Should I include my LSAT score in the "Other Tests" section of AMCAS app?

[OMGMike]

I believe it is optional so I am not sure if I should include it or not. I got a 34 (92 percentile) on the MCAT and a 172 on LSAT (99 percentile) so there is not a large discrepancy. I am worried it might make me seem indecisive, however, because I took the LSAT last summer (August 2011). Any tips? Thanks!

The exact text is: "Would you like to include your test score from another exam (such as the GMAT, LSAT or GRE)?"

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[eggs13]

I believe it is optional so I am not sure if I should include it or not. I got a 34 (92 percentile) on the MCAT and a 172 on LSAT (99 percentile) so there is not a large discrepancy. I am worried it might make me seem indecisive, however, because I took the LSAT last summer (August 2011). Any tips? Thanks!

The exact text is: "Would you like to include your test score from another exam (such as the GMAT, LSAT or GRE)?"

i would include it, as it shows you have great critical thinking/reasoning skills, which I think would be looked very highly upon.

 

[Fivo]

What is your reasoning for listing your score?

 

[theseeker4]

I believe it is optional so I am not sure if I should include it or not. I got a 34 (92 percentile) on the MCAT and a 172 on LSAT (99 percentile) so there is not a large discrepancy. I am worried it might make me seem indecisive, however, because I took the LSAT last summer (August 2011). Any tips? Thanks!

The exact text is: "Would you like to include your test score from another exam (such as the GMAT, LSAT or GRE)?"

It probably won't help or hurt you either way. It could give you a tiny boost depending on who reads your application, but I don't think you have to worry about it hurting you at all as long as you adequately explain why medicine in your essays.

 

[OMGMike]

That's another problem, I feel like it will just be something else I have to talk about in the already limited space for my essay. Is it OK to not mention?

 

[OMGMike]

What is your reasoning for listing your score?

AMCAS asks for other test scores but they ask as if ti is optional.

 

[rjosh33]

That's another problem, I feel like it will just be something else I have to talk about in the already limited space for my essay. Is it OK to not mention?

It's definitely okay not to mention it. In fact, when I met and talked with the Dean of Admissions at a school I planned on applying to, he told me not to put my PCAT score on the "Other Tests" section, even though it too was very high (on par with your LSAT score). The reason being that they only want to accept students who are passionate about medicine, not somebody who's perhaps considering a different career, which is what taking a different admissions test kind of implicates.

Of course, this was just one adcom from one school, so don't necessarily exclude your score if you feel it'll really help your application. Needless to say, though, I did omit my PCAT score, and actually just interviewed at the school in question last week.

 

[theseeker4]

It's definitely okay not to mention it. In fact, when I met and talked with the Dean of Admissions at a school I planned on applying to, he told me not to put my PCAT score on the "Other Scores" section, even though it too was very high (on par with your LSAT score). The reason being that they only want to accept students who are passionate about medicine, not somebody who's perhaps considering a different career, which is what taking a different admissions test kind of implicates.

Of course, this was just one adcom from one school, so don't necessarily exclude your score if you feel it'll really help your application. Needless to say, though, I did omit my PCAT score, and actually just interviewed at the school in question last week.

Meh, I doubt having explored other careers is a problem for the vast majority of adcoms, but there is no really strong reason to include the LSAT score, and you certainly don't have to.

 

[FSAP]

I decided not to include my LSAT score (was about as high as yours) for reasons mentioned above. I was a late switch to medicine and was pretty indecisive about what I wanted to do as an undergrad so for me the challenge was to convince people I wanted to do it for the right reasons. Taking the LSAT was only gonna show the opposite.

 

[rjosh33]

Meh, I doubt having explored other careers is a problem for the vast majority of adcoms

Maybe. Maybe not. We could speculate all day, but IMO the risk outweighs the reward in this case.

OP, your MCAT is solid and exponentially more important than your LSAT score. Unless you want to explain the LSAT further in your PS, you can just leave it out without hurting your application.