UMiami vs Albright college GPA

[europ321123]

Hello! I’m in a little bit unusual situation, so hope somebody can help me with that. I’m transfer student from Russia and in Russian University I studied for political science, now I transferring to American college and was accepted by several and since scholarship important for me I was attracted by Albright college. I received offer from University of Miami which is great and I very excited about that university, since I think its big, good ranked university and it’s even has medical school and it’s in Miami. However, I have a question which always stay with me, when I think about high ranked university. How do you think, in my situation, when I not study for biology since high school for 3 years, will be it more difficult to study in UM than in Albright college? The thing is I’m really worry about GPA, since for MCAT I can prepare with tutors and sit only when I will be confident, but how I understand GPA can’t be change a lot.

So, maybe someone can answer in general, is it true that in small colleges like Albright with low incoming HS GPA, is easier to get 3,7 or not?

and maybe someone from UM can share with their experience about being premed in UM and how hard is grading there

hope for your help,
best regards

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[LizzyM]

It might be easier to get a good GPA at a school where the students aren't as motivated to earn high grades (fewer pre-meds) and where the average student was not a high achieving in high school. However, you may not be challenged enough to think critically and really learn how to study effectively. Another thing to ask is, how many students go on to medical school each year? is there a pre-med advisor or pre-med committee? how far is the nearest hospital and how easy is it for students to get there (for volunteer opportunities)? Is there a pre-med club or other organized way for students to connect with local physicians for shadowing opportunities?

 

[europ321123]

Hello! Maybe someone have experience of studying BS Biology and pre-med in U Miami or in Albright? Can someone share their experience in these two U?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

It depends. In the US some small colleges (Williams, Amherst, Bowdoin) are the most prestigious in the country. These are more rigorous than schools like UF, Boston University, UT Austin) despite having classes of 500 vs 5000+

 

[europ321123]

It might be easier to get a good GPA at a school where the students aren't as motivated to earn high grades (fewer pre-meds) and where the average student was not a high achieving in high school. However, you may not be challenged enough to think critically and really learn how to study effectively. Another thing to ask is, how many students go on to medical school each year? is there a pre-med advisor or pre-med committee? how far is the nearest hospital and how easy is it for students to get there (for volunteer opportunities)? Is there a pre-med club or other organized way for students to connect with local physicians for shadowing opportunities?

Hi! Thank you for your reply! Albright have average gpa of high school 3.0 and Miami 3.6. Also Miami ranked 49 National University by usnews, Albright 170-220 In liberal arts college. The thing is, I’m not familiar with American education system, because I’m a green card holder,but never study in USA before. How big can be differences in term of grading( I mean easy of getting A), can it be like A in Albright and B in Miami?, because in Russia it can be like that if you go to small not top university compare to Moscow lomonosov or other top schools. The thing is I worried about gpa most for now, because for MCAT I can prepare before taking it, and now I have huge time gap (3,5 years of political science)between high school biology and chemistry. both university didn’t share statistic for medical school acceptance rate, but I think in Miami is should be better because they even have their own medical school, on the other hand Albright have early assurance program with Penn state. Or maybe small college garding can be harder in America because they have few professors to choose and small classes? Best regards

 

[TelemarketingEnigma]

Personally I think you should consider the environment you think you'll perform best in. there is a HUGE difference between a small LAC with less than 2k students and a large university with 10K+ undergrads and associated graduate programs. I personally went the small LAC route and loved it, and don't think I would have thrived the same way at a large university. My sister on the other hand was the exact opposite.

 

[europ321123]

Personally I think you should consider the environment you think you'll perform best in. there is a HUGE difference between a small LAC with less than 2k students and a large university with 10K+ undergrads and associated graduate programs. I personally went the small LAC route and loved it, and don't think I would have thrived the same way at a large university. My sister on the other hand was the exact opposite.

Thank you, but I worried that there is no info how much students get into medschool, only those which get In early program with PennState

 

[Damson]

I agree that it can be easier to make a good GPA at a less "famous" college.

If you also have a scholarship at Albright, go.

However you should seek to talk to current students at both institutions

 

[europ321123]

I agree that it can be easier to make a good GPA at a less "famous" college.

If you also have a scholarship at Albright, go.

However you should seek to talk to current students at both institutions

The scholarship is different(UM higher, Albright lower), but in total just the same. I spoke with both, UM said that it's great, Albright some said great, some not. The thing that I worried mostly of GPA, but then sompeople said that this is nearly impossible to get In Medschool after small, not-top college as Albright.

 

[Damson]

The scholarship is different(UM higher, Albright lower), but in total just the same. I spoke with both, UM said that it's great, Albright some said great, some not. The thing that I worried mostly of GPA, but then sompeople said that this is nearly impossible to get In Medschool after small, not-top college as Albright.

A friend from my undergrad, a 200-something ranked no-name school, got into a upper-mid tier MD school

As for me I got interviews from several DO schools no problem, and got in

 

[europ321123]

Is difference in GPA between big and small usually work, like I described in Russia, Because I study in big school in Russia and got A for French since I study international real, but some classmates got C and B, but other friend which state in school in my small city they got A, however their level of French worse that of my classmates with C

 

[Damson]

Is difference in GPA between big and small usually work, like I described in Russia, Because I study in big school in Russia and got A for French since I study international real, but some classmates got C and B, but other friend which state in school in my small city they got A, however their level of French worse that of my classmates with C

It is impossible to know whether or not courses will be easier at Albright vs UMiami unless you ask someone who has studied at both

That said, I think there are greater advantages for an international student to study at a smaller school, for example faculty can get to know you better and offer more 1-on-1 support.

 

[europ321123]

It is impossible to know whether or not courses will be easier at Albright vs UMiami unless you ask someone who has studied at both

That said, I think there are greater advantages for an international student to study at a smaller school, for example faculty can get to know you better and offer more 1-on-1 support.

Oh, I see. I spoke with both and both said it's great. Some people from Albright not Bio major said that Bio department best in College and that others very bad. Bio majors told that it's good but they have 3.75 and in Dean list and get spot in early program, probably they were profession in Bio when join. Average GPA of enter from High School in Alrbigth 3.0 in Miami 3.6. However on ratemyprofessor most people have A and B, in Albright mostly C. But maybe it because UM accept more competitive student... What do you think?

 

[Damson]

Oh, I see. I spoke with both and both said it's great. Some people from Albright not Bio major said that Bio department best in College and that others very bad. Bio majors told that it's good but they have 3.75 and in Dean list and get spot in early program, probably they were profession in Bio when join. Average GPA of enter from High School in Alrbigth 3.0 in Miami 3.6. However on ratemyprofessor most people have A and B, in Albright mostly C. But maybe it because UM accept more competitive student... What do you think?

I think that people say different things and that you should just go to whichever school with a
- decent cohort size of international students
- modest average admissions GPA/SAT
- somewhere you will be happy living for four years

It truly is difficult to know what classes are like in different schools so, take your best guess

 

[LizzyM]

I would also check into how/where you might get clinical experience (likely volunteering as you may not be permitted to work depending on visa status) and how you will travel to the places where you will get those experiences. I see that there is a hospital that is 15 minute drive from Albright College but there is no public transportation between the college and the hospital meaning that you need a car, or a friend with a car, to travel between the two. It is those non-academic things that make me hesitant to recommend the smaller school.