MCAT came in !

[DiverDoc]

Well, the torturous wait is over ! I didnt do great, but didnt to bad either.

VR : 7 (thought I bombed it worse than this !)
PS : 8 ( decent, thought I did better)
BS : 9 (meh, whatever) Total 24 O

Overall GPA 3.65, science GPA (after this semester) ~3.6. Shadowed a DO in a clinic for the summer. Shadowed a surgeon for 2 years off and on. Volunteered at hometown hospital since I was a soph in highschool. Volunteer at my college town hospital currently. I really am looking at KCUMB, but will apply broadly! What do ya think?

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[jp104]

Well, the torturous wait is over ! I didnt do great, but didnt to bad either.

VR : 7 (thought I bombed it worse than this !)
PS : 8 ( decent, thought I did better)
BS : 9 (meh, whatever) Total 24 O

Overall GPA 3.65, science GPA (after this semester) ~3.6. Shadowed a DO in a clinic for the summer. Shadowed a surgeon for 2 years off and on. Volunteered at hometown hospital since I was a soph in highschool. Volunteer at my college town hospital currently. I really am looking at KCUMB, but will apply broadly! What do ya think?

You hit the avg MCAT for DO schools which is OK. The spread is a bit off though. If I am not mistaken, VR is the most heavily weighed section for many medical schools.

Your GPA is great though, so apply early, you will be fine

 

[poormansDO]

Well, the torturous wait is over ! I didnt do great, but didnt to bad either.

VR : 7 (thought I bombed it worse than this !)
PS : 8 ( decent, thought I did better)
BS : 9 (meh, whatever) Total 24 O

Overall GPA 3.65, science GPA (after this semester) ~3.6. Shadowed a DO in a clinic for the summer. Shadowed a surgeon for 2 years off and on. Volunteered at hometown hospital since I was a soph in highschool. Volunteer at my college town hospital currently. I really am looking at KCUMB, but will apply broadly! What do ya think?

I think you should be more than ok. I got into LECOM-Erie with a 24O. I think as long as you apply early and broadly I think you can get into more than one school, including KCUMB, your G.P.A is more than good enough and your extracurriculars sound great. Good luck .

 

[Vix206]

our GPAs are almost exact, and my MCAT is 1 point higher (though differently distributed). i did very well in the application process: 2 acceptances, 1 waitlist - received interviews at 4 out of 6 DO schools (i declined one). other factors do, of course, matter. but i thought that bit of information would help you in terms of where you stand with your stats. good luck

 

[Doctor Phil]

If I am not mistaken, VR is the most heavily weighed section for many medical schools.

Interesting... what makes you think that? Which schools?

 

[spicedmanna]

Interesting... what makes you think that? Which schools?

I think that it is largely a myth propagated by Kaplan. While it might indeed be true that some schools look more closely at verbal, I saw a recent study that shows that BS correlated more closely with Step 1 than the other sections. Nevertheless, it stands to reason that different schools will have their own different ways of analyzing MCAT scores. There's no univeral consensus, as far as I know. There's no way to actually know, unless you work in the admissions dept of these schools. The best approach is to score as evenly as you can across the sections.

 

[jp104]

I think that it is largely a myth propagated by Kaplan. While it might indeed be true that some schools look more closely at verbal, I saw a recent study that shows that BS correlated more closely with Step 1 than the other sections. Nevertheless, it stands to reason that different schools will have their own different ways of analyzing MCAT scores. There's no univeral consensus, as far as I know. There's no way to actually know, unless you work in the admissions dept of these schools. The best approach is to score as evenly as you can across the sections.

Actually, I took Princeton Review, but yes that is my source for what it's worth

 

[Rumplestilskin]

Actually, I took Princeton Review, but yes that is my source for what it's worth

At one of my interviews I was told that verbal was looked at the most because it showed how well you could integrate and comprehend different things.

 

[spicedmanna]

That's true, however, it's also true, according a study by Donna Dixon, PhD (JAOA • Vol 104 • No 8 • August 2004 • 332-336), that the BS section had the highest correlation of the three sections, with the COMLEX-USA Level 1 (r=0.44) and with the medical school 1st year GPA (r=0.40) (1). Indeed, the VR section had the lowest correlation with 1st year GPA and with Level 1 score of the three sections (r=0.16) (1). Thus, it can be concluded that BS would be a better gauge of Level 1 and 1st year performance than VR.

 

[scpod]

That's true, however, it's also true, according a study by Donna Dixon, PhD...

It's not the only one. Our school took all of the COMLEX part one scores from last year and compared them to MCAT sections. There was a good correlation with BS scores, while VR was the worst of the three. Incidently, there was also a good COMLEX correlation with class rank in med school and basic sciences grades in med school as well. Both seemed to be a pretty good COMLEX predictor. I have no idea what other studies might say, though.

 

[Dr.Inviz]

It's not the only one. Our school took all of the COMLEX part one scores from last year and compared them to MCAT sections. There was a good correlation with BS scores, while VR was the worst of the three. Incidently, there was also a good COMLEX correlation with class rank in med school and basic sciences grades in med school as well. Both seemed to be a pretty good COMLEX predictor. I have no idea what other studies might say, though.

Sweet. My VR sucked, but my BS was the highest.

 

[Taty]

Sweet. My VR sucked, but my BS was the highest.

Mine is the same

 

[Vaneer1000]

I would advise taking it one more time. It all really depends on you whether you want to take it or not. Do you really want to take the chance and apply with just average stats. Even though your gpa is pretty good your mcat is still average. I would take it one more time to increase your chances of acceptance. Why limit yourself to few schools when you can do much better.

 

[Static Line]

I would advise taking it one more time. It all really depends on you whether you want to take it or not. Do you really want to take the chance and apply with just average stats. Even though your gpa is pretty good your mcat is still average. I would take it one more time to increase your chances of acceptance. Why limit yourself to few schools when you can do much better.

Apply with what you have
Apply early
Reschedule to take MCAT and indicate so on your app.
Many have gotten in with worse stats than yours.

 

[Ki45toryu]

I think that it is largely a myth propagated by Kaplan. While it might indeed be true that some schools look more closely at verbal, I saw a recent study that shows that BS correlated more closely with Step 1 than the other sections. Nevertheless, it stands to reason that different schools will have their own different ways of analyzing MCAT scores.

2 schools out of the 7 I interviewed at asked specifically about my MCAT score. After answering their questions, they stated, without being goaded into such, that verbal was the most important aspect of the MCAT for them....and that they felt that it correlated best to performance in medical school.

The other 5 schools didnt ask any questions about the MCAT.

 

[spicedmanna]

2 schools out of the 7 I interviewed at asked specifically about my MCAT score. After answering their questions, they stated, without being goaded into such, that verbal was the most important aspect of the MCAT for them....and that they felt that it correlated best to performance in medical school.

The other 5 schools didnt ask any questions about the MCAT.

Well, all I can say is that the statistics that I examined would most definitely not support the hypothesis that the VR section is the best indicator of medical school performance, or of COMLEX-USA Level I performance. In fact, the data clearly indicate that BS, followed very closely by PS, correlates the best with MS-1 and Level 1 performance. Apparently, that is what more than one recent study has indicated. I stand by my statement that the BS section provides the best indication of MS-1 and Level 1 performance, and I can certainly support it with data. See my post above that cites the data and the study that it comes from.

You are citing anecdotal evidence. This doesn't prove or disprove anything. Nevertheless, it does seem true that every school can use whatever criteria they want. It also seems to me that interviewers might not be the most knowledgeable source for this kind of statistic. Interviewers are not necessarily a part of the admissions committee and they are not necessarily informed on all the recent aspects and data on the admissions process. In many situations, their job is to simply evaluate you and report their findings to the admissions committee. If it is in fact accurate that these aforementioned schools have determined that the VR section is most important aspect of the MCAT, as it correlates with medical school performance, I have no basis to argue against that. That's their prerogative, I suppose. I'd like to see what data they are using, however, to support their hypothesis. I would hope they are using the scientific method to arrive at their determination.

In the absence of any proof to the contrary, it would seem that it is true that VR is the most important section of the MCAT for indicating medical school performance in the two schools that you cite. That's all I can say, given the ancedotal information that you provided. In any case, it's moot, because hopefully applicants will shoot to be even across the sections, to avoid any such difficulties.

 

[Sir Buckethead]

If I were in admissions I would look close at VR scores because it seems like those are the hardest for people to bump up. What I mean is, it might be easier to inflate your Physical and Biological scores, and its easier for Kaplan and co. to build those up in their clients.

However, it should be noted that I am a n00b.

 

[spicedmanna]

If I were in admissions I would look close at VR scores because it seems like those are the hardest for people to bump up. What I mean is, it might be easier to inflate your Physical and Biological scores, and its easier for Kaplan and co. to build those up in their clients.

However, it should be noted that I am a n00b.

That could be the case, because the VR section curve is definitely smashingly tough and there is little room for error. However, it is quite different to state what you stated than to say that the VR section is the best indicator for medical school performance. The first would be not be addressed by study that I cite, but the last would be disproven.

 

[DragonWell]

Well, all I can say is that the statistics that I examined would most definitely not support the hypothesis that the VR section is the best indicator of medical school performance, or of COMLEX-USA Level I performance. In fact, the data clearly indicate that BS, followed very closely by PS, correlates the best with MS-1 and Level 1 performance. Apparently, that is what more than one recent study has indicated. I stand by my statement that the BS section provides the best indication of MS-1 and Level 1 performance, and I can certainly support it with data. See my post above that cites the data and the study that it comes from.

You are citing anecdotal evidence. This doesn't prove or disprove anything. Nevertheless, it does seem true that every school can use whatever criteria they want. It also seems to me that interviewers might not be the most knowledgeable source for this kind of statistic. Interviewers are not necessarily a part of the admissions committee and they are not necessarily informed on all the recent aspects and data on the admissions process. In many situations, their job is to simply evaluate you and report their findings to the admissions committee. If it is in fact accurate that these aforementioned schools have determined that the VR section is most important aspect of the MCAT, as it correlates with medical school performance, I have no basis to argue against that. That's their prerogative, I suppose. I'd like to see what data they are using, however, to support their hypothesis. I would hope they are using the scientific method to arrive at their determination.

In the absence of any proof to the contrary, it would seem that it is true that VR is the most important section of the MCAT for indicating medical school performance in the two schools that you cite. That's all I can say, given the ancedotal information that you provided. In any case, it's moot, because hopefully applicants will shoot to be even across the sections, to avoid any such difficulties.

Well said. Agreed. I have seen the data that shows a strong BS correlation with Step 1 scores and a somewhat weaker yet still significant correlation with PS scores. I have not seen any data supporting the conclusion that VR has nearly as strong a correlation, and frankly I have a hard time believing it. Since we're trading anecdotes, I'll add one - I know of a JD who got a 15 on the VR, and he is struggling to stay afloat in the sea of biochem, path and micro we are immersed in.

 

[Sir Buckethead]

why are these studies confined to step 1?

 

[spicedmanna]

why are these studies confined to step 1?

From what I've heard, Level 1 is important to the residency match. The study that I cited above shows that the three sections are fairly equal in their predictive value, with correlations of 0.31, 0.34, and 0.34, for VR, PS, and BS, respectively, for the COMLEX-USA Level 2 (1). It would seem that BS and PS still edge out VR, even for Level 2.

 

[Dr JPH]

My sources tell me schools look at the entire MCAT score and evaluate applicants on a case by case basis.