Minimum section scores for MCAT

[URMfemaleMPH]

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[WedgeDawg]

I just read somewhere that medical schools may be fixing a minimum required score for each section of the MCAT in the next year or two. They said that the minimum would be 128 in all sections except CARS (which would be a 127) for allopathic schools. Can anyone verify if this is true? And if so, should a US applicant with a good MCAT score overall but a section score lower than 127 consider a retake?

Considering that 511 (128*3+127) is basically at the 50th percentile for matriculants to MD schools, I doubt this is the case unless they want to exclude half their current matriculant pool.

 

[21Rush12]

What is the source? I read somewhere that boiling lemons would cure cancer.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app

 

[Luka75]

This is not true.

 

[URMfemaleMPH]

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[LoveBeingHuman:)]

Thanks everyone! It was a Reddit post so I was skeptical, but I thought to get a second opinion on here.

Keep in mind that some particular schools have minimum score requirements for each section. However, that is their own personal decision that applies to them only.

 

[Lucca]

A very unbalanced score might raise some eyebrows and merit a retake (128/123/127/127)
But I have heard nothing of these minimums

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Look at the matriculant mean scores and decide yourself whether or not this is going to happen.

 

[URMfemaleMPH]

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[Goro]

You read wrong.

I just read somewhere that medical schools may be fixing a minimum required score for each section of the MCAT in the next year or two. They said that the minimum would be 128 in all sections except CARS (which would be a 127) for allopathic schools. Can anyone verify if this is true? And if so, should a US applicant with a good MCAT score overall but a section score lower than 127 consider a retake?

 

[URMfemaleMPH]

.

 

[zurc2014]

A 127 minimum for CARS for next year? I highly doubt it. I got a 123 in CARS and received six IIs. I probably would have received a few more invites if I didn't withdraw from half the schools I applied to.

I know that Frogger received a 123 CARS also with several interview invites as well.

Facts. My friend got a 121 on cars and he had 10. I had a 124 and did well. It aint gonna jump up to a 127.

 

[Frogger27]

123 in CARS and had more interviews than I could afford to attend. I do think if you're gonna bomb a section, make it CARS.

 

[Ayy_MadScientist]

123 in CARS and had more interviews than I could afford to attend. I do think if you're gonna bomb a section, make it CARS.

Agreed! I had a 124 in CARS and 123 in Psych.... But that's not good, so don't do that. 🙄😛

 

[MareNostrummm]

The mean matriculant in CARS for the 2016-2017 cycle was a 126... slightly lower than the 10 verbal of the old MCAT. Which means that there are still a noticeable amount of people with 123-125 CARS getting in.

 

[MareNostrummm]

123 in CARS and had more interviews than I could afford to attend. I do think if you're gonna bomb a section, make it CARS.

512: 128/124/129/131 checking in...

Did you have anything unique going for you though (ECs, high GPA, research, etc) that would encourage them to overlook CARS?

 

[CLB_MD]

Georgetown SOM's application guide says that section scores <125 are considered noncompetitive. For what it's worth, I applied to GT this cycle with a 508: 126/127/126/129 and got rejected pre-II.

Link: https://som.georgetown.edu/prospectivestudents/degrees/md/guide

 

[MareNostrummm]

Georgetown SOM's application guide says that section scores <125 are considered noncompetitive. For what it's worth, I applied to GT this cycle with a 508: 126/127/126/129 and got rejected pre-II.

Link: https://som.georgetown.edu/prospectivestudents/degrees/md/guide

They also say for the old MCAT:

• Scores ≤8 in either the biological or physical sciences or ≤7 in verbal reasoning are considered non-competitive.

A 123 in CARS aligns perfectly percentage wise with an old VR 7. Whereas as 124 in CARS is actually an 8 in verbal. So they aren't mapping the percentiles correctly for the new MCAT, and they likely made that page right when the new MCAT came out in 2015 (Lets just cut off at 125 and call it a day...)

But yeah adcoms at Georgetown may not even care and just cut off 125 anyway.

 

[Frogger27]

512: 128/124/129/131 checking in...

Did you have anything unique going for you though (ECs, high GPA, research, etc) that would encourage them to overlook CARS?

I had a lower MCAT than you and pretty Average GPA.. nothing eye popping in terms of ECs, but a wide range of activities. I think my strongest part of my app was my personal statement and secondaries.. I was brutally honest in them and was pretty transparent about who I am and why I am pursuing this career. Besides that I'm just a pretty average that most people would like to grab a beer with and watch some football (and potentially be their future doctor)

 

[MareNostrummm]

Got an interview invite for Georgetown with a 123

Real talk.

 

[Ayy_MadScientist]

Got an interview invite for Georgetown with a 123

+1 and with a 124 (last year) was ultimately waitlisted tho.