Does it matter what 4 yr university you go to if you want to apply for top medical schools?

Question

I want to go to top medical schools like John Hopkins, Baylor, Yale, etc. But I dont know if they will take the university into consideration if you have 3.7+ GPA, excellent community service profile, and excellent MCAT scores. Will it matter if I go to UCLA or UT at austin?

Answer 1

For the pre-med portion I would try to get into a school who actually has a pre-med program and one that is known to be rigorous. Also the school itself should be competitive in admissions...I think this is all stuff that they look at. In the end you end up taking the same courses required of other applicants so there are only a few things that would make your application standout and they are (in no particular order):
You overall and science GPA
MCAT scores
Any research opportunities that you’ve taken part in over the summer
Shadowing/observation hours
References
And any elective courses that you take should be science/health related i.e genetics, immunology, virology ect.

Answer 2

What Pop N Fresh said is true, but I would at least minor in a science to help out with your MCAT. Often med schools have requirements with regard to the basic science and math classes that you need in order to be accepted. Undergrad school is important, but both of those schools are well known. Also, while an undergrad try and get some research experience.

Answer 3

You need a college degree. BUT, it does not have to be in the sciences. In fact, for some schools a science degree is a negative - Johns Hopkins, for example. You need to show medical schools you are passionate about something. That you're willing to spend four years, study a topic you love, learn it, and be able to build on it. Selecting a college major should not be about getting into medical school, it should be about study what you love to think about or do.

Answer 4

Start your scholarship research now keeping in mind that often scholarships have specific application periods that you must adhere to. Keep tabs on those that you think you might be eligible for and start assembling the information you will need to submit them. And submit them as specified as early as you can. Often money goes unused because of a lack of applicants. I would advise you to stay away from services offering to find you money as often all you get is something you could have found yourself after an day's research, but your bank account will have been hit. Most importantly make sure you submit your FASFA as early as possible, because the longer you wait the less you will get!

Answer 5

Yes -- the school you go to makes a difference.

Going to a higher quality undergraduate school will increase your chances of getting into medical school. If you can get into UT or UCLA -- either would be excellent choices.