MCAT Scores vs SAT scores

[DiamondBar]

From this forum I've learned that 30+ MCAT score is a reasonable goal; however, I have never taken even a practice MCAT and I don't know how difficult 30+ is. Would anyone give an opinion of how 'difficult' it is to reach 30+ in comparison to an SAT score? For example, would scoring a 30+ MCAT score be as 'difficult' as scoring a '2100' on the SAT's (if you assume that you are a high school junior when taking the SAT's?). Sorry I can't find better words other than 'difficult' to explain what I'm asking (english is my second language).

I know this is a dumb question, but I want to know relatively how difficult it is to receive an MCAT score of 30+. Thank you!

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[hownowmauvecow]

From this forum I've learned that 30+ MCAT score is a reasonable goal; however, I have never taken even a practice MCAT and I don't know how difficult 30+ is. Would anyone give an opinion of how 'difficult' it is to reach 30+ in comparison to an SAT score? For example, would scoring a 30+ MCAT score be as 'difficult' as scoring a '2100' on the SAT's (if you assume that you are a high school junior when taking the SAT's?). Sorry I can't find better words other than 'difficult' to explain what I'm asking (english is my second language).

I know this is a dumb question, but I want to know relatively how difficult it is to receive an MCAT score of 30+. Thank you!

I would say that it depends on a) how motivated you are b) how strong your science background is c) how long you study and d) a little bit of luck (as with most everything else in life). Its really anecdotal to compare SAT to MCAT especially since they are two distinctly different tests. You didn't have to be smart (in my opinion) to do well on the SAT you just needed to know how to take the test. The MCAT however does require a specific knowledge base and studying beforehand. The best indicator of how well you will do on the MCAT is to take a practice one. There is a free one on the AAMC's website that you can use to gauge where you stand. Sorry I didn't really answer your initial question but its very hard to predict how 'hard' it will be for someone to do well on the MCAT (especially not knowing anything about you other than your SAT score).

 

[DiamondBar]

I would say that it depends on a) how motivated you are b) how strong your science background is c) how long you study and d) a little bit of luck (as with most everything else in life). Its really anecdotal to compare SAT to MCAT especially since they are two distinctly different tests. You didn't have to be smart (in my opinion) to do well on the SAT you just needed to know how to take the test. The MCAT however does require a specific knowledge base and studying beforehand. The best indicator of how well you will do on the MCAT is to take a practice one. There is a free one on the AAMC's website that you can use to gauge where you stand. Sorry I didn't really answer your initial question but its very hard to predict how 'hard' it will be for someone to do well on the MCAT (especially not knowing anything about you other than your SAT score).

ahh I understand. Thank you so much! sorry to ask you guys to relate two different things.

however YOUR experience/opinion on SAT vs MCAT difficulty is welcome! thanks 🙂

 

[BHaus9]

I would say that it depends on a) how motivated you are b) how strong your science background is c) how long you study and d) a little bit of luck (as with most everything else in life). Its really anecdotal to compare SAT to MCAT especially since they are two distinctly different tests. You didn't have to be smart (in my opinion) to do well on the SAT you just needed to know how to take the test. The MCAT however does require a specific knowledge base and studying beforehand. The best indicator of how well you will do on the MCAT is to take a practice one. There is a free one on the AAMC's website that you can use to gauge where you stand. Sorry I didn't really answer your initial question but its very hard to predict how 'hard' it will be for someone to do well on the MCAT (especially not knowing anything about you other than your SAT score).

I agree with all except that which is in bold. Because the MCAT is (slightly) more content-based, greater dividends accrue through study/preparation than for the SAT, which seems to me to be entirely contingent on innate problem-solving ability (i.e. "smarts"). Certainly the material examined on the MCAT is more complex, but you can will/pay your way to a higher score through familiarization with scientific principles and the test format.

You're right, though, these beasts are entirely different animals, and the comparison is obfuscated even further by the fact that the pool of SAT-takers is diluted with a bunch of unwilling, unmotivated, and generally unintelligent high school kids. This makes a straight-up comparison of percentiles almost meaningless. I have no idea what the average SAT of someone who scores 30+ is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's around 2200.

 

[SarahBellum1]

ha, yeah like the others said, they are SO DIFFERENT. You legit have to study for the MCAT, especially if you aren't a sciencey person, or if you didn't take your pre-reqs as seriously as you should have (liiiike me. whoops.). I got 2100 on my SAT without studying, and a 22 on my diagnostic Kaplan MCAT also without studying. Sooooo interpret that as you will.

Currently studying this summer. woo

 

[iceman132]

This is all I know...


1200 : SAT (Old system) = 24 MCat supposedly

 

[hownowmauvecow]

I agree with all except that which is in bold. Because the MCAT is (slightly) more content-based, greater dividends accrue through study/preparation than for the SAT, which seems to me to be entirely contingent on innate problem-solving ability (i.e. "smarts"). Certainly the material examined on the MCAT is more complex, but you can will/pay your way to a higher score through familiarization with scientific principles and the test format.

You're right, though, these beasts are entirely different animals, and the comparison is obfuscated even further by the fact that the pool of SAT-takers is diluted with a bunch of unwilling, unmotivated, and generally unintelligent high school kids. This makes a straight-up comparison of percentiles almost meaningless. I have no idea what the average SAT of someone who scores 30+ is, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's around 2200.

I guess my comments on the smartness were probably a result of the 1.5 years my parents made me spend in SAT prep where I didn't actually learn anything except how to make the SAT my bitch. So I didn't have to have an innate problem solving. But I agree for people without crazy parents this would definitely be the case.

And just to give you my numbers since at this point I am already accepted to medical school and no longer care what other people think:

SAT: 1520 (old scale)
MCAT: 33

Do with that knowledge what you will.

 

[firecloak]

I find for both tests, that practice helps a lot. The more practice you have with SAT problems, the more you'll realize what tricks they use, and what types of questions they use.

I got a 31 MCAT/ 2210 SAT

This applies to certain MCAT problems too (but not all!).

I thought that verbal for MCAT was easier than SAT, because MCAT doesn't ask questions like "what would the writer for this passage do if x?". Or it could just be me. (I got a 660 for SAT verbal and a 10 for MCAT verbal.)

 

[latrala2300]

SAT: 2300+
MCAT: barely over 30 lol

but i have a high GPA and didn't really study much for my mcat...sigh so much wasted potential (and i'm bs/md so didn't really try for my score)

 

[NickNaylor]

I remember seeing somewhere that SAT scores and MCAT scores were poorly correlated. I don't remember if that was actually based on decent data or some crap spewed on SDN, but it somewhat makes sense since the tests ARE very different. But people that do well on standardized tests generally do well on all of them.

 

[flatearth22]

Not fair to compare the 2 exams.

Probably a little fair to compare SAT Verbal with MCAT Verbal though. Could you guys post your SAT Verbal and MCAT Verbal scores to see any correlation?

Mine: SAT Verbal (twice): 660, 690
MCAT Verbal (once): 9

 

[BHaus9]

Not fair to compare the 2 exams.

Probably a little fair to compare SAT Verbal with MCAT Verbal though. Could you guys post your SAT Verbal and MCAT Verbal scores to see any correlation?

Mine: SAT Verbal (twice): 660, 690
MCAT Verbal (once): 9

Haha, no joke:
SAT Verbal: 800
MCAT Verbal (first attempt): 10

EDIT: Worst part is I felt fairly confident about the VR after leaving my MCAT sitting. Part of me still suspects I forgot a passage or something.

 

[hownowmauvecow]

SAT: 770
MCAT: 11

Still think they don't correlate well...

 

[NoNotYouLionel]

Not fair to compare the 2 exams.

Probably a little fair to compare SAT Verbal with MCAT Verbal though. Could you guys post your SAT Verbal and MCAT Verbal scores to see any correlation?

Mine: SAT Verbal (twice): 660, 690
MCAT Verbal (once): 9

SAT Verbal: 800
MCAT Practice tests: 9s, 10s, 13

 

[bluetwosky]

SATs were difficult in that my scores didn't improve all the much with extra studying...The MCATs were difficult in that it required lots of studying...

I think SATs were much easier, both to do well on and to "prepare" for.

 

[Hyperstudyosis]

SAT verbal: 720
MCAT verbal: 11

I've heard there's a better correlation between ACT and MCAT than there is between SAT and MCAT though.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

IMO ACT was more difficult. I got a 1490 on the SAT out of 1600, but I got a crappy 26 on the ACT.

 

[Maxwell7301]

I scored a 1260 on the old SAT (took 3 times, same score every time), and a 33 on the MCAT (took once).

Based on my experience (n=1), there wasn't much correlation between the two.

SAT Verbal: 620

MCAT Verbal: 11

 

[Geekchick921]

I remember seeing somewhere that SAT scores and MCAT scores were poorly correlated. I don't remember if that was actually based on decent data or some crap spewed on SDN, but it somewhat makes sense since the tests ARE very different. But people that do well on standardized tests generally do well on all of them.

This is what I was going to say as well. Personally, I did very well on both the SAT (1560 old score system) and the MCAT (39) but I have always done very well on standardized tests. I took the tests more than 9 years apart so I don't remember the SAT that well, but they are very different.

SAT: 770
MCAT: 11

Still think they don't correlate well...

These were my exact scores as well.

 

[PressPforPi]

I did quite poorly on the SAT and ACT, but did well enough to get accepted into college evidently I had zero preparation for the test and all I knew was the fact that I HAD to take it. (According to the MCAT predictor, my score should be a 25)

Definitely not treating the MCAT the same way. I plan to go all out for the test - 3 or 4 months of solid studying, an actual prep class, and gaining as much information as I can about the exam and effective strategies for taking it. I'll let you know in 2 years how it all works out 😀

 

[Bungie]

I scored a 25 ACT (which isn't good), a 30+ MCAT. I agree with NickNaylor, if you're a good standardized test taker, you'll be fine if you're prepared.

 

[kpcrew]

I got a 2230 on the sat about 5 years ago; verbal: 730, math: 800, writing: 700. i took a saturday class for it, doing practice questions and such for about a year or so.

i'm a chemistry major and i took the mcat on september of my senior year after taking some more upper level bio and chem courses. i got a 37Q on my mcat; 14 on physical sciences, 12 on biological, 11 on reading.

I studied the summer before using the exam kracker set and kaplan practice tests while working in a lab for about 30-40 hours a week. I didn't have the money for a prep class though, but I'm relatively disciplined when it comes to self study, so if you find it difficult to sit yourself down and practice, I suggest that you invest in one. I also bought 3 of the practice tests from aamc and averaged about a 33. Make of it what you will.

 

[DeucesHigh3]

This is what I was going to say as well. Personally, I did very well on both the SAT (1560 old score system) and the MCAT (39) but I have always done very well on standardized tests. I took the tests more than 9 years apart so I don't remember the SAT that well, but they are very different.

+1 to the notion that skill at standardized testing is more of a factor than any correlation between the tests. I also had a 1560 on the old-style SAT, and a 38 on the MCAT -- no studying for either one outside of class.

 

[Raziela]

1410 SAT (720 verbal)
38 MCAT (13 verbal)

I personally do not think the two tests correlate well.* For one, they are two completely different tests. But importantly, at 16 vs 21 years, I took these tests with two very different mindsets.

*I mean, if you bomb the SAT, you will probably also bomb the MCAT. There must be some correlation, but once I think you hit the 1200-1600 range, its up in the air for the MCAT.

 

[raltima07]

I remember seeing somewhere that SAT scores and MCAT scores were poorly correlated. I don't remember if that was actually based on decent data or some crap spewed on SDN, but it somewhat makes sense since the tests ARE very different. But people that do well on standardized tests generally do well on all of them.

Maybe Apumic has some data on it - he has all sorts of info

 

[pkwraith]

MCAT is so much more difficult than both the GRE and SAT 10x. If anything, just because of the sheer information you have to memorize (formulas, reactions, etc etc).

Just for full disclosure

SAT: 780 (verbal), 750 (math)
GRE: 730 (verbal), 790 (math)
MCAT: 12 (verbal), 10 (physics), 13 (biology)

Just so much harder. 99 percentile -> ~90 percentile. However, a lot of it is also that the population taking the SAT/GRE lower academically than the MCAT crowd.

And yes, there is a old thread near the back of the forum which will try to predict MCAT scores based on SAT, GPA, ACT using a spreadsheet that had some nice results, according to the poll/survey.

 

[NickNaylor]

MCAT is so much more difficult than both the GRE and SAT 10x. If anything, just because of the sheer information you have to memorize (formulas, reactions, etc etc).

Just for full disclosure

SAT: 780 (verbal), 750 (math)
GRE: 730 (verbal), 790 (math)
MCAT: 12 (verbal), 10 (physics), 13 (biology)

Just so much harder. 99 percentile -> ~90 percentile. However, a lot of it is also that the population taking the SAT/GRE lower academically than the MCAT crowd.

And yes, there is a old thread near the back of the forum which will try to predict MCAT scores based on SAT, GPA, ACT using a spreadsheet that had some nice results, according to the poll/survey.

This isn't always the case, though. It varies so much. I scored a 1440 on my SAT (which I think was somewhere around the 93rd percentile) and a 41 on my MCAT (99th+ percentile). It's oversimplifying to say that your MCAT scores will always go down relative your ACT or SAT scores simply because the test is more difficult.

The moral of this story is that SAT scores have absolutely nothing to do with your MCAT scores. And I've used that predictor spreadsheet and it really doesn't do all that great of a job.

 

[erure]

For me
SAT: 2080
MCAT: 35

 

[Lil Mick]

I'm not sure how well it correlates, as I took the old SAT as a young teen (around 13), but I wound up with a little under a 700 for both sections (higher math than verbal, don't actually remember what scores I had). I also scored comfortably over a 30 on the MCAT. I didn't really know that people studied for these exams, so I'm not sure if those scores would have been higher had I studied.

I think that if you're good at standardized tests and know the material that's being tested, you'll do well. If you aren't great at them, I think studying might help improve (a lot of people in my class did that for the MCAT--some course programs are out there).

 

[rhesuspieces]

The sense I've gotten is that people who got a very good MCAT score probably also got a very good SAT score. This just makes sense--a good score on the MCAT implies good standardized test skills.

However, I haven't seen the correlation (or what have you) work in the other direction--i.e. high SAT scores do not predict high MCAT scores. In other words, people who get high MCAT scores come mostly from the high SAT group, but there are plenty of people left in that high SAT group that don't do so well on the MCAT.

 

[Swiss Medical]

I am not so sure how I will do. I made a 1550/2400 and a 23 ACT, which is horrible!!!! I am much better on science. These scores are above average, but I did not study properly for either. For the SAT, I just looked at pamphlet my school gave me and for the ACT I did a very short content review and took numerous McGraw Hill and one Princeton Review Test. Another thing that was lacking was the length of study and method. Most of my studying was on and off. I studied every time I got the chance, which was about 2-3 days a week for about 1-2 hours. Every Saturday, I would take an ACT practice test (avg. 25-28).....I realized that my studying could have affected my score. I realize that I need to take the mcat much more seriously than I did things in high school. There is not doubt in my mind that if I study preoperly for the mcat, that I could make a decent score.....or is it something that magically makes minorities score lower...🙄

No! I really need to do better.

 

[Lil Mick]

That makes sense, though. The SAT is more of a reasoning test than the MCAT is. If one is good at reasoning but doesn't have a strong science background (poor preparation in undergrad), one probably won't do well on the MCAT (known people for whom this was true).

 

[Hah]

Well I didn't do well on the SAT but managed to get average on MCAT


1170- SAT (old)
32 MCAT

 

[gettheleadout]

1410 SAT (720 verbal)
38 MCAT (13 verbal)

I personally do not think the two tests correlate well.* For one, they are two completely different tests. But importantly, at 16 vs 21 years, I took these tests with two very different mindsets.

*I mean, if you bomb the SAT, you will probably also bomb the MCAT. There must be some correlation, but once I think you hit the 1200-1600 range, its up in the air for the MCAT.

With nearly identical SAT scores, I'll be ecstatic if I can get an MCAT to match yours. 😀

 

[DiamondBar]

thank you everyone!

 

[Sammich117]

Moving to MCAT Discussions

 

[kb1990]

The sense I've gotten is that people who got a very good MCAT score probably also got a very good SAT score. This just makes sense--a good score on the MCAT implies good standardized test skills.

However, I haven't seen the correlation (or what have you) work in the other direction--i.e. high SAT scores do not predict high MCAT scores. In other words, people who get high MCAT scores come mostly from the high SAT group, but there are plenty of people left in that high SAT group that don't do so well on the MCAT.

I agree with this. I had a 2220 SAT (760 verbal), 35 ACT (36 reading), and a 39 MCAT (15 verbal reasoning). I come from an area that doesn't use the SAT much so there wasn't a lot of studying for that one, but some studying for the other two. I honestly feel like the only way my scores were related was due to being a good test taker.

 

[ANEShopeful2018]

The SAT is definitely much easier to bullsh*t, because as some of the above posters said, if you're "smart", then you're going to do well. I know some people at my high school that barely studied for the SAT apart from a couple odd practice tests and got a 2300+.

Personally, I made a 2360 on the SAT (770 M/790 V/800 W), and I am currently making around 35s on practice MCATs (10-11 Verbal). I think it's true that harder working people will do better on the MCAT than SAT, and smarter but less motivated people do have done better on SAT than MCAT.

 

[coyotelime]

700 ish on SAT verbal, 36 ACT reading... been averaging solid 11s on MCAT verbal haha. It's just much harder. I've learned to approach the passages with interest and confidence but always come out with those 3-5 questions that were like WTF

 

[Sitagliptin]

Food for thought; I got well over 1500 (when the SAT was out of 1600), and a 29 the first time I took the MCAT. I wouldn't get any false confidence from your SAT scores.