I've heard about various "formulas" used by schools that factor in your GPA and MCAT to determine whether or not applicants will get a secondary or an interview, but do they really exist? If anyone knows for a FACT of one that exists, I'd really like to know what it is and which school uses it. I don't want to hear about one that you heard from your brother's best friend's half-sister's overweight uncle's step-nephew(?), I want to know of one that actually exists.
GPA/MCAT formula for deciding secondaries &interviews?
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Fine, I won't tell you what I heard, but I should let you know that teh only way soemone could know this is if it is published somewhere like in the MSAR or if the person is on the adcoms. Now, to really burst your bubble, you could only believe it if it were YOU on the adcoms, because one of us could lie. So why don't you just ask for ANY info?
hehe, I'll tell you what I heard anyway. If your gpa is 3.7 and mcat is 30, you would hae a score of 37+30=67. That is a good score. I hae heard that this is used. I heard it here on SDN
hehe, I'll tell you what I heard anyway. If your gpa is 3.7 and mcat is 30, you would hae a score of 37+30=67. That is a good score. I hae heard that this is used. I heard it here on SDN
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Why the strong curiosity, may I ask? Anyways, the "formulas" you inquire about do exist at some, if not most, schools and those schools are not always afraid to talk about it. While at Albany Med, they told us they us a point scoring system where you gain points for your MCATs, GPA, and the other elements of the application. For them once you reached a certain number, you received an interview and if during the interview you acquired the additional points needed for an acceptance, you'd get the good news. Thats somewhat of a "formula," perhaps not exactly what you had in mind. But other forms exist besides that example, and some schools mention this stuff during the interview day. However, the "formula" often encompases more than just MCAT and GPA. Its just a method to help with the task of sifting through thousands of applications.
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Thanks! That explains my pre-interview hold at Albany! <img border="0" alt="[Laughy]" title="" src="graemlins/laughy.gif" />
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A. Caveman
well screw that!! i doesn't explain mine! i hate that F-ing school. they send that "nice" little folder-looking brochure with that "cute" little prescription on it to "take 4 years at Albany...." they can kiss my tookus. i applied there twice and got thrown into the gutter twice. if they really use numbers, then there's something i'm missing because my gpa and mcat surely must have met they're "cutoffs."
anyway, i'm just pissed because those SOB rejected me twice. put my check in their pocket and as they pulled out their hand, had their middle finger ready--to flick me off.
anyway, i'm just pissed because those SOB rejected me twice. put my check in their pocket and as they pulled out their hand, had their middle finger ready--to flick me off.
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A. Caveman
they are a Secret gobears....
(actually they're smeared all across this board. search if you like)
but my magic 8 ball tells me you have excellent numbers.
(actually they're smeared all across this board. search if you like)
but my magic 8 ball tells me you have excellent numbers.
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gobears,
you are right UIC does go by numbers. There has been a ton of speculation across the board about how they do it. I myself interviewed in early dec. w/ 33 + 30, while my friend was rejected pre-int w/ 34 + 28. Go figure....
you are right UIC does go by numbers. There has been a ton of speculation across the board about how they do it. I myself interviewed in early dec. w/ 33 + 30, while my friend was rejected pre-int w/ 34 + 28. Go figure....
•••quote:••• Why the strong curiosity, may I ask? Anyways, the "formulas" you inquire about do exist at some, if not most, schools and those schools are not always afraid to talk about it. ••••I disagree. If med schools were so open about sharing their formulas with us, why don't they just publish them in the MSAR? It would save people the time and money of applying to a school if they knew they didin't have the right numbers? I believe that ADCOMS are so secretive about this because they all want to give the illusion that their screening process is highly subjective, and not simply a "numbers game." At least initially, it is a numbers game, only because there is no other way for them to get through thousands of applicantions. I've also heard that URMs are the only ones who don't have their numbers subjected to any formula, if it does exist, and that they have their apps read through carefully regardless of their GPA and MCAT. Can anyone confirm or deny this? Because how else can you explain URMs who get in with a 24 MCAT and a 2.8 GPA?
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I don't know about before the interview (although I'm sure they do) but the Chair of the Admissiosn Committee at the University of Washington told our interview group that they give each person a score after their interview that is made up of 25 percent GPA, 25 percent MCAT, and 50 percent interview score (I suppose each person is given a numeric score). They usually go straight down the list to give out acceptances but other circumstances (I read that as them wanting to ensure a diverse entering class) sometimes make them go out of order.
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•••quote:•••Originally posted by tastes like burning:
•I don't want to hear about one that you heard from your brother's best friend's half-sister's overweight uncle's step-nephew(?), I want to know of one that actually exists.•••••My spouse's cousin's husband used to be on the admissions committee at Davis and says they use a formula. But this might be too much hearsay for you.
•I don't want to hear about one that you heard from your brother's best friend's half-sister's overweight uncle's step-nephew(?), I want to know of one that actually exists.•••••My spouse's cousin's husband used to be on the admissions committee at Davis and says they use a formula. But this might be too much hearsay for you.
•••quote:•••quote:
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Originally posted by tastes like burning:
I don't want to hear about one that you heard from your brother's best friend's half-sister's overweight uncle's step-nephew(?), I want to know of one that actually exists.
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My spouse's cousin's husband used to be on the admissions committee at Davis and says they use a formula. But this might be too much hearsay for you. ••••Yeah, that is pretty far removed. I'm almost certain the the UCs have some sort of formula, but I don't think they all use the same one.
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Originally posted by tastes like burning:
I don't want to hear about one that you heard from your brother's best friend's half-sister's overweight uncle's step-nephew(?), I want to know of one that actually exists.
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My spouse's cousin's husband used to be on the admissions committee at Davis and says they use a formula. But this might be too much hearsay for you. ••••Yeah, that is pretty far removed. I'm almost certain the the UCs have some sort of formula, but I don't think they all use the same one.
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[/QUOTE]. If med schools were so open about sharing their formulas with us, why don't they just publish them in the MSAR? It would save people the time and money of applying to a school if they knew they didin't have the right numbers? I believe that ADCOMS are so secretive about this because they all want to give the illusion that their screening process is highly subjective, and not simply a "numbers game." QUOTE]
I personally think the reason that they do it is to give people the false hope that they just "might get in". That way, they get people fork over millions of dollars in secondary fees to these schools in hopes that they will be interviewed and/or accepted.
I've heard of people (applicants who have actually gotten other acceptances)turning in their secondary application on a Monday and getting a rejection on Friday. You can not tell me in those cases that the schools REALLY examine each and every person's secondary application in detail. Just my two cents worth.
I personally think the reason that they do it is to give people the false hope that they just "might get in". That way, they get people fork over millions of dollars in secondary fees to these schools in hopes that they will be interviewed and/or accepted.
I've heard of people (applicants who have actually gotten other acceptances)turning in their secondary application on a Monday and getting a rejection on Friday. You can not tell me in those cases that the schools REALLY examine each and every person's secondary application in detail. Just my two cents worth.
•••quote:•••I personally think the reason that they do it is to give people the false hope that they just "might get in". That way, they get people fork over millions of dollars in secondary fees to these schools in hopes that they will be interviewed and/or accepted.
••••I felt the same way when I was filling out secondaries. I thought I was just being cynical, but my pre-med advisor actually told me that schools tend to send secondaries out to everyone because it's a money-making process for them. Could med schools really be this unethical?
••••I felt the same way when I was filling out secondaries. I thought I was just being cynical, but my pre-med advisor actually told me that schools tend to send secondaries out to everyone because it's a money-making process for them. Could med schools really be this unethical?
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Somewhere some time ago i heard that GPA multipliers were used with the system Doctora Foxy described. For example, if you come from Princeton and have a 3.6 GPA, that will be multiplied by 1.1 to take into account the rigor of Princeton and will turn into a 3.96. Now, in the grand scheme of things, this would boost a normal 3.6 GPA, 30 MCAT from Princeton with a "score" of 66 to a 70 - which is also rumored to be a cutoff for interviewing at some places.
Has anyone else heard this before?
Has anyone else heard this before?
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I can only speak for one school. I have seen the admissions committee's "little black book". Someone left it at a meeting I was attending, Opps! It's true, there is a formula.
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One of my interviewers actually told me that once my official AMCAS was transmitted (this was late September/early October), that I would be given a cumulative score. The score consisted of "adjusting" my BCPM GPA and CUM GPA. They take the GPAs and multiply it by a number representative of your undergrad. Then they take your MCAT, "adjust" it and add it to your GPA number.
When the ADCOM looks at this number, it's only after you've been interviewed. If you're higher than their "acceptable" number and you had a good interview, you'll be accepted. If you're borderline, they will discuss you and may accept or waitlist you. If you're far below the line and your interviewer didn't push for you, you get the thin letter.
When the ADCOM looks at this number, it's only after you've been interviewed. If you're higher than their "acceptable" number and you had a good interview, you'll be accepted. If you're borderline, they will discuss you and may accept or waitlist you. If you're far below the line and your interviewer didn't push for you, you get the thin letter.
