Combined Program Rankings

Pre-Med & Medical School Multiple Degree Programs
1

<p>In an attempt to help out applicants trying to decide between medical programs I am trying to devise a ranking system similar but different than the one in From High School to Med School. Any suggestions more than appreciated...</p>

<p>Methodology: points 1-5 will be awarded for each category with 5 highest</p>

<p>Rank of Medical School (USNews): (5-(1-25),4-(25-50), 3-(50-75), 2-(75-100),1-(100+))</p>

<p>MCAT: (5-No MCAT req, 4-MCAT req. w/no cutoff score, 2- MCAT min 27, 1-MCAT min 30, 0-MCAT minimum is over 34)</p>

<p>GPA Requirement/Attrition Rate (5-(3.0-3.2 or 10%), 4-(3.2-3.4 or 20%), 3-(3.4-3.6 or 30%), 2-(3.6-3.8 or 40%), 1-(3.8-4.0 or 50%+)</p>

<p>Rank of Undergrad (USNews): (5-(1-25),4-(25-50),3-(50-75),2-(75-100), 1-(100+))</p>

<p>Cost/Expense: (5- Merit Scholarships/Generous Fin. Aid, 4-Gen Fin Aid or Public School (In state) unless applies to 5 category, 3- Avg Fin Aid, 2-Stingy Fin Aid, 1-No Fin Aid)</p>

<p>Flexibility: (5-Choose any major/can apply out while retaining spot, 4-?,3-choose any major, 2-?, 1- must choose certain major and lose spot if one applies out)</p>

<p>1.)Rice/Baylor-30
2.)Case Western PPSP-29
3.)Northwestern HPME-28
Brown PLME- 28
Vanderbilt ENGAGE-28
4.)USC Bac/Med-24
Wayne State MedStart-24
5.)Washington U- 21</p>

2

<p>I disagree with the length part.
I think 6 year programs are just so different from 8 year programs that it's difficult to complare them. For example, I knew that I didn't want to be in anything other than an 8 year program.</p>

<p>For the cost part, take into account sticker price - it varies widely among schools.</p>

<p>I never heard of a program where you had to choose a specific major - seems to defeat the whole point of programs. </p>

<p>Maybe a better group of criteria for flexibility would be something like ability to study abroad, ability to apply out of the program, etc.</p>

<p>I'm interested to see what you come up with.</p>

3

<p>I like where you are going with this too, bharath2007. However, I feel that the differene between an MCAT with no cutoff score and an MCAT with the national average is much more significant than the difference between the undergraduate ranking or for almost any characteristic. But, I'm assuming this is a rough draft, and I would like to see where you go with this.</p>

4

<p>jenskate1- Well although someone who is considering a 9 year program may never consider a 6 year program at least in terms of value 6 year programs do confer some advantage aside from just time saved that is why I feel it should receive more points. Are you saying that 6/7/8 etc. programs be ranked separately? In some ways I agree however many applicants apply to all kinds of programs regardless of length so it is more helpful for them to see how it stacks up w/others? Let me know</p>

<p>buckwald- So do you think that MCAT w/national average should receive 2 points along with MCAT w/national average+? I agree but for example that does not allow a difference between Jefferson and Wash U for example, Jefferson should get more points than Wash U in MCAT category? Let me know</p>

5

<p>can you give 0 points under the MCAT category for a school that requires a ridiculously high score?</p>

6

<p>Can you give schools named "UMKC" 100+ points?
I mean you have to take the "coolness of current students" into account... ;)</p>

7

<p>I agree with the length of the program point that jenskate made. I know I would never consider anything but an 8 year program, and I think there are lots of other people who would only apply to specific lengths.</p>

8

<p>bharath2007 -- for MCAT section, could you do something like this?</p>

<p>MCAT: (5-No MCAT req, 4-MCAT req. w/no cutoff score, 2- MCAT min 27, 1-MCAT min 30, 0-MCAT minimum is over 34)</p>

9

<p>what exactly is the difference between No MCAT and MCAT required with no cutoff score? If it doesn't hurt you to take it, is that much worse than not taking it at all?</p>

10

<p>plushenko- that sounds good ill change it
buckwald- for some programs you must take it for formality purposes but the actual score doesn't matter</p>

<p>But isn't the length just a pro or con of a program just like how the MCAT is treated, or do you object to the fact that 6/7 years get more points than 8? Should length be eliminated completely? What about nine year programs?</p>

11

<p>I think they're different systems and shouldn't be compared together (length-wise) but then I guess I don't really think 9-year programs are beneficial at all</p>

12

<p>I think length is a pro or con. But different people have different view of which is better. For me, longer is better, for others, shorter - so how can you account for both types in one ranking?</p>

<p>If you had a way to do it though, it might work.</p>

13

<p>It seems like the best thing to do would be to remove length altogether.</p>

14

<p>what would you do about length factoring into the cost of the program then?</p>

15

<p>Yay Rice/Baylor!!!!</p>

16

<p>how about msu?</p>

17

<p>Bharath,
I'm surprised you actually know about MedStart. If you don't mind my asking, how did you come up with that number?</p>

<p>BTW, what are your personal thoughts regarding it?</p>

18

<p>its hard to tell for MSU since I have no idea what rank the medical school is</p>

19

<p>I think it's hard to tell for ANY school... there are so many different factors to consider, plus rankings are either potentially irrelevant (NIH funding) or mostly subjective...</p>

<p>What ever happened to weighing your own personal pros and cons and then working from there? After all, there is not a master rank list for life, and I definitely don't want a bunch of numbers to tell me where I'll be happy for the next 6-8 years.</p>

20

<p>heh this thread mite be turning for those defending their program; the ranking system sounded like a good idea, but those numbers don't seem to mean anything as a whole (broken down might be better); i think just listing the pro's and con's for each school mite be better and obviously not only one person has to do this</p>