GPA: 3.75 from Top 5 vs. 3.9/4.0 at State University?

[MiddleEMed]

Hi all,

I saw that this question was asked ~14 years ago, but I'm just curious as I keep seeing so many people on application reviews (i.e with Dr. Gray) and also on SDN/Reddit/MSAR with GPAs in the 3.9-4.0 range, but with very different MCAT profiles and varying success in getting accepted.

I'm not trying to start a debate on entitlement, and I realize I'm extremely privileged that I got the opportunity go to a top 5 Ivy for undergrad, but I'm concerned with a 3.75 GPA (3.78 cGPA/3.76 sGPA) that I won't be similarly competitive for top programs, despite having an >90th Percentile MCAT. I definitely worked very hard in my classes and never fell below average, but am I just less competitive in general than other applicants with >3.85?

All things considered: is the prestige/difficulty of your undergrad really taken into consideration? Would a 3.7-3.8 GPA applicant from a highly ranked institution be on similar footing to a 3.9-4.0 student from ____ State University?

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[gyngyn]

Would a 3.7-3.8 GPA applicant from a highly ranked institution be on similar footing to a 3.9-4.0 student from ____ State University?

Each individual will see things somewhat differently, but these are all good gpa's

 

[Hollow Knight]

My understanding when I applied is that the better GPA is better and nobody cares where you went to undergrad.

In reality, some people are smart enough to realize that some colleges or even college majors are definitely harder than others. When I see someone who has a degree in chemical engineering or physics, I try to cut them some slack.

The problem is, I actually don’t think assuming the people from Ivy undergrads worked harder is a good heuristic either. Many people with the smarts to attend those institutions end up in BFE-state undergrad because that’s what they can afford. We see lots of 520+ MCAT scores from those places.

At the end of the day, the two applicants will be separated by more than just numbers. Once you’re past a certain point I don’t really worry about scores or GPA personally

 

[eigen]

If you were my student I'd say that the difference between a 3.75 and a 3.9 is not going to be significant in your overall application, and if it is that means you're probably overly focused on the academic side of preparation. Both are good GPAs, both indicate an above average performance as a student.

In my experience, having taught at a wide range of institutions, the best students at your regional state school and at a top-5 school are often of similar caliber.

The difference is the average student, especially in preparation and resources. So I'd agree that the heuristic of Ivy undergrads "working harder" isn't really a good one. Moreover, the classroom education in terms of content isn't all that different for most prerequisite courses. Organic chemistry is pretty standard wherever you take it.

The benefits of the prestigious school are often in resources and connections, not really in a "better" education, imo.

Also... lots of "____ State Schools" are excellent, and can be some of the top ranked in their respective areas.

 

[LizzyM]

The thing that can make the difference in some cases is the letters that come from the T5 schools vs the enormous public schools. The top schools know how to package and sell their product while the state schools just pump it out with a generic label slapped on.

 

[PONS]

MCAT score is the great equalizer if your gpa is north of 3.5

 

[lacrossegirl420]

It depends on the school. If it's a school with a 3.7 median it probably doesn’t matter much. If it’s a school with a 3.95 median then the state school GPA is better

 

[TxMed55]

I dont think it matters much if it's a top state school vs a top 5 school. A lot of top schools are known to inflate gpa's while some state schools are known to deflate grades.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

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This debate is also generally focused solely at traditional applicants who only attend one university and is not inclusive of anyone who took dual enrollment/community college courses, postbac courses, or special masters programs.

In the end, your GPA is part of your journey to medicine with your focus on your coursework.

 

[FlowRate]

I don't know if this has changed in the many years since I applied but, back when I did, the consensus seemed to be that some adcomms might take major/school into account, but that, generally, a better GPA won out most of the time, regardless of those factors. It was a neat hack, then, to major in something not-biochem/premed/etc that showed "diversity" or "well-roundedness"--and with the benefit of sometimes being easier to get a good overall GPA in (although that's still highly variable.)