Grade DEflation?

[pmc2025]

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Hi All! Just a quick question - I go to a smaller University thats known for actively deflating grades. I'm doing well, but a "stellar" GPA here is considered somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.3. Do Med schools take "deflated" schools into account when looking at applications?

 

[ShyRem]

No.

 

[Cheshyre]

Debatable.

I'm from the University of Michigan. I hate when people bandy the name around like some kind of badge. In any case, my point is that our advisors told us repeatedly that medical schools saw our grades and added 0.2 to our GPAs. The biology department curves to a B-. For what it's worth, Harvard curves to a B+.

In any case, I wouldn't count on the deflation. People from pretty much every college in the nation get into medical school, and I know people here at UMich who didn't get into medical school at all. Work hard, get your stuff together, and apply. Don't waste time. The last thing you want are regrets.

 

[megathunder]

Same here, UCLA grading is a bitch to deal with, curves down to a B- and sometimes lower on individual exams 👎 . I know admissions people take grading scales of schools into consideration (source: UC med school panel of admissions directors) but I asked a prof to plug that into her rec just in case..

 

[TexasPhysician]

Hi All! Just a quick question - I go to a smaller University thats known for actively deflating grades. I'm doing well, but a "stellar" GPA here is considered somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.3. Do Med schools take "deflated" schools into account when looking at applications?

If I were you, I would transfer out to a different undergrad.

Med schools can't keep up with every undergrad and their respective grading policies which is why the MCAT can be an equalizer of sorts. If you score a 39 on the MCAT with a 3.3 at your undergrad then I doubt the gpa will keep you back much. I wouldn't count on this though. I'd advise students to play the game and get as good of numbers as possible.

 

[Cheshyre]

If I were you, I would transfer out to a different undergrad.

That sounds like a PITA.

 

[TexasPhysician]

That sounds like a PITA.

Who would want to go to an undergrad outside of Texas anyway? 😀

 

[DbDan]

Same here, UCLA grading is a bitch to deal with, curves down to a B- and sometimes lower on individual exams 👎 . I know admissions people take grading scales of schools into consideration (source: UC med school panel of admissions directors) but I asked a prof to plug that into her rec just in case..

Which courses were you taking? Most of mine scaled down to a C+. In the rare event that it was a B- I was happy Then again the 20/30 chem series and 1/4 physics series aren't meant to get you high grades.

 

[Siggy]

Med schools can't keep up with every undergrad and their respective grading policies which is why the MCAT can be an equalizer of sorts.

This. ...and yes, UC Irvine screwed me over with the f'ing "Bio curve" to a C+/B-.

 

[megathunder]

Which courses were you taking? Most of mine scaled down to a C+. In the rare event that it was a B- I was happy Then again the 20/30 chem series and 1/4 physics series aren't meant to get you high grades.

Yeah I was afraid to state that as the standard because I wasn't 100% sure it's true for most classes, but yeah - C+ curves aren't rare :-/.

What was your major? I was biochem..

 

[ChiDO]

Higher GPA > Lower GPA - everytime, anytime, any school.

 

[DbDan]

Yeah I was afraid to state that as the standard because I wasn't 100% sure it's true for most classes, but yeah - C+ curves aren't rare :-/.

What was your major? I was biochem..

Phy Sci, I started as Electrical Engineering - Biomed though hence the 20/30 and 1/4 series.

UCI's Chem course I took last summer to replace my 20A grade was WAY easier, don't know if its because I had recently studied for and taken the MCAT or if it was just easier in general but it seemed like it moved at a way slower pace than my 20A course did back freshman year.

 

[Sinfest]

Phy Sci, I started as Electrical Engineering - Biomed though hence the 20/30 and 1/4 series.

UCI's Chem course I took last summer to replace my 20A grade was WAY easier, don't know if its because I had recently studied for and taken the MCAT or if it was just easier in general but it seemed like it moved at a way slower pace than my 20A course did back freshman year.

The difficulty of summer classes at UCI varied a lot. Some were much easier, while others were identical or more difficult.

Chemistry courses were typically easier

 

[TexasTriathlete]

No they probably don't.

There are some exceptions, but I wouldn't count on it.

For example, if you're an engineering student at Georgia Tech, that will get you a little slack with our school (I'm told), and probably the other schools in the area. Because that is a notoriously tough program. But it may not help you if you're applying to a place on the other side of the country.

I went to a similar engineering powerhouse (University of Texas), and some of the smartest people I knew were struggling to keep a 3.0 in engineering. One time my physics professor told me that the class average on the engineering version of one of the exams he had given was like a 12.