What does LizzyM mean?

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[AspiringERMD]

LizzyM, n., sing.

Def. 1: GPA*10 + MCAT

Def. 2: A person, @LizzyM.

 

[LizzyM]

C'est moi!

 

[Visible Ghost]

LizzyM, n., sing.

Def. 1: GPA*10 + MCAT

Def. 2: A person, @LizzyM.

Thanks I was really confused . Why @LizzyM though?

 

[Visible Ghost]

C'est moi!

Ok now I understand.

 

[justadream]

I eagerly await the LizzyM 2.0 in April when the new MCAT is administered.

I wonder if it will still weight the MCAT by the same relative amount (which as it stands, favors MCAT slightly over GPA since MCAT is out of 45 while GPA is out of 40).

 

[AspiringERMD]

I eagerly await the LizzyM 2.0 in April when the new MCAT is administered.

I wonder if it will still weight the MCAT by the same relative amount (which as it stands, favors MCAT slightly over GPA since MCAT is out of 45 while GPA is out of 40).

Hadn't even thought about this yet. People might have to specify if they're giving their old or new LizzyM!

 

[justadream]

Hadn't even thought about this yet. People might have to specify if they're giving their old or new LizzyM!

Well ideally, to make comparisons easier, the new MCAT score can just be weighted to be out of 45. For example, if you get 40/60 (I know the scale is 3 digits but it's more or less out of 60 now), that would be like 30/45.

This is assuming the new MCAT section is given equal weighting and a variety of other issues.

This way also maintains the relative weighting of importance of the GPA vs. MCAT.

 

[LizzyM]

I eagerly await the LizzyM 2.0 in April when the new MCAT is administered.

I wonder if it will still weight the MCAT by the same relative amount (which as it stands, favors MCAT slightly over GPA since MCAT is out of 45 while GPA is out of 40).

I can't recall ever seeing a verbal of 15 or an MCAT of more than 43.... and the probability of having an MCAT >38 is exceedingly small while a GPA of >3.80 is relatively common among applicants so I never worried that it gave more weight to MCAT than to GPA.

I think I would take the new MCAT total score percentile and convert it to the total score by percentile in the old MCAT and use that 2 digit number (e.g. if your new score puts you at the 85th percentile and the 85th percentile in the old score is 32 then you substitute 32 for your new MCAT score in the formula). Of course, I don't have a handy percentile score converter....

 

[yungspleen]

Well ideally, to make comparisons easier, the new MCAT score can just be weighted to be out of 45. For example, if you get 40/60 (I know the scale is 3 digits but it's more or less out of 60 now), that would be like 30/45.

This is assuming the new MCAT section is given equal weighting and a variety of other issues.

This way also maintains the relative weighting of importance of the GPA vs. MCAT.

.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I think I would take the new MCAT total score percentile and convert it to the total score by percentile in the old MCAT and use that 2 digit number (e.g. if your new score puts you at the 85th percentile and the 85th percentile in the old score is 32 then you substitute 32 for your new MCAT score in the formula). Of course, I don't have a handy percentile score converter....

I'd say: Total score percentile/2 + GPA*10 = New LizzyM

It would change the distribution of scores a little, but the max now would be 90 instead of 85. Not a big difference. (And it doesn't require complex converters to be on hand 100% of the time)

Then again, it is named after you, so what do I know?

 

[edgerock24]

@LizzyM, how would you look at applicants with relatively low cGPA's (3.0-3.3), but with acceptable sGPA's (3.5+) and MCAT scores (30+) in regard to calculating a LizzyM score?

 

[Make Or Break]

I'd say: Total score percentile/2 + GPA*10 = New LizzyM

It would change the distribution of scores a little, but the max now would be 90 instead of 85. Not a big difference. (And it doesn't require complex converters to be on hand 100% of the time)

Then again, it is named after you, so what do I know?

I actually like this idea.

 

[sazerac]

It's a 56-point range now

And the old one was a 42 point range. In either case the range is (number of scored categories) times 14. Scaling the new 60-max score to the old 45-maximum score would follow the numeric spirit of LizzyM scores.

Alternatively we could just scale the GPA to the new MCAT scoring system:

newLizzyM = newMCAT + (GPA x 13.3)

However the other genius of the LizzyM score was that it was easy to calculate, so maybe this percentile proposal would be better.

 

[IlDestriero]

If you can't calculate your LizzyM score with any simple formula, medical school is not for you.

 

[lnvictus]

LizzyM is love LizzyM is life

 

[mimelim]

And the old one was a 42 point range. In either case the range is (number of scored categories) times 14. Scaling the new 60-max score to the old 45-maximum score would follow the numeric spirit of LizzyM scores.

Alternatively we could just scale the GPA to the new MCAT scoring system:

newLizzyM = newMCAT + (GPA x 13.3)

However the other genius of the LizzyM score was that it was easy to calculate, so maybe this percentile proposal would be better.

How can you rescale based on a new test when you have zero data to extrapolate from?

 

[NoDakDok]

How can you rescale based on a new test when you have zero data to extrapolate from?

I think you just accidentally defined SDN Pre-Allo...

 

[LizzyM]

If you can't calculate your LizzyM score with any simple formula, medical school is not for you.

Which may explain why I never went to medical school.

I love this new SpinachDip score!

 

[LizzyM]

@LizzyM, how would you look at applicants with relatively low cGPA's (3.0-3.3), but with acceptable sGPA's (3.5+) and MCAT scores (30+) in regard to calculating a LizzyM score?

The score would be 60-63+ which is pretty low. I would almost never see an applicant with such a low score because the applicant would be screened out before getting to me.

 

[Mad Jack]

How can you rescale based on a new test when you have zero data to extrapolate from?

This will probably be something that takes some time to elucidate. Rough estimates will probably be based on the score conversion algorithm until the new test sort of settles out. I don't think we'll have a reliable equivalent to the LizzyM score for at least two years after the new test comes out though, due to adcoms adjusting to the new scoring system and students adjusting to the new testing format (scores might be lower across the board due to the added material that students are unfamiliar with and prep companies that are unsure of how to properly prepare students properly).

 

[Spinach Dip]

Which may explain why I never went to medical school.

I love this new SpinachDip score!

 

[LizzyM]

Keep in mind that the point is to compare your score to schools' averages. The schools won't be publicizing new scores until mid-2015 at the earliest so there will be no way to compare your new scores to schools.

 

[justadream]

Maybe the AAMC will read this thread, note how much confusion they are about to cause, and promptly announce they are abandoning the new MCAT

 

[lazyindy]

the evil queen of numbers

 

[allantois]

A few points from AAMC guide to new MCAT:


Page 3: Because the two exams measure different things, there are not meaningful ways to translate scores from the new exam to the current score scale (or translate scores from the current exam to the new score scale).

Page 5: Scores from the new exam should not outweigh other application data in deciding which applicants will get secondary invitations, interview invitations, or acceptances.

Page 6: The new MCAT score scales emphasize the center of the scales, rather than the top third.

Page 7: Third, in setting the score scales for the new exam, one goal is to re-center the distributions and spread out scores across the entire range of possible scores. Average scores for most of the current test sections have drifted up over time. The new score scales will re-center the distributions and correct the “bunching” at the upper ends of the scales.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/378098/data/mcat2015scorescaleguide.pdf

 

[Spirit of the Student Doc]

Which may explain why I never went to medical school.

I love this new SpinachDip score!

Wait what?

 

[Narmerguy]

A few points from AAMC guide to new MCAT:


Page 3: Because the two exams measure different things, there are not meaningful ways to translate scores from the new exam to the current score scale (or translate scores from the current exam to the new score scale).

Page 5: Scores from the new exam should not outweigh other application data in deciding which applicants will get secondary invitations, interview invitations, or acceptances.

Page 6: The new MCAT score scales emphasize the center of the scales, rather than the top third.

Page 7: Third, in setting the score scales for the new exam, one goal is to re-center the distributions and spread out scores across the entire range of possible scores. Average scores for most of the current test sections have drifted up over time. The new score scales will re-center the distributions and correct the “bunching” at the upper ends of the scales.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/378098/data/mcat2015scorescaleguide.pdf

Seems ouch at first, but I suppose percentiles are percentiles. However, if scores are "bunching" or drifting up, that suggests that the normalized scores are not accurately predicting the actual distribution of of test takers (since MCAT exams are normalized before test takers sit for the actual exam). If this is the case, it really may get a bit tricky to compare across tests, though really this just reinforces that such small incremental comparisons of scores is likely inappropriate in the first place (practical significance of 36 vs 38 is not that great).

 

[IlDestriero]

Wait what?

Lizzy isn't a physician. She has a PhD. So you can still call her Dr. M.
Many Adcoms members are non physician faculty. I could never be an Adcom member, it would take up too much clinical time.
Here's another revelation that may blow some minds. Many physicians that interview you are not real Adcom members either. They interview you and submit an evaluation to the committee. The fantasies of the interviewer that you had such a great rapport with standing up at the meeting and fighting for you are just that, fantasy.

 

[Spirit of the Student Doc]

Lizzy isn't a physician. She has a PhD. So you can still call her Dr. M.
Many Adcoms members are non physician faculty. I could never be an Adcom member, it would take up too much clinical time.
Here's another revelation that may blow some minds. Many physicians that interview you are not real Adcom members either. They interview you and submit an evaluation to the committee. The fantasies of the interviewer that you had such a great rapport with standing up at the meeting and fighting for you are just that, fantasy.

 

[Doug Underhill]

Of our other famous adcom members, Goro is also a Ph.D, while gyngyn and Catalystik are both physicians, I think.

 

[CherryRedDracul]

 

[TheaterOfTheme]

Keep in mind that the point is to compare your score to schools' averages. The schools won't be publicizing new scores until mid-2015 at the earliest so there will be no way to compare your new scores to schools.

Hello Dr. LizzyM,

I am trying to estimate my score on your scale for the new MCAT. I received a 512 (87th percentile = ~ 32 on old scale) and have a 3.92 GPA. According to the old scale, my number wold be 71. But according to the 'SpinachDip' scale, it would be 82.7. Also, is this type of score compilation typically used amongst adcoms?

Thank you

 

[Lawpy]

Hello Dr. LizzyM,

I am trying to estimate my score on your scale for the new MCAT. I received a 512 (87th percentile = ~ 32 on old scale) and have a 3.92 GPA. According to the old scale, my number wold be 71. But according to the 'SpinachDip' scale, it would be 82.7. Also, is this type of score compilation typically used amongst adcoms?

Thank you

Just use the old scale. It is a 71. And I don't know what adcoms use but the @efle Percentile Transform is the most accurate.