State School vs. Ivy League School

[pedsmedstudent]

Does it matter to the competitive residency programs (Hopkins, Boston Children's, CHOP, etc.) about whether an applicant comes from a state school vs. a more "well-known" school such as the Ivy Leagues?

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[michigangirl]

are you talking about medical school or undergrad? For either, it can't hurt to be from an Ivy, but it really doesn't make a big difference if you perform well at a state school and honor your clerkships, etc. It's like anything else. If you go to Harvard med and get all 'passes', it's much better to go to University of Maryland and get honors in everything. Same argument goes for undergrad applicants to med school. Better to do awesome at a state school than mediocre at the Ivy.

 

[DoctwoB]

are you talking about medical school or undergrad? For either, it can't hurt to be from an Ivy, but it really doesn't make a big difference if you perform well at a state school and honor your clerkships, etc. It's like anything else. If you go to Harvard med and get all 'passes', it's much better to go to University of Maryland and get honors in everything. Same argument goes for undergrad applicants to med school. Better to do awesome at a state school than mediocre at the Ivy.

Harvards match list for peds. Somehow I doubt they were all honoring all their rotations

UCSF (3)
MGH (2)
UCSD
Children’s Hospital Boston (3)
UCLA
Stanford
U Washington
NYP Columbia

 

[oldbearprofessor]

Harvards match list for peds. Somehow I doubt they were all honoring all their rotations

UCSF (3)
MGH (2)
UCSD
Children’s Hospital Boston (3)
UCLA
Stanford
U Washington
NYP Columbia

No one to CHOP? slackers!

To the OP: Yeah it matters some for a couple of programs. But even for those it can be overcome by the right person. For the other 50 "top" programs that will get you anywhere you want to go, even in academics, it matters extremely little to none. IMHO, of course.

 

[babel]

Also, flip that equation around and look at the medical schools of those residents at "top" programs - you'll see plenty of people from state schools or lesser known privates. Coming from a big name school helps, sure but it's really just 1 item of many on your application.

 

[michigangirl]

True, friend, but I'm sure they weren't just getting passes in all of them either. And let's put it this way-- if you are a Harvard med student, chances are your Step I scores are pretty good since you had an awesome MCAT score to get in, and you're not lazy and incompetent in your clerkships.

Harvards match list for peds. Somehow I doubt they were all honoring all their rotations

UCSF (3)
MGH (2)
UCSD
Children’s Hospital Boston (3)
UCLA
Stanford
U Washington
NYP Columbia

 

[babel]

True, friend, but I'm sure they weren't just getting passes in all of them either. And let's put it this way-- if you are a Harvard med student, chances are your Step I scores are pretty good since you had an awesome MCAT score to get in, and you're not lazy and incompetent in your clerkships.

Also true - if you are a strong enough applicant to get into a big name school in the first place, chances are you will shine in your state school as well. So if you have other good reasons for going to your state school (family, finances), do it.

 

[Lizzy Wurtzel]

I am from a state school in the midwest with average reputation. Steps 240s/250s/pass, Honors in all rotations m3 expect peds (first rotation), honors in early M4 courses (but hadn't taken peds subI when transcript sent out). Great PS (i think), average LORs (I think), no research, average extracurriculars (few, but really involved in those few). I was senior AOA and University Honors. I did an away rotation at an Ivy league school, and did not feel my experience there was any different than it was at my home institution (maybe even less teaching at the Ivy).

I was offered an interview at every place I applied, including "top" programs like BCRP, CHOP, Stanford, Washington, Hopkins, Northwestern, WashU. I ranked 11 programs, and went on about 18 interviews (I had not spent much time outside of my midwest state and wanted to check a lot of places out).

I matched at #3 on my rank list, but am not a very good interviewer. All things considered, I do not think that being from a state school hurt my application very much.

I hope this scenario helps ease concerns. I absolutely don't think you need to be AOA to have similar success, and I include all of my stats/extracurricular just to help people gage their own competitiveness. I applied to 30 schools b/c i figured that schools like BCRP and Hopkins would not interview my midwest-state school attending resume. Turned out to be a huge waste of money.

 

[Wiscobadger13]

I am from a state school in the midwest with average reputation. Steps 240s/250s/pass, Honors in all rotations m3 expect peds (first rotation), honors in early M4 courses (but hadn't taken peds subI when transcript sent out). Great PS (i think), average LORs (I think), no research, average extracurriculars (few, but really involved in those few). I was senior AOA and University Honors. I did an away rotation at an Ivy league school, and did not feel my experience there was any different than it was at my home institution (maybe even less teaching at the Ivy).

I was offered an interview at every place I applied, including "top" programs like BCRP, CHOP, Stanford, Washington, Hopkins, Northwestern, WashU. I ranked 11 programs, and went on about 18 interviews (I had not spent much time outside of my midwest state and wanted to check a lot of places out).

I matched at #3 on my rank list, but am not a very good interviewer. All things considered, I do not think that being from a state school hurt my application very much.

I hope this scenario helps ease concerns. I absolutely don't think you need to be AOA to have similar success, and I include all of my stats/extracurricular just to help people gage their own competitiveness. I applied to 30 schools b/c i figured that schools like BCRP and Hopkins would not interview my midwest-state school attending resume. Turned out to be a huge waste of money.

Hey, I know this is resurrecting a dead thread, but I just wanted to say thank for your post. Its always nice to have someone post their true situation and explain how it turned out. Much more helpful than vague posts stating someones opinion without any support. Thanks!

 

[Cookie Queen]

I go to a decent med school but not Ivy. A classmate of mine that interviewed at one of the top programs by reputation last year was told by his interviewer to not get his hopes up since he didn't do Ivy undergrad and Ivy med school. We have not matched a single person from our school there in almost 10 years, but have matched many many people into other top tier peds programs. So I think it all depends on the program.

 

[michigangirl]

Hey, I know this is resurrecting a dead thread, but I just wanted to say thank for your post. Its always nice to have someone post their true situation and explain how it turned out. Much more helpful than vague posts stating someones opinion without any support. Thanks!

Keep in mind that many of us are not just stating our opinions but reflecting on our expertise/experience. Many of us interview for pediatric residency programs regularly and are expressing what we've seen out there and how we view things from an interviewers/application reviewers perspective.