Help! Please define "top tier"

[curiouslygeorge]

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For the sake of those who have been encouraged to have a variety of schools on their list, what actually is meant by top/mid/lower tier? Does this refer to the USNews rankings only? If so, where do you draw the lines to balance your list? Thank you.

 

[Rzarecta]

For the sake of those who have been encouraged to have a variety of schools on their list, what actually is meant by top/mid/lower tier? Does this refer to the USNews rankings only? If so, where do you draw the lines to balance your list? Thank you.

Many people use the USNews research ranking in order to determine what they think constitutes a top tier school. I think for your list, you would be better off choosing in terms of location and GPA/MCAT ranges. For example, most of the schools you apply to should be within your number ranges and located in places you could live in (cities if you are a city person, rural if not, etc). Then, apply to a few schools which have average GPA/MCATs that are byond/slightly more competitive with your numbers. And in turn, apply to a few schools where your numbers may be higher than their averages.

It is hard to give general advice, so let me ask you a few questions. How many schools are you thinking of applying to, and what are your approximate stats? Because there are stellar applicants with numbers above every school average, as well as those with numbers below average.

 

[dr.z]

If you have pre-med advisor at your school, they can assist you on that as well. They get their own books as advisors, and they can suggest schools to you.

 

[Zephyrus]

Med School is a different animal than college, law, business, education, graduate admissions. In college (arguably), where you go is relatively important. In law (definitely), where you go is crucial. For the others, most applicants tend to pursue schools with particuarly strong departments in their field before considering "overall" rank.

But in Medical School, the overarching goal is to get in, period. So there's been much less fanfare and bickering over which school falls into which "tier." It's also more difficult to hierarchically organize medical schools because all of them are subject to rigorous standards for accreditation and must produce competent, able physicians.

With that said--I think going to a "top 10" is widely regarded as a big deal, and after that going to a Ranked school is admired, and after that getting in ANYWHERE is an accomplishment. So if you're looking for "tiers," I would venture to say that the three are Top 10, USNEWS Ranked, and Everywhere else. At the top end there seems to be an inordinate amount of positive publicity for Harvard and Johns Hopkins (though the quality of education offered there is debatably no better than many, many other schools), and at the bottom end you might want to do some research on schools which are having trouble with accreditation and/or finances.

If you're looking for a good balance in your choice of applications, buy MSAR and use the GPA/MCAT as an index. Put most at or slightly above your stats, a few below, and a few above.

Z