lopsided mcat score, MD-PhD

[yeastfan21]

---

Members do not see this ad.

How much will a "lower" verbal score (9 or 10) on the MCATs hurt my chances at top-tier MD-PhD programs (say, UPenn, Harvard-MIT, UCSF, Johns Hopkins) if my biological and physical sciences scores are between 13-15 and my writing score an S or T?

I was generally scoring 12s or 13s on the verbal section on practice tests, and I'm just wondering at what point it's worth retaking the MCATs if my verbal scores come back atypically low (as I'm afraid they might). Can a low verbal score (low on the MD-PhD scale) be off-set by other factors, like:
--a great writing score
--very good grades in the humanities at an Ivy league school (say, all A's and A-minus's at Harvard)

I know I won't retake if I end up with, say, a 13 PS, 11 VR, 14 BS (38 total). But what about a 13, 10, 14 (37)... or a 13, 9, 14 (36)? If you have with a total MCAT score that matches or is slightly above the average score for the MSTP you're applying to, how much does such lopsidedness hurt you?

 

[dmblue]

i can't wait for the responses. lol

Don't retake it. If you have a good GPA and most importantly a lot of good research experience a low verbal shouldn't matter.

Also, wait til you get your score before you consider retaking.

 

[Vader]

Did you already take the MCAT? If so, wait for your scores to come back before worrying about it.

 

[yeastfan21]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Yeah, I already took the MCATs (4/24)... it's just that I had major time trouble on the VR section, and so I know I'm headed for a score a little lower than where I had wanted to be.

Obviously I'm going to wait 'til I get my score back before I decide whether to retake it. But I do want to have some sense beforehand of what kind of scores are worth sticking with and what kinds of scores should make me think about trying once more. Right now, I have have very little idea what that cutoff line should be, because I don't know how much MD-PhD admissions panels are going to care if my VR score stands out as low while the other scores are solid.

While I'm at it, I might as well ask: is it true that if I check the "I will be retaking the MCATs" option on the AMCAS, the majority of schools will still send me their secondaries but won't begin reviewing my application/scheduling me for interviews until they receive the new score? I've been having trouble finding information about this.

 

[Vader]

Any of those scores would make you competitive at the top MSTP programs. Not sure if some programs use cutoffs for particular sections on the MCAT or just overall score. You might get asked a question about the "lopsidedness" during interviews if you score less than double digits on the verbal section. However, more likely than not you will be considered an excellent candidate if you have a >35 MCAT plus great GPA, research experience, letters of rec, etc.

I actually didn't finish the verbal section (B was my answer to all questions from the last passage). I still managed to get a 10.

Good luck!

 

[Neuronix]

I actually didn't finish the verbal section (B was my answer to all questions from the last passage). I still managed to get a 10.

Same here, and I got a 12?! I think they have a random number generator over there at the AAMC sometimes.

I remember the "easy, moderate, and hard" passages TPR mentioned and that I had practiced on. When I got my exam booklet, it was a couple moderate, mostly hard, and a nightmare . I was really worried about my score for those 3 months while waiting for it.

 

[Sh1ZA]

yea i have the same worry, verbal is bull ****