Opinion on 514 MCAT Score

[BillikenDR]

Hello

I got a 514 (92%ile) on my recent MCAT 2015 test. I have a 3.8 Undergrad GPA, 4.0 Grad GPA. I'm doing research with WUSTL this summer too, and working with one of their foremost clinicians.

My sciences are great but my CARS was low -- it was a real bear.

ChemPhys - 129 (93%ile)
CARS - 124 (49%ile)
Bio - 131 (99%ile)
Psych 130 (97%ile)

I was wondering what schools I should realistically apply to? My counselor is pretty glum about the CARS section and is saying that I won't get many acceptances because of the CARS score.. I'm a very personable person and I know my reasoning skills are beyond that my CARS section reflects.

Do you have suggestions as to what schools this would be OK with?

Just looking for some help here. Are my chances shot? Not feeling very good

Thanks.

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[PatchAdams25]

Hello

I got a 514 on my recent MCAT 2015 test. I have a 3.8 Undergrad GPA, 4.0 Grad GPA. I'm doing research with WUSTL this summer too, and working with one of their foremost clinicians.

My sciences are great but my CARS was low -- it was a real bear.

ChemPhys - 129
CARS - 124
Bio - 131
Psych 130

I was wondering what schools I should realistically apply to? My counselor is pretty glum about the CARS section and is saying that I won't get many acceptances because of the CARS score.. I'm a very personable person and I know my reasoning skills are beyond that my CARS section reflects.

Just looking for some help here. Are my chances shot? Not feeling very good

Thanks.

Your counselor is stupid you will be fine

 

[Lawpy]

Hm, a 124 is touching the cutoff line, since it translates to a 7 on the VR for the old MCAT. Still, a 514 = 33 so it's risky to retake the MCAT just to improve CARS, since you run the risk of scoring worse on the retake.

Apply anyways but apply conservatively. Focus on your state MD schools, low tiers, and perhaps add a few DO schools to cover your bases.

 

[chocolate23]

You're fine. You have a great score (I wouldnt retake the MCAT at all) and a great GPA. As long as your extracurriculars are intact, you'll be good. Def. apply to your state schools and of course private as well but don't set the bar too high in the sense of like Harvard Med School or something (there are people with higher MCATs (with a higher CARS score) that end up getting into there so if you are on a budget and want to apply to say 25-30 schools, I would apply to the ones that I have a shot at rather than waste my money on schools that probably won't take me.) You are fine, Good Luck!

 

[GrapesofRath]

124 CARs is 8 on the old scale. 3.8/33-34: you'll survive it

 

[Lawpy]

Oh yeah i forgot the AAMC got somewhat generous with the subsection percentile conversions. Yeah a 124 = 8 and 125 = 9.

 

[BillikenDR]

Oh yeah i forgot the AAMC got somewhat generous with the subsection percentile conversions. Yeah a 124 = 8 and 125 = 9.

Thank you for the clarification! There's so many different ways to translate old/new scores and subscores. I'm just very frazzled right now with my advisors comments and how I should feel about overall score.

I'm over the moon about a 514. But That crashed as soon as the conversation went on.

 

[Lawpy]

Thank you for the clarification! There's so many different ways to translate old/new scores and subscores. I'm just very frazzled right now with my advisors comments and how I should feel about overall score.

I'm over the moon about a 514. But That crashed as soon as the conversation went on.

yeah your counselor overreacted. the following is by far the best mcat conversion guide

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...centile-comparison-conversion-tables.1143689/

i think you'll be fine. i think @Goro could provide some additional sage advice and school list help but you'll do well for this cycle. good luck!

 

[PatchAdams25]

Thank you for the clarification! There's so many different ways to translate old/new scores and subscores. I'm just very frazzled right now with my advisors comments and how I should feel about overall score.

I'm over the moon about a 514. But That crashed as soon as the conversation went on.

You will be fine with a 124. As long as you aren't going for a Top 20. Plenty of low/mid tier have a 10% VR score of 7-8. Also, AAMC recommends that schools use the total percentile as a guideline since the test is new. Therefore you have a 33 and you are good.

 

[eteshoe]

You'll be fine. Unless you're aiming at Canadian schools.

 

[Arturiase]

Hey nice stats, you'll probably be fine, btw guessing from your username you went to SLU? probably have a good shot there

 

[Goro]

I recommend:


U VM

Miami

St. Louis

Albany

Rochester

Rush (note: very service/experience oriented with a 150hr service requirement. Avg student has 800 hours of community service, and >1800 hours of health care exposure.)

Rosy Franklin

MCW

Hofstra

NYMC

VCU

EVMS

Wake Forest

Jefferson

Temple

Drexel

Creighton

George Washington

Tulane

Dartmouth

Loyola

Any new MD school. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools. I can't recommend CNU.

Your state school(s).

Any DO program

Hello

I got a 514 (92%ile) on my recent MCAT 2015 test. I have a 3.8 Undergrad GPA, 4.0 Grad GPA. I'm doing research with WUSTL this summer too, and working with one of their foremost clinicians.

My sciences are great but my CARS was low -- it was a real bear.

ChemPhys - 129 (93%ile)
CARS - 124 (49%ile)
Bio - 131 (99%ile)
Psych 130 (97%ile)

I was wondering what schools I should realistically apply to? My counselor is pretty glum about the CARS section and is saying that I won't get many acceptances because of the CARS score.. I'm a very personable person and I know my reasoning skills are beyond that my CARS section reflects.

Do you have suggestions as to what schools this would be OK with?

Just looking for some help here. Are my chances shot? Not feeling very good

Thanks.

 

[BillikenDR]

Thank you so much for your advice. I looked into many of the schools on the list, and many of them are on my AMCAS application! I appreciate your words and suggestions. It takes a village to get through medicine. I am glad I looked to alternative opinions.

I've also called over 45 medical schools and spoken with 3 Deans of Admissions on the matter and their advice is the same. It is unwise to retake and I should be just fine. The rest of my application should bolster my efforts, rather than having a low subscore being my Achille's Heel.

I recommend:


U VM

Miami

St. Louis

Albany

Rochester

Rush (note: very service/experience oriented with a 150hr service requirement. Avg student has 800 hours of community service, and >1800 hours of health care exposure.)

Rosy Franklin

MCW

Hofstra

NYMC

VCU

EVMS

Wake Forest

Jefferson

Temple

Drexel

Creighton

George Washington

Tulane

Dartmouth

Loyola

Any new MD school. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools. I can't recommend CNU.

Your state school(s).

Any DO program

 

[To be MD]

124 CARs is 8 on the old scale. 3.8/33-34: you'll survive it

 

[GrapesofRath]

Rather than using someone else's chart calculate it out yourself

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast..._total_and_section_score_percentile_ranks.pdf

CARs

123: 26th-37th percentile
124: 38th-49th percentile

Old MCAT

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...7a4/finalpercentileranksfortheoldmcatexam.pdf

7: 26th-37th percentile
8: 38th-52nd percentile

124=8 for CARs/verbal

 

[Lawpy]

That chart is completely messed up. They are mapping the new scores linearly (i.e. one-to-one) with the old scores. The correct approach is to use percentiles, and this has already been done.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...centile-comparison-conversion-tables.1143689/

Use the SDN MCAT Conversions made by @efle . These are by far the best.

 

[MiniMD]

If I was accepted w/ a 503, you'll be fine

 

[Lawpy]

If I was accepted w/ a 503, you'll be fine

Context matters.

 

[redferrari]

Hello

I got a 514 (92%ile) on my recent MCAT 2015 test. I have a 3.8 Undergrad GPA, 4.0 Grad GPA. I'm doing research with WUSTL this summer too, and working with one of their foremost clinicians.

My sciences are great but my CARS was low -- it was a real bear.

ChemPhys - 129 (93%ile)
CARS - 124 (49%ile)
Bio - 131 (99%ile)
Psych 130 (97%ile)

I was wondering what schools I should realistically apply to? My counselor is pretty glum about the CARS section and is saying that I won't get many acceptances because of the CARS score.. I'm a very personable person and I know my reasoning skills are beyond that my CARS section reflects.

Do you have suggestions as to what schools this would be OK with?

Just looking for some help here. Are my chances shot? Not feeling very good

Thanks.

Are you wanting to go to medical school or seeing how many acceptances you can rack up? It's not like your counselor told you you were dead in the water, just that your CARS score will limit your options to a certain extent. As far as getting an MD acceptance somewhere, it certainly won't hold you back.

 

[MiniMD]

Context matters.

Most def, but a 514 is not an MCAT score you have to worry about, I'd say

 

[To be MD]

That chart is completely messed up. They are mapping the new scores linearly (i.e. one-to-one) with the old scores. The correct approach is to use percentiles, and this has already been done.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...centile-comparison-conversion-tables.1143689/

Use the SDN MCAT Conversions made by @efle . These are by far the best.

Good link. Thank you. 👍👍👍

 

[bcemslayer]

I scored similarily 131/125/131/127, and I was accepted to my province school! But of course, your application is viewed holistically, and even a good MCAT score won't save a mediocre application.