From @NoviceDad 's earlier comments:
Remember 3000 to 5000+ students will apply for the 4, 6, 8, 12, 20, 30 or 60 spots available at various colleges.
Also bear in mind that some of the figures above are not true/realistic numbers based on one’s background. One program with a seemingly big intake stands out especially in that regard (my previous comments few days ago).
Depends on who you ask. I believe the med school prestige does matter. However you are better off being a great student in a mediocre med school (I have known a few) than being a mediocre student in a most prestigious med school. In 2018 thread @dblazer was kind enough to come up with an elaborate writing regarding this which you may want to refer to.
@riklik Your performance in medical school and Step 1 score matter in getting top residencies (usually step 1 score > 245 ). If you do not have the top score, the prestige of medical school will be of no value.
Just curious, what makes you think that folks from a prestigious med school won’t get a “top” or rather a good enough score? That too with multiple attempts being allowed? As an analogy it is like saying if kids from TJHSST or Stuyvesant mess up on their standardized testing (where the avg. SAT scores are 1500+ and ACT 33-34+ respectively and that too these being big schools with hundreds of students).
Though theoretically possible, it is very unlikely for students from prestigious med schools to be lagging on the test scores front. Since they must have been already proven test takers (MCAT traditional route or SAT/ACT, APs, subject tests etc. direct route) and scholars. The biggest hurdle if any, I can imagine should be the ability to shine and stand out in the company of a distinguished student body with many high caliber fellow students like themselves.
I would still encourage anyone interested in this matter to go through the elaborate write up that @dblazer put together on last year’s thread so painstakingly for the benefit of others to get a high level view of what it entails.
My understanding is that every US medical school is excellent
[/QUOTE]
While that is true, the analogy given still is valid here too. For example in case of my D’s high school, an excellent school in itself, is no match for the likes of TJHSST or Stuyvesant. Had she attended either of them, chances are she may not had been even in the top quarter of her graduating class which would have severely restricted her chances of getting in where she did.
Also as I mentioned previously I personally know 3 young people having attended not so fancied in state medical school landing in residencies at Yale, Harvard and UPenn. Doubt if they could have done that if they had attended fancier med schools.
@rk2017 Any one can perform well in a medical school and can get top USLME step 1 score regardless of which medical school they attend. All U S medical schools are accredited by LCME( Liaison Committe on Medical Education ) and essentially follow same curriculum. I agree with your point, it is better to be a big fish in a “small pond” rather than being a small fish in a “big pond”,
Hello! I’m a current upperclass student in a BS/MD program in Ohio (think closer to Kentucky…) . If you have any questions, ask away. I remember eagerly being on college confidential when i was in high school lol.
@Dreamingteen3221 No, that the recommended max limit. No need to be very close to that limit as long as you can clearly/effectively respond to the prompts.