Why I am thankful for everyone with a 39+ and a 4.0 and you should be too...

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Julietcf14

I'd rather be hiking
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2007
Messages
1,817
Reaction score
1
I was procrastinating my secondaries (as usual) by looking up schools, when I started to become depressed realizing that I am just below the numbers of my dreams schools. I am even below the numbers of some of my middle range schools. Then I got on SDN and saw all these people with 38+ MCAT scores and perfect GPAs... and suddenly it occured to me... For every one of those mega brains that gets into a top school, someone like me also gets in to even out the average. Heck, some of those kids are so smart, 3 of me could get in to hit the average!!! SO, to all of you super acheivers, I say thank you. Everytime you get an interview, a little part of me lights up because I know that the school will have to interview a few people like me as well!

Oh, and if anyone plans to burst my little bubble with some kind of statistical knowledge or just some form of logic I have chosen to ignore... just be a good person and WALK AWAY!
 
if the average GPA is 3.5 and there are so many 3.7+ brainiacs, surely they must accept quite a few of us 3.3ers too.

😎
 
I heard med schools don't like people with a 3.3. 3.2 is OK, and so is 3.4, but a 3.3 is like, an automatic rejection.
 
I was procrastinating my secondaries (as usual) by looking up schools, when I started to become depressed realizing that I am just below the numbers of my dreams schools. I am even below the numbers of some of my middle range schools. Then I got on SDN and saw all these people with 38+ MCAT scores and perfect GPAs... and suddenly it occured to me... For every one of those mega brains that gets into a top school, someone like me also gets in to even out the average. Heck, some of those kids are so smart, 3 of me could get in to hit the average!!! SO, to all of you super acheivers, I say thank you. Everytime you get an interview, a little part of me lights up because I know that the school will have to interview a few people like me as well!

Oh, and if anyone plans to burst my little bubble with some kind of statistical knowledge or just some form of logic I have chosen to ignore... just be a good person and WALK AWAY!

You're welcome 🙂 j/k
 
I agree.

For every brainiac with a 4.0/39+MCAT, there is a person with a 3.3GPA with amazing extracurricular activities.
 
I am convinced that the higher your GPA is, the more likely you are to be full of yourself. Hopefully you'll see a study soon in JAMA.

Treatment options? Chill the f*** out! :meanie:

[/sarcasm]
 
if the average GPA is 3.5 and there are so many 3.7+ brainiacs, surely they must accept quite a few of us 3.3ers too.

😎


While schools like to maintain their average, they don't really leverage their high scorers with the idea of taking in more low scorers -- when the scores come down you are typically seeing folks getting admitted who are bringing other things to the table that the school covets as much as GPA. So I wouldn't try and carry the logic forward that with a 3.5 average, since a school accepts a bunch of people close to 4.0 they also accept a bunch of people close to 3.0 -- it simply doesn't work like that.
 
While schools like to maintain their average, they don't really leverage their high scorers with the idea of taking in more low scorers -- when the scores come down you are typically seeing folks getting admitted who are bringing other things to the table that the school covets as much as GPA. So I wouldn't try and carry the logic forward that with a 3.5 average, since a school accepts a bunch of people close to 4.0 they also accept a bunch of people close to 3.0 -- it simply doesn't work like that.

Law2Doc, take another look at the OP's post and just "walk away." This is a "feel good" thread by explicit designation. Your expertise is obviously not wanted here. 😛
 
While schools like to maintain their average, they don't really leverage their high scorers with the idea of taking in more low scorers -- when the scores come down you are typically seeing folks getting admitted who are bringing other things to the table that the school covets as much as GPA. So I wouldn't try and carry the logic forward that with a 3.5 average, since a school accepts a bunch of people close to 4.0 they also accept a bunch of people close to 3.0 -- it simply doesn't work like that.
well I don't really want to argue the point, but the options are either a healthy mix of above and below average or they just accept everyone whose GPA is the same. there has to be some people below the average.. meaning we still have a chance.

of course there's not going to be an even mix of 3.3s and 3.7s, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get accepted if your GPA is below their average.
 
I agree.

For every brainiac with a 4.0/39+MCAT, there is a person with a 3.3GPA with amazing extracurricular activities.

While I think having good extracurriculars and being a well rounded person is ultimately more important to being a good doctor than some slight differences in GPA, I don't think most schools see it that way for applications at least.

I can see why they don't. It's not like you can really objectively measure the value of an extracurricular. However, grades and MCAT are pretty concrete numbers that they can compare between applicants. Comparing two applicant's extracurriculars is kind of like apples and oranges.
 
Law2Doc, take another look at the OP's post and just "walk away." This is a "feel good" thread by explicit designation. Your expertise is obviously not wanted here. 😛

Haha THANK YOU Pheonix!!! Also, I know it doesn't work exactly that way, but lets face it... the averages would not be what they are unless people below average are also getting interviewed AND accepted. How do I know this?? because people ABOVE average are getting interviewed and accepted... What does that mean?!?!?! It means YAY for ME and everyone else with slightly below average scores! 😎


Oh and Drizzt... I actually did have you in mind when I wrote this you smarty pants! 😀
 
Law2Doc, take another look at the OP's post and just "walk away." This is a "feel good" thread by explicit designation. Your expertise is obviously not wanted here. 😛

Sorry -- I didn't really focus on the OP's last sentence. I'm sure everyone is going to get into their dream school. 🙂
 
While schools like to maintain their average, they don't really leverage their high scorers with the idea of taking in more low scorers -- when the scores come down you are typically seeing folks getting admitted who are bringing other things to the table that the school covets as much as GPA. So I wouldn't try and carry the logic forward that with a 3.5 average, since a school accepts a bunch of people close to 4.0 they also accept a bunch of people close to 3.0 -- it simply doesn't work like that.

*ahem* like being a URM.... at the school that i work at it is the URMs who make up the lower test scores and GPAs (not saying that all the URMs have lower scores, but most of the people with lower scores just happen to be URMs).
 
I heard med schools don't like people with a 3.3. 3.2 is OK, and so is 3.4, but a 3.3 is like, an automatic rejection.

I hope you rot in New Hampshire for the rest of your life.😡





...joking. (I don't wish that upon anyone.)

To the OP, your logic is wonderful. This post made my day better.
 
*ahem* like being a URM.... at the school that i work at it is the URMs who make up the lower test scores and GPAs (not saying that all the URMs have lower scores, but most of the people with lower scores just happen to be URMs).


No hard feelings but I am voting you off the Island of Optimism
 
*ahem* like being a URM.... at the school that i work at it is the URMs who make up the lower test scores and GPAs (not saying that all the URMs have lower scores, but most of the people with lower scores just happen to be URMs).

Let the games begin...
 
Often, I like to taut Texas application statistics because TMDSAS kindly breaks it down for others to plainly see: http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Final%20 Statistics Report-EY 06-Medical.pdf

Notice the average matriculant GPA. Notice how even though the greatest concentration of applicants and acceptances are above the 3.75 line, neither the applicant or matriculant average is over 3.75. This is why averages should be taken with a grain of salt.

Plus, we can take a look at MCAT averages too. While there certainly are a bunch of people with over a 30 getting in, the majority have between a 28-30.

Though I should warn you that this is AFTER waitlist movement. Most of us don't like being strung along until May to find out what we're doing for the next 4 years. Don't use this as a ray of hope that you'll get in unless you like the agony of waiting nearly a year to get some positive info.

Anyway, my 2 cents.
 
Oh and Drizzt... I actually did have you in mind when I wrote this you smarty pants! 😀

Tell you what, I'll trade you a few points of MCAT for a few tenths of a point of GPA 🙂 What a deal!
 
Often, I like to taut Texas application statistics because TMDSAS kindly breaks it down for others to plainly see: http://www.utsystem.edu/tmdsas/Final%20 Statistics Report-EY 06-Medical.pdf

Notice the average matriculant GPA. Notice how even though the greatest concentration of applicants and acceptances are above the 3.75 line, neither the applicant or matriculant average is over 3.75. This is why averages should be taken with a grain of salt.

Plus, we can take a look at MCAT averages too. While there certainly are a bunch of people with over a 30 getting in, the majority have between a 28-30.

Though I should warn you that this is AFTER waitlist movement. Most of us don't like being strung along until May to find out what we're doing for the next 4 years. Don't use this as a ray of hope that you'll get in unless you like the agony of waiting nearly a year to get some positive info.

Anyway, my 2 cents.
over 200 people accepted with MCATs 25 or below.. interesting.
 
since they share a common application, most kids end up applying to all of them, and will take any acceptance they get.

most TX applicants don't discriminate between DO and MD for the TMDSAS.

Ah, gotcha. Good call.
 
Awesomest thread!:clap::biglove:
 
It includes the Texas osteopathic school.

Just so you guys know, it also excludes Baylor. The numbers look very different if you have higher than a 30 MCAT around Feb. 1st. MUCH MUCH more favorable.😛
 
I wish I was a top student going to a top school too.

But what'll probably freak out those students is when we average or underaverage highly ambitious MD work with them, or are their supervisors.

The ends justify the means, hm?
 
It includes the Texas osteopathic school.

An osteopathic school with an MCAT average of 28 and 27 over the past few years.😉 Doubt all 200 went to TCOM.
 
An osteopathic school with an MCAT average of 28 and 27 over the past few years.😉 Doubt all 200 went to TCOM.

Alright! I admit it: I made an assumption and instead of making an ass out both of us I just made an ass out of myself. I knew the Texas DO school was good, but I didn't know its stats were that high. You guys down there in Texas know how to run med schools. (I would say the same about VA, but VCOM's a mess...3/4 is not bad though).

Sorry for diverting the discussion from the original topic. Personal opinion: SDN should start a fund devoted to paying 40/4.0's secondary fees, provided they apply to 20+ schools and keep those averages high to allow the sub-par candidates like me an in😀.
 
Hey no worries. You didn't make an ass out of yourself. Just wanted to point out the stats of a pretty good school. I agree with the initial premise however. You freaky-stat folks aim high! I'll be perfectly content with what remains.
 
I hope you rot in New Hampshire for the rest of your life.😡





...joking. (I don't wish that upon anyone.)

To the OP, your logic is wonderful. This post made my day better.

Rotting here requires warmth. I'll be frozen into one big Ice-Inuranic and then shattered into a million pieces, along with my dreams.
 
I think some fundamental law of the universe just got broken. Optimism on a neurotic forum like SDN?
 
I think some fundamental law of the universe just got broken. Optimism on a neurotic forum like SDN?

Thats right... look some of us are occasionally optimistic, but for some reason we just come on to the boards, begin reading, and watch our optimism fly away like bats at an Ozzie concert. SO I wrote the post before doing too much reading... Think of this as chicken soup for the pre-med soul 😛
 
I was procrastinating my secondaries (as usual) by looking up schools, when I started to become depressed realizing that I am just below the numbers of my dreams schools. I am even below the numbers of some of my middle range schools. Then I got on SDN and saw all these people with 38+ MCAT scores and perfect GPAs... and suddenly it occured to me... For every one of those mega brains that gets into a top school, someone like me also gets in to even out the average. Heck, some of those kids are so smart, 3 of me could get in to hit the average!!! SO, to all of you super acheivers, I say thank you. Everytime you get an interview, a little part of me lights up because I know that the school will have to interview a few people like me as well!

Oh, and if anyone plans to burst my little bubble with some kind of statistical knowledge or just some form of logic I have chosen to ignore... just be a good person and WALK AWAY!

That's even better for the schools with relatively low averages. Schools with 3.4 averages still obviously get a few 4.0s, so that must mean they also accept some 2.8s!! Dude, your application cycle is going to totally rock 🙂
 
That's even better for the schools with relatively low averages. Schools with 3.4 averages still obviously get a few 4.0s, so that must mean they also accept some 2.8s!! Dude, your application cycle is going to totally rock 🙂

While I recognize the sarcasm, I am going to ignore it and simply appreciate your enthusiasm...
 
While I recognize the sarcasm, I am going to ignore it and simply appreciate your enthusiasm...

NO! I was totally trying to be enthusiastic, in the spirit of the thread 🙂 No sarcasm here, I promise, and I'm usually a pretty sarcastic guy, so I'd recognise it 🙂
 
And suddenly I am reminded that it possible to actually feel less nervous after visiting SDN than before.
 
... *feels the warmth of this thread*....

This thread actually cheered me up a bit... I am a TRUE underdog... lol... thanks for this thread!!!!! Finally a spoon full of optimism in a large vat of pessimism!
 
... *feels the warmth of this thread*....

This thread actually cheered me up a bit... I am a TRUE underdog... lol... thanks for this thread!!!!! Finally a spoon full of optimism in a large vat of pessimism!

I am glad... good luck underdog!
 
Top