Colleges near Harrisburg, PA for pre-med

I'm looking at schools near Harrisburg, PA for a pre-med track. Anyone have any advice or experiences they could share? How are these programs usually rated?

The region near Harrisburg, PA does offer several strong options for pre-med track programs. Here are a couple of options:

1. Dickinson College: Located in Carlisle, PA, approximately 18 miles Southwest of Harrisburg, this liberal arts college offers a strong pre-med program. They're quite proud of their Med School acceptance rates and offer a multi-disciplinary approach to pre-med education, emphasizing a wide-ranging study of the sciences, social sciences and humanities.

2. Franklin & Marshall College: It's a bit further (around 40 miles away in Lancaster, PA), but it's known for its strong pre-med program. They emphasize research opportunities and have a significant percentage of their graduates accepted into medical school each year.

While not as close, Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia also have renowned pre-med programs. Being larger institutions, they might offer more extensive resources, lab facilities, and a broader selection of research opportunities.

To evaluate these programs, check out factors such as the acceptance rate of students into medical schools, research opportunities, faculty reputation, class sizes, and academic advising support. Remember, ultimately the "rating" of the program will depend on how well it suits your individual academic and career needs.

Keep in mind that while you’re considering schools for pre-med, being “pre-med” is not a major but a sequence of courses that prepare you for medical school. These courses can be completed at virtually any college or university. And, medical schools are more concerned about how well you’ve done in your classes and on your MCAT exams than where you’ve actually studied.

In other words, there's no perfect choice and a lot will depend on personal fit, including factors like size, location, campus culture, extracurricular opportunities, and financial aid. It's quite possible you may find a better personal fit elsewhere so be sure to keep your options open.

Adding visits, if possible, to these colleges would be definitely beneficial. You could sit in a class, speak with current pre-med students, meet with faculty, or even just get a feel for campus life. That could go a long way toward helping you decide where you'd like to spend your college years.

Hope this helps and best of luck with your college search!