BCMP GPA 3.6-3.65, any chance for top tier MD school?

[MDseeker]

Status:

BCMP GPA 3.60-3.65
Cumulative GPA 3.65-3.70
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Chemistry
College: Top ten in USA
EC: Research, Volenteer, Shadow, co-author paper, Club officer....
Target MCAT score: 34-36

Question: What's the chance to get in top tier MD school (Top 20)? Bright ot dim?

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[image187]

the short answer is: it depends. Take your MCAT first and see how you do

 

[Catalystik]

Chances will also depend on the relative strength of your ECs, particularly research in most cases, and leadership.

 

[skahler]

Status:

BCMP GPA 3.60-3.65
Cumulative GPA 3.65-3.70
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Chemistry
College: Top ten in USA
EC: Research, Volenteer, Shadow, co-author paper, Club officer....
Target MCAT score: 34-36

Question: What's the chance to get in top tier MD school (Top 20)? Bright ot dim?

I'd say you'd have a shot at it. **APPLY EARLY**, and I will bet you'll come out with at least an interview or two. With a BME major from a top 10 school and a GPA like that, seems like you've got a shot at top 20 with enough volunteer/shadowing hours.

A good portion of the success stories I've heard have been from folks that have applied as early as possible. So definitely do that!

 

[MDseeker]

Thanks. From the forum, there are two different opinions about the GPA. One is that the Med School do not care about the college and major. They only care about how high your GPA is. Another one is that the college and major is really matter. Which one is real?

For example, is my 3.6 GPA from a top ten college less competitive than some one with 3.8 GPA from a college rank 100?

 

[Catalystik]

The answer varies based on one's personal experience, that of friends and acquaintances, and the apparent policy of the institution one is most familiar with. No one answer could be true of every school and every adcomm member.

In the example you specifically ask about, it's my personal opinion that the second applicant would have the advantage. If a "top school" was important enough to the first applicant, then another year in undergrad improving the GPA prior to application would be the best strategy.

In anticipation of a question about whether one's major matters:
Engineering major GPA adjustment (edited for succinctness from 12/3/09):

While it may make sense that "harder" majors would make a lower GPA more attractive, the AMCAS data reveals no significant difference amongst majors. Engineering would be among the physical sciences for the purposes of AMCAS' classification and the physical sciences average a 3.52 for applicants (which is right in the middle) but average matriculants have a 3.66. The SDs between majors are also almost identical across the board. A 30 on the MCAT would also be quite a bit below the average score for a matriculant w/ a CE major (mean=32). For whatever reason, they are, if anything, actually harder on physical sciences people (the average PS applicant has a 29.7, btw).

 

[Doc of the Walk]

Hey catalystik, where did you go for med school? What where your stats like? I know that may be really random and off-topic, but I am just really curious...

*Looks at your avatar* I guess couriosity killed the cat

 

[image187]

By the way you list your major and clarify that your school is "top 10", it seems like you take pride in these things and probably have taken a preconceived notion that if you graduate from a "top" school with a difficult major like engineering, your chances are better for admissions. First of all, you haven't even take your MCAT yet. It's nice to have a high projected score but your real score is the only score that will matter. Second, any med school you might get in to will be a "good" school. Your GPA is good, but it's not outstanding. Although it's true that your undergrad university and major will be given differing levels of weight by admisions officers according to their personal differences, they essentially mean nothing. Catalystic almost always has very good advice, you should listen to them!

By the way, I can't tell you how many psychology majors are in my med school class (including me)

 

[Ignatius M.D.]

Your undergraduate institution does matter. Some admissions websites even come right out and say that it is factored in when reviewing academic performance. If your at MIT and get a 3.4, why would some of you think that is the same as getting a 3.4 at Idaho State or w/e. It is not a pretentious statement. Some schools have tougher classes, and more qualified students. Is it not logical that if this person attended a different college with less qualified students that this 3.4 could be a 3.7? I transferred from a state college in FL to Vanderbilt University. I got great grades at my first school with half the effort that I have to put in here to even get a 3.5

 

[MDseeker]

Thank you, image187 . You misunderstood my question. What I means is with my current status, will the Med school consider or weight my GPA? If the med school do not care about the school and the major, it's fine, I understand 3.8 GPA always lookes much better than 3.6 by the number itself. If they weight, how they evaluate my GPA, which med school most likely weight the GPA. Do I have a good chance for a top med school? I know the biomedical engineering is a not a populor major in college and med school take more than 30% students with a science major such as Biology.

 

[MDseeker]

Catalystik or any other one;

My lower GPA is mostly due to my Math classes. I have two AP Math credit which allow me to pick higher level Math courses and all of them are required for my Major. My first semester Math I received C+ and followed by B and then B+ and then A-. I also have one B+ on my first semester Chem and then A on second term. All other science classses premed requirments are 'A's include biochemistry. Do you think these will hurt my chance?

 

[Catalystik]

Lower grades early in college followed by higher grades in subsequent classes of a series are sufficiently redeeming to have little impact on one's overall outcome assuming enough other As were earned to pull the overall GPA into a competitive range.

 

[Musclemass]

Med schools are extremely demanding, competitive, and highly selective about admissions. Applicants from undergrad schools with similar characteristics (relative to other undergrad schools) who have been successful in that environment are (generally) successful in med school. That's the advantage for applicants coming from high reputation schools. It's not to say that people from lesser schools are not also capable.

How that's factored in may vary from school to school.