How do ADCOMS look at MCAT scores? How important are subsection scores?

[Hello678]

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I hadn't thought about this before, but I saw another SDNer post about it and now I am slightly worried about it. My overall MCAT score is a 34, but my BS score is a 10. I just bought the MSAR and I am noticing that for most schools on my list, the BS score is in the 10th percentile or less, but my overall MCAT score is very competitive. Is this just because it is unusual to have an overall good MCAT score and score a 10 on BS, or do adcoms look at these subsection scores when selecting who gets interviewed/accepted?

 

[1289]

usually a 10 in each section is considered "competitive". I wouldn't worry about it. I doubt it will be the difference between acceptance/not . and you're right a 34 is very competitive.

 

[NickNaylor]

You're way overanalyzing it. Unless you're going to retake it (which would be stupid with a 34) you're needlessly worrying. There's nothing you can do about it at this point.

 

[music2doc]

I hadn't thought about this before, but I saw another SDNer post about it and now I am slightly worried about it. My overall MCAT score is a 34, but my BS score is a 10. I just bought the MSAR and I am noticing that for most schools on my list, the BS score is in the 10th percentile or less, but my overall MCAT score is very competitive. Is this just because it is unusual to have an overall good MCAT score and score a 10 on BS, or do adcoms look at these subsection scores when selecting who gets interviewed/accepted?

First, let me put it this way: the more you wish an individual subsection did not matter the more it will matter.

Second, you have a 34 with a 10+ in every section. Give me a break. Move on, buddy.

 

[Hello678]

Well, I haven't submitted all of my schools to AMCAS yet, so I didn't know if I needed to choose less selective schools instead of the ones I am currently planning on applying to (i.e. replace Mount Sinai with Virginia Commonwealth)

You're way overanalyzing it. Unless you're going to retake it (which would be stupid with a 34) you're needlessly worrying. There's nothing you can do about it at this point.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

Well, I haven't submitted all of my schools to AMCAS yet, so I didn't know if I needed to choose less selective schools instead of the ones I am currently planning on applying to (i.e. replace Mount Sinai with Virginia Commonwealth)

It's good to take it into account when selecting schools but if your overall mcat score lies within the range of a certain school to which you want to apply and your sub-scores are reasonably balanced, you have nothing to worry about - you only need to begin worrying about balance when one of your sub scores dips below 10. -if you got 11 in bs, 15 in ps, and 11 in vr, no one will argue that the imbalance is cause for worry - this shows that you are decent in bs and vr but you are amazing at ps. - same with your scores!

 

[mcarrick]

It's good to take it into account when selecting schools but if your overall mcat score lies within the range of a certain school to which you want to apply and your sub-scores are reasonably balanced, you have nothing to worry about - you only need to begin worrying about balance when one of your sub scores dips below 10. -if you got 11 in bs, 15 in ps, and 11 in vr, no one will argue that the imbalance is cause for worry - this shows that you are decent in bs and vr but you are amazing at ps. - same with your scores!

This is what I was told by my pre-health advisors. I have a 15 in PS and decent scores in the other two sections and was worried about the imbalance but they said overall score is much much more important than sub section scores, unless there is a disparity of 5 or 6 points.

 

[Luke Skywalker]

This is what I was told by my pre-health advisors. I have a 15 in PS and decent scores in the other two sections and was worried about the imbalance but they said overall score is much much more important than sub section scores, unless there is a disparity of 5 or 6 points.

Who knows, I might just be your advisor! Mwahahahahahaha!

 

[ChartaBona]

I scored a 37L. I don't even know how I got that L. In the back of my mind I feel one of my essays got lost in cyberspace. But I don't feel it offsets my 37 (11 PS 12 VR 14BS). At least I hope it doesn't, lol. 37 is something like 97-98th percentile. Your 34 is 92-94th percentile, so don't sweat it.

 

[gettheleadout]

I hadn't thought about this before, but I saw another SDNer post about it and now I am slightly worried about it. My overall MCAT score is a 34, but my BS score is a 10. I just bought the MSAR and I am noticing that for most schools on my list, the BS score is in the 10th percentile or less, but my overall MCAT score is very competitive. Is this just because it is unusual to have an overall good MCAT score and score a 10 on BS, or do adcoms look at these subsection scores when selecting who gets interviewed/accepted?

If you had a 6/14/14, you would need to retake despite an overall score of 34 (which is great), but a 10 is a solid score on any section. Great overall score plus all double digit sections means you're set in the MCAT department.

 

[Hello678]

Thanks everyone! I just submitted to schools like Cornell, Vandy, Mount Sinai, UVa, in addition to lower ranked schools, so glad to know that I am still in the running with my MCAT score!!

 

[NonTraditional3]

usually a 10 in each section is considered "competitive". I wouldn't worry about it. I doubt it will be the difference between acceptance/not . and you're right a 34 is very competitive.

Would a 34 still be considered competitive with a GPA, say, like 3.3?

 

[Ironmandoc]

 

[WorldChanger36]

I hadn't thought about this before, but I saw another SDNer post about it and now I am slightly worried about it. My overall MCAT score is a 34, but my BS score is a 10. I just bought the MSAR and I am noticing that for most schools on my list, the BS score is in the 10th percentile or less, but my overall MCAT score is very competitive. Is this just because it is unusual to have an overall good MCAT score and score a 10 on BS, or do adcoms look at these subsection scores when selecting who gets interviewed/accepted?

Hey bro I got a 32Q and my split is way worse. I am not even worried about it and neither should you.