How DO schools view multiple MCAT scores

[danny89]

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Hi,

Can more people post more experiences about applying to PCOM with below an 8 on the verbal or any other section?

I scored an 11/7/11 on my MCAT and would like to know if I have a good chance of getting in with this score. Also got a 3.5 cGPA and 3.42 sGPA if you want to know.

Thanks!

I know PCOM-GA doesn't put much emphasis on verbal as much as the other 2 sections, so I'm assuming PCOM is the same way.

 

[danielbryanheel]

Bump...

What does "best set of scores" actually mean? Is it the best score you get in one sitting?

Please elaborate...thanks!

 

[Lost Vagus]

Bet set of scores means your best score in one sitting of the mcat. A "super score" would be taking your best section from multiple tests. I'm not aware of any schools that use a super score anymore. Most common for DO schools is they either take your most recent, or your best set of scores. There might be some schools that average your section or set scores, but I don't know. Look on each school's website or contact their admisisons department.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

So how true do you think the best set of scores thing is?

Do you think someone who got say a 28 and then a 23 = same as an applicant with just a 28?

 

[butternutsquash]

I know PCOM-GA doesn't put much emphasis on verbal as much as the other 2 sections, so I'm assuming PCOM is the same way.

I hope so. Verbal is frustrating, even though it's an important section. I got a 14PS/6VR/11BS on my retake and I would be so disappointed if I get held back by that section.

 

[PKA<0]

Here's the updated version:

KCUMB- best set of scores(called admissions)
ATSU-KCOM - most recent score (called admissions)
ATSU-SOMA-Im assuming it would be the same
NSU COM - best set of scores (on there website)
RVU COM - most recent set of scores (on their website)
UMDNJ SOM (RowanSOM) - most recent set of scores (called admissions)
DMU COM - all scores taken into consideration.
PCOM-best section from each take (called admissions)
PCOM GEORGIA - im assuming its the same
PNWU - best section from each take (read on sdn)
OUCOM - best section from each take (read on sdn)
NYCOM - best section from each take (read on sdn)
LMU DCOM- best set of scores (called admissions)
UNECOM- highest TOTAL score within the last two years. (called admissions)
CCOM- highest most recent(called admissions)
AZCOM- highest most recent (called admissions)
VCOM -
VCOM SC -
WVSOM- most recent(via Annette in admissions)
TOURO NV- left a message
TOURO NY-
TOURO CA- Highest one (Called admissions)
WESTERN POMONA-best set of scores
WESTERN LEBANON- assume its the same
WCUCOM- Highest one (called admissions)
LECOM ERIE-best set of scores
LECOM BRADENTON- best set of scores
OSU COM- Highest one (Called admissions)
MSU COM-
KYCOM -
ACOM- Most recent/all scores taken into consideration (called admissions)
CUCOM-
MUCOM- Highest one (called admissions)
LUCOM-

I spoke with admissions at PCOM today and they said they took all mcat scores into consideration. They do not take best section from each.

 

[F=ma]

I think it is important that your make significant improvement with each re-take. How can admissions committees look down on persistence and improvement?

Surely they may consider someone who scores a 30 on their first take to be better than some one who scored 23, 27, 30. But either way both applicants achieved the same goal.

You must always improve and never be afraid of failure.

 

[brood910]

I know PCOM-GA doesn't put much emphasis on verbal as much as the other 2 sections, so I'm assuming PCOM is the same way.

OMG is this true? I got 6 on VR but 12 on science sections..

 

[XOT]

Hi all,

In accordance with the topic of this thread I would like to see if anyone can help me with my situation:

First two MCAT scores:

5/19/2012: VR:10, PS 06, BS:09 (25)
7/14/2012: VR:06, PS 07, BS:09 (22)

Third MCAT, released today:
VR:07, PS 07, BS:10 (24)

How do you think DO schools will view these scores; Best section for all MCATs will give me a 27. Is this possible?

Hope this will reach some insightful people 🙂 @Goro

Thank you for your advice.

 

[Goro]

Autoreject at my school, as we have a minimum and will avg scores.

There are schools out there that will take your best composite, which is 10/7/10 = 27. I do not know which ones they are, and suggest that you apply broadly. Skip AZOM, Western, KCUMB, DMU, PCOM, the NY and CA Touros and CCOM.

Hi all,

In accordance with the topic of this thread I would like to see if anyone can help me with my situation:

First two MCAT scores:

5/19/2012: VR:10, PS 06, BS:09 (25)
7/14/2012: VR:06, PS 07, BS:09 (22)

Third MCAT, released today:
VR:07, PS 07, BS:10 (24)

How do you think DO schools will view these scores; Best section for all MCATs will give me a 27. Is this possible?

Hope this will reach some insightful people 🙂 @Goro

Thank you for your advice.

 

[XOT]

Goro,

Thank you very much for your feedback. The hard part is knowing which schools will take the best section from each MCAT and how much weight it will have in my overall application.

Thanks.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Hi all,

In accordance with the topic of this thread I would like to see if anyone can help me with my situation:

First two MCAT scores:

5/19/2012: VR:10, PS 06, BS:09 (25)
7/14/2012: VR:06, PS 07, BS:09 (22)

Third MCAT, released today:
VR:07, PS 07, BS:10 (24)

How do you think DO schools will view these scores; Best section for all MCATs will give me a 27. Is this possible?

Hope this will reach some insightful people 🙂 @Goro

Thank you for your advice.

I think you're kinda in between a rock and a hard place. You'e taken it 3 times but you've not really show a capacity for improvement. You'll have some luck at schools like VCOM-CC, WCU-COM, WVSOM, KYCOM, PWNU, and CUSOM. But it likely will not be incredibly amazing chances.

And even the schools that will take the highest scores like OUCOM or NYCOM, will likely not find you appealing as an applicant as your scores have not improved and will probably say that your first verbal was a fluck.

So yah, low tier schools are your best bet. But even then I'd recommend you apply to them VERY early next cycle and during this cycle get some amazing ecs like legit shadowing 5 DOs, working or volunteering in a nursing home or as EMT, or doing research in an applied biomedical field.

 

[XOT]

Thanks for your input serenade-

Another thing I was considering is if some schools really focus more on the BS section.

 

[yankees527]

Thanks for your input serenade-

Another thing I was considering is if some schools really focus more on the BS section.

Although its kind of late to just submit primary now, if you have the money and can find some data of which schools superscore, its worth a shot.
I was worried myself about doing worse on my second mcat, (10/7/10) then (10/6/10), and now I have 3 acceptances thus far. So there is hope, I am just worried because this was 3 times.

 

[XOT]

Although its kind of late to just submit primary now, if you have the money and can find some data of which schools superscore, its worth a shot.
I was worried myself about doing worse on my second mcat, (10/7/10) then (10/6/10), and now I have 3 acceptances thus far. So there is hope, I am just worried because this was 3 times.

Hey yankee- congrats on the acceptances. must be a huge relief.

I actually had my primary completed in early September and was waiting for this new MCAT score to fill out secondaries. I always did well on VR and BS during practice tests, but never could master physics, especially passages with a lot of calculations like this last MCAT had.

Anyways, I will need to reconsider what schools I have a chance with.

Thanks for your support...

 

[yankees527]

Although its kind of late to just submit primary now, if you have the money and can find some data of which schools superscore, its worth a shot.
I was worried myself about doing worse on my second mcat, (10/7/10) then (10/6/10), and now I have 3 acceptances thus far. So there is hope, I am just worried because this was 3 times.

Hey yankee- congrats on the acceptances. must be a huge relief.

I actually had my primary completed in early September and was waiting for this new MCAT score to fill out secondaries. I always did well on VR and BS during practice tests, but never could master physics, especially passages with a lot of calculations like this last MCAT had.

Anyways, I will need to reconsider what schools I have a chance with.

Thanks for your support...

Good luck!

 

[user3]

Hi all,

In accordance with the topic of this thread I would like to see if anyone can help me with my situation:

First two MCAT scores:

5/19/2012: VR:10, PS 06, BS:09 (25)
7/14/2012: VR:06, PS 07, BS:09 (22)

Third MCAT, released today:
VR:07, PS 07, BS:10 (24)

How do you think DO schools will view these scores; Best section for all MCATs will give me a 27. Is this possible?

Hope this will reach some insightful people 🙂 @Goro

Thank you for your advice.

If you have acceptable EC's and your GPA's are above 3.25, I think you have a decent chance this year, mainly at the newer schools.

AFAIK, OUHCOM and the PCOM's take the best sections. Many schools will take your highest.

 

[XOT]

Hi user3- which one is AFAIK 🙂

Someone in this discussion said PCOM does not necessarily take the best sections.

Thanks for your feedback. much appreciated.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

If you have acceptable EC's and your GPA's are above 3.25, I think you have a decent chance this year, mainly at the newer schools.

AFAIK, OUHCOM and the PCOM's take the best sections. Many schools will take your highest.

The problem is that PCOM & OUHCOM & NYITCOM are all very high ranked schools. The policy may be truthfully told tenured towards people who got say a 25 ( 10-5-10) and then 26 ( 9-7-10) i.e a 27.


BUT, if they apply broadly and have excellent ECs they may be fine. Though waiting till June next year may be a safer approach if they're not interested in risking cash or need to invest more in ecs.

 

[user3]

The problem is that PCOM & OUHCOM & NYITCOM are all very high ranked schools. The policy may be truthfully told tenured towards people who got say a 25 ( 10-5-10) and then 26 ( 9-7-10) i.e a 27.


BUT, if they apply broadly and have excellent ECs they may be fine. Though waiting till June next year may be a safer approach if they're not interested in risking cash or need to invest more in ecs.

@XOT should probably apply this year since the 25 will expire next year for schools that take the highest score.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

@XOT should probably apply this year since the 25 will expire next year for schools that take the highest score.

I mean, they should try I guess. But issue is that most of them will probably count the 24 most highly anyway.

 

[osteohack10]

I don't know how stringent PCOM is about the 8 cutoff. I have a 7 with an interview there next week.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I don't know how stringent PCOM is about the 8 cutoff. I have a 7 with an interview there next week.

PCOM is complicated. Their admissions system is complicated. Expect nothing from them. Be happy if you get something.

But seriously; relying on high tiers for their super Mcat scoring isn't a good strategy. Especially in late October.

 

[osteohack10]

PCOM is complicated. Their admissions system is complicated. Expect nothing from them. Be happy if you get something.

But seriously; relying on high tiers for their super Mcat scoring isn't a good strategy. Especially in late October.

I wasn't expecting anything at all, in fact I thought after 2 months of silence my chances were pretty much nil. Out of the blue I got an II email. In no way am I complaining because I'm ecstatic to have a been given a chance to interview - just trying to put the info out there for other people who may be in a similar situation.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

I wasn't expecting anything at all, in fact I thought after 2 months of silence my chances were pretty much nil. Out of the blue I got an II email. In no way am I complaining because I'm ecstatic to have a been given a chance to interview - just trying to put the info out there for other people who may be in a similar situation.

That's what I'm saying though, it's a bit disorganized that recommending it just based on your experience may not be the best example.

Who knows though, I think PCOM really likes emts or healthcare workers.

 

[kelminak]

PNWU - best section from each take (read on sdn).

I just attended a presentation from one of their faculty and he said that they just look at your score as a whole (rather than looking at individual sections). At no point did he mention anything about taking the best from each section.

 

[lyana]

Was just on the phone with WVSOM,PNWU, RVUCOM and they told they are looking at the highest score within the last 3 years.

 

[Foreveryours91]

Just to let you guys know I was on the phone with PCOM and the admissions officer said that they take the best set, NOT the average of all your MCAT scores. I called about 10 schools so far and all of them so far either said: they take the best set, the most recent, or they look at all the scores but weigh the most recent the heaviest. The majority said they weigh the best MCAT score the heaviest when making a decision of acceptance/rejection. To try to find out how each school takes the MCAT, the best way is to actually call them IMO. So far it looks like averaging all the MCAT scores is a minority in Osteopathic schools.

 

[Gandyy]

Just to let you guys know I was on the phone with PCOM and the admissions officer said that they take the best set, NOT the average of all your MCAT scores. I called about 10 schools so far and all of them so far either said: they take the best set, the most recent, or they look at all the scores but weigh the most recent the heaviest. The majority said they weigh the best MCAT score the heaviest when making a decision of acceptance/rejection. To try to find out how each school takes the MCAT, the best way is to actually call them IMO. So far it looks like averaging all the MCAT scores is a minority in Osteopathic schools.

I have yet to find a single MD or DO school that I called that actually averages MCAT scores. I am applying to 40 schools total between both MD and DO schools. I called every single one.

In the worst case scenario, they "holistically review them all" and when they said they review them all I asked again if they actually literally average the scores and they said no.

I went up a tremendous amount on my 2nd MCAT though so I never asked schools how they view scores that went down after a retake.

 

[studentdocftw]

Is there any school that mixes/matches for best cumulative score for multiple takes?

 

[Gandyy]

Is there any school that mixes/matches for best cumulative score for multiple takes?

Out of my particular list, there were only 2-3 medical schools total between both MD and DO schools that did a "superscore"

 

[studentdocftw]

Darn, was hoping my 28 would turn into a 31 🙁 sigh..oh well. Do you happen to remember which schools?

 

[user3]

Darn, was hoping my 28 would turn into a 31 🙁 sigh..oh well. Do you happen to remember which schools?

OUHCOM

 

[Gandyy]

Darn, was hoping my 28 would turn into a 31 🙁 sigh..oh well. Do you happen to remember which schools?

Georgetown (Its MD)

I really cant remember too many more.

 

[LNS]

Anyone know about TCOM?

 

[AwayFromReality]

I have yet to find a single MD or DO school that I called that actually averages MCAT scores. I am applying to 40 schools total between both MD and DO schools. I called every single one.

In the worst case scenario, they "holistically review them all" and when they said they review them all I asked again if they actually literally average the scores and they said no.

I went up a tremendous amount on my 2nd MCAT though so I never asked schools how they view scores that went down after a retake.

You called 40 schools? man that's dedication. I was curious about which schools average and from the looks of it there aren't that many. I know there is at least one as I've seen Goro post that his school averages, which makes my score go down.

 

[Gandyy]

You called 40 schools? man that's dedication. I was curious about which schools average and from the looks of it there aren't that many. I know there is at least one as I've seen Goro post that his school averages, which makes my score go down.

Haha yea, well I pretty much had to with my first MCAT score. There is such a giant difference between the two.