Can Someone define Top/Mid/Low Tier schools?

[rain4venus]

Anyway, let me clarify. Tiering matters more to poor or disadvantaged student regardless of race and URM students regardless of income (Top tier schools using USNWR and NIH Top 40) Also, top tier schools are the the primary schools that can accommodate poor students regardless of race and URMs. Why? because they have more resources. They have the funds to do elaborate pipeline programs and community outreach, they have the funds to participate in programs like MedPrep, SMDEP, Leadership Alliance etc. They also have the funds to accommodate students in the admissions process (waiving deposits and fees, revisit assistance etc.). Outside of the top tier these resources are not there so schools do not have the flexibility. Why does this matter? Because students gravitate to where the resources are. Poor and URM students are heavily recruited and accommodated by these schools and the top tier schools offer the best financial aid packages. Schools like Duke and Harvard, well most schools in the top 20 will give a poor student regardless of race anywhere from a 50% to 75% scholarship put toward the COA. This makes going to Harvard cheaper than going to the "state school" for some/its similar to how Harvard and other ivies waive COA for poor students in undergrad. So in a nutshell, the ivies have numbers of blacks approaching their representation in the population and a good group of poor and disadvantaged students. Top tiers schools matter to poor students and minorities because 1.) they can afford to recruit and develop candidates. 2.) they retain and admit the candidates they developed.

If these are your reasons, then you shouldn't be looking at tiers - you should be looking at the financial aid packages they offer you, and what opportunities you have there.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Ismet]

Please keep the discussion in this thread on topic and civil. While SDN encourages open debate and discussion, we do not tolerate attacks on individual students nor do we allow comments against any race or ethnic group. Violating these ground rules may result in thread closure and/or individual action against users.

As a reminder, the topic of the thread is school tiers.

 

[WolfofSDN]

should've said "TO WHOM are you referring"

do you want a cookie, you smart, special snowflake?

 

[FindingVeritas]

Top Tier = People come to your practice regardless of reputation and because of the school name on the door.
Middle Tier = Locals from your state come to your practice for the same reasons listed above.
Low Tier = People ask you constantly where your school is located. Alternatively they continually presume that your school doesn't have a medical school or they didn't know about it.

I live in the real world and realize exceptions exist to this rule. Still, this would be my definition.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

Top Tier = People come to your practice regardless of reputation and because of the school name on the door.
Middle Tier = Locals from your state come to your practice for the same reasons listed above.
Low Tier = People ask you constantly where your school is located. Alternatively they continually presume that your school doesn't have a medical school or they didn't know about it.

I live in the real world and realize exceptions exist to this rule. Still, this would be my definition.

What? most people have no idea where their doctors went to med school.

 

[Psai]

Top Tier = People come to your practice regardless of reputation and because of the school name on the door.
Middle Tier = Locals from your state come to your practice for the same reasons listed above.
Low Tier = People ask you constantly where your school is located. Alternatively they continually presume that your school doesn't have a medical school or they didn't know about it.

I live in the real world and realize exceptions exist to this rule. Still, this would be my definition.

I was going to my doctor before I even heard of the DO degree.

 

[DermViser]

Please stop with all of the shade and negativity. I have nothing to prove to you or anyone on this forum. I never said I was better than anyone and I never will.

Are you friends with @Anastomoses?

 

[Espadaleader]

I am not. Why do you ask? On an aside, the discussion of "tiers" always boils down to an attack on someone for "prestige whoring". If you are an individual that is interested in a career in academia, the objective criteria that comprises tiers matters. Research funding, research opportunities, clinical rotations, clinical electives etc. Not every school can offer the same opportunities.

 

[darkjedi]

Top Tier = People come to your practice regardless of reputation and because of the school name on the door.
Middle Tier = Locals from your state come to your practice for the same reasons listed above.
Low Tier = People ask you constantly where your school is located. Alternatively they continually presume that your school doesn't have a medical school or they didn't know about it.

I live in the real world and realize exceptions exist to this rule. Still, this would be my definition.

My school would probably considered midtier or low tier on these criteria haha. Tons of people outside the northeast have no idea where my school is located, and others still confuse my school with Penn State.

 

[johnlee2014]

>36/3.9 = upper tier
~33/3.7 = middle tier
<30/3.5 = lower tier

So folks who are falling below the top-tier but above the mid-tier like 36/3.7 normally have hard time determine what would be their match schools.

 

[Aerus]

>36/3.9 = upper tier
~33/3.7 = middle tier
<30/3.5 = lower tier

So folks who are falling below the top-tier but above the mid-tier like 36/3.7 normally have hard time determine what would be their match schools.

Your definition of top tier would apply to less than 10 schools. I consider top tier top 20.


Sent from The World Tree using SDN Mobile

 

[DermViser]

>36/3.9 = upper tier
~33/3.7 = middle tier
<30/3.5 = lower tier

So folks who are falling below the top-tier but above the mid-tier like 36/3.7 normally have hard time determine what would be their match schools.

Please tell me you're joking.

 

[breakintheroof]

Your definition of top tier would apply to less than 10 schools. I consider top tier top 20.

To be fair, he didn't make up this definition. He was attempting to quote a post from @darkjedi from when the thread was active.

For applicants the only value 'tiering' has is to define where your applications have the best shot. In that manner it's probably more helpful to focus on medians and stats. There's no question that there is at least some correlation to US news but undervalue schools like Mayo Clinic, which I would consider very competitive.

For rough purposes I would probably say
>36/3.9 = upper tier
~33/3.7 = middle tier
<30/3.5 = lower tier

There will be a thousand different ways to mix and match those numbers, and another reason why differentiating what is high, middle or low tier rather pointless

This thread should have ended after this post, though:

Top: Schools that accepted you
Mid: Schools that waitlisted you
Low: Schools that you did not apply to

EDIT: Also, every single one of @johnlee2014's posts is bumping a dead thread.

 

[Aerus]

To be fair, he didn't make up this definition. He was attempting to quote a post from @darkjedi from when the thread was active.



This thread should have ended after this post, though:



EDIT: Also, every single one of @johnlee2014's posts is bumping a dead thread.

Ah okay. That makes more sense since he seemingly was replying to himself.

I'm not saying that the definition is necessarily wrong; it just seems super strict to me


Sent from The World Tree using SDN Mobile

 

[user12]

this was a good thread.

 

[Baron Samedi]

When it comes to applying for residency:

Top: Schools have have nationwide name recognition
Mid: Schools that have regional name recognition
Low: No-name schools, DO schools..and even further down is carib

 

[Ace Khalifa]

When it comes to applying for residency:

Top: Schools have have nationwide name recognition
Mid: Schools that have regional name recognition
Low: No-name schools, DO schools..and even further down is carib

Makes sense. Where would UNC fall under?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Makes sense. Where would UNC fall under?

Tippity top
I wish I had a state school like UNC...

 

[mysdnhandle]

Top tier: Elevation > 5,000 feet

Mid tier: 1,000 feet < Elevation < 5,000 feet

Low tier: Elevation < 1,000 feet