<p>So "setting all factors aside" - meaning equal GPA, EC's, MCATs - yes, going to a 3rd tier school certainly can't help you. Now, if you do better at that school than you would have somewhere else, maybe going was a good thing. I considered UTD, btw - the dorms look gorgeous in the brochure, and they have a really interesting program in cochlear implantation which looked fascinating - i just didn't want to lock myself into something so narrow so early - i'm at Rice now.</p>