Most important section of MCAT?

Started by LetsGo352
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Most important section of MCAT?

  • PS

    Votes: 10 6.1%

  • VR

    Votes: 79 48.2%

  • BS

    Votes: 75 45.7%
  • Total voters
    164
LetsGo352

LetsGo352

Full Member
10+ Year Member
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What do you think is the "most important" section of MCAT or what section do you think schools look closely at? I have read on school sites that say its Verbal, but medical students tell me they say verbal is the most important just so students take that section seriously. Thoughts?
 
Verbal lool. In fact that is the least important if you ask me. I would say biological is most important.
DO you not realize that lowest score schools are willing to accept from is verbal. Clear evidence.
 
Most important..? I think you should consider verbal the most important because maybe you'll score higher lol. People end up doing horribly on the verbal.

But in all honesty, I don't think any section is most important.
 
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I vote verbal because it's the only thing I can get a decent score on...

Actually, the talk about verbal being important is supposedly due to the correlation between high VR and high USMLE scores.
 
eablackwell said:
I vote verbal because it's the only thing I can get a decent score on...

Actually, the talk about verbal being important is supposedly due to the correlation between high VR and high USMLE scores.
Click to expand...

It's the opposite for me, my verbal score was weak compared to the sciences.

I remember reading somewhere that BS score had a high correlation with USMLE Step 1 scores. I'll have to look up the source again later.
 
I say VR. It's the easiest score with which to distinguish yourself because it happens to have the steepest curve.

14s and 15s in BS and PS are way more common than 14s and 15s in VR.
 
I've heard that the reason verbal is closest looked at is because it is the only section it is really challenging to actually study for. Other sections can be mastered even by those with lower "aptitude" by memorizing the pertinent details over as much time as it takes. Verbal is more of an on the spot critical thinking section. Nobody is going to have ever read all or really probably any of the passages, so all you can really study for is learning the vocabulary used. (main point, purpose, etc)

Whether this is true, I don't neccessarily know. However, it's the reason I hear in the admissions office here. They do really raise eyebrows about applicants seen with unbalanced scores, like 13 7 13, or something like it.
 
VR is hardest section for most people. Since it has fewer questions compared to other sections, the curve is tougher on this section. It is also the section that is hardest to improve on.

As far as importance is concerned, I think all three sections are important. If you do poorly in any of the sections, you are punished accordingly.
 
ThaliaNox said:
I've heard that the reason verbal is closest looked at is because it is the only section it is really challenging to actually study for. Other sections can be mastered even by those with lower "aptitude" by memorizing the pertinent details over as much time as it takes. Verbal is more of an on the spot critical thinking section. Nobody is going to have ever read all or really probably any of the passages, so all you can really study for is learning the vocabulary used. (main point, purpose, etc)

Whether this is true, I don't neccessarily know. However, it's the reason I hear in the admissions office here. They do really raise eyebrows about applicants seen with unbalanced scores, like 13 7 13, or something like it.
Click to expand...

This is a good point. It is really hard to "study" for language related things, aside from reading a lot and writing papers. I am studying for a Spanish test right now and the hardest part is figuring out a method to do so. Anybody can do practice problems over and over again.
 
This is absolute nuts how people are actually saying verbal is more important than biological. There is no way high verbal would correlate to high USMLE. On the contrary, I would argue that those who have high verbal also had high biological and physical. And those who had high verbal but low sciences were highly likely to not get accepted; therefore, high verbal correlates higher to high USMLE scores than high science scores. All this is assuming that dude is right in first place.

I don't agree in any way verbal requires critical thinking to do well on. There are very few questions that require critical thinking but mostly it just measures your ability to read well. If it did, then people with English as first language would not have SIGNTIFICANT advantage over those who had English as second language.
 
ownage said:
This is absolute nuts how people are actually saying verbal is more important than biological. There is no way high verbal would correlate to high USMLE. On the contrary, I would argue that those who have high verbal also had high biological and physical. And those who had high verbal but low sciences were highly likely to not get accepted; therefore, high verbal correlates higher to high USMLE scores than high science scores. All this is assuming that dude is right in first place.

I don't agree in any way verbal requires critical thinking to do well on. There are very few questions that require critical thinking but mostly it just measures your ability to read well. If it did, then people with English as first language would not have SIGNTIFICANT advantage over those who had English as second language.
Click to expand...

Just so you know, it is very common to see unbalanced scores with high sciences and low verbal. The opposite is extremely rare. Any verbal score over 12 gets a lot of notice, and even a 12 gets attention. This is not the case with the other two sections. Perhaps it really comes down to the fact that high verbal scores are less common than high scores on the other sections for some reason. Rarity=value in many people's minds.
 
I think verbal just takes more time and practice to master than the other sections. I spent 6 weeks cramming for the MCAT and during that time my science scores on practice tests increased about 3x faster than verbal. I didn't give myself enough time to really improve VR.

VR can be improved through practice and strategy just like the other two sections. This is not done by trying to become familiar with possible passages ahead of time, but by becoming familiar with your common mistakes and learning to recognize answers designed to throw you off, etc. I feel that all three sections test a person's critical thinking about equally.
 
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I found the source I mentioned above.

Title
The predictive validity of the MCAT for medical school performance and medical board licensing examinations: a meta-analysis of the published research.
Source
Academic Medicine. 82(1):100-6, 2007 Jan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To conduct a meta-analysis of published studies to determine the predictive validity of the MCAT on medical school performance and medical board licensing examinations. METHOD: The authors included all peer-reviewed published studies reporting empirical data on the relationship between MCAT scores and medical school performance or medical board licensing exam measures. Moderator variables, participant characteristics, and medical school performance/medical board licensing exam measures were extracted and reviewed separately by three reviewers using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Medical school performance measures from 11 studies and medical board licensing examinations from 18 studies, for a total of 23 studies, were selected. A random-effects model meta-analysis of weighted effects sizes (r) resulted in (1) a predictive validity coefficient for the MCAT in the preclinical years of r = 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.54) and on the USMLE Step 1 of r = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.50-0.67); and (2) the biological sciences subtest as the best predictor of medical school performance in the preclinical years (r = 0.32 95% CI, 0.21-0.42) and on the USMLE Step 1 (r = 0.48 95% CI, 0.41-0.54). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive validity of the MCAT ranges from small to medium for both medical school performance and medical board licensing exam measures. The medical profession is challenged to develop screening and selection criteria with improved validity that can supplement the MCAT as an important criterion for admission to medical schools.
Publication Type
Journal Article. Meta-Analysis.
 
ownage said:
This is absolute nuts how people are actually saying verbal is more important than biological. There is no way high verbal would correlate to high USMLE.
Click to expand...
A variety of studies have been done about this. The ones I recall reading seemed to consider BS to be the best predictor of Step1 scores, but then high VR was a predictor of doing well in the later steps.

ThaliaNox said:
Just so you know, it is very common to see unbalanced scores with high sciences and low verbal. The opposite is extremely rare.
Click to expand...
I'm one of those freaks, my VR was 2 points higher than PS and 3 points higher than BS. 🙄
ThaliaNox said:
Any verbal score over 12 gets a lot of notice, and even a 12 gets attention. This is not the case with the other two sections. Perhaps it really comes down to the fact that high verbal scores are less common than high scores on the other sections for some reason. Rarity=value in many people's minds.
Click to expand...
Yep. It's uncommon to score high in VR because there are fewer questions overall, and the scaling allows very little margin for error. I don't know if this is absolutely true for all administrations of the MCAT, but I was under the impression that to get a 15 on verbal is 0 wrong, 14 is 1 wrong, 13 is 2 wrong, and then it's a few more questions one can get wrong for each subsequent step down.
 
LetsGo352 said:
What do you think is the "most important" section of MCAT or what section do you think schools look closely at? I have read on school sites that say its Verbal, but medical students tell me they say verbal is the most important just so students take that section seriously. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

In terms of admissions? The rumor is verbal. I have no idea how true this is but that's what I hear a lot around here.

In terms of succeeding in medical school? From personal experience and from the experiences of friends in my class, I'd say biological sciences for the first year. No evidence though. Don't know about Step 1 cause we aren't there yet. Have no idea if there is a correlation for third and fourth year grades.

The thing about verbal that got me was, I never read books while growing up. I just hate reading. Therefore, I don't really understand the structure for those kinds of things. Scientific papers I can understand.

For some reason, people tend to think doing well on verbal is related to critical thinking and what not, but I think it's just something that people get used to. It's a skill set. Not really an intelligence thing. It's just like any other thing.

For example, building a fire. Give a couple of matches to a person that scored 15 on verbal but has never built a fire, and tell them to go build a fire. They will struggle at first.
 
LetsGo352 said:
What do you think is the "most important" section of MCAT or what section do you think schools look closely at? I have read on school sites that say its Verbal, but medical students tell me they say verbal is the most important just so students take that section seriously. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Biology. Here is why...even if you score an 8 on other sections but have a 10 or above in biology it shows you can get thru medical school and most importantly the BOARD exams.

Academic research shows a link between higher biology scores and better performance in medical school. Also, organic chem is not needed in medical school except maybe in biochemistry. But some students take advanced anatomy, neuroscience and other classes which help them in school.
 
I voted for verbal because all the sections of the MCAT are basically...applied verbal skills. It's all about your reasoning and thinking ability and all of that crystallizes into the verbal section. It's hard to improve those skills via study because it's not something you can memorize like a robot.
 
EpicBearMan said:
I found the source I mentioned above.

Title
The predictive validity of the MCAT for medical school performance and medical board licensing examinations: a meta-analysis of the published research.
Source
Academic Medicine. 82(1):100-6, 2007 Jan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To conduct a meta-analysis of published studies to determine the predictive validity of the MCAT on medical school performance and medical board licensing examinations. METHOD: The authors included all peer-reviewed published studies reporting empirical data on the relationship between MCAT scores and medical school performance or medical board licensing exam measures. Moderator variables, participant characteristics, and medical school performance/medical board licensing exam measures were extracted and reviewed separately by three reviewers using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Medical school performance measures from 11 studies and medical board licensing examinations from 18 studies, for a total of 23 studies, were selected. A random-effects model meta-analysis of weighted effects sizes (r) resulted in (1) a predictive validity coefficient for the MCAT in the preclinical years of r = 0.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.54) and on the USMLE Step 1 of r = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.50-0.67); and (2) the biological sciences subtest as the best predictor of medical school performance in the preclinical years (r = 0.32 95% CI, 0.21-0.42) and on the USMLE Step 1 (r = 0.48 95% CI, 0.41-0.54). CONCLUSIONS: The predictive validity of the MCAT ranges from small to medium for both medical school performance and medical board licensing exam measures. The medical profession is challenged to develop screening and selection criteria with improved validity that can supplement the MCAT as an important criterion for admission to medical schools.
Publication Type
Journal Article. Meta-Analysis.
Click to expand...

Errmmm... I wouldn't trust any correlation with an r value that low or a confidence interval that wide, much less both. They pretty much say that there is essentially no correllation.
 
ThaliaNox said:
Errmmm... I wouldn't trust any correlation with an r value that low or a confidence interval that wide, much less both. They pretty much say that there is essentially no correllation.
Click to expand...

Low r value or not, the bio MCAT correlation was higher than the other sections FWIW, for preclinical + step 1 anyway.

I agree that because high VR scores are more rare, they give people a chance to stand out more than the other sections. I don't agree that VR is a better judge of critical thinking ability than the other sections. It is a learned skill.
 
ownage said:
Verbal lool. In fact that is the least important if you ask me. I would say biological is most important.
DO you not realize that lowest score schools are willing to accept from is verbal. Clear evidence.
Click to expand...

this indicates its the limiting factor to acceptance.
Verbal is also scored the roughest as questions are worth more.
 
I personally loved VR. Then again, I'm an avid reader, and have been challenged to succeed in literature and comprehension pretty much my entire life. In addition to the fact that it was my highest score, I actually enjoyed doing it.

BS was my second favorite cause that stuff is interesting (except for Ochem). I especially loved the physiology based questions.

PS though (for me at least) was 👎thumbdown👎 I am a lesson as to why you should finish your prereqs before you take the mcat.

Anyway, the only comment I ever heard about importance was from an interview who said that verbal is a good indication of critical thinking and general intelligence. But, he DIDN'T say that it was the most important part.
 
amine2086 said:
VR is hardest section for most people. Since it has fewer questions compared to other sections, the curve is tougher on this section. It is also the section that is hardest to improve on.

As far as importance is concerned, I think all three sections are important. If you do poorly in any of the sections, you are punished accordingly.
Click to expand...

Agree w above. If I had to pick one that's more similar to what you'll see/do in medical school, it's definitely biological sciences. If any correlate with Step 1, it's that one. Med school is largely short clinical vigenettes (stories) about patients, and step 1 is all vignettes. Nothing you read about in med school and answer questions on will have to do with philosophy, politics, the arts, etc. VR is a good weed out section because it's hardest, thats all.
 
Hurricane95 said:
Agree w above. If I had to pick one that's more similar to what you'll see/do in medical school, it's definitely biological sciences. If any correlate with Step 1, it's that one. Med school is largely short clinical vigenettes (stories) about patients, and step 1 is all vignettes. Nothing you read about in med school and answer questions on will have to do with philosophy, politics, the arts, etc. VR is a good weed out section because it's hardest, thats all.
Click to expand...

VR isn't about answering questions about these topics. They use these topics so that students won't confuse their prior knowledge of the subject with what the question is truly asking, which would happen if VR had biology questions. The purpose is to see if you can understanding arguments from varying viewpoints, as well as extrapolate the implications of each of these viewpoints, based on trends in the data (the text).
 
In conversations with no less than 3 admissions offices, verbal was the most important followed closely by biological. Physical sciences was next, and apparently there is a writing section on the MCAT? ( That's what that letter after my score was). Just my experience though.
 
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No, not the essay. The writing section, which was only recently included. Most colleges say since it's only been introduced recently they won't consider it as a part of the SAT score.
 
SU1989 said:
No, not the essay. The writing section, which was only recently included. Most colleges say since it's only been introduced recently they won't consider it as a part of the SAT score.
Click to expand...

what the hell are you talking about

the new SAT is a combination of the old SAT and the old SAT II - Writing, which itself was composed of two essays and multiple choice questions. it is a combined score, that includes both the mc's and the essays. not that it matters or is of any relevance to the thread, but colleges most certainly look at the writing portion of the exam.

Edit: that first line was not angry, just confusion
 
Last edited:
LetsGo352 said:
What do you think is the "most important" section of MCAT or what section do you think schools look closely at? I have read on school sites that say its Verbal, but medical students tell me they say verbal is the most important just so students take that section seriously. Thoughts?
Click to expand...


Biology - this section tends to be the highest section when you look at the breakdown for each school according to the MSAR. I think it also correlates more closely with what you learn in the basic science years (first 2 years) of medical school.
 
I am talking about this:

To top it off, the admissions people were more used to thinking about a student in the 1600 range versus the 2400 range with the new points from the writing section.
Click to expand...

http://www.collegebasics.com/blog/how-important-is-the-new-sat-writing-section/

I clearly remember my school's admission officer not being impressed by my 720 Writing. She simply dismissed it as an "experimental section". Sure, this was three years ago. Maybe they give more emphasis on this particular section now.
 
SU1989 said:
I am talking about this:



http://www.collegebasics.com/blog/how-important-is-the-new-sat-writing-section/

I clearly remember my school's admission officer not being impressed by my 720 Writing. She simply dismissed it as an "experimental section". Sure, this was three years ago. Maybe they give more emphasis on this particular section now.
Click to expand...

yeah i see, well it changed 5 years ago so i think more adcoms are warming up to it. regardless of whether or not its important, it exists and its one more thing they can take into account.

if two med apps are identical, except one got a 10 and one got a 14 on VR, that extra edge would be the deciding factor. this is obviously extreme but because it can be taken into account, its inherently important
 
klmnop said:
if two med apps are identical, except one got a 10 and one got a 14 on VR, that extra edge would be the deciding factor. this is obviously extreme but because it can be taken into account, its inherently important
Click to expand...

I agree that it will be the deciding factor. But if the 14 VR is unbalanced, that's another story 😀
 
According to a paper cited in this thread, BS is most highly correlated with Step 1 score, followed by PS followed by VR.

For what its worth, I was told by my premed advisor that schools look at 1. Combined MCAT score and 2. Balance between scores on each section. From what I understand, as long as you don't have wild fluctuations on each section (14 on BS and 7 on VR), they're not going to dissect your score. I could be wrong, though.
 
fisticuffs said:
According to a paper cited in this thread, BS is most highly correlated with Step 1 score, followed by PS followed by VR.

For what its worth, I was told by my premed advisor that schools look at 1. Combined MCAT score and 2. Balance between scores on each section. From what I understand, as long as you don't have wild fluctuations on each section (14 on BS and 7 on VR), they're not going to dissect your score. I could be wrong, though.
Click to expand...

i guess the question comes down to the definition of "important".
if it means which one determines your acceptance, i'd say VR is the most volatile and thus the most influential.
if it means which one is a better predictor of board scores, most probably BS
 
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