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I was just looking through the 2003-2004 Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) published by AMCAS, and found some of the data quite interesting. For those of you who don't have it, I will post some of the more meaningful (and surprising) stats here. All stats are from the 2001 entering class, so I would assume that a similar distribution can be expected this time around. Only U.S. and Canadian medical schools are included (so no Carribbean or D.O. schools).
This information, as well as other statistics, can be found at http://www.aamc.org/data/facts.
Number of applicants: 34,859
Number of acceptances offered: 17,456
Number of applicants who matriculated: 16,365
On the MCAT:
- Verbal Reasoning - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 2 to 15, although very few applicants had scores below 5 (just over 100). The verbal score at which the number of accepted applicants exceeded the number not accepted was 9.
- Physical Sciences - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 3 to 15. Only about 125 accepted applicants scored 5 and below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 9.
- Biological Sciences - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 2 to 15. About 100 accepted students scored 5 or below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 10.
- Overall MCAT - accepted applicants achieved total scores from 9 to 42. The number of accepted applicants with total scores of 17 and below was just over 100. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 27.
They go on to say that...
"No single MCAT score 'guarantees' admission to medical school. While applicants with VR, PS, and BS scores of 10 and above are more likely to be accepted, a significant number with such scores were not. A substantial number of applicants with total MCAT scores of 27 and above were not accepted. These findings reveal the importance of factors other than MCAT performance - including undergraduate academic performance and a variety of personal characteristics and experiences - in the medical student selection process."
With respect to GPA:
-Applicants had total undergraduate GPAs from 2.0 to 4.0, and most were in the range of 3.50-3.75. Accepted applicants could be found across the entire GPA range, but only about 200 possessed undergraduate total GPAs of 2.75 or below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at an undergraduate total GPA of between 3.50-3.75.
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I think that these stats are quite revealing. I am amazed that anyone got into a U.S. or Canadian medical school with a total score of 9 on the MCAT. The same goes for someone being accepted with a 2.0 GPA. Do you think they had to sleep with somebody on the admissions committee, or were perhaps the son or daughter of the dean of admissions?
Perhaps those people with the 4.0's and 40+ MCAT scores who were rejected failed to place enough importance on writing a well-reasoned personal statement, taking part in quality extracurricular activities, showing true compassion for others, and securing letters of recommendation that stand out from the crowd.
This information, as well as other statistics, can be found at http://www.aamc.org/data/facts.
Number of applicants: 34,859
Number of acceptances offered: 17,456
Number of applicants who matriculated: 16,365
On the MCAT:
- Verbal Reasoning - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 2 to 15, although very few applicants had scores below 5 (just over 100). The verbal score at which the number of accepted applicants exceeded the number not accepted was 9.
- Physical Sciences - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 3 to 15. Only about 125 accepted applicants scored 5 and below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 9.
- Biological Sciences - accepted applicants' scores ranged from 2 to 15. About 100 accepted students scored 5 or below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 10.
- Overall MCAT - accepted applicants achieved total scores from 9 to 42. The number of accepted applicants with total scores of 17 and below was just over 100. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at a score of 27.
They go on to say that...
"No single MCAT score 'guarantees' admission to medical school. While applicants with VR, PS, and BS scores of 10 and above are more likely to be accepted, a significant number with such scores were not. A substantial number of applicants with total MCAT scores of 27 and above were not accepted. These findings reveal the importance of factors other than MCAT performance - including undergraduate academic performance and a variety of personal characteristics and experiences - in the medical student selection process."
With respect to GPA:
-Applicants had total undergraduate GPAs from 2.0 to 4.0, and most were in the range of 3.50-3.75. Accepted applicants could be found across the entire GPA range, but only about 200 possessed undergraduate total GPAs of 2.75 or below. Accepted applicants exceeded not accepted applicants at an undergraduate total GPA of between 3.50-3.75.
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I think that these stats are quite revealing. I am amazed that anyone got into a U.S. or Canadian medical school with a total score of 9 on the MCAT. The same goes for someone being accepted with a 2.0 GPA. Do you think they had to sleep with somebody on the admissions committee, or were perhaps the son or daughter of the dean of admissions?
Perhaps those people with the 4.0's and 40+ MCAT scores who were rejected failed to place enough importance on writing a well-reasoned personal statement, taking part in quality extracurricular activities, showing true compassion for others, and securing letters of recommendation that stand out from the crowd.
