Does it matter where I go for undergrad Pre-Med???

[aardvark14]

I would recommend prestigious liberal arts if possible. They have grade inflation and prestige. And yes, it matters a lot where you go. I know this because I looked in the book that all pre-med advisors get that thoroughly outlines selection criteria at each school. Undergraduate institution can be factored in to the process as highly as 20-30 percent of whether or not they take you. I went to one of these liberal arts colleges, and I can tell you that people with 3.3-3.5 GPA's routinely get into top 50 schools.

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[Timmythemic22]

wow really? I think differently...

I agree that the most important factors in getting into medical school are your GPA, extra curriculars, MCAT, letters, etc....however I feel that if you were to mess up in any of these areas, ONLY if you went to a reputable undergrad will any medical school (maybe top 50 of them I should say) look at your application.

In other words it matters a lot what undergrad you go to...unless you anticipate to be a perfect pre-med applicant (i.e. <3.9 GPA, <36 MCAT, incredible EC's and accommodations, or else maybe save the world, or save some African tribe from syphilis, or be the rubix cube champion, or save dying children from a flipped over school bus with your bare hands in the snow while walking 10 miles barefooted uphill both ways ...)

In essence, if you go to a great undergrad school, you are more likely to get accepted with mediocre undergrad stats. If you're willing to take the risk (or have to take the risk) by attending a lesser known undergrad school, then get all A's, study for the MCAT, and be smart...no pressure

Whoah there, friend. I'm SURE you weren't trying to provoke responses with such strong words as those, huh? I went to a liberal arts school in northern NJ, known only for it's art and music programs, and housing about 1700 students (including grad and theological schools). While no slouch in its academics, I would hardly call it a school of high regard by medical education standards, and yet here I am, ready to matriculate next year.

I'm sure you realize how fragile everyone's ego is right now. Making groundless statements such as this is simply unorginal trolling. Provide references or just please be nice from now on, junior.

 

[MahlerROCKS]

I would recommend prestigious liberal arts if possible. They have grade inflation

Not all of them do: Swarthmore and Reed, amongst others, standout as being otherwise

 

[amathew]

If you want to go to one of the "top tier" med schools, then yes, your undergrad university may matter. What is more important, however, are the grades and extracurriculars you can accumulate while in undergrad. So, forget about which university looks the best to medical schools and go to the one where you'll be most successful. Many physicians recieved good educations at community colleges and third-tier universities. And, who even knows if you'll still want to be a physician in 2 or 3 years, so just go someplace you like!

i agree. i know personally a lot of my fellow classmates from Penn undergrad, who applied to Penn Med and I felt deserved to get in, but were rejected for god knows what reason, cuz it sure couldn't have been grades. Kinda makes you hate the process of studying your butt off in highschool to get into a prestigious school, just to get your hardworking butt kicked and rejected by med schools.

And for those who think Ivy leagues are all about grade inflation, I can vouch for the fact that they are never helpful. At Penn, grades follow a bell curve in SOME classes, and it depends on your class size and the percentile the professor believes should receive A's that determines whether or not you would do well. Its not as easy as people would assume it to be.

 

[PinkLilly1]

I would recommend prestigious liberal arts if possible. They have grade inflation and prestige. And yes, it matters a lot where you go. I know this because I looked in the book that all pre-med advisors get that thoroughly outlines selection criteria at each school. Undergraduate institution can be factored in to the process as highly as 20-30 percent of whether or not they take you. I went to one of these liberal arts colleges, and I can tell you that people with 3.3-3.5 GPA's routinely get into top 50 schools.

What book is this? And where can we get it?

 

[naturefreak525]

Well, the University of Chicago is a rather tough liberal arts college and it's known for its grade deflation.
Do you think it's okay if I go to Indiana University-Bloomington for undergrad if I want to go to a top 30 medical school?