high GPA question

[mrgoodkat]

I'm a first time poster here with an inquiry I can't seem to answer elsewhere on the forums.
If one has an above average GPA (3.95+) from a private, well-respected institution, how much weight will it carry? Will med schools drool over this facet of the app as they would a 40 MCAT, or will it simply blend in among other top notch applicants? Coupled with a mid 30 MCAT and a well above average resume, could one ever expect to feel comfortable with their shot at a top 10 medical school?
On a side note, I'm a white male, so I suppose I'll have that working against me....
Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Rookie

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[Old ortho]

Your have very strong academic credentials. If you have above average clinical exposure, volunteering, and research, you can certainly apply to top 10 or 20 med schools. Remember there is a little luck involved in applying for med schools; just because you look great on paper does not guarantee anything esp. the top schools. Apply broadly also to 10 mid tier schools and your state schools. Being a white male is OK, at least you are not an Asian male from Cali.

 

[Stolenspatulas]

I'm a first time poster here with an inquiry I can't seem to answer elsewhere on the forums.
If one has an above average GPA (3.95+) from a private, well-respected institution, how much weight will it carry? Will med schools drool over this facet of the app as they would a 40 MCAT, or will it simply blend in among other top notch applicants? Coupled with a mid 30 MCAT and a well above average resume, could one ever expect to feel comfortable with their shot at a top 10 medical school?
On a side note, I'm a white male, so I suppose I'll have that working against me....
Let me know what you think.

Thanks,
Rookie

i have good credentials from a top-tier ugrad and i still think i blend into the crowd. there are 1000s of applicants with extremely solid credentials (in my mind, 3.75+, 35+). IMO, med schools will look at the intangibles once they realize that you are intelligent enough to handle medical school. no med school will drool over any applicant (especially top tens) through numbers alone. Numbers only go so far.

 

[MossPoh]

A solid GPA is always a good indicator. It shows that you are consistent through the long haul, and must have SOME sort of study habits. If applying to state schools you can probably afford a slightly lower MCAT, depending on which state you are in...cali probably not. Indiana, Illinois, Florida....possibly. (Just examples.....don't get mad). You'll be fine..... I'd love to have that GPA, but this whole "studying" concept didn't come in till my junior year.

 

[mrgoodkat]

I appreciate the feedback, I'll just cross my fingers and wait to hear back about my MCAT.

one step at a time,
rookie

 

[deleted128318]

there are 1000s of applicants with extremely solid credentials (in my mind, 3.75+, 35+)

I don't think this is true... 1000, maybe.

 

[Mobius1985]

My stats, and background, are like yours and I feel I had a well-balanced application also, but it got me no love from the more competitive schools I applied to, and I didn't aim as high as you intend to. Be sure to include mid-tier and even bottom tier schools to make any acceptance more likely.

 

[Stolenspatulas]

I don't think this is true... 1000, maybe.

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/combined06.pdf

this is just from 2006 test takers:

n= 70901

percentile range for a 35 mcat is 93.1 - 95.1

so these are the numbers for applicants who have a 35 (or above).

if 95.1 => 3473 applicants
if 93.1 => 4892 applicants

i am guessing the majority of these applicants also have solid gpas.

remember that most top ten schools interview less than 1000 applicants each (besides washu and columbia, i believe).

again, numbers only go so far. also note that a lot of these top schools interview applicants with considerably lower mcats and gpas. (i realize that this data also assumes all 2006 test takers are applying in the same year, but i think the point is made for use as a crude estimate).