Is there a really a difference between A- and A?

[hopefuldawkter]

Aside from the GPA difference, is there really a difference between the two?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Depends on the context.

 

[Isoval]

Yes, it's a whole - sign on your transcript.

And nothing else.

 

[LizzyM]

In an of itself, it shows that you have done exceptionally well, but have some small gaps keeping you from total mastery of the material covered in the course.

 

[HopeP]

Aside from the GPA difference, is there really a difference between the two?

Don't know the difference between the two, but both have 'A' in them.

 

[Seihai]

Technically, some schools will use A- to only help their students (that is, if a normal A would have been a 90-100, then an A- would be an 87-90). This means that you can never get an A- instead of an A - instead, you can only get an A- instead of a B.

At these schools, I'd argue that an A- shows less mastery of the material and should be treated differently. However, at schools where you'd get an A- where it would be an A at other schools, then the difference between an A and an A- is entirely based on definitions and not really mastery.

 

[ChymeofPassion]

A- is definitely different than A, in the GPA and mastery of material. 3.7 applicant is treated differently than 4.0

 

[Aktak]

Lol @ mastery or even proficiency. I’ve gotten a heck of a lot of A+’s being nowhere near mastery of the material. Most of the time, I felt like I was barely getting by.

 

[deleted1001426]

Lol @ mastery or even proficiency. I’ve gotten a heck of a lot of A+’s being nowhere near mastery of the material. Most of the time, I felt like I was barely getting by.

Literally me in both orgo 1 and 2. I’d hardly say my pre curve 75 is “mastery” , just slightly more adequate than the remainder of the class who were getting 30s

 

[ChymeofPassion]

Lol @ mastery or even proficiency. I’ve gotten a heck of a lot of A+’s being nowhere near mastery of the material. Most of the time, I felt like I was barely getting by.

Level of mastery of material is a spectrum, not an absolute. Perhaps I should have used understanding, but the meaning is the same.

 

[proudofmykids]

If you were a surgeon and needed complex hand surgery, would you rather have and A or A- operate on your hand and future?

 

[ToothJockey]

If you were a surgeon and needed complex hand surgery, would you rather have and A or A- operate on your hand and future?

I would have the best surgeon operate on me. I don’t give a fuk whether he got an A or an A- in sexual education 101


Sent from my iPhone using SDN

 

[imbesrs]

If you were a surgeon and needed complex hand surgery, would you rather have and A or A- operate on your hand and future?

Happy holidays

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

If you were a surgeon and needed complex hand surgery, would you rather have and A or A- operate on your hand and future?

I want a perfectionist/gunner on serious note, the orthopedic I visited last time went DO school a while back. I don't if itt was by choice or due to low GPA orle MCAT.

 

[aldol16]

The difference is mostly due to the GPA difference. 3.7 vs 4.0 might not seem like a lot but it can add up. A small real difference, i.e. the difference between an A performance and an A- performance in a class, can result in a large numerical difference in the GPA. In other words, what do you think the difference between a 3.7 and 4.0 is?

 

[Andrew Baines Bernard]

Literally me in both orgo 1 and 2. I’d hardly say my pre curve 75 is “mastery” , just slightly more adequate than the remainder of the class who were getting 30s

Can I go back in time and attend your undergrad?

 

[Blueprint Med School]

The difference is mostly due to the GPA difference. 3.7 vs 4.0 might not seem like a lot but it can add up. A small real difference, i.e. the difference between an A performance and an A- performance in a class, can result in a large numerical difference in the GPA. In other words, what do you think the difference between a 3.7 and 4.0 is?

Likely not a ton. GPA has so many variables in it that it likely breaks down at the individual level as a predictor of Step Score when GPAs near 4.0. MCAT is strongly predictive. Heavens forbid you roll in with a 4.0 and a 498, yikes! I would lose very little sleep over an A- grade and just crush the exam that allows adcoms to compare apples to apples very easily.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[strappysandals]

.

 

[Lawpy]

In my experience, the A requires a ridiculous amount of extra work and worry. Im a big fan of the A-

that depends where you go, the courses you take, professor difficulty etc. i'd be happy with an A- too if i were an engineering major at MIT for instance

 

[JustAUser]

For those applying to the Texas med schools on TMDSAS, there is no GPA difference between A and A-. Both are considered as 4.0. in GPA calculations.

This does come at the cost of your B+ being counted as a B (i.e. a 3.0) but then again your B- will also be considered as a B.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

For those applying to the Texas med schools on TMDSAS, there is no GPA difference between A and A-. Both are considered as 4.0. in GPA calculations.

This does come at the cost of your B+ being counted as a B (i.e. a 3.0) but your B- will also be considered as a B.

So they ignore what school assigned GPA i.e. A- is 4.0 even if school transcript shows as 3.7?

 

[deleted1001426]

For those applying to the Texas med schools on TMDSAS, there is no GPA difference between A and A-. Both are considered as 4.0. in GPA calculations.

This does come at the cost of your B+ being counted as a B (i.e. a 3.0) but then again your B- will also be considered as a B.

Let me add this to the ever growing list of “reasons why I wish I was born in Texas”

 

[JustAUser]

So they ignore what school assigned GPA i.e. A- is 4.0 even if school transcript shows as 3.7?

Yes. TMDSAS essentially doesn't consider +/- even though my UG institution has a different GPA for A- and differentiates between B+, B, and B- etc.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Let me add this to the ever growing list of “reasons why I wish I was born in Texas”

Ornmove there

Yes. TMDSAS essentially doesn't consider +/- even though my UG institution has a different GPA for A- and differentiates between B+, B, and B- etc.

Wow, I have family in TX but didn't hear that.

 

[EdgeTrimmer]

Let me add this to the ever growing list of “reasons why I wish I was born in Texas”

Or you or you parents can move there and establish residency. Lot of people are doing it lately.

 

[DNAJB6]

One is a "real A" and the other is a B+ incognito...
😛

 

[deleted1001426]

Or you or you parents can move there and establish residency. Lot of people are doing it lately.

too late lol and anyway, as nice as Texas tuition would have been I’ll take my current instate tuition over Ted Cruz, dog sized bugs and 100 degree temps year round

 

[BellaEXE]

Yes and no. Just quality of the work put forth. A few A- grades wont hurt you, but will lower your GPA meaning you may not make it past GPA/MCAT screening.

 

[aldol16]

Yes and no. Just quality of the work put forth. A few A- grades wont hurt you, but will lower your GPA meaning you may not make it past GPA/MCAT screening.

That's assuming that schools screen at 3.7 or above, which I doubt any school would.

 

[BellaEXE]

That's assuming that schools screen at 3.7 or above, which I doubt any school would.

Also true. 3.7 is very impressive in its own right. Definitely not informed enough to provide a definitive answer. Just putting my own speculation in