<p>Are the kids that are accepted to graduate schools --in particular medical, pharmacy, chiropractic, and optometric-- only the smartest of the smart? Would it be safe to say that an acceptance to graduate school is a safe analogical comparison to an acceptance to HYPS? Or, is an acceptance to graduate school a reasonable comparison to an acceptance to a "more selective" college (ie UC's below CAL and LA)? Or can a comparison even be made? Any help/input is greatly welcomed.</p>
<p>Ah, a common misconception, I think. Personally, I don't think getting top grades means you are the smartest of the smart. The money/legacy factor doesn't seem to be as important as high grades and standardized test scores (like the MCAT). You certainly don't have to be a genius to get top grades in the med school prereqs. I can't speak for the other disciplines, though.</p>
<p>One day you will meet a doctor with a bit less grey matter than you'd like and you'll know what I mean.</p>
<p>I have friends in med schools who aren't outright geniuses, but apply themselves quite a bit. One of them will be an amazing doctor, but he'll never be accused of being the most astonishingly brilliant person to ever walk the Earth.</p>
<p>Don't think that all those who roam the ivy league campuses are geniuses. Some are quite smart, some are very hard working moderately intelligent people, some are above average minorities, some are legacies... It doesn't take a brilliant kid to get in those places. Go speak with some of the students; you'll see the vast majority are just as normal as you. The same goes for medical school.</p>
<p>not at all. there are accredited med schools all over the place, and ive recently seen stats that were something like 60% of applicants get into med school- obviously all dont get into schools like yale and hopkins, but it doesnt matter- do you really know where each of your doctors went to school?</p>
<p>"Are the kids that are accepted to graduate schools --in particular medical, pharmacy, chiropractic, and optometric-- only the smartest of the smart? "</p>
<p>Nope. You've got some sharp cats who are usually very interested in the profession and work very hard to accomplish goals, but I've seen precious few that I'd put in the top category regarding <em>scientific</em> ability. A disproportionate amount of the ones w/the most scientific - I'm not talking about ability to play jazz saxophone, sculpt, or write short stories - ability, IMO, tend to head toward Physics.</p>
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not at all. there are accredited med schools all over the place, and ive recently seen stats that were something like 60% of applicants get into med school-
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<p>Nah, that's way off. According to the latest AMCAS figures, about 18000 people were admitted somewhere in 2005, out of about 37300 applicants, for a 45% admit rate. That means that 55% of applicants got rejected from every single med-school they applied to. Yep, every single one.</p>
<p>Furthermore, this only talks about people who actually apply. Plenty of people who want to go to med-school don't even apply because they know they won't get in. Let's face it. If you have a 2.5 GPA and a terrible MCAT score, you know that you're not going to get in anywhere, so why even apply?</p>
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If you have a 2.5 GPA and a terrible MCAT score, you know that you're not going to get in anywhere, so why even apply?
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<p>Because you're a paraplegic URM who grew up in the single poorest county of all of Zimbabwe until you were 12, when you moved to the single poorest county of all of the US. There, you worked 35 hours a week until college, when you upped it to 40 hours a week and 18 units a semester (to graduate quickly.)</p>
<p>Despite your low GPA, however, you managed to publish a groundbreaking paper on stem cell research showing how differentiated stem cells can be used to make a cure for diabetes, MS, and being French.</p>
<p>Oh, and your entire family was killed in a tragic accident involving a badger, three pints of marmalade, and an old musket.</p>
<p>Did I mention that your childhood dog, Snookums, and your fianc</p>