Avg Matriculant MCAT Score: 31.1

[kangar00]

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If it's only a 31.1, why does everyone say you need a 32-33+ to get into medical school? You should be able to go to a decently ranked medical school by obtaining the average score of matriculants

 

[chiapet874]

If it's only a 31.1, why does everyone say you need a 32-33+ to get into medical school? You should be able to go to a decently ranked medical school by obtaining the average score of matriculants

That number is the total average of all people who have matriculated into medical school, regardless of the quality of the school. So it is possible that some students are pulling down that average.

If you want to get into a decent school, you will need to be better than average. You have to remember, these schools get TONS of "average". In addition, there are other factors involved such as GPA and extracurriculars.

 

[chiapet874]

I should also point out that posters on SDN are generally more competitive than the average- meaning most of us are shooting for the top.

 

[toastedcheese]

It's highly dependent on your personal situation as well. Remember, that 31 average includes all the HBCs and 'safety' state schools that might have only a few hundred applicants. If you're coming from NY or Cali or I'm sure many other states that average MCAT doesn't apply to you. I wish the AMCAS literature was clearer about that. It can be misleading at first.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

for a weekend trip, you would probably need a single change of clothes. i would still pack two just in case.

 

[boaz]

If it's only a 31.1, why does everyone say you need a 32-33+ to get into medical school? You should be able to go to a decently ranked medical school by obtaining the average score of matriculants

Not even that much is needed. 50% of all matriculants are BELOW average...

 

[dbeast]

Actually, I think 31.1 average might be artificially high too... For example, I'd think there's more matriculants with a score of 36 than a score of 26 which are both 5 points away from the average, no?

 

[IvyHopeful20]

Generally, I think a balanced 10/10/10 will get you past the MCAT hurdle at many - perhaps even the majority - of schools. Meaning, it won't be seen as a negative. Doing much better will be seen as a positive.

 

[BaronVonZ]

Actually, I think 31.1 average might be artificially high too... For example, I'd think there's more matriculants with a score of 36 than a score of 26 which are both 5 points away from the average, no?

No. Very no.

 

[keregg228]

Also some people have good grades bad MCAT or the opposite

Ex:
3.4 GPA MCAT 34
3.9 MCAT 27

 

[wanderer]

Toastedcheese explained it well. Even if 50% of matriculants have a 31 a lot more than 50% of applicants have a 31 or less. When there are so many applicants for so few spots you need to distinguish yourself in some way. Once you are a few points above that you no longer are competing with the same number of like applicants and the need to have other things going for you is greatly reduced.

 

[boaz]

Toastedcheese explained it well. Even if 50% of matriculants have a 31 a lot more than 50% of applicants have a 31 or less. When there are so many applicants for so few spots you need to distinguish yourself in some way. Once you are a few points above that you no longer are competing with the same number of like applicants and the need to have other things going for you is greatly reduced.

You're catching up to me in post number 😱 😡

 

[wanderer]

You're catching up to me in post number 😱 😡

I haven't been increasing my SDN activity. If anything it's been decreasing slightly since I am now posting in fewer school specific threads. It's all due to your disappearance from the pre-medical forums....

 

[vickpick]

i think the average is too low. You must understand that many URMs don't have that high a score. So URM MCAT scores pull the average down. They should 2 average, 1 URM and and 1 Non-URM. That would make more sense to me anyways..

 

[Frazier]

If it's only a 31.1, why does everyone say you need a 32-33+ to get into medical school? You should be able to go to a decently ranked medical school by obtaining the average score of matriculants

^^^Not even that much is needed. 50% of all matriculants are BELOW average...

Not necessarily.

29, 30, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 32, 33

mean = 31
only 2 out of 11 scores are "below the average".

...if it was the median they were reporting, then you would be correct tho.

 

[NickNaylor]

This is SDN: the average is failure.

 

[armybound]

Not necessarily.

29, 30, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 32, 33

mean = 31
only 2 out of 11 scores are "below the average".

...if it was the median they were reporting, then you would be correct tho.

I asked an adcom once at a top 20 school about their average and they said their scores cluster very heavily around their average, with only a few outliers really high or really low. so I agree with this, you're going to see a lot of people who basically are the average and a bunch very close to the average, but it's not like it's going to be half & half

 

[transfec]

If you are pre-med, why spend so much time thinking about the averages etc.? Why not just give it your all, do your best, and pass with flying colors? You're wasting so much time.

 

[Techmed07]

i think the average is too low. You must understand that many URMs don't have that high a score. So URM MCAT scores pull the average down. They should 2 average, 1 URM and and 1 Non-URM. That would make more sense to me anyways..

How much do you feel URMs bring this MCAT average down?

 

[Techmed07]

this is sdn: The average is failure.

qft

 

[MCAT guy]

This is SDN: the average is failure.

 

[MCAT guy]

How much do you feel URMs bring this MCAT average down?

Very good point. Without URMz(!) the average would probably be around 38-40.

i think the average is too low. You must understand that many URMs don't have that high a score. So URM MCAT scores pull the average down. They should 2 average, 1 URM and and 1 Non-URM. That would make more sense to me anyways..

No way, we should just segregate the schools. For surez.

 

[mmmcdowe]

This is SDN: the average is failure.

for a weekend trip, you would probably need a single change of clothes. i would still pack two just in case.

Two of my favorite posts from two of my favorite posters.

 

[MCAT guy]

My favorite med student that frequents the pre-allo board!

 

[blackarrowmoose]

SDN members tend to be more competitive than most applicants; the reason most of us are here is because we care enough to do extensive discussion/research on how to distinguish ourselves and come out on top. An average of 31.1 is an average; to have that number there has to be lower values and higher values.

 

[mijlee]

You also have to remember that half of medical school applicants every cycle get rejected; also, from 2008-2010, only 51% of applicants with between a 3.4 and a 3.6 GPA and between 30 and a 32 MCAT were accepted to medical school. To ensure that you have a decent shot at getting in, it would behoove you to get above the accepted average.

 

[Democritus]

ITT half the people posting don't know what "matriculate" means. The average MCAT of applicants =/= average MCAT of matriculants. If one's stats are around the national average for matriculants, the chance of getting in is very high if a large number of schools are applied to etc.

 

[libraryismyhome]

Isn't this counting URMs' scores too?? Because they don't need to study for MCAT and just score like 25 and still get in.

 

[transfec]

Isn't this counting URMs' scores too?? Because they don't need to study for MCAT and just score like 25 and still get in.

Yes.

 

[Ursa]

SDN members tend to be more competitive than most applicants; the reason most of us are here is because we care enough to do extensive discussion/research on how to distinguish ourselves and come out on top. An average of 31.1 is an average; to have that number there has to be lower values and higher values.

 

[Techmed07]

Isn't this counting URMs' scores too?? Because they don't need to study for MCAT and just score like 25 and still get in.

URMs do not have it that easy I really wish people would stop perpetuating the belief that URMs can get in with stupidly low stats. It is not true.

 

[BrainBuff]

Isn't this counting URMs' scores too?? Because they don't need to study for MCAT and just score like 25 and still get in.

And now, it begins.........

 

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