standard deviation of average school mcats?

[sanford_w/o_son]

Many schools and other resources I've seen post the average MCAT and GPAs of incoming students, but is there any resource that gives the standard deviation of those scores? Otherwise, is there anything like a rule-of-thumb 95% confidence interval typical of most schools (e.g., a rule-of-thumb of +/- 2 points on the MCAT, such that 95% of the incoming class at school X, whose average MCAT was 33, scored within about 31 - 35)?

I'm basically 1-2 points below many schools to which I would like to apply (I'm 33, and those schools are 34-35), and I'd like to get a better idea of whether my money and time is better spent applying elsewhere this summer.

Thanks!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[TIGIBedHead]

On a related note, the MSAR lists median MCAT scores. How would the median compare to the average scores? I read elsewhere on SDN that average scores are usually higher. True?

Also, sanford, which sources are you using to find the average scores for schools?

I would guess that one or two points below the average would still put you in pretty good standing at most schools, since about half of the matriculants scored below the average.

 

[Will Ferrell]

On a related note, the MSAR lists median MCAT scores. How would the median compare to the average scores? I read elsewhere on SDN that average scores are usually higher. True?

Also, sanford, which sources are you using to find the average scores for schools?

I would guess that one or two points below the average would still put you in pretty good standing at most schools, since about half of the matriculants scored below the average.

I think average scores (usnews.com) tend to be lower than the median scores (msar). It seems as though they have people with low scores pulling them down. I doubt many people get into schools at their listed "average" or "median" scores. There seems to be either people getting in with low numbers & a hook or people with high numbers & no hook. The resulting score is a balance between them.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

On a related note, the MSAR lists median MCAT scores. How would the median compare to the average scores? I read elsewhere on SDN that average scores are usually higher. True?

Also, sanford, which sources are you using to find the average scores for schools?

I would guess that one or two points below the average would still put you in pretty good standing at most schools, since about half of the matriculants scored below the average.

If the average is higher than the median, then that is encouraging. I believe that that would mean the distribution is skewered to the right, due to a relative "handful" of exorbitantly high MCAT scores. Since relatively few people are driving up the MCAT average in that situation, there should be more folks scoring below average (compared to the case in which average = median, where the average would be normally distributed over the high average and just as many people score higher as score lower). Right?

To find average MCAT scores I used the websites for the schools (many will list average MCAT, GPA, and other demographic info for matriculated classes) and USNews.

 

[HMSNeuro]

I think average scores (usnews.com) tend to be lower than the median scores (msar). It seems as though they have people with low scores pulling them down. I doubt many people get into schools at their listed "average" or "median" scores. There seems to be either people getting in with low numbers & a hook or people with high numbers & no hook. The resulting score is a balance between them.

How do you know this? Have you done a study that looks at MCATs and "hooks"? Or did you just simply make a blanket statement without any evidence what-so-ever?

 

[somewhere2010]

i don't think schools are that strategic about the MCAT score. at every interview i've been at, my interviewers have thought my 28 and 3.6 GPA were more than sufficient to prove my academic fitness for medical school. so i doubt they're labelling the people with a couple points below the mean very different from those at or slightly above the mean (or median) scores.

soooo to the OP, i think you should apply wherever you want with a 33, assuming the rest of your app looks good!

 

[Will Ferrell]

How do you know this? Have you done a study that looks at MCATs and "hooks"? Or did you just simply make a blanket statement without any evidence what-so-ever?

whoa- chill out. I didn't know we needed to cite sources or have concrete evidence for every suggestion made over an internet forum. The numbers that MSAR put out (medians) were higher than the usnews means. So, I guess you could say the averages tend to be lower than the median (not a big statement at all. that's what TIGIbed was asking for).

Other than that, I was saying that when you're looking at the averages/medians for a school, that tells you little. People with hooks (good research work, unique ECs, etc.) get in with lower numbers and people with no hooks need higher numbers. Not a ground-breaking theory. If you meet the listed averages for a school, you're probably not going to be very competitive unless you have something else going for you.

How often do you see people with 34s get into Hopkins or 35s get into Harvard. It's usually people with extremely high numbers or people who had more than numbers going for them.

 

[HMSNeuro]

How often do you see people with 34s get into Hopkins or 35s get into Harvard. It's usually people with extremely high numbers or people who had more than numbers going for them.

You make a very far-reaching assumption. As to your question, I don't know, do you?

My point is, you shouldn't make an analysis like that without any sort of foundation.

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

bump. any other resources or general rules-of-thumb out there? thx.

 

[RustNeverSleeps]

If the average is higher than the median, then that is encouraging. I believe that that would mean the distribution is skewered to the right, due to a relative "handful" of exorbitantly high MCAT scores. Since relatively few people are driving up the MCAT average in that situation, there should be more folks scoring below average (compared to the case in which average = median, where the average would be normally distributed over the high average and just as many people score higher as score lower). Right?

To find average MCAT scores I used the websites for the schools (many will list average MCAT, GPA, and other demographic info for matriculated classes) and USNews.

It's been a few years since I had stats, but I think you are right. If the mean is higher than the median, it means that the sample is skewed due to some outliers on the right (ex. people who scored really high on the MCAT).

Maybe you can list "applying statistics in everyday life" as one of your skills on your applications.

 

[gotdoc]

I doubt many people get into schools at their listed "average" or "median" scores. There seems to be either people getting in with low numbers & a hook or people with high numbers & no hook. The resulting score is a balance between them.

I doubt that few people get in at the median or average scores. This would mean that only the extremes are accepted to constitute the average, when the "average" typically 3.5 and 30 are good numbers.

What does everyone else think?

 

[LizzyM]

I doubt that few people get in at the median or average scores. This would mean that only the extremes are accepted to constitute the average, when the "average" typically 3.5 and 30 are good numbers.

What does everyone else think?

The school I know best has a mean of about 10.7 in each area. I think that most of the matriculants have 10s or 11s with more 11s than 10s. There are a few students who scored 12, 13, 14 and very, very few with 8, 9. It is a narrow bell with very short tails. Some other schools may have a different distribution but I think that the narrow bell holds true for the top schools.

(it is bogus to add scores: 14 8 8 is not the same as 10 10 10 or 9 10 11)