Is it possible for somebody with an average IQ to get a 30 on the MCAT?

[XeReX]

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One of my buddies the other day was telling me that he believed it was possible to pass med school with a dead average IQ of 100 with a tireless work ethic because that is what he did. I was shocked to find out that someone could even get into med school with a 100 IQ, but perhaps he was one of those applicants with a low MCAT and high GPA/impressive EC's (and I don't see any reason for him to lie about having an IQ that low).

But if an average student with an IQ of 100 were to study for the MCAT for 7+ months, could he get a 30?

I don't believe that you have to be "intelligent" to get into and through medical school. If one is diligent, hardworking and committed towards his/her goal then they will achieve it no matter what.

 

[Cleavername]

IQ is such a rough measure of intelligence, I don't think it matters. My brother, who has a shockingly high IQ, barely got through college, while I had no problem. Obviously if you have trouble with reading comprehension or basic algebraic formulas, things will be difficult, but an IQ of 100 shouldn't be a barrier. Hard work is a bigger guarantee success than raw intelligence, though you'll want both to break 40. And anyway, past a certain point I find verbal reasoning to be a lot like Russian roulette. Though in English, obviously.

its just too bad that hard work will also use up the most precious resource we humans will ever have, time. as opposed to intelligence, C6H12O6.

 

[Handinhand]

The problem with IQ tests online is that the average is always supposed to be 100. If people are scoring higher than 100 on average, the tests will be recalibrated so that 100 is the average again. If you take an IQ test online, you're measuring your intelligence vs. the other people who have taken it online, people who can take it again and again until their ego is sated.

That said: http://iqtest.dk/main.swf

It's modeled after the Raven Matrices, which is supposed to be culturally unbiased. It does not test knowledge or memory.

I got a 115 on this test. I don't know how accurate it is though because it really seemed to only test one kind of puzzle.

 

[jrou111]

I got a 115 on this test. I don't know how accurate it is though because it really seemed to only test one kind of puzzle.

Having taken an 2 separate IQ tests that were administered by clinical psychologists, I agree with this. This is only one portion of examination on the actual test. In addition, your age is factored into the real test.

What shocked me the most is that I still have vivid images in my mind of some of the puzzles from 15-18 years ago. Your mentioning of this triggered the recall.

 

[orthomyxo]

I got a 115 on this test. I don't know how accurate it is though because it really seemed to only test one kind of puzzle.

Agreed. I'm also doubtful of the "grading" method, considering I still got 103 after getting bored and leaving more than 5 questions blank...

If I remember correctly, it never actually gave instructions for the questions, other than "pick the simplest answer." It never even said anything like "choose which shape would most likely come next" or something. I'm willing to bet that there aren't really any correct answers, and you get a varying magnitude of some type of plus/minus depending on which option you select. Kinda stupid IMO.

 

[Suenya]

People of average intelligence get accepted to medical school and become doctors. There are not tons of them, most doctors are probably in the 120-135 range as a random guess (I'm not sure how accurate that image is that was posted earlier). Doing above a 30 should not be close to impossible for someone of average intelligence, but it might be very very hard depending on their strengths and weaknesses.

I love how people that have taken intro psych or spent some time on the internet decide that IQ tests are useless as a measure of intelligence. Defining what we mean when we say intelligence is hard, but most of the current mainstream IQ tests are in fact VERY useful. The problem is that to get more information out of an individual score you really benefit drastically from having someone rather educated in their use. As a population measure they need less of that though.

I will echo the sentiment that people need to take some classes in psychometrics, because the descriptions of what IQ tests actually do posted by many here represent a serious ignorance in this particular area.

 

[IvyHopeful20]

The problem with IQ tests online is that the average is always supposed to be 100. If people are scoring higher than 100 on average, the tests will be recalibrated so that 100 is the average again. If you take an IQ test online, you're measuring your intelligence vs. the other people who have taken it online, people who can take it again and again until their ego is sated.

That said: http://iqtest.dk/main.swf

It's modeled after the Raven Matrices, which is supposed to be culturally unbiased. It does not test knowledge or memory.

All right, so taking your advice, I took this test. I did in fact do really well, but I would have to question its validity because it was only testing patterns and spatial analysis (I may not know a lot, but I do know that I don't have 160 IQ ).

As a math major, these type of problems are, as you say, right within my strike zone. It's a learned skill.

 

[tortuga87]

Don't let IQ tests limit you. The correlation between IQ tests and the MCAT has a lot of variability. Also, IQ can change for people overtime. Just focus on scoring high on the MCAT regardless of what other people or things say.

 

[VikingLegacy]

baleeted

 

[Polymer Based]

Oh and internet posts where people talk about their IQ are like internet posts where people post dick sizes. Except worse because I can come to your house and actually measure your dick size (and I will).

I pictured you walking into my room with a ruler, in my case 2 rulers.

 

[MightyMoose]

Don't let IQ tests limit you. The correlation between IQ tests and the MCAT has a lot of variability. Also, IQ can change for people overtime. Just focus on scoring high on the MCAT regardless of what other people or things say.

This really isn't true. One aspect of my job is to test IQ's and you do not usually see variability over time. I am also not a big believer that IQ is a global test of intelligence. It tests certain elements of a persons thinking ability, but not all of them.

I must also say, the narcissism in this thread is rampant...

OP, just do the best you can on the MCAT, regardless of whether you have a 100 IQ or a 150 IQ.