Average mcat score is 24

[sieg5]

What is the average amount of times a person takes the mcat after graduating before getting accepted or do a lot of people just give up at that point, which seems silly to me after having gone so far.

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[mr chievous]

What is the average amount of times a person takes the mcat after graduating before getting accepted or do a lot of people just give up at that point, which seems silly to me after having gone so far.

Some people quit after the basic pre-reqs such as Biology or Physics, some quit while studying for the MCAT, others quit after the MCAT, or after the application cycle (if they don't get accepted).

If you have decent stats other than your MCAT, keep trying. Maybe after 4-5 tries, you should consider a different career. The most I've heard someone take the exam is 5 times (she now goes to DO school).

 

[red doctober]

What is the average amount of times a person takes the mcat after graduating before getting accepted or do a lot of people just give up at that point, which seems silly to me after having gone so far.

I'd say the average for matriculating students is somewhere between 1 and 2 MCATs taken (finally a proper use of "MCATs".) The issue is that it's very difficult to significantly improve an MCAT score.

 

[gettheleadout]

If you have decent stats other than your MCAT, keep trying. Maybe after 4-5 tries, you should consider a different career. The most I've heard someone take the exam is 5 times (she now goes to DO school).

Yep, I tend to cite her as an example of perseverance. 🙂

I'd say the average for matriculating students is somewhere between 1 and 2 MCATs taken (finally a proper use of "MCATs".) The issue is that it's very difficult to significantly improve an MCAT score.

I would also agree that the average is probably between 1 and 2, given that less than one is impossible (not enough BS/MD programs, if any, waive the MCAT requirement to affect the average among matriculants) and only about 12,000 people who initially scored above 23 retook within the year between 2008 and 2010. Of those, a number in the 24-26 range went down anyway, so they probably dropped below the cutoffs for DO schools.

I doubt this data exists, OP, so you're probably not going to get an exact number. In any case, given those numbers and the fact that ~80k people take it every year, if you extrapolate the percentage of decently scoring and re-scoring retakers onto the percentage of total test takers that actually become matriculants, I'd wager most people that get into med school only take it once.

 

[Spinach Dip]

I think it comes down to 2 different personality types. First, you have the people who would score 24 and think "oh man, I can do better! Better register for the next test and buy a bunch of practice material!"

And then you have the others who get a 24 and say, "Nope. @#$% this. I'm going to law school."

...And don't forget that some people mistakenly think the MCAT is "easy" (these are generally the ones who take no practice tests, get a 12, and then can't figure out what went wrong). And there are others who schedule it at a time when they have 5 classes and a full-time job. And others who decide to take the test before finishing the prerequisites...



Just remember that the average for those who apply is 28, and the average for those who are accepted is 31.

 

[deleted480308]

Just remember that the average for those who apply is 28, and the average for those who are accepted is 31.

DO is even lower and the carribean lower than DO

 

[SilverCat]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

 

[gettheleadout]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

People get single digits on the test man.


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[Bluto385]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

Don't forget what country you are living in. Don't forget it for a second.

 

[sliceofbread136]

24 is a great score!

 

[DrBarbie08]

What is the average amount of times a person takes the mcat after graduating before getting accepted or do a lot of people just give up at that point, which seems silly to me after having gone so far.

I took the MCAT 4 times and applied 3 years in a row. I would say I am in a very small minority though, as most give up after 1 or 2 retakes. If it's worth it to you, keep trying.

 

[sinombre]

I'd say the average for matriculating students is somewhere between 1 and 2 MCATs taken (finally a proper use of "MCATs".) The issue is that it's very difficult to significantly improve an MCAT score.

👍

 

[sliceofbread136]

I took the MCAT 4 times and applied 3 years in a row. I would say I am in a very small minority though, as most give up after 1 or 2 retakes. If it's worth it to you, keep trying.

Grats

 

[plumazul]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

For 2012
Mean = 25.2
Std Deviation = 6.4

N = 89,452

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/320554/data/combined12.pdf.pdf

 

[cuculici1]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

Philosophical question... what would the average be if everyone knew about SN2ed's schedule?

 

[Charles Darwin]

Philosophical question... what would the average be if everyone knew about SN2ed's schedule?

The MCAT creators would notice the trend of increasing scores and put more challenging questions on to compensate; the average would remain ~25.

 

[gettheleadout]

Philosophical question... what would the average be if everyone knew about SN2ed's schedule?

Factors to consider: a lot of people who end up unsuccessful premeds aren't motivated enough to self-study for 3 months, a lot of people can't afford to spend 500 bucks on prep material on top of a $270 test, and a lot of people would simply rather take the prep courses all of their friends have taken.


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[PreMedOrDead]

And there are others who schedule it at a time when they have 5 classes and a full-time job.

I did this and it turned out just fine (> 95th percentile). This sweeping generalization is a pretty poor one as I know many others who have done the same.

The average is a 24-25 (50th percentile). Average applicant is ~28 (68th percentile). Average acceptance is ~31 (84th percentile).

Most people do not retake the exam. Some retake. Very few retake multiple times.

 

[Narmerguy]

It's surprising the average MCAT score is 24. Being in SDN world has made me believe the average lurks around 33-34.

It's much closer to 33-34 for accepted students than it is a 24. Most posters on SDN will probably be accepted to medical school, and the average for accepted students is in the low 30s.

 

[Geebeejay]

Philosophical question... what would the average be if everyone knew about SN2ed's schedule?

Well, the scores are curved (i.e. this is why150+ questions are scored on 3-45 scale), so it wouldn't change much.

 

[mmmcdowe]

Also worth noting is the fact that while the average may be a 24, this is not the average "first time" taking. Some people may have 2-3 scores mixed into that average so that by the time applications come around they are in the 30s even if they started in the 20s. Also many people who do poorly don't apply or weren't planning to (for example, those individuals who take it early in college "just to see how it is").

 

[pre med 2014]

What is SN2Eds schedule?

 

[PreMedOrDead]

those individuals who take it early in college "just to see how it is").

If people do this, they deserve ever bit of the score they receive.

 

[Narmerguy]

What is SN2Eds schedule?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898