Is your GPA weighted depending on where you did your undergrad?

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VaiPie

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  1. Pre-Dental
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Hey guys i was just curious if D schools really look at where you did your undergrad at? Like would a person with a 3.0 from an Ivy be looked at differently from a person with a 3.0 at a state school. It seems obvious to me that the Ivy GPA would be more heavily weighted, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask by how much do you guys think it would be weighted?
 
to some extent i would say yes but if you have below a 3.0 anywhere it is going to be hard to get a good look....how if they were comparing students with 3.3s then it might come into play but most people with 3.5 or better are in good shape 3.0 or below you need something to stand out big time....but if you are between 3.0-3.5 that is where undergrad might be considered
 
I think in the first stage computer choose applicant based on GPA & DAT score for interview. Then during interview they look at which schools you attended and what classes you have taken. I was told about this by EVA YEN ( Admission Counselor) In USC😎
 
really? i was told the opposite by my pitt and stony brook interviewers...

i came in with a 3.4 sci and 3.6 overall, and pitt told me in their book, since my undergrad is pretty competetive, my scores met their target averages of 3.6 sci and 3.8 overall...
 
it should be!
 
rals said:
what do the different numbers mean? I guess 0 is unranked... what about the rest?
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I'm curious as well... Mine is a 4. That a good thing or a bad thing?!
 
I was told all schools take it into account, but schools like UPitt multiply your GPA by 1.1 or 1.2 for Ivys and some others that are as competitive.
 
What about a 5 school? I looked at a bunch of them an they seem like good schools... are they supposed to be the worst?
 
yea, the 5 schools i saw were pretty bad. My school got a 3.
 
I don't really think that makes sense. Rutgers - New Brunswick is a 5, while Rutgers Newark and Camden are 3's. I wouldn't think that the latter is better than the former....
 
My school is a 5 on that list, and I got accepted to all five schools I applied to. My stats were not stellar by any means, around the average for entering dental students these days (3.54 GPA, 3.51 sci, 18 DAT).

If 5 is a bad score, then it didn't hurt this applicant at all, since I was accepted to all of my applied schools. On the other hand, if 5 is good, then I'll drink you under the table for such good news!

I wouldn't count on those rankings if I were you. Let your stats, background, and personality do the talking for you. You'll get accepted anywhere you want if you satisfy those requirements first.
 
No offense to anyone who went to UCLA, but it is interesting to see that Berkeley is a 2 and UCLA is a 3. I guess that settles the age old debate as to which school is the better UC. Oddly enough, Davis and UCSB also got 2's.
 
I went to a Canadian university (Unversity of British Columbia) and it is ranked 0 🙁 Does it mean that my school is ranked at bottom or there isn't enough info to rank my school?
 
Look at admissions statistics. At the University of Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, and Michigan, there is a high percentage of students from the matching university or other large (similar schools), as well as every IVY. The small state schools and tiny liberal arts colleges maybe have 1 representative in each dental or medical school class. If you want to go to Medical, Dental, of Pharmacy school, you ought to go to a large research based institution, or IVY. State schools and tiny privates are for business, communications, those looking for "a ring by spring," and others that maybe just aren't cut out to be professionals. There are exceptions, don't get me wrong, but in the majority of cases you will have an easier time, and better education, at a large public, research based university.
 
Drpr1982 said:
Look at admissions statistics. At the University of Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, and Michigan, there is a high percentage of students from the matching university or other large (similar schools), as well as every IVY. The small state schools and tiny liberal arts colleges maybe have 1 representative in each dental or medical school class. If you want to go to Medical, Dental, of Pharmacy school, you ought to go to a large research based institution, or IVY. State schools and tiny privates are for business, communications, those looking for "a ring by spring," and others that maybe just aren't cut out to be professionals. There are exceptions, don't get me wrong, but in the majority of cases you will have an easier time, and better education, at a large public, research based university.
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I disagree. If you have a solid package, it doesn't really matter where you go to school, as long as it's a university. I think if you want to work in healthcare, your best option is your state school, or else you could end up a half mil in debt. IVY league schools are for bankers and politicians.
 
quick question...
do dental schools look at your high school GPA?
do they look at your SAT/ACT Scores?
does it REALLY matter what undergrad school you went to? (if it wasn't from the d school you want to go to)
 
makushin said:
IVY league schools are for bankers and politicians.
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that has gotta be one of the most ignorant comments I have ever seen on SDN.
 
ehrehck said:
quick question...
do dental schools look at your high school GPA?
do they look at your SAT/ACT Scores?
does it REALLY matter what undergrad school you went to? (if it wasn't from the d school you want to go to)
Click to expand...

1. no.
2. only one school asked for my SAT scores (buffalo)
3. sometimes
 
ok.. umm while U.C davis is 2, but UCLA is 3?? and irvine is 4?? something is off here.
 
makushin said:
I disagree. If you have a solid package, it doesn't really matter where you go to school, as long as it's a university. I think if you want to work in healthcare, your best option is your state school, or else you could end up a half mil in debt. IVY league schools are for bankers and politicians.
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In some cases it can matter where you went to highschool. Look at the entering classes at any large public Dental or Medical school. You will see private prep academy high schools, IVY universities, and large research based public universities in a large percentage of the matriculants. It matters where you went to school. This process is political and not always 100% fair. Yes, having an outstanding package is a benefit and those that come from small colleges do have a chance. However, it is in your best interest to go to a private high school and then to a large university. A person with a 3.8 from a small liberal arts college or small state school, will not be chosen over a person from a Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin, Cal, Harvard, Ect.
 
i definitely believe they're weighted, and they should be! my undergrad university was a "1" according to that crazy website, and i've also taken classes at a "3" school, and they were night-and-day in terms of how rigorous they were, and how much and how quickly they expected everyone to learn the given information. consequently, my GPA was also weighted, and increased dramatically (+.3 on AADSAS i believe), due, i'm assuming to the caliber of my undergrad univ.

VaiPie said:
Hey guys i was just curious if D schools really look at where you did your undergrad at? Like would a person with a 3.0 from an Ivy be looked at differently from a person with a 3.0 at a state school. It seems obvious to me that the Ivy GPA would be more heavily weighted, but I guess it doesn't hurt to ask by how much do you guys think it would be weighted?
Click to expand...
 
My undergrad school -- SUNY at Buffalo is according to that sheet the highest ranked SUNY University (rank of 2) That is funny to me bc I always heard the order was Bingham. Buff. Stony. Albany. Anyway... my 3.1 from a school ranked 2 on that list didn't work favorably for me the first time I applied. The 2nd time I'm not sure bc I got into one school and pulled my app from the rest.

Oh... Bingham and Buff are rated the same. NVMD
 
I guess this is all bad news to me...I go to a Texas public school where more than 90 percent of applicants are accepted, according to unofficial media statements from university officials.
 
elbee said:
No offense to anyone who went to UCLA, but it is interesting to see that Berkeley is a 2 and UCLA is a 3. I guess that settles the age old debate as to which school is the better UC. Oddly enough, Davis and UCSB also got 2's.
Click to expand...

My school is a 3. YES!
 
i remember my high school ap bio teacher talking about the caliber of universities as being Tier 1 (rigorous research schools) etc. I wonder if that sheet is a listing of the Tier system my teacher was refering to. Also, I believe that any school that is 0 (zero) is unranked.
 
Drpr1982 said:
Look at admissions statistics. At the University of Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, and Michigan, there is a high percentage of students from the matching university or other large (similar schools), as well as every IVY. The small state schools and tiny liberal arts colleges maybe have 1 representative in each dental or medical school class. If you want to go to Medical, Dental, of Pharmacy school, you ought to go to a large research based institution, or IVY. State schools and tiny privates are for business, communications, those looking for "a ring by spring," and others that maybe just aren't cut out to be professionals. There are exceptions, don't get me wrong, but in the majority of cases you will have an easier time, and better education, at a large public, research based university.
Click to expand...

So, you're saying the largest student bodies in the country are putting out more professional students then smaller schools?

You must be freakin' kidding me! It must be because their student are better. I definitely don't see a painfully obvious correlation with size.
 
elbee said:
No offense to anyone who went to UCLA, but it is interesting to see that Berkeley is a 2 and UCLA is a 3. I guess that settles the age old debate as to which school is the better UC. Oddly enough, Davis and UCSB also got 2's.
Click to expand...

a 3. fantastic.
 
Purdue is a 4? That doesn't make sense. It looks like a lot of the better ranked schools are small, private and liberal arts schools. Looks like it correlates more to how difficult it is to get into the school and not necessarily the strength of the institution.
 
Dauber said:
Purdue is a 4? That doesn't make sense. It looks like a lot of the better ranked schools are small, private and liberal arts schools. Looks like it correlates more to how difficult it is to get into the school and not necessarily the strength of the institution.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm a bit confused as well. Why are the US naval, military, and AF academy ranked as a 1?

This list seems worthless to me.
 
armorshell said:
So, you're saying the largest student bodies in the country are putting out more professional students then smaller schools?

You must be freakin' kidding me! It must be because their student are better. I definitely don't see a painfully obvious correlation with size.
Click to expand...

I am saying students from large research based universities ie. Minnesota, Michingan, Ohion State, Wisconsin, ect.... and the Ivy league schools comprise the largest percentage of professional classes. Small liberal arts colleges, state schools (those that are funded by major universities and their respected state), and small privates, do not contribute many students. Sure the percentages can be looked at differently, a small school of 1000 students sends 1 medical or dental student, compared to Ohio State or Minnesota each with 59,000 students sending 200+ nationwide. Yet, if you look at who is in each class and where they came from you will see every ivy represented, Big Ten, and other major universities as the majority of students. Small schools, other than the IVY's are not suited to send large numbers, because the science based education is not the same. I am not saying it is better or worse, simply stating the facts.

If you want an easier path to a professional school, it would behoove you to go to a large research based university or an Ivy school. The same can be said for private prep academies (high schools). It sucks, but as JFK said, life is not fair. Make the best of your situation, if you are a good applicant you will get in regardless of your school. However, it MAY be slightly easier if certain paths are taken.
 
okay that whole list thing is way off. I go to Michigan State University which is a 5?? Ummmm MSU has 3 professional medical schools, all of which are ranked very high (especially our vet school #1) and 50% of the students going to the MD, DO, and VM schools were MSU undergrads.

We also have the best education program in the country, we have a law school that just went up another tier, we are the original land grant college in the US and have a sweet agricultural program, we have a very prestigious science school (lyman briggs school) which is close to becoming its own college and breaking away from the college of natural science, and its a very difficult program that starts with about 500-600 freshman and graduates less than 100.

Beyond that...we have a national cyclotron laboratory that is only 5 years old, and we're one of the top schools in the nation for science research grants.

So...for all you out there with a bad ranking....don't worry about it. There is no way a big ten school can be a 5. I would rank MSU a 2 in some aspects...and a 3 in a few others.

Sorry for the ranting....but I'm a little outraged that according to that ranking my 3.75 GPA means less. Thats BS, I worked hard for those grades.
 
I think it's really off too... don't worry about it. It's not like we can change where we went now anyway. Not that I would just because of these numbers....
 
Berkeley shares a 2 with UCD and UCSB even though it is much harder to get the same grades at Cal than it is at either Davis or SB. Looks like I got jacked for choosing Cal.
 
Drpr1982 said:
*snip*
Click to expand...
Way to miss my point entirely. Bigger student population = higher number of pre-dent students = greater representation in dental school. Of course a school with 5000 students and 2 pre-dents that apply each year isn't going to be represented as much as a school where 200+ apply.

Does this mean one school is better then another at getting people into dental school? No. Students get themselves into dental school.
 
hey!

my undergrad is a 2 - I believe it! It was not an easy experience academically.
 
armorshell said:
Way to miss my point entirely. Bigger student population = higher number of pre-dent students = greater representation in dental school. Of course a school with 5000 students and 2 pre-dents that apply each year isn't going to be represented as much as a school where 200+ apply.

Does this mean one school is better then another at getting people into dental school? No. Students get themselves into dental school.
Click to expand...


I give up. Yes, students get themselves into dental or medical school, yes small schools send more students by percentage to professional programs than large Universities, but you are missing the point. Would you rather have access to ground breaking research, world famous faculty, nobeloriat professors, and a higher standard of academic achievement (based on papers published in respected journals), or someone with a masters degree or a high school teacher teaching you basic biology that hasn't had a curriculum update since 1964 (I am exagerating to make the point easier to understand)?

Yes, in most cases a college degree is a college degree, but if you are applying to Michigan and you did your Undergraduate studies at Michigan and did research, and it was between you and someone from Kalamazoo christian college with a basic biology degree. Both students have a 3.75 and 21's, and equal volunteer work....THE ADCOM CHOOSES THE STUDENT FROM MICHIGAN! (yes there are exceptions)

That is the point. The science education is better at the Universities where the new science is happening!
 
armorshell said:
Way to miss my point entirely. Bigger student population = higher number of pre-dent students = greater representation in dental school. Of course a school with 5000 students and 2 pre-dents that apply each year isn't going to be represented as much as a school where 200+ apply.

Does this mean one school is better then another at getting people into dental school? No. Students get themselves into dental school.
Click to expand...


I give up. Yes, students get themselves into dental or medical school, yes small schools send more students by percentage to professional programs than large Universities, but you are missing the point. Would you rather have access to ground breaking research, world famous faculty, nobeloriat professors, and a higher standard of academic achievement (based on papers published in respected journals), or someone with a masters degree or a high school teacher teaching you basic biology that hasn't had a curriculum update since 1964 (I am exagerating to make the point easier to understand)?

Yes, in most cases a college degree is a college degree, but if you are applying to Michigan and you did your Undergraduate studies at Michigan and did research, and it was between you and someone from Kalamazoo christian college with a basic biology degree. Both students have a 3.75 and 21's, and equal volunteer work....THE ADCOM CHOOSES THE STUDENT FROM MICHIGAN! (yes there are exceptions)

That is the point. The science education is better at the Universities where the new science is happening!
 
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