Highest score a dumb person can achieve?

[Fat_Albert]

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Long time Lerker, but wanted some advice on the mcat. So I don't consider myself to be very bright, average at best, I might be being too modest, idk, but I have a 3.8x cgpa in biomedical science at a state university & graduating this semester with plans on taking the mcat next yr b4 the cycle opens. From people that have done well on the mcat, based on your honest opinion what's the highest score an average joe can get? I'm not amazing at standardized testing either, I think I got like a 25 or 26 on my act. I'm shooting for a 513, is that realistic? Thanks in advance

 

[Zenabi90]

Hard work beats talent every time.

513 is doable for nearly anyone, given the right strategies and proper content review.

 

[Dylanation]

Shoot for anything above 510 and you will be good.

In other words, do the best you can on the MCAT to get the best score you can possibly get. 513 is pretty average so it's a realistic score to achieve however, if you can get a higher score, why wouldn't you? An average joe will get an average joe score. If you want to get an above average score than you need to study more and harder than the average joe. If you want an extremely high score, like say a 520, than you need to study more and harder than an average joe and an above average joe. Do you see what I'm getting at? There are too many average joes in the world, which isn't a problem but strive to be more than that. If you ask me, strive to score 520, and if you so happen to get a 513, oh well. At least you did your best.

Good luck to you.

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[Coltuna]

The highest score that the average joe with average intelligence can score? 500 is the 50th percentile. There's no way in hell my friends with average intelligence could score a 513. It is nowhere near the average and isn't doable for nearly everyone. If you have a 3.8 in a science major, you're not an average joe. 513 is a great goal for you.

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

Hi @Fat_Albert ,

Congratulations on the 3.8+ cGPA in a science major! That's a huge accomplishment -- if you look at the breakdowns the AAMC publishes of GPA + MCAT scores vs. admission/matriculation rates, you'll see that 3.8-4.0 is the highest GPA category, so that's no joke.

A really important point to remember is that MCAT success is not random. The MCAT is not an intelligence test (although it does involve critical thinking), and it's not a pure science knowledge test either (although you do have to know your science fundamentals cold). It's kind of its own thing, but the fact that it's standardized means that you can prepare for it systematically. What I would suggest doing right now would be to familiarize yourself with the test. The AAMC's Official Guide is an excellent place to start. Among other information, they publicize what content areas are on the test, how the content is distributed, and how it's tested in terms of question type (w/ sample passages). Once you've gotten a good sense of how the MCAT is structured and what it expects from you, you're ready to go about looking for prep schedules & materials.

There are two main suggestions I'd make: (1) educate yourself about the test and prepare actively & systematically (that is, don't let the MCAT just be something that happens to you -- instead, take the initiative to develop & execute a plan), and (2) once you start reviewing, make it a core part of your routine to review practice materials in a forward-focused, proactive, intense way. In my experience, these two items are the single biggest predictors of success.

Best of luck, and stay confident!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Have to concur with NST1 here. Very well stated.

The reality is that the MCAT is a unique test and getting a 513 comes from many skills as well as a little luck in terms of the passages you get. If you are a "513-student" entering the test center, there is a luck factor that could push you up or down about three points. To be a 513-student walking in the door, you have to be a skilled test taker with a good working knowledge of fundamental science principles. You have to be mentally ready, able to negotiate a little anxiety on test day, have confidence in your abilities, and be ready for 90% of their questions. This comes from hard work; the same kind of work needed to get a 3.8 GPA.

As NST1 said, start by looking at AAMC materials and get an assessment of exactly what the test is and how it asks questions. It is different than college classes, so part of your preparation is getting used to their style. Once you do that, you should be fine.

 

[Altius Premier Tutor]

Average joe? I know a lot of students who thought of themselves as an average joe, or were told by others they were "average" and for the first time in their life realized that anything was within their reach because they destroyed the MCAT. I think of the MCAT as only a hill to climb. Some brighter students start higher up the hill and have less work to do to get to the top. Others start much further down and have a TON more work to reach the summit. But, if you're willing to put in the work, use effective tools, and allow yourself the necessary time (which may be much longer for one student compared to another) any student of "so-called" average intelligence can earn a top-tier score (520+).

 

[Fat_Albert]

Wow, thanks everyone! I didn't really expect this to get as many replies as it did. I guess what led me to even making this thread is because I don't believe I'm anything special in regards to possessing some crazy innate intelligence or amazing test taking skills compared to some of my peers. I pick up and learn things in a very...average manner. The only thing that's keeping me in the running for med school are my study habits and work ethic; but now I believe that might just be enough to get a score I'll be happy with after reading your guy's insights.

 

[thinkchangeflow]

Wow, thanks everyone! I didn't really expect this to get as many replies as it did. I guess what led me to even making this thread is because I don't believe I'm anything special in regards to possessing some crazy innate intelligence or amazing test taking skills compared to some of my peers. I pick up and learn things in a very...average manner. The only thing that's keeping me in the running for med school are my study habits and work ethic; but now I believe that might just be enough to get a score I'll be happy with after reading your guy's insights.

If you have good work ethic (derived from truly knowing why you are motivated to pursue this path), you will be able to increase your score to >50%tile or higher to put you in the running for admittance that is not being held back solely from your mcat score.....regardless of your perceived innate intelligence level.

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[DJ Khaled's Pet Tiger]

Shoot for anything above 510 and you will be good.

In other words, do the best you can on the MCAT to get the best score you can possibly get. 513 is pretty average so it's a realistic score to achieve however, if you can get a higher score, why wouldn't you? An average joe will get an average joe score. If you want to get an above average score than you need to study more and harder than the average joe. If you want an extremely high score, like say a 520, than you need to study more and harder than an average joe and an above average joe. Do you see what I'm getting at? There are too many average joes in the world, which isn't a problem but strive to be more than that. If you ask me, strive to score 520, and if you so happen to get a 513, oh well. At least you did your best.

Good luck to you.

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A 513 is not even close to an average score and would make you competitive at almost every medical school in the country. Lol.

Follow up edit: I understand you probably mean to inspire when you say something like this, but it's this kind of attitude that I think has led to physician depression and burnout. It is perfectly fine to be in the 90th percentile on the MCAT and then go to a school outside the top 20. You might even scrape a couple top 20s with a 90th percentile, given that the rest of your application is substantive. Let's remember that the MCAT is a barrier to entry for medical SCHOOL only and is NOT, by any means, a quality indication of how good you will be as a physician. And finally, disclaimer: I scored above a 513.

 

[Dylanation]

A 513 is not even close to an average score and would make you competitive at almost every medical school in the country. Lol.

Follow up edit: I understand you probably mean to inspire when you say something like this, but it's this kind of attitude that I think has led to physician depression and burnout. It is perfectly fine to be in the 90th percentile on the MCAT and then go to a school outside the top 20. You might even scrape a couple top 20s with a 90th percentile, given that the rest of your application is substantive. Let's remember that the MCAT is a barrier to entry for medical SCHOOL only and is NOT, by any means, a quality indication of how good you will be as a physician. And finally, disclaimer: I scored above a 513.

You are correct. I misunderstood the OP by referencing the mactriculant average score instead of overall. Oopsies.

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[DJ Khaled's Pet Tiger]

You are correct. I misunderstood the OP by referencing the mactriculant average score instead of overall. Oopsies.

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509 is average accepted. I assume matriculant is lower than that. Per MSAR.