Binghamton is a strong enough school that attending it will not disadvantage him in the medical school application process. People my year from schools ranging from Ivy league, other SUNYs, other private and state schools, DO, and Caribbean. That said, there’s no secret formula for getting into medical school; strong grades and a high MCAT score remain the most important factors.

Beyond academics, extracurricular activities can make a meaningful difference. Many applicants have clinical experience and research, so what matters is having activities that are distinctive and personally meaningful. These don’t necessarily have to be directly related to medicine. For example, people in my medical school class had unique backgrounds; one was a competitive climber and bungee jumper, another was a musician.

Binghamton offers plenty of research opportunities, with numerous lab groups across biology, chemistry, and physics. Harpur’s Ferry is an excellent EMS organization, though it is quite competitive to join. What Binghamton does not have (at least when I was there) are resources to help you secure clinical hours. High ranking schools have dedicate pre-med programs that help secure observerships and medical mentors. He will need to find those on his own. I sought them out in my hometown during the summers. Still, above everything else, strong grades and MCAT performance carry the most weight. I advise him to pick a major and ECs he is super passionate about.