<p>I've been told by six medical school admission deans that they acknowledge harder majors (especially a couple of them said -- hard sciences) and leeway is given to those students in those majors who have slightly lower GPA's (like 3.2-3.4).</p>
<p>I was just wondering if anyone has heard the same or differently...</p>
<p>We’re conducting that very experiment right now. </p>
<p>D1 is applying to medical school with 3.4 GPA (double major in physics and math) and 36 MCAT. Her BF is applying to medical school with a 3.9 GPA (biochem major, psych minor) and 38 MCAT. Both graduated from the same university. Both have 2-3 gap years since graduation.</p>
<p>They both applied to same 10 schools. So far, both have interviews at the same schools.</p>
<p>OP:</p>
<p>Ask those Deans how many MIT grads do they accept. Outside of Caltech, MIT is arguably the most difficult undergrad college, but yet it’s grads have a higher gpa mean for med school accpetance. Logically, we might think that a 3.3+ from MIT would be golden, yes?; but not so, since the average gpa is 3.73+.</p>
<p>[Preprofessional</a> Stats - MIT Careers Office](<a href=“http://www.mit.edu/~career/infostats/preprof.html]Preprofessional”>http://www.mit.edu/~career/infostats/preprof.html)</p>
<p>The average MIT grad accepted to med school also has a 35.</p>
<p>So, are med schools requiring high MCAT scores from MIT grads too? I think not.</p>
<p>The reason the average MCAT of MIT applicants accepted to med school is so high is because the MCAT score of MIT applicants, period, is so high. After all, the average MCAT score Princeton grads or Duke grads accepted to med school is 33 and yet we don’t interpret that as med schools disrespecting those schools. If your applicants have high MCAT scores and high GPA’s, then your med school acceptees will have high MCAT scores and high GPA’s.</p>
<p>It is not unreasonable to think that perhaps the reason the GPA of MIT applicants accepted to med school is so high is because the GPA of MIT applicants is high. Period. </p>
<p>“But isn’t MIT grade deflated? How can it have so many high GPA applicants?”</p>
<p>Is it? Ask mollie for some statistics. After freshman year, MIT passes out 40-50% A’s just like every other top college. This is from MIT documents that mollie showed me (pages and pages of data). I find it ironic that certain colleges (like MIT, Cornell, Swarthmore, WashU, Johns Hopkins, Uchicago) are continually regarded as “tough” colleges while other colleges (Harvard, Yale, Stanford, etc.) are regarded as “grade inflated” when in fact everyone essentially has the same grade distribution.</p>
<p>Med schools either realized this a long long time ago or maybe they simply have no idea what MIT is.</p>
<p>ncg:</p>
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</p>
<p>Perhaps, but that is not the point of this thread was that adcoms give “leeway” to “harder” majors. Since the vast majority of MIT grads are in engineering/physical sciences, it is not unreasonable to suppose that such graduates are in a “harder” major than say, a social science at grade-inflated [fill in the blank]. Thus, earning a 3.5 at MIT is tougher than a 3.5 at grade-inflated humanities U.</p>
<p>I agree with you that most of the colleges that you list are not all that deflated as their reputation would suggest (Swat has a mean gpa of 3.5, for example). However, the OP is discussing rigor of major. If an Engineer at Cornell (supposedly) receives a gpa break over an CAS major at Cornell, then why not an Engineer at MIT over the same CAS major.</p>
<p>If the original post is correct, we would expect to see a lot more MIT grads being accepted to med school with lower numbers, i.e., “leeway” on gpa, would we not? Moreover, to your point that MIT grads have good MCAT scores…that too, would suggest a lower gpa would be acceptable to med schools, would it not (again, assuming that the OP is correct?).</p>
<p>"have a higher gpa mean for med school accpetance. Logically, we might think that a 3.3+ from MIT would be golden, yes?; but not "</p>
<p>-Possible not so social personalities that come across during interviews? Usually interviews are just that - check out your social attributes.<br>
Cannot contribute to this discussion, since D. is Zoology major with good stats at state UG, no gap year (so, she is very regular applicant), has few acceptances for next year.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s any profound secret that some leeway is given in response the grade deflation, but it has it’s limits. I find it hard to believe that most md admissions committees are going to completely forgive a 3.2, they have their statistics to maintain after all. If the applicant was otherwise stellar I’m not saying it is a losing cause though. I wouldn’t be confident as an engineer applicant with anything less than a 3.5 honestly.</p>
<p>bluebayu, I notice that there are only 69 students from MIT who apply without one or more gap years. Consider the fact that biological science majors tend to have a higher percentage of premeds, it is likely there are not many really hardcore engineering majors (like EECS or Civil or Chemical engineering) who apply as an UG student.</p>
<p>Some students may be good at both engineering-related and medicine-related courses. But I suspect that many engineering students are good at and interested in the engineering-side of academic disciplines mostly. (Of course, they may change their mind after they graduate and get into the job market – then change their mind and pursue other career paths possibly by taking a few other classes and doing some ECs. :))</p>
<p>
This is a good point. Are they most interested in maintaining their statistics on USN (matriculant’s number)? Which medical schools are likely most interested in maintaining their statistics (I know it is not mayo :))?</p>
<p>But.<br>
I think the phrase “leeway is given” is misleading. Perhaps intentionally. Decisions are often more holistic- meaning, what’s also important is: what you have done in medicine or medical research; whether or not you have sufficient academic prep; evidence of a true comittment and the ability to withstand the challenges of med school- etc.
In fact, there’s much talk about the fact that a science major is no guantee of med school success. You can be a lib arts major- as long as you take all the prequired pre-med classes and do well in all. I’ll skip it, you can google.</p>
<p>It really depends on the med school. The med school I went to went to great lengths to ensure that each student brought something to the school besides grades. About 30% of the students were proficient in playing musical instruments; others had performed in college plays…you get the idea.</p>
<p>I was at one time on an admission committee of a major medical school and I can tell you that science majors were a dime a dozen. We often looked for non science majors to “balance” the class and it was my impression that on a percentage basis it was easier to get in a non science major. The most common science major was biology. I never saw any particular advantage to the “harder” science majors of biochemistry, physics etc.</p>
<p>In my experience deans of medical school are not involved in the admissions process. The dean position is mainly administrative and the admissions committee is fairly independent. The chairman of the admission committee is usually the most important person of the process. While “pressure” can be exerted on the committee, you would be surprised how ineffective it is. Most schools place a big premium on allowing the committee to pick the individuals offered admission.</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>