GPA/MCAT Combo in Matriculant %'s

[TheElement]

I know there's plenty of information out there over what the average GPA and average MCAT of matriculations are to getting into medical school but is there data over what's the chance a person with a certain GPA or a certain MCAT would get in? (Like a 3.4 and a 30 is 40% nationally ~ I just made that up for example).

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[pingouin]

moving to pre-allo....

 

[TheRealMD]

If such a thing existed, you'd never need to ask which is more important, GPA or MCAT?

 

[Bre]

I wish it existed but I'm afraid it doesn't, or at least I've never heard of anything like it.

 

[Bartelby]

People really like to reduce applicants to their GPAs and MCAT score here, but I don't think it works that way in the real world. Even if they gave X% chance for certain stat ranges in general that would not really tell you what your chance of admission are, just give you a vague idea. You can already get that same vague idea from the MSAR.

But to answer your original question, no, as far as I know that data is not publicly available.

 

[OCallag]

Look in the front of the MSAR.

 

[Mister Pie]

Look at this this: http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/MedStats.stm

Sure, it's only for Cal students, but it might give you a vague idea. Click on one of the options to see the percentage of people getting in with a certain combo of MCAT/GPA. I think some other schools have such data on their own websites as well.

 

[TheElement]

Some of those percentages look harsh.

 

[TheRealMD]

Some of those percentages look harsh.

Honestly, were you expecting daisies and roses? It is California after all.

 

[ghostfoot]

Look at this this: http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/MedStats.stm

Sure, it's only for Cal students, but it might give you a vague idea. Click on one of the options to see the percentage of people getting in with a certain combo of MCAT/GPA. I think some other schools have such data on their own websites as well.

That chart is crap if you're trying to get an idea of your chances.

According to their stats, if you get 35+ on the MCAT you should definitely retake and try to tone it down to a 30-34.

And if you're proud of your 3.9+ GPA, you'd be much better off failing a few courses to get down to a 3.6.

 

[ghostfoot]

http://career.berkeley.edu/MedStats/2006seniors.stm

This is the chart I'm looking at. Better a 3.6/30 than a 4.0/45?

 

[TheRealMD]

That chart is crap if you're trying to get an idea of your chances.

According to their stats, if you get 35+ on the MCAT you should definitely retake and try to tone it down to a 30-34.

And if you're proud of your 3.9+ GPA, you'd be much better off failing a few courses to get down to a 3.6.

No, it makes perfect sense. A person who isn't aware of the "humbleness" of interviewing and forgets to stop being a gunner for a day will NOT interview well because they think they already HAVE their spot secured. Those with not so "out of this world" stats obviously take their interviews much more seriously.

That's not to say that high stat people are all snobs, but it's way too easy to tempt yourself into that kind of thinking if you aren't informed. And that's why you see a slight tapering off when you approach 4.0/35+

 

[Arc]

It looks like getting a 3.6~3.8 is the sweet spot. Intresting.

 

[ghostfoot]

No, it makes perfect sense. A person who isn't aware of the "humbleness" of interviewing and forgets to stop being a gunner for a day will NOT interview well because they think they already HAVE their spot secured. Those with not so "out of this world" stats obviously take their interviews much more seriously.

That's not to say that high stat people are all snobs, but it's way too easy to tempt yourself into that kind of thinking if you aren't informed. And that's why you see a slight tapering off when you approach 4.0/35+

That's a nice rationalization off the cuff, but I think it has a lot more to do with the n=120.

I think the OP (and everyone else) wants a stat that will show one's chances with all else being equal. With all else being equal, does a 3.5/31 trump a 3.9/39?

I'm not saying that all else being equal, the higher #s win (which they probably should), but that's what makes it so interesting (and unjust?).

 

[badasshairday]

That's a nice rationalization off the cuff, but I think it has a lot more to do with the n=120.

I think the OP (and everyone else) wants a stat that will show one's chances with all else being equal. With all else being equal, does a 3.5/31 trump a 3.9/39?

I'm not saying that all else being equal, the higher #s win (which they probably should), but that's what makes it so interesting (and unjust?).

I think it has to do more with where they choose to apply. Perhaps those with the 3.9+ and 35+ mostly apply to highly comptitive schools, while the people with the 3.6 and low 30's apply to a broader range. And plus, only in that chart do they show that the 3.6/30ish is better than the 3.9/35+. The other chat showed that 15/15 with 3.9/35+ got in.

The n=120 is a bit small, but its at least a rough idea. Also you should know that not all Berkeley Premeds choose to report there application experience to the career center.

 

[TheElement]

Pretty interesting spreadsheet, but I highly doubt everything but Harvard is my safety. (I WISH)

 

[ghostfoot]

I think it has to do more with where they choose to apply. Perhaps those with the 3.9+ and 35+ mostly apply to highly comptitive schools, while the people with the 3.6 and low 30's apply to a broader range. And plus, only in that chart do they show that the 3.6/30ish is better than the 3.9/35+. The other chat showed that 15/15 with 3.9/35+ got in.

The n=120 is a bit small, but its at least a rough idea. Also you should know that not all Berkeley Premeds choose to report there application experience to the career center.

Some good points. Thanks.