how much does being a URM help in admissions?

Yes, there is huge Advantage becasue all the schools are looking for URMs. Based on UC data, URM tend to have lower GPAs and MCAT scores than non-URM applicants.

 

Well, you still have to show that you're qualified, but after that I think as a URM you will get more attention and be courted by more schools than a non-URM with the same stats. From your other post I'd say you're qualified GPA-wise, just make sure you have some clinical experience and do well on the MCAT. From your position, I think URM status will help you !

 

It'll help. The data, other than that colleceted for the UCs, is very limited.

 

Being a URM in the medical school application process is like being 7 foot 1 basketball player versus a 5 foot 9 basketball player.

Sure you are going to both have to get your skills and have to prove yourself...but the 7 foot 1 dude is going to have a HUGE advantage!!!

Think of URM status like that...

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Scooby Doo:
[QB]Homer: Quick Marge! I need to do a good deed to get into heaven!
Marge: Well, I need to do the laundry, the dishes, take out the trash...
Homer: Woah Woah Woah Marge! I just need to GET INTO heaven. I am not running for Jesus!
QB]</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Sorry. Nothing to do with URM. Just love the Simpson's

 

I will just give you a scenario and you can take what you want from it. I work with a URM who recieved 3 interviews (out of the 4 schools she applied to). Here are her stats: 3.0 GPA, 22 on the MCAT 6 months experience working in a clinic.

Now, i am not a URM and here are my stats. My GPA from graduate school is a 3.78. I have 7 years of volunteer work with autistic kids, 1 years experience working in a hospital, 1 year working in a clinic, 4 years working in clinical research, and now i am doing basic research in hematologic malignancies. Bombed the MCAT but recieved exactly the same score as my co-worker. I applied to 16 schools and was flat out rejected from all of them!

So, does this answer your question about "if URMs have an advantage"? Sorry if this sounds like i am bitter (i am a little) but i wouldn't be if she wasn't so irritating reluctant about her opportunites. She said ," i only went to 2 of the 3 interviews because one of them was a real long drive, like 3 hours away" Now, give me a BREAK. Most of us would kill for an opportunity like that!

 

Yeah that is messed up but remember that not all URM's and non-URM's are cut from the same cloth. In other words there are URM's (myself) with 4.0's, great MCAT's, EC's, excellent LOR's, tons of research experience and there are also non-URM's that do gain acceptance to medical school with low gpa, subpar MCAT, etc. So of course there are people that always will fall through the cracks but that goes on both sides. Also there are much much less URM's applying than non-URM's for the entering year of 2001 only 4091 total URM's applied and 1881 were accepted. So yes there is almost a 50% acceptance rate but the amount applying is very very small compared to other minorities (that are non-URM) and Caucasian's applying. These numbers can be found at AAMC web page under FACTS here is the <a href="http://www.aamc.org/data/facts/start.htm" target="_blank">link</a>

 

I think Scooby put it well about the app process for urm's. Our applications do recieve special attention because there is such a small group of competitve urm applicants. You always hear stories about urms with both really low gpa and mcats getting in but I do not think that is the norm. The urms that I know like that did not get in anywhere. If you are competitive with both a decent gpa and mcat then you will be courted by alot of schools. Please pm me or email me so I can tell you about my experience. Now if you have good gpa, good lor's, good ec's, but a mediocre mcat, your app will still be given consideration and the adcoms are likely to forgive an average score on one test.