MCAT Score/ Numbers Game- Just For Math Nerd Fun

[Premed2295]

This is just the science nerd in me, but I figure there are some others in my nerd boat.
At what point, mathematically do you think an MCAT Score is "maxed out" so to speak. Im probably not phrasing this the best, but let me see if I can make this at least somewhat comprehensible.
So there are A LOT of MCAT Scores (521-528) that are 99th percentile and above. Those scores despite covering a range of 7 scores are somewhat indistinguishable from each other. At what point do you think the scores are so closely matched to each other that they are equivalent, and it really has more to do with getting lucky with who else tests that day and what questions you happen to receive that your intelligence.

Or in other words, at what point, assuming that time and money to dedicate to studying and testing were no issue, and schools were not able to see retakes so they in no way penalized you, would it simply be impossible to improve a score.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Zenabi90]

528.

 

[Zenabi90]

An individual's theoretical max score would be achieved at the following conditions

1. Optimal preparation period and practice
2. Optimal performance for entire duration of exam
3. Optimal test conditions
4. Optimal test difficulty: easy enough for individual to understand, hard enough that not every person got them correct

Whatever score you achieve at that point, is where improvement is impossible.

But to actually play your numbers game:

I'd say anything above 2 Std Devs is where you go into outlier territory. So yea, >520.

 

[infectiousdisease101]

An individual's theoretical max score would be achieved at the following conditions

1. Optimal preparation period and practice
2. Optimal performance for entire duration of exam
3. Optimal test conditions
4. Optimal test difficulty: easy enough for individual to understand, hard enough that not every person got them correct

Whatever score you achieve at that point, is where improvement is impossible.

But to actually play your numbers game:

I'd say anything above 2 Std Devs is where you go into outlier territory. So yea, >520.

3 SD is outlier territory. 2 SD is statistically significant as it is 95% of data pool. 3 SD is 99.97%

 

[Premed2295]

HAHA I like this philosophy my friend. I like to think my 516 is pretty maxed out.