<p>I was talking to someone today who felt that if you don't get into HYPSM and you are interested in going to graduate/professional school, you are probably better off going to a school where you are in the top 10 - 20% of the entering class (and by implication, you have a better shot at getting a high GPA). This person said that graduate/professional schools will weight your GPA higher than your school. As an example, he tolde me a story about a kid who went to Hopkins and got a 3.3 in bio-engineering, which is an extremely tough major (avg cum is 2.8). He decided to go to law school and was rejected at some good schools (Georgetown, GW). When he inquired why he was rejected, he was told his GPA was too low.</p>
<p>Comments?</p>
<p>There are reasons why fish in pond are midget and fish in ocean are huge ;)</p>
<p>Depends on the type of grad/professional school. If you search through the threads here for the best college for pre-med, the consensus is pretty much go to the school that will cost you the least and where you can get the highest gpa. Your MCAT scores and gpa are the critical factors. Next seems to be any internships or medical research activities you’ve done. In this case, what you were told would be true. </p>
<p>However, the situation seems much more murky regarding law school. As for an MBA, the really good programs want you to have to meaning work experience after undergraduate school. </p>
<p>If you’re going for a PhD, you’ll see references to the top undergraduate producers of PhDs meaning the schools people get their undergraduate degrees from. While you’ll see many of the expected schools, you’ll see quite a few LACs that most people have never heard of. </p>
<p>I think that there is something to being a big fish in a small pond. For some people, it helps them thrive (others enjoy the competition of being the best at a big school.) If there isn’t as much competition, it could mean professors have more time to “groom” you for graduate school in terms of research projects, internship referrals, etc. Of course, the argument is that you need the help because you won’t have the big name to rely on but it’s something to consider.</p>
<p>I agree with you OP. When everyone in your class has scored within the 99.99 percentile of America (32-35 25/75 ACT for my Engineering class), it becomes really difficult to make that above average grade if the class is set around a B or B+ curve. A student of that calibur would no doubt be at the top of his class at much less competative school.</p>
<p>However, your peers and the atomosphere drives everyone to suceed and do really well on MCAT/LSAT/GRE/etc. Certainly, your 3.3-3.5 GPA would hurt you severely if a student with 3.9 GPA at a much less competative school (and same test score) is competing with you for that same position.</p>