Going from Swarthmore to Elon

[UNCafDDS]

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I am a sophomore biochem major at Swarthmore. So far I have very good grades. I am having trouble getting all of the courses that are required and/or recommended for dental school. And there are so many things that I do not like about Swarthmore. I loved Elon when I toured, and they have great science facilities. I am thinking of transferring, but would would going from a highly ranked small liberal arts college to a lesser ranked college hurt me in the dental school process? Thank you for any input here.

 

[Viva Terlingua]

It doesn't matter to dental schools where applicants go for undergrad (provided it's a 4-year degree).

 

[fubit86]

I think it definitely matters where you go for your undergraduate studies, to an extent. Swarthmore is a fantastic school, and while Elon is a good school, it doesn't have near the reputation of Swarthmore (especially outside of the Southern states). From a dental school perspective, I would comfortable say Swarthmore > Elon, even if you have to take a summer class at some point. From a personal perspective, however, you should definitely consider transferring if you think Elon is going to be a better social or other fit for you, because that's ultimately the most important thing.

 

[Likkriue]

I've never heard of swarthmore or Elon. Granted I live in NY so those schools wouldn't pop up ever. I would say transfer if you want to. As long as it's a 4 year degree. I highly doubt schools are going to scrutinize one 4 year to another. Especially if it's not Ivy League, Stanford, brown MIT yada yada yada

 

[toothdoctor123]

I'm sure a biochem major at Swarthmore can take all the prereqs. You don't need to take the recommended courses...they're not so important in the admissions process. But do what makes you most happy...if you're miserable at Swarthmore, you might see a downward trend in your GPA.

One thing I will say, though, is that I know for a fact that Penn admissions drools over successful students from top liberal arts colleges. They're well aware of Swarthmore's reputation.

Especially if it's not Ivy League, Stanford, brown MIT yada yada yada

Swarthmore is highly prestigious and consistently ranked as one of the best undergraduate institutions in the country. It's particularly well-known as a feeder to humanities PhD programs.

 

[Likkriue]

I'm sure a biochem major at Swarthmore can take all the prereqs. You don't need to take the recommended courses...they're not so important in the admissions process. But do what makes you most happy...if you're miserable at Swarthmore, you might see a downward trend in your GPA.

One thing I will say, though, is that I know for a fact that Penn admissions drools over successful students from top liberal arts colleges. They're well aware of Swarthmore's reputation.



Swarthmore is highly prestigious and consistently ranked as one of the best undergraduate institutions in the country. It's particularly well-known as a feeder to humanities PhD programs.

I stand corrected.

Just took a trip and looked up top liberal arts colleges on Google and recognized none of them haha.

I still think maintaining your happiness and a better gpa is far better than the name.

 

[Scumbag_Steve]

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[Scumbag_Steve]

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[toothdoctor123]

No, it won't hurt you. It will definitely hurt less than not being able to have the pre-req schedule that works for you, which from what you said sounds like it won't happen at Swarthmore. I wouldn't worry about it at all. If you continue to do well, nobody will bat an eye. You can explain yourself honestly in interviews and nobody will knock you for it. Best of luck!

Read Scumbag Steve's guide before you apply in a few years. All the posts I've seen lately sadden me because they're evidence of people asking questions that could easily be answered by reading it. I may be a little biased, but I think there's some valuable information in there!

Most importantly have fun in undergrad, especially so early.

I agree with that too. One thing I'll add though: while graduating from a lower-ranked/no-name school won't hurt your application, going to a prestigious college can help you get your foot in the door at a few dental schools. The school name might catch someone's eye when they're sifting through thousands of applications. However, it doesn't do much more than that.