Does MCAT the writing sample matter?

[BooMed]

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Everyone says that it deosn't, but does anyone actually know that for sure or is it just word of mouth? Can you really be helped or hurt by your letter score? I'm just curious.

 

[dajimmers]

You may want to look for the answer in the MCAT forum, or even to post this question in the MCAT forum 🙂

Anyways, the usual answer is no, assuming:
a) It's not toooo bad (J, L, M)
b) Your Personal Statement, VR score, participation in English/Humanities courses, fluency in English, and interview communication skills suggest that the WS score is a fluke.

Its one of the least important aspects of your app, but just like one D or a mediocre LOR, it does have some importance. It would probably be most important if you are a non-native English speaker w/ a non-humanities major.

 

[SpeedRacer]

You may want to look for the answer in the MCAT forum, or even to post this question in the MCAT forum 🙂

Anyways, the usual answer is no, assuming:
a) It's not toooo bad (J, L, M)
b) Your Personal Statement, VR score, participation in English/Humanities courses, fluency in English, and interview communication skills suggest that the WS score is a fluke.

Its one of the least important aspects of your app, but just like one D or a mediocre LOR, it does have some importance. It would probably be most important if you are a non-native English speaker w/ a non-humanities major.

i got an M, and i have NOO idea what happened. kaplan was giving me S and Ts on my practice tests.

 

[dajimmers]

i got an M, and i have NOO idea what happened. kaplan was giving me S and Ts on my practice tests.

I'm not saying anything bad against your app (sorry if I upset you). I got an O, which upset me, but then again I didn't really prepare for it (oops). It may come up in interviews, but I doubt any schools will drop you pre-interview just because of it, unless your app is seriously verbal-lacking.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Phil Anthropist]

You may want to look for the answer in the MCAT forum, or even to post this question in the MCAT forum 🙂

Nooooooooooooooo! 😱

But I'll be happy to move it there! 😉

 

[BooMed]

Oops, I just joined and I saw the MCAT section two seconds later. Thanks for answering though 😳

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Oops, I just joined and I saw the MCAT section two seconds later. Thanks for answering though 😳

Welcome to SDN boo =)

 

[MochaMD]

I've heard that the writing sample is only important if you plan on doing MD/PhD programs. When I went to visit the dean of the school that I am applying EDP to back in January, he only asked me my PS, BS, and VR scores. He didn't even mention the writing sample.

 

[BooMed]

Here's the thing. It's not that my writing sample score was bad and I'm worried about it hurting me. Of all the things to ace on the MCAT I aced that and got a perfect score, which I think is mildly cool. And I have this slight amount of hope that my good ws score will make my not-so amazing physical science score seem not so important. You know, like "Look what good communication skills she must have! Who cares if she had no clue what electrons/cathodes/fluids were!"

I mean, what could be more important in the long run right? 😉

 

[Steiner]

I did pretty good on the MCAT and got an L on the writing. It was addressed buy one school, but everyone else tells me that's a rarity. I think I got a low score because I wrote about beer on one essay. Plus I wrote in all caps b/c my handwriting is doctoresque.

 

[EndSong]

Below an M-N might hurt a little, but the essay is generally the easiest section and very easy to get an R or above on with very little practice.