Who usually has better success in admissions, high GPA + lower MCAT, or lower GPA + high MCAT?

[biganthony233]

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Im talking high GPA to be 3.8+
lower GPA to be below 3.6 but not lower than 3.4 (cGPA, not s)
high MCAT to be 95%tile +
lower MCAT to be sub 85%tile

the AAMC data shows them to be equal, both roughly 65% chance of acceptance but from SDN it seems anecdotally, that high GPA/lower MCAT has better success.

 

[Med Ed]

Im talking high GPA to be 3.8+
lower GPA to be below 3.6 but not lower than 3.4 (cGPA, not s)
high MCAT to be 95%tile +
lower MCAT to be sub 85%tile

the AAMC data shows them to be equal, both roughly 65% chance of acceptance but from SDN it seems anecdotally, that high GPA/lower MCAT has better success.

So your questions is basically which is true: objective data or a subjective impression you have from SDN.

Hmmmmmmmmm.........

 

[biganthony233]

Lol i guess when you put it that way....yeah im an idiot

 

[efle]

This is a weird question because 80-85th percentile is not a low sided MCAT, it's above average for admits and so it's solid/competitive. The same isn't true of a 3.4-3.5 GPA. So your question is really what is better, fantastic GPA + good MCAT or crappy GPA + great MCAT.

There are diminishing returns up at the high end so yeah, if you have a 3.5/511 and can spend a few theoretical LizzyM points, I'd probably say dump that into the GPA and be a 3.9/511 applicant.

If you actually use a slightly below average MCAT, like say a 505-506, then the lower MCAT starts to really hurt and you'd need to spend some of your theoretical LizzyM points there first.

 

[Govols22]

4.0 and 506 < 3.7 and 512

4.0 and 512 > 3.4 and 516

JMO

 

[DBC03]

I imagine part of this also has to do with the actual number of applicants that have those statistics. There are a lot more high GPA/moderate MCAT applicants and very few low GPA/High MCAT applicants, so it's somewhat difficult to compare the two groups. It might be the same percentages, but there are far more people with the High GPA/Moderate MCAT stats, so you will be hearing from many more of them on forums and in general.

 

[lolpremed22]

Alternatively who wins in a scenario of mid-high GPA + high MCAT vs high-high GPA + mid-high MCAT?

Examples

3.8/520 vs 4.0/515

Or

3.7/521 vs 4.0/514

 

[biganthony233]

I imagine part of this also has to do with the actual number of applicants that have those statistics. There are a lot more high GPA/moderate MCAT applicants and very few low GPA/High MCAT applicants, so it's somewhat difficult to compare the two groups. It might be the same percentages, but there are far more people with the High GPA/Moderate MCAT stats, so you will be hearing from many more of them on forums and in general.

Thats a good point and is probably why I have been seeing such. From table 23, there are about 4k applicants with GPA's above 3.6 and scored between 506-513(which i guess is now considered the bottom line of "competitive", whereas only about 200 people with GPA's below 3.6 and scored higher than 517.

 

[efle]

Alternatively who wins in a scenario of mid-high GPA + high MCAT vs high-high GPA + mid-high MCAT?

Examples

3.8/520 vs 4.0/515

Or

3.7/521 vs 4.0/514

The 520s win both times

 

[Lawpy]

GPA = unstandardized pathway to an objective metric.

MCAT = standardized pathway to an objective metric.

This is why schools are stratified by MCAT scores, not by GPA. A 3.4/525 can get love from WashU/NYU/Penn/Pritzker, whereas a 4.0/503 can be practically shut out from US MD schools altogether.

 

[biganthony233]

Alternatively who wins in a scenario of mid-high GPA + high MCAT vs high-high GPA + mid-high MCAT?

Examples

3.8/520 vs 4.0/515

Or

3.7/521 vs 4.0/514

Yeah but in that situation the GPA is still in a decent spot. I'm more curious about sub 3.6

 

[efle]

Thats a good point and is probably why I have been seeing such. From table 23, there are about 4k applicants with GPA's above 3.6 and scored between 506-513(which i guess is now considered the bottom line of "competitive", whereas only about 200 people with GPA's below 3.6 and scored higher than 517.

Do this. Start at the box for 3.5/511 (50%). Look at how much you gain by going 4 LizzyM points up the GPA column to 3.8+ (gain +26%). Look at how much you gain by going to the right across the MCAT column to 517+ (gain +15%).

That tells you right there, GPA matters more when you're dealing with an already competitive MCAT.

 

[Lawpy]

Do this. Start at the box for 3.5/511 (50%). Look at how much you gain by going 4 LizzyM points up the GPA column to 3.8+ (gain +26%). Look at how much you gain by going to the right across the MCAT column to 517+ (gain +15%).

That tells you right there, GPA matters more when you're dealing with an already competitive MCAT.

Yield protection likely explains the drop in MCAT gain. No school yield protects against GPA alone.

 

[biganthony233]

GPA = unstandardized pathway to an objective metric.

MCAT = standardized pathway to an objective metric.

This is why schools are stratified by MCAT scores, not by GPA. A 3.4/525 can get love from WashU/NYU/Penn/Pritzker, whereas a 4.0/503 can be practically shut out from US MD schools altogether.

I dont know about that lol, 3.4 is way below 10% GPA on those schools, but I see your point

 

[Lawpy]

I dont know about that lol, 3.4 is way below 10% GPA on those schools, but I see your point

They still get interviews/accepts every cycle

 

[biganthony233]

They still get interviews/accepts every cycle

Right but to NYU/Penn and those schools? You could be right but from MSAR 10%, seems unlikely at those schools

 

[Lawpy]

Right but to NYU/Penn and those schools? You could be right but from MSAR 10%, seems unlikely at those schools

It's unlikely to get a 3.4/525 to begin with. Even more so when coupled with strong ECs, essays, letters etc.

 

[Lucca]

Higher MCAT scores are rarer than higher GPAs. /thread

 

[Goro]

Im talking high GPA to be 3.8+
lower GPA to be below 3.6 but not lower than 3.4 (cGPA, not s)
high MCAT to be 95%tile +
lower MCAT to be sub 85%tile

the AAMC data shows them to be equal, both roughly 65% chance of acceptance but from SDN it seems anecdotally, that high GPA/lower MCAT has better success.

High GPA and high MCAT gets accepted.

Try to figure "Is A+B > C+D?" is a fools' errand.