academic reputation

[synapse lapse]

Ok, I know the topic has been covered before, but what topic hasn't been covered. Anyhow, searched through all the threads and wanted to start a new one, I want to know how much academic reputation plays a role in admissions, and if anybody has confirmed this with people they know involved in admissions, but hear-say is fine too. Thanks...

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[idq1i]

If you know that the topic has been covered extensively, you should also know that there is no true answer to the question. Sure, a 3.5 from Nowhere U, ND is perhaps not as highly respected as a 3.5 from CU. Then again, it's common sense.

If someone claims that they know the true answer to the question, they are lying to themselves.

 

[Notzfall]

Well put. However, did you notice how many times Trump said "MBA from Harvard" when referring to Kwame? It sounds good to say it, but the outcome was Bill in control of a multi-million dollar project in Chicago.

What's important is to do well where you are. If you get a 4.0 from Nowhere U, they won't know that you couldn't have gotten a 4.0 from Harvard. But get a 3.0 from Yale, and they'll know your limitations. Get a 3.0 from Nowhere U, and they won't care what your limitations are, because you won't be going to they're school. Unless Nowhere U has a school of medicine.

idq1i, love the quote in your signature!

 

[idq1i]

What's important is to do well where you are. If you get a 4.0 from Nowhere U, they won't know that you couldn't have gotten a 4.0 from Harvard. But get a 3.0 from Yale, and they'll know your limitations. Get a 3.0 from Nowhere U, and they won't care what your limitations are, because you won't be going to their school. Unless Nowhere U has a school of medicine.

Excellent point. If this is made a sticky, it will save SDN 5% bandwidth/server space

 

[Willamette]

My guess is that the name of your school doesn't matter much. I went to a "Nowhere U" school, applied to seven schools, and was accepted at 3 top 50's (but ultimately chose a lesser ranked school for location). I didn't have a 4.0, but scored in the 30s on the MCAT, had good LORs, and interviewed well. If you're good, you'll be good wherever you go. This goes for undergrad, med school, and residency.

Willamette

 

[derf]

Ok, I know the topic has been covered before, but what topic hasn't been covered. Anyhow, searched through all the threads and wanted to start a new one, I want to know how much academic reputation plays a role in admissions, and if anybody has confirmed this with people they know involved in admissions, but hear-say is fine too. Thanks...

the answer to your question is the MCAT. period. A student from nowhere U with a 41 will beat a student out of Harvard with a 29. Make no mistake about it and if you're still in doubt, take a look at the Stanford accepted profile page and count how many nowhere u applicants they've taken. You'll be surprised. Some of those colleges I've never heard of.

 

[JohnHolmes]

Make no mistake about it and if you're still in doubt, take a look at the Stanford accepted profile page and count how many nowhere u applicants they've taken. You'll be surprised.

Counter example:

Columbia P&S

Your turn.

 

[Dr. N]

If you know that the topic has been covered extensively, you should also know that there is no true answer to the question. Sure, a 3.5 from Nowhere U, ND is perhaps not as highly respected as a 3.5 from CU. Then again, it's common sense.

If someone claims that they know the true answer to the question, they are lying to themselves.

CU? do you mean University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)?

 

[Mr. Rosewater]

it's all a continuum. if you go to a real powerhouse school than some leeway may be given to your GPA or MCAT. if you go to Nowhere U, you'll need a strong GPA and MCAT (to justify the strong gpa). Theoretically, you can try to be strong in everything that schools look for, but if you're weak in one area or another (like many of us are), than just try to make up for it in others.

 

[jedirampage]

A lot of it depends of the schools that are looking at the applications. Some schools don't consider yoiur undergraduate institution or your major, others do. Usually the schools that do also consider everything you did there. For instance, you may go to a lower "ranked" school but you may have done a more intensive major than someone who coasted through the minimum requirements at a higher "ranked" school. In general, they are looking to see that you challenged yourself, whether through the institution you chose to attend or the coursework you chose to attempt.

 

[idq1i]

CU? do you mean University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)?

Cornell U

 

[Fish3715]

What's important is to do well where you are. If you get a 4.0 from Nowhere U, they won't know that you couldn't have gotten a 4.0 from Harvard. But get a 3.0 from Yale, and they'll know your limitations. Get a 3.0 from Nowhere U, and they won't care what your limitations are, because you won't be going to they're school. Unless Nowhere U has a school of medicine.

But how does this transfer to non-4.0 GPAs (that are still excellent)? Since a 4.0 is perfect, an adcom can't assume that a Nowhere U Grad can't accomplish that elsewhere. But if the GPA is, say, a 3.8, will an adcom assume you wouldn't have gotten that at a "better" school?