MSAR question

[BeancheBlanco]

The website says it updates every year around April. If I buy it now, does anyone know if it will automatically update or will I be stuck with last year's edition for the entire year?

Thanks

 

[Oso]

I'm pretty sure it will automatically update

 

[Jay2910]

hey guys,

I would like to know . . .which MSAR edition did you find helpful?

The most recent one( 2013) or the 2011-2012 one?
I want to get a print edition either way but I think I'm worrying over the fact that they would have glazed over, took out some important stats.
Your opinions would be great!

 

[nOchemallday]

I'm pretty sure it will automatically update

It does.
On the top right of my MSAR online it has the option to switch between 2013 and 2014 (I bought it in 2013).

 

[invissideways]

Can anyone else confirm? Also interested!

 

[listener23]

Can anyone else confirm? Also interested!

Yes, i bought mine a week ago and you can switch between 2013 and 2014. Also i notice almost ever single school mcat range increased by 1 point and there GPA range increased by .01

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

Oh no, listener23, really??? Average MCAT scores and gpas increased that much within one year? Yikes!

 

[slightlygifted]

Oh no, listener23, really??? Average MCAT scores and gpas increased that much within one year? Yikes!

remember that the MSAR reports accepted stats. So schools can boost their numbers by accepting 4.0gpa 44 MCAT people who they know will matriculate elsewhere. I think the US news reports shows the matriculant stats, which is a more useful metric.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

From their terms:

MSAR Online content will be updated annually, typically occurring in April, to reflect the requirements of the next year’s application cycle as well as the most recent updates available to survey and research data; each update shall be considered an “Edition.”

MSAR Online access for the Edition you have purchased is for one year of unlimited, individual use from the date of activation. MSAR Online access codes are single use and cannot be re-activated or transferred to additional users. Any access code not activated within one year of the purchase date or before the publication of the next Edition, whichever comes first, is subject to expiration.

So it seems to me that the line, "for the edition you have purchased" means that if you purchase it now, you're buying the 2013-2014 edition. If you purchase it in April, you'd be purchasing the 2014-2015 edition. For that reason, I purchased in April.

 

[ThisCouldBeYou]

@slightlygifted, I heard just the opposite. The MSAR stats are more accurate, whereas USNews uses stats that have been reported to them.

 

[listener23]

Oh no, listener23, really??? Average MCAT scores and gpas increased that much within one year? Yikes!

I meant .01 for gpa range (10 percentile -90 percentile)

 

[TheBossDoctor]

remember that the MSAR reports accepted stats. So schools can boost their numbers by accepting 4.0gpa 44 MCAT people who they know will matriculate elsewhere. I think the US news reports shows the matriculant stats, which is a more useful metric.

Actually I feel that accepted stats are more useful than matriculant stats.

Accepted stats = what the school wants
Matriculant stats = what the school gets

I'd much rather know how close my stats are to what the school wants.