ACT score and MCAT score correlation?

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22 ACT; 34 Mcat

No Correlation
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I've heard that ACT scores generally correlate with the MCAT within +/- 2 points. However, there is a discrepancy with a different scaling system, so who knows?
 
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I don't know if it's predictive, but for me at least, my ACT and MCAT were basically the same percentile.
 
SAT - 1820 (out of 2400) , MCAT - 35

If I took the SAT as seriously as the MCAT I probably would have done a little better.
 
As much correlation as between your SAT score and how long it took you to tie your shoelaces in kindergarten.
 
25 ACT (I think) and a 33 MCAT. I don't think there is a correlation.

I knew a guy who scored a 2200 on the SAT and couldn't break a 28 on the MCAT. I have no idea what the means.
 
2370 SAT, 41 MCAT

I always thought there was correlation by the "a test is a test is a test" philosophy, but who knows, maybe there isn't.
 
This gives me hope! I hope I do well! 2170 SAT and 33 ACT. Let's see! =)

And to all those saying that there isn't any correlation, you're wrong. There is SOME correlation, although how big is debateable.
 
Aerus said:
This gives me hope! I hope I do well! 2170 SAT and 33 ACT. Let's see! =)

And to all those saying that there isn't any correlation, you're wrong. There is SOME correlation, although how big is debateable.
Click to expand...


No way.

Its a test that measures preparedness, not intuitive knowledge. Many people (like myself) were more concerned in highschool about girls/sports and literally just showed up to the test (got a 26). The only factor I could see carrying over between tests is study habits and discipline.


If you study [correctly], you get the score.
 
I got the same score on both the ACT and MCAT. May be a coincidence, but who really knows?
 
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HSer here, I think there would be more correlation if you said how many books you used to prepare for both tests. I used 3 for the ACT (which I took a over a week ago) and waiting to get my scores back, used 3 for the SAT -- also waiting for scores.
 
Aerus said:
This gives me hope! I hope I do well! 2170 SAT and 33 ACT. Let's see! =)

And to all those saying that there isn't any correlation, you're wrong. There is SOME correlation, although how big is debateable.
Click to expand...

Maybe you can think of this way: if you scored very high on the SAT/ACT you have the potential to do well on the MCAT, but in no way does it mean you can study less than others and expect a strong score. But if you put in the necessary effort, you'll probably do relatively well on it. Thoughts?

EDIT: I'm not suggesting that scoring low on the SAT/ACT means you don't have that potential. Just that if you scored high, you do.
 
Holy FranZ said:
No way.

Its a test that measures preparedness, not intuitive knowledge. Many people (like myself) were more concerned in highschool about girls/sports and literally just showed up to the test (got a 26). The only factor I could see carrying over between tests is study habits and discipline.


If you study [correctly], you get the score.
Click to expand...

No correlation at all? So a person with a 5 on the ACT is JUST as likely to get a 40 on the MCAT as a person who got a 36 ACT? A person who scored a 1350/2400 on the SAT is JUST as likely to get a 36R on the MCAT as a person with a 2370 and a 35 ACT?

By saying there is no correlation is also saying it is possible that there are equal amounts of 10 ACTers who score a 35+ as there are 30+ ACTers.

As I said, those who say that there is no correlation are wrong. There IS a correlation. But how much is up for debate. While the ACT does require some material to be covered, it IS a standardized test and thus, will test on test taking skills as well as some critical thinking in order to answer the questions.

TL;DR: Correlation =/= Causation

TheKDizzle said:
Maybe you can think of this way: if you scored very high on the SAT/ACT you have the potential to do well on the MCAT, but in no way does it mean you can study less than others and expect a strong score. But if you put in the necessary effort, you'll probably do relatively well on it. Thoughts?

EDIT: I'm not suggesting that scoring low on the SAT/ACT means you don't have that potential. Just that if you scored high, you do.
Click to expand...

I agree that potential is a nice way to think about it. Those who succeeded in high school tend to also succeed in college. But, as many know, former high school star/valedictorians fall once in awhile while former slackers/underachievers suddenly explode into the scene.

MaxillofacialMN said:
People studied for the ACT?!
Click to expand...

Some do and some don't. I had a friend who did while I didn't.

I took it for fun just to see. I literally walked into the building to take the ACT not knowing what the test even covered. 10 minutes before they let us enter the classroom, I asked my friend "Is there an essay on this? How many sections are there?" and was shocked and pleasantly surprised to hear that there was going to be a science section! :D

Needless to say that I was disappointed after taking it to discover there wasn't much science involved in the so called "science section"; just reading and thinking. :/
 
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If I recall, I think I got a 28 on the ACT, but a 34 on the MCAT. Partly I didn't care nearly as much back in highschool.
No correlation...but n=1 lol.
 
I walked into both the SAT and ACT with less than 5 hrs of prep and scored a 2050 and a 32 respectively. Those tests don't measure your "knowledge that" but instead your "knowledge how" ( how to do math operations, read critically, write a paper) the MCAT measures your "knowledge that" (scientific facts and equations). If I had walked into the MCAT with the same amount of prep I would have scored less than a 20. However I'm not ignorant and put in months of prep work to get the 34 R. I wholeheartedly believe that the only thing all 3 tests have in common is the fact that they are standardized.
 
Aerus said:
No correlation at all? So a person with a 5 on the ACT is JUST as likely to get a 40 on the MCAT as a person who got a 36 ACT? A person who scored a 1350/2400 on the SAT is JUST as likely to get a 36R on the MCAT as a person with a 2370 and a 35 ACT?

By saying there is no correlation is also saying it is possible that there are equal amounts of 10 ACTers who score a 35+ as there are 30+ ACTers.

As I said, those who say that there is no correlation are wrong. There IS a correlation. But how much is up for debate. While the ACT does require some material to be covered, it IS a standardized test and thus, will test on test taking skills as well as some critical thinking in order to answer the questions.

TL;DR: Correlation =/= Causation



I agree that potential is a nice way to think about it. Those who succeeded in high school tend to also succeed in college. But, as many know, former high school star/valedictorians fall once in awhile while former slackers/underachievers suddenly explode into the scene.



Some do and some don't. I had a friend who did while I didn't.

I took it for fun just to see. I literally walked into the building to take the ACT not knowing what the test even covered. 10 minutes before they let us enter the classroom, I asked my friend "Is there an essay on this? How many sections are there?" and was shocked and pleasantly surprised to hear that there was going to be a science section! :D

Needless to say that I was disappointed after taking it to discover there wasn't much science involved in the so called "science section"; just reading and thinking. :/
Click to expand...


I'd argue that the people who get the 10s on the ACT 1) are not in college 2) if they are in college they are not premed 3) If pre-med do not have to drive the make it to junior year as a pre-med.


Are you a college freshman? I feel that your viewpoints (like many of ours) will dramatically change by the time you're a senior and you meet the other students who are real pre-meds (the people who survived the weeding for 4 years). You'll find that its a total crap-shoot on who survived and who didn't. People from highschool who you may have thought were intellectually superior to you have dropped out (of pre-med) and people you never would have guessed prevailed. You'll see that high school grades/ACT have minimal impact on college achievement.

I didn't really care too much is highschool (graduated bottom half - but went to a private college prep), did ok on the ACT. Got my priorities straight and cared in college, and now I'm MS0 (US MD). There are plenty of other pre-meds like me who played sports in highschool and academics/standardized tests were on the backburner.

But I guess that comes with the "culture of privilege" and knowing that no matter what I'll still go to a solid university, and that money isn't an issue. I think if I was on my own I would have been a tad bit different and maybe cared a bit earlier. You'll find MANY pre-meds who share a similar story to me.

ACT score is one VERY SMALL part of an individual and still ultimately goes back to how much you care and what exactly your aspirations are (whether get into ivy/get $ etc.).


This reminds me of a great "news" story:

http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-are-tests-biased-against-students-who,17966/


TL;DR: from my experiences, it is naive to think that high school performance plays a major role in deciding who makes it and who does not. You have to keep in mind everyone is an "individual," which often gets lost when viewing the big picture. The people who "made it" were not exactly the people who I would have bet on freshman/soph year.
 
Yess
 
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I got a 32 on my ACT and a 32 on my MCAT.

hopefully I don't get a 32 on my Step 1
 
I got a 32 on the ACT, haven't taken the MCAT yet...

Hopefully there's at least a slight one. I'd take a 32.
 
Holy FranZ said:
I'd argue that the people who get the 10s on the ACT 1) are not in college 2) if they are in college they are not premed 3) If pre-med do not have to drive the make it to junior year as a pre-med.


Are you a college freshman? I feel that your viewpoints (like many of ours) will dramatically change by the time you're a senior and you meet the other students who are real pre-meds (the people who survived the weeding for 4 years). You'll find that its a total crap-shoot on who survived and who didn't. People from highschool who you may have thought were intellectually superior to you have dropped out (of pre-med) and people you never would have guessed prevailed. You'll see that high school grades/ACT have minimal impact on college achievement.

I didn't really care too much is highschool (graduated bottom half - but went to a private college prep), did ok on the ACT. Got my priorities straight and cared in college, and now I'm MS0 (US MD). There are plenty of other pre-meds like me who played sports in highschool and academics/standardized tests were on the backburner.

But I guess that comes with the "culture of privilege" and knowing that no matter what I'll still go to a solid university, and that money isn't an issue. I think if I was on my own I would have been a tad bit different and maybe cared a bit earlier. You'll find MANY pre-meds who share a similar story to me.

ACT score is one VERY SMALL part of an individual and still ultimately goes back to how much you care and what exactly your aspirations are (whether get into ivy/get $ etc.).


This reminds me of a great "news" story:

http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-are-tests-biased-against-students-who,17966/


TL;DR: from my experiences, it is naive to think that high school performance plays a major role in deciding who makes it and who does not. You have to keep in mind everyone is an "individual," which often gets lost when viewing the big picture. The people who "made it" were not exactly the people who I would have bet on freshman/soph year.
Click to expand...

The bolded part basically says that you agree with me. The rest of your post is sort of irrelevant, since that wasn't the issue I was referring to and that, if you didn't read my post before, I already shared the opinion you spend paragraphs stating in one sentence.

Aerus said:
But, as many know, former high school star/valedictorians fall once in awhile while former slackers/underachievers suddenly explode into the scene.
Click to expand...

I am going to repeat everything again: Those who say that there isn't a correlation between ACT and MCAT are WRONG. There IS a correlation, but how big of a correlation is debatable.

For all future posters who disagree with the above: reread the sentence again. If you still disagree, keep rereading it. How do you know when you're done? When you finally see that it's a fact and not an opinion or speculation.
 
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