How much of a detractor is an old and low MCAT score?

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glindathegoodwitch

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Many would suggest to average your two scores for a rough idea of where you stand, so around 30 in this case.

It's highly school specific though, as some will take only your highest score, some will take your most recent score, some will average, some will aggregate the best subsections, etc. In my experience this information is rarely given outright, but you might want to verify the websites/call admission offices of the schools you are interested in anyway.

I don't specifically know about NY.

Good luck!
 
Hi y'all. My stats are: 3.5 sgpa [strong upward trend, 3.9 for ~70 credits], 3.6 cgpa, and between a 34 and 35 on the new MCAT. My ECs are good: years of bench and clinical research, 999+ community service hours and physician shadowing, multiple leadership positions. 7 strong LOR and master's degree is almost complete.Unfortunately, I have a 24 on the old MCAT from 2 years ago. How damaging is that 24? I have gotten 3 interviews, but from schools that are quite far away...was hoping to do better with my home state, NY [schools such as downstate, upstate, hofstra, buffalo]. I know it is still early, and that patience is a virtue, I'm just...wondering how adcoms would look at that 24.

Thanks.

I think you've answered your own question. Patience is a virtue, as are II's(nonetheless 3 of them).
 
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Many would suggest to average your two scores for a rough idea of where you stand, so around 30 in this case.

It's highly school specific though, as some will take only your highest score, some will take your most recent score, some will average, some will aggregate the best subsections, etc. In my experience this information is rarely given outright, but you might want to verify the websites/call admission offices of the schools you are interested in anyway.

I don't specifically know about NY.

Good luck!

The AAMC recommends medical schools to take the new score because the two exams are of different versions. Averaging applies to two exams of the same type (old and old, 2015 and 2015 etc.). Of course, medical schools have access to all scores, but they are viewed in parallel based on overall percentiles .

That said, OP should be patient, since having 3 IIs this early is a good indication to a favorable outcome of an acceptance if they interview well.
 
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Don't worry about it. You have a great new MCAT score. That is not what's "hurting" you in this application cycle (given the fact you have 3 interviews, who cares where they are). It's still somewhat early in the application cycle, with many more interviews to be sent out). Your gpa isn't the highest, but indeed, patience is a virtue. You're doing very well! so be proud
 
For schools that average, like mine, it will hurt you, but not lethally if you can pull a 34-35.

Many schools "say" they superscore or take the most recent/best score, but AAMC (the MCAT people) suggest that scores be averaged, and you never know how any individual screeners or interviewers will view the old exam.

If you pull a 35, I'll give you advice on schools as if the 35 is the only score. Good luck!


Hi y'all. My stats are: 3.5 sgpa [strong upward trend, 3.9 for ~70 credits], 3.6 cgpa, and between a 34 and 35 on the new MCAT. My ECs are good: years of bench and clinical research, 999+ community service hours and physician shadowing, multiple leadership positions. 7 strong LOR and master's degree is almost complete.Unfortunately, I have a 24 on the old MCAT from 2 years ago. How damaging is that 24? I have gotten 3 interviews, but from schools that are quite far away...was hoping to do better with my home state, NY [schools such as downstate, upstate, hofstra, buffalo]. I know it is still early, and that patience is a virtue, I'm just...wondering how adcoms would look at that 24.

Thanks.
 
For schools that average, like mine, it will hurt you, but not lethally if you can pull a 34-35.

Many schools "say" they superscore or take the most recent/best score, but AAMC (the MCAT people) suggest that scores be averaged, and you never know how any individual screeners or interviewers will view the old exam.

If you pull a 35, I'll give you advice on schools as if the 35 is the only score. Good luck!

Does averaging/superscoring etc. still apply even with the new MCAT taken into account (one old and one new to make it simple)? I thought the two exams were of different types, so adcoms would probably look at overall percentiles and compare them in parallel, rather than engaging in various metrics.
 
Hi y'all. My stats are: 3.5 sgpa [strong upward trend, 3.9 for ~70 credits], 3.6 cgpa, and between a 34 and 35 on the new MCAT. My ECs are good: years of bench and clinical research, 999+ community service hours and physician shadowing, multiple leadership positions. 7 strong LOR and master's degree is almost complete.Unfortunately, I have a 24 on the old MCAT from 2 years ago. How damaging is that 24? I have gotten 3 interviews, but from schools that are quite far away...was hoping to do better with my home state, NY [schools such as downstate, upstate, hofstra, buffalo]. I know it is still early, and that patience is a virtue, I'm just...wondering how adcoms would look at that 24.

Thanks.
I had a 26 on my first MCAT in 2013 and a 34 on an MCAT in 2014, which would average to a 30. I have 5 interviews already. If the MDAPPS ever gets linked back, check out the schools I applied to and where I have interviews. I don't think many schools average, lots take the most recent. Good luck to you.
 
I think you're in luck! Since the old and new scores can't be easily averaged, and since in your case, they're miles apart -- I think people will see you new score and mentally discount your old one rather than do an average.
 
I agree with averaging like or identical tests, but how can your school average the old and the new MCAT? The AAMC has blatantly stated that they are not the same exam, and that all changes were made with the intent of differentiating the two. They added extra questions to improve the validity of individual scores, used a new scoring scale (they said this was done on purpose so people don't try to compare the two), and stated that the new 500 is very telling of one successfully passing their boards (based on their own empirical research).

To take the percentiles of the two and average them when 25% of one exam doesn't even exist in the other is not very wise IMO. Obviously it's cool taking a look at the two and weighing them based how the school values each exam, but to say hey let's just meet in the middle of the two and say this is what you're made of is far from being objective.

Because ADCOMs don't just do what the AAMC tells them to do. The AAMC also doesn't want ADCOMs using the MCAT as a threshold test; they definitely don't support ADCOMs using the MCAT to differentiate between those with 514's and 520's but we all know this still goes on. If you want to call it somewhat hypocritical that ADCOMs cite they average MCAT scores because that's what the AAMC recommends but choose to willfully ignore other AAMC suggestions about how to use the MCAT, that's fine but the reality of the situation is what it is. At the end of the day ADCOMs choose what they feel is best, choosing to which AAMC suggestions to follow and which to disregard.

To the OP while we always advise on this site the dangers of re-taking and opening yourself to interpretation by ADCOMs on how to evaluate your scores when there are more than one, I think you can see for yourself that you have been an extremely competitive applicant with 3 II's already.
 
If you have multiple private/OOS interviews, I bet you will get some SUNY-love. Just wait - its only September.
 
Yes; we just use percentiles.


Does averaging/superscoring etc. still apply even with the new MCAT taken into account (one old and one new to make it simple)? I thought the two exams were of different types, so adcoms would probably look at overall percentiles and compare them in parallel, rather than engaging in various metrics.


I agree with averaging like or identical tests, but how can your school average the old and the new MCAT? The AAMC has blatantly stated that they are not the same exam, and that all changes were made with the intent of differentiating the two. They added extra questions to improve the validity of individual scores, used a new scoring scale (they said this was done on purpose so people don't try to compare the two), and stated that the new 500 is very telling of one successfully passing their boards (based on their own empirical research).
 
Congrats on the 3 IIs! Focus on the interviews and not on something you can't change.

By the way, if you're interested in New York schools, U of Rochester has an explictly stated policy (they tell you this in the email when your app is complete, even) that they will ONLY look at the highest MCAT score. No averaging, no judgment on older, lower scores. This should be advantageous to you.
 
Yes; we just use percentiles.





I agree with averaging like or identical tests, but how can your school average the old and the new MCAT? The AAMC has blatantly stated that they are not the same exam, and that all changes were made with the intent of differentiating the two. They added extra questions to improve the validity of individual scores, used a new scoring scale (they said this was done on purpose so people don't try to compare the two), and stated that the new 500 is very telling of one successfully passing their boards (based on their own empirical research).

This is my entire issue with the AAMC's "good will" with saying schools should be more holistic in their screening. It is never going to happen. Simple supply and demand economics - schools will keep taking the best students (which often translates to highest GPA/MCAT) because they can. Unfortunately I think the AAMC ultimately failed to change the process.
 
This is my entire issue with the AAMC's "good will" with saying schools should be more holistic in their screening. It is never going to happen. Simple supply and demand economics - schools will keep taking the best students (which often translates to highest GPA/MCAT) because they can. Unfortunately I think the AAMC ultimately failed to change the process.

Good will/holistic policy won't work for reasons you mentioned, but if schools are interested in boosting their stat averages, it only does them service by taking the highest/recent MCAT score. Here, it would be the 2015 MCAT score, which is great since that is what the AAMC wanted to focus as well; otherwise, there is zero reason to change the exam in the first place.
 
Good will/holistic policy won't work for reasons you mentioned, but if schools are interested in boosting their stat averages, it only does them service by taking the highest/recent MCAT score. Here, it would be the 2015 MCAT score, which is great since that is what the AAMC wanted to focus as well; otherwise, there is zero reason to change the exam in the first place.

the issue is that the AAMC claims to have reworked the exam to get away from focusing on high numbers.
 
the issue is that the AAMC claims to have reworked the exam to get away from focusing on high numbers.

Yeah I know, and many schools already took the preemptive measure of being holistic (e.g. see Harvard/JHU/Duke vs WashU/Penn). But regardless of the intention, the MCAT still provides a numerical value that schools can use to compare applicants, even when that directly opposes the AAMC objective.

For numbers-heavy schools, a stronger performance in the 2015 MCAT will always help, even with the poorer performance in outdated MCAT. This indirectly matches the AAMC emphasis on the 2015 MCAT, which would lessen the impact of the old score.

Essentially, the only way for the AAMC to lessen the emphasis of the numbers-based approach is to evaluate the MCAT in broad categories arranged similarly to Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail seen in medical schools. Schools will obviously aim for the Honors category, but it straightens out the top-heaviness suffered by numerical MCAT scores.
 
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I like the idea of a HP/P/F MCAT (or even just P/F). Ultimately, the purpose of the MCAT is to determine if you can take a gigantic standardized test. It is to provide a measure of standardization between schools with wildly disparate grading scales for GPA. Because of this, it makes sense to answer the question about standardized tests with a "yes/no" binary answer. Schools would focus more on the attributes that make someone an ideal physician than simple test scores.

On the other hand, one could argue that GPA/MCAT is a predictor of one trait that makes an ideal physician: knowledge. We like to talk about empathy in this process, and it is extremely important. However, if you've ever been a patient who has to face an Is It Something Bad doctor's visit, you really want a doctor with a lot of knowledge and competence at medicine, regardless of the result. If it's bad, you want the best doctor treating it. If it's not, you want the best doctor to rule out the possibility of a false negative. That's what I want, at any rate.
 
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Tthe problem with this is, alas, that the MCAT is one of the few good predictive tools for success in med school and boards.


I like the idea of a HP/P/F MCAT (or even just P/F). Ultimately, the purpose of the MCAT is to determine if you can take a gigantic standardized test. It is to provide a measure of standardization between schools with wildly disparate grading scales for GPA. Because of this, it makes sense to answer the question about standardized tests with a "yes/no" binary answer. Schools would focus more on the attributes that make someone an ideal physician than simple test scores.
 
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