40s vs. 30s

[Centinel]

Is there any significant advantage to having 40s (the scores, not the beverages) as opposed to 30s? Say, a 40 vs. a 39? I understand that they are, for all intents and purposes, equivalent. At the same time, seeing an MCAT score starting with a 4_ seems to give me a different gut reaction. Obviously this doesn't matter, since you can't just go ahead and change your MCAT score - it's just a question that I think is interesting from a psychological point of view. Actual info as well as speculation is appreciated.

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[humuhumu]

No real difference. Maybe a psychological difference. In the end the ECs, LORs, interviews, etc. will matter just as much and probably more.

 

[Centinel]

Haha, very funny.

Two differences between Shredder and me:
1) I'm done taking my MCATs, and am trying to resolve some theoretical disputes that I'm having with some of my pre-med friends in the Real World (tm).
2) I don't claim to be able to teach anyone about how to get a 40.

Also, my name is Drink Lord, not Dark Lord (speaking of perception )

 

[Centinel]

No harm done! Also, I didn't mean to ask if having 40+ will help getting an acceptance more than 30+.

I meant to ask if having 40+ will help getting an interview more than 35+. I tend to think that it will not, while I have friends who believe it will.

 

[DarkLordofSith]

Watch someone post a thread in a few days about how to get a 40 on the MCAT. Happens every semester.

Its a here we go again sort of phenomena. Last semester is was Shredder. This time it looks like it is going to be DarkLord.

I resent that


Hehe

 

[Centinel]

You mean, 'I represent that'!


... save yourselves from the bad puns while you can.

 

[Kazema]

No real difference. Maybe a psychological difference. In the end the ECs, LORs, interviews, etc. will matter just as much and probably more.

I agree, I don't really think there is much separating a 40 from a 38 or whatever; mostly test-day luck which you end up with.

But it is an attention grabber. I'd be stupid to think that it wasn't a key factor in getting interviews/acceptances for me. Without the ECs and LORs though that's all it would've been.

 

[LabMonster]

I think the difference between a 38 and 40 is like the difference between a Lamborghini Diablo and Saleen S7 - slight performance differences, but you'd be happy with either!

 

[Centinel]

Let's bring GPA into the picture, then. I would pretty much think that, functionally, 38 = 40 when it comes to getting interviews. But does 38 + 3.6GPA still = 40 + 3.6GPA?

If you don't like messing around with pointless numbers, please pass by this thread. There's nothing for you to see here!

 

[Shrike]

I think it's fascinating that everyone posting on here seems to be so sure of what effect a 40 will or will not have, yet none of those posters has any particularly useful knowledge to help assess the question (or at least none has identified such a source). And by the way, I don't either, so if you're hoping for an answer you can stop reading. I think it plausible that adcom members, who are human, after all, would be swayed by a 4 as the first number. I also think it plausible that they would think it doesn't matter. I think it implausible that a bunch of SDNers would all know the answer to what is really a very specialized question (though someone on here may).

I have a friend and coworker who used to be on a med school adcom, and used to post answers to questions on here. He tells me (I haven't seen it myself) that most people declined to believe what he wrote and accused him of being a troll, and he stopped posting.

Just food for thought.

 

[Centinel]

I think it's fascinating that everyone posting on here seems to be so sure of what effect a 40 will or will not have, yet none of those posters has any particularly useful knowledge to help assess the question (or at least none has identified such a source). And by the way, I don't either, so if you're hoping for an answer you can stop reading. I think it plausible that adcom members, who are human, after all, would be swayed by a 4 as the first number. I also think it plausible that they would think it doesn't matter. I think it implausible that a bunch of SDNers would all know the answer to what is really a very specialized question (though someone on here may).

I have a friend and coworker who used to be on a med school adcom, and used to post answers to questions on here. He tells me (I haven't seen it myself) that most people declined to believe what he wrote and accused him of being a troll, and he stopped posting.

Just food for thought.

Do you recall his SDN username? It could be really informative for many of us to just look through his old posts and find a few useful gems of knowledge.

 

[Shrike]

Do you recall his SDN username? It could be really informative for many of us to just look through his old posts and find a few useful gems of knowledge.

Unfortunately, he's never told me; I can't even confirm the story for certain. Still, he's the kind of guy who would be telling the truth.

It would have been years ago; I doubt the posts are even accessible, anyway. But if I get a chance, I'll try again to find out more.

 

[Arsenic]

Unfortunately, he's never told me; I can't even confirm the story for certain. Still, he's the kind of guy who would be telling the truth.

It would have been years ago; I doubt the posts are even accessible, anyway. But if I get a chance, I'll try again to find out more.

the SDN database stores all the posts, even those from 1999 when SDN was first launched. If you can get the username, the posts will still be on here.

 

[Medikit]

My take on it is that there isn't much of a difference between 12-15. I think scoring in that range just depends on the circumstances for the individual. So I think well rounded scores in the 30s aren't that much different from someone scoring a 40. But someone with an unbalanced score in the 30s may be a bit weaker (At taking the MCAT in a particular section whatever that means) than someone scoring in the 40s.

 

[lundysd]

I must say that I was absolutely ecstatic with my MCAT score -- it was several points higher than I expected. It was, however, just shy of the 40 mark, and although I'm very happy with my score, part of me wishes I got one or two more right to get past that psychological barrier of 40. Honestly, I don't think it will make any difference on acceptances like others have said.

 

[kalix]

Is there any significant advantage to having 40s (the scores, not the beverages) as opposed to 30s? Say, a 40 vs. a 39? I understand that they are, for all intents and purposes, equivalent. At the same time, seeing an MCAT score starting with a 4_ seems to give me a different gut reaction. Obviously this doesn't matter, since you can't just go ahead and change your MCAT score - it's just a question that I think is interesting from a psychological point of view. Actual info as well as speculation is appreciated.

Don't worry, like 2 people that sit for the MCAT get in the 40s

 

[Centinel]

Again, I'm not really talking about acceptances. As GujuDoc is wise to point out, acceptance definitely has much more to do with ECs, motivation, and personal factors than most of us tend to think.

However, is getting to the interview stage governed more by the numbers?

Also, to Kalix: About 350 people got 40+ in the combined August 2004 and April 2005 sitting.

 

[zhaf86]

what i say will be unsubstantiated, but i have a gut feeling about it (albeit unsupported).

i think 30s on the mcat coupled with a decent (3.4+) gpa should get any applicant some interviews at places. for applicants with gpa under 3.4 perhaps they'd get more interviews if they score in the 40s on the mcat.

of course for those with high gpas and a 40s mcat, power to them...

personally i feel scores of 30-34 are good, 35-39 are great, and anything beyond 40 is outstanding.

anyway i noted that the peeps on mdapplicants.com who got nice full-tuition scholarships seemed to score 38+ for the mcat. perhaps money for med school is the only place where stratospheric scores are needed?