Small Liberal Arts College to Top 30 Medical School?

[astrife]

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I am in the process of choosing my college for the next four years of my life right now and it's looking like a small LAC on USnews's top 100 LAC list (spot number 73 to be exact). Pretty strong biology program I think their brochure said something like one of the top 30 in the nation. And I'm most definitaley getting a full ride. So I'm pretty set on this school.

What do you guys think in terms of reputation being a factor when applying to top med schools 4 years down the road? Do you think from what Ive told you that this school won't have much of a problem seeming like a solid school to adcoms? A kid got into Hopkins from their last year and about 5 years ago a kid got into HMS and a girl got into Wash U on a full ride... think I'm cool in the reputation factor? I mean I know it's not Amherst or anything... but ya know?

 

[75969]

I am in the process of choosing my college for the next four years of my life right now and it's looking like a small LAC on USnews's top 100 LAC list (spot number 73 to be exact). Pretty strong biology program I think their brochure said something like one of the top 30 in the nation. And I'm most definitaley getting a full ride. So I'm pretty set on this school.

What do you guys think in terms of reputation being a factor when applying to top med schools 4 years down the road? Do you think from what Ive told you that this school won't have much of a problem seeming like a solid school to adcoms? A kid got into Hopkins from their last year and about 5 years ago a kid got into HMS and a girl got into Wash U on a full ride... think I'm cool in the reputation factor? I mean I know it's not Amherst or anything... but ya know?

I think you should be more concerned about (building) your own reputation for adcoms (and life in general) and not your ug school's reputation.

If I could have done it again,I would have focused more on LOCATION (I would have been able to avoid the guns/violence/harassment that is a good chunk of my life right now...

 

[DrBowtie]

I am in the process of choosing my college for the next four years of my life right now and it's looking like a small LAC on USnews's top 100 LAC list (spot number 73 to be exact). Pretty strong biology program I think their brochure said something like one of the top 30 in the nation. And I'm most definitaley getting a full ride. So I'm pretty set on this school.

What do you guys think in terms of reputation being a factor when applying to top med schools 4 years down the road? Do you think from what Ive told you that this school won't have much of a problem seeming like a solid school to adcoms? A kid got into Hopkins from their last year and about 5 years ago a kid got into HMS and a girl got into Wash U on a full ride... think I'm cool in the reputation factor? I mean I know it's not Amherst or anything... but ya know?

No Hopkins ED? (If I recall that was you.)

 

[riceman04]

I am in the process of choosing my college for the next four years of my life right now and it's looking like a small LAC on USnews's top 100 LAC list (spot number 73 to be exact). Pretty strong biology program I think their brochure said something like one of the top 30 in the nation. And I'm most definitaley getting a full ride. So I'm pretty set on this school.

What do you guys think in terms of reputation being a factor when applying to top med schools 4 years down the road? Do you think from what Ive told you that this school won't have much of a problem seeming like a solid school to adcoms? A kid got into Hopkins from their last year and about 5 years ago a kid got into HMS and a girl got into Wash U on a full ride... think I'm cool in the reputation factor? I mean I know it's not Amherst or anything... but ya know?

What school is it?

In the end reputation plays relatively little in the app process (It does play a factor but is probably a factor that is weighted the least)

 

[astrife]

Sadly I got deferred to Hopkins RD. I got straight A's this last semester, so we'll see if they like that or not. I also applied to Notre Dame, and I have a probably 50/50 there too. We'll see, but I'm thinking it will end up being Hendrix.

 

[bobito]

I went to a top 5 LAC. The reputation won't get you very far in terms of med school apps. Period.
At my school its was nearly impossible to get a 3.9 or above. This puts me at a gpa disadvantage when it comes to the top schools.
Go to a school that has grade inflation. Go to a school where you can have fun. Go to a school that is inexpensive. Then do well there, and score well on the MCAT.

 

[Law2Doc]

I am in the process of choosing my college for the next four years of my life right now and it's looking like a small LAC on USnews's top 100 LAC list (spot number 73 to be exact). Pretty strong biology program I think their brochure said something like one of the top 30 in the nation. And I'm most definitaley getting a full ride. So I'm pretty set on this school.

What do you guys think in terms of reputation being a factor when applying to top med schools 4 years down the road? Do you think from what Ive told you that this school won't have much of a problem seeming like a solid school to adcoms? A kid got into Hopkins from their last year and about 5 years ago a kid got into HMS and a girl got into Wash U on a full ride... think I'm cool in the reputation factor? I mean I know it's not Amherst or anything... but ya know?

Don't choose a college based on where you hope to go to med school. Such a small percentage of folks who show up to college as premeds actually still are by graduation that it's moot. Just go someplace where you will get a good education, take the prereqs, and see what happens. No need to major in bio for med school, unless that subject is something that really rocks your boat.

 

[Jaider]

But... if you go to a little school without a big reputation then your 4.0 GPA doesn't speak to the adcomms as much-- you'll have to back it up with a great MCAT. Simply because if your college doesn't have name recognition with the med schools they won't know the significance of your accomplishment, i.e. whether that 4.0 is due to inflation or whether it's a groundbreaking achievement. I think it's a fairly significant factor because when I've spoken to adcomms about my level of competitiveness at their school, this is the series of questions they have asked me:

MCAT components? GPA? BCPM? School? Major?

It sounds like your school has built up a good reputation, so I wouldn't worry about it. And, of course, a lot of factors go into choosing the undergrad school that is right for you. When I was in your shoes, I gave up a good scholarship at the college ranked #3 in favor of going to a small local school (with 2-3 med applicants per year) thinking that it wouldn't make a big difference. I think it did. So, that's my experience for what it's worth.

 

[diosa428]

I go to a LAC and no one here has much of a problem getting into med school assuming they have decent stats (3.5, 30).

 

[streetdoc]

As I finish up my med school career, i look back at my application and realize the most impt thing is going to a school where you can get a great GPA (ie 4.0), be very involved, AND have fun without having to study that much (ie grade inflation!!). it was the best choice i ever made to go to no name LAC!
streetdoc
good luck!

 

[kovalchuk]

I also go to a no-name LAC that has a great med-school reputation. Our average GPA for those who get in is about 3.4. I've taken classes at other schools, am I'm convinced I can make a 4.0 anywhere else. I'm a 3.7 here, and survived many a weed. Be warned, if you enter a LAC with a good rep, up to 1/2 of the incoming class will be pre-med, and they will be weeded out over the first two years, before they even take the MCATs. Ask me again in a year or so when I get in or not, and I'll tell you if I'd do it again, or go to a school with 10,000 kids.

 

[Thundrstorm]

I went for a small liberal arts college full ride over a $40k/yr Ivy, and don't regret it at all... and I already have a couple of MD acceptances and an MD/PhD acceptance. Adcoms will be judging you, not your college.

 

[argonana]

you might find the following link interesting:

http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/college/feederschools.htm

their list of "feeder schools:" http://www.wsjclassroomedition.com/pdfs/wsj_college_092503.pdf

LAC's place their graduates into top-notch graduate programs not because of their reps but because of their advising services, high level of faculty-student interaction due to small class sizes, level of student involvement, emphasis on educating oneself broadly, etc.
mine beat out cornell, rice, caltech, and some others of note in that list. 👍

 

[snobored18]

small LAC's rock...well at least the top tier national liberal arts schools...I went to a school that barely cracks the top 50 each year...and is known more for its conservatory than its biology department (although both are very strong)...I couldn't have chosen a better school, the faculty really care and are there because they want to be teaching undergraduates. The result is you end up having dinner at your faculty members' houses, enjoying drinks during happy hour at the campus run bar with your profs (and occasionally convincing them to play flippy cup, beer die or drinking darts with you) and getting suggestions on numerous tutorials you should take with them because they are just dieing to learn about the subject. The result is spectacular recomendations...and honestly they played a huge role in the fact I am holding multiple acceptances right now...including a top 30...and to be honest I am at the matriculant average stats wise and had fun during college...disclaimer though this does not mean that my college wasn't hard...all LAC's will beat you up there is none of this 3.9+ grade inflation going on average students get C's and not everyone graduates with honors (in fact I only think the top 30% do)...if you can hack it a LAC is definitely worth it...but you have to love to learn and want to get involved on campus to make the experience worth it...if you just want to get high grades and go to med school go elsewhere cuz grade grubbing and annoying pre-med bull**** won't take you far...you gotta love learning and know how to have fun and contribute to campus to be successful and more importantly happy at a small school...