Interviews..Can MCAT score still kill my chances

[mgreen]

First off, I do not want people to get the wrong idea and think im just being a jerk with interviews 🤔

But anyways I want to see what you guys think about this situation. I looked at previous threads but some are old and not as helpful.

Some quick info. CGPA: 3.50, sgpa slightly lower. Good EC's/LORS/etc. URM

To my surprised, I have been invited to a couple of interviews (MD so far) even though I did horrible on my MCAT, 25 balanced 8/8/9.

My question is, I am I destined to get waitlisted/rejected at all schools because at the end of the day my MCAT is so bad? How important is the MCAT once you're interviewed? got an uneasy feeling that im interviewing for a rejection 🙁. any uplifting advice would be appreciated

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[Pacna]

As I understand it (and this is probably not true for URM), MCAT and GPA is usually combined in some way to make a score. If your score is high enough, you get a secondary. Schools typically (definitely not always) review your app from then on ignoring your MCAT and GPA. I would assess what you wrote in your application. It's possible that your writing needs work. "Good EC's" mean nothing if you communicate them poorly.

 

[mgreen]

umm thanks I guess? but what does my writing have to do with interviews? sorry bit confused about what you mean.

But nonetheless thank you for the response.

 

[Pacna]

After you interview, the committee largely forgets about you. Sorry to say, but it's hard for them to remember everyone and I would imagine it's even harder to say anything compelling about you (he seems smart, knew his s***, etc). You're usually rated after an interview by the interviewer, and that is added to your file. It is an important part of your file, but it's only 1 part. They still consider what you wrote and use that to help make a decision.

 

[orangeman25]

Once you get an interview, I dot believe the mcat score is considered as much. Other factors(interview skills, LORs) come into play much more. Mcat and gpa are the most important factors for getting the interview in the first place, which you did. Congrats!

 

[Mt Kilimanjaro]

First off, I do not want people to get the wrong idea and think im just being a jerk with interviews 🤔

But anyways I want to see what you guys think about this situation. I looked at previous threads but some are old and not as helpful.

Some quick info. CGPA: 3.50, sgpa slightly lower. Good EC's/LORS/etc. URM

To my surprised, I have been invited to a couple of interviews (MD so far) even though I did horrible on my MCAT, 25 balanced 8/8/9.

My question is, I am I destined to get waitlisted/rejected at all schools because at the end of the day my MCAT is so bad? How important is the MCAT once you're interviewed? got an uneasy feeling that im interviewing for a rejection 🙁. any uplifting advice would be appreciated

If you're black with those numbers you have a 76% chance of getting accepted somewhere. If you're Hispanic/Latino, 52%. I'd say you're destined to be winning come fall.

Also, if you were Asian, your chances of acceptance would be 13%.

 

[Reckoner]

OP, the answer you're looking for is probably school-specific, and no one can tell you for certain how that score will affect your post interview chances.
What's important is that you focus on the only thing under your control right now: killing those interviews.

 

[mgreen]

Okay I understand what you mean. Thank you everyone else for the responses. I am Latino, hopefully that 52% goes in my favor.

 

[CyberMaxx]

At one school that I interviewed at which is particularly transparent, they give applicants four numerical scores based on mcat, gpa, interviews, and everything else. Then they add up those scores and if the total is above a certain benchmark you are accepted. Under this model your mcat is very important even after your interview.

 

[Pacna]

At one school that I interviewed at which is particularly transparent, they give applicants four numerical scores based on mcat, gpa, interviews, and everything else. Then they add up those scores and if the total is above a certain benchmark you are accepted. Under this model your mcat is very important even after your interview.

That would be so fantastic.

 

[Reckoner]

That would be so fantastic.

That particular model, or that level of transparency?

 

[masaraksh]

If you're black with those numbers you have a 76% chance of getting accepted somewhere. If you're Hispanic/Latino, 52%. I'd say you're destined to be winning come fall.

Also, if you were Asian, your chances of acceptance would be 13%.

evidence based

 

[Pacna]

That particular model, or that level of transparency?

I mean I'm not attached to the model as I've never experienced it, but I think that level of transparency would take a lot of the stress away. Then you know what you need to improve at least.

 

[LostinLift]

evidence based

Sarcasm? https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/app...mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html

 

[DoctorLacrosse]

The anti-aging skin care field has boomed, with hundreds of new products being introduced to the market on what feels like almost on a daily basis. This has resulted in what we may call "skin care overload." People have become overwhelmed and confused by the countless number of ingredients we are told are necessary for anti-aging. It has become impossible to access and apply even a fraction of these ingredients due to the cost and time involved. We feel compelled to buy multiple products every month and layer them on in order to do the most for our skin. But, as we fill our medicine cabinets with creams and serums, we are faced with the daily questions of which shall we use, which are safe and which actually work?
ACARBOSE -

+1 this^

without proper skin care through the use of creams your interview won't go well, ultimately making your MCAT score irrelevant. exactly what I was going to say.

 

[Tijou]

At one school that I interviewed at which is particularly transparent, they give applicants four numerical scores based on mcat, gpa, interviews, and everything else. Then they add up those scores and if the total is above a certain benchmark you are accepted. Under this model your mcat is very important even after your interview.

Do you mind saying what school this is?

 

[eizeral]

I have a 27 balanced MCAT and a 3.97 cGPA and sGPA and received 3 MD interviews. Also Hispanic here. Waitlisted that 2, my last one is next week. I thought both interviews went pretty well. :/ Praying I have more luck next time, and that I have a female interviewer this time around!

 

[Jabbed]

The anti-aging skin care field has boomed,

We now have spam bots quoting spam bots.

 

[CyberMaxx]

So the school I was referring to is MUSC. They really do a very good job if being transparent. Before my interview I met with someone at admissions and she went through my application with me and talked about my chances. She also told me that they regularly counsel applicants who don't get in on how they can improve their application for next year. In one extreme example they worked with an applicant for three years while he retook the MCAT five times before he was ultimately admitted.

You may or may not like their model but I wish more schools were so up font about their process.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

So the school I was referring to is MUSC. They really do a very good job if being transparent. Before my interview I met with someone at admissions and she went through my application with me and talked about my chances. She also told me that they regularly counsel applicants who don't get in on how they can improve their application for next year. In one extreme example they worked with an applicant for three years while he retook the MCAT five times before he was ultimately admitted.

You may or may not like their model but I wish more schools were so up font about their process.

You wouldnt happen to know the formulas used would you? I applied to MUSC (OSS) but no interview yet 🙁

 

[CyberMaxx]

You wouldnt happen to know the formulas used would you? I applied to MUSC (OSS) but no interview yet 🙁

I don't know the exact calculation, I only know that every factor gets turned into a numerical score. I'm pretty sure GPA, MCAT, and interviews are weighted equally. I do know that they adjust your GPA based on your undergraduate institution. They use Barron's ranking of undergraduate university difficulty to do this. I think I came from a middling university and I got something like a 0.3 or 0.4 bump, so its pretty significant. The highest category gets something like a 0.55 bump. At the interview when they were explaining this they used Duke as an example of a school in the highest category.

The admissions office is really transparent though (and really nice!) so I would give them a call and I would be surprised if they didn't give you a realistic estimation of your chances. Good luck

 

[terp720]

You wouldnt happen to know the formulas used would you? I applied to MUSC (OSS) but no interview yet 🙁

I seem to remember you saying that you have no ties to SC though in another thread. That may be why you haven't heard anything yet.

 

[gobigorgohome22]

I seem to remember you saying that you have no ties to SC though in another thread. That may be why you haven't heard anything yet.

You may be thinking of the wrong person. I lived in SC during my teen years.

 

[darkjedi]

In the spirit of trying to reduce misinformation, I will say that generally speaking, ALL factors in your application are looked at holistically when making admissions decisions pre and post-interview. What an interview offers is just another metric to rate an applicant by. Unfortunately MCAT/GPA is still important post interview and looked at within the context of everything, ECs, scores, grades, experiences, and all.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

In the spirit of trying to reduce misinformation, I will say that generally speaking, ALL factors in your application are looked at holistically when making admissions decisions pre and post-interview. What an interview offers is just another metric to rate an applicant by. Unfortunately MCAT/GPA is still important post interview and looked at within the context of everything, ECs, scores, grades, experiences, and all.

I don't think this needs the "Unfortunately" qualifier. Basically the only valid predictor of medical school success has been the MCAT. This is actually why its bearing was so heavily favored once that study in the early 2000s came out and demonstrated that.

Otherwise, I totally agree with your sentiment.

More important is the original question, however.

If you get an interview, you have been deemed by the admissions committee to have a compelling application that indicates you would be successful at their institution, moreso than all the other applicants they decided not to interview in your place. It is your time to shine, and your MCAT will not hold you back. Furthermore, unless your MCAT score is specifically brought up, DO NOT ADDRESS IT. Do be prepared to tactfully answer a question that is critical of your MCAT score.

 

[terp720]

You may be thinking of the wrong person. I lived in SC during my teen years.

oh never mind then! definitely the wrong person. i looked for the post to check but gave up after a bit haha.

 

[darkjedi]

I don't think this needs the "Unfortunately" qualifier.

The unfortunate was more directed towards this case in particular.

 

[PreMedOrDead]

The unfortunate was more directed towards this case in particular.

Then I'd agree with you. But if we're trying to avoid misinformation and speak generally 😉

 

[bambam92]

Alright I am going to be the bad guy here…I am surprised you even landed any MD interviews with your stats!! A 25 is way below the national average of a 32 according to the recent MSAR, and you have a sub 3.5 gap?! I mean I see you are a new member--I hope you're not trolling. I have a friend who got his 32 MCAT called low at a recent interview..yes a 32! You have a 25, I don't know how the interview doesn't turn into a roast. Your stats are low for DO, never mind allopathic. Consider yourself blessed to be landing any MD interviews if thats even true, and be ecstatic and start playing the lottery if you get accepted!! Wow

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Alright I am going to be the bad guy here…I am surprised you even landed any MD interviews with your stats!! A 25 is way below the national average of a 32 according to the recent MSAR, and you have a sub 3.5 gap?! I mean I see you are a new member--I hope you're not trolling. I have a friend who got his 32 MCAT called low at a recent interview..yes a 32! You have a 25, I don't know how the interview doesn't turn into a roast. Your stats are low for DO, never mind allopathic. Consider yourself blessed to be landing any MD interviews if thats even true, and be ecstatic and start playing the lottery if you get accepted!! Wow

You must be new here:

URM

Over half of Hispanic applicants with his stats are admitted to allopathic programs every year.

Over three-quarters of Black/African American applicants are admitted with his stats are admitted to allopathic programs every year.

Source

Welcome to SDN. Make sure not to say racist things along with identifying who you are and what schools you get accepted to.

 

[cooksgenes]

Getting interviews means your application is outstanding in some way... That's said, as long as you stay true to what you write about yourself in your essays/ activity descriptions, your chance of getting acceptances is decent. I am not URM; I have a very unbalanced MCAT with a deadly 7 on VR (14, 7, 15) - I have only 6 interviews (out of 36 schools I applied to) but I was admitted to all of them, including a UC 🙂

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Getting interviews means your application is outstanding in some way... That's said, as long as you stay true to what you write about yourself in your essays/ activity descriptions, your chance of getting acceptances is decent. I am not URM; I have a very unbalanced MCAT with a deadly 7 on VR (14, 7, 15) - I have only 6 interviews (out of 36 schools I applied to) but I was admitted to all of them, including a UC 🙂

Did you honestly just compare a 36 to a 25? That is damn near a 50%ile differential.

 

[cooksgenes]

Did you honestly just compare a 36 to a 25? That is damn near a 50%ile differential.

No, but my situation is comparable to that of the OP to some extent. A 7 subscore, especially on VR with a very unbalanced total score, is like a guaranteed ticket to the rejection pile of every school!

 

[PreMedOrDead]

Duplicate

 

[PreMedOrDead]

No, but my situation is comparable to that of the OP to some extent. A 7 subscore, especially on VR with a very unbalanced total score, is like a guaranteed ticket to the rejection pile of every school!

No, it really isn't.

 

[mgreen]

Thank you all again for the replys def puts the admission/interview process in more perspective. I have to remind myself that numbers are not the only thing but that they are still important. At this stage I have nothing else to do but march forward and hope for the best.

@bambam92, although this might sound like a troll thread it is not. I have been lurking around sdn for over a year now and specifically made an account and this thread because of the doubts I expressed in my first post. Like others have pointed out it is not all numbers and you do not need to have 3.8+ gpa and 35+ mcat to get accepted. Although i am surprised at your friend being told a 32 score is low. that might be a bigger troll then my 25 mcat but this whole process is crazy. thank premedordead for showing our friend the data 😛

p.s. good luck cooksgenes and eizeral on your interviews and subsequent acceptances.

 

[jlescher]

It depends where that individual was interviewing. If it was UPenn and a few others a 32 is very low. At ~90% of schools it's average or above.

 

[mgreen]

yea i was thinking the same, you're absolutely right about that. But still I'd kill for a 32, but I can guess the same for many.

 

[jlescher]

I think being an URM, the 25 isn't a death sentence. Like everyone has said, you got an interview so they like you. If your interviewers look favorably on you, I doubt you will get rejected. More than likely you will be accepted or wait listed. That seemed to be the case for me. I got feedback from my interviews and I did well on most of them. I was never rejected, but wait listed at all three schools I interviewed at last year. Mainly because I wasn't quite competitive enough as an OOS applicant, or I didn't have enough clinical experience. Rectified the clinical issue and this year I have 3 interviews done, 2 acceptances, and a wait list. You should get at least 1 acceptance as long as all the other aspects of your app. are strong.

 

[Espadaleader]

I agree with the previous posters. I have went on my fair share of interviews and most factor the interview with GPA, MCAT, application etc. I know a URM that has several interviews with a 25. However, she has several publications and has worked at several Ivy league and elite academic medical centers AND comes from a poor background. A 25 MCAT even as a URM will get you nothing if you're not published, went to good school, grew up poor etc. Also, your MCAT must be balanced. Everything over 8. and preferably a high verbal score.


Remember, URMs (blacks in particular) have the lowest acceptance rate.

Also remember that a 32 is not low. Whoever said that is a troll. a 32 is close to the 90th percentile.

 

[Espadaleader]

Alright I am going to be the bad guy here…I am surprised you even landed any MD interviews with your stats!! A 25 is way below the national average of a 32 according to the recent MSAR, and you have a sub 3.5 gap?! I mean I see you are a new member--I hope you're not trolling. I have a friend who got his 32 MCAT called low at a recent interview..yes a 32! You have a 25, I don't know how the interview doesn't turn into a roast. Your stats are low for DO, never mind allopathic. Consider yourself blessed to be landing any MD interviews if thats even true, and be ecstatic and start playing the lottery if you get accepted!! Wow

You're a jerk. Have you even applied to medical school?

 

[mcloaf]

Remember, URMs (blacks in particular) have the lowest acceptance rate.

What?

 

[Espadaleader]

What?

I said blacks have the lowest acceptance rate.

 

[mcloaf]

I said blacks have the lowest acceptance rate.

While technically that's true overall, it's not an informative way to look at the data because the distributions are so different. The charts show a disproportionately large number of black applicants applying at the very low end of the stats spectrum which makes the overall acceptance rate deceptively small. For example, while there were roughly the same number (~1000) of white and black applicants with MCAT scores between 15 and 17, there were 20,000 white applicants with an MCAT between 30 and 32 but only 746 blacks. You see the same trend with GPA.

In reality the acceptance rates are much higher across the majority of the range of stats (certainly in the range of stats that would be considered competitive). In OP's case, with a GPA of 3.40-3.59 and an MCAT of 24-26, the acceptance rate among white applicants 17.8% while blacks with the same stats were accepted at a rate of 76%.

I'm not trying to turn this into a pro or con URM thread as I support efforts to increase diversity in medicine, but your statement doesn't really tell the whole truth (and I suspect you know that).

For those interested in seeing the data tables:
https://www.aamc.org/data/facts/app...mcat-gpa-grid-by-selected-race-ethnicity.html

 

[Espadaleader]

I agree with you 100%. I know that.

 

[Espadaleader]

I'm happy to see someone that supports URMs in medicine and understands the data. Especially on SDN. You made my day.

 

[bambam92]

You're a jerk. Have you even applied to medical school?

I just find it hard to believe a 25 MCAT would get several interview offers from allopathic schools, regardless of URM status or not. And according to the latest MSAR even the 10th percentile for MCATs at almost ALL schools don't approach a 25. And this friend I referenced having a 32 MCAT was interviewing at BU, and the interviewer was an old senile guy and flat out called his MCAT low. I am not trolling, and i realize a 32 MCAT is roughly 89th percentile which is very strong. Maybe its because the median MCAT at BU is currently a 34 and approaching even higher that he said this? But I assure you I am definitely not trolling, this friend has had several interviews at other schools as well. Anyways that doesn't matter, I am all for URM's being more represented in healthcare. But a 25 MCAT is way low for allopathic. I don't know how I feel about someone with that low of an MCAT being given admission at med school over someone who had a 30+ MCAT solely based on URM status. And I know plenty of URM's that have killed the MCAT, so it doesn't mean they are scoring lower or anything. But a 25 MCAT is reaching for allopathic I don't care if you're red, green, or purple.

 

[wiloghby]

I just find it hard to believe a 25 MCAT would get several interview offers from allopathic schools, regardless of URM status or not. And according to the latest MSAR even the 10th percentile for MCATs at almost ALL schools don't approach a 25. And this friend I referenced having a 32 MCAT was interviewing at BU, and the interviewer was an old senile guy and flat out called his MCAT low. I am not trolling, and i realize a 32 MCAT is roughly 89th percentile which is very strong. Maybe its because the median MCAT at BU is currently a 34 and approaching even higher that he said this? But I assure you I am definitely not trolling, this friend has had several interviews at other schools as well. Anyways that doesn't matter, I am all for URM's being more represented in healthcare. But a 25 MCAT is way low for allopathic. I don't know how I feel about someone with that low of an MCAT being given admission at med school over someone who had a 30+ MCAT solely based on URM status. And I know plenty of URM's that have killed the MCAT, so it doesn't mean they are scoring lower or anything. But a 25 MCAT is reaching for allopathic I don't care if you're red, green, or purple.

How can you say that when the rest of the discussion above (from AAMC Table 25) shows that an MCAT of 25 and GPA around 3.5 is NOT low at all if you come from a certain background? If three-quarters of a certain demographic with a 25 MCAT and a 3.5GPA is being admitted, then it's not really low, is it? MCAT and GPA are used to get into medical school, and not really anything else beyond that once you're in. So if you are statistically on the right side with your numbers, who cares? I just doubt that there are many who are accepted to medical school with MCAT scores of 25-27 who feel they don't belong by the time they finish third year :]

But that's just my opinion.

Also, for what it's worth, I was insta-rejected from BU with an MCAT score of 39 and many clinical, service, and research extracurriculars. I can only imagine the kinds of numbers and amazing experiences they see at interview day.

 

[jlescher]

I just find it hard to believe a 25 MCAT would get several interview offers from allopathic schools, regardless of URM status or not. And according to the latest MSAR even the 10th percentile for MCATs at almost ALL schools don't approach a 25. And this friend I referenced having a 32 MCAT was interviewing at BU, and the interviewer was an old senile guy and flat out called his MCAT low. I am not trolling, and i realize a 32 MCAT is roughly 89th percentile which is very strong. Maybe its because the median MCAT at BU is currently a 34 and approaching even higher that he said this? But I assure you I am definitely not trolling, this friend has had several interviews at other schools as well. Anyways that doesn't matter, I am all for URM's being more represented in healthcare. But a 25 MCAT is way low for allopathic. I don't know how I feel about someone with that low of an MCAT being given admission at med school over someone who had a 30+ MCAT solely based on URM status. And I know plenty of URM's that have killed the MCAT, so it doesn't mean they are scoring lower or anything. But a 25 MCAT is reaching for allopathic I don't care if you're red, green, or purple.

I have two points and I'm not trying to be argumentative because I actually agree with you for the most part. The first thing is that it's not unheard of for an interviewer to say something controversial to an applicant to see how they react and throw them off a little bit. Saying someone's MCAT is low, when they have a 32, is a good way to see if they will roll over or stand up for themselves in a respectful way and disagree. This isn't an earth shattering revelation, but I'm throwing it out there because no one has mentioned this yet. The second point is that people on SDN put a lot more weight in stats than they should. It's a really convenient bench mark for us to use for comparison. Don't get me wrong, the stats don't lie and they are useful. But having gone through this process twice and having had many conversations with people involved with making the decisions, they are looking for a lot more than stats. This is also not a new thought, but I think people lose sight of how much weight they place other things other than stats. They use stats to predict if you will fail out of school and pass step1 the first time around. That's really it. There are many other factors that could make that 25 applicant much stronger in other areas. I also have no doubt that a person with an 8/8/9 could memorize the material to pass medical school if they work hard enough. Are they as deserving of the acceptance as the person who got a 35? That's up for debate.

 

[edgerock24]

The fact that someone less competitive can get into medical school over someone significantly more qualified solely because of their skin color is downright sickening and unfair.