LOw tier MD schools

[Auron]

I believe he spoke to someone in admissions at UIC, and they looked over his application and couldn't point out any weakness in his application. They ended up just saying something along the lines of this process being a crapshoot.



I don't think that was the case here - the student was a non-trad, had a relatively balanced 30 on the MCAT, and a solid gpa. Certainly nothing out of the ballpark that would make UIC think that he wouldn't be interested in attending his state school.

While I agree that your theory can be true in some cases for some schools (i.e., rejecting high stats applicants they think wouldn't ever attend), I rarely think it's true for state/public schools. They realize that their tuition is the cheapest, and tend to accept instate applicants with much higher stats regardless. I remember talking to a student at UIC who was accepted to Pritzker, NU, Loyola, Rush and UIC, and chose UIC for the full ride (he had a 35 MCAT and other stellar qualities).

whoa, I wasn't aware that UIC gave out full rides. That's awesome.

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[riograndegal]

It may be hard, but it can happen. I got a 25 on my MCAT and a 3.9 GPA. I got into multiple DO schools and 2 MD schools (one was even out of state), right out of undergrad. They are not "Top ranked schools" but still respectable. I know my MCAT was really low but it seems like everyone that posts on this website has awesome MCATS, or maybe the people with the low MCATs are too embarassed to admit what they got. I am not, I can happily say that I got into the school that I really wanted to get into. Honestly I never really wanted to go to a "top-tier" school before I even found out that I didn't do that good on the MCAT. To all those people who didn't do that well either don't give up!

 

[TheRealMD]

It may be hard, but it can happen. I got a 25 on my MCAT and a 3.9 GPA. I got into multiple DO schools and 2 MD schools (one was even out of state), right out of undergrad. They are not "Top ranked schools" but still respectable. I know my MCAT was really low but it seems like everyone that posts on this website has awesome MCATS, or maybe the people with the low MCATs are too embarassed to admit what they got. I am not, I can happily say that I got into the school that I really wanted to get into. Honestly I never really wanted to go to a "top-tier" school before I even found out that I didn't do that good on the MCAT. To all those people who didn't do that well either don't give up!

You should still be aware that statistically speaking anything below a 28 means you're less likely to get in than not. And when a app cycle costs thousands of dollars, I don't just say to people "work on getting a better MCAT score" because I'm cynical, but because the chances aren't that great. Maybe if you are applying on someone else's dime then you can try again and again, but I don't think most people are in that situation.

 

[UVABranch]

I never liked these threads...

OP, get the MSAR and check out schools where your GPA or MCAT is above their average, or right at their average. Talk to ppl at the school and ask them about your chances and maybe they can give you better direction. All schools are accredited, and the so called "low tier" schools have graduates going to all residency programs from the "highly coveted" to the foundations of the field...don't use MCAT and GPA as the sole defining measure of a school's quality (as I am sure you would not want them to do this when evaluating you). Also keep in mind that many schools look at the intangibles in an applicant, so tell them something unique about you that will make you an asset to the class and add diversity (age, lived in albania for a yr, foster orphaned pit bulls, work as an orderly, one of 10 siblings) whatever your story is tell it, and hope they like it. G'luck.

 

[parto123]

Your argument that the average MCAT score and GPA of accepted students separates medical schools into tiers is untrue. That criteria is exactly what it is - representative of the student body attending the school. You will receive more or less the same education at any accredited school in North America. As well, upon graduation, you will also have the same opportunities coming from any medical school, be it Harvard or your state school. This is not the case with business schools or law schools, where there are indeed defined tiers. While the class from Harvard may have a more impressive match list compared to your state school, it's simply because of the caliber of students attending the school. That doesn't make a school better.

Also note that I am not saying this to defend myself or make anyone feel good about themselves. It just gets annoying constantly reading the pre-medical advice and opinions of ranking ******.

How exactly are there defined tiers in law school but not med school? ANd who exactly is defining the tiers?

Obviously there are tiers in every type of school. The precise definition of the tiers may be subjective, but they most definitely exist. This whole “there are no tiers” idea sounds like a bunch of hippie “lets-all-hold-hands-and-sing-kumbaya” nonsense.

 

[87138]

How exactly are there defined tiers in law school but not med school? ANd who exactly is defining the tiers?

Obviously there are tiers in every type of school. The precise definition of the tiers may be subjective, but they most definitely exist. This whole “there are no tiers” idea sounds like a bunch of hippie “lets-all-hold-hands-and-sing-kumbaya” nonsense.

I'm pretty sure the person you quoted was pointing out that there are no explicit tiers in medical schools. There are in law schools.

 

[FrankShui]

How can I get list of low tier MD schools? Anyone has ratings available anywhere? I may have slim chance in low tier school with 3.5 GPA & 26P MCAT.

Anything is possible. I was just checking the stats of my class and saw that the average MCAT was 30.1 but the range is 18-40! The average GPA is 3.7 with the range 2.54-4.0. Honestly, I was shocked to see 2.54 and especially the 18. I really doubt that the person with the 2.54 GPA was the same person with the 18.

As others have said, apply early and broadly.

 

[Instatewaiter]

How exactly are there defined tiers in law school but not med school? ANd who exactly is defining the tiers?

Obviously there are tiers in every type of school. The precise definition of the tiers may be subjective, but they most definitely exist. This whole “there are no tiers” idea sounds like a bunch of hippie “lets-all-hold-hands-and-sing-kumbaya” nonsense.

The tiering system in law school is ingrained in the system and will be a major determining factor when you are looking at firms. You basically have no shot at a good job if you go to a low tier law school. This is not the case for medical school; you can match into any field, at any location, from any school.

 

[AmoryBlaine]

The tiering system in law school is ingrained in the system and will be a major determining factor when you are looking at firms. You basically have no shot at a good job if you go to a low tier law school. This is not the case for medical school; you can match into any field, at any location, from any school.

Totally true. Let me add a few more points as an M4 who just went through the match.

There is a real discrepancy between the nervous pre-med who "just wants to get in somewhere" and the fourth year student setting off on their residency/career. The pre-med dreams of being a doctor and some of them think that they should consider every option to get there.

If you are young, healthy, etc etc I think that the option to retake the MCAT and try again is always going to be a good option. It's really a question of doors - which ones stay open for you and which ones close. My favorite examples of the "door theory" are friends of mine who took a P=MD mentality during M1/2 and then decided that they wanted to do urology or plastic surgery. While it is not fun to have to reapply to med school, I assure you it is much less fun to think that your field of maximum interest may be closed to you in perpetuity.

Some names of "lower tier" medical schools have been bandied around and I think it is useful to consider which places might not have great reputations. Obviously being an American MD is going to be your best option overall but even within this category there are stratifications.