Undergradute Selection

[burgler09]

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How much does the undergraduate school you go to really matter? Is it going to hurt my chances say i go to University of San Diego which is ranked 105 on USNews or if I go to USC. Thanks for any advice!!

 

[pacbum]

not one bit. as long as you can do well at the school you're at, it doesn't matter. so go to the undergrad school that you feel the most comfortable with.

 

[jackbauer!]

it matters very little (if at all). i have heard that columbia places an emphasis on the ranking of your undergrad school. regardless, a high GPA/DAT will trump going to a top school.

jb!🙂

 

[burgler09]

awesome, I still plan on applying to UCLA and USC but I really fell in love with san diego so i think i'll give that a try. thanks for the help!

 

[OceanBlue]

not one bit. as long as you can do well at the school you're at, it doesn't matter. so go to the undergrad school that you feel the most comfortable with.

I wouldn't say that. I don't know that it will be the "make it" or "break it" factor, but if you go to a good school and get good grades...that proves to them that you can handle dental school. That and a solid DAT score.

 

[bruinpredent]

I wouldn't say that. I don't know that it will be the "make it" or "break it" factor, but if you go to a good school and get good grades...that proves to them that you can handle dental school. That and a solid DAT score.

this question always turns into a debate between those who went to competitive undergrads and those who didn't. I think OceanBlue has got it right....although going to a more competitive institution wont necessarily be the deciding factor of your application, you can't deny that getting the grade in a more competitive institution is significantly more challenging, considering the high level of expectation from and the competition among students.


Nevertheless, going to a competitive undergrad and getting a poor GPA isn't going to help you...someone with a 2.8 GPA from harvard isn't going to get in just because they went to harvard. This is where the DAT comes in, the great equalizer.


Final Answer: Ace the DAT and go to whichever school you feel most comfortable at.

 

[DDSY]

Agree with all that's been said by other people. Some schools have low GPA averages and high DAT scores, which can be mislead people to think they have a better shot at a certain school (based on GPA). However, these schools tend to accept students from more competitive schools. Nevertheless,a high GPA from a lesser competitive school definitely helps and a great DAT score, on top of that, is 👍 .

One way to "determine" the types of candidates each school prefers is to visit their separate class of 2011 facebook accounts.

 

[coolraz]

Of course it matters where you go to undergrad. But only insofar as comparing your GPA. A 3.5 at UCBerekely is going to get way more love than a 3.5 from University of San Diego (UCSD though is a very good school). Your major also matters (3.5 in biochem vs 3.5 in sports medecine). So go to the school where you will be most happy. But really, if you get into a more competitive school for undergrad, WHY WOULD YOU NOT GO?!?! It's ******ed to go for the "easy college" way because then when you hit real life or grad school you'll realize you'r a ******. Whereas if you go to a competitive undergrad, you can still party and have tons of fun, just get decent grades and you'll have a good chance at any career you want.

 

[jackbauer!]

Of course it matters where you go to undergrad. But only insofar as comparing your GPA. A 3.5 at UCBerekely is going to get way more love than a 3.5 from University of San Diego (UCSD though is a very good school). Your major also matters (3.5 in biochem vs 3.5 in sports medecine). So go to the school where you will be most happy. But really, if you get into a more competitive school for undergrad, WHY WOULD YOU NOT GO?!?! It's ******ed to go for the "easy college" way because then when you hit real life or grad school you'll realize you'r a ******. Whereas if you go to a competitive undergrad, you can still party and have tons of fun, just get decent grades and you'll have a good chance at any career you want.

b/c the "easier" college may be a cheaper (i.e. free) option. i was accepted to Boston College for undergrad. i chose to go to my state school, which by your standards is an "easy college." Why? b/c it was FREE. IMO, i don't think my college was significantly easier than a "top school."

jb!🙂

 

[burgler09]

yeah my current major is biochem and I plan on going to the most selective/best fit college i am accepted into. I am sending out my transfer apps this fall and I am really hoping for usc or ucla! although ucla should be tough due to being out of state... but I am in no way choosing different schools because I think one is easier than the other.. because I don't think a biochem major will be easy at any school =P