Which schools are most numbers-driven in their admissions?

[leechy]

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I'm wondering which private schools tend to focus most on MCATs and GPA in their acceptance tendencies - any suggestions?

 

[SoulRFlare]

I'll venture to guess that a lot of SDN'ers will answer "WashU"...their average MCAT score is 12.2 and their average GPA is 3.82. Harvard, in contrast has an average mcat of "only" 11.3 and a GPA of 3.80...

 

[Alexander99]

I'm wondering which private schools tend to focus most on MCATs and GPA in their acceptance tendencies - any suggestions?

So that you know, here on SDN, we like to use the term "number *****" for those type of schools. 🙂

 

[BerkeleyPremed]

Columbia is pretty numbers geared I think. Wash U of St. Louis has been known to exclude folks with a requisite 3.8 GPA and 35+ MCAT. The Washington University adcom will basically get on their knees and open their mouths and tell the US News and World Report editors that they don't have a gag reflex...only if it helps WashU climb up in the med school ranks. I think the WashU adcom only wants to admit people with 3.8+ and 35+ MCATs so WashU can continue to climb up in the US News ranks...which is pretty despicable.

I was pretty shocked when I found out that Wash U finally overtook Johns Hopkins in the rankings. I really don't think that Wash U deserves that #2 ranking and I hope it descends in the coming years. Personally, I've thought of JHU as the #1 med school in the country...even if Harvard Med gets more research funding.

 

[Eraserhead]

WashU, Columbia, Vanderbilt maybe (my only pre-sec rejection besides UW)

 

[ice_23]

I'd have to say WashU is more numbers driven, but you can get some of that information from the "selectivity rank" of each school in the usnews rankings. I think the methodology for calculating this rank uses the numbers stats of the students. Hence, since WashU is ranked number 1 in this category (I think, at least) then odds are they're probably a "numbers *****."

-Ice

 

[CalBeE]

WashU and Columbia for sure. Some people feel that the same for Duke and Vanderbilt as well, but I sorta disagree.

 

[missbonnie]

I dunno about Columbia being that numbers driven.

 

[derf]

The Washington University adcom will basically get on their knees and open their mouths and tell the US News and World Report editors that they don't have a gag reflex..

 

[AlternateSome1]

Duke is pretty up there too. Of course, this doesn't mean it isn't a great school.

~AS1~

 

[Andrew_Doan]

I agree. Columbia and WashU love high numbers. The UC schools are difficult too for those not from CA.

 

[CalBeE]

I agree. Columbia and WashU love high numbers. The UC schools are difficult too for those not from CA.

UC's screen out people in the primary app stage by numbers, but at the very end, UCSD has the highest average GPA and MCAT...I got a sense that it's a bit more number driven than the other UC's.

 

[jlee9531]

UC's screen out people in the primary app stage by numbers, but at the very end, UCSD has the highest average GPA and MCAT...I got a sense that it's a bit more number driven than the other UC's.

always thought uci likes the high numbers, but it doesnt show too well since the people just choose to go elsewhere most of the time.

 

[elias514]

WashU is very numbers driven. To be competitive there, you essentially need a 3.8+ GPA and a 35+ MCAT score. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule--some applicants gain admission with numbers considerably lower than these. However, I suppose that such individuals have truly extraordinary extracurricular activities (e.g., 1st author publications, awesome clinical experience, exceptional leadership background, etc.).

In spite of the numbers-oriented admissions process at WashU, I don't believe that WashU sacrifices diversity in the entering class every year. I met some great people when I interviewed there...people with very diverse backgrounds, really laidback people, and some students with a great sense of humor. When people see the absurdly high average MCAT score at WashU, their first impulse is to think that all the WashU students are stereotypical nerds with zero personality and no interpersonal skills. Certainly, the students at WashU are extremely bright, but they're also really personable (at least my experience there confirms this observation). Although, I must admit that the MD/PhD students there are a bit strange--perhaps too smart for their own good.

As far as I'm concerned, WashU deserves the high ranking. It's a great medical school--amazing facilities, very talented student body, world-renowned faculty members in nearly every department, and world class research. (And no, I'm not a WashU alum, nor will I ever be.)