Then again, my list
was a little small - only 16 schools, and I got an interview at Columbia.
@blurb_123: What do you think my chances at top-20 schools would be with a few thousand hours of research on water filtration systems for developing countries in Africa, a poster or two (maybe a publication if I'm lucky), 30 credits of 4.0 postbacc, and a new MCAT that's around 523?
I've been talking to nonprofits and university labs about water filter testing and research; I could conceivably get a job researching this water filter and take classes part-time at the university for a few years, then apply after three years or so of research. Y'all are saying, however, that even if I was successful, the gain generated by attending a school like Columbia or Duke wouldn't be worth the lost three years of physician salary, compared to a school like Tufts or Hofstra. Even if I wanted to become a neurosurgeon.
Yeah, I've been hearing a lot of things about prestige and its value career-wise, from "it has about as much intrinsic worth as toilet paper" to "it would change your life immensely" and everything in between. As I sit, though, you say I'm competitive for everything short of the top 20 and have a puncher's chance at schools like Columbia. I got a Columbia interview last time around, and my app is a little stronger this time around.
Thanks for all the advice y'all have given me. Regarding an MCAT retake: I understand the risks of doing poorly. However, if I got a 522 or better, would it help me at all?
Walter, like I said, I can only talk from my experience being around T3 medical students at an academic hospital I scribe at currently.
They are wonderful. And I have no doubt they have access to a beautiful, well thought out curriculum. However, I don't think the prestige makes some of them special. They are special people because they are happy, driven, and motivated.
Many of the residents I work with on a daily basis matched into clearly an elite program at an elite school, but did not attend a T20-30 medical school.
I have no doubt that school prestige matters some. However, your app as it stands is already good enough for the mid tier range, which is hardly a large drop off. Schools like USC, Hofstra, Boston, etc. or the "mid tiers" have all matched into the school I scribe at. I highly doubt it'll hinder you in your quest, as their match lists are excellent.
The term "mid tier" itself is very subjective. They are all excellent schools from everything I know about them. I don't know where real prestige cutoffs lie. Not many people likely do. Considering how much money many of these med schools have to lavish on their small student classes, I doubt there's a massive massive gap between what you consider a top 20 and "everything else".
Just for perspective about "prestige":
What you have to consider about prestige is unlike college, most med schools have class sizes of 50-200, which are miniscule. That means automatically, you're in such high regard for even being accepted, that you can compare it to "ivy prestige" in terms of accomplishment, if not far greater.
The top 30 med schools probably have a total class size of ~4500. To put that in perspective, that's less than the number of undergraduates who attended JUST Harvard and Stanford.
A lot of those "mid tiers' that we're telling you to apply to are unbelievably good institutions, where esteemed faculty will literally invest in you as a person and mentor/teach you for 4 years of your life. No matter how prestigious your college, there's no way anyone ever got that kind of treatment in undergrad.
And rankings are somewhat subjective too.
So if you really want to spend 3 more years of your life to improve your app to what you perceive to be "top 20 level", so be it. It may work. It may not.
But I'd advise that you instead take that drive and enthusiasm to get in now and absolutely crush M1/M2.
Why retake the MCAT, when you can get into a good school and then demolish the STEP with your work ethic. Wouldn't you rather do that? That certainly will be a much greater future help to where you match.
Some of the most prestigious academic clinicians I've ever met went to "so-so" med schools by SDN standards. I'm not saying it's an end all be all and that school rank doesn't matter. But it certainly won't define you or your career.
