What to shoot for on MCAT?

[Chouster]

Hey everybody,

I know a 30 is the rule of thumb but with my lower than average GPA, I'm trying to gain a little more insight as to what I should score to do well in the "numbers game". I have an undergraduate 3.2 GPA from a respectable school in biomedical engineering. After reading many many posts it sounds like a 3.2/30 won't get me very far. Do you think I need a 35+ or a 40+ to make me a solid candidate when it comes to GPA/MCAT or has my undergraduate GPA rendered me a hopeless candidate? I have a large amount of research experience in a variety of health-related fields (4+ years) and one published paper as a second-author. Any insights would be great! Thanks!

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[ndi_amaka]

Hey everybody,

I know a 30 is the rule of thumb but with my lower than average GPA, I'm trying to gain a little more insight as to what I should score to do well in the "numbers game". I have a 3.2 GPA from a respectable school in biomedical engineering. After reading many many posts it sounds like a 3.2/30 won't get me very far. Do you think I need a 35 or a 40+ to make me a solid candidate when it comes to GPA/MCAT or has my undergraduate GPA rendered me a hopeless candidate? Any insights would be great! Thanks!

What state do you live in?

 

[Chouster]

California

 

[willthatsall]

probably 32 or 33 would be good to shoot for, but it depends on what you can do...take a practice test and see where you are at. It's ballsy to say you are getting a 35. It's borderline insanity to say 40.

 

[Chouster]

Yea I know it's really hard. My practice tests have been showing low 30s (usually 11-12 on sciences and 9-10 on VR). Of course, this all means nothing when it comes down to it on august 14th

Anybody else with some insights?! Dont be shy!

 

[dhoonlee]

.

 

[Medikit]

Try to shoot the moon. Try to do awesomely awesome, if you do that you'll set yourself up for a good score.

 

[VFrank]

Doesn't the fact that you're an engineer have some bearing on your lower GPA? I go to Northwestern and our engineers have an average GPA of around 2.7. Here, a GPA above a 3.0 is considered very admirable because you're in ALL science classes. While it's important to do well on the MCAT, remember there are other factors that may and probably will add to your strength as a candidate.

 

[MrTee]

The obvious answer is to do as well as you possibly can, whatever that may be. I'm in the same boat as you re: undergrad GPA, so I feel your pain. Last summer as I studied for the mcat, I reminded myself every day of my crappy GPA, which motivated me to study harder and longer for the mcat. Even though that's behind me, I'm still very apprehensive about the app process, because I have a suspicion that a bad GPA is extremely hard to overcome regardless of a 35+ mcat and all the ECs that one can do. Also, despite whatever difficult major or school, a 3.2 isn't going to be looked at favorably by adcoms...so you'd better be kicking out a 32 at least, with double digits all around. Good luck with the mcat, make sure you do a TON of practice passages!

 

[Chouster]

MrTee, mind if I ask what your status is right now? Where you applied? Where you got interviews/accepted?

 

[bigdan]

Do your best and let the adcoms decide.

Better is better in regards to GPA and the MCAT. The GPA you can't fix right now, so rock the MCAT. You need 30+, so aim high. But as far as the 3.2, let the committees decide what's too low. If you were traumtized at some point and that effected your grades, say so in the PS of your application and clarify on the interviews. If you went to a very challenging program and a 3.2 is a great standing, say that too.

Good luck. Just do the best you can and let the adcoms settle it out - that's all the rest of us can do, too.

dc

 

[javandane]

despite what many, if not most, posters here will tell you, a 3.2 gpa isn't going to keep you out of medical school on its own. as another poster said, let the admissions committee decide what they feel is "low". if you plan to apply to your state schools, you will need an MCAT score of at least 30. it sounds like you've got the science nailed; a good idea would be to get that VR in the 10-11 range consistently--a high verbal score with solid science is looked upon favorably. and remember, medical school isn't strictly a numbers game; the content of the rest of your application holds equal weight.

good luck!

 

[BaLeavaMD]

Shoot for 45 and you'll probably hit somewhere above 30!

 

[mcjay]

30 is a great score to get, but honestly, it just is too low in some cases. The average scores are rising each year, so you would be better off aiming high for a 32+.

 

[adamj61]

30 is a great score to get, but honestly, it just is too low in some cases. The average scores are rising each year, so you would be better off aiming high for a 32+.

Hey, I am happy with a 31...maybe if he is aiming for top ten schools. You have a paper as well, not many people have that. I agree that anything over a 35 really doesn't make much of a difference....good luck

 

[Tippy007]

I was shooting for above 30. It really depends on your goals. If you have a 4.0 and are planning on going to Harvard, I think that you should be shooting for a 45. Then you will be happy if you only score a 37 (like half of the people who have posted their scores).

 

[flighterdoc]

Hey everybody,

I know a 30 is the rule of thumb but with my lower than average GPA, I'm trying to gain a little more insight as to what I should score to do well in the "numbers game". I have an undergraduate 3.2 GPA from a respectable school in biomedical engineering. After reading many many posts it sounds like a 3.2/30 won't get me very far. Do you think I need a 35+ or a 40+ to make me a solid candidate when it comes to GPA/MCAT or has my undergraduate GPA rendered me a hopeless candidate? I have a large amount of research experience in a variety of health-related fields (4+ years) and one published paper as a second-author. Any insights would be great! Thanks!

Sorry if this sounds rude, but why limit yourself? Aim for a 45 - you may not get it but I guarantee that the only score you can shoot for and get is a 3J.

 

[VFrank]

Hey, I am happy with a 31...maybe if he is aiming for top ten schools. You have a paper as well, not many people have that. I agree that anything over a 35 really doesn't make much of a difference....good luck

What do you mean anything over 35 doesn't make much of a difference? Are you saying med schools give just as much credence to a 35 as to a 40? If so, that sucks, because I'm kind of banking on a stellar MCAT score to overcome a lower GPA.

 

[exmike]

What do you mean anything over 35 doesn't make much of a difference? Are you saying med schools give just as much credence to a 35 as to a 40? If so, that sucks, because I'm kind of banking on a stellar MCAT score to overcome a lower GPA.

The point is once you go above 35 the differences between scores indicates little in terms of knowledge (in this case, medical aptitude). If you check the MSAR you'll see a deflection of the MCAT/Acceptance curve right at 35, meaning that the incremental increase in acceptance per point dropped off noticeably after 35. This also makes sense since your percentile score is already near 98 for test takers and 96 for matriculants at 35, so going up from there doesnt put you in that much more elite of a group.

This isnt to say that a 40 wont look better than a 35, it surely will. What is IS saying is that going from a 33 to a 35 will grealy enhance your chances, whereas going from a 37 to a 39 will probably have a much much smaller impact on you chances.

It should go without saying that a 40 is preferable over a 35 especially if your GPA is low since the significance of your MCAT increase as your GPA declines.

 

[javandane]

It should go without saying that a 40 is preferable over a 35 especially if your GPA is low since the significance of your MCAT increase as your GPA declines.

funny, this is analagous to saying that a maybach 62 is preferable to a mercedes s class. both are beautiful automobiles, but most of us aren't gonna be able to afford the maybach. ever. i'd be tickled pink with an s class. just like i'd be ecstatic with a 35.

 

[exmike]

funny, this is analagous to saying that a maybach 62 is preferable to a mercedes s class. both are beautiful automobiles, but most of us aren't gonna be able to afford the maybach. ever. i'd be tickled pink with an s class. just like i'd be ecstatic with a 35.

yeah, it was just that the poster I was replying too seemed bummed at the thought that getting above a 35 wouldnt help him (which it will). 35 is a diesel score.

 

[VFrank]

yeah, it was just that the poster I was replying too seemed bummed at the thought that getting above a 35 wouldnt help him (which it will). 35 is a diesel score.

Wouldn't help HER. Hello -- roses.

 

[DrThom]

Sorry, I thought the thread title was....

"who wants to shoot the MCAT"

 

[kingcer0x]

For the record, biomedical engineers have one of the highest acceptance rates to med school.

 

[MoosePilot]

If you're still following this - shoot for the highest score you can try for without sabotaging yourself by freaking out about it.

I aimed for as high a score as I could get. I would love to say that was a 45, but I knew that wasn't likely based on practice tests. I shot as high as I could get and was happy with the result.

 

[gary5]

35+ sounds good.

 

[exmike]

Wouldn't help HER. Hello -- roses.

but FRANK threw me off.