MCAT score representative of intelligence?

[orthoboy]

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[deleted393650]

No. Those standardized tests are definitely not representative of how intelligent someone is. Anyone can study vigorously for those tests and get a high score on them. It is just a matter of do you have the determination and willpower to crack open a prep book and study for the tests. I know plenty of smart people who got low scores on those tests and plenty of stupid people who scored high on those tests. The only reason I can think of why the colleges and universities use the tests is because they can filter out a large amount of students, not because they tell how intelligent someone is.

 

[orthoboy]

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[Ismet]

Absolutely not. And also, a person who gets 40+ definitely doesn't have to be a better doctor than someone who gets a 30. My pre-med club at Pitt brings in a lot of adcoms, med students, and physicians from UPMC to talk to us about the application process, med school, etc, and every single time they talk about the time they interviewed some guy who got a 45 and had a 4.0, tons of research, clinical experience, publications, etc and didn't get in. There are apparently many of these, as I've heard this story at least 5 times. Each time, the guy got rejected because he was rude, condescending, and basically had zero compassion or communication skills.

To make a long story short, MCAT isn't everything. GPA isn't everything. You're selling a whole package. Whether you get a 40 or a 30, you still have to back it up with EC's and a stellar interview.

The MCAT is half luck anyway. It all depends on what you're strong in and what is thrown at you on test day.

 

[MDminded]

But why do some people who study A LOT still do bad on the tests? I don't think it's all about their work ethic and how well they prepare. For example, for the verbal, why are some people "naturally" good at it, while others struggle, regardless of their scientific capabilities? It just eludes me how diverse people are in their thinking and how it correlates with their test-taking skills.

I wonder if some of it boils down to the ability of a person to use logic and reasoning. Many people grew up practicing the implementation of logic and reasoning as part of their educational framework (both at home and at school), others did not.

I like to think that I'm a "smart" person, but I am not a very good standardized test taker. There were times where I was often the kid in the class who knew the material better than anyone else (other than the professor, of course), and when it came to standardized tests, I'd perform lower than some of my classmates. I think what gets me EVERY time is the "best answer" questions, because it's hard for me to discern between two choices. I can always bring it down to two choices, but then to eliminate one over the other is difficult because I can reason out how either answer would be correct.

 

[Buttermellow]

To some extent, yes. If you give two people the same materials and time to study, but one gets a 40 and the other a 25, I'd probably be led to think that the person who got the 40 is smarter. I believe that people inherently have some level of intelligence, and some people have to work a little harder to perform at the same level. I consider myself fairly intelligent, yet on my first MCAT FL I think I got a 24 or 25. I studied, and my average now is probably 32-33. The MCAT is definitely a test that requires both factual knowledge and higher-level thinking (reasoning, logic, etc.).

 

[kehlsh]

I hate to admit it but I look at people with 40+ score with awe

 

[orthoboy]

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[GreenRabbit]

Our culture values analytical intelligence, which is reflected in all standardized testing. Analytical intelligence is just one of many kinds of intelligence, and common sense will tell you that people who score 40+ do not appear 'intelligent' in all situations. They certainly aren't guaranteed to be good doctors. That said, I don't think analytical intelligence isn't important in medicine, so if you get a 25 you might want to exercise that brain-muscle a bit .

 

[liveoak]

Our culture values analytical intelligence, which is reflected in all standardized testing. Analytical intelligence is just one of many kinds of intelligence, and common sense will tell you that people who score 40+ do not appear 'intelligent' in all situations. They certainly aren't guaranteed to be good doctors. That said, I don't think analytical intelligence isn't important in medicine, so if you get a 25 you might want to exercise that brain-muscle a bit .

heroic post. 😍

 

[getright]

I hate to admit it but I look at people with 40+ score with awe

Unless their practice averages were close to 40, I would just call it luck.