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Do med schools care what university you go to for undergrad?


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Hey guys, I have a question that I would like to get answer to. I am a grade 12 student and I will be going to York or UofT next year. My question is: will medical school care which university I go to for my undergraduate degree. I think I can achive a higher GPA at York than at UofT, I will definitely get more scholarships at York and York is closer to my home (30 minutes) compare to UofT (2 hours). UofT has a better reputation than York. Which university should I chose if my aim is to get into med school?

 

Thanks for your help.

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York. In Canada, university reputation is pretty much insignificant. I say 'pretty much' only because there may be members on the panel who may have gone to the same uni as you (if they are even given that info) which might give you a miniscule advantage. Just go to the school you'll get better grades at...you'll thank yourself when you are applying to med.

 

I should also mention that even though there are some schools where you will probably get worse marks...your effort and study habits have waaay more to do with that than the school you attend. People who do well at one school will generally do well at most other schools.

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* I think I can achive a higher GPA at York than at UofT

* I will definitely get more scholarships at York

* York is closer to my home

 

Those sound like pretty good reasons to go to York.

 

Relax. People from every undergraduate university in Canada get into all sorts of med schools.

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if you live in the GTA, your interviewer may ask why you chose to attend York instead of stepping up to the challenge at Toronto. Just to warn you ahead of time. It's your decision at the end anyway.
Imho, the chances of this happening are near to zero. Interviewers are careful not to say anything that is potentially offensive to the student being interviewed, and this would definitely fall in that category.
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having gone to U of T, I would actually recomend it over York. I dunno, there's a bit of mindless pride associated with going to UofT over York... but it really isn't THAT hard to do well here, just keep at it. The scholarship/travel issues do sound like more legitimate reasons. Having said that, if YOU don't care where you go, and are looking for an easy way out, no admissions person will care where your 4.0 came from. (i'm just personally bothered by people who are looking for the easy way out of things AND who get away with it... but that's more a measure of my own self-punishing refusal to take the easy way out of things :P)

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you cannot do well (or at least it isn't likely) at any university if you don't put in effort. indeed, your average may change by a few percent if you start at one university and than enroll at a different one. Unis aren't totally consistent, but in general, med schools don't care which program you're in or which university you attend - they just want marks

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(i'm just personally bothered by people who are looking for the easy way out of things AND who get away with it... but that's more a measure of my own self-punishing refusal to take the easy way out of things :P)

 

I agree with this sentiment...you should do what you like, pursue a program that interests you at a university that does it best. the marks will come by themselves (ie: with hard work and interest in the program). sometimes this might seem like going the 'hard' road. perhaps it is. but ive noticed that when i look at my transcript, the lower marks are always in options that are not related to my field of interest (i am a biochemist).

 

however, making a decision based on 'ease' of the school is a flawed strategy, in my opinion. there are always caveats to these kinds of things, and sometimes marks prove elusive still. u dont wanna end your university career with poor marks in a degree that is not applicable to any field but medicine. it is a risk, and i think it is worth it to have a viable alternative strategy.

 

/end disjointed and scatterbrained post ;)

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go to york

 

I'm at york now and have found the courses interesting, though not too challenging. It may be the easy way out, but I'm learning and having a good time. Don't know too many of my friends at U of T who can say all the same things.

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would you rather have York University on your resume in the future or University of Toronto? that's how i decided, your university stays with you for the rest of your life

 

Sorry...but I think that's a really silly way to decide...especially if you just want an undergrad degree. If its Harvard/Yale/Cambridge/Oxford...universities that give you access to a huge network of notable alumni..then yes, you may want to consider that. However, you want to go med. school and you are trying to decide b/w two ugrad universities in Canada...just go with where you can maximize happiness and grades.

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would you rather have York University on your resume in the future or University of Toronto? that's how i decided, your university stays with you for the rest of your life
If you're of the opinion that going to York is such a terribly embarassing thing then obviously you shouldn't go there. However, the opinion that you expressed here and in your previous post is not one shared by the majority of people. I am very proud to have a degree from York, and consider going there for undergrad to be one of the best decisions I ever made. I had no problem getting into my top choice program, and I knew other people who were admitted to Harvard, Stanford, etc, for medical school, as well as top grad schools in the US. To the OP: go to the school that you think is best for YOU, and don't worry about the perceived reputation of the school because it will never matter.
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The university you go to won't affect the admin comittee, but it will affect you.

 

For example...

 

If you like studying something and like being in a close-knitted community, it's probably better for you to go to a small university, with the low student population. There, you will have smaller classes, and you'll have a better relationship with your prof. And you might learn much more when you have a good one-on-one discussion with a not-so-prestigous prof than listening to a prestigous prof lecture in a class of 1500 (like in UofT, bio150). 1500 ppl is not exactly ..a close-knitted community in terms of univ classes..lol

 

On the other hand, if you're interested in research, esp medical research, a large university such as UofT, with more prestigous profs and many research departments, might be the best for you. In addition, UofT is next to some of the best hospitals in Canada, eg. SickKids, Toronto General...etc. And you'll find plenty of really good opportunities to pursue research.

 

So really know what kind of environment you want to pursue an education. A nice cozy little university where you can really interact with intellectuals ... or... a really fast-paced, lots of keeners (lol..), intensive environment, but you get to see and do alot of cool stuff in research.

 

I picked UofT cuz of its research, and I'm very happy about it. But sometimes, I wish my classes weren't so huge and that I can actually have a discussion with the prof instead of getting intimidated by them. lol

 

So pick a univerity that will provide the best medium for your intellectual growth. (yes, like growing a colony of bacteria...)

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The university you go to won't affect the admin comittee, but it will affect you.

 

For example...

 

If you like studying something and like being in a close-knitted community, it's probably better for you to go to a small university, with the low student population. There, you will have smaller classes, and you'll have a better relationship with your prof. And you might learn much more when you have a good one-on-one discussion with a not-so-prestigous prof than listening to a prestigous prof lecture in a class of 1500 (like in UofT, bio150). 1500 ppl is not exactly ..a close-knitted community in terms of univ classes..lol

 

On the other hand, if you're interested in research, esp medical research, a large university such as UofT, with more prestigous profs and many research departments, might be the best for you. In addition, UofT is next to some of the best hospitals in Canada, eg. SickKids, Toronto General...etc. And you'll find plenty of really good opportunities to pursue research.

 

So really know what kind of environment you want to pursue an education. A nice cozy little university where you can really interact with intellectuals ... or... a really fast-paced, lots of keeners (lol..), intensive environment, but you get to see and do alot of cool stuff in research.

 

I picked UofT cuz of its research, and I'm very happy about it. But sometimes, I wish my classes weren't so huge and that I can actually have a discussion with the prof instead of getting intimidated by them. lol

 

So pick a univerity that will provide the best medium for your intellectual growth. (yes, like growing a colony of bacteria...)

 

 

I mentioned this in the general forum. My supervisor looks at applications every year. She says it makes a big difference (i.e. York vs. U of T/Queens/Mac etc.)

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I mentioned this in the general forum. My supervisor looks at applications every year. She says it makes a big difference (i.e. York vs. U of T/Queens/Mac etc.)

 

I think what you mean is that a GPA of 3.8 from York is not the same as a 3.8 from UofT. And I think that's true. Even WITHIN UofT, a 3.8 in a program is NOT a 3.8 in other programs (UofTers will know what I mean). It is probably easier to get a higher GPA in York, considering UofT is quite rigorous and full of keeners. But I don't see how the adcom can just look at the Univ that someone went to, and judge the person to be inferior just b/c they went to York. On the contrary, if a UofT student has a lower GPA than a student from York, i wouldn't consider the UofT student to be less competent than a York student. I know some very smart people that go to York because they don't like the UofT cut-throat atmosphere ... and I know some really ...really...incompetent people at UofT. I don't know any "supervisors that review applications ever year", so I dont know what you said is true. But if it is true, it would be a huge mistake on the adcom's part.

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This is not specifically for med school (so disregard if you like), but what school you go to does matter in some circumstances. My father does a large amount of hiring, and he is extremely skeptical of degrees from schools like York, Ryerson, Nipissing, etc. even if the marks are very good. This is from experience interviewing the students; those who go to schools where they are surrounded by the best professors and the best students tend to learn more and be better thinkers, by a significant margin, in his experience. This is not at all to say that he hasn't hired any good employees from so-called "second-tier" school - he's found a few spectacular ones. But generally he says there's quite a solid trend that the students from schools with better reputations are more mature and capable thinkers than their peers with equal or better marks at other schools. Just something to think about - you certainly shouldn't base your decision on this one anecdote alone. Good luck deciding! :)

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Yeah, me neither.

 

Yeah, you're probably right. I get my rocks off by lying to people on a internet message board. I wish I was as smart as you so I could name drop Harvard, Stanford, etc. one day, instead of having to entertain myself by posting BS. Please let me be like you guys one day.

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Please let me be like you guys one day.

 

Well, we can let you dream. :)

 

It is complete BS that they consider what school you come from...or what program. It is generally a myth propagated by those not familiar with the admissions process. Otherwise the Philosophy major from the University of Windsor shouldn't be getting accepted at UofT.

 

UofT used to have a list showing where their admitted class came from...eg) 28 University X etc. It was quite apparent from that list that the admitted class came from a wide range of schools.

 

Your GPA goes in as a number for calculation purposes and gives you a certain score for interview/admittance purposes....thats it. There is no magic to it.

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Well, we can let you dream. :)

 

It is complete BS that they consider what school you come from...or what program. It is generally a myth propagated by those not familiar with the admissions process. Otherwise the Philosophy major from the University of Windsor shouldn't be getting accepted at UofT.

 

UofT used to have a list showing where their admitted class came from...eg) 28 University X etc. It was quite apparent from that list that the admitted class came from a wide range of schools.

 

Your GPA goes in as a number for calculation purposes and gives you a certain score for interview/admittance purposes....thats it. There is no magic to it.

 

For Queens, Western..schools with set GPA cut-offs, I agree. But from what I know of the U of T process, your academic score is a much more dynamic process. They take account everything (course level, degree of difficulty, progression of grades of the years). The program you take doesn't make a difference (although I wonder what the stats are for philosophy majors from Western getting in :)), but all things being equal, the school you are in makes a difference.

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would you rather have York University on your resume in the future or University of Toronto? that's how i decided, your university stays with you for the rest of your life

 

Why should it matter? bachelor's degrees are useless as far as jobs are concerned and grad and professional schools don't give a crap where you did your undergrad. If someone feels comfortable at York, it's best that they go there and work to get high grades so they can attend a good professional school, which is what actually matters in the end.

 

A general question addressed to those posting comments about York: is it really necessary to belittle other universities? I don't even go to to York and even I think you guys sound arrogant.

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For Queens, Western..schools with set GPA cut-offs, I agree. But from what I know of the U of T process, your academic score is a much more dynamic process. They take account everything (course level, degree of difficulty, progression of grades of the years). The program you take doesn't make a difference (although I wonder what the stats are for philosophy majors from Western getting in :)), but all things being equal, the school you are in makes a difference.

 

The only thing they do is make sure u meet the 60% rule, after that they don't have the time nor patience to go through your transcript course by course to do that. U are nuts if you believe that. Ur GPA is ur GPA, nothing more...nothing less. They might flag you if you did something funny like take the same course in 3 different faculties...but assuming no funny business, it doesn't matter.

 

I've known 2 separate individuals who've been on UofT admissions committees in the last several years and both have told me that there is no weighting for schools. Furthermore, any discrepancies in admittances from different schools typically just reflects applicant numbers. How many undergrad applicants do you think they get from Toronto compared to Windsor? It is not a surprise that they get more admitted from UofT then. In addition, the large number of entering students are usually biology, health science majors etc...because typically that is what the applicant pool is made up of...so obviously you are not going to get many philosophy majors but it doesn't mean that they can't get in or are looked upon negatively.

 

Schools just don't have the time to knit pick transcripts be it med, dentistry, law, grad school etc.

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For Queens, Western..schools with set GPA cut-offs, I agree. But from what I know of the U of T process, your academic score is a much more dynamic process. They take account everything (course level, degree of difficulty, progression of grades of the years). The program you take doesn't make a difference (although I wonder what the stats are for philosophy majors from Western getting in :)), but all things being equal, the school you are in makes a difference.

I did file review for admissions last year and we did NOT consider school as part of your academic score, not even as a tie-breaker.

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The only thing they do is make sure u meet the 60% rule, after that they don't have the time nor patience to go through your transcript course by course to do that. U are nuts if you believe that. Ur GPA is ur GPA, nothing more...nothing less. They might flag you if you did something funny like take the same course in 3 different faculties...but assuming no funny business, it doesn't matter.

 

I've known 2 separate individuals who've been on UofT admissions committees in the last several years and both have told me that there is no weighting for schools. Furthermore, any discrepancies in admittances from different schools typically just reflects applicant numbers. How many undergrad applicants do you think they get from Toronto compared to Windsor? It is not a surprise that they get more admitted from UofT then. In addition, the large number of entering students are usually biology, health science majors etc...because typically that is what the applicant pool is made up of...so obviously you are not going to get many philosophy majors but it doesn't mean that they can't get in or are looked upon negatively.

 

Schools just don't have the time to knit pick transcripts be it med, dentistry, law, grad school etc.

 

Well, you seem to have a firm grasp on the admissions process. I'll have to digress to your expertise. I guess my supervisor is a liar.

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I agree with the above poster who said that U of T gives you more opportunities to be exposed to research and "rub shoulders" with the best of the best. The learning environment is stimulating and challenging. You do have compelling reasons though for going to York. Is residence at U of T an option? (I don't remember the original post). It would be a great experience

 

as for my personal opinion, if I were reviewing applications and had to decide between two candidates who were equal empirically and qualitatively, I would likely choose the one who went to U of T, yes, because of its reputation. Reputation, true or not, fair or not, is sometimes all people have to go on.

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I agree with the above poster who said that U of T gives you more opportunities to be exposed to research and "rub shoulders" with the best of the best. The learning environment is stimulating and challenging. You do have compelling reasons though for going to York. Is residence at U of T an option? (I don't remember the original post). It would be a great experience

 

as for my personal opinion, if I were reviewing applications and had to decide between two candidates who were equal empirically and qualitatively, I would likely choose the one who went to U of T, yes, because of its reputation. Reputation, true or not, fair or not, is sometimes all people have to go on.

 

Actually...even though I have no idea what you are thinking...you'd probably resort to something else. I don't know that many people on admissions committees, but I know some from other schools in the country and your undergrad university never makes a difference.

 

To the OP...seriously, don't listen to any of this reputation stuff, go to York...when you are stressing about your organic and biochem exams...you'll be happy you don't have to be at work in 10mins so you can continue to fund your drinking habits while getting good grades. :D

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