Does where I go matter?

[Maali]

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I am in a CC right now doing really well as a freshman and starting to think about what schools I want to transfer to since people start applying in the end of summer-beginning fall of sophomore year for junior transferring. My main priority is a high GPA.

My question is, does it matter where I go for undergrad for medical school. I sometimes get an urge to apply or go to some top 50 college (if I get in) but then I think medical schools won't care as long as my GPA is good. The school that is most convenient as in I'll get to stay home for all 4 years and isn't far for me to commute to is Loyola UChicago. I don't mind going here but sometimes I feel like I can do better and transfer somewhere a little more up there. Anyways, does it matter where I transfer to or should I just go to school where it is most convenient for me and will keep my GPA reasonable for MD schools. Obviously I don't care what school my bachelors degrees from when I'm in med school, but will med schools care?

 

[joonage]

Short answer: No.

Long answer: Not really.

 

[chillaxbro]

Only go to Ivy League schools otherwise you will get into medical school without deserving it

 

[Ace-Co-A]

Hello again @Maali ... you didn't get your answer here?

If you do well in college, you'll be fine when it comes time to apply to medical school.

 

[Life Sucks]

Just know if you don't get into Med school, you'll become this guy. Don't become into this guy!

 

[Life Sucks]

But no seriously before I get banned, you must go to a school that offers whatever major you want to do, and prepares you for whatever career you need to get into. If you can, see if the school has a history of pre-med's getting into good med schools. But any college is fine as long as you get the grades.

 

[lazyindy]

Nope but If I had the chance to go back in time I would have chosen a school with smaller class sizes, numerous opportunities for research, and where the students felt genuinely happy before coming into this hell-hole.

 

[radkat101]

Nope but If I had the chance to go back in time I would have chosen a school with smaller class sizes, numerous opportunities for research, and where the students felt genuinely happy before coming into this hell-hole.

+1. Pick a small school with as few pre-meds as possible and minimal competition where you can do well in your classes.

 

[Goro]

No, but if you were my child, I'd like you to go to a place that has a program known for getting their grads into medical school, AND one that can give you a useful education if you decide you don't want to go to medical school.

But if you pick Philosophy or Art History as a major, you're on your own!

My question is, does it matter where I go for undergrad for medical school.
Obviously I don't care what school my bachelors degrees from when I'm in med school, but will med schools care?[/quote]

 

[Narmerguy]

It will make very little difference for you application. What matters is how well you will be able to take advantage of the opportunities at your undergraduate school. I went to a school that wasn't considered "amazing", but it was really well suited for who I was coming out of high school and the kinds of opportunities I was ready to pursue. Pick a school where you can thrive, that will provide you with the resources and opportunities to do practical but challenging things, and where you will get a good education that will form the platform for your later career (be it medical or otherwise).

 

[knv2u]

The answer is more involved than suggested. Rather than argue, look up what some admission committee members have said themselves. Posters Catalysk, LizzyM, Goro, and GynGyn come to mind, but there are others. At least one of those has opined that it does make some difference (but you still obviously need strong grades), one has said affirmatively that it does not make a difference to admission committees, another has said that it doesn't matter to him but some members of his admission committee have considered it only when an applicant is on the fence of being admitted or not (the last thing was said once compared to multiple of the others), and I'm not sure the other has opined anything at all.

My suggestion: Comb through the posts of those posters, and decide which medical schools that you are interested in. Apparently the answer depends on the type of program (e.g. top research, primary care, DO, and/or MD), among institutions, and even among members of the same admission committee! I will agree in part with the posters above that you should go to the school that you can receive good grades at and excel academically. For many, that was a top school, but keep in mind that the decision might not be the same for everyone.. A sub 3.5 from even a top school won't impress anyone. YMMV. Good luck!

 

[sbEMT33]

the school doesn't really matter, but i would stress picking a school that gives you the most volunteer/clinical/research opportunities. also tuition is an important factor

 

[sat0ri]

The name doesn't matter (unless it is HYP) but the school you get into does. As has been said, the research opportunities and clinical opportunities matter, and the research opportunities are usually at these better schools. In fact, these schools are generally considered better (or "top tier") because of these opportunities. So yes going to a school with a good name is important, but not because of the name per se, but why that school has a good name.

With that said, I went to the best state school I could after transferring, and while the research is great, everyone is a pre-med, so there's a waitlist to volunteer at just about anything within a 5mile radius of the hospital, there's a competitive edge to things (and a concomitant vacuity or contrivance about things), professors revile students because they're (*we're) LOR-seeking and noone's a PhD hopeful, and the humanities aren't as vibrant as at my CC even. It also has a massive student body which has turned going to school an ordeal commensurate with walking through a busy theme park during peak hours.

The lesson I learned--yes apply to the best school you can and hope you get accepted, it's very validating. But don't just go to the best school you can get into. Explore it, haunt the forums related to the school, understand the culture there.

Short answer: AdCom's won't care whether you come from StateU ranked 40 or 90 or 140. Pick on a different criterion.

 

[Leoz M Jiliums]

.

 

[QuinnTheEskimo]

I went to a no-name undergrad. a lot of my friends from there went to top med schools. So in my experience, no, it does not matter.