How Important is the MCAT Writing Sample?

[albinotrout]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm sure there are a lot of posts very similar to this, so I apologize for the redundancy . . . I just got my MCAT scores back and got a 34O. I have a 3.91 GPA. Should I be worried about the effect of the writing score? My impression was that schools don't really care much about it . . . but that was when I was confident I was in the R/S range. My verbal score was only a 9. Are schools going to look negatively at someone with these scores in verbal and writing? Thanks! 🙂

 

[Xandie]

The O will not hurt you one bit.

 

[Vandyfox]

Only if you're applying to Arizona State. They are the punks responsible for there even being a writing sample. Also, a 9 in verbal is not bad. I think that is the average score for ACCEPTED med students (somebody help out if i'm wrong). You're GPA and 34 should definitely get you in the door- so the pressure is on your interviews and EC's, not your numbers.

Good luck, best wishes
-Vandyfox

 

[Pinkertinkle]

Since no one really studies for WS, its hard for adcoms to use it.

 

[HBMD]

Not very

 

[ewing]

your WS score is about as important as whether you have freckles or not, imho.

 

[gschl1234]

What I heard was as long as it's around an O or higher, you're ok. You only have to worry if it's far below an O.

 

[Alcon]

My WS score was an M.

 

[An Yong]

What I heard was as long as it's around an O or higher, you're ok. You only have to worry if it's far below an O.

Hah, thats not good, I got an M

 

[RaistlinMajere]

The 34 will vastly outweigh the writing sample.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

I just got my MCAT scores back and got a 34O. I have a 3.91 GPA. Should I be worried about the effect of the writing score?

Look for another career...there's no way you're going to get into med school with those low, low numbers!

If I remember correctly the average score on writing sample is a P (correct me if I'm wrong) and the average for matriculants is the same, so don't let those MCAT instructors fool you with their rubbish. If you got a J it might be a different story..I've heard that it actually matters in Canada though

You'll be fine 👍

 

[ut_stephen]

You can always prove your writing abilities in your personal statement and secondary essays. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[bigbaubdi]

I too got an O but it didn't affect me one bit

 

[txguy]

I got an M too 🙁

-tx

 

[raven]

i got into many schools, top 10, with a worse WS does not mean a thing.

 

[CrazyCozak]

Only if you're applying to Arizona State. They are the punks responsible for there even being a writing sample. Also, a 9 in verbal is not bad. I think that is the average score for ACCEPTED med students (somebody help out if i'm wrong). You're GPA and 34 should definitely get you in the door- so the pressure is on your interviews and EC's, not your numbers.

Good luck, best wishes
-Vandyfox

Hey Vandyfox,
what do you mean by Arizona State? I thought the only med schools in AZ are U of A and AZCOM (DO).. unless it's one of those you were talking about..

 

[notsittinpretty]

I asked this same question actually to a person I know on an admissions committee. He told me that the Writing Sample is used as more of a guage/red flag. So let's say you get a horrible or not so wonderful score on the MCAT writing sample (Your score of an O certainly does not fall in this category...it's certainly not the best, but it won't hurt you). You then follow that up by submitting an astounding PS, like one that could be used in one of those "How to write..." manuals. An admissions comittee might be kind of skeptical about the authenticy and originality of your Personal statement if you get a crappy score on your writing sample. Does this make sense? Do you guys agree?

 

[Pinkertinkle]

But a thirty minute essay on a random topic is a far cry from a personal statement, which involves hours and hours of work and revision over a period of months and which everyone has others proofread and make suggestions upon.

 

[notsittinpretty]

But those who grade the writing sample on the MCAT understand this, and i'm sure they take that into account when reading them. It's not like they expect the task of writing a 30 minute essay to compare to the hard work and thought that goes into writing the PS. They just want to make sure that the person can write logically and coherently. If i were on an admissions committee, and i was looking at an applicant who scored in the bottom 10% on the writing sample and at the same time had an amazing PS, i would be skeptical that the person a) plagiarized or at the very least b) had considerable help in writing the PS. Call me a cynic....

 

[ut_stephen]

I wouldn't try to second guess what the adcoms are going to think...You really have no control over the matter, unless you want to write a mediocre ps to dispell any suspicions they may have. 🙂 It's not worth your time or energy to retake the MCAT just for the writing sample. The adcoms should realize that the ws gives little to no indication of your true writing ability, not to mention the fact that different people have different writing abilities under stress.

 

[Pinkertinkle]

But those who grade the writing sample on the MCAT understand this, and i'm sure they take that into account when reading them. It's not like they expect the task of writing a 30 minute essay to compare to the hard work and thought that goes into writing the PS. They just want to make sure that the person can write logically and coherently. If i were on an admissions committee, and i was looking at an applicant who scored in the bottom 10% on the writing sample and at the same time had an amazing PS, i would be skeptical that the person a) plagiarized or at the very least b) had considerable help in writing the PS. Call me a cynic....

And if that person has A's in English and a 780 on SAT II Writing? I scored 3rd to 13th percentile with my L. I don't believe the writing sample to be an accurate test of my abilities.

 

[adamj61]

I have an L, and I am not worried. I heard from an adcom member that it is used to screen English as a first lang, since they cannot directly ask that. So if you are foreign and you score low, could be touble. Aboot Canada, that is true, they have minimums.

My PS is steller...and I don't think anyone will question it because it tells my story...personal things you can't have someone just write for you.

 

[Dr Dean]

RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! Why did you only get an O on the writing?

 

[Phil Anthropist]

RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! Why did you only get an O on the writing?

YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRRRGGGGGH! Why can't I escape the scream?

 

[Peterock]

RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! Why did you only get an O on the writing?

I approve greatly of this Dr. Dean guy. He sure is passionate! 👍

Anyway, I think the writing matters at only very few schools... and if it does it matters just a small bit (ie like getting 1 A out of your ~40 classes).

I'll trade my R for a 13, 14, or 15?

 

[Jmuhnie]

I got a K. I also got a 28. My gpa is a 3.6. I am writing short sentences on purpose. If the adcoms can see through my horrible ws and accept me, then I will be living proof that writing samples on the mcat mean nothing.

 

[wytosk]

why did ASU just get knocked??? 😕
GO SUN DEVILS!!!

 

[LP1CW]

I think it matters at only a few schools. I know that UNECOM has an M for a cutoff. So, if you get an J,K,L you're screened out. And I heard that a few other schools that they also have this cutoff.

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I've been told by an ADCOM member that her committee only looks at the writing score if the other scores are inconsistent, e.g. 12P, 11B, 6V, or something like that. I wouldnt sweat it, especially if you dont have the time or desire to retake the test (what would the point of stressing be?)

 

[adamj61]

I think it matters at only a few schools. I know that UNECOM has an M for a cutoff. So, if you get an J,K,L you're screened out. And I heard that a few other schools that they also have this cutoff.

I've been told by an ADCOM member that her committee only looks at the writing score if the other scores are inconsistent, e.g. 12P, 11B, 6V, or something like that. I wouldnt sweat it, especially if you dont have the time or desire to retake the test (what would the point of stressing be?)

I really hope both of these situations are not that common. Why can't there just be standards. At wisconsin, iowa, mn, tulane...they all just look at composite, but mcw and others decide that a 12 12 7V is sketchy.

 

[velo]

The WS is scored from J (for just barely literate) to T (for TERRIFIC!!) its the only section of the MCAT to not have a numerical score associated with it....what does that tell you about its importance?

 

[adamj61]

Why not A through K? What idiot decided on J through T? I have also heard over and over again it is only to tire you out for bio, the usual strong section for most takers.

 

[SpiderBill]

I read somewhere that the arbitrary #ing system is used to stress the fact that it is less important that the other sections, although some canadian schools do convert it to a number and add it to your composite. then again thats the same site where I read that med schools have to keep the WS of everyone who ever applies to thier school.

 

[g3pro]

Only if you're applying to Arizona State. They are the punks responsible for there even being a writing sample. Also, a 9 in verbal is not bad. I think that is the average score for ACCEPTED med students (somebody help out if i'm wrong). You're GPA and 34 should definitely get you in the door- so the pressure is on your interviews and EC's, not your numbers.

Good luck, best wishes
-Vandyfox

May I ask what you got on the writing sample? 😉

 

[Ypo.]

Oh shut up- those scores are so good. I WISH they put a bigger emphasis on being articulate and having good verbal reasoning- I got a Q and a 10 in those sections and a 9 each in the sciences- I'm sure you'll get into Harvard or wherever-I'm so jealous
YOU don't need any reassurance, genius boy (or girl)- I do.

 

[clowne]

Mine bad MCAT writing score not kept me outa medikal skule and it ain't going to keep you out neither.

 

[Jmuhnie]

Mine bad MCAT writing score not kept me outa medikal skule and it ain't going to keep you out neither.

lol, nice clowne! 👍

 

[Heliums]

WS really doesn't matter unless you get a J or an S and above

 

[Phil Anthropist]

If you're at an interview and they ask you, "Why didn't you do so well on the MCAT Writing Sample?" Just tell 'em the truth...you're so passionate about medicine that you were trying to write like a doctor

 

[BisMuOxo]

I'm going to offer a dissenting opinion here.

The writing sample is quite easy to prepare for. All you need to do is look at the sample student essays on the MCAT website and structure your essay exactly like the ones that received high scores. Then write a few practice essays under timed conditions and evaluate your performance.

I guess I agree that the writing sample is not weighted heavily by adcoms, but it is a measure of your ability to formulate an opinion about a topic while under pressure. In a way it is a measure of your ability to work effectively under pressure ( a 30 min time constraint). In this short period of time you need to come up with a cogent argument. The writing sample is not really that difficult.