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Does undergrad play a role in MD/PhD admissions? Do ppl in ivys get more preference over those in state schools?
Undergrad
- Thread starter blazinfury
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It plays less of an impact in MD/PhD admissions than MD, although, with the right MCAT/GPA, it barely plays a role. The influence of your undergrad institution is often greatly exaggerated, but don't discount it.
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See I go to Stony Brook. However I have a Guaranteed Transfer to Cornell for next fall, but I doubt that I will take it b/c I love my lab too much to drop it. Plus there is so much more competition there, that I won't have time for ECs. Speaking of ECs, do I need a lot? I mean I want to focus on my grades and research. So maybe 2 clubs and I hope to get a leadership position in an honor society, maybe? Do you feel that will be enough? Do I need to go to extremes over Ecs will volunteer in soup kitchens? I was thinking of possibly being a Kaplan tutor or a TA or a tutor for underprivileged children? What's your take on that?
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You will notice on the interview trail, however, that the MAJORITY of the applicants are from Ivies and tippity top public schools. Is this simply because they produce more applicants? Is it because they have better research opportunities and better resources and connections?? I don't know.
It sounds like from the experience that you have, however, you will not have a problem as long as you have great letters from your PI(s), and decent numbers.
It sounds like from the experience that you have, however, you will not have a problem as long as you have great letters from your PI(s), and decent numbers.
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...I think you should do what you enjoy and what you have time for. Remember, not EVERYTHING in life should be motivated by what is going to get you into medical school.
all of this is great advice.
However, you do notice a lot of ivy league (or other top private and public school) students on the interview trail...however this doesn't necessarily make a difference in the long run...just take a look at the matriculation thread
However, you do notice a lot of ivy league (or other top private and public school) students on the interview trail...however this doesn't necessarily make a difference in the long run...just take a look at the matriculation thread
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Right, it can be daunting when people are going around the room saying where they are from...Harvard...Hopkins...Yale...Princeton...Duke...*insert name of a state school* But never feel intimidated! I just think about my tuition compared to theirs, and how we're at the same place =P
As for ECs, do as much as you can without burning out. Teaching is a fantastic opportunity, but as is volunteering at soup kitchens.
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If all the grades, test scores, essays, and research were the same, I'd say undergrad matters in that your GPA might be seen as harder won at a harder school. I can't agree. My school, though not well known, doesn't hand out A's by any means.
But all those factors are rarely the same for any 2 applicants. It's the research and your letters of rec that make your application.
But all those factors are rarely the same for any 2 applicants. It's the research and your letters of rec that make your application.
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Yeah, I was considering the transfer to Cornell option too, but decided not to. Improving my CV wasn't worth moving away from all my friends.
As for EC's, if you'll allow me to be hackneyed: do what you love. Research is a jealous mistress, I know, but if you've any other hobbies, just run with them as much as time allows. I didn't work in a soup kitchen or somewhere similar because I was afraid I'd do it for my application's sake. Instead, I tutored and actually enjoyed teaching. I didn't shadow any doctors because I didn't see the point (I wouldn't presume to know what being a doctor is like by following one around for a few hours). I was in the chess club (nerd alert!) and just hung out with friends in the city most of the time. Go with what you like.
As for EC's, if you'll allow me to be hackneyed: do what you love. Research is a jealous mistress, I know, but if you've any other hobbies, just run with them as much as time allows. I didn't work in a soup kitchen or somewhere similar because I was afraid I'd do it for my application's sake. Instead, I tutored and actually enjoyed teaching. I didn't shadow any doctors because I didn't see the point (I wouldn't presume to know what being a doctor is like by following one around for a few hours). I was in the chess club (nerd alert!) and just hung out with friends in the city most of the time. Go with what you like.
I really don't think ad-committees take EC's that seriously. It's all about GPA-research-MCAT-reasons for being crazy and doing the program. Then to a lesser degree clinical experience is important, but from what I read, this varies a lot from school to school. So make sure you get GPA, MCAT, research and clinical experience taken care of, and that's enough. EC's tell the adcom more about your personality, but they would get an understanding of that from your interviews and your essays.
So bottom point, don't make medical school admissions the reason for everything you do in life.
Oh, and when it comes to undergrad school, let's not fool ourselves. It will matter. It will make your GPA look better when you're around the 3.5~3.7 and make a 3.9 much more impressive than a 3.9 in an unknown school. However, like marctam said, this will only come to play when most things are equal which is a rarity. I think if you come from an unknown school, it becomes even more important to ace the MCATs.
So bottom point, don't make medical school admissions the reason for everything you do in life.
Oh, and when it comes to undergrad school, let's not fool ourselves. It will matter. It will make your GPA look better when you're around the 3.5~3.7 and make a 3.9 much more impressive than a 3.9 in an unknown school. However, like marctam said, this will only come to play when most things are equal which is a rarity. I think if you come from an unknown school, it becomes even more important to ace the MCATs.
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This has been debated before a while back. Some adcoms say it doesn't matter to them or to their school AT ALL. However, I've heard 2 adcoms at my program say it does matter. I went to the University of Delaware for undergrad and there's another student from Delaware in the first year at my program, so it obviously isn't a terribly limiting factor. Off the top of my head I can think of several other students from other no name places.
Does big name school help? Yeah maybe. Does it help a lot? I doubt it. From the looks of things it would have been far easier to get a 3.9 GPA as a pre-med at my undergrad than it would have been with all these gunners at the Ivy League or other big name pre-med schools. That high GPA helps far more than say a 3.5 from a bigger name school.
Does big name school help? Yeah maybe. Does it help a lot? I doubt it. From the looks of things it would have been far easier to get a 3.9 GPA as a pre-med at my undergrad than it would have been with all these gunners at the Ivy League or other big name pre-med schools. That high GPA helps far more than say a 3.5 from a bigger name school.
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That is wise.
I can't emphasize this enough so I will ALL CAPS it... NOBODY CARES ABOUT THESE. Everyone knows these are resume fillers. They're practically ignored.
Do you need to go to extremes? No. I agree with the other posters--do what you enjoy. The best thing to do is get some medical experience, like hospital volunteering or shadowing or those foreign volunteering/shadowing programs or something like that. I've heard several adcoms say they don't particularly care if undergrads have teaching experience because MD/PhDs rarely go on to formally teach classes outside of a lecture here and there.
That being said, do what you like. If you want to be a Kaplan tutor and it's gonna pay you some money why not? If you don't have enough time for that it's not going to hurt you.
