What's more important? GPA or MCAT

[kinetochore84]

If you had to pick one...MCAT or GPA, which would you pick?

This seems to be a very controversial question so I thought I'd post it and get everyone's opinions. If you know more than the standard applicant, feel free to post your thoughts.

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[Rafa]

The one that's lower.

 

[kaioukenx]

I have never seen that question before.

 

[Smokey]

If you had to pick one...MCAT or GPA, which would you pick?

This seems to be a very controversial question so I thought I'd post it and get everyone's opinions. If you know more than the standard applicant, feel free to post your thoughts.

The conventional wisdom on here is that MCAT only anecdotally. Looking at MDApp's, it seems a lot more people get in with high mcat/low gpa (37 with a 3.2 for example) than the other way around (3.9 and a 25).

GPA is over the long term, but is subjective due to grade inflation, school difficulty, etc. MCAT is more standardized, but still, it is only one day and depends on what kinds of questions you get.

Try the search function, there is likely a lot of good conversation out there.

 

[Smokey]

Give 'em a break guys. This person is obviously serious in this question. Sure, people that have been around a while have seen it before, but this guy/gal has not.

 

[Law2Doc]

The one that's lower.

Agreed. Whichever one of these you don't have, and which keeps you out of med school, is the one that will be more important.

 

[geogil]

This question is perpetually renewed on SDN. This is like asking which is better, your left hand or your right. Snideness aside, the MCAT is a more impartial arbiter of your scientific reasoning. Accordingly, it allows for comparison between applicants who may have come from undergrad institutions of differing rigor. I personally think that they're about equal in adcom's eyes, but this will vary from school to school.

 

[Law2Doc]

This question is perpetually renewed on SDN. This is like asking which is better, your left hand or your right.

My right hand is better. I can't write squat with my left.

 

[Mac11]

Wouldn't your GPA be a reliable indicator of your work ethic? Long-term?

Just sort of mentioning.

 

[Newbie curious]

Well if I had to pick I would take the high MCAT however having said that I have personally met individuals (my own best friend) who scored a 35 on the MCAT but had a 3.1 GPA and got no interviews at MD schools. I am not kidding. He applied broadly but I guess some schools' computers screened him out becuase of his GPA without a second thought. Both are really important and don't think a high MCAT will replace a low GPA or vice a versa. You need to rock both the MCAT and maintain a high GPA to be competative today.

 

[Law2Doc]

Wouldn't your GPA be a reliable indicator of your work ethic? Long-term?

Just sort of mentioning.

Every school has different grading methodology, curves, scaling and potentially grade inflation, and an "A" simply does not mean the same thing everywhere. The MCAT is the only thing standardized across schools. So no, the GPA is generally perceived as a less reliable indicator. Thus both forms of stat are relied upon. neither is more important.

 

[Dr. Gun-ner]

Every school has different grading methodology, curves, scaling and potentially grade inflation, and an "A" simply does not mean the same thing everywhere. The MCAT is the only thing standardized across schools. So no, the GPA is generally perceived as a less reliable indicator. Thus both forms of stat are relied upon. neither is more important.

what he is trying to say is that schools first look at your gpa as it is more important then they proceed to look at your mcat then extracuriculars, letters of rec etc.

 

[Law2Doc]

what he is trying to say is that schools first look at your gpa as it is more important then they proceed to look at your mcat then extracuriculars, letters of rec etc.

Not what I said at all. Actually the exact opposite of what I said.

I think we have had this kind of exchange before and that you are a known troll... again...

 

[bubabugster]

My right hand is better. I can't write squat with my left.

HAHAHA I don't like my left-hand being a slacker so I make it play violin.

 

[instigata]

HAHAHA I don't like my left-hand being a slacker so I make it play violin.

what a dirty guy

 

[jstuds_66]

Do you pack your lunch or take the bus?
Is it shorter to New York, or by train?

Both MCAT and GPA are important.

 

[MEG@COOL]

If you had to pick one...MCAT or GPA, which would you pick?

This seems to be a very controversial question so I thought I'd post it and get everyone's opinions. If you know more than the standard applicant, feel free to post your thoughts.

Getting a high mcat score is more impressive. GPA shows consistency though.

 

[crazy_cavalier]

When I was a premed, I used to think "MCAT". Now, as a med student, the answer is clearly GPA.

 

[instigata]

When I was a premed, I used to think "MCAT". Now, as a med student, the answer is clearly GPA.

why do you say that? By the way, I'm hoping you're right!

 

[floatingsponge]

GPA shows more informationg about a person such as

1) Ability to learn and perform in different subjects.
2) Ability to handle work load.
3) Ability to handle time management.
4) Ability to be responsible and good work attitude.
5) Ability to adapt and improve.

etc.

MCAT shows how well you can

1) Handle stress in 1 day.
2) Test your stamina in 1 day.
3) Test your testing ability
4) Test how well you can comprehend in a short period of time

In my opinion, GPA is a better indicator of a person capability than MCAT. You can be lucky on the MCAT and score high but it is very difficult to be lucky in 4 years of college. Furthermore, you can train to be a master in taking MCAT by training everyday ( 8 hours/day) for a full year. You will no doubt do well because the subjects on MCAT are limited. You can't do that in college because every course you take is a new subject that you have to comprehend and learn.

 

[mercaptovizadeh]

GPA alone tells you about intelligence in picking classes/work ethic and little else. It is the course load that may give clues on capabilities and aptitude. If someone majored in mathematics, that needs to be recognized as a more rigorous major than a major in women's and gender's studies. The GPA might say that the latter (e.g. 4.0) is "smarter" or "works harder" than the 3.4 math major, although that may not be true at all.

MCAT is more arbitrary (just 1 day) than GPA, but since the "curriculum" is set, it can't be "fixed" via "course-fixing" (easy and fake classes to inflate). It is also standardized and curved based on other test takers. Thus, it is a more uniform and reliable measure of raw aptitude than GPA, but does not tell much about long term work ethic. The bright side of the MCAT (from my biased perspective), is that it gives people with a poorer work ethic/harder major/poor pre-med "management skills" a chance to counterbalance the GPA.

 

[FloridaMD]

If you had to pick one...MCAT or GPA, which would you pick?

This seems to be a very controversial question so I thought I'd post it and get everyone's opinions. If you know more than the standard applicant, feel free to post your thoughts.

Of course MCAT!!!

 

[Steiner]

Most people will say that the most important thing is whatever they succeeded at, and then give a bunch of reasons why. GPA shows this....and MCAT shows this......

Really, the most important thing is how much cash you bring to the interview because in the words of Ted DiBiase "Everyone has a price."

 

[kinetochore84]

You guys are funny.

Personally, I would wish it was GPA. My GPA is high but my MCAT is low because one section of the test killed me (verbal reasoning). Although I prepared for it a second time, I Know I still did not kick butt in his section even though I tried relentlessly. (I ended up taking August 06 MCAT too)

In a sense, I don't think verbal-reasoning is an accurate measure of me and my ability to be a good physician. It sucks that just one section pulled my entire score down significantly.

 

[Law2Doc]

3.5 Science GPA + 27 MCAT is the minimum.

Considering that 3.5 is about the average GPA for matriculants, there is no way that GPA is the minimum... But I wouldn't be too far below that and feel like a sure thing.

 

[steppwolf]

What's more important? GPA or MCAT

I have it on solid authority that one gets 51% of the weighting and the other 49% . . . but if I told you which is which I'd have to kill you.

 

[BucsFan813]

Most people will say that the most important thing is whatever they succeeded at, and then give a bunch of reasons why. GPA shows this....and MCAT shows this......

Really, the most important thing is how much cash you bring to the interview because in the words of Ted DiBiase "Everyone has a price."

The Million Dollar Man! Now that's old school. Obviously you're someone who had a childhood. This is what I want out of my physician. Someone who can relate to the common person