[analog31]

Acceptance rates are a meaningless figure. The reason is that if there are 100 applicants, and 100 spots, and every applicant sends out 100 applications, the acceptance rate will be 1%, but they will all get spots. Dating myself, I once commented that acceptance rates have gone down because of the laser printer.

The qualities that you mention in your above post might have made you unhappy as a doctor, even if you had gotten in. I live in a town where you can't swing a cat without hitting a doctor. Most of them strike me as people who would have gotten 4.0 GPA's for the pure enjoyment of it, i.e., competing for a 4.0 was in fact a dream job for them while it lasted. Their kids all have 4.0 GPA's as well. Those who have social lives tend to be older. Many end up switching to part-time status or retiring early. The rich ones all had family money to invest and are not solely dependent on salary income.