Originally posted by rajneel1
being well rounded definitely helps. just because these people have high numbers doesn't mean that they don't have good or great experiences. and you don't need first authorship or to run a student clinic (are you being sarcastic wonderer?). just be involved in things that you care about. and go beyond those experiences by taking on leadership, trying to get published, knowing faculty, etc.
top 10's love excellent life experiences but they also expect you to have high numbers. they are in demand and get into the top schools! most med schools will tell you that they don't want gunners....just good people with good experiences and passion for the work (as long as they can pass STEP).
i think i'm an example.
No, I was not being sarcastic. I just feel that people tend to overestimiate their achievements.
"I have done extensive research over the past two summers with 2 publications." (well, unless it is first authorship, I don't think it will help you much because other people have that too). "I have had extensive volunteer activities, being the peer health advisor for the past 4 years and am a resident advisor for my dorm." (well, unless it is to the extent of being in the peace corp in the last two years, those listed are not very impressive). "I have been involved in intramural sports for the past 3 straight years and I work out every other day religiously. Plus, I played piano for 12+ years before coming to college" (well, if it ain't varsity sports or concert tour, it ain't gonna make you stand out). "I have very good numbers, 3.7 and 33 on the MCAT" (sorry, buddy, plenty of other applicants [at least more than enough to fill that school's entering spots] have 3.9 and 38).
This is not meant to discourage people from applying, because you never know. But one should always expect the worst and downplay his or her achievement.
For many of the people who think that they get in by being well-rounded, it is most likely that they have excellent numbers with some decent extracurrcular activities. In the end, it is their numbers that get them in, not their outside activities/experience.
I have also seen something similar to what Sonya saw in her premed office. The top of these sheets give you the name of the med school. Then they list the applicants (of course, no names) who got accepted to that med school. Beside each applicant, it indicates his or her science + overall GPA and MCAT scores, state of residency, and whether they accept or decline the offer. These sheets definitely do not contain any info on applicants' EC's.
And I swear, just by looking at their numbers, you already know which schools they also get accepted to (you can check which applicant get into what schools by cross-referencing their numbers across various sheets on different med schools.). It is scary. And no, I did not do my premed at Wash U in St. Louis.