The #s game...

[DOPharmMD]

As I map my plan for a medical education, I have been visiting SDN a lot during the last two months (when I discovered the site) in hope of getting even a glimpse of just how others before me are going about it. The blogs are sometimes informational. When I come to the allopathic forum, some users post their MDapplicant link that show great #s. Some have great GPA and MCAT scores and surprisingly they seem to get many rejections. I know the last two mentioned will not, in many instances, compensate for a lack of clinical exposure, a great personal statement, a great interview etc...

My question is this: is it possible for people who post their MDapplicant link for all to see, to fudge the #s? I mean I see some great MCAT and GPA, yet they seem to go nowhere. Are we getting the real #s from them? (i.e. GPA & MCAT). I break in cold sweat as I have not taken the MCAT yet and am currently working hard to improve my GPA. Or is it much ado about nothing?

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[Catalystik]

Some tweak the numbers slightly so they cannot be identified by admissions committees. Some could be written by trolls who create fiction to demoralize others, or as a joke. Maybe you should discount about 10%. What seems too good to be true, might be. Alas, however, some who are deserving do not get in anywhere, for inexplicable reasons. Of course, we don't know what their letters of recommendation really said about them.

 

[HumbleMD]

I don't really understand why people would increase their numbers, because so often they're posting to get comments or have others analyze how likely acceptance at certain schools are. Perhaps most who post on this thread are a little too into computers or something and lack social skills and ECs? Or Med school admissions could simply be getting harder.

 

[MiesVanDerMom]

the info I have on MDApps is true but there's no space for grad school GPA (mine is looooow) so I guess it could be seen as a dishonest profile. But I'd put it up if there was a slot.

 

[DOPharmMD]

the info I have on MDApps is true but there's no space for grad school GPA (mine is looooow) so I guess it could be seen as a dishonest profile. But I'd put it up if there was a slot.

This thread was NOT meant to disqualify anyone. I am new to this forum, i've only posted four times (I think). I am reading everything I can find so that I can map my medical avenues. I meant no harm by posting this thread. I was just curious as to the possibility of it occuring. It is a great tool, mdapplicant, in that it helps one to see what a school is looking for (i.e. mcat vs gpa and ECs). Please accept my apologies in advance to anyone who believe their many years of hard work are being questioned.

 

[123165]

It is good for you. The interview process is somewhat about your many years of hard work being in question.

 

[DOPharmMD]

It is good for you. The interview process is somewhat about your many years of hard work being in question.

CORRECTION: The interview process is about "VALIDATING" your enthusiasm for medicine, reflected through your scores!

 

[Anastasis]

CORRECTION: The interview process is about "VALIDATING" your enthusiasm for medicine, reflected through your scores!

How does having high scores reflect on your enthusiasm for medicine?

Nutmeg has one of the highest MCAT scores on this site and he never went to med school. (I don't think) Obviously high scores didn't translate into a high desire to go to medical school or at least he found something he enjoyed more.

(My apologies to Nutmeg if I have this totally wrong)

 

[DOPharmMD]

This thread was NOT meant to disqualify anyone. I am new to this forum, i've only posted four times (I think). I am reading everything I can find so that I can map my medical avenues. I meant no harm by posting this thread. I was just curious as to the possibility of it occuring. It is a great tool, mdapplicant, in that it helps one to see what a school is looking for (i.e. mcat vs gpa and ECs). Please accept my apologies in advance to anyone who believe their many years of hard work are being questioned.

The thread is not what I was looking to get out of. I can see perhaps that it could misinterpreted easily. Although I really meant no harm, I would prefer to recant what I wrote (innocently) into deleting this thread. Anyone knows how to delete their own thread. On the other hand, take a peek at (Nursing vs Physician part 2).

 

[HumbleMD]

The thread is not what I was looking to get out of. I can see perhaps that it could misinterpreted easily. Although I really meant no harm, I would prefer to recant what I wrote (innocently) into deleting this thread. Anyone knows how to delete their own thread. On the other hand, take a peek at (Nursing vs Physician part 2).

If you really want to delete a post, just edit it and replace it with a period (.). I don't think you necessarily have to retract though as more often than not folks with higher numbers have taken the time and dedication to get those good GPAs and MCAT scores due to their high motivation for medicine. Recently on SDN there are a lot of people who want to believe that a 22 MCAT can mean you're just as devoted to the goal of becoming a doctor but it simply cannot be so.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

The thread is not what I was looking to get out of. I can see perhaps that it could misinterpreted easily. Although I really meant no harm, I would prefer to recant what I wrote (innocently) into deleting this thread. Anyone knows how to delete their own thread. On the other hand, take a peek at (Nursing vs Physician part 2).

If you become a SDN donor, you can delete your own threads.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

If you really want to delete a post, just edit it and replace it with a period (.). I don't think you necessarily have to retract though as more often than not folks with higher numbers have taken the time and dedication to get those good GPAs and MCAT scores due to their high motivation for medicine. Recently on SDN there are a lot of people who want to believe that a 22 MCAT can mean you're just as devoted to the goal of becoming a doctor but it simply cannot be so.

Gotta respond to "HumbleMD"... First off, I've had direct contact with a dean of a Medical school who says a 3.0 and a 24 on the MCAT is all it takes to get through a minimum medial school curriculum.
Second... you are far from humble!

 

[HumbleMD]

Gotta respond to "HumbleMD"... First off, I've had direct contact with a dean of a Medical school who says a 3.0 and a 24 on the MCAT is all it takes to get through a minimum medial school curriculum.
Second... you are far from humble!

Of course you don't need a 42 to do well in medical school. But when there's such a high demand for spots it of course creates ridiculous competition. And what school btw? Apparently I should have made my name "RealistMD." I usually set fairly realistic but perhaps low expectations for myself, so when I see folks with lower stats and less experience setting higher expectations I find myself surprised and probably speak out in less than loving ways. But you still can't deny that someone with a 3.99 didn't perhaps work a little harder than others (and therefore is more driven) to get it. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

 

[Zerodegree]

Of course you don't need a 42 to do well in medical school. But when there's such a high demand for spots it of course creates ridiculous competition. And what school btw? Apparently I should have made my name "RealistMD." I usually set fairly realistic but perhaps low expectations for myself, so when I see folks with lower stats and less experience setting higher expectations I find myself surprised and probably speak out in less than loving ways. But you still can't deny that someone with a 3.99 didn't perhaps work a little harder than others (and therefore is more driven) to get it. Don't pee on my leg and tell me it's raining.

I agree with your point that competitive (gpa/mcat wise) applicants most likely worked hard for their acceptances, but I don't know about high gpa and high mcat equating to "more driven".

Or to put it a better way "correlation is not causation but it's certainly suggestive".

 

[HumbleMD]

I agree with your point that competitive (gpa/mcat wise) applicants most likely worked hard for their acceptances, but I don't know about high gpa and high mcat equating to "more driven".

Or to put it a better way "correlation is not causation but it's certainly suggestive".

Aah, but sometimes that's all we have to work with (look at the field of epidemiology). I'll still assert that someone with higher scores is often (but not always) more driven. Think of the people who are suddently motivated by a low score or rejections one cycle, and then go and improve their MCAT scores by retaking and studying better?

 

[DoctaJay]

People do fudge #'s on mdapps, but most are legit. I really only trust profiles that are linked to people's accounts on SDN.

And, I also heard from the Dean of Admissions at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine that in order to be evaluated by them (#'s wise) is to have a 25 MCAT with a 3.2 GPA. Then they begin to evaluate other qualities on your application. Med school isn't hard, its just alot of info.

 

[njbmd]

As I map my plan for a medical education, I have been visiting SDN a lot during the last two months (when I discovered the site) in hope of getting even a glimpse of just how others before me are going about it. The blogs are sometimes informational. When I come to the allopathic forum, some users post their MDapplicant link that show great #s. Some have great GPA and MCAT scores and surprisingly they seem to get many rejections. I know the last two mentioned will not, in many instances, compensate for a lack of clinical exposure, a great personal statement, a great interview etc...

My question is this: is it possible for people who post their MDapplicant link for all to see, to fudge the #s? I mean I see some great MCAT and GPA, yet they seem to go nowhere. Are we getting the real #s from them? (i.e. GPA & MCAT). I break in cold sweat as I have not taken the MCAT yet and am currently working hard to improve my GPA. Or is it much ado about nothing?

1. Don't believe everything that you read on MDapplicants. Those numbers are posted by the posters and are often inflated for the ego factor.

2. Don't waste your time comparing yourself to anyone on MDapplicants or SDN for the same reasons as in #1.

3. Take your time, thoroughly prepare for the MCAT and do your best. The MCAT doesn't know what your GPA is, it is a test that brings you closer to your goal. Prepare well and walk into that test center as if your GPA is 4.0 and "own" that test.

4. The average GPA/MCAT for 2005 for a person who matriculated into medical school was 3.6/29. Those were the averages which means that some folks got in with lower GPAs.MCAT scores and some got in with higher GPAs/MCAT scores. Figure out where you stand in terms of the numbers from AMCAS and raise your GPA accordingly. You do reach a point of diminishing returns in the case of having a huge number of hours so that the each addiitonal course (even if they are As) do not budge the numbers.

The important thing is to prepare for and do well on the MCAT.

Run your own race and resist the urge to compare yourself to others. It is a total waste of your time and energy. You could be using that energy toward your own goals. Good luck!