What is the important info to take from the MSAR?

[vokey588]

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I did an MSAR search here about the GPA/MCAT medians in the MSAR and the plurality seemed to indicate that one should pay more attention to the school website's numbers. If that's the case, what information is important to take from the MSAR? The curriculum descriptions usually aren't very useful, and I'm not sure how to interpret the "Selection Factors" section.

Does the Selection Factors section for each school reflect what they value most? I noticed that for some schools they didn't even mention extracurriculars.

I appreciate your replies!

 

[peripherin]

GPA and MCAT are probably the two most important selection factors for medical school. Everything else (LoRs, ECs, etc), while important to all schools, are secondary to your GPA and MCAT.

The information on the right side will tell you how well you fit into their school, numerically (i.e.: MCAT, GPA, % who have done research). The information on the left side will tell you how will you fit into their school qualitatively (i.e.: do you fit their mission of providing underserved rural areas with physicians?).

Schools will list the average and 10th-90th percentile MCAT and GPA. Generally, you want to apply to schools where your MCAT and GPA fall above the 10th percentile. Of course, if there's a school you REALLY REALLY want to apply to and would give a kidney to get in, apply anyways.

Another important factor is their applications received/interviews granted/# of matriculants table for in state and out of state. If you're applying oos to a public school, always check the table to make sure that they even accept oos. A very low acceptance rate may mean that they only accept oos with significant ties to the state.

I don't have an MSAR book in front of me, so forgive me if some of the wording/phrases/whatever is slightly off.