MCAT VR score lower than school's bottom 10%, should I even bother applying?

[Marjan Islam]

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Hey guys, my GPA and MCAT are above Temple's averages, but my VR score is an 8 while the lowest 10% for the school is a 9. Should I bother applying? I'm applying to lots of other schools since many have 8's at their lowest 10%, so it won't kill me to not apply here. I was just wondering if I should waste my money. Thanks!

 

[armybound]

How much money do you have to waste?

If your overall MCAT is above average despite a lower than average VR score, I say go for it, assuming you have the money to waste

 

[Phosphorus Ylide]

I did an MDapps search for people accepted to Temple with a VR score of 8 in the past 2 years and 3 people came up. 2 of these were URM and the third was a PA resident. Of course, there are many people who apply to medical school who don't use SDN or MDapplicants, so take that into consideration as well.

 

[ChemEngSoonMD]

Hey guys, my GPA and MCAT are above Temple's averages, but my VR score is an 8 while the lowest 10% for the school is a 9. Should I bother applying? I'm applying to lots of other schools since many have 8's at their lowest 10%, so it won't kill me to not apply here. I was just wondering if I should waste my money. Thanks!

You definitely should not bother.

 

[BlueElmo]

If other parts of your app are good, a 8 won't sink you.

 

[muhali3]

Yeah, they look at the whole app, so if you feel that's the only bad part of your application then you should still apply. They won't be like "Hmm...well this guy cured AIDS and Cancer, has a 4.0 GPA, and saved the lives of a hundred orphan African babies...nice...but...wait...look at this, a VR score of 8! Rejected!"

So yeah, if your MCAT score as a whole is competitive, and if you have other things to balance it out, then there's no need to worry.

 

[TopSecret]

The VR score is correlated with performance on the USMLE. If you don't pass the USMLE, you don't get a medical license or a medical degree. A low VR might be a deal breaker.

 

[BerlinDude]

It depends on how good the rest of your application is and if you have a reason for a low VR score.

I personally know a guy who got into a top 10 medical school with a 7 on the VR section. This guy spoke English as a fourth language, so that was his excuse.

 

[MilkmanAl]

The VR score is correlated with performance on the USMLE. If you don't pass the USMLE, you don't get a medical license or a medical degree. A low VR might be a deal breaker.

It's also correlated the least of all the subjects, according to a study on AMCAS's site. BS correlates the best with r=.553. I'm not sure I put a lot of stock in that at all.

 

[VincentAdultman]

Pre-meds are very neurotic.

 

[teenmachinery1]

It's also correlated the least of all the subjects, according to a study on AMCAS's site. BS correlates the best with r=.553. I'm not sure I put a lot of stock in that at all.

ownaged!

 

[apumic]

It's also correlated the least of all the subjects, according to a study on AMCAS's site. BS correlates the best with r=.553. I'm not sure I put a lot of stock in that at all.

Sure, but the VR has the highest correlation with life, so the OP will suck at every job s/he does -- doomed to be nothing but "slightly below average."
(Actually...that's sort of true. Verbal is the closest correlate to overall intelligence and overall correlations with other standardized tests. It generally holds the highest correlation with general "soft skills" and such as well. There's a reason there's some sort of a verbal scale on just about every placement, standardized, or vocational test ever written).

 

[shemarty]

I got a 9 on the VR section. A bunch of ppl told me last year that it was gonna be a dealbreaker. It wasn't.

Go for it, cross your fingers, and hope that it turns out fine 🙂

 

[MegaProjectile]

Hey guys, my GPA and MCAT are above Temple's averages, but my VR score is an 8 while the lowest 10% for the school is a 9. Should I bother applying? I'm applying to lots of other schools since many have 8's at their lowest 10%, so it won't kill me to not apply here. I was just wondering if I should waste my money. Thanks!

Apply broadly. An 8 on the VR will allow you to pass the initial screens at most schools. After that, your overall score becomes the most important thing.

 

[brooklynblunder]

Sure, but the VR has the highest correlation with life, so the OP will suck at every job s/he does -- doomed to be nothing but "slightly below average."
(Actually...that's sort of true. Verbal is the closest correlate to overall intelligence and overall correlations with other standardized tests. It generally holds the highest correlation with general "soft skills" and such as well. There's a reason there's some sort of a verbal scale on just about every placement, standardized, or vocational test ever written).

parents salary still has the highest correlation in life, followed by blank blank blank and then the SAT and then the mcat. anywho these correlations are still pretty ****ty. who the **** cares.

the point is that there will be always exceptions to admissions but statistics say 10% have less than a 9. that's that. if temple accepts like 500 people thats still 50 ppl that get 8 or below on the verbal