Hello:
I am new to this site. I am Molecular and Cell Biology Major at UC Berkeley. 
Welcome! Come on in and make yourself at home! I’m doing an informal post-bacc at UW-Milwaukee.
Denise
Greetings and welcome to OPM
You will find a great bunch of people here willing to help you with anything you need. We shall look forward to hearing from you and welcome you to join in any discussions we are having.
Again, welcome
Amy B
Hi! I have a question. I am in a quandry. I am student at UC Berkeley. I know the prestige of this school will help me. But I hate it for reasons too lengthy to go into. What is better, good grades from a smaller lesser known school or the prestige of a diploma from a school like UC Berkeley? I have been accepted at another school. Smaller classes, more individualized attention and a more rigorous bio-chem program. Any thoughts? Will med schools be more interested in me or the name of the school I come from? Thank you 
Welcome! That’s a great question and I would love to hear the answer (hoping prestige helps, I am at Georgetown).
Is there a guy at Berkeley who calls himself Stony Brook? He was there when I took a class there one summer. Really freaky guy – had nightmares he’s show up at my school, which was also named Stony Brook so it seemed like a possibility. (He never did).
Glad you found us!
Personally I would go where I was going to enjoy my education and where I could learn the best. People may disagree with me, but I would say you don’t have to go to a well known school in order to get into med school. Go to the other school if you think it will be better for you.
Yes, there is some advantage in coming from a big-name school. However, if you’re not happy there, then you are far less likely to perform as well academically & less likely to learn the material. So, there goes any advantage the name might have conveyed.
I firmly believe that you are far better off attending a place that while rigorous, is also a happy place for you. You will learn more effectively, much more likely to perform to your maximal ability & hence, perform better on the MCAT - cause you know your stuff better.
In my humble opinion, the advantages of attending a good-fit program far outweighs any advantage conveyed by a nmae/reputation.
Thanks for the information. You are echoing my thoughts. Also I do have time to make a choice.
The name doesn’t ring a bell. But in Berkeley the freaks out number the non freaks. I probably just missed him. I think your safe! 
so true! (see OldManDave post above).
from my experience - I was young and stupid when I chose my undergrad bec. of its “presumed” reputation (back then)…I was not happy there and I sucked (gpa-wise)! big time.
The few advantages that I had was using the reputation to get a job. The medschool admissions only noted that i went to a “good” school - but didn’t make a dent, unlike in the real world.
The other advantages was that I learned a lot (I believe) even though my gpa didn’t reflect it - the sciences on my MCAT was good, considering (verbal was my demise - huge understatement)
disadvantages? lots - shattered dreams, broken ego, worthlessness, future psychotheraphy, debt … took lots of coaxing from a surgeon friend that I should go back to school and apply to medschool (and now, here I am)… I went to a grad program at a state school - found out that classes can be friendly and actually there to help you learn.
anyway, i digress - this was an undergrad experience after all…there may be tons of confounders that affected my inexperience.
Quote:
Hi! I have a question. I am in a quandry. I am student at UC Berkeley. I know the prestige of this school will help me. But I hate it for reasons too lengthy to go into. What is better, good grades from a smaller lesser known school or the prestige of a diploma from a school like UC Berkeley? I have been accepted at another school. Smaller classes, more individualized attention and a more rigorous bio-chem program. Any thoughts? Will med schools be more interested in me or the name of the school I come from? Thank you
Hi there,
The prestige of the school that you attend is not going to mean very much unless you do well. If you are unhappy, you won’t do as well. Medical school can be done graduating from a small, less-well-known college. My first degree is from Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia. It was formerly the women’s division of UVA because UVA did not admit women to their undergraduate division. Mary Washington is a small (2000 students) liberal arts college located in Fredericksburg, VA. Most of my classes had less than ten people and my largest class (psychology) had about 50 students.
When I taught General Biology for science majors at George Washington, I had 375 students in that one class. It was held in an auditorium and I lectured from the stage. I had no way of knowing any of the students unless they came to my office for help. All of my tests were graded by ScanTron computer so even grading was pretty impersonal.
The bottom line is that medical schools are interested in students who can prove that they are able to master a very demanding curriculum. You can do that at any accredited college or university as long as you do well in your studies.
When I was doing admissions work for Howard, we would never accept a 3.0 from Harvard over a 3.5 from St. Augustine or Xavier. The bottom line will be your numbers no matter where you post them from.
Natalie
Welcome!
Hi Readmenace, I’ve noticed you jumping in and contributing to OPM with your posts. Great that you’re not shy! Welcome to the group.
Everything that I’ve read says that grade inflation has changed the old paradigm where “reputation of undergraduate institution” played a part and it doesn’t matter where you go.
Welcome Readmenace to OPM.
Who is that picture of? It’s hysterical.
Isn’t it the guy from ghostbusters? Harold Ramis?
Hello!
Nice to see another new member. This site rocks . Everyone is so nice and helpful.