I'll have to see if I can track it down. There used to be a table available that gave not just percentages, but the raw number of examinees achieving a given score.
That could mean anywhere from literally none to 0.04% and it would get rounded to 0.0%. So anywhere from 0 people to 40 people at each of those scores.
I got a 44 last time I took the test, but I'm OCD about standardized tests (e.g. kept practicing the LSAT until I got a 180) plus this is my job. I've never met anyone else with a 44 or 45 in my years in the industry, but I've known bunches and bunches with 40 - 43. At Next Step, we've always got something like a dozen or two dozen people on staff at any one time who scored 40 - 43.
Ultimately, when it comes to these unobtainably high scores, the good news is that the bottom line boils down to this: "So what." They can't interview you more just b/c you got an insane score.
The MCAT goal is simply, "Score high enough so that my MCAT score isn't a reason to lose out on an interview." And under that metric, there's nothing really more impressive about a 34 than a 44 - in both cases the admissions officers will go "Good MCAT score? Check! Good GPA? Check! Good EC's? Check! Okay let's interview her!"
If it's just a morbid curiosity thing, I actually don't know if the AAMC releases any specific numbers about the extreme ends of the scale. If you find any, do share!
That could mean anywhere from literally none to 0.04% and it would get rounded to 0.0%. So anywhere from 0 people to 40 people at each of those scores.
I got a 44 last time I took the test, but I'm OCD about standardized tests (e.g. kept practicing the LSAT until I got a 180) plus this is my job. I've never met anyone else with a 44 or 45 in my years in the industry, but I've known bunches and bunches with 40 - 43. At Next Step, we've always got something like a dozen or two dozen people on staff at any one time who scored 40 - 43.
Ultimately, when it comes to these unobtainably high scores, the good news is that the bottom line boils down to this: "So what." They can't interview you more just b/c you got an insane score.
The MCAT goal is simply, "Score high enough so that my MCAT score isn't a reason to lose out on an interview." And under that metric, there's nothing really more impressive about a 34 than a 44 - in both cases the admissions officers will go "Good MCAT score? Check! Good GPA? Check! Good EC's? Check! Okay let's interview her!"
If it's just a morbid curiosity thing, I actually don't know if the AAMC releases any specific numbers about the extreme ends of the scale. If you find any, do share!
Eh, I wish there was a clear sortable way to navigate that enormous thread.
What's your take on an 'average students' (one without natural ability to succeed on standardized exams/without an insanely high IQ, etc.) best MCAT score that they could achieve based on proper preparation? Would like to hear your opinion on this based on your experience working w/ students.That could mean anywhere from literally none to 0.04% and it would get rounded to 0.0%. So anywhere from 0 people to 40 people at each of those scores.
I got a 44 last time I took the test, but I'm OCD about standardized tests (e.g. kept practicing the LSAT until I got a 180) plus this is my job. I've never met anyone else with a 44 or 45 in my years in the industry, but I've known bunches and bunches with 40 - 43. At Next Step, we've always got something like a dozen or two dozen people on staff at any one time who scored 40 - 43.
Ultimately, when it comes to these unobtainably high scores, the good news is that the bottom line boils down to this: "So what." They can't interview you more just b/c you got an insane score.
The MCAT goal is simply, "Score high enough so that my MCAT score isn't a reason to lose out on an interview." And under that metric, there's nothing really more impressive about a 34 than a 44 - in both cases the admissions officers will go "Good MCAT score? Check! Good GPA? Check! Good EC's? Check! Okay let's interview her!"
If it's just a morbid curiosity thing, I actually don't know if the AAMC releases any specific numbers about the extreme ends of the scale. If you find any, do share!
BWHAHAHA. And if you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you
Sorry for the snark, but that is such b.s. coming from the AAMC.
Medical school admission has always been and will continue to be insanely competitive, and it's a bit of cheesy wordplay to call the middle of the bell curve the "top" of the curve simply because it's physically at the top of the piece of paper when you print it out. The "top" of the curve is the top 20ish percentile. Has been. Will be. Calling average the "top" is so silly I can't believe the AAMC let that messaging out of their back office.
Assuming things remain relatively stable, the rule of thumb I've been going by is roughly "510 is the new 30". Now obviously we won't really know until several years have gone by, so that we have good comparative data on actual admissions. But there's no reason to assume med schools are suddenly going to start accepting kids with average MCAT scores just because the numbers look different.
okay time to go get my coffee and dial down the snarkiness
QofQuimica got a 45 (from what I remember)
