Hello,
Thanks for your question. Below is a response that our pre-med advisor (a current Chemistry professor) recently sent to another interested student. I hope you find this to be helpful!
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Thanks for your interest in Butler. Med school acceptance rates are a very interesting value and can be discussed in a number of ways. So good for you to inquire about the number that AAMC is reporting. At Butler, last year over 90 percent of seniors applying for the first time were accepted to medical school. However, 51 percent of all Butler-connected applicants were accepted; this group consists of our seniors and those graduates who are re-applying. What does this mean? If you don't get into a medical program as a first-time applicant, your chances are very low of getting in at all. This is not Butler specific, but is true for any school you attend. Even though we are excited about the 90% number this year, the placement rate is certainly defined by the quality of the class applying in a given year. Next year, I expect it to be closer to 70% of first-time applicants getting accepted.
So we like to discuss the 90% number with our students and qualify that by saying that these are the students who really had a chance of getting into a medical program. These students come to Butler with strong SAT/ACT and do well in their classes, truly learning the material…not just working for a grade. Some students who come to Butler with the goal of a medical career will simply not get into a program because they are just not qualified (low GPA, MCAT, attitude, etc.). But for those who really are qualified, we place very well.
My role as advisor for pre-med students is to critically discuss with each student their chances and their qualifications for medical school and provide some realistic guidance in the sophomore year. Students who are not qualified should not be applying to medical school, but should look into alternate careers. I try to encourage students to follow their gifts, talents, and passions. All three must be taken into account when looking into a career. A passion for medical school is not enough if the gifts and talents are not there. This is what we try to help students discover through our pre-med advising at Butler.
I hope this helps you in your decision regarding school choice, but I also hope that it helps you start now focusing on the issues surrounding medical school admission. No school can create a successful medical school applicant, we can only hone, guide, and prepare students who already have the gifts, talents, and passion.