“Applicants sometimes ask me if the size or prestige of the school where they did their undergraduate studies can influence their chances of being admitted to medical school,” notes Senior Consultant Wayne Shelton, Ph.D.
“The answer I always give is – yes, to some degree, it will be a factor. Medical school admissions committees are like anybody else. If they’ve heard of a school – for example, it’s one with a well-recognized name, prominent national profile, or even one that has a great football team – they’re probably going to think it’s a good school.
“There won’t be an AdComm out there who will have experience or knowledge of every college/university in this country – there’s just way too many of them. So, like anybody else, the perceived reputation of an institution is often all AdComms have to go on.
“But even a small school might have established a regional reputation amongst AdComms. In that case, size will be less of a factor.
“The bottom line is that if the perceived rigor of your undergraduate or premedical college is high, then you’ll come across as a better candidate.”