GPA/MCAT cut-offs

[deleted158872]

I think all med schools have GPA/MCAT cut-offs to screen applicants. Why don't they post the cut-offs on their websites? It'd be incredibly helpful in helping me choose which schools to apply to. I'd hate to spend $ to apply to a school only to find out "oops, you didn't pass the preliminary screening", or worse, fill out the secondaries only to find out that they have a cut-off.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[threesparrows]

Buy a subscription to/copy of the MSAR and look at the 10th percentile MCAT published there. That's effectively the cut off for that school.

Looking at the average MCAT, however, will be much more helpful in targeting your apps to a mix of reach, fit, and safeties based on your stats. Or use the LizzyM score (search SDN if you're not familiar with it).

 

[miamiheatfan]

The majority of med schools do not have a "cut-off." Hence why you will automatically get a secondary from the majority of schools. Through my process of looking at schools, 90% of the time if the school had a real cut-off, they stated it on their website.

 

[HybridEarth]

Some schools (not all) post the cut offs on their websites, so be careful with generalizing. Also, I would imagine many schools do it to generate revenue with the secondary costs. I know one example of a colleague who was instantly rejected upon submitting his secondary to a top 10 school.

 

[gyngyn]

Judgement and research skills are essential characteristics of a strong applicant.

 

[allantois]

Not everything is so black and white as you may see it.

 

[justadream]

Probably because almost all schools will make exceptions to the cutoff if the application is outstanding enough.

 

[Goro]

Many of them already do, and MSAR Online does this as well... I always recommend that people avoid schools if their numbers are below the 10th percentile for that school.

I think all med schools have GPA/MCAT cut-offs to screen applicants. Why don't they post the cut-offs on their websites? It'd be incredibly helpful in helping me choose which schools to apply to. I'd hate to spend $ to apply to a school only to find out "oops, you didn't pass the preliminary screening", or worse, fill out the secondaries only to find out that they have a cut-off.

100%agree. This is why I consider many secondaries to nonviable candidates to be a taxman the hopelessly optimistic, or outright naïve.

Some schools (not all) post the cut offs on their websites, so be careful with generalizing. Also, I would imagine many schools do it to generate revenue with the secondary costs. I know one example of a colleague who was instantly rejected upon submitting his secondary to a top 10 school.

 

[NeuResurgens]

I think there probably isn't much of an incentive to publish the cutoffs in easily visible places, because they still get the application fees for people who wouldn't meet those cutoffs anyway. Med schools are darn expensive to run so they want all the money they can get.

 

[mbeus]

Also probably because they want your money. Sad but true.

 

[gyngyn]

Also probably because they want your money. Sad but true.

"We" don't even get the money.
Revenue from fees is entirely dis-articulated from the function that generates them.

 

[deleted158872]

"We" don't even get the money.
Revenue from fees is entirely dis-articulated from the function that generates them.

yeah, i know that most members of adcoms are volunteering faculty

 

[justadream]

Also probably because they want your money. Sad but true.

Perhaps even more valuable than money is ranking. If you increase applicants (or at least, don't discourage them by spelling out GPA/MCAT cutoffs) , your acceptance rate goes down ===> higher USNWR ranking.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Perhaps even more valuable than money is ranking. If you increase applicants (or at least, don't discourage them by spelling out GPA/MCAT cutoffs) , your acceptance rate goes down ===> higher USNWR ranking.

Not quite. The acceptance rate doesn't count for much. In fact Wash U probably has a higher acceptance rate than most schools in the top 50.

 

[mbeus]

yeah, i know that most members of adcoms are volunteering faculty

I was talking about the school in general, not adcom members

 

[gyngyn]

I was talking about the school in general, not adcom members

It may not even go to the medical school.

 

[deleted158872]

It may not even go to the medical school.

so where does it go to?

 

[gyngyn]

so where does it go to?

It will depend on the needs of the school. Many universities control the fees for the professional schools centrally (the undergraduate or parent school). Even schools without undergrads collect and use fees for purposes entirely unrelated to the source that generated them.