undergraduate reputation

[Mike]

I have just graduated from a top 20 liberal arts college with a 3.05 gpa. I really want to go to osteopathic medical school in two to three years. I am finishing my last pre-med requirement, orgo, at my local state university. I have been cruising through this course with a solid A so far. It makes me think that if I didn't go to such a competitive school my undergrad GPA would have been significantly higher. Do osteopathic schools take the rigor of your undergraduate degree into account. Thanks

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[Popoy]

I'm certain that some do.... I can't remember which one exactly.... it was either Oklahoma or Ohio... I'm sure one of them does because when I called they mentioned that they have a numbering system to qualify an applicant for an interview.... I'm really not sure which one but I am certain that some do.... Sorry....

 

[DaNugget79]

I'm sure they do. They know that good grades are harder to come by at the Ivy schools or Virginia, UNC, Michigan, etc. Going to a glorified middle school like Virginia Tech or any other Podunk school and getting a 3.0 won't look as good as the top 20 school.

 

[Mike]

I know that getting a 3.0 from a top 20 school will look better than a 3.0 from podunk university but would a 3.0 from the top 20 school look better than a 3.4 from podunk universtiy. At the school I'm at now I'm sure I could have gotten a 3.5 with half the effort that I spent killing myself for that 3.0.

 

[Mike]

Any opinions, this is really starting to bother me. Why didn't I just go to community college and get a 4.0 in all my pre-med classes.

 

[Atlas]

Study hard for the MCAT. That's the ultimate leveling effect. It doesn't matter which school you go to per se because Osteopathic schools are known for looking past numbers. Some people, by virtue of circumstance, had to go to a community college. Those students ultimately have gone on to medical school. C.C. work will not hold you back as long as you show you learned something while you were there. This will be demonstrated through the MCAT. After that, schools will take your undergraduate school into consideration, but attending a particular school won't necessarily keep you out of med school. I know quite a few doctors that did some or most (if not all) of their pre-reqs at a C.C. If you need evidence, please check out UHS-Kansas City's website under the admissions department section. There, you will find a list of undergraduate colleges that either current or past students have attended. Notice...you won't see many Yale's or Harvard's on that list. You'll see "Podunk Community College" more than anything! So, there is hope for you if you didn't go to the greatest college for undergrad. All you need to do is prove that you learned a thing or two while you were in school and you do this via the MCAT. Best of Luck.

 

[Atlas]

P.S.
I know the original poster wasn't going here, but I thought I'd touch on it anyway.
I went to a Community College for my first two years and I must say it wasn't easy! I had professors constantly trying to prove that just because they're teaching at a CC that the class wasn't going to be a cake walk. I wouldn't automatically assume a 4.0 at a C.C either because of that reason. It, at times, felt like profs were out to prove something to the students. Anyways..it's tougher than it looks!...Well at my school it was anyways. I know this may sound corny, but I actually went to one of the better C.C.'s in the country or at least in the state of Illinois. We had professors with PhDs from Wash U, U of Chicago, etc. I feel that I learned a great deal from my CC and, in fact, saved alot of $$. Plus, I had a better opportunity to approach my instructors one-on-one because the classes were smaller and MOST didn't have a god complex. Now, I'm at a top-rated liberal arts school, preparing to take the MCAT and apply to medical school. I just wanted to say that I don't think anyone should lose hope or feel bad about where they went to school. If you go to Harvard, Stanford, Princeton...more power to you. I went to a CC out of circumstance and medical schools will see this. I've done well throughout my college experience. I WILL make it and anyone else can too! Best of Luck to all the applicants!

 

[Mike]

I realize that the MCAT levels the playing field but GPA is also very important. I busted my but in high school so I could get into the best college possible for me. I did go to an extremely competitive college. I realize that CC's may not be the joke that I think they are but I had many friends in high school who did go to our local CC and these guys were the last people I would expect to see in med school. I'm sure that some CC courses are tough at some schools but the fact is that professors will give A's to the students who do the best in their class. If you are head and shoulders above everyone in your course then you will get the A. And at a top school the competition for the good grades is considerably higher. Can I just re-do all of my pre-med courses at a CC. I know I gained a wealth of knowledge and received a top notch education but that doesn't get me into med school.

 

[CityIvy]

Mike,

I totally hear you. I went to an Ivy, and feel like maybe I should have gone to Rutgers (my state school)--where I could have gotten better grades w/ half the effort. Now I'm stuck on these waitlists! ahhhhhhhh!!!!

 

[Atlas]

Mike,

I know what you're saying about some of the students that attend CCs. Most of the students are there because they don't know what in the hell they're going to do with their life and/or their parents are making them go to school and just take a few classes here and there. I know this. I've had a million of them in my classes and most of them drop out because my professors work us like dogs. I guess I'm fortunate that I went there for a variety of reasons. I could have gone to a better school..in fact, I had my ticket written to go to SLU right out of high school. I didn't go because of family health problems and financial constraints posed by those problems. I was content to going to a JC and doing well with hopes of transferring out...which I did. Thus far, I've achieved a great deal of success. I've won county and state medical scholarships and receive financial support to go to a great school. I must say, too, that I wish I could have gone to a better school, possibly one that grades on the A+/A- system. That way...my B's in JC would be A-'s at some other school. My current school grades on the A+/A- system, which I like much better! I know I can do the work, but unfortunately many people who aren't familiar with the JC I went to, can't realize how hard it was. I have only been in a couple of classes where the best student gets the top grade. Rarely did we have a curve in that respect. Knowing your stuff will get you into med school. If you know your biology, organic chem and physics, you'll do well on the MCAT...well enough to get into A medical school. I'm not saying you'll get into Harvard med, but you'll be considered. Granted, Mike, you and I may have different perspectives. I don't know what schools you're interested in, so you may want that 3.7 or 3.9 GPA. Personally, I need ~3.5 GPA and 8's and 9's on the MCAT to have a good shot at my state schools. I'm confident from practice tests that I can pull off those scores with the education I've received. It's a matter of perspective and how you evaluate yourself as an applicant. That evaluation directs which schools you apply to. Where are you applying by the way? Granted, you won't see me applying to Harvard, Yale, or Stanford med. I'm more interested in UHS-KC, CCOM, and SIU. I'm not real big on going to the BEST school. I want to be a doctor and a doctor is what I'll be! Best wishes.

 

[Atlas]

Also, Mike, you sound like a bright person. With your 3.1 GPA, I'm sure you'll get into a DO school as long as you score at the national mean on the MCAT. What do you have as far as extra-curriculars go? DO schools tend to care more about that than where you went to school. A 3.1 will not hurt your chances to the point where you can't get in. I've heard of people with 2.9's getting in, but they had around a 30 MCAT. The MCAT is your savior ! Trust me.

 

[John DO]

Popoy,

Oklahoma does have a rating system for undergrad.


Mike,

The first comment I heard from my interviewers at OSU was about my undergrad and how their best students are from there. I think, since numbers are less important than knowledge, any good school will realize your situation. DO NOT regret not selling out for higher GPA. It will pay off in the end! My numbers were not very high, but I had a strong app otherwise and I was accepted at every school I applied to.

 

[realruby2000]

Hey Atlas,

I too went to a community college in Illinois (College of DuPage) which i heard is one of the best in the country...is that where you went also?

 

[Mike]

Atlas, as far as what schools I would like to go to, UNECOM would be my first choice. I lived in Maine for the last four years and I loved it. UNECOM does have a very good relationship with my college also. I have three letters from DO's from the three internship/shadowing experiences that I've had. These experiences were all in Maine as well. I've heard that UNECOM is big on their graduates staying in the area so my love for Maine and my experience with DO's in the state of Maine should help. Also I am a resident of Long Island so I will definetly be applying to NYCOM. Other than that I don't really know. I just want to be an osteopathic doc. I am not speaking about CC's all over the country when I say that I am sure I would be able to ace any class. I am speaking purely on my knowledge of my local CC. The thing that really bothers me is that my parents paid a ridiculous amount of money for my undergraduate degree and yes I got so much out of the last four years but was it worth it if I'm unable to accomplish what I set out to do when I started college.

 

[Atlas]

Mike,

You will have success. I'll put money on it and I'm not a gambler! Your ties to the New England area as well as your letters of rec from DOs in Maine will set you apart. I don't want to go so far as to say that you're a shoe-in, but I feel your damn close as long as you do well on the MCAT. It sounds like you have a good, well-rounded appliation that's gonna be hard to turn away. Have faith in that GPA and slam the MCAT. After all, you did pay for the better education...now it's time to prove all that you have learned thusfar! My situation is that I couldn't afford to go to a high priced school at first. Coming out of high school, I had a hard time getting scholarships because I came from a super competitive academic (college-prep) high school. So, I know what you're saying. When I was in high school I was blown away by all the "super-geniouses" and my GPA didn't show one ounce of intelligence! So, I was a smart kid from a great high school who couldn't get financial help. Not to mention, family circumstances which led me to stay at home and help out while holding a job at 20-25 hrs/week. Osteopathic colleges will see this and take it into consideration as well as where I went to school. It all boils down to being the most well-rounded applicant you can. Your GPA is a little on the lower side, but it's by no means fatal...especially for UNECOM! You'll do well and be pleased with the results...I promise. Just work on that MCAT and become an even more well rounded person. That's all you can do.

Ruby,

I didn't go to Dupage. I went to Southwestern Illinois. It supposedly has some of the highest government funding grants of all CCs for projects and research. Plus, the professors are some of the highest paid in the nation (at least the state) for CCs, so we get alot of top notch profs and part-timers. I've heard of Dupage and from what I know...it's a good school as well. Best of luck to you!

 

[ErinG]

Just for the record, I went to Rutgers (my state school as well,) and I think you should not underestimate how difficult it is-- you can't just get a high gpa with "half the effort." I went to the Unversity of Chicago for grad school and I received a much better education at Rutgers than at the U of C.

(sometimes people who get into ivys **choose** not to go to them because they are so expensive...)

 

[RockandRolldoc]

It definitely helps. They definitely take mental notes of the degree of difficulty of undergrad work. When I interviewed at LECOM last year, they seemed more interested in the fact I went to the University of Michigan than why i wanted to be an osteopathic physician.

 

[greniedgal]

hey everyone. it's nice to hear that cc's wouldn't hold you back. i graduated from upitt with a dual degree and then moved home to realize i didn't want to pursue anything in the field i studied (and that i still had this burning love of medicine.) so i went back to finish up my prereqs at a local cc to save money after spending so much on my undergrad. i have had some hesitation after coming fom a 4 year school, but i've come to realize that all i need is to do well, prove i know the material as well as anyone else via the mcats and believe. i have some great profs at the cc, like an ochem prof who is an md from an ivy school.
i mean i understand, some cc students have no clue where they are headed and they figure a cc is the best way to go for them until they do know. but not all cc students have no direction. and many times those students are there to save money. i agree that it may be 'easier' to be at the top of the class but a smart premed will be trying to perform their best in order to know the material for the mcat.
so, for the people who have sweet names attached to their undergrad- that's awesome, but for the people who don't..i'm sure you have just as much of a shot and keep believing, the schools you really want to be at will choose people who will make great doctors. take care!!

 

[Bevo]

this was something I was talking about with someone else where a texas med school interviwer or something said that by Law all Texas schools have to evaluate every applicant based on their gpa regardless of the quality of school they went too.

A 4.0 at the local community college is teh same as 4.0 at Harvard to them.

But I think it really only applies in the initial application process. I think as each applicant under goes more scruitiny(sp?) that the quality of education is weighed in. Did they go to a community college for pre med reqs only? To me that looks poorly and I imagine it would to them as well.

It would be interesting to see statistics that compare how many applicants matriculated onto medical school from a community college versus those who went to a full 4 year university versus those who went to a full 4 year university but did they're pre med reqs at a community college.

As for being a top 20 university, I tend to believe that complete bs. I graduated from a top 30 university and doing my post bacc work at a tier 3 school now. I believe Im getting more than my moneys worth of education here and learning more than I ever would at the top 30 university I attended. There are other reasons, but I dont think school ranking is all that.

 

[Toejam]

My feeling is that they consider it somewhat, but if you got a 3.8 from Podunk vs. a 3.0 from UCLA (thought I'd plug my alma mater), I think they'd feel more comfortable with the 3.8. But, another poster pointed out an important fact. If you score on either side of the MCAT spectrum, this will also affect their decision.

 

[Fenrezz]

Some schools definitely consider it. UMDNJ told us that they have a formula that they calculate, and one of the numbers added into is your undergrad school rank on some national list.

As far as community colleges, I went to 3 different ones and still got accepted....barely, but still got in. It's more advantagous to go to a top 20 undergrad for 4 years, but not vital. As long as your stats are competitive, you'll have a good shot.

 

[Mr. Z]

Originally posted by ErinG
Just for the record, I went to Rutgers (my state school as well,) and I think you should not underestimate how difficult it is-- you can't just get a high gpa with "half the effort." I went to the Unversity of Chicago for grad school and I received a much better education at Rutgers than at the U of C.

(sometimes people who get into ivys **choose** not to go to them because they are so expensive...)

My sentiments exactly. Don't knock a school just because it's associated with the state. Rutgers is an excellent school, especially in the sciences. Your gpa most likely would have been the same had you attended rutgers, and most definitely far worse with "1/2 the effort".