how much does the university you go to matter?

[SFE89]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I started my pre-meds at a community college (not a good idea, I know 🙁 ) but I'm transferring after this semester ends. I've only done Bio 1 and lab and Chem 1 and lab in CC so I don't think it's a huge deal (I hope not at least). The only two universities I'm considering are University of Houston Main campus and University of Houston-Downtown. Both are public universities but UH main is way bigger than UH-downtown. I really want to go to UH downtown, reasons are: 1.it is cheaper than Main and classes are smaller. 2. labs in UH main get full in one day. 3. UH downtown has much more night classes than Main and I work during the day. I'm just wondering if the fact that UH Downtown admits basically everyone (open admission) and is considered not as good as Main would make medical schools not take me seriously. I wouldn't want to go there if it would look bad on my application. what do you guys think? Is the fact that UH downtown has an open admission policy ruin my chances of getting into medical school?

 

[aSagacious]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=369789

 

[Bro Dude]

 

[wanderer]

It matters though everyone on here will tell you it doesn't.

 

[varsityblue]

It matters though everyone on here will tell you it doesn't.

Well, it matters insofar as you let it matter. If a student goes to an unknown LAC, he/she is probably going to have to work significantly harder than another student going to a better-known university. Specifically:
1) The quality of premedical, career, and general advising resources will differ greatly between different tiers of colleges. This will translate in a student not having a committee letter and instead having to go at the process alone with the help of the nice folks on SDN.
2) The drive and overall motivation of peers will also differ greatly. A premed student at Tier 5 Podunk State will have to actively seek likeminded peers also determined to attend medical school. If said premed student attended Well Known and Competitive Private School, he/she wouldn't have to look very far for peers on the same wavelength in whatever major. It's hard to attend a school where you're the best that they have because then you don't have any competition and won't be forced to up your game. E.g., I really regret transferring to the school I'm at now because I sometimes feel that my peers lag far behind me; I constantly look to my colleagues at other schools to stay on top of my competition for fellowships, awards, and such.
3) Shooting yourself in the foot will hurt you later as prestige matters quite a bit in the residency match process. E.g., I firmly believe that my uncle got a cardiology residency at the Cleveland Clinic solely because he attended Cornell and Michigan Med; his Step 1 scores were terrible (like 220s) and he didn't even make Honors in his rounds or whatever. Obviously, people can rise "up" from their undergrad by doing amazing things and trying to become more competitive than their colleagues at HYPMS. In general, though, CC wisdom holds true: study hard and go to the best school that you get into.

 

[aSagacious]

I firmly believe that my uncle got a cardiology residency at the Cleveland Clinic solely because he attended Cornell and Michigan Med; his Step 1 scores were terrible (like 220s) and he didn't even make Honors in his rounds or whatever.

Or, more likely, he shined during his internal medicine residency and impressed the program director (or other powers-that-be) for an in-house cardiology fellowship.

 

[A7X]

This question has been answered a bunch of times.

 

[SFE89]

I forgot to mention that UH downtown has an open admition policy, I think that makes the question a bit different than the other questions about how much the college you go to matter.

 

[kpcrew]

open...admition...

 

[octupus]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=781767

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=10391720&postcount=26

 

[MinitorV]

Little to none. If you go to a school that isn't as well known your MCAT just becomes even more important. Just make sure its not a CC or something really crappy.

I go to a small school and none of my interviews knew it existed. I did well in the cycle getting 2 MD interviews and more DO interviews than I could count with a 28Q and 3.7. Accepted at 1 MD, on hold at 1, and accepted to all the DO's.

The rest of those in my class were also very well received at all the schools they applied to and one was even accepted at many higher tiered schools just as WashU, Case Western, Michigan, ect. I think out of the 7 of us that applied 5 got in with out any issue and the two who didn't had a very low MCAT and didn't actually expect to get accepted.

 

[SFE89]

Admission...jeez. Thanks Wanderer, Varsityblue, and MinitorV for actually answering.

 

[popopopop]

Admission...jeez. Thanks Wanderer, Varsityblue, and MinitorV for actually answering.

What a coincedence, I'm considering the two uni for this fall and had this question on my mind. Although classes are smaller in downtown, I'm a bit worried about them not having the advising and support I need and frankly, the quality of teachers. I think main campus has overall a better overall learning environment, while downtown will feel like a commuter school. Smaller classes doesn't guarantee me the classes I want to take will be available either. I know for sure there are more organizations available in main campus for pre-meds, which offers ochem help, MCAT prep, volunteering opportunities, and better letter of recs.

The only benefit I see so far from UH Downtown so far is the $4600 difference in annual cost or $2300 a semester difference. It may go down as personal preference, but I'm really swayed towards main campus at this point. You might want to check out the March 24th open house for downtown campus and speak to American Medical Student Association and see what they say. Then I would do a walk-in adivsing for pre-med and speak to an advisor who can give you more info on the clubs and make sure you take the right classes.

I've only seen one thread on UH Downtown on studentdoctor....
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=522031

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

If you don't care about the tiers of med school and just want to get into one, then Ugrad does not matter one bit.

 

[Nymphicus]

Oh hello it's this thread again!

 

[Stumpyman]

Oh hello it's this thread again!

What's SDN without it? 😀