Do Adcoms Consider Where You Did Premed Prereqs?

[HugzMonster]

I apologize in advance if there is already a topic on this. I know that almost all med schools give an advantage to applicants who completed their pre-reqs at a 4 year over CC. Do they put more consideration into an applicant that completes the pre-reqs at a university with a top tier medical program?

Ex. Premed @ The Ohio State University with 3.5 GPA > Miami of Ohio with 3.8 GPA?

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[apgar]

I would consider those two undergraduate institutions to be very comparable. Even though OSU has a very strong medical program, medical prerequisites are not going to be taught out of the medical school. I would say that OSU students would have the advantage of having such a nice facility nearby (more opportunities for shadowing/volunteering), but specifically for grades, no. The general consensus regarding grades is that medical schools do not really take your undergraduate institution into account to make up for lower grades (not that a 3.5 is low by any means).

Hope it helps!

 

[Twiigg]

I apologize in advance if there is already a topic on this.

So many. And it almost always turns into a heated discussion.

I know that almost all med schools give an advantage to applicants who completed their pre-reqs at a 4 year over CC.

Taking every single prereq at your CC over summer break will put your premedical course competencies into question, but taking one prereq class at a CC will by no means kill an application. If possible, take the prereq at your 4-year university.

Do they put more consideration into an applicant that completes the pre-reqs at a university with a top tier medical program?

I don't think anyone will try and tell you a 3.9 an ivy league school is the same as a 3.9+ at your public state school. That said, what you get out of your education is what you put into it, and this is also where the MCAT comes into play. Don't worry about your undergraduate school's rank. Do well in your classes, learn, and ace the MCAT. (And IMHO, a 3.8 at X university will beat a 3.1 at Harvard any day in the eyes of an adcom).

Use the search feature! It will save you time.

 

[littlealex]

I think where you graduate from matters more than where you take your prereqs from. I would not travel to another school to take your prereqs if that is what you're considering.

 

[LizzyM]

Why do you ask?

Both schools are in the same ball park ranking-wise and the pre-meds that come out of the schools are very similar on average in MCAT and gpa. A 3.8 from one will always beat a 3.5 from the other.

A university with a med school does not outrank a school without a med school: e.g. Princeton might be considered superior to SUNY- Stony Brook for undergrad preparation.

 

[Raryn]

...and the pre-meds that come out of the schools are very similar on average in MCAT and gpa. A 3.8 from one will always beat a 3.5 from the other.

I'm wondering, do you Adcoms get some kind of numbers that say what the average MCAT and GPA from any given undergraduate institution is? I've never seen anything along those lines.

 

[njbmd]

I apologize in advance if there is already a topic on this. I know that almost all med schools give an advantage to applicants who completed their pre-reqs at a 4 year over CC. Do they put more consideration into an applicant that completes the pre-reqs at a university with a top tier medical program?

Ex. Premed @ The Ohio State University with 3.5 GPA > Miami of Ohio with 3.8 GPA?

At my two medical schools, we are more concerned about the total performance uGPA and MCAT versus where the applicant actually attended school. A high uGPA with low MCAT suggests grade inflation or poor study habits but where that uGPA was obtained is not much in question.

We look for balanced achievement in academics, extracurriculars and ability to communicate about said experiences before medical school (LORs, PS). It's really the entire package. High MCAT does not offset low uGPA even if it's from a prestigious university. If an applicant rolls in with pre-med pre-reqs at a CC with an MCAT of 36 or above and a uGPA of 3.8 or above, they are going to get some major attention if the rest of the package is OK.

 

[LizzyM]

I'm wondering, do you Adcoms get some kind of numbers that say what the average MCAT and GPA from any given undergraduate institution is? I've never seen anything along those lines.

AMCAS feeds us, I think.

 

[Raryn]

AMCAS feeds us, I think.

Are you allowed to share that info? Just curious what the #s would be for my own undergraduate institution.

 

[LizzyM]

Are you allowed to share that info? Just curious what the #s would be for my own undergraduate institution.

I'm not sure it is public information. I will say that your undergrad isn't on my list. Most of the schools on our list (schools that send a substantial number of applicants to our med school) are the top 100 USNWR research universities and top 100 LACs.

 

[Obnoxious Dad]

I'm not sure it is public information. I will say that your undergrad isn't on my list. Most of the schools on our list (schools that send a substantial number of applicants to our med school) are the top 100 USNWR research universities and top 100 LACs.

Lizzy,

Are you familiar with the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctorates in Science & Engineering? The NSF calculates the percentage of graduates from each college in the US who earn doctorates in science and engineering and then ranks and publishes the top 50. Schools like Grinnell, Carlton and Kalamazoo rank in the top 50 while the undergraduate colleges at University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin do not. Are your colleagues at other adcoms familiar with this survey? Here's the link:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/

 

[Brodiewankenobi]

To the OP. Are there certain courses that you are trying to avoid at your UG institution? For instance, you do all of you premed requirements at your UG, except the 2 semesters of physics. If so, that may raise some criticisms, especially if you do not score well in those sections of the MCAT. Can't imagine it would look to good to get two As at a CC, then score 6 or 7 on PS section of the MCAT.

 

[LizzyM]

Lizzy,

Are you familiar with the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctorates in Science & Engineering? The NSF calculates the percentage of graduates from each college in the US who earn doctorates in science and engineering and then ranks and publishes the top 50. Schools like Grinnell, Carlton and Kalamazoo rank in the top 50 while the undergraduate colleges at University of Michigan and University of Wisconsin do not. Are your colleagues at other adcoms familiar with this survey? Here's the link:
http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/infbrief/nsf08311/

I had not heard of this but the schools featured are all on our list, IIRC. Many of those are considered top 50 liberal arts colleges (LACs).