Pre-Med Planning Guide
Chicago, IL
Harold Washington College in Chicago provides an accessible entry point for students aiming to pursue medical careers, offering essential general education and science prerequisite courses. Though it lacks specialized health science programs, motivated students can build a solid academic base before transferring to a university with dedicated pre-med advising and research opportunities.
While Harold Washington College is a two-year institution with a modest graduation rate, it offers foundational coursework and support that can effectively prepare students for transfer to four-year universities with strong pre-med programs.
Pre-Med Strength
7.2/10
University-specific pre-med advantages and pipeline signals.
4-Year Plan
Year-by-year milestones from freshman year through application cycle.
Track each phase in Pre-Med OS.
Competitive targets for students at City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College.
Target GPA
3.5+
Target MCAT
505+
Clinical Hours
250+
Volunteer Hours
150+
Research Experience
1–2 years
Structured pathways from freshman exploration to competitive publications.
Students can seek summer research internships or volunteer positions at nearby universities such as the University of Chicago or Northwestern University, which have robust biomedical research programs.
Apply to REU, hospital affiliate, or campus summer research fellowships.
Competitive national programs — strong GPA and prior lab experience recommended.
Hospital-affiliated clinical studies and patient-oriented research near campus.
Hospitals and health systems accessible from Chicago, IL.
On campus / < 5 mi
Volunteer
High
Shadowing
High
Research
High
5–15 mi
Volunteer
High
Shadowing
High
Research
High
15–30 mi
Volunteer
Medium
Shadowing
Medium
Research
Limited
15–30 mi
Volunteer
High
Shadowing
High
Research
High
Build leadership, service, and networking depth for AMCAS.
Membership: MCAT study groups, guest physician panels, application workshops
Leadership: Officer roles in programming and outreach
Networking: Peer mentors and alumni physician connections
Membership: Clinical volunteering coordination and health career exposure
Leadership: Event leads and volunteer site captains
Networking: Connections to hospital volunteer coordinators
Membership: National pre-health honor society recognition
Leadership: Chapter officers and service project leads
Networking: Inter-chapter and national pre-med network
AI Assessment
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