I’m afraid, I’ve to disagree as it may be a wrong study! In my school and many in the area, the Valedictorian is the one with the highest grades. I can go on to add how the GPA game is played (with not much of an academic plan), but, I’m sure you already know this.
Then there are schools where almost everybody is a valedictorian. 
Could be possible- My D’s school it is weighted GPA that results in Valedictorian and usually the Val was always the smartest kid academically ( pretty much known in start of 11th grade).
Many schools may not do weighted or rank. But usually, eliminating all possible errors possible, every school can reasonably say top or who are few top kids. If we can nail that, then which school they get in ( or go to) can provide that data.
Anyway it doesnt matter- what matters is where you get in and what you do with it. And finally being happy with whichever decision made and performing well is what matters.
Again Good luck.
Hello I am new here and enjoyed this forum and has given me a lot of insights, I wish I had known prior to Application process for My D.
She is in IB program, Bright and Hardworking and Talented Kid.
I need to get some insight where she should go, given high competition rates after UG, plus gap years and Research etc. given 60k student applied for Med School in 2021 and expected to go up by 8 to 10% every year.
Her situation
UMKC BA/MED: Accepted (in-state)
SLU MED Scholars: Accepted ( 25k Fee waiver)
U. Rochester: UG, accepted (25k Fee waiver)
UC-Davis: Accepted, UG
Vandy and Wash U, Case W: Waitlist.
She is concerned about UMKC , thinks that it is lower tier school and concerned about her Residencies matches, though lately it seems in par with other Med Schools for Residencies (2020 and 2021 cycle). Also students who took gap years in UMKC did fare well for top notch residencies in some schools. Everyone locally, are stressing her to not to loose the open door to Med School. In past, students who rejected UMKC either ended up in UMKC or Mizzou or SLU after 4 years (or GAP years) of UG. Some took 2 or 3 GAP years ending up in Wisconsin or Arizona.
Her other choice is U. Rochester: She also likes this school after speaking to a 4 year UG student matching to Penn State with no GAP Year. Also it may suit well since she wanted to do research and be a aggressive Pursuant of her goals. That student is very motivated and planned it in a such a way to get in Med school. From 2020 Graduation year, very few went to Med School right after 4 Yr UG and also school encourages a gap year before applying to Med School. We know U. Rochester is lower tier research school.
My rationale as a Parent, playing safety here, take UMKC with 1 or 2 gap years and pursue her dreams rather going to 4 year UG. Also that’s the same advise is being shared by people whom i spoke too.
At the end of the day, I will support her decision, no Financial Barriers.
Please let me know your thoughts.
Do you dare to ask more blunt questions to BS/MD acceptances, what kind of high school/parents connections help them to achieve ECs those are otherwise not doable?
I wish that is part of reflections too in results thread.
ORM and Athlete is an oxymoron for most, so enjoy your success, you don’t need validation of your achievements from anyone here.
Let me clarify since you made a statement with selective hearing. Finances are ONE of the reasons. 
That said, yes, there’s a very sad side to most sports that applies to most people. There are no scholarships for many sports.
Also for the record, I didn’t qualify for the Olympics. I missed the 2018 Olympics Trials by 4 or 5 spots and the Junior Olympics by one spot. And, I won’t be around the sport for 2022 Beijing. I’ll be hanging my hat with just ONE Junior World Championships 2020 and ONE World Cup participation (both right before the pandemic.) That’s also the reason I value the bird-in-hand more than you think I should. 
You need to go to IIT to understand him
I enjoy good banter. I hope I didn’t offend anyone.
as long as your banter is in support of BSMD you get an A (94%+) .
Finally, the stereotyping!
FYI, many many many sports are DOMINATED by ORMs. You should watch more sports!
This thread is for reflections and I’ve provided mine while also addressing some of the clarifications I needed to make regarding assumptions (directed at me.) I didn’t seek any validation from strangers, thank you!
Lol…I’m going to miss it by 1.8% and fail in life!
Take UMKC since it’s your instate and plan to do one or two gap years to gain research experience. My issue with UMKC is it’s 6 years non-stop work and I don’t see a need when our kids are expected to live 90+ and work into 70s.
Bird-in-hand advocates, see I can recommend BSMD where it makes sense
Again you missed the mark. Read in context of medical school, we are not talking general life.
I’m sorry, I only missed your post where you provided evidence to your blanket statement.
How come you don’t have any mid-west UGs. For research your don’t have to go to U-Rochester.
That claim sounds exageration. There are plenty of students who never applied to UMKC to begin with and ended up at far better medical schools, certain that number is much more than who applied to UMKC BA/MD. Fact is you have waitlist at very good UG schools, at least acknoledges your potential.
If you don’t have other better choices, UMKC BA/MD will be last choice with gap years to improve your residency prospectus.
Thank you and would also appreciate more insight on UMKC BA/MED program from
your research experiences.
Very good question. What Universities you would suggest in Midwest.
I need to ask her Mom and D? as I wasn’t involved, big mistake.
I would have suggested to apply to Penn state, UVA, OU and UAB, but it is what it is.
Let’s hope mom is not reading the thread otherwise you will be banished to basement for sometime
I have no knowledge about the program except a friend’s D went there and matched to T5 school for primary care.
At this point it is where your D applied to and acceptance/waitlist you have, not what someone suggests as she is approaching decision deadline.
Based on UGs waitlist, your D would have atleast few UGs from TX, OK, IL, IA, as far as MN, WI.
I am not really concerned about Residencies now as the Residencies matches for UMKC is changing and hope for the better. Also, at this point, since USMLE Step 1 is now pass or fail, will have to wait for Stats to show, very interesting for sure.