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[WashUPreMed]

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[GoSpursGo]

At the end of the day, stats are king (assuming usual ECs and whatnot); school name may play the part of tiebreaker down the line, but 3.8 at state school>3.65 at "good" school. That's why adcoms also have the MCAT to play the great equalizer; if they see someone get a 4.0 but then only a 25, they'll know the school let them coast, while if they see a 35, they'll know they earned that GPA.

Furthermore, you don't need to be worrying about your GPA's competitiveness.

 

[arrivee]

Hey guys,

So I'm about to start my soph. year at WashU (undergrad,) I currently have a 3.90 GPA and a B/M/C/P of 3.93 - so I managed to do pretty well my first year. My question is rather simple, and I'm sure redundant, but does undergrad name recognition (e.g. WashU,) play a role in admissions? I say this b/c I feel that many of my hs classmates went to a very easy 2nd tier state school for the purpose of maintaining super-high GPAs, rather than challenging themselves by going to schools where they may be academically pushed more.

Thanks!

Most pre-med advisors have driven into me that you have to do well wherever you are, and that if you have a terrible GPA at a great school it will not look good. However, I actually had a nice chat with a family friend who interviews at a top med school, and he said that they absolute take the school into account (i.e. that a 3.5 and one school = 3.9 at another). Basically, it sounds like you need good enough numbers to get looked at; after that, the name comes into play to a certain extent.

 

[arrivee]

thanks! Also I have one more question. While in high school, I took tons of college classes ALL over the SUMMERS (never dual-enrolled in hs and college, i.e. these grades do NOT show up on my HS transcript.) However, if I factor them all together, it gives me a 3.5 GPA for the courses I took in HS. (keep in mind I took most of these classes at UPenn while a sophomore in hs whilst competing with Penn undergrads, so I was fairly proud of this.) However, now Im hearing that these grades get calculated into my AMCAS GPA? That seems marginally unfair from my perspective, considering the circumstances (me being a highschooler.) Is there truth to this? Will these hurt my chances THAT much, (3.90 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, after 1 yr at WashU.)

Yes you need to declare any undergraduate coursework you took...But only a few summer classes at a 3.5 shouldn't hurt your cumulative GPA much by the time you apply with (at least) three years of college under your belt. Don't worry about it -- just focus on doing as well this year as you did last year.

 

[sage36]

thanks! Also I have one more question. While in high school, I took tons of college classes ALL over the SUMMERS (never dual-enrolled in hs and college, i.e. these grades do NOT show up on my HS transcript.) However, if I factor them all together, it gives me a 3.5 GPA for the courses I took in HS. (keep in mind I took most of these classes at UPenn while a sophomore in hs whilst competing with Penn undergrads, so I was fairly proud of this.) However, now Im hearing that these grades get calculated into my AMCAS GPA? That seems marginally unfair from my perspective, considering the circumstances (me being a highschooler.) Is there truth to this? Will these hurt my chances THAT much, (3.90 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, after 1 yr at WashU.)

I was in a similar boat as you, although I don't think I took as many as you did. In the long run, it does not matter. The schools will realize that you took them while you were in high school and now you're much better, etc.

 

[TopSecret]

Hey guys,

So I'm about to start my soph. year at WashU (undergrad,) I currently have a 3.90 GPA and a B/M/C/P of 3.93 - so I managed to do pretty well my first year. My question is rather simple, and I'm sure redundant, but does undergrad name recognition (e.g. WashU,) play a role in admissions? I say this b/c I feel that many of my hs classmates went to a very easy 2nd tier state school for the purpose of maintaining super-high GPAs, rather than challenging themselves by going to schools where they may be academically pushed more.

Thanks!

Some people can't afford private school.

 

[GoSpursGo]

thanks! Also I have one more question. While in high school, I took tons of college classes ALL over the SUMMERS (never dual-enrolled in hs and college, i.e. these grades do NOT show up on my HS transcript.) However, if I factor them all together, it gives me a 3.5 GPA for the courses I took in HS. (keep in mind I took most of these classes at UPenn while a sophomore in hs whilst competing with Penn undergrads, so I was fairly proud of this.) However, now Im hearing that these grades get calculated into my AMCAS GPA? That seems marginally unfair from my perspective, considering the circumstances (me being a highschooler.) Is there truth to this? Will these hurt my chances THAT much, (3.90 cGPA, 3.93 sGPA, after 1 yr at WashU.)

Yep, sorry, you have to disclose. Hurt me a little bit too.

 

[Food]

Some people can't afford private school.

Yeah some of us are in the awkward position of having just barely a modest enough living to not qualify for fin. aid, but having to take on massive loans to pay for a decent school since paying out of pocket would put us under the poverty line.

 

[Web MD]

Being a St. Louis native, I can't tell you how many tools I run into at home that think going to WashU and getting a 3.4/3.5 makes them "better" than Mizzou pre meds with a 3.95. Not saying this necessarily applies to you, but a lot of people are in for a rude awakening when adcoms don't give them that pat on the back they're looking for for choosing a "harder path". The MCAT is a solid equalizer, and if you come off as a huge tool during interviews I'm pretty sure it might make things difficult. Again, not necessarily directed to OP, just something I run into every winter break👎