POLL: SDN MCAT scores same/above pop. average?

[rjgennarelli]

---

Members do not see this ad.

Everybody vote! I believe that the current average MCAT score is about a 24.6. This is kind of stupid, but I thought that I would use the methods that I am currently learning in statistics to figure out if the average MCAT score here on SDN Forums is identical, or above that of the population mean.


Null Hypothesis: Score MCAT = 24.6
Alternative Hypothesis: Score MCAT > 24.6

Level of Significance = .1

Start the Voting!

 

[Biscuit799]

yeah I heard that too. The average person who takes the MCAT gets about a 24, and the average accepted applicant gets about a 30. I got a 28, guess I'm below average.

 

[MoosePilot]

Next task for the OP - learn to make a poll!

 

[rjgennarelli]

sorry, its my first time making one.

 

[rjgennarelli]

looking good so far....

 

[willthatsall]

I am going to project about 32-33 average for this poll. Not only is the SDN population much higher than the average, but the people who vote on this poll will probably be the high end of the SDN community.

 

[fizzlebottom]

maybe a better question is "how skewed is mdapplicants?". Averages there don't match those reported elsewhere.

 

[MoosePilot]

Besides, who is going to check the box for 16?

 

[VPDcurt]

sorry, its my first time making one.

Polls are supposed to be exhaustive.

 

[rjgennarelli]

willthatsall: i definately agree with you. its pretty hard to escape bias in this poll. those who voluntarily vote will probably have among the upper MCAT scores on SDN

 

[FloridaMadame]

willthatsall: i definately agree with you. its pretty hard to escape bias in this poll. those who voluntarily vote will probably have among the upper MCAT scores on SDN

yeah, except no one knows each others scores on this poll. our names aren't listed, so why should anyone be afraid or hesitate to vote? 😕

 

[MoosePilot]

yeah, except no one knows each others scores on this poll. our names aren't listed, so why should anyone be afraid or hesitate to vote? 😕

who knows?

Nobody generally knows who "we" are on a forum like this, but you get all sorts of people freaking out about scores. I don't get it.

 

[willthatsall]

willthatsall: i definately agree with you. its pretty hard to escape bias in this poll. those who voluntarily vote will probably have among the upper MCAT scores on SDN

Yeah I think mine was a conservative guess, it's going to be way higher.

yeah, except no one knows each others scores on this poll. our names aren't listed, so why should anyone be afraid or hesitate to vote?

I think people will be much more eager to spend time answering the poll if they made a 40 than if they made a 25. If you made a 25, do you really want to click on this thread and see that the SDN average is a 35? So I don't think it's really about bragging or being ashamed, just interest in taking time to do the poll.

 

[rjgennarelli]

according to AAMC stats, i think only about .1 % of those who took the MCAT scored a 43. the 43-44 vote will be trimmed off

at 50 votes, i will start my calculations

 

[MWillie]

Calculate!

 

[willthatsall]

according to AAMC stats, i think only about .1 % of those who took the MCAT scored a 43. the 43-44 vote will be trimmed off

at 50 votes, i will start my calculations

Yeah, but I know at least 2 of them post or have posted on SDN.

 

[Turtle48]

It's pretty obvious the 'average' SDNer is an 'above average' student in the real world!

 

[AStudent]

Good luck getting a straight answer. That's why medical students don't ask each other what their MCAT score was.....they would all say 45. Who is going to admit they got a 21N?

 

[45408]

according to AAMC stats, i think only about .1 % of those who took the MCAT scored a 43. the 43-44 vote will be trimmed off

at 50 votes, i will start my calculations

QofQuimica has a 43, and VFrank has a 42.

 

[rjgennarelli]

n...................70
mean..............32.6
stdev..............5.22
t-dist..............12.8
df...................69
p-value............approx 0

someone check my calculations!

reject null hypothesis.

assuming an unbiased sample and relatively normal distribution, significant evidence shows that the average SDN MCAT score is higher than that of the entire population.

 

[dr.z]

I'm below average.

 

[drguy22]

n...................70
mean..............32.6
stdev..............5.22
t-dist..............12.8
df...................69
p-value............approx 0

someone check my calculations!

reject null hypothesis.

assuming an unbiased sample and relatively normal distribution, significant evidence shows that the average SDN MCAT score is higher than that of the entire population.

it shows that 112 voted...doesnt that mean n=112?

 

[CoffeeCat]

it shows that 112 voted...doesnt that mean n=112?

I think some voted after the calculations began.


Hey...I have an exam in hypothesis testing tomorrow...I may do some calculations of my own. Maybe SDN can be conducive to studying (for once)! 🙂

 

[QofQuimica]

QofQuimica has a 43.

So does lorelei.

 

[rjgennarelli]

just wanted to bump this one more time for some more votes. thanks for your votes everyone !!!

 

[PhotoMD]

just wanted to bump this one more time for some more votes. thanks for your votes everyone !!!

As you know, rj, these statistics assume a representative sample, which in this case is highly suspect.

 

[randomlogik]

If someone scored really low, they may not be visiting a forum such as this. My thoughts is if you have a really low score, you may have given up on applying to med school and would no longer be visiting a medical forum.

 

[drguy22]

its interesting...take a look at the bar graphs...it looks like a normal curve....except its hardle normal...

 

[rjgennarelli]

btw, the SAMPLE looks normal, and by saying "assuming a normal curve," that means the ACTUAL scores here at ign (ie EVERYONE's scores), which, of course, there is no way of knowing.

photomd: yes, i mentioned that earlier in the post. I stated my results assuming no bias in the collected sample, which there probably is. so, in fact, the actual SDN MCAT average score is probably lower.