How much weight does a good verbal score carry?

[NSA MD]

Hey everyone-

I usually avoid posting these kinds of threads, I know they are annoyingly tedious. Having received my MCAT scores after my first time taking it, I was curious to know if a good verbal score is looked highly upon, especially in context of a lower science score in PS for example.

I am asking this question quite sincerely, because I looked around the forums and could not find an answer. My score break down:

8 PS, 11 VR, 10 BS -29Q

Anybody with knowledge about this kind of question would help me a lot, especially as I am beginning to prepare to give applying a shot! I know an 8 is low, but is it still worth trying, in hopes that a good VR score will "outshine" it?

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[ManimalJax]

I had a few different instructors for my Princeton Review course and so I heard the answer to your question from multiple sources. However, I do not know where they got their answer from. Anyway, they told me that when applying to medical school, it is the verbal score that they weigh the heaviest since it provides the best prognosis of how a student will perform in medical school.

 

[Crumbs Smiles]

I had a few different instructors for my Princeton Review course and so I heard the answer to your question from multiple sources. However, I do not know where they got their answer from. Anyway, they told me that when applying to medical school, it is the verbal score that they weigh the heaviest since it provides the best prognosis of how a student will perform in medical school.

I also took TPR and the teachers said that VR was crucial because its the best predictor of USMLE performance. Either way, a low VR score will stand out, i'd say below 8 is reason to be concerned. I looked through the MSAR book put out by AAMC and it seems that if you have a 9 and above, your pretty much in good shape.

 

[engineeredout]

I had a few different instructors for my Princeton Review course and so I heard the answer to your question from multiple sources. However, I do not know where they got their answer from. Anyway, they told me that when applying to medical school, it is the verbal score that they weigh the heaviest since it provides the best prognosis of how a student will perform in medical school.

Good to know. I was wondering the same thing (8PS 12VR 10BS)

 

[NSA MD]

Good to know. I was wondering the same thing (8PS 12VR 10BS)

haha of course you were...of course you were. Like I said though, you're in better shape than me ever so slightly. And a 12 is wonderful man. Keep in touch.

 

[Vihsadas]

I also took TPR and the teachers said that VR was crucial because its the best predictor of USMLE performance. Either way, a low VR score will stand out, i'd say below 8 is reason to be concerned. I looked through the MSAR book put out by AAMC and it seems that if you have a 9 and above, your pretty much in good shape.

That's not really true. The vast number of studies published and indexed on pubmed say that BS and PS (in that order) are the best predictors of Step I performance. Some studies, however, do say that Step II might be better predicted with verbal score.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12377692
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17198300
http://www.springerlink.com/content/k131130487125756/

U michigan's dean of admissions stated in an online questions and answer period that they look at the science sections most heavily. In reality, it all depends on the specific school as to which section on the MCAT is looked at more favorably. It's different from place to place, but most schools do look at the science sections most heavily.

 

[alibai3ah]

I think it highly depends upon the medical schools, some of them value the verbal the highest, others value the sciences the highest (especially BS). Its kind of funny, I'm jealous of your verbal scores.... I had the opposite issue
PS- 11 VR- 8 BS- 11
But I think as long as you score 8 or above on each section I do not think you get screened out of the admission process, and people have been accepted with 8's on any section before...so don't count yourself out. In my personal opinion, I think the biological sciences is valued the highest at most places, b/c statistically it has the greatest correlation with USMLE scores (according to wikipedia atleast).

 

[NSA MD]

Glad to see people are still replying to this thread. I still feel it is a worthwhile question, if there are no clear-cut answers. Thanks for the input so far, hopefully we can get some more.

 

[ILikeFood]

I think it highly depends upon the medical schools, some of them value the verbal the highest, others value the sciences the highest (especially BS). Its kind of funny, I'm jealous of your verbal scores.... I had the opposite issue
PS- 11 VR- 8 BS- 11
But I think as long as you score 8 or above on each section I do not think you get screened out of the admission process, and people have been accepted with 8's on any section before...so don't count yourself out. In my personal opinion, I think the biological sciences is valued the highest at most places, b/c statistically it has the greatest correlation with USMLE scores (according to wikipedia atleast).

God, doesn't the 8 bother you??

I got an 11/11/8 too (8 BS)

 

[alibai3ah]

God, doesn't the 8 bother you??

I got an 11/11/8 too (8 BS)

Haha no it does, but I got over it. The thing that bothers me more is the number of people on sdn who tell me verbal is the most important section....man if the verbal is a good gauge of your ability to be a doctor...i'll be a terrible one...and 8 is Horrible

 

[Lukkie]

w00t i hope its true

 

[Jorje286]

I'm hoping it carries much less weight than the science sections. My score is very unbalanced (13,12 on science 9 on VR). Anyone can comment on that?

 

[Chocolate Bear]

I'm hoping it carries much less weight than the science sections. My score is very unbalanced (13,12 on science 9 on VR). Anyone can comment on that?

I can comment that many of my friends from undergrad had very similar scores (+/- 1-2 points) with the same kind of breakdown. They all got into very good schools.

But I also knew a couple of people with similar science sections but around a 5-6 on VR. They didn't fare too well and had to retake.