Confused about MSAR Data

[MCATISEZ]

Hello fellow pre-meds,
I attached a picture from MSAR for reference.

I am rather confused reading some of the data on the MSAR while making my school list. The 50th percentile MCAT for this school in 2016 was 502 (applicant). At the same time, for the 2015 entering class the median MCAT is listed at 33. I realize it is not the same application cycle, but this does not make sense to me.... almost as if I am reading it incorrectly.

502 is a hair below a 27 on the old MCAT (going by new vs. old percentiles). The median and 50th percentile are the same thing.

Someone please tell me I am reading this incorrectly, and that the data isn't quite as confusing as I think.

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[Bloohaze]

So the first graphic is for applicants, and the second is for accepted students. It seems reasonable to expect that accepted students would have higher stats.

 

[aalamruad]

1) Don't publicly post copyrighted data/figures

2) Accepted applicants have a higher average MCAT than overall applicants (accepted & rejected)

 

[AnotherLawyer]

So the first graphic is for applicants, and the second is for accepted students. It seems reasonable to expect that accepted students would have higher stats.

The OP isn't a model of clarity, but according to the graph the applicant median is 33 in 2015 and 503 in 2016. That's a significant difference and I believe it's what the OP was noting.

To the OP, I wouldn't read too much into that. If you look at more schools, you'll see similar trends. This is possibly explained by the novelty of the new exam and people not really knowing how to interpret scores. We'll have more meaningful data in a few weeks when the MSAR is updated. You can then compare your MCAT score to accepted student numbers using the same scale.

 

[MCATISEZ]

So the first graphic is for applicants, and the second is for accepted students. It seems reasonable to expect that accepted students would have higher stats.

Absolutely, that does make sense. But the second graphic has "applicant median" in the legend. It also has matriculant median. So the grey part of the legend in the second graphic refers to the median scores for applicants that were accepted but did not matriculate?

 

[gyngyn]

Ignore the applicant graph.

 

[MCATISEZ]

For what it is worth, I have a feeling that the "applicant median" in the second graphic refers to applicants that were accepted but did not matriculate. Looking at many schools, it does not make sense that the average applicant at many schools have higher medians than the matriculant. On the contrary, it makes a lot of sense that those with higher stats would end up not matriculating at a certain school (their safety schools) - making it so that the accepted median is higher than the matriculant median.

The second graphic explicitly says the data is for accepted applicants. I will try to call AMCAS and confirm.

Gyngyn, you are right. Accepted/matriculant data is much more valuable than applicant data.

 

[efle]

I have a feeling that the "applicant median" in the second graphic refers to applicants that were accepted but did not matriculate.

no it's just accepted apps. its a higher value in most cases because the high end of their bell is more likely to matriculate elsewhere than the low end

Looking at many schools, it does not make sense that the average applicant at many schools have higher medians than the matriculant.

what do you mean? its pretty universally the case that accepted applicants > matriculants >> applicants