<p>If I can interject with an opinion that would seem to cover all arguments being made.</p>
<p>The lack of acceptance of pre-meds who attend rigorous schools (or those who seem to need an even higher GPA to be admitted) can be explained by the need to include outside activites and medical related work-study. A MIT student who is achieving top grades is less likely to have the time to persue these necessary adjunct activities. Science weighted GPA and MCAT are absolutely the top criteria, but if the outside activiites are lacking it will take an extra tenth or two to convince the adcom.</p>
<p>Stereotyping that the top tier school applicants lack social skills as a reason is introducing a non-quantifiable factor into an otherwise logical argument. </p>
<p>Don't underestimate the importance of some of the fringe criteria (like working in a hospital, doing minor independent research, even charity) to sway an adcom when considering 2 apps that are within a hair of being equal.</p>
<p>All that said, go where you will be successful. That success has to include the possibility to achieve the grades plus the ability/time to perform the extras.</p>