How do top Medical Schools view top MCAT scores

[OptimalMeal23]

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So I just got my MCAT score back today and I scored a 522. I'm pretty happy with my performance, but I'm not necessarily sure how my score would be viewed by adcoms of stat heavy, elite schools. Obviously, a 522 is the median score for some t10 schools, but is there a significant difference in my score and that of a 100th percentile scorer (524+)? Do top schools stratify scores into broad categories? If so, I'm assuming there probably would be a notable difference between a 522 and say a 525 for example, but I wanted to know generally how these differences would be seen by adcoms and if it is anything for me to worry about. Thanks in advance

 

[CBass2288]

my opinion:

no. your 522 is no different than a 526. once you get into the 99th and 100th percentile it really doesn't make much of a difference. that 522 won't even get you into a T10 anyways. what i mean is that the 522 gets your foot in the door, your app on a desk. rarely does an average score do that at these schools. so great job there. but the stats alone mean nothing beyond accessing the chance to get in there. you better be stellar in every aspect or your T10 chances aren't great. they have the luxury of admitting the best of the best, and the scores at the top there aren't the distinguishing factor when most have them.

some rough math:

85k people take the MCAT per year. about 6% score 518 or above, harvard's average is 520.5. let's assume 518 is still competitive enough for HMS acceptance. so 6% of 85k puts us around 5000 students per year, not accounting for any previous year's testers applying later or reapps with same score.

there's about 1200-1500 students who matriculate into a T10 per year. so at best, 3800 students scoring 518+ don't attend a T10.

clearly, the excess amount of high scorers and limited T10 spots means that 522 isn't good enough on it's own. HMS is actually lower average than a good amount of the other T10s, just going to show how important everything else is. what makes you special to a T10 isn't your stats, everyone has those that are competitive. it's everything else.

there's a lot that isn't considered here, but it's close enough to prove the point.

now, beyond T10s: you have a fantastic score!! play your cards right and you should have no issue getting into a school. but be realistic and make sure you don't apply too top heavy. for those top schools, there is 0 guarantee, and it hurts to see some of you SUPER smart people with incredible stats make a blunder by only applying to the top schools and not getting in. you have a VERY high chance of an acceptance, barring any red flags, but don't forget the brutal aspect of the top medical schools just because your stats are great.

 

[stew_md]

I'm not an expert on this but on my view, the difference between a 522 and a 528 is not huge. Statistically its only 1 percentile difference, but practically speaking, the difference between a 99th percentile score and a "100th" percentile score may be getting a few additional questions correct. I would imagine the top schools view high mcats as more of a checkmark. Just about everyone who matriculates at NYU has a 518+, at a school like NYU your score would just place you firmly in the middle of the pack of applicants being considered. Only the admissions committee truly knows how scores are stratified and evaluated, but I would be surprised if a 526 was given significantly more consideration at t10s than someone with a 522.

 

[OptimalMeal23]

my opinion:

no. your 522 is no different than a 526. once you get into the 99th and 100th percentile it really doesn't make much of a difference. that 522 won't even get you into a T10 anyways. what i mean is that the 522 gets your foot in the door, your app on a desk. rarely does an average score do that at these schools. so great job there. but the stats alone mean nothing beyond accessing the chance to get in there. you better be stellar in every aspect or your T10 chances aren't great. they have the luxury of admitting the best of the best, and the scores at the top there aren't the distinguishing factor when most have them.

some rough math:

85k people take the MCAT per year. about 6% score 518 or above, harvard's average is 520.5. let's assume 518 is still competitive enough for HMS acceptance. so 6% of 85k puts us around 5000 students per year, not accounting for any previous year's testers applying later or reapps with same score.

there's about 1200-1500 students who matriculate into a T10 per year. so at best, 3800 students scoring 518+ don't attend a T10.

clearly, the excess amount of high scorers and limited T10 spots means that 522 isn't good enough on it's own. HMS is actually lower average than a good amount of the other T10s, just going to show how important everything else is. what makes you special to a T10 isn't your stats, everyone has those that are competitive. it's everything else.

there's a lot that isn't considered here, but it's close enough to prove the point.

now, beyond T10s: you have a fantastic score!! play your cards right and you should have no issue getting into a school. but be realistic and make sure you don't apply too top heavy. for those top schools, there is 0 guarantee, and it hurts to see some of you SUPER smart people with incredible stats make a blunder by only applying to the top schools and not getting in. you have a VERY high chance of an acceptance, barring any red flags, but don't forget the brutal aspect of the top medical schools just because your stats are great.

I see, yea of course for t20 and t10 schools your ECs hold nearly as much weightage as good grades, as many will apply with top stats to these schools. I appreciate the reassurance, and of course I'll make sure not to apply to top heavy next cycle. Thanks for the thorough response.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

One of the lessons I can put forth from the recent change in scoring the DAT is the meaning behind the high 99th percentile scores as a range.

No applicant should be upset with a 540 academic average versus a 550. Both scores fall within the 100th percentile of examinees. The difference would lie in minor performance differences on DAT sections (perhaps one or two questions). However, there is a better distinction (albeit minor) between 540 and 550 for test constructors.

Psychometricians design these tests to make sure that whatever score you have is as close to an accurate reflection of your performance over similar forms of the same test, and that you didn't just luck into a score by guessing correctly when it was convenient. Realistically, there is no difference between 523 and 528 except maybe 6 questions over the entire test. That small difference is only meaningful to the university c-suite when you look at things.

 

[CBass2288]

I see, yea of course for t20 and t10 schools your ECs hold nearly as much weightage as good grades, as many will apply with top stats to these schools. I appreciate the reassurance, and of course I'll make sure not to apply to top heavy next cycle. Thanks for the thorough response.

assuming your GPA is as good as your MCAT, and your ECs are also strong, you've got a chance at those schools. if that's what your shooting for then definitely go for it. i'm sure you'll get in somewhere great regardless!