prestigious colleges (undergrad/ med)

[UpperEastSide]

Does living on the East coast give students more advantage to admissions to prestigious ivy colleges than other students? It seems like since the ivies are in new england, and all the top private high schools are also in new england, it would make sense.

Yes, the west coast has some nice schools too (stanford, ucsf, berkeley) and they strongly favor in-state applicants, everyone knows that about CA.

Also, do you think a life history of prestigie is what it takes to get into the ivy med schools?

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[DogPaw]

I think this question depends upon a lot of things. For example, someone with a 3.3 from Harvard would have the edge over someone with a 3.5 from Random State U, but not someone from Carnegie Mellon with a 3.5. MCATs, extracurriculars, and other things will play a role. That being said, it does help to come from a feeder school - I mean what adcom sees Harvard and doesn't want that applicant. Then again, with the top schools accepting ~3% of applicants, it's difficult for everyone.

 

[da8s0859q]

Also, do you think a life history of prestigie is what it takes to get into the ivy med schools?

Not necessarily. Do a search on SDN -- you'll find plenty of people chasing the ivies.

Having a big name on your undergrad transcript is wonderful, but ultimately, it's going to boil down to your numbers, your personal statement, your [...].

You might be able to find some admissions information on the schools' sites -- and/or the MSAR -- to help get a feel of what you're looking at.

 

[toff4l]

Does living on the East coast give students more advantage to admissions to prestigious ivy colleges than other students? It seems like since the ivies are in new england, and all the top private high schools are also in new england, it would make sense.

Yes, the west coast has some nice schools too (stanford, ucsf, berkeley) and they strongly favor in-state applicants, everyone knows that about CA.

Also, do you think a life history of prestigie is what it takes to get into the ivy med schools?

From what I have heard and from what I have seen, Yes.

I went to a top rated private HS in New Jersey and the smartest kids all ended up in Ivey's.

I think it also has to do with the fact that students from the immediate New England area or Greater New York area are more well rounded because they live in a part of the country that is so populated with so many things to do. There are so many perks to living in that part of the country.

My cousin went to a small school in the mid-west and he thinks he didn't get into a top undergrad school because his school was small. He had the grades too. I on the other hand went to school in NJ and I had good, not great, grades, average SAT, basic EC's and I ended up at a top tier undergrad.

 

[searun]

From what I have heard and from what I have seen, Yes.

I went to a top rated private HS in New Jersey and the smartest kids all ended up in Ivey's.

I think it also has to do with the fact that students from the immediate New England area or Greater New York area are more well rounded because they live in a part of the country that is so populated with so many things to do. There are so many perks to living in that part of the country.

My cousin went to a small school in the mid-west and he thinks he didn't get into a top undergrad school because his school was small. He had the grades too. I on the other hand went to school in NJ and I had good, not great, grades, average SAT, basic EC's and I ended up at a top tier undergrad.

The problem is none of you guys know how to flyfish, unlike those of us from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Does New Jersey even have one decent trout stream???

 

[rhcarolina]

do you think a life history of prestigie is what it takes to get into the ivy med schools?

I would not say it really is not the prestige that matters, but rather the kind of students that are admitted to Ivy undergraduates. These students typically go beyond the good grades and SAT scores and are involved in many different extracurriculars. They continue to focus on both their academics and extracurricular activities and become well-rounded applicants that are appealing to Ivy medical school admissions committees.

 

[bucks2010]

I think it also has to do with the fact that students from the immediate New England area or Greater New York area are more well rounded because they live in a part of the country that is so populated with so many things to do.

lol

 

[toff4l]

The problem is none of you guys know how to flyfish, unlike those of us from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Does New Jersey even have one decent trout stream???

Can you buy hot dogs out of a truck at 2AM?

 

[slatermd]

The problem is none of you guys know how to flyfish, unlike those of us from Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. Does New Jersey even have one decent trout stream???

You might be able to find one if you can stand the smell of landfill. Also, the trout there have at least two heads and can power reactors. The FDA recommends consuming no more than 0.8 mg of jersey trout per year.

 

[slatermd]

Can you buy hot dogs out of a truck at 2AM?

can you say "hepatitis?"

 

[bucks2010]

"Life history of prestige"? Some good quotes on this thread so far.

Look guys - do your future hypertension a favor and don't worry too much about building the most "prestigious" resume you can. Eventually you will come to find that you're not impressing anyone but yourself.

It's great if you're able to attend one of the "storied" institutions of higher learning, but ultimately your future will be determined by how hard you work, not the name on your diploma.

 

[slatermd]

a life history of prestigie ...

Guys, the OP asked about prestigie, NOT prestige.

And OP, pedigree definitely helps with the Ivies, but it's not a requirement. Most private schools love generational or "legacy" students.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

My opinions on this discussion: It seems like the more prestigious a school is, the more eccentric (read: ineffective at teaching) the profs are and the more students rely on TAs to actually understand things. Yes, the school is well-recognized and respected, and maybe the profs are renowned in their field, but what does that mean for your experience at the school? A prof doesnt need a Nobel to be a good instructor; he needs to give a crap about teaching the class. Additionally, if you, the student, are not the kind of person to go out of your way and take advantage of the resources the school has to offer, merely "attending" a top school doesn't really mean much. In other words, you can have situations where a student wastes away his days at a top school, and other students who really make the most of attending lesser-known schools; it depends on the individual.

So each person has to choose what's important to them: location, name, size, cost, specific opportunities/programs, blah blah all that stuff.

 

[slatermd]

My opinions on this discussion: It seems like the more prestigious a school is, the more eccentric (read: ineffective at teaching) the profs are and the more students rely on TAs to actually understand things. Yes, the school is well-recognized and respected, and maybe the profs are renowned in their field, but what does that mean for your experience at the school? A prof doesnt need a Nobel to be a good instructor; he needs to give a crap about teaching the class. Additionally, if you, the student, are not the kind of person to go out of your way and take advantage of the resources the school has to offer, merely "attending" a top school doesn't really mean much. In other words, you can have situations where a student wastes away his days at a top school, and other students who really make the most of attending lesser-known schools; it depends on the individual.

So each person has to choose what's important to them: location, name, size, cost, specific opportunities/programs, blah blah all that stuff.

Excellent post. The profs I had in a #1 graduate program had severely divided attention, and the students got the short end of the stick.

Rankings and prestige reflect something, but it's not the quality of the education you'll get.

 

[Cypher321]

My opinions on this discussion: It seems like the more prestigious a school is, the more eccentric (read: ineffective at teaching) the profs are and the more students rely on TAs to actually understand things. Yes, the school is well-recognized and respected, and maybe the profs are renowned in their field, but what does that mean for your experience at the school? A prof doesnt need a Nobel to be a good instructor; he needs to give a crap about teaching the class. Additionally, if you, the student, are not the kind of person to go out of your way and take advantage of the resources the school has to offer, merely "attending" a top school doesn't really mean much. In other words, you can have situations where a student wastes away his days at a top school, and other students who really make the most of attending lesser-known schools; it depends on the individual.

So each person has to choose what's important to them: location, name, size, cost, specific opportunities/programs, blah blah all that stuff.

From personal experience in undergrad thus far, I agree with this 100%. I'll take a professor who is there because (s)he wants to be over a professor that's there because (s)he is required to any day.

 

[osumc2014]

I say don't go to a prestigious school (unless you absolutely want to), if you want to go to med school, 4 years of heavy debt is enough, 8's just no fun

 

[searun]

Can you buy hot dogs out of a truck at 2AM?

Dude, I eat fresh caught trout not hot dogs. Do you even know the ingredients of a hot dog? It is not good to be eating hot dogs at 2 am or at any other time for that matter. Trust me - I will be a doctor in about two months.

 

[getdown]

hotdog and prestige are for wankers

 

[toff4l]

Dude, I eat fresh caught trout not hot dogs. Do you even know the ingredients of a hot dog? It is not good to be eating hot dogs at 2 am or at any other time for that matter. Trust me - I will be a doctor in about two months.

Relax man.

I was making the point that you can't get a hot dog at 2AM in Oregon because there is nothing to do in Oregon. It validates my point that there are so many more things to do in the tri-state area and this is reflected in undergrad applications.

 

[searun]

Relax man.

I was making the point that you can't get a hot dog at 2AM in Oregon because there is nothing to do in Oregon. It validates my point that there are so many more things to do in the tri-state area and this is reflected in undergrad applications.

I gather that you are not a snowboarder, windsurfer, mountain climber, river rafter, backpacker, steelhead fisherman, and aficionado of some of the best Pinot Noir wine produced in the world. There is plenty to do in Oregon!

 

[denco88]

Relax man.

I was making the point that you can't get a hot dog at 2AM in Oregon because there is nothing to do in Oregon. It validates my point that there are so many more things to do in the tri-state area and this is reflected in undergrad applications.

I'm going to disagree with you here and I am from NJ... Of course there is a ton of stuff to do in the tri-state area, but that doesn't mean there isn't in other places. I came to colorado for undergrad, and people here do a TON of things. They are definitely wayy more active than people at home.

 

[PanRoasted]

I gather that you are not a snowboarder, windsurfer, mountain climber, river rafter, backpacker, steelhead fisherman, and aficionado of some of the best Pinot Noir wine produced in the world. There is plenty to do in Oregon!

I probably wouldn't have known that Oregon was a state if it had not been for Oregon Trail.

 

[UpperEastSide]

I agree with who said there is more opportunities to those that live in Penn/NY/NJ/CT. Not because these are nice areas but because you have the TOP high schools in the world, top universities, NYC, etc... There are some nice colleges scattered around, like Duke, but it just doesn't compare.

The west coast has different things that make it unique... like the PAC10, Vegas, Los Angeles, Scottsdale...

 

[bucks2010]

Relax man.

I was making the point that you can't get a hot dog at 2AM in Oregon because there is nothing to do in Oregon. It validates my point that there are so many more things to do in the tri-state area and this is reflected in undergrad applications.

This is hilarious. I'm curious to know where you got these stereotypes from?

If you definition of "something to do" is the availability of ground-up leftover pig meat 24/7... all the best to you. How many times have you been to Oregon?

I think you just don't know how to travel. Or haven't traveled.

 

[n3xa]

I probably wouldn't have known that Oregon was a state if it had not been for Oregon Trail.

I lold

 

[UpperEastSide]

This is hilarious. I'm curious to know where you got these stereotypes from?

If you definition of "something to do" is the availability of ground-up leftover pig meat 24/7... all the best to you. How many times have you been to Oregon?

I think you just don't know how to travel. Or haven't traveled.

I've been to Salem, Or. Hated it, boring as hell.

 

[mmmcdowe]

I love how the extent of one's ability to eat hotdogs has been found proportional to the extent of activities available in a state.

 

[tyronedamone]

I agree with who said there is more opportunities to those that live in Penn/NY/NJ/CT. Not because these are nice areas but because you have the TOP high schools in the world, top universities, NYC, etc... There are some nice colleges scattered around, like Duke, but it just doesn't compare.

The west coast has different things that make it unique... like the PAC10, Vegas, Los Angeles, Scottsdale...

Does living on the East coast give students more advantage to admissions to prestigious ivy colleges than other students? It seems like since the ivies are in new england, and all the top private high schools are also in new england, it would make sense.

Yes, the west coast has some nice schools too (stanford, ucsf, berkeley) and they strongly favor in-state applicants, everyone knows that about CA.

Also, do you think a life history of prestigie is what it takes to get into the ivy med schools?

Wow, the people with east coast bias on here are hilarious. There are tons of fantastic (not just "nice") schools that lie outside of the northeastern corridor, and there are plenty of opportunities elsewhere.

Also, for one who is professing the superiority of east coast high schools and colleges, your grammar and spelling leave a lot to be desired.

 

[toff4l]

This is hilarious. I'm curious to know where you got these stereotypes from?

If you definition of "something to do" is the availability of ground-up leftover pig meat 24/7... all the best to you. How many times have you been to Oregon?

I think you just don't know how to travel. Or haven't traveled.

You wouldn't understand man. It's a Jersey thing.

 

[n3xa]

This thread is making me crave a Ripper from Rutt's Hut.

 

[cowme]

Relax man.

I was making the point that you can't get a hot dog at 2AM in Oregon because there is nothing to do in Oregon. It validates my point that there are so many more things to do in the tri-state area and this is reflected in undergrad applications.

Lol. Someone from new jersey ripping on another state. At least Oregon shares your ******ed "can't pump your own gas" rule.

 

[gravitywave]

You wouldn't understand man. It's a Jersey thing.

yep. GTL, and hot dogs.

wat

 

[BadHorse]

 

[slatermd]

^ excellent

 

[gidget144]

Hey, it's not where you are, it's what you make of it. Only boring people get bored.

 

[bedrock]

One major advantage to growing up outside of the NE corridor (besides all the awesome outdoor activities) is that if you grow up there and rock your grades, are involved and well-rounded, you add to the diversity of the institution because even a white guy from Idaho/Montana/Wyoming is such a rarity out there compared to masses of similar applicants from the same old schools within the NE corridor.

My parents didn't even know what state Harvard was in when I gave them the news I was going there.

 

[toff4l]

Honestly, I don't get the Jersey jokes. This is a fine state with sophisticated people and only the tough can survive here. The people that leave are the people that want an easy life. We actually don't pump our own gas because we are so busy being busy that we just don't have the time to do it. You have to pump your gas because there is nothing else better to do. It's either the joy of pumping gas or driving for miles looking at trees, rocks, and hitchhikers.

Anyway, back to the original question as far as pre-meds and other students in general, there is no shortage of opportunities here and in the surrounding cities.

Personally, I can do stuff at UMDNJ, New York Hospitals, Philly, and everything in between. Think about it, if you live in Oregon, you can drive for hundreds of miles and you're still stuck in Oregon...not much fun.

So if you take a student from this area and you compare them to a student form the middle of nowhere, assuming both are highly motivated, the Jersey kid will have a lot more on there resume and this will lead to a greater chance at getting into an Ivy, and an even greater chance of going to med school. So to answer the OP's question, yes, living in the New England area and the surrounding area will put you in a better position to get into an Ivy or a top tier school.

 

[cowme]

Honestly, I don't get the Jersey jokes. This is a fine state with sophisticated people and only the tough can survive here. The people that leave are the people that want an easy life. We actually don't pump our own gas because we are so busy being busy that we just don't have the time to do it. You have to pump your gas because there is nothing else better to do. It's either the joy of pumping gas or driving for miles looking at trees, rocks, and hitchhikers.

Actually its because your state is...special

"New Jersey passed the law making it illegal to pump your own gas in 1949. At the time, legislators felt it was too dangerous to have untrained people dispensing such a flammable liquid."
http://ask.yahoo.com/20040715.html

 

[BHaus9]

I've been to Salem, Or. Hated it, boring as hell.

I've been to New York. Smelled like ass and people with funny accents made me pay $80 for a day of parking.

 

[2662]

I'll bang on NJ, it's filthy.

OP, get into the best school that you can; going to Stanford is more prestigious than going to Delaware State. The better private East Coast med-schools do take students from all areas of the country, BUT, most come from better East Coast universities.

East Coast exceptions are Georgetown, George Washington, Duke and Johns Hopkins. Those schools are very competitive, but they do recruit nationwide. Looking through their rosters you see graduates from Lehigh, Notre Dame, Arizona, Texas, Rice, Ohio State, Georgia, Virginia Tech, George Mason, Missouri, etc.

 

[BHaus9]

 

[estradiol9]

We pump our fists, not our gas.

There is plenty to do in the dirty jersey:

 

[bucks2010]

Oh, Jersey

 

[n3xa]

Oh, Jersey

It looks just like Detroit, minus the techno.

 

[estradiol9]

Oh, Jersey.

 

[UpperEastSide]

Ohhh, New York City!!

And i have love for the west coast.
Oh Scottsdale/PV

 

[estradiol9]

I think the point is that all locations have their pros/cons. I don't see the point of trying to make individuals from Oregon or New Jersey feel less worthy.

 

[UpperEastSide]

I think the point is that all locations have their pros/cons. I don't see the point of trying to make individuals from Oregon or New Jersey feel less worthy.

Not that they are less worthy, but that it is not as easy for them to get into an certain school. Many people that are lucky enough to get into the top ivy schools would probably not be so lucky if they were domiciled in, for ex Oregon, with nothing else being different.

 

[searun]

I agree with who said there is more opportunities to those that live in Penn/NY/NJ/CT. Not because these are nice areas but because you have the TOP high schools in the world, top universities, NYC, etc... There are some nice colleges scattered around, like Duke, but it just doesn't compare.

The west coast has different things that make it unique... like the PAC10, Vegas, Los Angeles, Scottsdale...

Arizona and Nevada are not on the West Coast. Washington, Oregon, and California are the states that comprise the West Coast. Don't they teach geography in New Jersey?

 

[searun]

Honestly, I don't get the Jersey jokes. This is a fine state with sophisticated people and only the tough can survive here. The people that leave are the people that want an easy life. We actually don't pump our own gas because we are so busy being busy that we just don't have the time to do it. You have to pump your gas because there is nothing else better to do. It's either the joy of pumping gas or driving for miles looking at trees, rocks, and hitchhikers.

Anyway, back to the original question as far as pre-meds and other students in general, there is no shortage of opportunities here and in the surrounding cities.

Personally, I can do stuff at UMDNJ, New York Hospitals, Philly, and everything in between. Think about it, if you live in Oregon, you can drive for hundreds of miles and you're still stuck in Oregon...not much fun.

So if you take a student from this area and you compare them to a student form the middle of nowhere, assuming both are highly motivated, the Jersey kid will have a lot more on there resume and this will lead to a greater chance at getting into an Ivy, and an even greater chance of going to med school. So to answer the OP's question, yes, living in the New England area and the surrounding area will put you in a better position to get into an Ivy or a top tier school.

I am from Oregon and I will receive my MD degree next month from a top ten Ivy League med school. I just matched into a residency in a surgical subspecialty at the same med school school, so 5 more years on the East Coast for me. When I am done, I will get my butt back to Oregon as soon as possible.

I owe it all to Oregon. I will raise my children in Oregon where they will fish, snowboard, and backpack in the Cascade Mountains, but, alas, they will not eat hot dogs at 2am in the morning.