SAT and MCAT correlation?

[zippitydoodoc]

I'm looking for anyone who did well on MCAT and low on SAT? What kind of correlation is there between these tests?

For any of you who aren't shy and can remember this far back, would you mind posting your SAT and MCAT?

I only got a 1270 on the SAT and I am not a minority. So there's a side of me that is convinced that I am not a good enough test taker to waste my time pursuing an MD. What do you think? Is it extremely rare for someone to have a 1270 SAT and still do well enough on the MCAT to go to med school?

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[QofQuimica]

I'm looking for anyone who did well on MCAT and low on SAT? What kind of correlation is there between these tests?

For any of you who aren't shy and can remember this far back, would you mind posting your SAT and MCAT?

I only got a 1270 on the SAT and I am not a minority. So there's a side of me that is convinced that I am not a good enough test taker to waste my time pursuing an MD. What do you think? Is it extremely rare for someone to have a 1270 SAT and still do well enough on the MCAT to go to med school?

First of all, I think a 1270 is NOT a "low" SAT score! I also think there is very little correlation between SAT and MCAT scores, if for no other reason than that most people don't study for the SAT like they do for the MCAT. My advice to you is that if you want to go to medical school, take the four pre-reqs (one year each of physics, bio, gen chem, and organic with lab), study 2-3 months for the MCAT including taking several full-length practice tests, and take the test when you're well-prepared for it. Once you're accepted to college, your SAT score becomes totally irrelevant to your ability to do anything else ever again for the rest of your life.

 

[Schaden Freud]

Doing well on the SAT probably doesn't guarantee that you'll do well on the MCAT since the SAT is a much easier test and is standardized to a fairly homely mean.

I'm looking for anyone who did well on MCAT and low on SAT? What kind of correlation is there between these tests?

For any of you who aren't shy and can remember this far back, would you mind posting your SAT and MCAT?

I only got a 1270 on the SAT and I am not a minority. So there's a side of me that is convinced that I am not a good enough test taker to waste my time pursuing an MD. What do you think? Is it extremely rare for someone to have a 1270 SAT and still do well enough on the MCAT to go to med school?

 

[zippitydoodoc]

My post perhaps made me sound like a high school student, but I'm actually 25. I'm seriously considering a career change (studied English and music undergrad) and am essentially asking myself the question, "Am I smart enough to get a good MCAT score?" I know 1270 is a good score compared to the average population... But I would imagine that most docs had 1400-1500 average. I'm hoping I'm wrong and that there are plenty of good 1250-1300 docs so that I can feel confident about pursuing this avenue. I have all my physics, bios, and chems to take, and the MCATs ahead of me. So I want to really believe that this is something I can do. I'd feel a lot better if there were a lot of people who responded saying, "Yes, I got a 1250 SAT and a 35 MCAT..." etc. So I'm hoping that will be the case.

 

[littlealex]

Don't let the SATs discourage you. MCAT is very different from the SATs because it relies heavily on your background knowledge. If you had a solid undergraduate GPA, all you need is a 30 on the MCAT to have a good shot at medicine.

If you work hard on the MCATs, you can at least get a 28 no matter how bad of a test taker you are.

Don't be discouraged. You can't give up before you even started trying. Don't look for others to validate your abilities. Study hard, do your best, and then see where you're at.

p.s. I'm sure there are tons of people who did not do well on the SATs and did amazingly well on the MCATs, you just might not find them on SDN.

 

[Yoyomama88]

Listen your SAT score will only affect you if you allow it. Its a score from a test that you took close to a decade ago. IT MEANS NOTHING! I took the sat 3 times, 1290, 1330, 1410...notice how I did each time before the other meant nothing about how I could do the last time! If you wanna be a doctor, and tell your self you're smart enough to do it then you will! Whether or not it takes 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 times, if you work your balls off and study properly, you will do good on the MCAT. I guarantee it.

 

[drizzt3117]

1600 Sat / 39 S Mcat ...

 

[Schaden Freud]

I bet this wouldn't be too far from the truth...
SAT - MCAT
1600 40+
1560 39
1520 38
1480 37
1440 36
1400 35
1360 34
1320 33
1280 32
1240 31
1200 30
1160 28
1120 26
1080 24
1040 22
1000 20

Some reasoning behind this:
-Scoring at the SAT mean probably means you'll score below the mean on the MCAT, since the examinee population is more refined.
-Scoring 1600 (off the charts, genius level) on the SAT means you'll most likely have what it takes to score in the top 0.1% on the MCAT, assuming adequate prep.
-The percentiles are approximately lined up at the higher score levels.

 

[ahmedqman]

First of all, I think a 1270 is NOT a "low" SAT score! I also think there is very little correlation between SAT and MCAT scores, if for no other reason than that most people don't study for the SAT like they do for the MCAT. My advice to you is that if you want to go to medical school, take the four pre-reqs (one year each of physics, bio, gen chem, and organic with lab), study 2-3 months for the MCAT including taking several full-length practice tests, and take the test when you're well-prepared for it. Once you're accepted to college, your SAT score becomes totally irrelevant to your ability to do anything else ever again for the rest of your life.

This is very encouraging advice. I've had the same apprehensions. I struggled to score above 1300 on the SAT, and have been worried that my "standardized testing plague" will effect me on studying for the MCAT.

But from what I've seen so far, it seems that you have more control over your outcome on the MCAT than the SAT (this is based only on practicing so far, of course).

 

[RandomBlackManX]

1600 Sat / 39 S Mcat ...

1410 Sat/ 38 N Mcat ...

lol

I don't think there is any correlation. Study hard man, don't let past tests define you or your ability to do well in the present/future.

 

[QofQuimica]

I bet this wouldn't be too far from the truth...
SAT - MCAT
1600 40
1560 39
1520 38
1480 37
1440 36
1400 35
1360 34
1320 33
1280 32
1240 31
1200 30
1160 28
1120 26
1080 24
1040 22
1000 20

It might be a general rule of thumb, but there would be so many outliers that it's probably not a very useful generalization. Plus, I couldn't have scored a 1720 on the SAT.

 

[littlealex]

Schaden's scale is rather tough huh?

According to that, I'm way underachieving.

SAT was much easier then the MCAT, and I don't think many students who got a 1600 SAT could get a 40.

It is easy to get 28-32 range in the MCAT because of the curve, but it gets exponentially harder to improve each point about like a 36 (12/12/12).

 

[zippitydoodoc]

I have to point out that as kind and encouraging as everyone has been, I have yet to hear anyone say, "My highest SAT was a 1270 or below and yet I got a good score on the MCAT." I'm not saying that there isn't anyone out there. I'd just like to hear from a few if possible.

 

[gilbertjgreen]

The MCAT being at least in part a battle of confidence, both in the actual testing and in the preparation, means that you are setting yourself up for the <30 you are expecting at this point. If you have the motivation and the time, acheiving a score of reasonable expectation shouldn't be TOO hard. Seriously, think about it, does a test from ~10 years ago have anything to do with your potential today beyond affecting your perception of yourself? You changed exponentially since then.

I think the real question you're asking yourself right now is: do I really want to be a doctor? Figure that out first, and the rest should come naturally.

And I'm not even going to be a psychiatrist! LOL!

 

[crunchymilk]

There is no correlation.

1150 and 33

the tests are far too different and by the time you take your MCAT your learning ability / style will be far different than it was in high school

 

[jochi1543]

I bet this wouldn't be too far from the truth...
SAT - MCAT
1600 40
1560 39
1520 38
1480 37
1440 36
1400 35
1360 34
1320 33
1280 32
1240 31
1200 30
1160 28
1120 26
1080 24
1040 22
1000 20

LOL, 1460 - 32 for me. Well, 1460 is the composite, the overall score for both times I wrote the SAT was 1390, so according to your scale, I should've received a 34-35. Would be nice!

 

[greg1184]

It only matters in terms of test taking ability. You still have to remember 4 classes worth of content and how to apply it.

 

[HaveHope]

I got a 1200 on the SAT (640V, 560M).
On the SAT IIs, on the other hand, I got a 730 (writing), 700 (biology), and 690 (US History). Those test something you've actually learned, which is a lot more important in my opinion.

I think I am a lot like you - I go through periods of doubt where I wonder if I'm "smart" enough to get through med school...

And then I remember that as long as you've got even decent intelligence (which you do!) you will be fine it if you work your butt off. I'm a hard worker, plain and simple - the sciences definitely don't come naturally to me but I really want it.

I haven't taken the actual MCAT yet (Sept 7th is my day!!!) but I got a 29 on my most recent practice test and am confident that I can crack 30.

Aptitude doesn't mean much if one doesn't do anything with it and hard work can take someone else a lot further. Have confidence in yourself and don't give up - if you really want it you will get there. That's what I go by

 

[TheElement]

Man if that chart correlated to my MCAT score I will be damned happy... haha

 

[Schaden Freud]

Good call, I'll change that to 40+.

It might be a general rule of thumb, but there would be so many outliers that it's probably not a very useful generalization. Plus, I couldn't have scored a 1720 on the SAT.

 

[Bartelby]

I only got a 1270 on the SAT and I am not a minority. So there's a side of me that is convinced that I am not a good enough test taker to waste my time pursuing an MD. What do you think? Is it extremely rare for someone to have a 1270 SAT and still do well enough on the MCAT to go to med school?

I "only" got a 1310 on my SAT and I scored at 35S on the MCAT. I wouldn't worry about that 1270 if I were you. If medicine is what you want to do, give it your all and you should be fine. Granted, when I took the SAT I had never even looked at a practice exam and when I took my MCAT I had done all eight AAMC full lengths, but if you want it bad enough you will put in the effort to make it happen.

 

[littlealex]

I think the biggest question you have to ask yourself is if you've grown since you took the SATs. My money is on "YES!"

You aren't the same person as you once were. You've probably gained better studying skills, better reading comprehension ability, better focus.

MCAT isn't testing you abilities years ago. People change, and now it's your job to apply the lessons you've learned along the way and prepare efficiently for the MCAT and do as well as possible.

 

[plastikosmd]

1270...grin...i was a couple hundred points lower than that!....i still remember being told i had to take a test the next saturday...i remember thinking ...a test..on a saturday? WTH?...back when life was easy.. nobody cared about that stuff up in the woods of "nowhere."

 

[KnuxNole]

A vast amount of people do not take the SAT seriously. Most colleges let anyone in with at least an 1100 on the SAT. Considering:

1) SAT you can only practice while on the MCAT, you have to both practice and apply four sciences in new situations
2) High school work ethics/critical skils =/= College work ethics/critical skills.

It seems the closer we get to our career, the more specific the standardized test get. The SAT is a general reasoning test, the MCAT is more science content but still a reading test, and apparently the USMLE is more content specific than the MCAT(correct me if I am wrong).

 

[Blade28]

Apparently I underperformed on the MCAT then...

 

[cheezer]

question: how does knowing this "correlation" help anybody at all

 

[Schaden Freud]

Oh it doesn't.

question: how does knowing this "correlation" help anybody at all

 

[lizard7]

I "only" got a 1310 on my SAT and I scored at 35S on the MCAT.

I got a 1390 on my SAT (basically split right down the middle) and got a flipping 24Q on the MCAT- I wouldn't say there's a correlation. I would warn that switching to computer based testing can be really hard for some people, especially if you have any learning processing issues so if you've taken pen/paper exams your whole life, make sure to take those practice tests on the computer to see how you feel.