<p>I've heard on SDN that one C or two won't kill you as long as your GPA is 3.7+ and rest of your application is great, UNLESS you want to go into top schools like WashU, Hopkins, Harvard, and so on. Is this true? :(</p>
<p>I have one C on Bio 1 which I took in first semester of freshman. I'll most likely graduate with a 3.7-3.8 and rest of my application will be decent. Will I still have little chance on top schools?</p>
<p>If you end up with a 3.7/3.8, you'll be fine for any school. You still won't have a great chance at top schools. No one does. It's usually NOT the grades/MCAT that's the problem. Top schools interview around 15-20% of their application pool. Almost everyone they interview has sufficient GPA and MCAT scores. Yet, only 20-25% of everyone they interview get accepted (leading to an overall 2-4% acceptance rate). The real separation comes in the other facets of your application.</p>
<p>Like?</p>
<p>If you don't mind me asking, what other factors? Personal statements or ECs?</p>
<p>Personal statement, EC's, quality of research, leadership activities, interesting hobbies (non-academic activities), interview performance, secondary essays, demographics (race, geographic location, undergrad institution), letter of intent/letters of interest</p>
<p>Would you be at a disadvantage if, on top of having a C and a 3.7 BCPM/overall GPA, you're an Asian at a Canadian public school?</p>
<p>Admission committees don't have enough time to nit pick over one grade unless it is a C- or lower. I would say you are fine, if you don't get in its not because the C its because your MCAT or interview skills or ECs.</p>
<p>OK, I have asked it on another thread and here I go again: What are advantages of graduating from the top Med. Schools comapare to any Med. school in US? If one has a spot at Med. school as part of bs/md but he can apply out without loosing that spot, is it worthwhile to go thru trouble?</p>
<p>Well MiamiDAP, if you are at a BS/MD and you are applying then obviously, the undergraduate institution you are at, will have a huge impact on an ability to get into a top medical school. Most of the population at Ivy League medical schools went to Ivy League or high ranked undegraduate institutions. The few that went to state schools usually are so called "walk on water" applicants. Those students have to prove themselves much more than Ivy League applicants have to, within reason.</p>
<p>The medical school you choose to go to does have a slight impact in the match process for residency, esp. for more competitive specialties. It's not the entire picture, but it is a factor, nonetheless. Notice that many BS/MD programs (There are few exceptions NW, BU, Brown, Rice), the college is a low tier school and the medical school is not really top-notch. If you're goal is to get into medical school without any regard to the quality of the school - then any combined program is good. However, most people I talk to who did 4+4, do not regret it as they ended up at good top-notch medical schools.</p>
<p>Thank you much for very detail answer. Most likely, Ivy will not be in a picture, maybe just as a wild shot to see what happen. Depending on MCAT score, what's in mind are U of M, Case Western and maybe couple more of similar ranking. Having said that MCAT = 27 will secure a spot at Medical school in a program. Is there enough advantage to torture yourself for higher score to apply out? Combined program is 4 + 4 or 5 + 4 in case of engineering. It is very flexible allowing for regular college experience, so EC's, minors, research, volunteering, job, GPA will be comparable to a regular route 4 + 4.</p>
<p>One or two C's, no big deal.</p>
<p>If they become a habbit, you may have a problem.</p>
<p>Also, you probably dont want to make a C in a med school pre-rec.</p>
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<p>Well to get into good medical schools such as U of Michigan and Case Western, on average, she will need MUCH higher than a 27.</p>
<p>I wouldn't exactly call it "torture" if you choose later to try to match in a very competitive/highly sought after specialty and getting into a school that can better help you in that regard vs. a low ranked school that doesn't have resources or even the clinical department you wish to pursue: opportunities to get involved in research, better basic science faculty helping you to better prepare for USMLE Step 1, etc. If you think taking the MCAT is "torture" you obviously have never seen board exams, which will make the MCATs seem like a cakewalk.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/downloads/gpamcat.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.washington.edu/uaa/gateway/advising/downloads/gpamcat.pdf</a>
The Average MCAT here is per section so since there are 3 sections (Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences, Verbal) and multiply it by 3. The letter is the score for the MCAT essay.</p>