<p>Hi, I was just wondering, I am the kind of student that can't afford to go to a private university and I am ending up going to a state university in New York. I was wondering, if I work really hard in college before medical school, is it possible for me to go to a really competitive medical school like Johns Hopkins? I am currently a senior and will be applying to Stony Brooks and will be doing Pre-med there. I will not be in any special medical program in Stony Brooks, but will try to maintain a 4.0 GPA and study really hard for the MCATs. What should I do to be the perfect applicant for John Hopkins while in Stony Brooks?</p>
<p>Of course you can
An example--one of my colleagues did his undergraduate work at UMass-Amherst
and attended Harvard for medical school and did a Harvard residency and now is an asssociate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Med
It can happen
I am certain there are hundreds of other examples</p>
<p>first off, all med schools are competitive. You have only 45% of applicants gain acceptance nationwide, so wherever you go, it's going to be competitive. Anyone getting into med school has accomplished something.</p>
<p>Further, realize that every HS pre-med thinks they are going to get a 4.0 and study really hard for the MCAT (we've seen it on this board a thousand times). That doesn't mean you can't or won't, just realize what the more likely scenario is. </p>
<p>Beyond that, is there any substantial reason why you HAVE to go to Hopkins? I mean it's a well known school and all, but why there? I think you will be setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment if you believe that you have to go to Hopkins to be a success in life. All US medical schools will teach you what you need to know to be a doctor. Unless you are very interested in doing research, or academic medicine, the prestige of most medical schools is not that important (plus some of the best medical schools are state universities in the Midwest). If you are just hoping to go into clinical practice, how you treat patients will be a greater factor in your reputation than where you completed medical school or residency.</p>
<p>For that matter, if you can't afford private university, how are you going to afford private medical school?</p>
<p>absolutely. i know several yale med students who attended 3rd tier state schools.</p>
<p>It's really going to depend on you for the next level, not the school where you came from. Good core grades, a very good Mcap and some ECs in the field will help you get the interview. Then it's all you. </p>
<p>Everything that determines your succes is on you. If you go somewhere for pre-med say a "name" school and tank, do you think they'll let you into med school? </p>
<p>Do well where ever you are. If you do and you do well enough, you'll make it somewhere. As another poster pointed out only 45% make it in, work on being in the top 20% and then things should take care of itself.</p>
<p>But remember, that's not 45% of premeds; that's 45% of kids who will eventually apply to med school, or less than 25% of the kids who will take the MCAT.</p>
<p>Those percentages are much higher at elite private schools, partly because of the student body.</p>
<p>So when you're aiming to be in the top 20% of the kids who will eventually apply to med school, you need to realize that that's probably more like the top 5% of your Intro to Chemistry class.</p>
<p>what about students that go to city colleges, instead of state colleges?</p>
<p>Are you talking about community colleges (2 year schools that award associate's degrees) or talking about colleges/universities like the City Colleges in NYC (really the only system I can think of as "city colleges")?</p>
<p>I am talking about colleges like city college in new york</p>
<p>I know someone who went to rutgers for undergrad, then attended upenn</p>
<p>I know [of] one who went on to become Secretary of State.</p>