Composite PCAT vs. Section Score

[wheelsonfire]

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Ok, so if you got a decent composite score (I'm thinking 75+), but one section is rather low(say under 50% QA ), how do the adcoms view this? I'm going to re-take it in Jan just for grins, even though it won't count for many of the schools I have applied to.
My chem score is high and you can't do chem without math, but is this a logical conclusion? Any insight would be helpful!
And NO, I won't post my exact scores, but the question about composite vs. section seems to pop up a lot without concrete answers. Does anyone know about this?? I know that above 50% for each section is preferred(if not required), but what if that one section(QA) got your goat?
If you don't want to post but know something, please PM me. If you do post it will help other folks for sure.

 

[jamboo54]

Ok, so if you got a decent composite score (I'm thinking 75+), but one section is rather low(say under 50% QA ), how do the adcoms view this? I'm going to re-take it in Jan just for grins, even though it won't count for many of the schools I have applied to.
My chem score is high and you can't do chem without math, but is this a logical conclusion? Any insight would be helpful!
And NO, I won't post my exact scores, but the question about composite vs. section seems to pop up a lot without concrete answers. Does anyone know about this?? I know that above 50% for each section is preferred(if not required), but what if that one section(QA) got your goat?
If you don't want to post but know something, please PM me. If you do post it will help other folks for sure.

Generally, schools like to see a somewhat equal distribution among the various sections. But a 60% in all sections (equal distribution) is not better than a 50% in a couple sections and a lets say 85% in the rest half (unequal distribution). There's a lot of grey area regarding scores so its hard to explain. Its very iffy and it also depends on other parts of your application. If you get 99% in all sections but a 15% in verbal and reading comp then the school may not accept you because you have poor control over the english language. But you never know ... every school is different and every member on adcom is different.

I don't think its a logical conclusion that you can't do chem without math. The chem on pcat is pretty much all theory and there are usually only a couple calculation problems (which don't require anything but very basic math skills). So a high score in the chem section does not make up for for a low score in the math section.

Also, it will probably be a little difficult to get accepted with a 75 composite unless other parts of your application can make up for it. It seems like you might be trying to indirecly find out whether or not your PCAT score is good enough. I understand that you have every right to not publish your score but if you want clear answers from the many intelligent and experienced people in this forum then you might want to consider giving us a little more data to work with.

 

[wheelsonfire]

Generally, schools like to see a somewhat equal distribution among the various sections. But a 60% in all sections (equal distribution) is not better than a 50% in a couple sections and a lets say 85% in the rest half (unequal distribution). There's a lot of grey area regarding scores so its hard to explain. Its very iffy and it also depends on other parts of your application. If you get 99% in all sections but a 15% in verbal and reading comp then the school may not accept you because you have poor control over the english language. But you never know ... every school is different and every member on adcom is different.

I don't think its a logical conclusion that you can't do chem without math. The chem on pcat is pretty much all theory and there are usually only a couple calculation problems (which don't require anything but very basic math skills). So a high score in the chem section does not make up for for a low score in the math section.

Also, it will probably be a little difficult to get accepted with a 75 composite unless other parts of your application can make up for it. It seems like you might be trying to indirecly find out whether or not your PCAT score is good enough. I understand that you have every right to not publish your score but if you want clear answers from the many intelligent and experienced people in this forum then you might want to consider giving us a little more data to work with.

Thanks very much. Your comments and suggestions are very much appreciated. I'll mull it over and come to a decision regarding my PCAT. I appreciate the wisdom of people on this site and I realize they are dedicated folks that want to help other students.

 

[gablet]

Ok, so if you got a decent composite score (I'm thinking 75+), but one section is rather low(say under 50% QA ), how do the adcoms view this? I'm going to re-take it in Jan just for grins, even though it won't count for many of the schools I have applied to.
My chem score is high and you can't do chem without math, but is this a logical conclusion? Any insight would be helpful!
And NO, I won't post my exact scores, but the question about composite vs. section seems to pop up a lot without concrete answers. Does anyone know about this?? I know that above 50% for each section is preferred(if not required), but what if that one section(QA) got your goat?
If you don't want to post but know something, please PM me. If you do post it will help other folks for sure.

I contacted the schools to which I was applying. For instance, MWU-CPG said that they mainly look at composite and chemistry. So, they did not care that my Biology was lower than the others (low 70 something). However, U of Maryland told me that I would not get an interview without getting at least in the 80s for the biology section. (Luckily, I was moving back to AZ anyways and never had to apply to U of M.)