<p>First of all, there's no rule that says you can only take 1 MSTP applicant from each undergrad. If Harvard has 10 excellent MSTP candidates, they will ALL be taken over an excellent MSTP candidate from SUNY Buffalo.</p>
<p>Secondly, MSTP students (especially the MSTP students at top 10 med schools) are amazingly smart. They are not the sort to have to choose b/w 30 hours/wk of lab time and a 3.9 GPA. They can spend 30 hours/wk in lab, get 3 pubs, AND still get the 3.9 GPA. I don't know if you've seen the stats for MSTP applicants to Harvard or Penn, but 3.9/39 is not unusual. The increased competition at top colleges don't bother these MSTP applicants because whether it's a small pond or a big pond, they'll always be the big fish.</p>