How well do non-science majors typically do on the MCAT?

[MortellarPreMed]

How well do non-science majors typically do on the MCAT? If they study hard and take all the pre-reqs (which you obviously must take for med school) how do they often compare?

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[Spinach Dip]

About the same on science majors.

And FYI, how much you practice and know your material is more important than your college major.

 

[MedPR]

How well do non-science majors typically do on the MCAT? If they study hard and take all the pre-reqs (which you obviously must take for med school) how do they often compare?

About the same, since the MCAT only tests pre-reqs.

 

[Doctor246853]

About the same as science majors.
And FYI, how much you practice and know your material is more important than your college major.

This.

 

[Doudline]

You can see this link (http://medschoolodyssey.wordpress.c...ics-on-the-mcat-and-your-undergraduate-major/) for some stats, but don't give it too much credit.

 

[mzarrowsmith]

How well do non-science majors typically do on the MCAT? If they study hard and take all the pre-reqs (which you obviously must take for med school) how do they often compare?

There is data to this end in the Official Guide to the MCAT by AAMC.

 

[Narmerguy]

Some of them do better (on average)

 

[pre med 2014]

Probably better on the verbal section

 

[appleman123]

social science here (i.e business / econ / psych / etc). 35+ on mcat

 

[Charles Darwin]

Some of them do better (on average)

But then again, some don't. The world's a confusing place...

 

[coyotelime]

But then again, some don't. The world's a confusing place...

This guy knows where it's at

Define typical. It's a test of how much you prepared and how well you can take the test.

 

[appleman123]

i'd have to say 50% of non-science majors do better on the mcat than their science-peers.

 

[PeerReviewed]

There is data to this end in the Official Guide to the MCAT by AAMC.

AAMC does provide a little bit of data... Math, Humanities, and Physical Science majors do on average better than the other groups of majors (i've looked at last year's data as well... I think they took that down now). but as you can see... this is only a slight difference in mean.


https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/2012factstable18.pdf

 

[wholeheartedly]

AAMC does provide a little bit of data... Math, Humanities, and Physical Science majors do on average better than the other groups of majors (i've looked at last year's data as well... I think they took that down now). but as you can see... this is only a slight difference in mean.


https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/2012factstable18.pdf

Wonder what it would look like if it was all test takers, not just medical school applicants and matriculants.

 

[Eon]

AAMC does provide a little bit of data... Math, Humanities, and Physical Science majors do on average better than the other groups of majors (i've looked at last year's data as well... I think they took that down now). but as you can see... this is only a slight difference in mean.


https://www.aamc.org/download/321496/data/2012factstable18.pdf

It's because they're URM. Biological Sciences majors applicants almost triple the amount of other majors applicants. Bio is overrepresented while all of the other majors are underrepresented. Even with matriculates, it's the same issue. Bio majors more than triple the amount of other major matriculates.

 

[music2doc]

It's because they're URM. Biological Sciences majors applicants almost triple the amount of other majors applicants. Bio is overrepresented while all of the other majors are underrepresented. Even with matriculates, it's the same issue. Bio majors more than triple the amount of other major matriculates.

Umm... ¿Cómo? What you just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to a rational thought. Everyone reading this post is now dumber for having read it. I award you no points on your MCAT and may the adcoms have mercy on your app.

Also, what you just said would contradict the very thing you were trying to explain.

 

[gettheleadout]

I think non-science majors take a different version where the scale only goes up to 30.

 

[music2doc]

I think non-science majors take a different version where the scale only goes up to 30.

But it's all good because they normalize our 30 to a 45. This is why, despite all being URM, non-science majors do better than science majors on the MCAT.

 

[MedPR]

It's because they're URM. Biological Sciences majors applicants almost triple the amount of other majors applicants. Bio is overrepresented while all of the other majors are underrepresented. Even with matriculates, it's the same issue. Bio majors more than triple the amount of other major matriculates.

Lol...

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[init2winit]

I'm a non sci major that took the MCAT a few years after taking my pre-reqs.

I wish I'd taken biochem before taking the MCAT. Of course, biochem is not specifically tested on the exam, but the things you pick up from additional sci courses will allow you to answer questions quicker, which may leave time for the harder questions.

N of 1 here, obviously, and this is all my personal experience!

 

[Bangersandmash]

I thought I read somewhere that economics and engineering majors do exceptionally well on the MCAT compared to traditional biology/chemistry majors.

Can't find a source now though.

 

[darkjedi]

I don't think being a non-science major held me back at all. All that's covered on the MCAT are materials from the pre-reqs anyway.

 

[MedPR]

I thought I read somewhere that economics and engineering majors do exceptionally well on the MCAT compared to traditional biology/chemistry majors.

Can't find a source now though.

Engineering is believable.. Not sure about economics though?

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