GPA and your major

[Boogy'sChick15]

Does anyone know if medical schools take into consideration your major when looking at your GPA, or do they simply look at the number?
Basically if your major has an average of a 2.9-3.1 GPA through most schools, and you are around a 3.5-3.7 (for now), does that even matter to them?

Thanks!

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[WedgeDawg]

GPA does not exist in a vacuum, but in almost every circumstance, it's better to have a higher GPA than a harder major. A 3.5-3.7 is a decent GPA for medical school admissions, so I wouldn't worry too much regardless. However, don't expect a "hard" major to by itself make up for a subpar GPA (meaning try your best keep it where it's at right now).

 

[Goro]

The logic of "I have a 3.2 in [really hard major here] and I would therefore have had a 3.9 in Biology" has never impressed me.

Get a 3.4 from MIT and ace MCAT, and then you're talking.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

GPA does not exist in a vacuum, but in almost every circumstance, it's better to have a higher GPA than a harder major. A 3.5-3.7 is a decent GPA for medical school admissions, so I wouldn't worry too much regardless. However, don't expect a "hard" major to by itself make up for a subpar GPA (meaning try your best keep it where it's at right now).

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I didn't take my "hard major" in hopes that it would impress med schools, I just took it cuz I love it. I just hope that me choosing this major didn't screw my chances into getting into med schools.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Adcoms will care more about how demanding your transcript was over how demanding your major was.
They aren't going to bother to figure out how rigorous every single major at every single school is.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

The logic of "I have a 3.2 in [really hard major here] and I would therefore have had a 3.9 in Biology" has never impressed me.

Get a 3.4 from MIT and ace MCAT, and then you're talking.

Yeah I never agreed with that logic either. I was just wondering since I know my GPA isn't exactly high enough just yet.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

Adcoms will care more about how demanding your transcript was over how demanding your major was.
They aren't going to bother to figure out how rigorous every single major at every single school is.

Would you be able to elaborate on what you mean by a demanding transcript? What would make a transcript demanding?

 

[Goro]

Courses taken, and mimicking a rigorous environment like that of a med school.

Would you be able to elaborate on what you mean by a demanding transcript? What would make a transcript demanding?

 

[mimelim]

Would you be able to elaborate on what you mean by a demanding transcript? What would make a transcript demanding?

4+ Chemistry/Physics classes per semester, 20+ credits/semester sustained for multiple years, etc.

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah I didn't take my "hard major" in hopes that it would impress med schools, I just took it cuz I love it. I just hope that me choosing this major didn't screw my chances into getting into med schools.

Major choices do not screw people's chances at getting into medical school. People screw over their own medical school chances by being less academically capable than they think they are or not developing strong academic habits.

 

[Pagan FutureDoc]

Sure, I mean you need to have a decent course load (15-18hrs) a semster and taking harder prereqs, like orgo, with other classes and still being able to get good grades.
Being able to excel at that kind of work load does show that you might be able to handle med school.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

4+ Chemistry/Physics classes per semester, 20+ credits/semester sustained for multiple years, etc.




Major choices do not screw people's chances at getting into medical school. People screw over their own medical school chances by being less academically capable than they think they are or not developing strong academic habits.

Since I am in a quarter system and not a semester system, would 12-16 units/quarter with an average of 4-6 classes every quarter, usually filled with 2+ physics classes (physics major) and the rest are my premed classes (orgo, bio, chem,etc.) be considered demanding? I normally get all A's with 1 or 2 B's per quarter.

Thank you again for answering my questions! It is very appreciated

 

[SOMBound13]

Does anyone know if medical schools take into consideration your major when looking at your GPA, or do they simply look at the number?
Basically if your major has an average of a 2.9-3.1 GPA through most schools, and you are around a 3.5-3.7 (for now), does that even matter to them?

Thanks!

I was an engineering major. I was warned that I wouldn't get special treatment, GPA-wise, during the med school app process, so I knew a high GPA was needed.

 

[efle]

Get a 3.4 from MIT and ace MCAT, and then you're talking.

Since when does name brand impress you??

 

[Goro]

If it works for LizzyM, it will work for me.

Since when does name brand impress you??

 

[faith0115]

The logic of "I have a 3.2 in [really hard major here] and I would therefore have had a 3.9 in Biology" has never impressed me.

Get a 3.4 from MIT and ace MCAT, and then you're talking.

What does acing the MCAT mean in your opinion? 38+?

 

[ZedsDed]

What does acing the MCAT mean in your opinion? 38+?

He clearly means 45+.

 

[deleted600623]

Sure, I mean you need to have a decent course load (15-18hrs) a semster and taking harder prereqs, like orgo, with other classes and still being able to get good grades.
Being able to excel at that kind of work load does show that you might be able to handle med school.

Taking 15 credits with harder pre reqs and doing well in them as well as doing other things in life like volunteering, research, gaining clinical experience etc is much better than taking 18-20 credits and just doing school.

 

[md-2020]

He clearly means 45+.

Well I'd sure hope so since showing up on test day guarantees you 472 points

 

[ZedsDed]

Well I'd sure hope so since showing up on test day guarantees you 472 points

Ohhh you kids and your newfangled MCAT

 

[Lawpy]

Well I'd sure hope so since showing up on test day guarantees you 472 points

And only 56 points are needed to ace it!

 

[BluMist]

"The difference between 472 and 528 is merely 11.9%" - Euclid

And only 56 points are needed to ace it!

 

[Goro]

35 or better in the old system

What does acing the MCAT mean in your opinion? 38+?

 

[JohnConstantine511]

From a friend who went to the Air Force Academy and studied Electrical Engineering. This is a place where a 3.1 will put you at the top 15% of the class.

His response was it might have given a .05 boost at most. As in, if you have two applicants on with a 3.55 with a really rigorous transcript and one with a 3.6 with a not so rigorous transcript. Then they would be on equal footing at some schools.

 

[md-2020]

From a friend who went to the Air Force Academy and studied Electrical Engineering. This is a place where a 3.1 will put you at the top 15% of the class.

His response was it might have given a .5 boost at most. As in, if you have two applicants on with a 3.55 with a really rigorous transcript and one with a 3.6 with a not so rigorous transcript. Then they would be on equal footing at some schools.

There is zero chance adcoms give anyone from any school anywhere near a 0.5 GPA "boost", much less Air Force Academy.

.05, maybe?

 

[JohnConstantine511]

There is zero chance adcoms give anyone from any school anywhere near a 0.5 GPA "boost", much less Air Force Academy.

.05, maybe?

Sorry, that is what I mean't--.05. Thanks for pointing that out. Just edited my post to reflect that.

 

[tenblackalps]

Sure, I mean you need to have a decent course load (15-18hrs) a semster and taking harder prereqs, like orgo, with other classes and still being able to get good grades.
Being able to excel at that kind of work load does show that you might be able to handle med school.

I never took more than 14 credits