Applying after one summer of straight A's

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

angelxbabyx

Full Member
5+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
31
Reaction score
3
First semester - straight A's, 2 science classes
Second semester - terrible, F's and D's, no science
Few years back^

Third semester - Straight A's, no science classes
Third/Fourth semester (summer) - Straight A's, all science

Classes taken in summer:
Chemistry II
Life Sciences Calculus I
Biology I
Biodiversity
Organic Chemistry 1
Physics 1
Cell biology
Genetics
Physiology
Cell Metabolism
Human Anatomy and Physiology I

GPA 3.1, Mcat 40

Is applying with such little proof I can do well a bad idea?
 
I think you need another solid year of A's so you can boost that GPA (DIY or SMP). Just taking summer classes isn't going to help much.

Also, your MCAT is likely expired for the vast majority of schools so a retake would be needed.
 
First semester - straight A's, 2 science classes
Second semester - terrible, F's and D's, no science
Few years back^

Third semester - Straight A's, no science classes
Third/Fourth semester (summer) - Straight A's, all science

Classes taken in summer:
Chemistry II
Life Sciences Calculus I
Biology I
Biodiversity
Organic Chemistry 1
Physics 1
Cell biology
Genetics
Physiology
Cell Metabolism
Human Anatomy and Physiology I


GPA 3.1, Mcat 40

Is applying with such little proof I can do well a bad idea?


You took ALL of those classes in bold this summer???

And, somehow, you took the MCAT a couple of years ago, without having taken any or many premed prereqs and scored a 40?

When will you be taking the new MCAT since your old one will be an issue.
 
My curiosity is also getting the best of me on this one. My school let me take 36 credits (9 classes) in one summer, but they were language classes, not science classes.
 
GPA 3.1, Mcat 40

:laugh:
Besides the ridiculousness of all those credits in 1 summer, when did you score that mythical 40, tough guy? back in the 90s?

Even if the 40 MCAT is true, that score should be expired at many, if not most, places. Something doesn't add up.
 
You took ALL of those classes in bold this summer???

And, somehow, you took the MCAT a couple of years ago, without having taken any or many premed prereqs and scored a 40?

When will you be taking the new MCAT since your old one will be an issue.

When did I say a couple of years ago? Its not old.
 
:laugh:
Besides the ridiculousness of all those credits in 1 summer, when did you score that mythical 40, tough guy? back in the 90s?

Even if the 40 MCAT is true, that score should be expired at many, if not most, places. Something doesn't add up.
"tough guy" why you mad
 
I think you need another solid year of A's so you can boost that GPA (DIY or SMP). Just taking summer classes isn't going to help much.

Also, your MCAT is likely expired for the vast majority of schools so a retake would be needed.

Without raising it, what are my chances?
 
Actual picture of OP:

troll.jpg
 
Wtf, everyone, it may be possible that he doesn't live/breath SDN/med school admissions like everyone else here and doesn't know that the MCAT scale changed? Or that his score is expired. Geez.
 
Wtf, everyone, it may be possible that he doesn't live/breath SDN/med school admissions like everyone else here and doesn't know that the MCAT scale changed? Or that his score is expired. Geez.

Thank you! Guys this was all hypothetical. I'm not actually doing it. Haven't taken mcat yet. Now I know the scoring changed.
 
He replied saying it was a recent score sooooooooo he's either trolling or it's a made up score.

I wanted people to consider the situation, not argue over real or not, seems to be the usual around here...
 
Thank you! Guys this was all hypothetical. I'm not actually doing it. Haven't taken mcat yet. Now I know the scoring changed.

I wanted people to consider the situation, not argue over real or not, seems to be the usual around here...

Then you should have mentioned in your OP that this was something hypothetical or something you were considering attempting. You would have received appropriate responses. Instead, you put forth an insane scenario as if it were true.
 
Wtf, everyone, it may be possible that he doesn't live/breath SDN/med school admissions like everyone else here and doesn't know that the MCAT scale changed? Or that his score is expired. Geez.
I don't do that 😎
 
Classic: low GPA, assume high MCAT to make up for it as if GPA and MCAT aren't heavily related with each other.
 
Id be willing to bet there is a higher amount of low GPA low MCAT than high GPA low MCAT.

I would actually bet that it's a random distribution. Now just to clarify, I am not saying that low GPA/high MCAT is common. It isn't and is the rarest combination, I'm just saying that GPA and MCAT are not nearly as related as many high GPA individuals would like to believe.
 
Eh, they aren't very related. There are tons of people with high GPAs who can't hack it on the MCAT.
I agree there isn't a huge correlation but the average 3.9 GPA student has a 31 on the old scale and a 2.7 GPA has a 27 average. And those are just the students that applied. I imagine there are a ton of poor GPA premeds that didn't apply because their MCAT was poor too. And this chart is just for MD. Most of the low GPA low MCAT guys are probably applying to DO.
https://www.aamc.org/download/321518/data/factstablea24-4.pdf
 
Id be willing to bet there is a higher amount of low GPA low MCAT than high GPA low MCAT.


Probably more likely be true amongst trad applicants. When you add non-trads into the mix, there are probably a number with GPA issues (from earlier in life), who have strong MCAT scores.
 
And that is within one standard deviation.
That doesn't take into account DO and these are also the stats for students who applied. I think it's safe to say that a much higher percentage of high GPA low MCAT are applying rather than low GPA low MCAT. I think a more accurate statement would be "recent GPA correlates to MCAT." I bet an applicant with four straight 4.0 years would score similarly to an applicant that only achieved a 4.0 for the last two years.
 
I think it's safe to say that a much higher percentage of high GPA low MCAT are applying rather than low GPA low MCAT.

Well yeah but that's not the point.

I think a more accurate statement would be "recent GPA correlates to MCAT."

I would disagree with this as well. I honestly don't think GPA is correlated to success on the MCAT at all.
 
Well yeah but that's not the point.



I would disagree with this as well. I honestly don't think GPA is correlated to success on the MCAT at all.
But the above chart says they are at-least loosely correlated. While the values may be within 1 standard deviation, there are tens of thousands of data points and the P value is going to be well below 0.01.
 
But the above chart says they are at-least loosely correlated. While the values may be within 1 standard deviation, there are tens of thousands of data points and the P value is going to be well below 0.01.

That chart doesn't tell us anything.... we would need the info directly from AAMC regarding all test takers, not just the ones who applied.

Edit: interestingly, I can find literally no data on this on pubmed or anywhere so we won't ever be able to show correlation or not. We can just speculate.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That chart doesn't tell us anything.... we would need the info directly from AAMC regarding all test takers, not just the ones who applied.
But if the only data the AAMC has released suggests that GPA and MCAT are correlated, where are you getting the info that says they are not?
 
Then you should have mentioned in your OP that this was something hypothetical or something you were considering attempting. You would have received appropriate responses. Instead, you put forth an insane scenario as if it were true.

Who cares, not my fault some ppl are uptight
 
Not really relevant to my situation but okay.

The thread’s discussion jumped to whether or not their is a correlation between GPA and MCAT, as your hypothetical situation involved a very unusual GPA/MCAT combo.

The correlation I and another post has everything to do with your situation. At the very least it should help you manage expectations. A 40 on the old scale was in the 100th percentile. This is such an absolutely rare score. We wish you luck attempting to achieve it, but you most likely will not score in the 100th percentile.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best. If your GPA lands at 3.1, and you score modestly on the MCAT - let’s say 512 - you’ll most likely be targeting DO and lower tier MD who admit a wider range of GPAs. When the time comes invest in the MSAR to know the GPA distribution of aceeptees at the various MD schools.

Your combative nature is not going to help you here.
 
The thread’s discussion jumped to whether or not their is a correlation between GPA and MCAT, as your hypothetical situation involved a very unusual GPA/MCAT combo.

The correlation I and another post has everything to do with your situation. At the very least it should help you manage expectations. A 40 on the old scale was in the 100th percentile. This is such an absolutely rare score. We wish you luck attempting to achieve it, but you most likely will not score in the 100th percentile.

Plan for the worst and hope for the best. If your GPA lands at 3.1, and you score modestly on the MCAT - let’s say 512 - you’ll most likely be targeting DO and lower tier MD who admit a wider range of GPAs. When the time comes invest in the MSAR to know the GPA distribution of aceeptees at the various MD schools.

Your combative nature is not going to help you here.

I already know its the norm on sdn to discourage everyone thinking they could score high. Everyone's competing I get it. My "combative nature" is only in response to a**holes and no one needs people to be nice to them om sdn to make it to med school, I hardly care
 
I already know its the norm on sdn to discourage everyone thinking they could score high. Everyone's competing I get it. My "combative nature" is only in response to a**holes and no one needs people to be nice to them om sdn to make it to med school, I hardly care

I understand this response. And as someone gunning for a >520 MCAT when I started studying, I get it. But I didn’t realize how accurate SDN was until I saw quite a few brilliant friends who couldn’t score above a 510. It’s entirely possible that you can do it (heck, I did). But, statistically speaking, it’s also highly improbable. So aim high. But prepare yourself mentally for not getting that score. Good luck.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
The obvious question is WTF happened semester 2? You'll need a good answer for that --
 
I understand this response. And as someone gunning for a >520 MCAT when I started studying, I get it. But I didn’t realize how accurate SDN was until I saw quite a few brilliant friends who couldn’t score above a 510. It’s entirely possible that you can do it (heck, I did). But, statistically speaking, it’s also highly improbable. So aim high. But prepare yourself mentally for not getting that score. Good luck.

Glad you did, hope I do.
 
Sorry to hear that.
Unpleasant follow up: What's to prevent that from tanking you in medical school? Are those situations rectified?

Thank you. Yes I was able to, plus most people live on loans for medical school anyway.
 
Top