<p>Absolutely those things make a difference. </p>
<p>GPAs and MCATs may get you an interview. All the serious med school candidates have top stats. But all that other stuff is what separates the candidates that gain admission from those that do not, at least to the better med schools.</p>
<p>When all those resources are on the same campus, it is infinitely easier to take advantage of them and thus demonstrate to an admission committee one’s serious interest and commitment to medicine and service.</p>
<p>Immersing oneself in an environment like that will also add confidence to someone’s decision to pursue medicine as a career, and that will likely also come across to an admission committee.</p>
<p>I don’t understand your question about Pitt having a high GPA requirement.</p>