A recent survey by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions revealed that MCAT scores and GPAs are considered the most important factors in the medical school application process.
Admissions officers from 83 of the country’s top medical schools participated in the survey. Of respondents, 77 percent ranked MCAT scores as one of the top two admissions factors and 75 percent included GPAs as one of their top two factors. Other important parts of the application include relevant experience and performance during the admissions interview, according to the survey.
“GPA is very important and something you work on over four years,” said Matt Fidler, MCAT program manager for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. “The MCAT is a one-time event that has about equal importance to the med schools so it’s important to spend the time and effort getting ready for the MCAT.”
But some applicants don’t agree with the emphasis placed on grades and MCAT scores.
Medical schools should use academic records and MCAT scores as an initial starting point, but still consider other things, said Ali Shmerling, a Weinberg junior.
“The most important quality of med school applicants is their interpersonal skills,” said Shmerling, who is planning to apply to medical school. “That can really only be evaluated through an interview, not just numbers on paper.”
When asked to identify “application killers,” 44 percent of admissions officials cited a low GPA. Low MCAT scores followed with 27 percent. A poor letter of recommendation and lack of clinical experience can also hurt applicants’ chances. Only 2 percent of those surveyed considered a poor personal statement an application killer.
These factors have become even more important in recent years, as 84 percent of the admission officials believe that competition for medical school spots has increased in the past five years, according to the survey.
Some students said they have been preparing for the admissions process for some time.
“There have been weekends when I’ve stayed in to study or given up going out,” Weinberg junior Beth Gottesman said. “My friends will say, ‘Why are you sacrificing so much? Is it worth it to you?’ But I don’t see it as a sacrifice, I see it as what I need to do to get by.”
Gottesman said she was not surprised by the results of Kaplan’s survey and added that she already has taken seriously issues such as raising her GPA and excelling on the MCAT.
“(Being a strong candidate) definitely worries me, but I know that I can pull up my GPA a little bit before it’s time to apply,” Gottesman said. “With a review course and good studying I can do pretty well on the MCATs.”
The admissions officers surveyed also offered insight into the best times of year to take the MCAT. January and April were the most recommended months, according to the survery, with 39 percent of admissions officers preferring April and 27 percent favoring January.
Students wishing to take the MCAT on a specific date are encouraged to register as soon as possible to avoid being shut out, according to materials provided by Kaplan.
The MCAT is offered 24 times a year between January and September, Fidler said. Kaplan will offer a free practice exam for the MCAT at Northwestern from 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 20.
Reach Kayleigh Roberts at [email protected].
