Do you really think bringing this post back was a good idea... I mean just looking at what happened last time i think you got your answer.
Is 590 (86th percentile) a good shelf score?
- Thread starter theWUbear
- Start date
Do you really think bringing this post back was a good idea... I mean just looking at what happened last time i think you got your answer.
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
- Messages
- 670
- Reaction score
- 47
I'm not going to give you any advice for your AMCAS/shelf exam problem as I know my place as a pre-med (see title, above avatar), but as a decent human being, I know common courtesy. Do pre-meds (sometimes including myself) post in threads where they might not have the most accurate and educational viewpoint? Yes... Does that give you a right to be a complete a**hole? NO! It's an internet forum. Be respectful, even if someone did something wrong. If everyone on here was like you, you would've been torn to threads for even asking a question. Grow up... I'm sure as hell no one would want you in their school being such an ignorant and rude individual.
Hey, WUbear I have a friend who is taking an SMP and has taken a couple shelf exams. My impression (from what my friend has told me) was that his program would let the schools he is applying to know about his scores. Now, I'm not exactly sure how his program goes about doing this. Is there some way to release the scores? Do they annotate the scores on his transcript? Do they include the scores in a letter they write? I really have no idea. I would check with your program and ask them if they can/will report your score.
Now, if they do not report the score...personally, I would put it down. Honestly, even if you received a 50% on a shelf I would think that score would be indicative of your ability to grasp the material/test as well as the average med student (in that particular subject). That's just what I would do if I were in your shoes.
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2007
- Messages
- 4,197
- Reaction score
- 36
I don't see how they can use that data point. It won't hurt but it wouldn't help. You took a medical school level class and scored above average on the shelf. An A in an undergrad biochem course means more than that.
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2009
- Messages
- 1,873
- Reaction score
- 61
Hey JChait! Welcome to SDN memeland. 😎 I bolded your use of Burnett's Law for you. I was merely referencing a thread in the lounge regarding the tenets of SDN. Didn't mean to sound arrogant
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2009
- Messages
- 670
- Reaction score
- 47
Haha, I am familiar. And I understand, I'm sure pre-meds are annoying 😉 It just seems like every single thread is like "0mg pre-medz r idiotz, only med students know anything", when this may be true about some things, but not every single thing in the forum. Good luck with your app.
Haha, well, honestly I only yesterday realized that they had basic science subject specific shelf exams (i.e. that weren't in clinical areas 😳 ) and I've been in medical school two years already 😛. So, I don't know that they are really something adcoms are going to look at carefully (or perhaps I'm especially ignorant, who knows?). Probably the adcoms at my school would give it a 😕
But sure, put it down under the "additional tests", I guess, the questions that I would wonder as an adcom are:
(1) Did this applicant from an SMP take other shelf subject exams that they did not do as well on? Why are they only posting this one singly?
(2) Why did they only take the biochem shelf exam?
Actually, although I realize I am perhaps more ignorant about shelf exams than most med students, I would be willing to bet that an adcom would have no IDEA that a 590 on the biochem shelf meant 86th percentile. You know what I mean? Please let another medical student correct me if I'm wrong on this point. For all I know, it's only slightly better than the 500 point (which is 50th percentile, right? right?)
But for example, if I said I got a 789 on the NCLEX (again I have no idea what the NCLEX is out of) I wouldn't have any idea what percentile it is. So, put it down, maybe but be prepared to answer what it is and why you took it? 😕😕
But sure, put it down under the "additional tests", I guess, the questions that I would wonder as an adcom are:
(1) Did this applicant from an SMP take other shelf subject exams that they did not do as well on? Why are they only posting this one singly?
(2) Why did they only take the biochem shelf exam?
Actually, although I realize I am perhaps more ignorant about shelf exams than most med students, I would be willing to bet that an adcom would have no IDEA that a 590 on the biochem shelf meant 86th percentile. You know what I mean? Please let another medical student correct me if I'm wrong on this point. For all I know, it's only slightly better than the 500 point (which is 50th percentile, right? right?)
But for example, if I said I got a 789 on the NCLEX (again I have no idea what the NCLEX is out of) I wouldn't have any idea what percentile it is. So, put it down, maybe but be prepared to answer what it is and why you took it? 😕😕
- Joined
- Apr 27, 2007
- Messages
- 13,095
- Reaction score
- 334
We don't take that particular shelf exam, but I'd be reasonably happy with that depending on how much I studied and what I had going on the week before. I don't think it's anything to write home about though.
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 12,111
- Reaction score
- 250
*sigh* Seriously, don't put this in your application.
2
235009
the "other tests" section is for you to put scores from the GRE, LSAT, GMAT, etc
Though getting 86th percentile on a shelf exam is pretty good it is reflected in the grade you got for biochem in your SMP (i'm assuming you honored/got an A). The fact that the class uses a standardized exam as the final doesn't make it any more important than any other final exam you've taken. Adcoms understand that at an SMP you are tested like a med student so they know how to interpret your grades...you don't need to show them this shelf score to prove that you did well.
Also, biochem is a pretty minor topic on step 1.
PS i'm very amused by the fact that you are obsessed with documenting every little accomplishment on your CV or AMCAS application
Similar threads
