<p>I wouldn’t say that Pitt undergrads are not as valued by Pitt’s med school; instead, I think it’s just that given its ranking, Pitt’s med school can afford to be very, very picky. Other schools do show preference toward their undergrads or in-state students; however, as the article linked by sxnhe points out, these schools are not ranked as highly as Pitt. If you are specifically looking to attend Pitt’s medical school, you’re not going to gain any advantage just by attending Pitt as an undergrad.</p>
<p>Personally, I have had a great experience as a pre-med at Pitt. I feel challenged but not too overwhelmed. While I have not taken the MCAT yet, I have begun to study for it, and I feel that my coursework has adequately prepared me. My friends who have taken it already did well. I’ve had great instructors who have been very knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate about their subjects. In fact, I’ve never disliked or had a bad experience with a science prof thus far, though I do (mostly) heed the advice of ratemyprofessors and older students when it comes to scheduling classes. My classmates are, for the most part, intelligent and motivated. There are ample research (lab & clinical) and volunteer opportunities. Additionally, we do have a pre-med advisor, Andrea Abt. You could try to schedule an appointment with her when you visit the campus. To schedule an appointment with her, call Pitt’s Career Development office at (412) 648-7130.</p>
<p>Realistically, if you’d like to attend med school, you can go virtually anywhere for undergrad. Pitt’s program is great, and I’m sure that Brown/UNC would not be lacking. What will get you that coveted med school acceptance is how well you perform there, what you do with your time there, and your score on the MCAT–not the ranking of your undergraduate institution. So my best advice to your son would be to pick the school that he likes the most and at which he feels the most comfortable.</p>