sharing MCAT scores

[MoosePilot]

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When scores come out, I tend to share mine. I'm not easily embarassed and I want to know what everybody's doing and how it's working out for them.

Some people are really hesitant to do that.

I remember in HS, some people got really obsessive about test scores. I feel bad for those people. Do you all think it's crass to share what you got if someone asks or the conversation comes up? I mean it's clearly boorish if you run around trying to tell everyone, but sometimes it comes up.

I tend to ask people who have experience with admissions, because I'm nervous about whether my MCAT/GPA combination (one good, one not so much) will give me a reasonable shot.

Thoughts?

 

[JDAD]

I agree. I like to see where I stand compared to others. I don't have a problem sharing stats, even if they are less than stellar.

 

[willthatsall]

Well I think in a place like this it's silly not to share because it definitely won't come across as bragging (who would bother to brag on a message board to people they don't know?), but I usually don't share with people I know unless they are friends of mine because it's awkward if they did poorly and it can look like you just brought it up to talk about your score. Of course, if you didn't do well then that won't be a problem, so I guess every situation is different.

 

[Medikit]

There should be a master thread when the scores are out where you put your MCAT scores, the score range you thought you got, the score of your first and last practice MCAT, the scores you got during your MCAT dreams, and finally the methods you used to study.

I don't think we need to include GPA in the thread, unless we want it to double as an advice thread.

 

[Medikit]

This is a sample of what I will be posting when the scores are up, what do you guys think and should I add any questions to it?


I was inspired by another thread to post this thread, this isn?t just a thread where you report your MCAT scores, in fact you don?t have to report them at all to participate.

Ok so here are the questions, answer as many as you like:

What was your score? (Don?t post it if you don?t want to, you can put a 👍 if you?re happy with them, a 👎 if you?re unhappy, or a 👍👎 if you are indifferent.)

I got a 45:

15 in BS

15 in PS

15 in V

T on the writing section

How does this score compare with the score you expected? (Use a +/- to indicate it if you didn?t give your score, you could do +/- a # if you are comfortable with that.)

I expected between a 28-32Q, so this is much better than I expected.

Which area were you most worried about?

I was really worrying about the Verbal section, I always got an 8 or a 9 on practice tests depending on whether or not I could complete the sections.

Were you able to complete all the sections? Which areas did you have trouble completing during practice tests?

It seemed like for every test I could finish the Verbal section I wouldn?t be able to finish the PS section, and vice versa.

What was the score of your first practice test?

I think I got a 15. I didn?t study and I was rusty on pretty much everything and couldn?t finish all of the verbal passages.

What was the score of your last practice test?

I took the first MCAT practice test provided by AMCAS and scored a 30.

How do your final scores compare with the scores you dreamt about?

I dreamt that I had a 33 (11 BS, 11 PS, and a 9.5 V). I know it adds up to 32.5 but apparently I?m not good at math when I?m sleeping. I know they don?t have decimal scores either.

Will you be applying for Medical School with these scores?

Definitely 🙂
How did you study for the exam?

I started reading through the big fat Kaplan book. It?s an ok book I guess, not very thorough and contains a few errors. I mostly used this book and practice tests to find my weak areas, and once I identified my weak areas I would hit the textbooks from my old classes. My weakest areas turned out to be the areas that I spent the least amount of time studying for during exams.

Are you happy with the study method? What would you do differently if you had to retake the test?

I am fairly happy. I would probably spend less time with the Kaplan book and more time making sure I covered every single area that AAMC says will be on the tests using my old textbooks. I think the thing that was most disappointing was that I still had my propensity for procrastinating.

Would you consider taking a class? If you did was it worth it?

No, I think I?d do better by myself working at my own pace; I already spent money and took classes on these subjects in college, no need to spend more money simply to keep myself from procrastinating.

Did you study for the writing section?

I practiced like three times and read two samples the week before I took the MCAT. I didn?t really want to waste time on this section.

 

[bigdan]

Wow. That is sharing.

I'll likely share the scores, even though they may suck. My sharing will be a bit less exhaustive:
ex. My score was 24.

dc

 

[joelmamchur]

Although I don't get scores untill Oct, I will definitely share. I never understood why ppl. were so afraid to share their scores...... Who cares if they are bad. I scored like 30% percentile last year and I'm damn proud of it (although I was young😛 ). I beat about 1 in 3 ppl! Without studying much and not completeing a practice test, that owned!

And if ppl do brag, they have the right to. Its online and they worked really hard for the marks they recieved!

But as always, be aware that there are always ppl who say they got 44 or so and the highest test mark was a 43😛 (i.e. last aug)...ppl lie to make others feel bad.....

 

[superdevil]

i'll share. what's the worst that could happen? its not like my entire existance will be defined by this one number; it won't be etched on my tombstone (well, unless i get >40 ). really, EVERYONE "shares"--some just don't share directly. i mean to say, if someone won't share their score explicitly, 9 times out of 10, they are implicitly saying "my score sucked balls. piss off." why people have to be so clandestine is beyond me. if i tell someone my score, and its sooooo low that they actually think differently of me as a human being, then they deserve to be stranded in antarctica with no food.

 

[Cerbernator]

i've never cared about sharing scores and never understood why premeds get so uptight about it. If you ask somone in ochem how they did they will get all defensive and **** but in all the math classes i've taken the people tend to be like "**** man, i made a 34 - that was hard!". They don't care if they failed a test because unlike neurotic premeds, their self worth isnt wrapped up in their grades.

 

[N-toxicologist]

It was intimated in a prior post; I don't share grades/scores much with people in my classes at school, b/c the ONLY reason they are asking is b/c they are feeling competitive and want to talk about their own grades.(Real gunners, they are, them whippersnappers). I don't mind sharing here, and I will, good or bad.

Maybe not as analytically as Medikit, though, Mine may be: 👍 or 👎 .

 

[ms2209]

Back in HS, I didn't mind sharing my scores so much. I could never understand what the big deal was, who really cared? But then, after my first year of college, things changed. It seemed like with the voracious pre-meds, resentment built up if you told them that you did well, and if you did worse than them on anything, they'd use it as fuel for their egos. It was a lose-lose situation all around, so I basically stopped talking about my scores with anyone other than friends and family. That's just my two cents!

 

[neoncandle]

It was intimated in a prior post; I don't share grades/scores much with people in my classes at school, b/c the ONLY reason they are asking is b/c they are feeling competitive and want to talk about their own grades.(Real gunners, they are, them whippersnappers). I don't mind sharing here, and I will, good or bad.

It is natural for us young premeds to be a bit competitive. After all, getting into medical school requires one to have competitive scores and to properly make a decision about how you compare to your peers you have to find out how they are doing. Also, when one gets to medical school, the competition goes on as people try to get into the residencies of their choice. However, I like to think of it as friendly competition. The best scorers in my classes/MCAT encourage me to study harder and smarter and I'd like to think I inspire a few others the same way.

 

[joelmamchur]

It was intimated in a prior post; I don't share grades/scores much with people in my classes at school, b/c the ONLY reason they are asking is b/c they are feeling competitive and want to talk about their own grades.(Real gunners, they are, them whippersnappers). I don't mind sharing here, and I will, good or bad.

It is natural for us young premeds to be a bit competitive. After all, getting into medical school requires one to have competitive scores and to properly make a decision about how you compare to your peers you have to find out how they are doing. Also, when one gets to medical school, the competition goes on as people try to get into the residencies of their choice. However, I like to think of it as friendly competition. The best scorers in my classes/MCAT encourage me to study harder and smarter and I'd like to think I inspire a few others the same way.

I agree completely. I never really see competition as competition. Sure, you are literally competing against other people, but in the end you can only really worry about your own grades. Obessing over what other people do is useless.....

 

[N-toxicologist]

Neon and Joel,

I'm as internally competitive as the rest. You have to be a little competitive do this anyway. I don't share in MY classes b/c it's not good-natured, just between friends talk. There are some very immature and obsessive people in some of my classes, and I'm too old for that. I believe in doing better for yourself, not just trying to beat someone you think you should be better than. THOSE are the type of people who are always trying to find out EVERYBODY else's grade, GPA, etc. I view these people as my future colleagues, and I'm willing to help, but...I guess you have to sit in one of my classes to get a feel for what I'm saying...I'm not just being stingy.

 

[gwyn779]

i've never cared about sharing scores and never understood why premeds get so uptight about it. If you ask somone in ochem how they did they will get all defensive and **** but in all the math classes i've taken the people tend to be like "**** man, i made a 34 - that was hard!". They don't care if they failed a test because unlike neurotic premeds, their self worth isnt wrapped up in their grades.

I remember getting a 64 on a physics test and it was a B+! Woohoo! Very similar.

 

[LUBDUBB]

One of the keys to success is not telling people your business (ie what you're doing, how you did it). Other than my close friends and family I won't tell people what I got.

However, SDN is a support network, and all of you have been really helpful, so I won't hesitate in sharing my score with you guys. I feel like us April MCATer's have been through it together, from "post your progress" to the "MCAT quiz thread" , and I would feel somewhat incomplete if I didn't share with ya'll.

Best of Luck

 

[vinoyp]

Sharing scores is fine if it's your initiative. What's annoying is when gunner pricks go around asking everyone what they got. I'll tell my friends what I got, but I ain't interested in trying to boost (or deflate) some gunner's ego. I'd rather listen to Beautiful Day (Dance remix) on repeat.

--Vinoy