Lakewood Ranch Prep Students Gain Exclusive Early Access to Elite Medical School
Groundbreaking affiliation with Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine Announced
Getting into medical school just became a little less daunting for Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy students. An affiliation agreement has been made between Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and Charter Schools USA at Lakewood Ranch LLC as agent for Southwest Charter Foundation, Inc. d/b/a Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy to give eligible high school seniors the opportunity for provisional early acceptance into the elite university.
To be eligible, high school students must meet an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher. If a student meets the minimum eligibility, they interview. Upon high school graduation, a student admitted to the Early Acceptance Program (EAP) must attend an affiliated undergraduate institution and successfully meet LECOM’s eligibility requirements: a 3.4 cumulative GPA and 3.3 Science GPA., along with meeting other eligibility requirements to keep their reserved medical seat. LECOM currently has four campuses and students will apply for the campus of their choice in the final year of their undergraduate program.
“This is huge for students interested in pursuing an osteopathic medical degree,” said Cheryl Cendan, Ed.D., principal of Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy. “The normal process requires students to apply at multiple medical schools, hope to be granted an interview, then wait to see if they outcompeted all the others to gain admission. Competition is fierce and there is no guarantee of an interview or admission. With this agreement, that phase is handled during their senior year. Their only focus upon high school graduation is successfully completing their undergraduate program, then they are enrolled in one of the top osteopathic medical schools in the nation.”
Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy is the only school in the state of Florida and one of only four in the nation to have this affiliation with LECOM.
“Our WISH Model, which focuses on Wellness, Innovation, Science, and Health sets up academically minded students well for medical school if that is the path they choose,” said Cendan. “Through this partnership, we are uniquely able to provide a very important steppingstone for their medical career beyond college. It aligns perfectly with our mission: a relentless commitment to student greatness in school and in life.”
Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade on two campuses. The upper school serves grades six through 12 at 5570 White Eagle Boulevard and the lower school serves kindergarten through fifth grade at 5550 White Eagle Boulevard in Bradenton, FL. It is part of the Charter Schools USA family of schools and abides by its Mission: a relentless commitment to student greatness in school and in life; its values of purpose, passion, integrity, and grit; and its promise: Strong Minds, Good Hearts.
Applications for Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy Upper School are currently being accepted online at http://www.highschool.lakewoodranch-prep.org. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (941) 538-7235.
