Can I trust MSAR's data?

[mariposas905]

I'm confused about some discrepancies I'm seeing with the new MSAR's age ranges for matriculants in 2016. I don't know if it is accurate...for example, for UTSW, MSAR says 44 students were 24+, while 186 students were 19-23. However, on UTSW's website, it says more than half of the 2016 class was 24+ (Our Medical Students: UT Southwestern, Dallas, TX)

Am I missing something here? Which source do I trust?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[mariposas905]

Under 23: 14%
23: 30%
24: 29%
25–26: 21%
27–29: 5%
30+: 1%

Above is from the link you gave for the med school. This data says 27% are older than 24. Are you perhaps confusing "24 and older" with "older than 24". In other words , 24+ does not include 24?

I included the 24 in the count...so adding all the percentages from 24 onwards to 30+ gives 56% of the class as aged btwn. 24-30 on UTSW's website.

However, MSAR says only 19% of the class was in the 24-30 age (44/230 total students = 19%). To clarify, MSAR says 41 students are 24-29 and 3 students are 30+ at UTSW's 2016 incoming class.

I thought this was a pretty big discrepancy 😕 Now, I'm worried about trusting the rest of MSAR's data...

 

[Lucca]

I included the 24 in the count...so adding all the percentages from 24 onwards to 30+ gives 56% of the class as aged btwn. 24-30 on UTSW's website. However, MSAR says only 19% of the class was in the 24-30 age (44/230 total students = 19%).

I thought this was a pretty big discrepancy 😕 Now, I'm worried about trusting the rest of MSAR's data...

It's a weird discrepancy for sure. I'd trust MSAR > school tho.

 

[mariposas905]

It's a weird discrepancy for sure. I'd trust MSAR > school tho.

Really? But the UTSW website was so detailed! I'm having a hard time thinking they would be wrong...why would you say trust MSAR over school?

 

[mariposas905]

Also, I am finding several discrepancies like this. UTSW is just one example. It's confusing me like anything 😕 I'm trying to choose schools that are non-trad friendly and contradictory MSAR vs. school info is concerning.

 

[Lucca]

Really? But the UTSW website was so detailed! I'm having a hard time thinking they would be wrong...why would you say trust MSAR over school?

cuz i know that schools send raw data to the AAMC so that they can update the MSAR. I dont know what UTSW does. u could always call and find out why the discrepancy

 

[efle]

Could be that UTSW is reporting the student's ages at the start of classes, and MSAR using age at application, which would be ~15 months shift? Or could just be an error on the webpage. Most people graduate college at 22, so it seems weird to have only 14% traditional 22 yr olds in the class.

 

[mariposas905]

Could be that UTSW is reporting the student's ages at the start of classes, and MSAR using age at application, which would be ~15 months shift? Or could just be an error on the webpage. Most people graduate college at 22, so it seems weird to have only 14% traditional 22 yr olds in the class.

Maybe...TX does have more traditional applicants since it's a good state to get into med schools. But even then, the discrepancy seems rather large. I think I will email MSAR or call UTSW b/c I'm really curious 🙄

 

[efle]

Maybe...TX does have more traditional applicants since it's a good state to get into med schools. But even then, the discrepancy seems rather large. I think I will email MSAR or call UTSW b/c I'm really curious 🙄

I'd call UTSW about the 22 yr olds. There's no way only 14% of their class comes straight from college. Nationally it's more than double that.

 

[gyngyn]

MSAR data is derived directly from the application.
The schools can change text in the MSAR, not data.

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

Trust Goro above all else

 

[UBLI-EINSTEIN]

Trust Goro above all else

I think you mean "gyngyn"???😱

 

[mariposas905]

.

 

[CyrilFiggis]

How old are you @mariposas905 ?

 

[mariposas905]

How old are you @mariposas905 ?

24 right now...why?

 

[hurtem&healem]

24 right now...why?

Taking a gap year does not make you a non-trad

 

[863168]

@mariposas905 Post hoc ergo propter hoc. Because a school accepts a large amount of non-trads does not necessitate "friendliness" as a qualitative factor during admission. In addition, the average matriculant age is 24 for initiating M1 matriculant students. Therefore, you are at average and will be 1 standard deviation above the average age of accepted applicants for awhile. Therefore, researching ages is low yield as most schools will not discriminate your application specifically on age as a factor when you are the average.

 

[mariposas905]

Taking a gap year does not make you a non-trad

I know, but I'll have taken 3 which I suppose is getting into the non-trad category

 

[mariposas905]

@mariposas905 Post hoc ergo propter hoc. Because a school accepts a large amount of non-trads does not necessitate "friendliness" as a qualitative factor during admission. In addition, the average matriculant age is 24 for initiating M1 matriculant students. Therefore, you are below and potentially 1 standard deviation within the average age of accepted applicants, therefore researching ages is low yield as most schools will not discriminate your application specifically one age as a factor because you are well within the normalized bulk of accepted applicants. When it comes to age, you are not an outlier.

Yeah, I'm sure the age won't have an impact on admissions. I was perusing MSAR to find schools where I'd fit in more as an older student because I will be 26 at matriculation. You are probably right though and it should not matter much

 

[CyrilFiggis]

Yeah, I'm sure the age won't have an impact on admissions. I was perusing MSAR to find schools where I'd fit in more as an older student because I will be 26 at matriculation. You are probably right though and it should not matter much

Most schools that are "non-trad friendly" typically are recruiting older (late 20's) and career changing students. Its the diversity of experiences, other careers, life experiences, etc more than just age that impacts their selection.