Is variation in high school preparation taken into account at all?

[LoveBeingHuman:)]

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After a few years in college, I've come to realize the impact of high school preparation on the grades of most student during first semester freshman year. Some high school prepare student very well, have majority of scores 4's and 5's on AP exams, and put a lot of effort into preparing students. Other high schools, not so much. They have teachers that are way too easy and don't do much.

How do medical schools account for this?

 

[Nucleophile1]

Medical schools won't ask you about high school. If you came from a high school with a really low graduation rate and you wound up doing really well in your undergrad science courses you could probably talk about that in your personal statement or in a secondary.

I took one college level science course in high school, but I never had the option of taking AP courses and I've done well in my science classes. I knew pretty much nothing about biology when I got to college.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

After a few years in college, I've come to realize the impact of high school preparation on the grades of most student during first semester freshman year. Some high school prepare student very well, have majority of scores 4's and 5's on AP exams, and put a lot of effort into preparing students. Other high schools, not so much. They have teachers that are way too easy and don't do much.

How do medical schools account for this?

Med schools really don't care much about your high school.

 

[Goro]

What happened in high school stays in high school.

After a few years in college, I've come to realize the impact of high school preparation on the grades of most student during first semester freshman year. Some high school prepare student very well, have majority of scores 4's and 5's on AP exams, and put a lot of effort into preparing students. Other high schools, not so much. They have teachers that are way too easy and don't do much.

How do medical schools account for this?

 

[Fission Chips]

After a few years in college, I've come to realize the impact of high school preparation on the grades of most student during first semester freshman year. Some high school prepare student very well, have majority of scores 4's and 5's on AP exams, and put a lot of effort into preparing students. Other high schools, not so much. They have teachers that are way too easy and don't do much.

How do medical schools account for this?

They don't. In all honesty, high school does nothing more than teach you social skills, which is important for communicating in College. College teaches you how to learn, and a high GPA demonstrates that you have learned how to learn. Medical school teaches you many things you will use as a physician, and MANY more things you will never use again. Residency is where you become a true physician. Or so I believe, but then again, I am just starting medical school.

 

[Goro]

Most of the people on Facebook who were in my high school class are NOT the people I want to contact! Amazingly, all o fus guys got fat and bald, while the girls all became goddesses!

Which I was I have avoided all my high school reunions

 

[eteshoe]

Why would your high school prep matter to the med school adcom? Honestly, in this day and age with the advent of all the technological advances - even if a student coming into college from the ******* part of town and doesn't know that the experience will be difficult and makes no use of the vast resources (Google, Youtube, etc) at their finger tips, then that's partially on them.

 

[raiderette]

A bad high school is often part of other issues such as low SES, or medically underserved community. But college should solve this disparity. Unsurprisingly this is why we see fewer URMs represented in medicine because even smart kids from bad schools find themselves struggling in college. But if you are ready to apply you have overcome these challenges.

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[parachichi]

I wrote very specific details about the insufficiency of my middle and high school education in the disadvantaged section of AMCAS and alluded to it in my PS to help explain the difficulty I had transitioning to college-level sciences. I think providing context helps in some cases.

 

[FindMeOnTheLinks]

Dear lord. Next thing you know, people will be asking if medical schools take your kindergarten curriculum into account.

When you get to college, work with your advisor to ensure you are taking a manageable course load. If it's too much, drop a course or whatever. Intro college science courses essentially start from scratch. If you don't understand from lecture, read a textbook. Even if you still struggle first semester or even all of freshmen year, you still have 2-3 full years to figure your stuff out and rectify that earlier performance. It's not rocket science.


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[Mansamusa]

Some schools do ask about high school prep and whether or not it harmed your transition to college or to explain any academic difficulties in the secondary.

Adcoms are also sensitive to that fact that poor prep can cause a rocky start to college, but they expect you to be able to adapt at least by your 2nd year