What is a great GPA/MCAT Score?

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Most people on SDN would probably tell you that a great GPA is 3.7+ and a great MCAT is 35+. But it depends on who you ask. Some people have higher standards than others, and great numbers in the real world don't always equate to great numbers in the SDN world.
 
0kazak1 said:
What is a great GPA/MCAT score, if neither are perfect (i.e. 4.0 GPA/45 MCAT)? Like 3.5 and high 20's are okay/good, but what is great and not perfect?
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You should try the search function. Each school is different in what they consider a GREAT SCORE. As long as you get in, it is a great score!
 
Just aim to do the best you can, the rest will work itself out. The moment you start setting number targets and calculating odds, you are more likely to become discouraged and underperform.
 
IMO

Eh... with a 28+ and 3.5+
Average with a 30+ and 3.6+
Good with a 33+ and 3.7+
Great with a 35+ and 3.8+
Fantastic with a 38+ and 3.9+

Of course this is just my opinion, so I guess this post is pretty much worthless :laugh:
 
depends on where you want to end up. If your goal is St.George's, then a 3.5 turns out to be very very competitive. If Harvard med is on your mind, then things are a bit different. In general, aim for at least a 3.6 GPA
 
I think a 3.7/34 makes you basically competitive for any school, BUT you must have the other stuff to set you apart from the pack. Seriously good other stuff. Without the seriously good other stuff your 3.9/39 is not much use to you. (Except at WashU.)
 
In my opinion:

3.6+ GPA and 30+ MCAT to make you competitive and have a good chance of getting into a medical school

3.8+ GPA and 35+ MCAT to be "great" (numbers won't be a limiting factor at any school you apply to. at that point you have to hope you're an interesting person)
 
Two questions, just tell me what you know/what your opinion is..

1. Can a 3.9/40, get someone in who has no ECs?

2. Can someone with a foreign acquired MD apply to/be accepted into a U.S. Allopathic Med school?
 
Mayssy said:
Two questions, just tell me what you know/what your opinion is..
Click to expand...

1. Can a 3.9/40, get someone in who has no ECs?

Very unlikely, this is why you hear about people with insane numbers being rejected from all the schools they applied to. They have poor ECs.

2. Can someone with a foreign acquired MD apply to/be accepted into a U.S. Allopathic Med school?

Not sure, but why would anyone bother? Someone with a foreign MD (like an MBBS) just needs to apply to residency as a Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG). It's harder to get into a residency as a FMG as opposed to an American Medical Graduate, but many positions remain unfilled especially in undesirable specialties and locations and this offers more opportunities for FMGs to undertake an American residency.
 
Mayssy said:
Two questions, just tell me what you know/what your opinion is..

1. Can a 3.9/40, get someone in who has no ECs?

2. Can someone with a foreign acquired MD apply to/be accepted into a U.S. Allopathic Med school?
Click to expand...

With regard to the first question, although the numbers are strong, an applicant with that profile (no ECs) would not be considered for admission by the adcom at my school. The application would be weeded out in the office and not even considered by our committee.

I can only speak about my home institution -- may be very different at other places, IDK.
 
Strong numbers IMO would be ~ >3.8, 36, with no section lower than 10 (in other words, a 36 that breaks down as 15/13/8 would not fall into the 'great' category).
 
I'd consider a strong applicant to have minimum 3.7 GPA, 3.7 BCMP, 33 MCAT (11 in each section), general ECs (e.g. 1 year research, 1 year of volunteering, standard clubs, 1-2 leadership positions), good PS, good LORs, and be 7/10 for your interviewing ability.

My opinion. Sure these numbers won't get you into John's Hopkins, Harvard, Wash U, etc..., but I think you'd be a shoe-in at your state school and pretty competitive at most places. For the other schools, there's a whole other category of "competitive applicant".
 
RevMD said:
Just aim to do the best you can, the rest will work itself out. The moment you start setting number targets and calculating odds, you are more likely to become discouraged and underperform.
Click to expand...

👍
 
Mayssy said:
Two questions, just tell me what you know/what your opinion is..

1. Can a 3.9/40, get someone in who has no ECs?

2. Can someone with a foreign acquired MD apply to/be accepted into a U.S. Allopathic Med school?
Click to expand...

1. May be.

2. Yes, he can. But he has to complete all academic prerequisites and do well on the MCAT. Foreign MD degree does not fulfill any prerequisites.
 
artx2008 said:
1. May be.

2. Yes, he can. But he has to complete all academic prerequisites and do well on the MCAT. Foreign MD degree does not fulfill any prerequisites.
Click to expand...

But why would they accept someone who already has an MD degree? I don't understand this at all. Med schools are so stingy about wasting even one seat. Wouldn't it be a complete waste to give a FMG an absolutely redundant education where they learn almost everything that they've already learned before? Plus, why would the FMG want to go through 4 years of medical school when they could just bypass all of that and do a residency? I have no idea on what an official response to this would be, but I feel that they would reject the FMG out of hand, without even considering the application, for the aforementioned reasons.
 
in short, 4.0/45, works wonders all the time
 
I'd say 3.7+ with at least a 33 MCAT would leave you in pretty good shape.
 
Evergrey said:
But why would they accept someone who already has an MD degree? I don't understand this at all. Med schools are so stingy about wasting even one seat. Wouldn't it be a complete waste to give a FMG an absolutely redundant education where they learn almost everything that they've already learned before? Plus, why would the FMG want to go through 4 years of medical school when they could just bypass all of that and do a residency? I have no idea on what an official response to this would be, but I feel that they would reject the FMG out of hand, without even considering the application, for the aforementioned reasons.
Click to expand...

I know at least two docs who, after applying to residencies a few years in a row, decided on different career paths in the U.S. =\ Guess it's not easy. I asked because I could swear I've heard that medical schools will not accept students who have graduated from a foreign accredited medical program. Maybe I'm wrong :shrug:
 
3.6 and 31 MCAT are the average nationwide for med school admissions. Break a 3.5 and 30, and you're in decent shape. Less than 3.5 or 30, one better make up for the other in a big way. Of course, this is based on numbers, not the overall package.
 
Mayssy said:
I know at least two docs who, after applying to residencies a few years in a row, decided on different career paths in the U.S. =\ Guess it's not easy. I asked because I could swear I've heard that medical schools will not accept students who have graduated from a foreign accredited medical program. Maybe I'm wrong :shrug:
Click to expand...

Hmm.. I can't say definitively either way, I was just saying what was logical to me. Maybe someone can pitch in that has some experience with the subject.
 
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