<p>A high GPA and low MCAT scores, or high MCAT scores and a low GPA. I guess it comes down to what is more important, one test that you take on a particular day or 4 years of work.</p>
<p>AAMC surveyed admission directors at all 138 US allopathic schools and they ranked the relative importance of various factors for both interview invitations and acceptance decisions.</p>
<p>The result are here: <a href=“https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/download/261106/data/aibvol11_no6.pdf</a></p>
<p>According to the document— medical school admissions begins not only with a great undergraduate GPA and MCAT score, but also, with the identified character traits of integrity, altruism, self-management, and interpersonal/teamwork skill. In the end, how well you perform in an interview-one-on-one or with a group of interviewers–seems to hold a great indicator of success. Bottom line: be a leader-give your best each day…</p>
<p>I’ve seen the list and I was surprised by one thing not mentioned: research. Hummm. Why do you suppose that is?</p>
<p>Figure 1. Importance of Application Data to Admission Officers at 113 Medical Schools in Their Decisions to Invite Interviewees and Offer Acceptances</p>
<p>Interview recommendation (4.5)
Letters of recommendation (3.8)
GPA: Cumulative science and math (3.7)
Community service: medical (3.6)
GPA: Cumulative (3.6)
MCAT Total scores (3.4)
Personal statements (3.4)
Medical/clinical work experience (3.4)
Community service: non-medical (3.3)
Leadership experience (3.2)
Completion of premedical requirements (3.1)
Experience with underserved populations (3.0)</p>
<p>limabeans, I would wager that at some number of schools research makes their top 5 while at an equal or most likely greater number, it doesn’t make the top 15. I remember when looking at the MSAR the %-ages of students with research ranged from almost everybody to less than half (and possibly lower than that). I know my research-heavy data point dog-eared the big research %-ages pages and ignored the other schools. It was an easy initial screen.</p>
<p>Hummm… curmmy, Where do you find that info? Seems like an obvious diference between schools, but where to look? I have the MSAR book and numerous others, but the listings all describe themselves so generically like, “their mission is to educate and inspire scholars future leaders who will advance the practice and training … and to enable them to pursue the postgraduate traing necessary for their chosen career.” Or do I look to see if they offer Md/phd? DS wants clinical, not research.</p>
<p>D was a student interviewer during her 4th year of med school. She felt that the interview was at the top of the list and that her recommendations were highly valued. </p>
<p>For her class, not one student was admitted without considerable community service and research experience. I believe those things were also highly valued when she was in the residency match process.</p>
<p>Okay so obviously there is more to it than MCAT scores and GPAs. But what would you rather have? Is someone with a high GPA and low MCAT score likely to get into med school over the other? Keeping all other facts out.</p>
<p>Columbia - I would think that the high GPA and high MCAT would get you the interview and then the other things might have more value? D says she was surrounded by brilliant classmates all through med school. She had to work really hard/long hours.</p>
<p>I agree with hrh19. Without good scores in both the MCAT and grade wise, you probably won’t even get an interview.</p>
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<p>If I recall, the amcas data indicate that ~80% of students have something identified/listed on thier app as ‘research’. Thus, it is not a differentiating factor (unless one has absolutely zero).</p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/157998/mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/applicantmatriculant/157998/mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html</a></p>
<p><a href=“https://www.aamc.org/download/157450/data/table24-mcatgpagridall2008-10.pdf.pdf[/url]”>https://www.aamc.org/download/157450/data/table24-mcatgpagridall2008-10.pdf.pdf</a></p>
<p>The grids show acceptance rates by MCAT and GPA</p>
<p>In the spirit of having fun vs making this a huge debate, I vote low GPA high MCAT :D</p>
<p>If I was given the choice of high GPA or high MCAT I would take the high MCAT. If you look at the acceptance rate for white applicants and the highest GPA range (3.8-4.0) with a 21-23 MCAT, your acceptance is no higher and possibly lower than someone with between a 3.0-3.39 GPA and a 27-29 MCAT and someone with a 2.6-2.99 GPA with a 30-32 MCAT. Even at the highest GPA and a 24-26 MCAT, the acceptance rate is lower than a 3.2-3.39 GPA with a 30-32 MCAT and a 3.0-3.19 GPA and a 33-35 MCAT.</p>
<p>Of course, having both being high would be ideal but you can recover from a lowish GPA much easier by killing the MCAT. The percentage jump for each 3 points higher on the MCAT is much larger then .2 increase in GPA at a given MCAT score would be.</p>