A Question While Waiting for the Scores....

[bluemonq]

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I was talking to my friend and heard for the first time the "Rule of 75", as applied to MCAT. Basically, he says, you're in really good shape if:

GPA*10 + MCAT > 72

Now, I can understand if you have a 3.7 and you get a 36, that's a pretty good combination. Would that mean a 4.0 and a 33 be marginably decent? And what happens on the other extreme of the scale, like a 2.8 and a 45? I realize that this sort of combination comes around once in a few blue moons, but what sort of reaction would the med schools have?

 

[Brandon81081]

I was talking to my friend and heard for the first time the "Rule of 75", as applied to MCAT. Basically, he says, you're in really good shape if:

GPA*10 + MCAT > 72

Now, I can understand if you have a 3.7 and you get a 36, that's a pretty good combination. Would that mean a 4.0 and a 33 be marginably decent? And what happens on the other extreme of the scale, like a 2.8 and a 45? I realize that this sort of combination comes around once in a few blue moons, but what sort of reaction would the med schools have?

I doubt this rule exist. There is lots of people who have lower GPA's and MCAT scores that still get in. Average MCAT scores of those accepted are anywhere between 28-36 approximately. And a 2.8 and a 45 is unheard of. A 2.8GPA and a 30 on the mcat could get you in....it depends on several things on the application as a whole. So no, i doubt such a rule exist

 

[Law2Doc]

I was talking to my friend and heard for the first time the "Rule of 75", as applied to MCAT. Basically, he says, you're in really good shape if:

GPA*10 + MCAT > 72

Now, I can understand if you have a 3.7 and you get a 36, that's a pretty good combination. Would that mean a 4.0 and a 33 be marginably decent? And what happens on the other extreme of the scale, like a 2.8 and a 45? I realize that this sort of combination comes around once in a few blue moons, but what sort of reaction would the med schools have?

There is no such rule -- few, if any, med schools use such a formulaic approach, and enough people do well on both that a high MCAT won't balance out a substandard GPA, so you won't see many 2.8/45 types in med school (even if such a score were obtainable). If your GPA is below a B, you NEED to do a postbac to raise those numbers.
And a 4.0/33 is quite a decent set of stats and should get you at least looked at at most top places. And "marginably" isn't a word.

 

[kevinvo1981]

well I heard it does exist or something close to that. I have a file that tell you everything about applying and actually got it off of this web sites main page.

could you tell us the website?

thanks

 

[xylem29]

I doubt this rule exist. There is lots of people who have lower GPA's and MCAT scores that still get in. Average MCAT scores of those accepted are anywhere between 28-36 approximately. And a 2.8 and a 45 is unheard of. A 2.8GPA and a 30 on the mcat could get you in....it depends on several things on the application as a whole. So no, i doubt such a rule exist

I'll tell you one thing - forget about 2.8 - even if you have a MSc with publications, and had a graduate gpa of 4.0, if your undergrad gpa is below 3.5 you can forget about Canadian schools - MCAT scores don't compensate for anything, but having a bad MCAT score can prevent you from gaining admission.

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
That "formula" has been bantered around for ages. I doubt if any medical school uses it but it makes for discussion purposes. As a member of one admissions committee and involved in admissions in another medical school, I can tell you that we have no "formulas" to choose candidates for interview or admission to our medical schools. We review each application (if you could see my desk, you would know how long this takes) and we decide whether or not to invite the candidate for interview based on what is on the application (the entire applicaton).

I have criteria, (undergraduate GPA, MCAT score, personal statement, AMCAS application) that I use to decide whom I am interested in inviting for interview. I have no set levels for each criterion but certain combinations have proven themselves to be more accurate in determining the success of students at my schools than others. I look for a "well-rounded and realistic applicant who shows evidence of being able to navigate a rigorous medical school curriculum successfully. I finally look at the letters of recommendation.

The candidates that we invite for interview have a broad range of undergradate GPAs, MCAT scores and prior experiences. From those interviewed, the whole committee makes the decision as to offer admission or not. The person who interviews the applicant is the person who is ultimately the "salesman" or not, for that specific applicant to the rest of the committee.

I have invited applicants for interview that have turned out to be poor candidates and I have not recommended them for admission. The committee has not overruled that decision (nor the decision of other interviewers) in those cases.

It takes a complete package that presents the candidate in the best possible light. I have read applications with mistakes, grammatical errors, misrepresentations, outright lies, and plagerism. I have reviewed applications from students who have very poor academics, poor MCAT scores, academic dishonesty and poor personal statements. I have seen comments in LORs that red-flagged a student with an otherwise competitive application (we passed on those).

I can tell you from experience, that it is the whole package and not some formula that gets you into medical school. If choosing a class was as easy as plugging numbers into a formula, my job would be very simple and my desk would be clean at this point. Alas, it is not.

njbmd 🙂

 

[thadocta26]

I'll tell you one thing - forget about 2.8 - even if you have a MSc with publications, and had a graduate gpa of 4.0, if your undergrad gpa is below 3.5 you can forget about Canadian schools - MCAT scores don't compensate for anything, but having a bad MCAT score can prevent you from gaining admission.

So you're saying someone with a total undergrad GPA of 3.4, perfect 4.0 graduate GPA, finished a PhD plus 2yr postdoc with publications, and an MCAT score above 30 won't get in at a Canadian University?

 

[Brandon81081]

well I heard it does exist or something close to that.

Heard it? Thats just here say that probably doesnt exist...they look at other things besides scores gpa, too

 

[Brandon81081]

Canadian schools are different from American schools in that they have strict cutoffs for everything.

Yeah, im not familiar with the canadian schools and how strict they are. But a great mcat score, can compensate for a "below average" gpa in American schools

 

[bananaboat]

if your undergrad gpa is below 3.5 you can forget about Canadian schools - .

yup. basically. especially if you are applying with your undergrad...without any grad, second degree, or other marks.

 

[bananaboat]

So you're saying someone with a total undergrad GPA of 3.4, perfect 4.0 graduate GPA, finished a PhD plus 2yr postdoc with publications, and an MCAT score above 30 won't get in at a Canadian University?

see all the canadian schools actually have strict cut-offs

eg., western, you need at least 2 years at 3.70+

a school like mcmaster has the lowest set cut off... (3.0) but they have SO many applicants as a result, i think they had the highest entering class GPA this past year.