<p>Firstly, I'm a freshman. I've been hearing rumors from my peers about the difficulty of all the courses I'm taking. Ever since I attended a premed session at the beginning of the semester, I have felt so stressed. The adviser discouraged everyone from majoring in a science and stated that only a small fraction of the room would actually get into medical school. Apparently, even with a "3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, you only have a 50/50 shot." I'm doing well in my courses, A's in all of them, but I still feel like there's something to be frowned upon. It feels like instead of typing on this computer, I should be assisting the EMS (I'm an EMT) of a foreign nation or finding the cure for HIV. </p>
<p>I was talking to an ER Physician I once shadowed on Facebook a few nights ago about my stress levels. He showed me the mean statistics of matriculating medical school students:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.aamc.org/download/161696/data/table19-mcatgpa-raceeth-2010-web.pdf.pdf%5B/url%5D">https://www.aamc.org/download/161696/data/table19-mcatgpa-raceeth-2010-web.pdf.pdf</a></p>
<p>I became furious after seeing it. The adviser at the premed session made it seem as if a 3.8 and 37 MCAT would barely be sufficient for medical school. According to this link, if I have a 3.26 GPA (with a 3.08 science I might add..) and a 22.2 MCAT, I will be in the 50% range for matriculating medical students (that are African American). </p>
<p>WOW. Why am I aiming for a 3.9 again?</p>
<p>So you can get into hahvahd.</p>
<p>Also I think you are reading the wrong table. The mean matriculant stats for african ameericans were a 3:46 and a 27ish.</p>
<p>When your look at all matriculants over all 3.5 and 30 is the hard and fast rule. There are other charts that break down your chances by GPA and mcat score on that site.</p>
<p>You have to find stats for URMs. I am not familiar with it, it is your own responsibility. If you feel that being nervous is helpful, then be nervous, you got to know your own situation. On average the goal is 3.6+/33+. For URMs it is definitely much lower. How low I do not know. it is very fesible to get MCAT=25 without any prep. whatsoever and before taking some major science classes like physics. Some people even have it higher on first diagnostic test try. One point is why to aim low, always aim as high as possible. 3.5/30 non-URM will have very limited choices. URM I do not know.</p>
<p>3.6+ GPA, 33+ MCAT should be what you are aiming for if you are non-URM and plan to apply to an allopathic/MD medical school.</p>
<p>Wow Miami, you sounded like my mom for a second when you said “always aim as high as possible” lol. Your advice is probably the most sensible anyone can give without flustering/forcing someone to think that there is one specific formula and one formula only to preping.</p>
<p>also, GPA/MCAT are a small piece of the puzzle, usually not much more than a checkpoint on the way to acceptance. Notice how no stats get 100% acceptance. Yes, these things are important, but there’s more to it. Like Miami is saying, there’s no point in aiming low. Your admissions counselor is trying to make sure that no one gets screened out on GPA/MCAT alone (as well as pad the institutions stats and prevent people from saying, “but you told me I would be fine” when they don’t get in anywhere).</p>
<p>Should you be nervous in the sense that you should worry and constantly think about it? No. Should you recognize that there is a significant chance that you won’t get in anywhere down the road? Yes. Ultimately you need to do what you enjoy and hope the cards fall in the right way, otherwise being in medical school won’t be fun anyway. Additionally, such stressors don’t end once you leave college. In med school there will be talk of the boards. When the boards are done you will worry about residency. When residency is done you will worry about fellowship, when fellowship is done you will worry about your job. </p>
<p>I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with getting a little worried now and again, just don’t let it consume you.</p>
<p>3.48 was for non-science gpa. Cumulative was a 3.26. I’m not saying I should necessarily aim LOW, but if I have a 3.5 GPA and a 30 MCAT, I should be set for medical school (in the GPA/MCAT areas…I know EC’s are still a huge portion).</p>
<p>@BaylorMed, you’re still looking at the wrong chart. The data for matriculants is on the lower chart. (3.46, 26.6)</p>
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<p>Very true. Consider the following chart:</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/students/download/157904/data/combined10.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/students/download/157904/data/combined10.pdf</a></p>
<p>only about 25% percent of examinees score 30+. And this is the cohort that made it far enough to even take the MCAT. However, if you are a good student and have always scored well on standardized test, then your odds are much better. At my school, the Honors College is always pointing out that around 98% that apply to MS are accepted somewhere. Good luck.</p>
<p>One more piece of advice down the road when you get to apply. When you know your stats GPA/MCAT score, make sure to apply to wide range of schools that match your stats (by your estiamte and your advisor estiamte). There is no reason to apply randomly because of “why not” or because you have dreamt about certain school. Your list should be “smart” to achieve reasonable acceptance rate and possibly to have choices. Best!!</p>