I'm a current Princeton University student and will have a 3.8 gpa and mcat 525. Will the adcoms consider that Princeton is a grade deflation school?

[Tigress23]

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I'm a current Princeton University student and have a 3.8 gpa and mcat 525. Will the adcoms consider that Princeton is a grade deflation school? I plan on taking 2 gap years. I volunteer as an emt, have published 2 research papers in reputable journals, have quite a few leadership positions at the university and some national orgs etc. Any insights would help as to what med schools I should aim for.

 

[wysdoc]

Your GPA is not low by any school's standards.
Be aware that the MCAT score expires in 3 years for most AMCAS schools, so be sure to apply while this score is still valid

 

[Mr.Smile12]

What feedback has your prehealth advisors given you that suggested you take 2 gap years? Why did you take the MCAT if you intended to apply 2 years later and risks your MCAT score acceptability? Seriously, you have one of the better prehealth advising offices in the country.

Your prehealth committee letter will do all the lifting about Princeton's grading policies. I think you would still be eligible, but do you have everything lined up in the "time capsule" so they can write your letter in 2 years?

 

[Tigress23]

What feedback has your prehealth advisors given you that suggested you take 2 gap years? Why did you take the MCAT if you intended to apply 2 years later and risks your MCAT score acceptability? Seriously, you have one of the better prehealth advising offices in the country.

Your prehealth committee letter will do all the lifting about Princeton's grading policies. I think you would still be eligible, but do you have everything lined up in the "time capsule" so they can write your letter in 2 years?

they've suggested 1 gap year but I thought that 2 would help me get into atleast a t10

 

[Tigress23]

Your GPA is not low by any school's standards.
Be aware that the MCAT score expires in 3 years for most AMCAS schools, so be sure to apply while this score is still valid

thanks

 

[Mr.Smile12]

they've suggested 1 gap year but I thought that 2 would help me get into atleast a t10

Please explain.

 

[Tigress23]

Please explain.

Taking 2 gap years would mean that I could talk about/reflect my experiences during my first gap year in my application and it also means I have more time to work on my actual application. If I took 1 gap year, I'd be writing my application while working on my senior thesis and defense at the same time this spring and maybe wouldn't be able to submit my application as early as I'd like.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Taking 2 gap years would mean that I could talk about/reflect my experiences during my first gap year in my application and it also means I have more time to work on my actual application. If I took 1 gap year, I'd be writing my application while working on my senior thesis and defense at the same time this spring and maybe wouldn't be able to submit my application as early as I'd like.

Is this a common challenge for all Princeton premeds? I would hope many people are more organized with time that multiple priorities can be managed.

You know your profile better than us random backbenchers, but it sounds like you want to reflect on experiences in your gap year... implying that you have no substantive or meaningful experiences to date. Or you haven't had any time to reflect on the experiences you have had? There is the problem of perfect being the enemy of the good...

 

[Goro]

I'm a current Princeton University student and have a 3.8 gpa and mcat 525. Will the adcoms consider that Princeton is a grade deflation school? I plan on taking 2 gap years. I volunteer as an emt, have published 2 research papers in reputable journals, have quite a few leadership positions at the university and some national orgs etc. Any insights would help as to what med schools I should aim for.

Not me. I have no idea who grade deflates or inflates.

Your stats will NOT keep you out if a med school.

Post a WAMC template and we can suggest a school list.

 

[WhatisMedicine]

I'm a current Princeton University student and have a 3.8 gpa and mcat 525. Will the adcoms consider that Princeton is a grade deflation school? I plan on taking 2 gap years. I volunteer as an emt, have published 2 research papers in reputable journals, have quite a few leadership positions at the university and some national orgs etc. Any insights would help as to what med schools I should aim for.

You think they're going to see a 3.8 and think "Well if this person wasn't at Princeton they'd have a 5.0!"?

A 3.8 at Princeton is impressive, as is a 3.8 anywhere; nowhere is going to screen you out for that GPA. What will get you screened out (correct me if I'm wrong, experts) is undue defensiveness about your academic performance (it comes off as pretentious). You're better off improving your ECs than worrying about explaining why you got a 3.8, because you would've gotten a GPA of 1,000,000 elsewhere.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Also OP: if you plan on taking two gap years, it would help us to know what you have planned. Back in the day, Teach For America was a one to two-year commitment. I think Peace Corps is at least a 1 year commitment. Rhodes Scholarship is probably 1 year, but that's also "grad school." Maybe you are gunning for a prestigious international scholarship? Just tell us that is your plan (don't need to tell us which scholarship because you don't know). It is arguable that doing this gives you "more time" to work on your application; you have more life experiences post-college to show us you have a more mature perspective.

 

[LeaveNoTrace]

Either this is a truly impressive degree of premed neuroticism, or you're a troll.

A 3.8/525 is towards the strong end of pack fodder at top-20 schools, and a monster anywhere else.

Your ECs look up to snuff, too.

Stop being neurotic (or trolling), apply broadly, shoot for the stars with a dozen top-20 programs, your state schools, and 8-12 midtiers, and you should get several interviews.

Good luck.