Low Quality Undergraduate School to T20 Medical School

[perpetua11yconfused]

I'd like to preface by saying I hope this post doesn't come off as gloating or tone-deaf, but this is something I am truly struggling with and so would like any input anyone has to offer.
I went to a public state university for undergrad, and I honestly think the quality of education here is not that great. I have felt that a lot of my high school courses were more challenging than my STEM courses in college. That said, I think it has allowed me to "stand out" or at least be one of the better students and maintain a good GPA along with managing a decent MCAT. I've been blessed with a T20 acceptance, something I didn't even dare dream about at the beginning of the cycle. However, now that the immediate surge of dopamine has somewhat subsided, I feel hit by the reality that I would probably be miles behind everyone else if I do attend that school. I'm not exactly sure how to put this into words, but I'm not sure I'd be well-adjusted if I am constantly lagging behind my peers or if there's a large disparity in our starting points. I know this literally sounds like imposter syndrome, but I do actually think the truth is that I haven't worked as hard during undergrad as other people who might have gotten into the same school. I'm honestly afraid of always feeling like I'm one step behind or that I don't have as much to offer.
Therefore, I am considering my only other option, which is a public university medical school that's ranked T50 by Usnews. Would there actually be an appreciable difference in either institution? I just feel like I'd fit in more with people at a public school lol but that thought might be completely off. I know people advise against going off "vibes" from interview day. Financially, both of these would cost about the same with the T20 school being a bit more expensive since I am OOS at both.
If you've read all this, thank you for your time!!

TLDR: Has anyone gone to a ""prestigious"" (lol) medical school from a ****ty UG and how was your transition? Alternatively, does anyone have any general advice about picking schools? I'm still conflicted about how much ranking / pedigree matters and whether there's a difference between a "T20" and a "T50" (quotes bc I know rankings are pretty controversial). Not sure what specialty to go into, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep as many doors open as possible.

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[chilly_md]

Go where it is cheaper and you would be happier. It your public school is T50 and saves you money, you aren't restricting yourself by going there. A very small percentage of people get accepted to medical school. You will be surrounded by bright peers at both places. You worked hard to get here, a lot of people feel the imposter syndrome that they are a step behind others. If you weren't qualified, you wouldn't have landed the A there, let alone at multiple schools. Medical school is a fresh start, and a lot of the things from undergrad aren't too useful anyways. Maybe having taken an anatomy course or something helps, but that stuff just gives you a leg up for a little while. You're on the same footing as everyone else at either place.

 

[thedude6512]

Dude, I think you’re a little psyched out about getting the T20 acceptance and are just having a little preemptive bout of impostor syndrome. I would venture to say your fear is misplaced, though. I went to a T20 undergrad and subsequently did post-bacc courses years later at a community college and local state university. For the most part, there was little difference in the quality of the science coursework between them. If you excelled at the public school, you likely would’ve done well at the T20, too.
Moreover, if you got in, it means the admissions committee has faith that you can succeed. Obviously, your grades and MCAT reflect your academic ability, so don’t let the ranking get in your head.

 

[KnightDoc]

I'd like to preface by saying I hope this post doesn't come off as gloating or tone-deaf, but this is something I am truly struggling with and so would like any input anyone has to offer.
I went to a public state university for undergrad, and I honestly think the quality of education here is not that great. I have felt that a lot of my high school courses were more challenging than my STEM courses in college. That said, I think it has allowed me to "stand out" or at least be one of the better students and maintain a good GPA along with managing a decent MCAT. I've been blessed with a T20 acceptance, something I didn't even dare dream about at the beginning of the cycle. However, now that the immediate surge of dopamine has somewhat subsided, I feel hit by the reality that I would probably be miles behind everyone else if I do attend that school. I'm not exactly sure how to put this into words, but I'm not sure I'd be well-adjusted if I am constantly lagging behind my peers or if there's a large disparity in our starting points. I know this literally sounds like imposter syndrome, but I do actually think the truth is that I haven't worked as hard during undergrad as other people who might have gotten into the same school. I'm honestly afraid of always feeling like I'm one step behind or that I don't have as much to offer.
Therefore, I am considering my only other option, which is a public university medical school that's ranked T50 by Usnews. Would there actually be an appreciable difference in either institution? I just feel like I'd fit in more with people at a public school lol but that thought might be completely off. I know people advise against going off "vibes" from interview day. Financially, both of these would cost about the same with the T20 school being a bit more expensive since I am OOS at both.
If you've read all this, thank you for your time!!

TLDR: Has anyone gone to a ""prestigious"" (lol) medical school from a ****ty UG and how was your transition? Alternatively, does anyone have any general advice about picking schools? I'm still conflicted about how much ranking / pedigree matters and whether there's a difference between a "T20" and a "T50" (quotes bc I know rankings are pretty controversial). Not sure what specialty to go into, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep as many doors open as possible.

Try not to psych yourself out so much. T20 will probably make things a little easier than T50, but, if it's not Harvard or Stanford, it's probably not going to change the trajectory of your life. As is repeated over and over on SDN, we slave over these rankings way more than actual practicing physicians do.

So, congratulations on your impressive achievement. Now go wherever makes the most sense for YOU, financially, emotionally, whatever. Your UG did not hold you back, and neither will your med school. Just do you, and you'll be fine.

If it gives you any comfort, tons of people turn down T20s for T50s every year, for reasons ranging from money to location to proximity to support systems to "vibe." YOU have to live with whatever decision you make, so make the one that makes the most sense for you, not the one that makes the most sense to a bunch of strangers on the internet, or to anyone else who might be impressed by nationally published rankings. Congratulations, and good luck!!

 

[perpetua11yconfused]

Go where it is cheaper and you would be happier. It your public school is T50 and saves you money, you aren't restricting yourself by going there. A very small percentage of people get accepted to medical school. You will be surrounded by bright peers at both places. You worked hard to get here, a lot of people feel the imposter syndrome that they are a step behind others. If you weren't qualified, you wouldn't have landed the A there, let alone at multiple schools. Medical school is a fresh start, and a lot of the things from undergrad aren't too useful anyways. Maybe having taken an anatomy course or something helps, but that stuff just gives you a leg up for a little while. You're on the same footing as everyone else at either place.

Thanks so much for the response!! It was honestly very encouraging and I agree that there's no doubt there will be incredible people at both institutions. One point I found interesting in your post was about how a lot of things from undergrad probably won't be useful in med school. While the content might not, I wonder if people who went to better undergrad institutions may have had much more training in problem-solving and critical thinking. I've taken some undergrad courses at a pretty prestigious university and personally felt as if the way the material was presented/tested was completely different from what I experienced at my undergrad alma mater. For example, the exams were much more application based whereas most of my exams at my public school were like, just as an example, match the word and its description, define a phospholipid bilayer, etc. I know thedude said that they didn't see much of a difference so perhaps it's a YMMV type of thing...?
I'm curious, do you think the quality of education is pretty standardized at all US MD's or does this disparity exist as well, where more big name / prestigious schools tend to have a less straightforward curriculum and exams that require a deeper level of critical thought?

 

[srirachamayonnaise]

You will learn the same thing everywhere. Med school doesn’t require critical thinking. There’s no such thing as “less straightforward curriculum or exams that require deeper thinking.” You memorize all the diseases and how to treat them. No trick there. Go to Feinberg. It’s a good name and you will have a leg up when it comes to residency application.

 

[chilly_md]

Thanks so much for the response!! It was honestly very encouraging and I agree that there's no doubt there will be incredible people at both institutions. One point I found interesting in your post was about how a lot of things from undergrad probably won't be useful in med school. While the content might not, I wonder if people who went to better undergrad institutions may have had much more training in problem-solving and critical thinking. I've taken some undergrad courses at a pretty prestigious university and personally felt as if the way the material was presented/tested was completely different from what I experienced at my undergrad alma mater. For example, the exams were much more application based whereas most of my exams at my public school were like, just as an example, match the word and its description, define a phospholipid bilayer, etc. I know thedude said that they didn't see much of a difference so perhaps it's a YMMV type of thing...?
I'm curious, do you think the quality of education is pretty standardized at all US MD's or does this disparity exist as well, where more big name / prestigious schools tend to have a less straightforward curriculum and exams that require a deeper level of critical thought?

Perhaps at a school like MIT or Caltech it’s different, but how many medical students are from there? A lot of the times, more difficult exams just made life harder on you. Whatever skills you developed from studying for the MCAT or taking ochem is more than enough. Probably more important is that you learned how to study effectively and modify your strategies on the go.

Northwestern isn’t going to make you a better doctor than IU. It could lead to more debt if that’s how the financial aid packages shake out.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Most of my friends from undergrad who are in med school say it’s easier than undergrad: I’m not sure how true this is and if it applies to med students from all undergrads. I’m guessing it is a function of pass/fail vs. having to get As or A-s in every class. If you have a strong memory, I don’t think it should be unbearable regardless of where you go.

 

[i-doctor]

My recommendation is to go to T20. In terms of difficulty or “competition”, there’s probably not much difference between T20 and T50. But it could make a difference in residency applications.
I went to a T10-15 Med school, and (luckily) matched in Ophtho even though I was in the middle of my class and had zero research. (It was at a mid/low tier community hospital program that liked having a resident from a “prestigious” med school). Now that Step 1 will be pass/fail, the reputation of the med school will be even more important.
I am NOT implying that the T20 Med school will be better. You will have a successful career wherever you go! But your original post implied that both schools will be more or less equal based on diff factors, so in your particular case I recommend the T20.

 

[Spectar]

If you want a prestigious residency go to the top 20 med school. I went from a bad state school to a t20 and honestly I don't regret it one bit. The access it gives you to better faculty, research and just connections in general will set you up for life.

There are times it gets annoying (everyone around me is rich rich and there's an aura of privilege such that most of these kids don't understand what real hardship is). But you just have to make the right friends. Even with all this said, it's worth it.

If you end up choosing the other school, you'll be fine and will be successful but please do yourself a favor pick the Top 20 so you don’t have to hustle as hard in case you want to end up at mgh for residency.

 

[allseasons]

Haha same position as you man. State school ranked over 100 to t20. Wondered the same myself! But I think we’ll be fine, after all we got in for a reason.

 

[ople]

Don't stress dude if you're accepted you're qualified. I graduated from a garbage shoot of a state undergrad, currently attend a T5 med school and love every second of it. Ya undergrad classes were a joke and easier than some HS classes but we capitalized on the opportunity and put together a great set of extracurriculars and MCAT to be able to get to where we are now. Own it. Don't worry about fitting in or behind everyone else. I've been 2 stds above the mean on every single exam. It's p/f so doesn't really matter, but the point is your undergrad does nothing to determine your ability to thrive in med school.

 

[dnyal]

A very small percentage of people get accepted to medical school.

Almost 50% of all applicants get accepted. Individually, schools do have very low acceptance rates.

 

[KnightDoc]

Almost 50% of all applicants get accepted. Individually, schools do have very low acceptance rates.

If 36% is almost 50%, then yeah, but, no. Last year it was 22,665 people out of 62,432 across all US MD programs.

 

[chilly_md]

We are looking at the people who made it to the end. There were many more interested in medicine freshmen year than those who were able to apply years later. OP made it and was worried about being behind since they thought the undergrad did not prepare them as well as other people’s.

 

[JohnJacobJingleheimer]

Hey man, congrats on the A. While it looks like you have plenty of responses with far more sustenance than I can provide, I wanted to share my thoughts. I went to a T20 undergrad, I just didn't go to the classes there (lol). After 4 years, I walked out with a 2.9 gpa and all I knew about Ochem was what chirality meant. I did a masters program and kinda filled in the blanks from chem and physics during MCAT studying.

Moral of the story, it's about the work you put in at the school more than it is about the school itself. The admissions committee gave you an overwhelming vote of confidence; they are betting on you, now it's time for you to bet on yourself. Imposter syndrome is normal, just use it as motivation to work your ass off and prove that you belong. Congrats and good luck!

 

[Banco]

I wouldn't worry about "fitting in"- you'll find your group of friends regardless of where you go.

A "T50" state school won't hold you back from any residency. A "T20" might open a couple more doors but that advantage is hard to quantify.

 

[MD-PhD-NonTrad]

Hello! As someone in a similar situation (unranked public school with some T50 As and 5 or 6 T20 hopeful As come feb/March....) I gotta agree with everyone else. Don't worry about it. I have made friends along the way from similarly ranked schools through oxford and Harvard graduates - everyone who makes it to this level has different backgrounds, but we all still experience the same application stress, studying stress, imposter syndrome, hobbies etc etc. The biggest things may just be differences in perspectives on money....but that isn't really the biggest deterrent to making friends. Find the rich friends, they can buy you dinner.

 

[ChiDO]

Cheaper school. When you're 35 and paying off loans, not one patient will care or ask where you went to medical school.

 

[allseasons]

Cheaper school. When you're 35 and paying off loans, not one patient will care or ask where you went to medical school.

honestly, I would definitely ask how much cheaper. Cause like 50k? I would def go higher ranked. 150k? Definitely lower ranked.

 

[hellanutella]

Went to my cheap, low-tier state school for UG. The school was a large safety-net program whose state-funded goal was to get underserved students a degree, not necessarily getting premeds published in Nature or into Harvard med. I support their mission, but I did not have a great time in UG; felt like when I got opportunities it was in spite of my school rather than because of it. Almost all my activities I had to find externally. They just didn't have the resources that other higher-tier institutions had. When people went to med school, it was usually to the Carib (and to some of the more predatory programs, which is a whole other soapbox... stop sending for-profit school recruiters to poach upon financially disadvantaged students).

Got some "top" med school acceptances and took the one that I got the best interview/second look ~vibes~ from, even though it was across the country and not in a trendy locale. Wasn't my cheapest option, but it somehow wound up cheaper than any of my state school acceptances. I struggled with impostor syndrome, but whatever. I would have had impostor syndrome at even my lowest tier acceptance. Wherever you go, med school matriculants will be wicked bright.

What my high-tier med school did was open doors that otherwise would have been a very, very steep uphill climb. I got to work with mentors that were the literal leaders in their field. Research grew on trees. Funding grew on trees. You'll work hard no matter where you go, but being at a big name lowers the activation energy for some of the more rare and unique experiences out there. When I applied to residency, it was nowhere near as stressful as interviewing for med school. I never had to explain "why I went to X school" or worry about having people unfamiliar with my letter writers. Not that I didn't work hard – I think I worked as hard for my residency spot as I did for my med school one – but the stuff I was able to accomplish coming out of my medical school were leagues beyond what lesser-funded programs could offer. And beyond lining a resume, the skillsets I gained and memories gleaned were invaluable.

It sucks that this is the nature of academia, but I have never once regretted taking the leap and trying to run with the big dogs. The good news is that there are still ways to break into the ivory tower beyond medical school; I'm at a "top" residency program in a stupid competitive specialty, and some of my co-residents come from low-tier med schools. (And I am certainly no brighter than they are!) It just gets increasingly hard to merge onto the ivory tower highway the further you go along. (If you don't want a career in academia or a crazy specialty, then this prestige debate carries less weight... but it is nice not to have any of these pathways impeded if you decide during MS4 that academic paediatric neurocardiodermatology or becoming the next surgeon general is actually your calling!).

Barring a dramatic difference in finances or external factors that'd lead you to be far less happy at one (ex: separation from spouse), I would not let the fear of being a small fish in a big pond deter you.

 

[LindaAccepted]

I'd like to preface by saying I hope this post doesn't come off as gloating or tone-deaf, but this is something I am truly struggling with and so would like any input anyone has to offer.
I went to a public state university for undergrad, and I honestly think the quality of education here is not that great. I have felt that a lot of my high school courses were more challenging than my STEM courses in college. That said, I think it has allowed me to "stand out" or at least be one of the better students and maintain a good GPA along with managing a decent MCAT. I've been blessed with a T20 acceptance, something I didn't even dare dream about at the beginning of the cycle. However, now that the immediate surge of dopamine has somewhat subsided, I feel hit by the reality that I would probably be miles behind everyone else if I do attend that school. I'm not exactly sure how to put this into words, but I'm not sure I'd be well-adjusted if I am constantly lagging behind my peers or if there's a large disparity in our starting points. I know this literally sounds like imposter syndrome, but I do actually think the truth is that I haven't worked as hard during undergrad as other people who might have gotten into the same school. I'm honestly afraid of always feeling like I'm one step behind or that I don't have as much to offer.
Therefore, I am considering my only other option, which is a public university medical school that's ranked T50 by Usnews. Would there actually be an appreciable difference in either institution? I just feel like I'd fit in more with people at a public school lol but that thought might be completely off. I know people advise against going off "vibes" from interview day. Financially, both of these would cost about the same with the T20 school being a bit more expensive since I am OOS at both.
If you've read all this, thank you for your time!!

TLDR: Has anyone gone to a ""prestigious"" (lol) medical school from a ****ty UG and how was your transition? Alternatively, does anyone have any general advice about picking schools? I'm still conflicted about how much ranking / pedigree matters and whether there's a difference between a "T20" and a "T50" (quotes bc I know rankings are pretty controversial). Not sure what specialty to go into, so I guess it wouldn't hurt to keep as many doors open as possible.

First of all, congratulations!

Have you visited or can you visit either of the two programs? Can you talk to current students before you make your decision?

Where do you think you will be happier? If you go to the lower-ranked program, will you end up second-guessing yourself in the future, wondering what would it have been like to go to the higher ranked school?

 

[dnyal]

If 36% is almost 50%, then yeah, but, no. Last year it was 22,665 people out of 62,432 across all US MD programs.

Well over 40% used to be case in years prior to last. I did read about the surge in applicants last year, but I hadn’t seen last year’s data yet. My overall chances as a URM used to be closer to 60%; with last year’s numbers, it’s barely 39% now.