David vs Goliath: A story for underdogs aka me

[GoldMember1]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Your point, while valid, is damaged significantly by this comparison. It is a well-known fact that grade inflation is rampant at the ivies.

At the end of the day, medical school admissions is about gaming the system. You gain no points majoring in mathematical physics at Virginia Tech and even if you're talented enough to get a 3.8, the dance major at Podunk U with a 4.0 will always be chosen by ad-coms over you all things being equal. Is it right? No. But complaining about it doesn't change anything, and arming yourself with this knowledge to game the system is the best practical way you can ensure your seat in medical school.

We aren't told this when we graduate high school. For the most part, we are told by high school advisors, parents etc.. that we have to get the best SAT scores and the highest GPAs in high school to get into the best college we can and receive the "best education." These are things all of us are told in high school. As 18 year olds you don't know any better. These students then end up attending a "top university" and find a passion for medicine, only to realize that they can't pursue their dream because "they don't cut it." Not because they aren't smart enough but because they fall just below the curve at a top institution with 25 of the best students in the country per class.

I agree with you, in a sense that we need to do a better job "arming students with knowledge to game the system." Especially high school students, as well as college freshman. We should be advising and guiding these students, that are fortunate enough to know at this point that they want to go into medicine, to choose a respectable but lower ranked university, where they are comfortable and know they can succeed and fall on top of the curve.

Instead we are setting up what would otherwise be extremely viable candidates for failure.