Always a fascinating read. The elites seem to be getting elite-r, as most of the T10s now have median GPAs of 3.95 and median MCATs that are approaching the number of elected representatives to the U.S. Congress. (Sneeze and you'll drop below the median, people!) That, despite what looks like fewer applications overall. For some reason, this data strikes me as running counter to the notion that schools are taking holistic review seriously. But I may just be cranky from not enough coffee.
What's going on with Pitt? Strong school, good city. Seems to be quite a drop in its number of apps and MCAT and GPA ranges this year. Considering the relatively comparable strength of program, there sure are a lot more high-stat applicants wanting to pay $3,800/mo. for a NYC apartment than to live in a cheaper, lower-stress city with one more river running through it and boasting the world's best and only museum devoted to condiments.
Virtual interviews are here to stay. Good for inclusivity. Bad for sales of suit pants and skirts, since no one has to be dressed from the waist down anymore. (Yeah, I know, "Old Man Yells at Cloud!").
And how about those tuition numbers? Yowza. To think I felt my $12,000 tuition at a well-known private Jesuit undergraduate institution was steep. (Granted, it was 1985.) Well, at least with the benefit of 40 more years, our federal financial aid system is a well-oiled machine now and everyone can make timely, informed decisions about their options.
While I'm on a stream of consciousness contemplating MCAT scores (including my own kid's incoming score on 4/9): what's with the 30-day delay between taking the test and getting scores back? I'm watching premeds literally have anxiety attacks during this time, and those are the lucky ones. AAMC publishes six practice full-lengths, all of them identical in format, interface, and presumably the underlying software, and for five of these FLs, within literally one second of finishing it the test taker can see their section results, scores, percentiles, and a window into their entire future life as either a yacht owner or a Wal-Mart greeter. But for the real MCAT? You get to wait 30 days, because.....well, just
because. I am certain there's actually a good reason for this lag time, perhaps to ensure that the despondent survivors of the seven-hour ordeal don't crash the AMCAS server trying to schedule a new test date in the immediate aftermath. OK, this has nothing to do with MSAR, but like M. Night Shyamalan, I couldn't resist throwing in a twist so ridiculous or brilliant that this comment will receive exactly a 50% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Have I mentioned I love being the parent of a premed? Cheers, and thank you, SDN OGs, for your steadfast sanity in this changing landscape and for allowing a few minutes of irreverence. That is, if anyone reads this at all.
