AACOMAS matriculant data (32% have below < 3.06?)

[thekid507]

Hi all,

Am I interpreting this wrong or is it true that 32% of osteopathic matriculants had below a 3.06 sgpa in 2018? Looking at their tables, the avg is a 3.43, with an SD of 0.37, meaning that 68% of matriculants have between a 3.06 and 4.0 sgpa (95% had above a 2.69). This seems pretty low but this is straight from the aacomas report.. Are those students all scoring very high on the mcat? I see a lot of people recommending smps for around a 3.0 sgpa, but if it's 32% then why not just apply heavily DO?

Do most DO schools have such a large standard deviation like this?

2018 AACOMAS Profile: Applicant and Matriculant Report
https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-...profile-summary-report.pdf?sfvrsn=28753a97_14

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[thekid507]

Update: MD: 3.65 sgpa mean, SD of .3, meaning that 68% would be 3.35 - 4.0 for MD, which seems about right for allopathic

 

[Grifalicious]

Take a look at the frequency graphs a little further down. The distribution isn't perfectly normal, it's skewed. The mean is pulled down by outliers on the low end, but nearly 80% of matriculants had a baccalaureate science GPA above 3.20. You also have to keep in mind that those with low GPAs likely had significant post-baccalaureate work or an SMP to offset their undergraduate academic performance.

 

[deleted1005514]

I had a 3.01 undergrad gpa after significant grade rehab, and a 3.65 hard science grad gpa...about 30% of my incoming class had a graduate degree, and I’ll bet those numbers aren’t factored into the stats.

 

[Dr Tapatio]

Hi all,

Am I interpreting this wrong or is it true that 32% of osteopathic matriculants had below a 3.06 sgpa in 2018? Looking at their tables, the avg is a 3.43, with an SD of 0.37, meaning that 68% of matriculants have between a 3.06 and 4.0 sgpa (95% had above a 2.69). This seems pretty low but this is straight from the aacomas report.. Are those students all scoring very high on the mcat? I see a lot of people recommending smps for around a 3.0 sgpa, but if it's 32% then why not just apply heavily DO?

Do most DO schools have such a large standard deviation like this?

2018 AACOMAS Profile: Applicant and Matriculant Report
https://www.aacom.org/docs/default-...profile-summary-report.pdf?sfvrsn=28753a97_14

My experience is that most of the students I knew that had significantly low GPA came from true hardship or did significant grade repair. These are the same students that before would have been able to do grade replacement. They may have graduated with a 2.1 GPA and spent another 3-4 years rebuilding. Also, one semester full of Fs after a significant event can drag a B+ student way down (100 units 3.5 + 20 units F = 2.9). Even with the best of efforts, these students can't hit the 3.0 mark due to pure mathematics of diminishing returns as unit count increases. I don't think they necessarily need to have a high MCAT to get in. If I had a file on my desk of someone with average everything but really low GPA with significant re-built over the last 60-90 units, I would not hold the drag of an old number against them -- especially if there was added on hardship such as poverty, deaths in the family, military service, etc.

 

[Kardio]

Am I interpreting this wrong

Yes, you’re interpreting this wrong.

Assuming a normal distribution with the numbers you provided:
mean = 3.43
SD = 0.37

68.2% have between 3.06 and 3.8
15.9% have <3.06
15.9% have >3.8

 

[thekid507]

@Kardio - my mistake, you're right. I still think 15.9% below 3.06 is surprising to me, or maybe not if most did post baccs

Also interesting is number of applicants accepted per group
2.8-3.2 sgpa: 1229/4549 = 27% accepted
3.2 - 3.6 sgpa: 3098/7550 = 41% accepted

16.6% of matriculants fell in the range of 2.8 - 3.2. That's 1/6 of DO students. I definitely agree that a lot of these students may have done post-bacc work or smps, but it seems high that about every 6th med student would have done that. Would be interesting to see data on how many of those pursued further education to enhance low gpa, and how many were able to get accepted based on other factors pulling them up

 

[drducky.]

@Kardio - my mistake, you're right. I still think 15.9% below 3.06 is surprising to me, or maybe not if most did post baccs

Also interesting is number of applicants accepted per group
2.8-3.2 sgpa: 1229/4549 = 27% accepted
3.2 - 3.6 sgpa: 3098/7550 = 41% accepted

16.6% of matriculants fell in the range of 2.8 - 3.2. That's 1/6 of DO students. I definitely agree that a lot of these students may have done post-bacc work or smps, but it seems high that about every 6th med student would have done that. Would be interesting to see data on how many of those pursued further education to enhance low gpa, and how many were able to get accepted based on other factors pulling them up

Could be a lot of reasons. Some people may have done SMP like you said, some may have had a strong upward trend in undergrad but still have a low average, some may have really high MCAT to make up for it, some may have incredible life stories/career changers that limited their undergrad gpa, etc etc.

 

[Kardio]

@Kardio - my mistake, you're right. I still think 15.9% below 3.06 is surprising to me, or maybe not if most did post baccs

Also interesting is number of applicants accepted per group
2.8-3.2 sgpa: 1229/4549 = 27% accepted
3.2 - 3.6 sgpa: 3098/7550 = 41% accepted

16.6% of matriculants fell in the range of 2.8 - 3.2. That's 1/6 of DO students. I definitely agree that a lot of these students may have done post-bacc work or smps, but it seems high that about every 6th med student would have done that. Would be interesting to see data on how many of those pursued further education to enhance low gpa, and how many were able to get accepted based on other factors pulling them up

Look on MSAR and ChooseDO Explorer. You can find the fraction of matriculants at any school who ‘held a graduate degree’ or ‘completed postbac work’ before matriculating. They’re not necessarily referencing SMPs, but that’s probably most of it.

Also, consider the whole number. ~15% of ~7k DO matriculants. Is it that unbelievable that ~1000 DO matriculants - or even 2000 - completed an SMP, postbac work, or had a dramatic upward trend (coupled with a high MCAT) before matriculating?

 

[deleted92121]

Those of us with low (I mean LOW) GPAs do exist and still take a shot at applying. I have a 2.35 overall and 2.39 science. 501 (125/126/125/125) MCAT. Nobody wants me based on those stats.

But. . .

Last ~ 70 credits have been 3.75-3.8 with the completion of a 34 credit SMP/Master of Medical Science. I had to beg the school to let me take courses as non-degree seeking and if I did well in one semester of 12-15 credits, they would let me enroll for the degree. Pulled a 3.78 in 14 credits and finished this year with a 3.68. I also have 15+ years as a paramedic and stellar LOR for multiple DOs and a LOR from a surgical residency director. Hoping for some love.

I am already planning my explanation (ADHD Inattentive, late diagnosis. Coaching and counseling changed my life. No meds or accommodations) and hope that my persistence pays off.

 

[8YearsLate]

Damn look at the way they iced the Georgians...24 apps --> 0 Matriculants.

Yet somehow they accepted 28 out of the 5 Egyptian applicants.

 

[Goro]

Take a look at the frequency graphs a little further down. The distribution isn't perfectly normal, it's skewed. The mean is pulled down by outliers on the low end, but nearly 80% of matriculants had a baccalaureate science GPA above 3.20. You also have to keep in mind that those with low GPAs likely had significant post-baccalaureate work or an SMP to offset their undergraduate academic performance.

THIS!

16.6% of matriculants fell in the range of 2.8 - 3.2. That's 1/6 of DO students. I definitely agree that a lot of these students may have done post-bacc work or smps, but it seems high that about every 6th med student would have done that.

That's because you don't live behind the curtain of Admissions or Faculty like I do. Successful SMP or post-bac students make up a good 25% of my OMSI class this year.

Keep this in mind when you see similar MCAT data.