Use accepted data or matriculant data to make school list?

[lcbball1133]

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So MSAR has both accepted and matriculant data, which one should I use to make my school list? Thanks.

 

[aldol16]

To get the best sense of which schools you are competitive for, use accepted data. The two should be fairly similar anyway, unless there's some bias that causes students with either higher or lower stats than the accepted average to shy away from the school.

 

[lcbball1133]

To get the best sense of which schools you are competitive for, use accepted data. The two should be fairly similar anyway, unless there's some bias that causes students with either higher or lower stats than the accepted average to shy away from the school.

For some schools a lot of high achievers apply as safeties so the average accepted mcat and gpa are higher than the matriculant

 

[efle]

Accepted. You're trying to figure where you can get in, not compare yourself to who enrolls.

 

[LizzyM]

I agree with "accepted" as it tracks most closely with who gets an interview and that's your first hurdle. You can't get admitted if you aren't chosen to interview.

 

[lcbball1133]

Accepted. You're trying to figure where you can get in, not compare yourself to who enrolls.

The people who enroll got into the school too...and the mateiculant data doesn't include the people who applied to that school as safeties and increase the avg mcat/gpa.

 

[efle]

The people who enroll got into the school too...and the mateiculant data doesn't include the people who applied to that school as safeties and increase the avg mcat/gpa.

The people in the bottom 10% got in too, what's your point? If you're trying to chance your odds of getting accepted, use the data on who gets accepted. It's true a lot of the high end goes to people likely to have other attractive options, but they are taking up one interview/accept slot each just the same.

 

[lcbball1133]

I agree with "accepted" as it tracks most closely with who gets an interview and that's your first hurdle. You can't get admitted if you aren't chosen to interview.

Right but for example, my state school's mcat for accepted students is 35 and 32 for matriculants. If I had a 31 or 32 mcat and looking only at mcat scores of accepted, I probably would think this school was out on my range.

 

[efle]

Right but for example, my state school's mcat for accepted students is 35 and 32 for matriculants. If I had a 31 or 32 mcat and looking only at mcat scores of accepted, I probably would think this school was out on my range.

The rule of thumb is always to apply to your state programs + other out of state and private schools with matching stats. This is a big reason why, the competition among instate residents is likely less stiff than out of state (for example Oregon's state school explicitly says on their website that out of state applicants are only competitive with above-median stats, meaning their below-median spots go to their instate residents).

 

[lcbball1133]

The people in the bottom 10% got in too, what's your point? If you're trying to chance your odds of getting accepted, use the data on who gets accepted. It's true a lot of the high end goes to people likely to have other attractive options, but they are taking up one interview/accept slot each just the same.

Is the data in msar supposed to say matriculant average and accepted average (instead of applicant average)?

 

[efle]

Is the data in msar supposed to say matriculant average and accepted average (instead of applicant average)?

The entire section is accepted applicants and matriculants yeah, the box-and-whisker above is on applicants (not just accepted applicants)

Edit "data for accepted applicants to 2015 entering class" should be above the area you're looking at

 

[lcbball1133]

The entire section is accepted applicants and matriculants yeah, the box-and-whisker above is on applicants (not just accepted applicants)

Edit "data for accepted applicants to 2015 entering class" should be above the area you're looking at

So in that section the grey bar that says applicant average should actually say accepted average?

Also what would you say counts as a reach, safety, or target school in terms of LizzyM score? Within 1 lizzym point is target?

 

[efle]

So in that section the grey bar that says applicant average should actually say accepted average?

Also what would you say counts as a reach, safety, or target school in terms of LizzyM score? Within 1 lizzym point is target?

The guidance I've seen is LM+/-2 is your match range. 3-4 starts to be reach or safety. Always include all your state schools tho!

And yeah the entire box under the "accepted for 2015" note is about accepted only