Range of accepted students

[oceanicF815]

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Hi folks

I was just wondering what the range of accepted students was. I know the schools post averages, but does anyone have specific numbers or anything of that sort?

Just trying to see where I stand

thanks in advance for the help

 

[RATM2010]

Hi folks

I was just wondering what the range of accepted students was. I know the schools post averages, but does anyone have specific numbers or anything of that sort?

Just trying to see where I stand

thanks in advance for the help

sorry bud,

There is no such thing as a guarantee or range. There are way to many unpredicatble things that adcom look at. Just look at it from the standpoint of GPA & MCAT, which are critical but not the whole pic for admissions purposes, GPA should be around if not > 3.0 & MCAT schould be around if not > 21. Again, there are so many factors where say someone has 18 mcat, but gets in due to >3.5 GPA. There are people with 2.7 GPa that get in with mcat >25. Hell, there are folks with 2.7 & 18 mcat that still get in because they know how to sell their positives during the interview. I hope this helps.

 

[doc1107]

If you look at the statistics, for the most recent data year, about 160 our of 600-ish did not graduate for whatever reasons.

 

[ldsrmdude]

The Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association for Nov/Dec had an article from Des Moines looking at what factors predicted success, and it had their range of accepted undergraduate GPA's, but it was for the graduating classes of 2000-2009, so it isn't very helpful for the sort of thing you are looking for.

BTW, the range for those 10 years was 2.11-4.0 undergrad GPA. Like I said, not likely very useful information for you. I just happened to be reading the article last night.

 

[RATM2010]

What positives? These students get in because the school they are accepted at would be more than happy to take their tuition money for a semester or two.

anke breaker, I would hope that you are not naive enough to think the just because a student has a 2.7 /18 mcat that that student will only last 2 semesters in pod school. Like i said earlier, there are many more factors besides gpa/mcat. For instance, life experience and maturity. There are things called intangibles that can not be measured and sometimes these are enough for future success. It is not always about the money for schools.

 

[RATM2010]

You are very full of yourself. I have no idea what anyone is capable of. I do not have Cleo's magic crystal ball. Bottom line, this is not something either of usu could debate. I just felt your remark was a little pompus. For example, lets say I get a undergrad in psychology with a 3.8 GPa and a 20 on the mcat. Am I a shoe in over a physics major with a 2.7 and 20 mcat. Who knows and who cares. That is my point. Neighter of us can predict if someone can handle a course load based on undergrad GPA/mcat alone.

 

[RATM2010]

Whatever you say. Once you get into school and take a look around you will see the big picture. You've insulted me twice now...not really a good way to react to someone you disagree with. You might want to work on your professionalism sometime in the near future.

don't cry anklebreaker, this is just a friendly debate.

 

[dyk343]

nm.

 

[Xforward22]

Anklebreaker is being realistic and the point he makes strikes a real raw nerve among those who are interested in podiatry for reasons other than simply not being able to get in anywhere else. I wish the schools were a bit more selective b/c, sadly, the numbers are what counts. You can give reasons for your low scores all day, and try to supplement lagging scores with volunteering, extracurriculars, etc; and these things are great for well-roundedness but really do very little to make you a better doctor. While it may be true that our education is very similar to that of MDs, we have a long way to go if we want equal respect when we let people with below 20 MCATs become doctors. I'm not saying they can't make it, but its the world we live in ... if we want to be viewed as equals to MDs, we better produce similar scores. I had no idea people were being accepted with such low scores. I have only looked into a handful of schools, but I know the DMU average is 24 and Ohio's MINIMUM is 22. If it is even true that people with under a 21 are getting accepted, do we know which schools are accepting them?

 

[Xforward22]

I guess I shouldn't have assumed Anklebreaker is a he ... he/she!

 

[air bud]

ALL schools are accepting below 21. Some deny it, some dont advertise it, some are vocal about it. Its reality.

 

[PeaJay]

Why does everyone on this forum push an 21 or greater as a good MCAT score?

I don't mean to discourage and belittle those with MCAT scores lower than a 25, but I believe everyone should push to apply with no less than a 25 on their MCAT. Based on 2010 scores , a 25 is the mean score (see attached). Why would anyone want to be below average. I surely don't want my doctors to be below average. I understand that there might be reasons to receive a less than average score, but at least aim for above a 25 so you can be proud of your score. In addition to boosting pride it will help shed a better light on the profession.

 

[oceanicF815]

Does anyone have any idea what the range of scores are for students who interview at ocpm? What's the cutoff gpa requiresd? I'm slightly on the fence of the gpa that ocpm has on their site.



Thanks

 

[RATM2010]

Peajay,

A 25 nor a 30 or even a 45 on the mcat does not mean you will be a above average doctor. If the mcat= greatness of the doctor,you would jumpt straight to residency. Last time I checked, there is no organic chem, inorgani cchem, non-anatomy bio, or physics on any med/pod school curriculum. ALso, a 25 is not the average. Reality is, 21 is the cutoff min score. I agree that you should not aim for a 21, but reality says that a 21 or even less could still get you accepted.

PS: Stop trying to be seen as med school students. We are podiatry students. Average pod admission standards are on par with many DO medical schools and caribbean schools. I personally am happy that the admissions standards are not a ridiculous as the med school standards. I know folks with 30 mcat + >3.5 GPA still waiting. Prove where you belong by your work in your practice, not some pre-entrance test.

 

[PeaJay]

Ratm2010,

Thank you for clearing up the confusion about why a 21 MCAT score is recommended.

I do agree that a MCAT score is not a predictor of how well one will perform as a doctor, but it does predict academic success.

I disagree with you logic on the MCAT though. A 25 is the average for all persons who sat for the test. Proving that as an applicant you have masted the topics and logic of the test is needed. The subjects covered provide a basis for the topics that will arise within the podiatric curriculum. An example would be the need to have a solid understanding of organic chemistry in order to grasp the mechanisms and functions of hormones. Yes, a person can just memorize the needed hormones and other simple information, but that is meaningless if you can't understand the signaling mechanism and the conditions that arise from problems with in the pathways/ cascades. In addition without a clear understanding of chem how is one supposed to be given the privilege of prescribing?

 

[PeaJay]

Anklebreaker, I totally agree with you.

My entire point is people shouldn't blow off the MCAT because they can sneak by with less than average. Doing well on the test is a reflection of your investment in you education. By bombing the thing you are letting yourself down.

 

[RATM2010]

Average DO admission mcat test is 26. However, competitive scores range around 24. GPA is a 3.4. Very similar to pod schools. Some DO schools take mcat scores as low as 21, depending on the situation. (LMU-DCOM) Caribbeean schools not in the big 3 do not even require a mcat score at all. Admissions are solely based on GPA. ST.G mcat average is around 27. Ross/AUC both are around 24. GPA for caribbean school are actually lower than POD with a 3.1-3.3. Again, very similar to some pod school admission stats. Lastly, even md schools like meharry, howard, morehouse, etc have competitive mcat averages around 24 with GPAs beween 3.4-3.6. Again, not that off from pod school admissions. I do not see the mcat as a investment in anything. It is simply a hurdle to clear. I know plenty of people with 23-24 mcats that attended Ross and are great MD docs working right alongside US schooled MD docs with >30 on their mcats. At the end of the day, they are working and making the same. The same goes for pod pre-students who enter and pass school with a 20 or a 30. Just my $0.02.

 

[dyk343]

My 2 cents on the issue...

To me the MCAT tells whether or not a person may struggle or not with the boards... even though I havent even taken the boards a standardized exam is a standardized exam. 2 years course work and tested over it... both MCAT and boards do this.


Academic success? Not so sure about that. The MCAT tests test taking skills. Studying for it helped, but most of the information was written in the passages. More answers came from the readings than what I crammed into my head. This is different IMO from a classroom setting.

...If someone made the argument that it tests on the spot thinking/interpretation that may correlate with being a more competent physician then I would buy that argument.

 

[dyk343]

So your saying that anyone can study the MCAT techniques and get all the appropriate information from the passage and do well? Why bother with that whole undergraduate degree thing.

To score the average pod entrance score... probably. Hell a 10 on the verbal is 1/2 way there. And yes, A student still needs to study for the MCAT. Stand alone Q's and certain equations have to be memorized but from what I remember at least half of my exam (or more) was stuff from the passages... not my memory.

Your stretching what I said with the undergrad remark.

 

[dyk343]

My sarcasm increases with each remark because I'm be-fuddled by some of the responses on here indicating that MCAT is meaningless nor a good predictor of academic success at the professional school level. It wouldn't exist if this was the case. We would be taking some other kind of standardized exam to get to the professional school level.

I never said anything about it being meaningless... IMO board pass rates could be predicted by how easy or difficult the MCAT came to the student. But thats just my 2 cents and shouldnt be taken as fact by any means.

 

[RATM2010]

My sarcasm increases with each remark because I'm be-fuddled by some of the responses on here indicating that MCAT is meaningless nor a good predictor of academic success at the professional school level. It wouldn't exist if this was the case. We would be taking some other kind of standardized exam to get to the professional school level.

We are, its called the GRE at TEMPLE, one of the top pod programs. Undergrad GPA and mcat are essentially pointless! If undergrad knowledge were essential, schools would require degrees in biology or biochemistryvs allowing people with degrees in psychology, literature, history, etc. What good is history for medical/pod school? Still, people with these degrees get marks high enough to not only get into pod schools, but US MD schools. Anklebreaker, congrats on your 24 or whatever mcat score and allow it to be a false security blanket for you as you complete your pod degree. Tell yourself this," I scored a mighty 24-26 on my mcat so I will kill my boards right?" To be honest, 90% of POD school mcat scores are horrid. Anything less than 30 on that test is pointless according to your thinking. A score in the 20s means you learned < 50% of the science you were taught. That means you are destined to fail boards. Why is it that POD school admit students with mcat scores <30 since that test is sooooo important? Get my drift AB, I can be sarcastc too!

PS: I did not say POD school boards were a hurdle considering your life will be pod medicine. You better learn as much pod knowledge as possible. Totally different from sitting in a algebra class when I know there is 0% chance I will teach math.

 

[RATM2010]

You keep missing the point. The mcat is NOT NOT NOT a preditor of how well you can handle the medical school course level. It is only a predictor to state how well you can take 1 test, of info you will never see in podiatry/medical school, but can predict if a student can absord and interpret large amounts of material to pass the boards. Why are you so resistant to this opinion? I just don't see why you feel a student with a <24 mcat score has less chance of getting through pod school. I'm sure people with mcat >30 feel the same about people with <30. And on and on and on. MCAT= hurdle, nothing more, nothing less. Just look at all the foreign medical school students that go to schools like Ross becasue of their inferor mcat scores &undergrad GPA. They take the same USLME and quite a few not onlypass their boards but rank double 99s and even beat US grads for hard matches like neurosurgery.
Hurdle->clear it-->move on to yout goal!

 

[air bud]

I love these threads. I must admit that I have participated in them in the past, quite vocally. Now, I just read and laugh. Both sides have arguments that work, mostly in that dreamy place called candyland. The reality is somewhere in the middle. You guys might as well be arguing about free will vs. destiny.
The dean of CPMS just published a study showing entering MCAT/GPA had no correlation with clinical success. Remember, there are 2 or 3 (or more)years between 1. taking the MCAT and 2. clinical years. A lot happens in those 2 or 3 years. You realize you can't drink every night. You realize decisions you make now will affect you the rest of your lives. You realize santa is not real. How many times have you looked back a few years and said "wow, i sure was an idiot for doing that." Exactly. Also, notice how many 2-4 years participate in this type of argument? They have come to realize what matters and what will make them successful.
When I write my CV for externships, do you think they care that I got a 12G on my MCAT?

 

[dtrack22]

We are, its called the GRE at TEMPLE, one of the top pod programs.

Funnier than the angry Scholl student thread.

The mcat is NOT NOT NOT a preditor of how well you can handle the medical school course level.

Sure enough, the kids doing the best in our class are the ones with the higher MCAT scores. It may not correlate with clinical success, but there is a correlation between MCAT scores and didactic coursework.

You realize you can't drink every night.

says you...

 

[oceanicF815]

While I appreciate the posting activity can we please try and stay on topic? Thanks fellas

 

[bobdolerson]

I don't understand why so many people defend such an abysmal gpa/MCAT combination. A 2.7 and an 18 MCAT is much lower than average. Now, while it's true that you can't entirely determine a person's merit based on these two numbers, they don't mean nothing.

If a person has been fired from 45 jobs, it doesn't necessarily mean that they'll get fired for the next, but I think you'd be an idiot to at least not think it could happen, and take their past performance into consideration.

Yeah, a 2.7 GPA and an 18 MCAT don't necessarily mean you can't hack it, but it means either you had significant problems with easier classes and subjects than are to come, or you didn't care enough to put in the effort. Other possible reasons exist, and those have to be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but other than that...perhaps seek another berth? It'll be infinitely easier than trying 4 more years of harder classes.

 

[Bearsfosho]

I got into a pod school with around 2.8 and a 21 mcat. Its not around the GPA that you guys were discussing above but I think its still below average. I started school and after my first semester and finished with a 3.813 gpa. I got all As expcept for Biochem where I got a B.
It may come off as gloating but my point is low undergrad numbers dont tell the whole story about a person. There are intangibles and other factors that schools look at and give opportunities to students. My school gave me a shot and I showed what I can do with maturity and a more disciplined mindset.
My advice to everyone is to apply, get in however you can and do the best you can.

 

[RiotFTW]

I got into a pod school with around 2.8 and a 21 mcat. Its not around the GPA that you guys were discussing above but I think its still below average. I started school and after my first semester and finished with a 3.813 gpa. I got all As expcept for Biochem where I got a B.
It may come off as gloating but my point is low undergrad numbers dont tell the whole story about a person. There are intangibles and other factors that schools look at and give opportunities to students. My school gave me a shot and I showed what I can do with maturity and a more disciplined mindset.
My advice to everyone is to apply, get in however you can and do the best you can.

Mind telling where you got in? And maybe what factors other than GPA and MCAT could have been a selling point to help your chances?