Low MCAT, high Step 1 stories

[ryanr]

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My opinion is that these are very different tests.
I would say USMLE exams are mostly memorization, whereas MCAT is mostly reading comprehension and application. Certainly possible to do better on USMLE than MCAT

 

[TheTruckGuy]

For me it was 97 percentile MCAT, something like 45-50 percentile Step 1, 50-55 percentile step 2, 60-65 percentile step 3. Though I'm not 100% sure about my exact percentiles (don't feel like looking it up right now), that's a rough estimate.

 

[libertyyne]

For me it was 97 percentile MCAT, something like 45-50 percentile Step 1, 50-55 percentile step 2, 60-65 percentile step 3. Though I'm not 100% sure about my exact percentiles (don't feel like looking it up right now), that's a rough estimate.

What happened?

 

[Undercover_Brother]

248 step 1, 29 MCAT

 

[Deecee2DO]

For what it's worth, I had to retake the MCAT. First try I got a 19, second try I got a 23. I ended up with a 242 on step 1 and a 259 on step 2 CK. My school compiled MCAT vs. Step 1 scores for it's student and found no correlation between MCAT score and Step 1 score. I am proof of that. I don't know what my 19/23 is worth on the new scoring system though.

Dude I literally love this post. Just because someone isn't strong in chemistry, physics, and memorizing stupid material youll never use the second you walk out of your mcat doesn't mean you can't get a good step score. MCAT content is literally the most boring material on the face of the planet. Step material is worlds more interesting IMO. Although step is an absolute beast at least you are learning more material that you will use as a physician. It's motivating as you are studying to know you are studying for your patients

 

[Deecee2DO]

248 step 1, 29 MCAT

248s solid, and a 29 isn't a bad MCAT score by any means lol

 

[Anesthesia_IMG_24789]

LMGTFY
MCAT Score Conversion Chart

Only good for the 23. The chart doesn't go lower than 21.

^lol

 

[Undercover_Brother]

248s solid, and a 29 isn't a bad MCAT score by any means lol

not good enough for what i needed it to be 🙁

wish i could've transferred some points from step1 to my mcat

 

[TheTruckGuy]

What happened?

So, what I think happened is that the MCAT rewards people that can conceptualize and reason. The USMLE, especially step 1, rewards flat out memorization with some reasoning ability on higher order questions. I'm not particularly great at memorization. And even though as you go up from step 1 through step 3, it moves further away from memorization, having that memorization stuff down from step one is a big boost on the subsequent steps. And for some reason I just couldn't focus as well during step study as I could during MCAT study.

At least that's what I think happened. I also took my MCAT a little over 9 years ago, so lots has changed and my memory of all the details aren't as great.

 

[AnatomyGrey12]

not good enough for what i needed it to be 🙁

wish i could've transferred some points from step1 to my mcat

Lol wut?

 

[Deecee2DO]

not good enough for what i needed it to be 🙁

wish i could've transferred some points from step1 to my mcat

lol you're in med school so it was good enough

 

[raiderette]

lmao at these "low" MCAT scores.

15-16 here.

239/260s
~700/>825

The MCAT is a measurement of how rich your parents are.

Even though I don't fit this, I still believe it. I didn't sleep more than 4 hours a night for 6 months because I had a job, full school schedule, and 20-30 hours if club work as well as research while studying for the MCAT. My rich friends studied with tutors and took prep classes. I loved how in med school I could take out enough loans to simply study, do 10 hours at my volunteering gig. Everything else was Step 1.