advising to find research opportunities that suit their interests. The university also offers many independent research opportunities and 16 pre-health student organizations.

9. Bates College

Location: Lewiston, ME

Acceptance Rate: 18%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1290-1460, 33-34

Undergraduate Enrollment: 1800

Bates College encourages pre-health students to conduct research and offers many opportunities for students to do so. Research can occur through a senior thesis, an honors thesis, independent research, or through many of the seminars or specific research courses that Bates offers. The college also has a Health Sciences society for students to learn more about careers in healthcare. 

10. Williams College

Location: Williamstown, MA

Acceptance Rate: 13%

Middle 50% SAT/ACT: 1410-1550, 32-35

Undergraduate Enrollment: 2000

Williams College has many unique pre-med programs only for Williams students. For example, the college has an alumni sponsored fully-funded internship program where students can work in a field of their choice. Additionally, over 200 students conduct summer research at Williams, and students can apply for internships at the Whitehead Institute, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, and Marine Biology Laboratory which are specifically designed for Williams students. 

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