Undergrad Institution-to wait or to bite the bullet?

[CECsails]

I was hoping to get a little feedback on the importance of your undergrad degree, or, more specifically, where said degree comes from. I entered undergrad knowing that I would pursue the pre-med path (Pediatric Neurology being my end game) and, very naively, left after three years without completing a degree. I had a myriad of health issues and was completely burnt out from juggling academics and my own health. I ended up working intensely with a young stroke victim the year following my departure which completely reaffirmed my direction and refocused my sights on med school. Life/love set my timeline askew shortly after, and two years + two states later I am finally finishing my bachelor's degree. I split my undergrad time between two small, private institutions with really amazing resources and professors. Unfortunately, I am living in a different city than both institutions and struggling with the fact that I will most likely be graduating from a lesser known, public institution in my current city (especially after paying the outrageous tuition at my previous schools). I have nothing against public institutions and believe you can make the best out of any educational opportunity, however, I am wondering what weight is placed upon those big, bold letters on your degree. I'm torn between starting classes at the public institution in January or holding off and attempting to transfer instead to a more prestigious private institution in my area for Fall 2015 (they do not accept mid-year transfers). I understand that waiting would delay the application process, but if undergrad institutions are heavily scrutinized the wait might be worth it. I feel like I might be completely over-thinking this but I'm sure my fellow non-trads understand my fear of various "non-trad factors" influencing my chances for the worst. Thanks in advance for any insight provided below!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Juldarus]

It's impossible to say if some members of an ADCOM might be predisposed to thinking highly of students from big-name private schools or elite public ones. If it is a factor, I would imagine it is tiny in comparison to the other components of your application.

Go with what is most convenient and where you think you will find the most success academically. I did all of my prerequisite at a non-flagship public school and could not have made a better choice. And I had plenty of success on the interview trail.

Here's the ultimate solution: crush the MCAT. Assuming you put together a solid overall application, a great MCAT score will yield you interviews and acceptances, regardless of whether you went to Harvard or a small-town public school. Leveling the playing field is exactly why we have standardized tests in the first place!

Bottom line: choose the school that will support you personally, not cost an outrageous amount of money, and prepare you best for the MCAT. Don't let your worries about school name distract you from all the other things you need to focus on as you begin thinking about applying! Good luck!!

 

[Prncssbuttercup]

In some places it DOES matter. I have friends at RVU who were rejected/waitlisted at CU-Denver and when they called to inquire about it, the CU people made a big deal about having students who were from Harvard and Yale... soooo some places it matters some places it doesn't... I also know people at the UMN who basically say where your UG was done doesn't matter one bit...