MCAT-favoring (over GPA) schools

[Maxprime]

I am well aware that no school is going to ignore GPA, etc. (not looking for a golden ticket made of pixie dust).

Are any schools well-known for favoring/weightng an applicant's MCAT score a noticeable amount more than GPA? The only example I've heard of is MUSC (I'm an SC resident) - I've read that they really go after people w/ high MCATs (moreso than low MCAT/high GPA).

I apologize if I missed the thread on this - but I didn't know what to search for - "High MCAT-friendly schools"?

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[lacrossefiend73]

haha so so so many schools... where to start?

Wish it was the other way around!

 

[Maxprime]

haha so so so many schools... where to start?

Wish it was the other way around!

If it makes you feel any better, those of us that screwed ourselves in the GPA department can't change it in a day. Those of us dumb enough to get a low GPA in 2 degrees and now have 200+ hours can't ever improve it. Don't let your mom fool you, sometimes being special blows.

 

[lacrossefiend73]

If it makes you feel any better, those of us that screwed ourselves in the GPA department can't change it in a day. Those of us dumb enough to get a low GPA in 2 degrees and now have 200+ hours can't ever improve it. Don't let your mom fool you, sometimes being special blows.

Well if it makes you feel any better... I can't change my MCAT in a day either. I know I can do much better than I did, but I can't sit for long periods of time due to a surgery I had on my tailbone that never healed. So now I gotta hope that schools will actually read my PS or committee letter to find this out instead throwing me straight in the trash can. I agree... being special does blow haha... can we put my gpa and your mcat together? then we'd be excellent

 

[Maxprime]

Well if it makes you feel any better... I can't change my MCAT in a day either. I know I can do much better than I did, but I can't sit for long periods of time due to a surgery I had on my tailbone that never healed. So now I gotta hope that schools will actually read my PS or committee letter to find this out instead throwing me straight in the trash can. I agree... being special does blow haha... can we put my gpa and your mcat together? then we'd be excellent

Together, we may be able to make one full physician - I can't resist, can someone say "floating head doctor"?

 

[drizzt3117]

Some schools off the top of my head:

Case Western
AECOM
USC
Dartmouth

 

[Maxprime]

Some schools off the top of my head:

Case Western
AECOM
USC
Dartmouth

I greatly appreciate it - USC meaning Keck or Carolina?

 

[Sir Buckethead]

Maxprime: Why is your gpa so low with that MCAT?

Lacrosse: How did you ever get that GPA with so many extracurrics?

Seriously I am amazed by both of your mdapps.

 

[drizzt3117]

I greatly appreciate it - USC meaning Keck or Carolina?

Keck. They have a pretty high MCAT score relative to GPA, and it increased a lot for the 2007 entering class IIRC.

 

[Maxprime]

Maxprime: Why is your gpa so low with that MCAT?

Lacrosse: How did you ever get that GPA with so many extracurrics?

Seriously I am amazed by both of your mdapps.

A mixture of personal issues - but when it comes down to it, I think just immaturity. I mean, everyone gets crapped on by life sooner or later, maturity is just how you deal with it. A big factor was I didn't think I'd ever change fields (pure genius!) and I had a good enough GPA to work where I wanted in my previous field (they didn't care, basically). I'd say that was just a short-sighted & immature decision.

 

[luv2sd]

I greatly appreciate it - USC meaning Keck or Carolina?

I'm sure he meant Carolina

 

[Maxprime]

I'm sure he meant Carolina

Keck. They have a pretty high MCAT score relative to GPA, and it increased a lot for the 2007 entering class IIRC.

Surprise to me too.

 

[NotMeNow]

Glancing at the top 25 schools in US news:


Only these have less than 3.7 average GPA:

U of colorado
emory
case
unc
pitt
university of washington

 

[AnesthesiaMD]

Some schools off the top of my head:

Case Western
AECOM
USC
Dartmouth

Michigan too

 

[drizzt3117]

Michigan too

Well the Michigan admissions director did say in his chat that they favored MCAT over GPA and that non-trads still might be competitive with GPA in the low 3s but I'm not sure a top 10 school counts as low hanging fruit...

 

[sgglaze]

A mixture of personal issues - but when it comes down to it, I think just immaturity. I mean, everyone gets crapped on by life sooner or later, maturity is just how you deal with it. A big factor was I didn't think I'd ever change fields (pure genius!) and I had a good enough GPA to work where I wanted in my previous field (they didn't care, basically). I'd say that was just a short-sighted & immature decision.

What a solid answer.

 

[lacrossefiend73]

Maxprime: Why is your gpa so low with that MCAT?

Lacrosse: How did you ever get that GPA with so many extracurrics?

Seriously I am amazed by both of your mdapps.

Well thank you... I honestly think that if I didn't have that many ECs that my GPA would not be what it is. I know that sounds a bit backwards... but, I'm the type of person who can't just go home after class and sit around. Going from class to all of my activities and getting home in the evening made me sit down and focus. Let's see if it pays off.

Maxprime: Floating head doctor for sure. We'll have to work out the kinks though.

 

[Maxprime]

What a solid answer.

Can you rephrase that in the form of an interview offer?

Thanks - hopefully I'll get in somewhere and can escape this awful monkey on my back. For once, it's not the evil monkey that lives in my closet - this one is worse, it's numerical.

 

[drizzt3117]

Can you rephrase that in the form of an interview offer?

Thanks - hopefully I'll get in somewhere and can escape this awful monkey on my back. For once, it's not the evil monkey that lives in my closet - this one is worse, it's numerical.

You were sponsored, right? I think you'll have a good deal of success in admissions, even this year, but I might have waited to apply in 2008 due to timing. Even so, I think you'll probably get in!

 

[Maxprime]

You were sponsored, right? I think you'll have a good deal of success in admissions, even this year, but I might have waited to apply in 2008 due to timing. Even so, I think you'll probably get in!

Didn't think I'd be applying this year so I won't get sponsorship until next year. Hopefully I won't need it . . .

 

[drizzt3117]

Didn't think I'd be applying this year so I won't get sponsorship until next year. Hopefully I won't need it . . .

Ah, well... good luck. I would probably have been in a similar situation last year but MCAT scores weren't released until after the Oct 15 AMCAS deadline so my decision was made for me. That said, I'm happy I waited to apply.

 

[Maxprime]

Maxprime: Floating head doctor for sure. We'll have to work out the kinks though.

I almost forgot to add - "Starting CPR!"

 

[DrJD]

Well here we are 7 months later... Can any body think of any other schools that tend to favor the high MCAT and are would be willing to accept the lower GPA?

Any new additions would be great! Perhaps some schools that are in the mid to lower tiers, I noticed that a lot of the above are higher ranked schools. What about options for those of us with a low 3's GPA and a high 30's MCAT?

 

[DrJD]

Bump!