is getting my undergrad degree from a Christian school an issue?

[TheKidColin13]

Hey y'all,

I am a Christian and hold my faith above everything. I have a 4.0 sGPA and a 3.69 cGPA. I will have a pre med and biopsychology degree. I have decent volunteer experience 100+ hours and a little bit of research. Does going to a Christian school affect my chances of getting into a top tier medical school, should I score around 35 on my MCATs like I have on practice tests?

Many thanks for your replies!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TxC]

No. Just get good grades.



Edit: ...and have good ECs.

 

[NoDakDok]

Does going to a Christian school affect my chances of getting into a top tier medical school

Absolutely not. In many cases, interviewers are older physicians and faculty who tend to be quite conservative. So it may actually be beneficial. Just don't come off too radical, obviously.

should I score around 35 on my MCATs like I have on practice tests?

Most of the upper tier schools have mean GPA around 3.8 and MCAT around 36. You can get in with lower, of course, but being at/above their means is highly recommended.

Most importantly, your ECs seem very underwhelming, which may limit your options significantly. But honestly, going into the process with the "I must get in a top tier school" mentality is counterproductive. No one cares about school rank as much as a premed.

 

[IlDestriero]

Are you really getting a degree in "PreMed"?
Nobody likes a radical, or a nutter as we call them, so don't get too much into the whole "faith above everything" during the interview.
PS your ECs are way below average for the most competitive schools. So much so that you should be making that a priority that you hold above (almost) everything else, or you'll have to set your sights a lower.

 

[DermViser]

No.

 

[Spinach Dip]

If a med school wants to throw your app in the trash because of your religion, that's a school you don't want to go to.

 

[TheKidColin13]

What would make me a strong canidate as far as ECs go? Can i get enough EC activity done in one school year and summer. Does the fact that I took Organic Chem and got an A over the summer matter? I took it with 6 other credits.

 

[TheKidColin13]

Are you really getting a degree in "PreMed"?

One of my majors is specifically biomedical science. Sorry I just refer to it as "premed"

 

[Goro]

Nope.

We get a number of students from BYU and they're all excellent.

Shadow multiple doctors >50 hrs
Clinical EC > 150 hr
Non-clinical ECs >150 hrs.

Church missions to convert the heathen don't count. Building fresh water wells does.

What would make me a strong canidate as far as ECs go? Can i get enough EC activity done in one school year and summer.

Can't hurt.
Does the fact that I took Organic Chem and got an A over the summer matter? I took it with 6 other credits.

Hey y'all,

I am a Christian and hold my faith above everything. I have a 4.0 sGPA and a 3.69 cGPA. I will have a pre med and biopsychology degree. I have decent volunteer experience 100+ hours and a little bit of research. Does going to a Christian school affect my chances of getting into a top tier medical school, should I score around 35 on my MCATs like I have on practice tests?

Many thanks for your replies!

 

[Narmerguy]

I recommend perusing www.mdapplicants.com and seeing some of the ECs that successful applicants have at the kinds of schools you're interested in. There's a range, and keep in mind that this is a self-selecting group that likely skews. However, insofar as anything on the internet can be trusted, they're fair representations of what some of your peers have been doing.

 

[WingedOx]

Define "Christian"

...not that it would matter. My class had a graduate from Liberty. The only place more right wing would probably be Bob Jones U itself.

 

[Flashfan]

Is your Christian school accredited? Many are not. I can only name a handful of Christian schools that are considered academically stellar such as Wheaton. Your MCAT will truly matter to show that your school prepared you.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

Hey y'all,

I am a Christian and hold my faith above everything. I have a 4.0 sGPA and a 3.69 cGPA. I will have a pre med and biopsychology degree. I have decent volunteer experience 100+ hours and a little bit of research. Does going to a Christian school affect my chances of getting into a top tier medical school, should I score around 35 on my MCATs like I have on practice tests?

Many thanks for your replies!

No one cares.

What do you mean "should I score around 35 like I have"? You can control how you score?!?!?!

 

[karayaa]

Is your Christian school accredited? Many are not. I can only name a handful of Christian schools that are considered academically stellar such as Wheaton. Your MCAT will truly matter to show that your school prepared you.

OP, most med schools want you to graduate from an accredited undergrad, but don't worry about your school's rep. You can't control it, but you can control your grades/MCAT/ECs/LORs, so focus on those.

 

[WingedOx]

Is your Christian school accredited? Many are not. I can only name a handful of Christian schools that are considered academically stellar such as Wheaton. Your MCAT will truly matter to show that your school prepared you.

Yes, but what if your interview for school requires you to show proficiency in dancing? What will your Wheaton education get you then?