New MSAR vs. Old MSAR

[Summerlax2016]

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With the new release of the MSAR now including the 2015 version of the MCAT, I am a bit puzzled on which I should use when I make my list of schools.

From looking it over, it seems that the 2015 MCAT data for schools as a lower score than the old MCAT data. Is this due to the range for the actual mcat score of all applicants being shown, and thus is kind of irrelevant?

 

[efle]

With the new release of the MSAR now including the 2015 version of the MCAT, I am a bit puzzled on which I should use when I make my list of schools.

From looking it over, it seems that the 2015 MCAT data for schools as a lower score than the old MCAT data. Is this due to the range for the actual mcat score of all applicants being shown, and thus is kind of irrelevant?

Yes, the top box and whisker shows the 10th-90th range among applicants while the bottom data shows the 10th-90th data among accepted applicants which is the much more useful info.

Your best bet is to figure out your percentile equivalent to the old test, and apply to schools based on their accepted applicants data (eg if you had a 510, treat it like a 31, and apply to schools where the median accepted MCAT was 31 +/- a few points).

 

[theonlytycrane]

Only data from applicants per school and applicants nationally are provided. The asterisk under the figure says accepted applicant data will be available in the next edition of MSAR- though I don't know when this is 😵

 

[geronimokid]

Only data from applicants per school and applicants nationally are provided. The asterisk under the figure says accepted applicant data will be available in the next edition of MSAR- though I don't know when this is 😵

Yes, the top box and whisker shows the 10th-90th range among applicants while the bottom data shows the 10th-90th data among accepted applicants which is the much more useful info.

Your best bet is to figure out your percentile equivalent to the old test, and apply to schools based on their accepted applicants data (eg if you had a 510, treat it like a 31, and apply to schools where the median accepted MCAT was 31 +/- a few points).

so the whiskers outside boundaries represent the 10th & 90th and in between is the dark blue shaded bar with a small split between right / left bar. What does the split in the bar represent?

 

[gyngyn]

so the whiskers outside boundaries represent the 10th & 90th and in between is the dark blue shaded bar with a small split between right / left bar. What does the split in the bar represent?

The graph you describe uses data regarding applicants to the school. This has limited usefulness at this time. The line in the middle is the median. Use efle's recommendation to find schools.

 

[applesaucey]

so the whiskers outside boundaries represent the 10th & 90th and in between is the dark blue shaded bar with a small split between right / left bar. What does the split in the bar represent?

The left edge of the box is 25th percentile, the split in the middle is 50th, and the right edge of the box is 75th percentile.