Prestigious school and low gpa vs. mediocre school and high gpa?

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I was hoping you guys could help me with this ordeal. I am trying to pick a university in which I can do premed and get into some really good medical schools (i.e: UCLA,Northwestern, University of Michigan, maybe some IVY leagues if I can).

I am from Michigan and I have been accepted to Wayne State University with a full scholarship but I have also been accepted into the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor which is very prestigious (in the top ten for med schools). I am sure that I will have a 3.3-3.5 gpa at u of M (or even lower) because it is a very competitive school. On the other hand I think I can manage a 3.8(maybe higher) at Wayne State's honors college. Both are Carnegie Mellon Top Tier research institutions.However, at Michigan you can start research from freshman year but at Wayne they say from sophomore/junior year. Being honest I think I can outshine the other students at Wayne but not the ones from U of M.

I know some who have done premed at Michigan and haven't been able to get into medical school. Wayne State has its own medical school (3.6 avg gpa) and many of its premeds get into. SO the question is....is going to a prestigious school and getting a lower gpa better than going to a mediocre school and getting a high gpa in order to get to a good medical school?
they say a 4.0 at Wayne can not even compare to a 3.5 in Michigan. I don't know how true that is though.
THANKS FOR HELPING.

Originally Posted by sakhtarmi

I am from Michigan and I have been accepted to Wayne State University with a full scholarship but I have also been accepted into the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor which is very prestigious (in the top ten for med schools). I am sure that I will have a 3.3-3.5 gpa at u of M (or even lower) because it is a very competitive school. On the other hand I think I can manage a 3.8(maybe higher) at Wayne State's honors college. Both are Carnegie Mellon Top Tier research institutions.However, at Michigan you can start research from freshman year but at Wayne they say from sophomore/junior year. Being honest I think I can outshine the other students at Wayne but not the ones from U of M.

I know some who have done premed at Michigan and haven't been able to get into medical school. Wayne State has its own medical school (3.6 avg gpa) and many of its premeds get into. SO the question is....is going to a prestigious school and getting a lower gpa better than going to a mediocre school and getting a high gpa in order to get to a good medical school?
they say a 4.0 at Wayne can not even compare to a 3.5 in Michigan. I don't know how true that is though.

1. Free Money. Take it. You said full scholarship? haha game over on the first bullet point.

2. You already think you can get the GPA you actually need at Wayne while you doubt you can get a good one at Ann Arbor... confidence is key. Advantage Wayne.

3. Wayne has it's own medical school, that actually takes it's students unlike Ann Arbor lol.

4. Who are "they"? Why don't you let "them" go get their GPA from Ann Arbor that is subpar, and why don't you go get your 3.8~ that makes it so you can apply and have a chance at a wide swath of US MD schools. Screw whoever "they" are.


Think Big fish in a small pond. That is all.

This thread is way......something. Wayne State. Whoever "they" is is wrong. A 3.8 at Michigan may look better than a 3.8 at Wayne, but a 3.8 vs. 3.5, no way. 3.8 will win every time.

Doubly so if the 3.8 comes with no debt.

Originally Posted by FrkyBgStok

This thread is way......something. Wayne State. Whoever "they" is is wrong. A 3.8 at Michigan may look better than a 3.8 at Wayne, but a 3.8 vs. 3.5, no way. 3.8 will win every time.

It's also pretty retarded to assume you can get a 3.8 at wayne just because some think it's less prestigious.

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I was just estimating a 3.8 with what my friends are getting there.

I concur strongly with the thread

Any weight given to the "prestige" factor of a school by an adcom is minor, it at all, and it pales in comparison to the weight give GPA and MCAT, no matter the school, no matter the major.

as the OP already understood, a more prestigious school has far more competition for grades and often a less friendly atmosphere among classmates. Going to a school will leave you in little debt and likes their own students for their own med school is simply icing on the cake

I really appreciate all your help.
what do you think about going to university of Michigan-Dearborn (full ride and significantly smaller classes) and then transferring to U of M- Ann Arbor (most probably no scholarship)?
I feel like this might help keep my gpa afloat and give me the "name brand" and experience at Michigan- which i have to say (no matter where i go) is pretty amazing.
it's not too hard to transfer with a good gpa and looking at my friends stats i think i will be fine.

Originally Posted by sakhtarmi

I really appreciate all your help.
what do you think about going to university of Michigan-Dearborn (full ride and significantly smaller classes) and then transferring to U of M- Ann Arbor (most probably no scholarship)?
I feel like this might help keep my gpa afloat and give me the "name brand" and experience at Michigan- which i have to say (no matter where i go) is pretty amazing.
it's not too hard to transfer with a good gpa and looking at my friends stats i think i will be fine.

Most of your premed friends will not get into medical school. Don't use them as a barometer of your own potential

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Originally Posted by sakhtarmi

I really appreciate all your help.
what do you think about going to university of Michigan-Dearborn (full ride and significantly smaller classes) and then transferring to U of M- Ann Arbor (most probably no scholarship)?
I feel like this might help keep my gpa afloat and give me the "name brand" and experience at Michigan- which i have to say (no matter where i go) is pretty amazing.
it's not too hard to transfer with a good gpa and looking at my friends stats i think i will be fine.

name brand is really not much of a help (store brand is really as good). And you run the serious risk of transferring then getting a downward trend in your GPA.....

Go to the school that best fits your needs in terms of majors, costs, scholarship and how much you like being there. Dont go to a school solely based onthe incorrect perception that the name alone will improve your chances in getting into medical school. Four years from now, you may have a completely different view of what you want to do.

While I am on the subject, dont major in biology under the perception that is the "correct" major for premed. Go to school, major in what you both like and what you find yourself doing in your life. Take the prereq courses as well but you can major in anything. Across all majors, GPA and MCAT scores are what matter

'nuf said

thanks guys, i am picking wayne state

the entire gpa thing comes down to your number. Even the classes you take have only a minor impact on adcoms, going by what is said around here. Cupcake majors + high gpa >>>>>> tough majors + low gpa.

Glad you're picking Wayne State with the full scholarship!! You will thank yourself for not being haunted by college loans when it's time for med school...or just life in general.

Congrats!!

yea i had to learn this the hard way.. i went to a "prestigious" school and did not do so well (~3.0 GPA) and when i applied to my state med school, i was competing against kids who went to the state universities and received 3.7-4.0 GPAs.. 3.0 will never compare to a 3.7 regardless of where you got it.. the MCAT can only do so much to even it out..

i could be overgeneralizing this, but when it comes to people wanting to pursue their education past undergrad (in any field), i think its always better to go to the "easier" university and do outstanding there.. in the end, it only matters what you school/residency you end up at..

Originally Posted by GOMPLAYER

yea i had to learn this the hard way.. i went to a "prestigious" school and did not do so well (~3.0 GPA) and when i applied to my state med school, i was competing against kids who went to the state universities and received 3.7-4.0 GPAs.. 3.0 will never compare to a 3.7 regardless of where you got it.. the MCAT can only do so much to even it out..

i could be overgeneralizing this, but when it comes to people wanting to pursue their education past undergrad (in any field), i think its always better to go to the "easier" university and do outstanding there.. in the end, it only matters what you school/residency you end up at..

The question is, does this apply to medical school and residency as well?