A Bit Worried

[UpQuark]

Hi all,

I am new to SDN so I apologize in advance if I am posting a very commonly asked question in regards to my undergrad institution.

I am currently a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, holding out on a 3.94 GPA and have done about 50 hours of clinical volunteering at a hospital last year. I recently started working in a research lab.

I've been browsing these forums for about a day or so and I've been having mixed feelings about my chances in getting into top 20 medical schools because of the name of my university. I hear, and have seen, that the majority of students attending these Top-20 schools are from highly ranked undergraduate universities with good reputations. UC may not be as recognized, but I do feel that the university is doing a terrific job in improving its academics (and recently our football team, go bearcats!). Moreover, I chose UC because of the many opportunities that I noticed the school had to offer particularly in undergraduate research (UC has been ranked as a Top 20 public research university) - all it took was one email and I was given a position in a research lab at UC College of medicine. Volunteering was no big deal as I already have a position at University Hospital, and again, it was easy to get. Moreover, I have met some amazing professors which have made my experience enjoyable.

So the positives of University of Cincinnati are there, but I feel I could have done better and gone to Ohio State, where premed would be undoubtedly tougher due to the level of academics and competition for research and volunteer opportunities. Should I consider a transfer to a better undergrad institution such as Ohio State or Case Western Reserve University or will my lesser known University of Cincinnati counterpart suffice to get me into a TOP medical school considering I keep a 3.90+ GPA and get a 34+ on my MCAT? I just can't see myself going to a mid and low tier medical school especially if I manage the same GPA and MCAT as a comparable Ivy-Leager who gets into a top tier school.

Also, if anybody wouldn't mind, can you rate the University of Cincinnati undergrad wise (really good med school in my opinion) - have you heard of it? good, bad, ugly?

This Up Quark doesn't want to turn into a Down Quark

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[Stewie32]

Hi all,

I am new to SDN so I apologize in advance if I am posting a very commonly asked question in regards to my undergrad institution.

I am currently a sophomore at the University of Cincinnati, holding out on a 3.94 GPA and have done about 50 hours of clinical volunteering at a hospital last year. I recently started working in a research lab.

I've been browsing these forums for about a day or so and I've been having mixed feelings about my chances in getting into top 20 medical schools because of the name of my university. I hear, and have seen, that the majority of students attending these Top-20 schools are from highly ranked undergraduate universities with good reputations. UC may not be as recognized, but I do feel that the university is doing a terrific job in improving its academics (and recently our football team, go bearcats!). Moreover, I chose UC because of the many opportunities that I noticed the school had to offer particularly in undergraduate research (UC has been ranked as a Top 20 public research university) - all it took was one email and I was given a position in a research lab at UC College of medicine. Volunteering was no big deal as I already have a position at University Hospital, and again, it was easy to get. Moreover, I have met some amazing professors which have made my experience enjoyable.

So the positives of University of Cincinnati are there, but I feel I could have done better and gone to Ohio State, where premed would be undoubtedly tougher due to the level of academics and competition for research and volunteer opportunities. Should I consider a transfer to a better undergrad institution such as Ohio State or Case Western Reserve University or will my lesser known University of Cincinnati counterpart suffice to get me into a TOP medical school considering I keep a 3.90+ GPA and get a 34+ on my MCAT? I just can't see myself going to a mid and low tier medical school especially if I manage the same GPA and MCAT as a comparable Ivy-Leager who gets into a top tier school.

Also, if anybody wouldn't mind, can you rate the University of Cincinnati undergrad wise (really good med school in my opinion) - have you heard of it? good, bad, ugly?

This Up Quark doesn't want to turn into a Down Quark

I believe that the general consensus here is that prestige doesn't really matter. You're doing great in classes, you're volunteering, you're getting research, you're spending a fair amount of time in a clinical setting, etc. You will want to start shadowing some doctors and demonstrate leadership. Honestly, you have a great start already; I would use the search function to look up more of the "must do's" for medical school, but you're pretty much on track.

UC seems to be a great fit for you; you shouldn't be worrying that it's not an Ivy League school.

 

[Barcu]

I believe that the general consensus here is that prestige doesn't really matter. You're doing great in classes, you're volunteering, you're getting research, you're spending a fair amount of time in a clinical setting, etc. You will want to start shadowing some doctors and demonstrate leadership. Honestly, you have a great start already; I would use the search function to look up more of the "must do's" for medical school, but you're pretty much on track.

UC seems to be a great fit for you; you shouldn't be worrying that it's not an Ivy League school.

This is a good answer. Continue with your EC's, make connections for LORs, keep up the gpa, and rock the MCAT (which may need to be more mid-upper 30s if you really want to feel good about your chances).

Your school will not hold you back if you make yourself a good applicant.

 

[Gloves]

does prestige really not matter? Damn I feel bad for my friend who's dropping an extra 30k a year to attend Cornell

 

[Prof Chaos]

Keep up your grades, ECs and do well on the MCAT and you'll be just as qualified on paper as anyone out there for any school you want. The difference will be how you come across as a person in your personal statement and interviews. Is the adcom convinced, by your demonstration of discipline, maturity and compassion, that you will not only be highly successful at their school but that you also fit their "mission"? When if comes to the most competitive schools, there will be students with even better stats than yours who will NOT be accepted, as well as students with stats much lower who WILL be accepted for a variety of reasons.

This fact is responsible for the oft-heard murmuring here that applying for med school is just a big "crap shoot" and you just have to get lucky to get in. Usually what happens is someone with a high gpa, high mcat, and solid ECs interviews at a school with lower acceptance averages than he has. He assumes he will be a natural shoe-in, and when the rejection letter comes after an interview he is terribly dismayed. What he doesn't understand is that the adcom acknowledged that he did have impressive stats, and probably would have been a good student, but there just aren't enough seats for everybody. So they interviewed him and decided that for whatever reason he did not have the special intangible they were looking for in students to admit.

Your undergrad school doesn't really matter very much at all. Just make sure you focus on developing fully into a well-rounded applicant that sticks as having something special to offer that the thousands of other applicants with similar stats do not have.

The encouraging news is that as long as you apply to a healthy number of schools, someone with your stats is very likely to be accepted somewhere, and probably to one of your top 3 choices at that.

 

[UbuntuGM]

You're going to be just fine. There's absolutely no need to worry about what undergrad you go to. Stay at UC.

 

[barcoderider]

1. Just worry about getting in first, and even when the time comes, you should concern yourself more with finding the school that's right for you, not arbitrary rankings based mostly on research.

2. Most on here will claim undergrad institution doesn't matter, but, anecdotally, most people I've met on the interview trail (at top 20 med schools) are from big name undergrads.

3. You shouldn't transfer though...too much hassle to be worth it.

4. Can't say I've heard of University of Cincinnati...no offense.

It sounds like you're doing well though, keep it up!

 

[Danlee07]

clearly you don't watch any football.....

 

[Mbeas]

UC has a pretty awesome undergrad with a fairly competitive med school. I would stick it out.

I spent some time working at this school and loved it.

 

[ssahjm]

The name recognition of your school will also vary among the places you apply/interview. If you're looking at schools in the Great Lakes area (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, etc.), you will be fine in terms of people knowing and appreciating your UC degree. If you're applying to East Coast, West Coast, etc., they may not be as familiar with your school's reputation. But you won't be hurt by that fact — like everyone else has said, you will just have to impress them with your academic career and you will be fine. GL.

 

[rhesuspieces]

Most on here will claim undergrad institution doesn't matter, but, anecdotally, most people I've met on the interview trail (at top 20 med schools) are from big name undergrads.

"Big name" undergrads tend to only accept exceptional students. Only exceptional students get med school interviews. So you probably see a lot of "big name" undergrads on the interview trail simply because there's a higher concentration of intelligent, qualified individuals at such institutions. The connecting factor here is not undergrad institution but the candidate him/herself.

Basically, if you're smart enough to have gone to an Ivy as an ugrad, you shouldn't have to worry about where you actually went. Unless you went to community college, but that's a discussion alive and well in other threads around here.

 

[Barcu]

does prestige really not matter? Damn I feel bad for my friend who's dropping an extra 30k a year to attend Cornell

If you go to an ivy and do well, you have an edge in the admissions process. If you look at the students at the top med schools, the majority probably do come from ivies. However, there are a number who come from smaller schools including state schools and lower tier privates.

gpa is gpa no matter where it's from and it's one of the first things adcoms see.

So, it is worth going to an "inferior" institution if it means a better gpa (as a general trend).

 

[Barcu]

"Big name" undergrads tend to only accept exceptional students. Only exceptional students get med school interviews. So you probably see a lot of "big name" undergrads on the interview trail simply because there's a higher concentration of intelligent, qualified individuals at such institutions. The connecting factor here is not undergrad institution but the candidate him/herself.

Basically, if you're smart enough to have gone to an Ivy as an ugrad, you shouldn't have to worry about where you actually went. Unless you went to community college, but that's a discussion alive and well in other threads around here.

Best point right here. Though, I think the prestige of the school does play a minor factor. If someone has the same MCAT, same gpa, and similar ECs, I bet the ivy grad would get the invite. However, prestige is not as big as ivy leaguers would like to think.

 

[rhesuspieces]

If someone has the same MCAT, same gpa, and similar ECs, I bet the ivy grad would get the invite.

You're probably right about this. To a certain extent I think med schools like to say "Look at all the Harvard alums we have!"

Solution: be better than everyone else. Then adcoms will have no one to compare you to.

 

[mvenus929]

I've been browsing these forums for about a day or so and I've been having mixed feelings about my chances in getting into top 20 medical schools because of the name of my university. I hear, and have seen, that the majority of students attending these Top-20 schools are from highly ranked undergraduate universities with good reputations.

No one has said it yet, so I'll say it. Don't be dead set on top-20 schools. You'll get the same degree no matter where you go, and might actually be happier at a lower ranked school. Getting into any school is hard, so don't dismiss the lower ranked schools just because they're lower ranked and you'll be more likely to actually go to medical school. That is all.

 

[UpQuark]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I just felt that I could have pushed myself further if I went to a better school as I pretty much chose to attend UC on an impulse rather than objectively looking at benefits of each school. I guess I'm starting to realize why UC is a good school for me - more opportunities to get further academically and EC wise. I doubt I'd have been better of at OSU or Case for that matter in terms of EC opportunities, and hey, what makes a Biology degree from Case Western any different from UC?

I will push myself harder to be the best and I will make sure that I achieve my goals. I'd be very happy with a Top-50 school!

Good night SDN, you will be hearing more out of me.

 

[DoctaFuture]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I just felt that I could have pushed myself further if I went to a better school as I pretty much chose to attend UC on an impulse rather than objectively looking at benefits of each school. I guess I'm starting to realize why UC is a good school for me - more opportunities to get further academically and EC wise. I doubt I'd have been better of at OSU or Case for that matter in terms of EC opportunities, and hey, what makes a Biology degree from Case Western any different from UC?

I will push myself harder to be the best and I will make sure that I achieve my goals. I'd be very happy with a Top-50 school!

Good night SDN, you will be hearing more out of me.

lol dont push yourself too hard bro. enjoy college, i wish i enjoyed it more when i was there. you have a good gpa, maintain it while balancing it w/ fun activities. go hang out w/ your friends, etc.