Medical Splitter question - high MCAT, low GPA

[Question]

Asking for a friend...

When applying for med school, what do you do when your mcat is above 75 percentile but gpa is below 25? I got a very high mcat which is competitive for t20, and is above the 75 or even 90 percentile for t20 schools according to msar but my gpa is around a 3.7 which is around or below the 25 percentile for most top schools. Are my chances at these schools good?

This is also the case for many schools in my state; I am a little above the 25 percentile in terms of gpa and above 75 w mcat. Should I consider these schools reaches or matches. Thank you

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[GoSpursGo]

There’s a whole high MCAT/low GPA thread that addresses this thread in the pre-med forums. Basically it depends on the rest of your app. Do you have the kinds of outstanding ECs and research that makes a candidate attractive to t20 schools, or are you more average?

In general I recommend applicants with your profile apply maybe to a wider array of schools than you normally might for your MCAT score. You likely will get bites but hard to guess where they will come from.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

I guess you could look at the grid for AMCAS GPA/MCAT. My perception seems to emphasize AMCAS undergraduate GPA due to the choice of ranges.

I generally agree with points already mentioned.

 

[gyngyn]

3.7 isn't a problem as long as the trend is upward.

 

[TheBoneDoctah]

3.7 is a good GPA. What is your trend from year to year?

 

[Goro]

One applies strategically, of course.

 

[AlteredScale]

It is possible that you will cut screened from T20, but there are many ways AdComs can screen. So as said above you need to apply strategically by looking to see which of those programs typically have leeway with lower GPAs. The rest of your application including Ecstatics and leadership should be strong.