<p>My S knows premeds who somehow found their way into the 130's who were placed in the 150's. Same for physics, 120's instead of 130's. For them GPA was the goal. S did not do this and other premeds don't as well, but med schools don't seem to differentiate. An A in the 130's is better than a B or B+ in the 150's, particularly if the MCAT scores are similar. Although he understands the motivation, S thinks this is rather "anti- U of C."</p>
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An A in the 130's is better than a B or B+ in the 150's
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<p>What about B+ in 160's?</p>
<p>I'm not sure med schools care if MCAT's are similar, they first look at overall GPA before looking at the transcript. They just want a year of college calculus. Having said that, a person who accepts challenges and loves learning will stand out in a number of ways including the interview.</p>
<p>Do you know if Chicago's own medical school evaluates applicants differently (in keeping with Chicago's emphasis on learning over grades)?</p>
<p>The answer to this question is easy, UChicago.</p>
<p>In the world of Academia, many would think that Cornell is not as rigorous and respected as Chicago (although this has nothing to do with the popularity among students). In both social and physical sciences, Chicago would be considered as tier-1 with Harvard, but I am not sure if Cornell would be included in that list.</p>
<p>I do not know why undergraduate rankings, especially the one that US World Reports, does not reflect this academic reality. Perhaps, US World Report's ranking mainly reflects the popularity among students? If students only know how difficult it is to get a professorship at Chicago... and how blessing it is to be "taught" by this select group of elites who are among the best.</p>
<p>I was informed that a lot of good mathematicians at Chicago were good students in other social science classes. They benefited tremendously from classes other than mathematics. This makes sense since mathematics is not just about numbers, but it's about the way you think logically, the key idea that other disciplines also focuses on. </p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>^If you don't mind my asking, does your user name reflect your current position or is it an aspiration?</p>