515 MCAT with 127 CARS. Should I be worried about the CARS? How do Adcoms view CARS?

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Doc2019

Doc2019

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Got my MCAT back a while back and I just needed to make this post to try to confront my CARS score.

I scored a 515 with 127 CARS, 130 Chem/Phys, 129 Bio Biochem, and 129 Psych/Soc. I live in NYC and am east asian. I'm happy with everything except CARS. I was scoring 130s in my practice exams and felt really good during the exam so I don't know what happened.

Anyways I will prob have a ~3.75-3.78 cGPA and a ~3.70-3.73 sGPA when I graduate with a ton of solid ECs.

Will this CARS Score hurt me when it comes down to applying to medical schools? I checked the Jack Westin website and they said that a 515 with a 127 CARS score won't hold me back but I guess I'm disappointed I went from a 130 on practice exams to a 127. I focused so much on CARS during studying sigh.

Also how do Adcoms see CARS btw? I feel it's such a "wildcard" section where you can practice and get certain scores during practice but can never really predict your score at the end. I'm luckily in America so I know adcoms aren't as insane about the score as Canadian schools are.

@LizzyM
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Doc2019 said:
Got my MCAT back a while back and I just needed to make this post to try to confront my CARS score.

I scored a 515 with 127 CARS, 130 Chem/Phys, 129 Bio Biochem, and 129 Psych/Soc. I live in NYC and am east asian. I'm happy with everything except CARS. I was scoring 130s in my practice exams and felt really good during the exam so I don't know what happened.

Anyways I will prob have a ~3.75-3.78 cGPA and a ~3.70-3.73 sGPA when I graduate with a ton of solid ECs.

Will this CARS Score hurt me when it comes down to applying to medical schools? I checked the Jack Westin website and they said that a 515 with a 127 CARS score won't hold me back but I guess I'm disappointed I went from a 130 on practice exams to a 127. I focused so much on CARS during studying sigh.

Also how do Adcoms see CARS btw? I feel it's such a "wildcard" section where you can practice and get certain scores during practice but can never really predict your score at the end. I'm luckily in America so I know adcoms aren't as insane about the score as Canadian schools are.

@LizzyM
Click to expand...
You are fine. You are the lower end for the Ivys with your gpa, but should be fine for just about anywhere else. Good luck and best wishes!
 
Doc2019 said:
Got my MCAT back a while back and I just needed to make this post to try to confront my CARS score.

I scored a 515 with 127 CARS, 130 Chem/Phys, 129 Bio Biochem, and 129 Psych/Soc. I live in NYC and am east asian. I'm happy with everything except CARS. I was scoring 130s in my practice exams and felt really good during the exam so I don't know what happened.

Anyways I will prob have a ~3.75-3.78 cGPA and a ~3.70-3.73 sGPA when I graduate with a ton of solid ECs.

Will this CARS Score hurt me when it comes down to applying to medical schools? I checked the Jack Westin website and they said that a 515 with a 127 CARS score won't hold me back but I guess I'm disappointed I went from a 130 on practice exams to a 127. I focused so much on CARS during studying sigh.

Also how do Adcoms see CARS btw? I feel it's such a "wildcard" section where you can practice and get certain scores during practice but can never really predict your score at the end. I'm luckily in America so I know adcoms aren't as insane about the score as Canadian schools are.

@LizzyM
Click to expand...
If anything, CARS gets cut the most slack.
I recommend the following:
USCF
UCSD
Mt Sinai (maybe)
U MI
Case
Mayo
U VM
U IA
U Toledo
USF Morsani
OH State
UCF
U Cincy
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
USC/Keck
Dartmouth
Seton Hall
MCW
Loyola
Emory
BU
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Tufts
Oakland-B
Western MI
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Nova MD
CUSM IF you're from CA
Your state school(s).
 
Doc2019 said:
Got my MCAT back a while back and I just needed to make this post to try to confront my CARS score.

I scored a 515 with 127 CARS, 130 Chem/Phys, 129 Bio Biochem, and 129 Psych/Soc. I live in NYC and am east asian. I'm happy with everything except CARS. I was scoring 130s in my practice exams and felt really good during the exam so I don't know what happened.

Anyways I will prob have a ~3.75-3.78 cGPA and a ~3.70-3.73 sGPA when I graduate with a ton of solid ECs.

Will this CARS Score hurt me when it comes down to applying to medical schools? I checked the Jack Westin website and they said that a 515 with a 127 CARS score won't hold me back but I guess I'm disappointed I went from a 130 on practice exams to a 127. I focused so much on CARS during studying sigh.

Also how do Adcoms see CARS btw? I feel it's such a "wildcard" section where you can practice and get certain scores during practice but can never really predict your score at the end. I'm luckily in America so I know adcoms aren't as insane about the score as Canadian schools are.

@LizzyM
Click to expand...

My CARS score has never even been brought up in my interviews. Same score but more drastic (130/125/130/130). Medical schools are much more lenient with CARS compared to the BB section (check MSAR for proof). The interviewers asked me about how I studied and what my weaknesses were. I made sure to stress that it wasn't knowing the material, but mainly reading speed. Make sure you have some good talking points revolving around your MCAT and you will do great.
 
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celticspride said:
@LizzyM on a somewhat related note, I got my score back today and got a 514, with a 125 CARS. Would this change your recommendation to someone like me? MD applicant
Click to expand...

514 is above the 65th percentile, isn't it? 125 is 50th percentile IIRC. This should be "good enough" for all but the schools that put a big focus on MCAT scores. It is certainly "good enough" to predict success in medical school.
 
celticspride said:
Thank you. A little relieving for sure.

Also, a hypothetical question. How do adcoms normally view retakes? Let's say I decided to retake this exam, and on the retake I scored a 517, with a CARS up to 127 and maybe another point sprinkled in there for one of the other sections. Is a score increase like that even that much more valuable at that point? I understand the risks with retaking the exam could also mean getting the same score or even a decrease in score (which would surely hurt rather than help my application), but I'm curious how much better it looks if an applicant improved by a few points only.
Click to expand...

Some adcom members are extremely troubled by retakes like the one you describe because they are coming at it from recollections of students who were perfectionists who were unsatisfied with satisfactory, but less than perfect, results. Those students often have a hard time in medical school because perfection is just not humanly possible.

On the other hand, when those folks ask, "why did this guy retake a 517??" I have been known to say, "because they wanted to interview here?" Risk of doing poorly or not having me there to justify your behavior outweighs the benefit of a bump of a few points.
 
celticspride said:
Thank you. A little relieving for sure.

Also, a hypothetical question. How do adcoms normally view retakes? Let's say I decided to retake this exam, and on the retake I scored a 517, with a CARS up to 127 and maybe another point sprinkled in there for one of the other sections. Is a score increase like that even that much more valuable at that point? I understand the risks with retaking the exam could also mean getting the same score or even a decrease in score (which would surely hurt rather than help my application), but I'm curious how much better it looks if an applicant improved by a few points only.
Click to expand...
Gyngyn's school would reject someone who retook a great score like a 517.
 
I have the same question but with an overall poorer score. I got 512 with 126 CARS, 128 chem/phys, 130 bio/biochem, 128 psych/soc. I graduated from Tufts undergrad with a 3.93 and I'm currently working as a clinical research coordinator at Cornell. I have no publications. I really thought I would have gotten at least 515 (got 518 on my last practice test). I know my score isn't horrible and my CARS isn't that much lower than the others but I know I could have done better (I didn't have time to read one of the CARS passages at all). I couldn't sleep the night before and I guess I was really tired. I know I'll probably get into "some" medical school but I really wanted one in the top 20. Do you think I have a chance or should I retake? I'll be retaking over a year after initial test date btw, and I doubt my score will increase more than 2-3 points to be honest.
 
mmm268 said:
I have the same question but with an overall poorer score. I got 512 with 126 CARS, 128 chem/phys, 130 bio/biochem, 128 psych/soc. I graduated from Tufts undergrad with a 3.93 and I'm currently working as a clinical research coordinator at Cornell. I have no publications. I really thought I would have gotten at least 515 (got 518 on my last practice test). I know my score isn't horrible and my CARS isn't that much lower than the others but I know I could have done better (I didn't have time to read one of the CARS passages at all). I couldn't sleep the night before and I guess I was really tired. I know I'll probably get into "some" medical school but I really wanted one in the top 20. Do you think I have a chance or should I retake? I'll be retaking over a year after initial test date btw, and I doubt my score will increase more than 2-3 points to be honest.
Click to expand...
With a 512, you're unlikely to get into the Really Top Schools. I can't recommend a retake because your score is fine and a 126 CARS is also fine.

Every premed in the world thinks that they're going to get a 518 on the MCAT.
 
its fine unless you are a canadian applying to canadian schools.
 
mmm268 said:
I have the same question but with an overall poorer score. I got 512 with 126 CARS, 128 chem/phys, 130 bio/biochem, 128 psych/soc. I graduated from Tufts undergrad with a 3.93 and I'm currently working as a clinical research coordinator at Cornell. I have no publications. I really thought I would have gotten at least 515 (got 518 on my last practice test). I know my score isn't horrible and my CARS isn't that much lower than the others but I know I could have done better (I didn't have time to read one of the CARS passages at all). I couldn't sleep the night before and I guess I was really tired. I know I'll probably get into "some" medical school but I really wanted one in the top 20. Do you think I have a chance or should I retake? I'll be retaking over a year after initial test date btw, and I doubt my score will increase more than 2-3 points to be honest.
Click to expand...
Doesn’t tufts hook it up for their undergrads who are trying to get into their med school?
 
Goro said:
With a 512, you're unlikely to get into the Really Top Schools. I can't recommend a retake because your score is fine and a 126 CARS is also fine.

Every premed in the world thinks that they're going to get a 518 on the MCAT.
Click to expand...

How do you recommend we study for the MCAT in order to achieve a good score like that 515? I don't want to be too optimistic. Also, is achieving a high score reliant on studying or at a certain point it comes down to how smart you really are when you get into the 518 area?
 
pillowfighty said:
How do you recommend we study for the MCAT in order to achieve a good score like that 515? I don't want to be too optimistic. Also, is achieving a high score reliant on studying or at a certain point it comes down to how smart you really are when you get into the 518 area?
Click to expand...
Suggest asking that in the MCAT forums!
 
pillowfighty said:
How do you recommend we study for the MCAT in order to achieve a good score like that 515? I don't want to be too optimistic. Also, is achieving a high score reliant on studying or at a certain point it comes down to how smart you really are when you get into the 518 area?
Click to expand...
do simulated practice tests and study every question wrong X10. Also go read high scoring thread in the mcat subform.
 
My Cars was 124 (over all 516), got into many good med schools (4 top 25s and my state school) my guy. No worries.
 
Goro said:
If anything, CARS gets cut the most slack.
I recommend the following:
USCF
UCSD
Mt Sinai (maybe)
U MI
Case
Mayo
U VM
U IA
U Toledo
USF Morsani
OH State
UCF
U Cincy
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
NYMC
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
Tulane
USC/Keck
Dartmouth
Seton Hall
MCW
Loyola
Emory
BU
Duke
Pitt
Hofstra
Tufts
Oakland-B
Western MI
Uniformed Services University/Hebert (just be aware of the military service commitment)
Nova MD
CUSM IF you're from CA
Your state school(s).
Click to expand...

Not a bad list. However might I suggest something practical based on OP’s MCAT:

-Ross
-SGU
-St. James
-Saba


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
MyGrainAura said:
Not a bad list. However might I suggest something practical based on OP’s MCAT:

-Ross
-SGU
-St. James
-Saba


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
Click to expand...

This is quality pre-med comedy.

Also, OP I had a 126 in CARS (my most consistent section on practice tests and TANKED on the real exam)
 
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