Top 20 Best Pre Med Colleges

The University of Michigan is a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It is the flagship campus of the University of Michigan System, which includes campuses in the cities of Flint and Dearborn, Michigan. UMich was founded in 1817, 20 years before the Michigan Territory became a state. It is one of the country’s premier research universities. It was a founding member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is one of just 115 schools that has the highest classification awarded by the Carnegie Foundation. UMich is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers close to 300 different academic programs to its 44,718 students. U.S. News & World Report ranks 22 different departments at the university among the top 20 in the field, four of those are placed at number one. Throughout its history, the university has been affiliated with a Fields Medalist, six winners of the Turing Award, 24 Nobel Prize winners, and 26 Rhodes Scholars.

UMich is a public ivy university, which means it is one of the few public universities in the country that is considered to be on par with Ivy League institutions. There are close to 500,000 living alumni of the university; among them, there are 21 billionaires, award-winning athletes, and more. The university implemented its first fully-online degree programs in the spring of 2018 and the university is continually expanding its distance offerings. The University of Michigan College of Literature, Science, and the Arts offers students majors in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, which are all strong options when you’re looking for a pre-med college. Each of these majors would require you to attend campus part-time but there are a variety of courses offered online through Coursera that you would be able to enroll in as part of your degree program.

Freshman Retention Rate: 97%
Graduation Rate: 92%
Final Score: 189/200

The University of California, Berkeley is a land-grant public research university in Berkeley, California. It is the flagship institution of the University of California System and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission. It also holds seven additional programmatic accreditations. The university was founded in 1868 when the College of California merged with the Agricultural, Mining, and Mechanical Arts College, making it the first public university in the state. UC Berkeley is highly regarded for its research and was a founding member of the Association of American Universities. U.S. News & World Report puts it at #1 in its ranking of the nation’s Top Public Schools and the Academic Ranking of World Universities ranked it as 5th in the world. There are 322 different degree programs provided through its 14 different colleges and schools.

UC Berkeley is a highly residential school; less than 5% of its 40,000+ students are studying online. However, there are now more than 50 courses offered through UC Berkeley Extension and over 500 courses available at a distance. The program we’ve ranked UC Berkeley for in this article is its physics major. You would have to complete this program on a hybrid basis with some of your courses on campus; however, the physics department will allow you to take concurrent courses at UC Extension if some of the courses that you need are available. Precalculus, Calculus, Concepts of Physics, Introduction to Chemistry, and Introduction to Biology are all courses you may require as part of a pre-med program and they’re available online. In addition, Immunology, Genetics, Human Anatomy, and many other courses that you could explore as electives are also available at a distance.

Freshman Retention Rate: 97%
Graduation Rate: 91%
Final Score: 188/200

The University of Florida is a public land-, sea-, and space-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. The University of Florida traces its roots to the East Florida Seminary that was founded in 1853. It was one of four institutions that merged in 1906 to create the university. The other schools that were part of this merge were the University of Florida at Lake City, the St. Petersburg Normal and Industrial School, and the South Florida Military College. It was accredited as a whole by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges just a few years later in 1913. Today, UF offers associates, bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees as well as a variety of certificates. There are over 52,000 students enrolled. U.S. News & World Report ranks the university as the ninth best public university in the country.

The University of Florida offers a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Cell Science which is a perfect pre-med program because it helps students to develop a deep understanding of concepts in microbiology, cell biology, and the bio-molecular sciences and it is specifically geared towards preparing students to go to graduate school. The Microbiology and Cell Science Department is recognized as one of the best and biggest of its kind in America. There are two courses that would require you to attend the physical campus but each of them are taught in accelerated five-day cycles during the summer semester so that you don’t have to severely disrupt your home life or work. Courses are available any time of day, with lectures delivered weekly. You will have access to a personal advisor with this program and you may choose to take it at a full- or part-time pace according to your needs.

Freshman Retention Rate: 97%
Graduation Rate: 88%
Final Score: 185/200

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a public land-, sea-, and space-grant research university spread out across the neighboring cities of Urbana, and Champaign, Illinois. The university was established in 1867 as part of the Morrill Land-Grant Act but at that time it was called the Illinois Industrial University. However, in 1885 the school had expanded its offerings to include liberal arts and thus, took on the name University of Illinois to better reflect its purpose. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission as well as eight other program-specific agencies. UIUC is made up of 16 schools and colleges through which it offers a selection of more than 250 degree programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. It is classified as an R1 Doctoral Research University and is a member of the Association of American Universities because of its extensive research efforts. Roughly 47,000 students are in attendance.

The contributions made by UIUC include the first successful consumer web browser, touchscreens, and even sweet corn. If you want a quality pre med education from a world-leading innovative university, UIUC has plenty of options for you to choose from. Potential majors include Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and even Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. None of these programs are offered online in their entirety; however, UIUC has been steadily working on growing their opportunities for distance-based students. There are hundreds of courses available online and many of the ones you’ll need to take are available. Some examples are biology, evolution and medicine, molecular and cellular basis of life, chemistry, and calculus.

Freshman Retention Rate: 94%
Graduation Rate: 85%
Final Score: 179/200

The University of Washington is a public space-, and sea-grant research university in Seattle, Washington. Washington Territory governor Isaac Stevens suggested the founding of a university, which spurred the creation of the Territorial University of Washington in 1861. Its early years were plagued with difficulty, low enrollment and financial hardship even forced the doors to close on three separate occasions. Things did eventually take a turn for the better and the university continued to grow. Presently, UW is home to more than 45,000 students and offers degrees at the bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels. Not only that, but it has built itself a reputation as a premier research university and is now a member of the Association of American Universities as well as being recognized as a Public Ivy. U.S> News & World Report ranks 13 of the universities graduate programs among the top ten of their kind in the nation, family medicine, and primary care both came in at number one.

The College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Washington gives you the choice of majors in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics with several available concentrations of study and optional minors within each degree program. Online courses are provided through UW’s Professional & Continuing Education department, and there are several classes you can take online as part of one of these programs to allow yourself a little bit more flexibility as you pursue your pre med degree. Each program consists of 90 credits in total in order to graduate and you can work with an academic advisor to perfect your course load to make you a more competitive applicant for medical school and to maximize your distance-learning options through strategic scheduling.

Freshman Retention Rate: 94%
Graduation Rate: 84%
Final Score: 178/200

The Ohio State University is a public land-, sea-, and space-grant research university located in Columbus, Ohio. Initially founded as the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1870, the institution’s goal was to introduce manufacturing and agriculture education to central Ohio. However, it quickly expanded to become a comprehensive institution, adopting the name Ohio State University as early as 1878. OSU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has grown to serve a student body of just shy of 60,000. It is a highly residential university, but there are still plenty of distance education opportunities. Just under 20% of the students are studying online for at least part of their classes. OSU is a Public Ivy university and the first in its state to be admitted into the Association of American Universities. It is also Ohio’s only R1 Research university. U.S. News & World Report considers it to be among the top 20 public universities in the country.

Ohio State is divided into 16 schools and colleges and offers students hundreds of degree programs to choose from through those divisions. There are several majors that would be appropriate choices for a pre-med college degree, all of which you would have the opportunity to learn on a hybrid basis through the extensive course offerings through OSU online. The university offers majors in Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Chemistry, Health and Human Services, Health Sciences, Microbiology, Neuroscience, and more. OSU also offers Pre-Medicine as an academic area of interest, which is separate from a major. Defining this as your area of interest opens you up to receive additional support from advisors to make sure you’re on the best possible path for your future career.

Freshman Retention Rate: 94%
Graduation Rate: 83%
Final Score: 177/200

The University of California, Irvine is a four-year public land-grant research university located in Irvine, California. UCI was chartered alongside two other UC system campuses under the California Master Plan for Higher education in 1965. UCI was created to help keep up with increasing enrollment in the system and now enrolls just about 33,000 students. The university is the youngest member of the Association of American Universities and is classified as having very high research activity. UCI operates 19 research centers and institutes and the university houses 13 different schools. There are more than 75 undergraduate degrees and more than 90 graduate-level degrees offered at the university, which is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission.

Potential pre-med majors that students can choose from at The University of California, Irvine include Neurobiology, Microbiology, Human Biology, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Developmental and Cell Biology, Chemistry, Biomedical Engineering, Biological Sciences, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. There is no shortage of options for an aspiring online med student at UIC. You will have to attend some courses and exams on campus to complete these programs but there are plenty of online asynchronous courses offered to boost the flexibility of your degree track. Some courses include Human Anatomy, Chemistry, Calculus, and several other courses that will help you meet your general requirements or can be taken as electives to add more depth to your knowledge.

Freshman Retention Rate: 92%
Graduation Rate: 85%
Final Score: 177/200

T he University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public land-grant research university headquartered in Amherst, Massachusetts. The university is the flagship institution of the University of Massachusetts System and the largest public university in the New England region. UMass Amherst is home to over 30,000 students now, but when it first opened in 1863, it was there for four years before the inaugural class of just 50 students enrolled. The university is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education as well as holding an additional 10 programmatic accreditations. UMass Amherst has comprised of 10 academic colleges and schools through which it offers a total of more than 200 programs of study. The Carnegie Foundation has also given the university the distinction of a Research University with Highest research activity.

UMass Amherst has been ranked highly in several categories in publications such as U.S. News & World Report, Times Higher Education, and more. The university’s expert faculty and intense research opportunities come together to provide students with a strong and well-rounded education that will propel them towards success. The proof of that lies in their alumni network of nearly 250,000. Former students at UMass Amherst include Nobel Prize winners, Astronauts, Scholars, Athletes, Entertainers, and more. The undergraduate majors relevant for a pre-med student at the university include Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. All students that want to enter medical school have the advantage of pre-med advising to help them throughout the entire process. Courses available online for these hybrid programs vary by term.

Freshman Retention Rate: 91%
Graduation Rate: 77%
Final Score: 168/200

California State University, Fullerton is a public research university located in Fullerton, California. It was initially established in 1957 as the Orange County State College, but classes didn’t begin until the campus was fully built in 1959. It received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission in 1961 just before becoming Orange State College. From there it would change its name two more times; to California State College at Fullerton in 1964 and finally to California State University, Fullerton in 1972. CSUF is the largest university by enrollment in the California State University System and boasts a total of 40,235 students. The university currently offers 57 bachelors degrees, 49 masters degrees, and three doctorates through eight colleges and schools.

The pre med program that we’ve ranked the university for may surprise you. It is a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. This isn’t a typical pre med major but it is one that has been on the rise in recent years. The Princeton Review considers it one of the best pre med majors. The program features eight-week courses that you take one at a time to allow you to focus as much as possible on each particular course and you will be part of a cohort. The only caveat with this degree is that you will need to supplement this major with the required pre med courses that are not included in the core curriculum. If you’re interested in a more traditional approach, you can consider a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry or a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. However, neither of those majors are offered entirely online but would allow to take some courses online with the majority of them being presented in a traditional format on campus.

Freshman Retention Rate: 89%
Graduation Rate: 66%
Final Score: 155/200

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public space-grant research university in Boulder, Colorado. It was chartered in 1876 just five months prior to Colorado’s admission to the Union. When classes began in 1877, there were only 15 students although now the university serves nearly 34,000. CU is the flagship institution of the University of Colorado system and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The university consists of nine colleges and schools as well as 11 different research institutes. There are more than 150 programs of study to choose from at CU at the bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels; many of the programs have been ranked among the top 50 in America by U.S. News & World Report. The university also ranks among the top producers of astronauts with a total of 20 being affiliated with the school throughout its history. Also affiliated with the university are nine MacArthur Fellows and 12 Nobel Laureates.

The University of Colorado has several degree programs that may be well-suited for pre med students, which are a Bachelor of Science in Chemical and Biological Engineering; a Bachelor of Arts in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; a Bachelor of Arts in Integrative Physiology and; a Bachelor of Arts in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology. When you combine these programs with electives drawn from other departments and disciplines, you can create a strong interdisciplinary curriculum that will prepare you for the MCAT, ensure that you meet med school requirements, and provide you with a strong and diverse knowledge base to build on when you continue on to graduate school. None of these programs are offered entirely online, but the hundreds of available courses at CU all you to complete these programs in a hybrid format. Courses you can take online covers topics like biology, physiology, calculus, anatomy, and more. Course offerings vary by semester, so in order to get the most flexibility out of your degree program, you should work closely with an academic advisor.

Freshman Retention Rate: 86%
Graduation Rate: 69%
Final Score: 155/200

Arizona State University is a four-year public research university that consists of five campuses located throughout Phoenix, Arizona. The university was founded in 1885 as the Territorial Normal School and it remained a teachers college for more than 50 years before becoming Arizona State College in 1945. After that, the university expanded quickly, finally becoming a university in 1958. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. There are close to 52,000 students enrolled at ASU, making it among the largest universities by enrollment in the country. The vast student body can choose from more than 250 undergraduate majors and an excess of 100 graduate-level degree programs, which are organized through the 17 constituent colleges and schools at ASU. It is a preeminent research university, holding the highest classification the Carnegie Foundation awards and consistently ranking as one of America’s top research universities in the following categories: research output, innovation, development, research expenditures, number of awarded patents, and awarded research grant proposals.

Arizona State University offers an online Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. The degree program covers all of the chemistry, biochemistry, math, and physics courses in order to adequately prepare students for the MCAT and medical school admissions. Some courses you’ll encounter that aren’t specific requirements for pre med students include General Genetics, Cell Biology, and Fundamentals of Ecology. There is only one on-campus requirement for the completion of this degree and it is a one-week session during summer so that you can complete labs in General Organic Chemistry. Online courses are 7.5 weeks in length and can be completed in an asynchronous format, so this is a truly self-paced program. While you’re working towards your pre med degree online, you will have the benefit of an academic advisor to help you to shape the program to your needs and goals.

Freshman Retention Rate: 86%
Graduation Rate: 63%
Final Score: 149/200

The University of Arizona is a public research university in Tucson, Arizona. UA was chartered in 1885, establishing itself as the first university in the Arizona Territory. Classes met for the first time in 1891 and the Higher Learning Commission accredited the university in 1917. UA is a member of the Association of American Universities and has garnered recognition from a variety of publications over the years. U.S. News & World Report has ranked 11 of their graduate programs among the top 25 in the country and has ranked the university as a whole among the top 100 public schools in the country, in 60th place. There are 19 academic divisions that comprise the university and through those colleges and schools, students can pursue degrees at the bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels. The current student population exceeds 43,000.

The University of Arizona offers a Bachelor of Science in Care, Health & Society, which was designed to prepare students for careers in medicine and other health professions. You will take courses as part of the major that covers the sociology of healthcare but there are 15 units dedicated to your career track so you can select courses you need to perfectly tailor this to be a pre med degree program. This is a great choice if you’d like to start with a broader perspective with an emphasis on people and society. The university also has a Bachelor of General Studies in Science, Technology, Health, and Society that would allow you to tailor the program to your needs with the help of an academic advisor. While neither of these are traditional pre med options, the university can help you to compose a course load that will meet the requirements while allowing you to take this unique approach. Both programs are available online in their entirety.

Freshman Retention Rate: 80%
Graduation Rate: 64%
Final Score: 144/200

Westfield State University is a public university located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The university was founded in 1838 by Horace Mann, a politician who advocated strongly for public education. His belief that education should be accessible to anyone lead him to establish the first public co-educational college in the nation that enrolled students without regard to ethnicity, economic class, or gender. Westfield State began as a teachers college but has grown to offer undergraduate-level and graduate-level degrees in more than 40 concentrations. The university is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. U.S. News & World Report ranked the university 4th in their Best Online Programs Honor Roll in 2013. There are 6,335 students at the university, and roughly 41% of those enrolled are taking at least part of their degree online.

Westfield State University offers a part-time program that culminates in a Bachelor of Science in Biology. This is a hybrid program that was designed for optimal flexibility, with most courses taking place in the afternoon and evening. However, students of this program have the option to take daytime classes and to take as many classes as they can online instead of attending campus. Discussing your schedule with an advisor will help you make the most of these options. Some of the courses you’ll encounter in this program include biology, calculus, general chemistry, organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and several other courses that will help you to build a strong pre med foundation. The program consists of 63 credits, 15 of those credits are electives so you can select subjects that are relevant to your major and career goals. A faculty advisor can help students to select courses that will help them to closely follow a pre med track.

Freshman Retention Rate: 77%
Graduation Rate: 65%
Final Score: 142/200

California State University, San Bernardino is a public space-grant research university located in the north side of San Bernardino, California. CSUSB was established by the state legislature in 1960, but it didn’t open until 1965. The inaugural class was made up of just under 300 students, which is vastly different than the 20,760 students the university serves today. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission accredited the school in 1964 when it was called California State College at San Bernardino. CSUSB also holds four programmatic accreditations in the fields of dietetics, nursing, public health, and music. It adopted its current name when university status was granted in 1984. The university has a selection of 138 bachelors programs, 67 masters programs, one doctorate, as well as a number of credentials and certificates. There are 84,000 living alumni of the university including politicians, athletes, entertainers, and more.

The university has been ranked by a variety of publications such as Money magazine, European CEO Magazine, and The Princeton Review. There are six academic colleges that comprise CSUSB which are the College of Arts and Letters; the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration; the College of Education; the College of Extended Learning; the College of Natural Sciences and; the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. The College of Natural Sciences has great pre med options, offering majors in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. You will have to attend campus for classes; however, there is a broad selection of courses available online so you can complete part of your program at a distance. Students enrolled in any of these programs will also have the benefit of the Health Professions Advising Center which helps you learn about careers, prepare academically to become a competitive applicant and more.

Freshman Retention Rate: 85%
Graduation Rate: 54%
Final Score: 139/200

California State University, Fresno is a public research university located in Fresno, California. The university’s roots stem back to 1911 when doors opened to the Fresno State Normal School. It operated as a teacher-training school until 1949 when it began conferrings bachelors degrees and took on the name Fresno State College. A few years later in 1954, the school was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission. It was incorporated into the California State University System in 1961 before finally becoming California State University, Fresno in 1972. Presently, the university offers 60 different areas of study at the undergraduate level, as well as 62 different graduate-level and professional programs. The university, commonly called Fresno State, is divided into eight colleges and schools through which it serves nearly 25,000 students.

The schools and colleges that comprise CSU Fresno are the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology; the College of Arts and Humanities; the Craig School of Business; the Kremen School of Education and Human Development; the Lyles College of Engineering; the College of Health and Human Services; the College of Science and Mathematics and; the College of Social Sciences. Students who want to pursue a pre med track have several options including bachelors degrees in biology, chemistry, and natural science. Each student can receive one-on-one advising to help ensure that all their bases are covered as they pursue a degree. The university offers thousands of courses online each term and one-fifth of the student body takes courses online, so while none of these undergraduate programs are fully-online, you can earn your degree in a blended format and take advantage of online courses in chemistry, math, and more.

Freshman Retention Rate: 79%
Graduation Rate: 56%
Final Score: 135/200

Lehman College is a four-year liberal arts college located in The Bronx, New York, NY. It is a senior college of the City University of New York but has been operating as an independent college since 1967. Prior to that, it was the Bronx campus of Hunter College so it has been in operation since 1931. Lehman is comprised of five different schools which are the School of Arts & Humanities; the School of Education; the School of Natural and Social Sciences; the School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing and; the School of Continuing Education. The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education as well as having an additional four programmatic-accreditations. Currently, it has a student body of just over 13,300 students and roughly 11% of those students study online.

The pre med college program that Lehman College has been featured for is a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. There are only two courses that are not offered online, which are the two Physical Chemistry of Biosystems Labs. However, this is a hybrid program, so some of the courses may be presented in a blended format and not all of the courses you need may be offered at a distance at the right time. However, you can complete a majority of your coursework online. The Department of Chemistry at Lehman has designed the program to prepare students for advanced study in fields such as medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry so this is a program that meets the requirements of admission to medical school. Another pre med program you could explore at Lehman is the Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry, which includes all of the required pre med courses and offers the majority of the curriculum online. Neither of these programs are available fully-online because labs are an integral part of preparing you for graduate study.

Freshman Retention Rate: 86%
Graduation Rate: 46%
Final Score: 132/200

California State University, Los Angeles is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. The university was originally founded in 1947 as the Los Angeles City College, only to become the Los Angeles State College of Applied Arts and Sciences just two years later. From there it became the California State College at Los Angeles in 1964, and then to California State College, Los Angeles when it was formally accepted into the system. The final name change was in 1972 to its current title to reflect its new status as a university. Cal State LA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission. Students can choose from 244 different degrees programs that span the bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels. Cal State LA is also a Hispanic-Serving Institution. There are currently close to 28,000 students enrolled across the university’s eight colleges.

California State University, Los Angeles offers several programs that could be exactly what you’re looking for in a pre med program, but they’re all going to be hybrid programs only. The offerings at Cal State LA are a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, and a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology. Cal State LA doesn’t currently offer any fully-online pre med degree program; however, there is an extensive list of courses that are offered at a distance that you can enroll in as part of these degree programs. Some courses you can take online include biology, biostatistics, introduction to microbiology, and more. While you may not have the opportunity to study completely online, you will get an incredible education from expert faculty that is dedicated to your success.

Freshman Retention Rate: 79%
Graduation Rate: 47%
Final Score: 126/200

The University of West Georgia is a public university located in Carrollton, Georgia. UWG was established in 1906 in an effort to provide an effective educational program for the rural youth of Georgia. It opened as the Fourth District Agricultural and Mechanical School, though the shift in academic vision and curriculum resulted in it becoming West Georgia College in 1933. Shortly after becoming an actual college, it was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. The name of the institution changed two more times before it would become UWG. The university is one of the top ten largest in Georgia by enrollment, with a total of over 13,000 students. The academic divisions that comprise the school are the College of Science and Mathematics; the Richards College of Business; the Tanner Health System School of Nursing; the College of Social Sciences; the College of Education; the College of Arts and Humanities and; the Honors College. Through those, there are degrees offered at the bachelors level and up.

The University of West Georgia has an extensive list of online courses that they offer students, which are presented in a variety of formats so that they can be completed in a way that is most convenient to you. One unique feature of UWG is their eCore program, which allows you to take all of your core classes online. You can also complete the professional preparation track of the Bachelor of Science in Biology entirely online. An advisor will help you select the best electives for your goals, and some electives could require you to attend campus to complete them. There is a professional preparation option in Chemistry as well, which must be completed on a hybrid basis. Advising is available for both programs, which both offer different areas of specialization in order to align with your chosen career path.

Freshman Retention Rate: 72%
Graduation Rate: 40%
Final Score: 112/200

Washburn University is a four-year public university located in Topeka, Kansas. Originally founded as Lincoln College in 1865 by the State of Kansas, its name was changed to Washburn College in 1658. The university was known as Washburn Municipal University during WWII and went through its final name change in 1952, emerging as Washburn University. Its namesake is Ichabod Washburn, an industrialist, and abolitionist who donated $25,000 to the institution. Washburn is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers degrees at the associates, bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels. There are over 200 different programs of study to choose from. It is a relatively small institution, with just under 7,000 students in attendance. Because of its modest size compared to other institutions, Washburn boasts a low student to faculty ratio; in addition, 83% of faculty hold the highest degree in their field.

Washburn University is going through changes with their online degree programs; for that reason, many of the programs that are available entirely at a distance may not be advertised as such. However, the university offers majors in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Biology, and Molecular Biology & Biotechnology. Online courses are offered in the subjects of biology, chemistry, mathematics, and statistics through the College of Arts & Sciences. All of the courses you would need to complete a major in Biology or Chemistry as part of your preparation for medical school are available online at Washburn. The university will also give you the opportunity to work closely with an advisor to make sure you’re meeting all of the requirements of a pre med degree. Online students at Washburn have the benefit of support services from the Information Technology Services department and also pay reduced fees.

Freshman Retention Rate: 72%
Graduation Rate: 39%
Final Score: 111/200

The University of Maryland Global Campus is a public university in Adelphi, Maryland. It was founded in 1947 but it traces its roots back to 1920 when the University of Maryland began an evening program for adults. It was established as its own institution in 1947, then became independent in 1970. UMGC was one of the first schools to implement distance learning, which was delivered to students by using dial-up. Programs offered at UMGC are taken through The Undergraduate School or The Graduate School. The Undergraduate School has over 30 bachelors degree options and more than 40 undergraduate certificates, while The Graduate School features 18 masters degree programs and over 30 graduate certificates. UMGC is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is home to more than 57,000 students.

The best degree option for pre med students at UMGC is the online Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology. There are on-campus requirements of the program but the majority of it can be completed online. Coursework that you’ll do throughout this major will explore topics such as biological science, molecular and cellular biology, bioinformatics, and more. You can use your electives to tailor this program to suit a pre med requirement and take elective courses in physics, chemistry, and more. UMGC will give students the opportunity to work with an advisor to help select the most effective plan to complete your pre med requirements. The program consists of 120 credits in total and will allow students to transfer up to 90 credits that they may already have from undergraduate study at a different school.

Freshman Retention Rate: 43%
Graduation Rate: 9%
Final Score: 52/200