What constitutes a "top tier" school?

[floatingribs]

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As far as I know it's more or less based on the US News rankings, so if one were to be following that as the general backbone to break schools into tiers, which ranking would be considered mid tier? 21+? 30+? What's considered low tier? Anything in the bottom 3/4ths?

I'm aware there isn't an actual tier break down, but the tier system seems to be tossed around quite a bit on here.

 

[Overthink]

You'll get different answers from different people. There is no clear cut tier ranking. Generally, USNWR top 20 is considered top tier. The beginning of low tier is also murky, I would estimate somewhere ~50.

 

[mimelim]

Top 1 is the only tier that matters.



If you aren't at Princeton Med, you might as well be in the Caribbean.




ps. In all seriousness, USNWR is like everything, a business. They are selling a product. Trying to read into it or derive some sort of meaning is pointless. Do the best you can, go to the best school that you can, be the best doctor that you can. It isn't very complicated.

 

[efle]

generally, top approx = these. usually characterized by absurd stats and research focus
middle = most private schools and state schools that take a good chunk OOS, usually these will have MCAT avgs like 31-34 and a toooon of applicants. biggest category by far
lower = mission driven programs / state programs that are all about instate, new schools

And it's not like a straightforward X > Y > Z type thing. For some people their best option by far is their super affordable state program, or a school with a mission that fits them (e.g. emphasizing primary care for underserved). Many of the people at the "top" would never have stood a chance at many places in "lower" because they weren't residents of the state. You get the idea, it's all a lot more complicated than you'd think just from how SDN throws terms around!

 

[Goro]

I prefer to think of schools in terms like battleships. So instead of Yamato/Musashi vs Washington/North Carolina vs Iowa/New Jersey vs Rodney/Nelson, we have

Harvard/Stanford class vs Pitt/Northwestern vs Drexel/NYMC

The only people who obsess about tiers are pre-meds and med school Deans.

As far as I know it's more or less based on the US News rankings, so if one were to be following that as the general backbone to break schools into tiers, which ranking would be considered mid tier? 21+? 30+? What's considered low tier? Anything in the bottom 3/4ths?

I'm aware there isn't an actual tier break down, but the tier system seems to be tossed around quite a bit on here.

 

[Astra]

top tier = school that accepts u

 

[bears1992]

top tier = school that accepts u

Pretty sure this line is in an orientation speech somewhere over in the Caribbean.

 

[efle]

go to the best school that you can

how do you know which is best tho ??

 

[Astra]

how do you know which is best tho ??

ask ja rule

 

[Astra]

Pretty sure this line is in an orientation speech somewhere over in the Caribbean.

damn, u got me. I'm actually the dean of admissions at SGU

 

[bears1992]

damn, u got me. I'm actually the dean of admissions at SGU

I mean you guess you could say SGU is a top tier Caribbean school... amirite?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

Pretty sure this line is in an orientation speech somewhere over in the Caribbean.

Harvard of the Caribbean

 

[meddesire]

generally, top approx = these. usually characterized by absurd stats and research focus
middle = most private schools and state schools that take a good chunk OOS, usually these will have MCAT avgs like 31-34 and a toooon of applicants. biggest category by far
lower = mission driven programs / state programs that are all about instate, new schools

So looks like UNC and ECU are low tier schools so far...

 

[Jalby]

I would start with US News and then fudge everything. There is no real difference between schools that are within 5 spots at the top, and 10-15 spots in the middle. I personally don't think research $$$ should be involved in the rankings.

But top tier is really in the eye of the beholder. All that matters is some places are better than others.

Later on in life, the reputations of the individual departments matter more. Some places have more procedures and a wide variety and those matter more than the individual name. @AnatomyGrey12 are you going to ask me for data and a double blind study to back up this assertion?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

@AnatomyGrey12 are you going to ask me for data and a double blind study to back up this assertion

No, there are obviously tiers of medical schools. If you start your whole "more money of you go to a top 5 blah blah blah" then yes I will ask you to prove it with actual data. I'm starting to thing you just come here to troll.

And no one ever asked for double blind studies.

 

[libertyyne]

anything above SGU= Top Tier.

 

[libertyyne]

@AnatomyGrey12 Did you just modify imaginary credentials of an imaginary character ?

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

@AnatomyGrey12 Did you just modify imaginary credentials of an imaginary character ?
View attachment 216374

Lol yeah, I was wondering when someone would notice. I was kind of hoping some overzealous freshmen would try and correct me