Do you use cGPA or sGPA medians on MSAR for creating school lists?

[account4premed]

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I'm not sure which one I'm supposed to use to compare it to a school's medians. Mine are both basically 3.70ish. A lot of schools have lower sGPA than cGPA, so I was wondering if I can compare my sGPA to their median sGPA instead of cGPA to cGPA. Also, I have trend from 3.3->3.7->4.0->4.0 for a total of 3.70, is that considered much of an upward trend?

 

[clumsy.md]

It's definitely an upwards trend. However, I wouldn't be basing a school list off of GPA. Use the MCAT.

 

[zorcandpals]

As a general rule, if you're GPAs and MCATs are above 25th percentile (and with an overall 3.7 its fine for basically everywhere, your MCAT will be a more important determinant) you're probably good applying to that school on academic terms. Obvs double check things like if they accept OOS if you are, if they're big on research or service, etc. If you're below the 25th and even more the 10th percentiles, you should really think hard on what else in your app makes you special enough to be in the bottom quartile/decile academically at that school. Is it you really fit the mission, is your GPA low because you tanked your freshman year but since then you've recovered, etc?

 

[r2med]

People use LM score (LizzyM Score Calculator - What are my chances for medical school?), WARS (WedgeDawg's Applicant Rating System (Updated Jan 2017)), PDr School chance predictor (Medical School Chance Predictor | Prospective Doctor) etc.

Mind you - NONE of these can even come close to guaranteeing anything. In med school admissions - there are NO safety schools. Even the ones that these sites will mark for you as "far undershoot" or "undershoot" or "target" - do not mean you will get accepted. But you can use these to get your list started and to get an idea of how broadly you need to scope your application net.

 

[LizzyM]

People use LM score (LizzyM Score Calculator - What are my chances for medical school?), WARS (WedgeDawg's Applicant Rating System (Updated Jan 2017)), PDr School chance predictor (Medical School Chance Predictor | Prospective Doctor) etc.

Mind you - NONE of these can even come close to guaranteeing anything. In med school admissions - there are NO safety schools. Even the ones that these sites will mark for you as "far undershoot" or "undershoot" or "target" - do not mean you will get accepted. But you can use these to get your list started and to get an idea of how broadly you need to scope your application net.

Think of these as tools so as to target your application to schools that are most likely to offer you an interview. They aren't meant to be an indicator of admission, which depends in part on an interview, but where you are likely to get in the door for that interview.

 

[Goro]

I'm not sure which one I'm supposed to use to compare it to a school's medians. Mine are both basically 3.70ish. A lot of schools have lower sGPA than cGPA, so I was wondering if I can compare my sGPA to their median sGPA instead of cGPA to cGPA. Also, I have trend from 3.3->3.7->4.0->4.0 for a total of 3.70, is that considered much of an upward trend?

I would use 3.7+ as your score. Good job on the upswing!

 

[deleted1041819]

I personally used the tenth percentile mark since I'm a low GPA/high MCAT applicant, but those are guidelines. I threw my application to a couple of reach schools way above my stat range (like WAY above) and recently interviewed at one of them. I'm not saying ONLY apply to reaches, but I am saying that if you have the financial means to, don't be afraid to go beyond the stat ranges for some reaches too

 

[r2med]

I personally used the tenth percentile mark since I'm a low GPA/high MCAT applicant, but those are guidelines. I threw my application to a couple of reach schools way above my stat range (like WAY above) and recently interviewed at one of them. I'm not saying ONLY apply to reaches, but I am saying that if you have the financial means to, don't be afraid to go beyond the stat ranges for some reaches too

In addition to financial means, you also need to have the time and energy to write that many secondaries, and the mind to accept that many rejects! Anyways, good luck OP

 

[deleted1041819]

In addition to financial means, you also need to have the time and energy to write that many secondaries, and the mind to accept that many rejects! Anyways, good luck OP

Well yes, this goes without saying lol

 

[r2med]

Well yes, this goes without saying lol

Probably not. It takes a lot of energy for those secondaries and lot of thick skin for the waiting times and rejects