Does Undergrad matter ?

[TxMed55]

I recently asked if going to a top state school matters for medical admissions. I have gotten no many times but recently someone on my schools reddit asked if going to a top state school in texas mattered for graduate programs but so many answered yes despite me saying no. Im just trying to get a better understanding. My state school is definitely a lot harder than other state schools in my state was curious if a 3.7 gpa would look better than a 3.7 at a lower ranked school, etc

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[GoSpursGo]

Yes, it looks better if you're coming from a more highly regarded school. It is not as important as the actual GPA, your MCAT, and other important aspects of your app like clinical experience. Think of it as a tiebreaker.

 

[PuzzlesMD]

I recently asked if going to a top state school matters for medical admissions. I have gotten no many times but recently someone on my schools reddit asked if going to a top state school in texas mattered for graduate programs but so many answered yes despite me saying no. Im just trying to get a better understanding. My state school is definitely a lot harder than other state schools in my state was curious if a 3.7 gpa would look better than a 3.7 at a lower ranked school, etc

Oftentimes these "no" answers are coming from a biased source. No one likes to think the students at elite people have an edge, but for better or worse, the name does carry weight in the admissions process beyond the "oh it only makes a difference because they have better resources/opportunities."

GPA and MCAT are still king tho.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

The question is that it matters but not in the way you might think. Usually the reputation of your school is built on how well students from your school did in previous years. It helps us dictate where we should recruit.

Many schools redact your university information on screening. So the advice you got is correct.

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

I turned down a t30 for a t330! Join the club friend!!! 😃

I am slightly dismayed though at potentially missing some networking opportunities since they had schools and hospitals attached =/

 

[TxMed55]

The question is that it matters but not in the way you might think. Usually the reputation of your school is built on how well students from your school did in previous years. It helps us dictate where we should recruit.

Many schools redact your university information on screening. So the advice you got is correct.

okay so although I dont go to the most prestigious university I do go to a top state school (UT Austin) that will still be factored in ? just feels like if it didn't really matter why did I decide to come to a better school where the courses are significantly harder than at other schools.

 

[TxMed55]

All the above answers are correct of course (I always feel weird jumping in with physicians, premed advisors as an M1 here but here goes). Something Americans often forget to think about is the crushing student debt that can come with going to top schools. I know an FM resident who is over $600,000 in the hole from college and then med school, both fancy places.

Also, my classmates who went to ivies seem a lot more familiar with research etc than I am. I didn't have very many opportunities for doing meaningful research at my rinky dinky state undergrad. But I could pay my way through college! no way that was happening at a Vanderbilt or Harvard or etc.

At this stage it's hard to know what you want for a career- if you see yourself as a surgeon it isn't as much of an issue. If you're a bleeding heart primary care person like me, whatever you will gain at that top institution (for either college or medical school) is almost certainly not worth what you will borrow to get it.

But if you have the GI bill, or if you get a 95% scholarship to Harvard, by all means go for it! Or If you want to fork over the extra cash go ahead. Just please don't be like some doctors/med students who don't think about loans at all and then borrow over $400 grand to do peds.

Hey there Fluidity were loans a big part of your decision? Just curious. I was in a similar situation med school wise, and finances were a decent part of my decision.

okay I get what you mean I turned down top 15 schools out of undergrad due to not knowing how the environment at these schools were because it was mid covid. I decided to go to the best state school in my state because it was the cheapest and I loved the culture (UT Austin) but ofc it still is a very challenging school and hearing from others on the pre-med sub reddit page that it doesn't matter where we go to school kinda discouraged be because I could have a 4.0 at another school so I decided to come here and ask. thank you!

 

[Mr.Smile12]

okay so although I dont go to the most prestigious university I do go to a top state school (UT Austin) that will still be factored in ? just feels like if it didn't really matter why did I decide to come to a better school where the courses are significantly harder than at other schools.

In the more subjective areas where the name if your school matters, probably. I mean just introducing yourself to an interviewer as being "TxMed55 graduate from UTAustin" is probably going to help a little compared to "TxMed55 graduate from Texas Baptist College"... nothing against those who go there. (I think one of my relatives attended there).

That said, do the round robin candidate introductions and listen to the schools represented. You can't help but think sometimes that school reputation matters. I assure you that there are parts of the process where it doesn't matter, but the rigor and preparation still come through. Your education is not just about your GPA, but also the resources you accessed (writing center, career services, connections to academic health centers, research facilities, professors and mentors for LORs whose institution names cannot be blinded so easily...). Imagine what resources you have being premed with a 4.0 at Texas Baptist... how strong would your application be (even with a 520 MCAT)?

And don't put so much weight on reddit advice. Totally agree with any decision to keep debt low as possible.

 

[senecca]

The question is that it matters but not in the way you might think. Usually the reputation of your school is built on how well students from your school did in previous years. It helps us dictate where we should recruit.

Many schools redact your university information on screening. So the advice you got is correct.

Is there any difference between well known public universities like University of Pittsburgh, Maryland, Ohio state, UNC etc and the top 20? Thank you

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

Hey there Fluidity were loans a big part of your decision? Just curious. I was in a similar situation med school wise, and finances were a decent part of my decision.

UVA is a public uni and actually had better financial aid.

There were other reasons but I was also just kind of psyched out. I've been out of school for 7 years and I'm a CC graduate and never went to high school so finding somewhere that felt more non trad friendly felt like it would be a better fit for me.

Also there were some issues transferring classes as well.

 

[obiwan]

okay so although I dont go to the most prestigious university I do go to a top state school (UT Austin) that will still be factored in ? just feels like if it didn't really matter why did I decide to come to a better school where the courses are significantly harder than at other schools.

This is data from AAMC for 2022 listing colleges that produced the most matriculants

https://www.aamc.org/media/9636/download?attachment

Top 15
UCLA 1195
UT Austin 993 \m/_
University of Florida 860
University of Michigan 824
UC Berkeley 735
UCSD 646
University of Georgia 591
Texas A&M 579
UNC 541
The Ohio State Univ 522
UVA 511
University of Wisconsin 510
Johns Hopkins 506
UC Davis 481
University of Washington 464

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Yes interviews at top schools are filled with ivy leaguers

 

[PuzzlesMD]

This is data from AAMC for 2022 listing colleges that produced the most matriculants

https://www.aamc.org/media/9636/download?attachment

this reminds me of r/PeopleLiveInCities

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Is there any difference between well known public universities like University of Pittsburgh, Maryland, Ohio state, UNC etc and the top 20? Thank you

Yes

 

[Angler]

This is data from AAMC for 2022 listing colleges that produced the most matriculants

https://www.aamc.org/media/9636/download?attachment

Top 15
UCLA 1195
UT Austin 993 \m/_
University of Florida 860
University of Michigan 824
UC Berkeley 735
UCSD 646
University of Georgia 591
Texas A&M 579
UNC 541
The Ohio State Univ 522
UVA 511
University of Wisconsin 510
Johns Hopkins 506
UC Davis 481
University of Washington 464

These numbers don't pass the sniff test. They're way too high to be matriculants. It's the number of applicants from the undergraduate institution.