The Official June 2015 MCAT Thread

[Abraxas305]

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So we can talk about all things MCAT 2015.
Just registered too!

 

[PlatinumBody]

Hey!
I wanted to get some input whether I should retake again. I'm at a research internship for the summer at Columbia, and although my schedule is relatively flexible to study in the morning/evening, I don't know if taking it at the end of August would be pushing it. I sat in for the June 19th date.

Percentiles
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 62% - 77%
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills 39% - 54%
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 49% - 65%
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior 70% - 85%
MCAT Total Score 54% - 64%

Usually CARS is my best section, but I lost my timing and I think I over-studied it the days leading up to the exam. I have good ECs (three research experiences including the one I'm in now, presented at a national conference, volunteering/shadowing, etc). I also have a 3.95 GPA (biology major, graduated in three years), and I am an African-American female. I'm not trying to go to Harvard, but rather state schools/lower-mid tier. Based on what everyone has been saying, it looks like my overall should be a 502 or like a 26/27 on the old test. Because my GPA is high, I think it will balance out with my ECs, but I don't want to cut myself short by not performing better. I think I could bump up 2 or 3 points, but I pulled that chemical/physical foundations score out of nowhere, which concerns me. Thoughts? Thanks so much.

You definitely need to retake if you want to get into an MD school. Keep in mind that these percentiles were for only the June tests. This means you're going up against kids that score 90 and above from multiple different tests, including the old one.

 

[spikesolo00]

You definitely need to retake if you want to get into an MD school. Keep in mind that these percentiles were for only the June tests. This means you're going up against kids that score 90 and above from multiple different tests, including the old one.

do you think a
62-77
76-91
72-87
61-76

overall: 68-78% warrants a retake?

 

[nolcya]

The benefit is that your scores are pretty consistent, and you did pretty well in CARS, which is usually harder to increase. If you have been studying and you honestly feel that your score will jump, it seems like there is no issue in taking it again. You have to factor in your stats, where you are willing to go to school and if you are applying this cycle. Good luck! Remember, this is a new exam so there is going to be a little give and take with the scoring/expectations.

Thank you so much! I haven't been studying since I took the test but I am starting tomorrow which will give me 6-7 weeks. My overall gpa is a 3.8. I would like to stay in state so thank you for your advice. I am really down and it was encouraging. Best of luck!

 

[PlatinumBody]

do you think a
62-77
76-91
72-87
61-76

overall: 68-78% warrants a retake?

I think you would have okay shot at getting into an MD school, but you will be able to significantly improve your chances by retaking. I would retake if I were you.

 

[SaintedHover]

Did any of you ladies and gents take EK FL's? If so how did your percentiles compare to your EK scores?

 

[soccergurl1987]

Did any of you ladies and gents take EK FL's? If so how did your percentiles compare to your EK scores?

I took all 3 EK full lengths. I can't remember my exact scores (they're in the compilation spreadsheet mcatjelly made), but EK1 and 3 were slightly under 80%, and EK2 was a little over 80%. I ended up with 85-100% on all 4 sections, and 90-100% overall on the June 20th exam. I think most people agree that the EK full lengths are quite a bit harder than the AAMC material, and that even mediocre scores on the EK exam will set you up pretty nicely for the actual exam.

 

[OwlPower92]

Everytime I took a practice test I learned new Psyc/soc vocab. My list grew with every test I took. So I wasnt surprised when I got to test day and saw some words I'd never seen before. Does anyone know where a good list of al vocab and theories with definitions can be found!!

 

[alexisfrozen]

Kind of in a tizzy right now. At first I didnt fret, but now Im starting to get worried about this psych score before submitting. As stated earlier, my prelims are: CP- 74-89%, CARS: 65-80%, Bio: 49-64%, Psych: 27-42% Tot: 51-61%. I guess I lost my groove on 2nd half but I didnt feel it affected me that much. My worry is that i improve psych at the expense of another score and I currently dont have the luxury to study as much as I used to.

Before going on, Im already well aware that I am a huge red flag. Im looking at mainly my state schools, DO schools, and abroad MD. I graduated in december 2014. My major was Dietetics with cgpa 3.2, sgpa 3.0, Non trad URM (Puerto Rican) that is fluent in spanish with a strong upward trend. I'm talking past four semesters with 18cr hrs going from a 3.2>3.4>3.5>3.7 from my traditional 2.2 to 2.8 range. My essay reflects that I have matured a lot and that I honestly was a different person 3-4 years ago than I am now and wasted many opportunities. I have worked full time (50+hrs) for past 2.5 years, while maintaining 18+ cr hrs.

Currently an EMT-B at a 150 bed ED in a university hospital, have worked on the street as well. Also my EC's seem solid: ~100 hrs, but will be doing another 100-200 hrs soon, volunteer at habitat for humanity; ~100 Hrs teaching nutrition classes to special needs children and schools from low SES areas; have done research for my dept chair and presented it at my uni; currently doing volunteer research with liver cancer and in the works for publishing 3 papers r/t this, and possibly more throughout the year. I have shadowed orthopedic, trauma, surgery, and ED MD's and been exposed to DO's as well in most of these fields. I also worked at an occupational health clinic at a factory.

My LoR are great: Chief of surgery, a nationally renowned biochem researcher and professor at my uni (used to be an Adcom), my department chair, a professor, and my clinical manager. They all urge me to apply, even with my low gpa and questionable MCAT due to my upward trend and their confidence in me. They also don't think the psych section is as important as the other three sections.

What do you all think fellow June MCAT survivors? Retake and prolong the applications or go for it?

 

[SuperSlim]

Thanks for the confidence boost! if you dont mind me asking, would u recommend any schools given my stats (cgpa 3.64, sgpa around a 3.55)?

Your State MDs are your best bet except if you life in California. I would apply to all of them. For DO again it matters where you're from for some schools but not so much. For DO you should apply broadly but go for the top DOs

 

[bee17]

Hey, just wondering how my chances are looking right now for medical school...

Chem/Phys = 85-100%
CARS = 39-54%
Bio/Biochem = 82-97%
Psych/Socio = 70-85%
Overall = 74-84%

Cumulative GPA : 3.92
Science GPA : 3.85

Extra-curriculars are good.

I'm pretty worried about that CARS section but I really don't want to retake that horrible test. Would my low CARS score restrict my application?

Chem/Phys: 129-132
CARS: 123-124 (we don't have data for that percentile)
Bio/Biochem: 128
Psych/Soc: 127

Based on these estimates, your total is anywhere from a 507-511, which is a good overall score. You may have to check individual schools about the CARS score. I think your percentiles equate to a 7-8 for that section on the old test.

QUESTION: I know this topic isn't meant for this thread but not sure where to post it and figured that one of you all might know! I never took stats and have realized that some schools I want to apply to require it. I am graduating after the Fall, but I could take it post-bac in the spring at a different university (will run out of scholarship money at my school and it would be much cheaper to move back home and take stats at a state school nearby than stay at my private out-of-state school for just one class). Will schools automatically reject me when they see I don't have stats on my amcas app currently? Or will they accept me on the condition I take stats in the spring?

if its a prerequisite, i think its an automatic rejection. isnt that what pre-req means? not trying to sound snobby. just guessing its a rejection

Pre-reqs are required for matriculation, NOT application. If you matriculate at a school with a stiff stats requirement, you could take it in the spring or summer before matriculating.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

June testers,

Are y'all adding schools now to your application based on percentiles? Part of me wants to start adding some to get the ball rolling on secondaries in case they don't screen or something.

Or are you gonna wait till the 21st to see how the exact number looks and then submit more schools then?

 

[jessicafkim]

The CARS score and overall score will make an MD acceptance fairly tough, but it's still definitely possible because the rest of your app looks solid. Just apply strategically and include DO schools, and I'm sure you'll have a good chance of acceptance!

Do you know what my predicted score is?

 

[SuperSlim]

June testers,

Are y'all adding schools now to your application based on percentiles? Part of me wants to start adding some to get the ball rolling on secondaries in case they don't screen or something.

Or are you gonna wait till the 21st to see how the exact number looks and then submit more schools then?

Adding only a couple of schools I know I have a good shot at. You don't need to wait for secondary from a school to start a secondary if you catch my drift.

 

[macrophage56]

Hi guys, took my MCAT in June. devastated by my results. It has been a decade since I have left school.

My ideal school take a score of 30. Any advise on how to increase my mcat scores? Is taking an online prep course good? any comments?

Percentiles
Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 27-42%
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills 28-43%
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 72-87%
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior 17-32%
MCAT Total Score 31-41%

 

[SaintedHover]

I took all 3 EK full lengths. I can't remember my exact scores (they're in the compilation spreadsheet mcatjelly made), but EK1 and 3 were slightly under 80%, and EK2 was a little over 80%. I ended up with 85-100% on all 4 sections, and 90-100% overall on the June 20th exam. I think most people agree that the EK full lengths are quite a bit harder than the AAMC material, and that even mediocre scores on the EK exam will set you up pretty nicely for the actual exam.

Well you make me feel dumb! 😛 I'd honestly be happy with an mcat score in the percentiles of 65+. Took EK 1 today and got an 65% overall. Chem/phys crushed me. Would you think I'm on track for my goal?

 

[piii]

Well you make me feel dumb! 😛 I'd honestly be happy with an mcat score in the percentiles of 65+. Took EK 1 today and got an 65% overall. Chem/phys crushed me. Would you think I'm on track for my goal?

I took EK 1-3 and got 70, 76, and 66% (66 on EK3 2 days before actual test!). I got a 88-98th % on the actual exam. EK was representative of my trends in each section but I did higher on each actual section. EK exams are harder and logic is not always sound.

 

[soccergurl1987]

Well you make me feel dumb! 😛 I'd honestly be happy with an mcat score in the percentiles of 65+. Took EK 1 today and got an 65% overall. Chem/phys crushed me. Would you think I'm on track for my goal?

Absolutely. 65% is not bad at all for EK. I'd check out this thread:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...percentiles-and-practice-exam-scores.1143965/
to see the percentiles people ended up with and their associated EK scores. There are a few people who scored around the 65% mark and who ended up in the 77-87% range for their prelim percentiles for the actual exam.

Have you done the AAMC full length as well? That will give you a much better indication of where you're at.

 

[sd38537]

You guys are so helpful I was wondering if you could help me figure out what my actual score will be using the upper bounds stuff you've been able to do for people. I looked at the charts people have posted but I guess my brain is still too cooked from the mcat to figure it out

C/P: 82-97
CARS: 82 - 97
B/B: 85 - 100
P/S: 70 - 85
Overall: 84-94

 

[jd989898]

You guys are so helpful I was wondering if you could help me figure out what my actual score will be using the upper bounds stuff you've been able to do for people. I looked at the charts people have posted but I guess my brain is still too cooked from the mcat to figure it out

C/P: 82-97
CARS: 82 - 97
B/B: 85 - 100
P/S: 70 - 85
Overall: 84-94

final will be between 512 & 515

 

[sd38537]

I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to do this!!

 

[jd989898]

I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to do this!!

No problem. Congrats on the score!

 

[spikesolo00]

final will be between 512 & 515

a 78% is about a 509 and a 94% is about 515? wow idk why but it feels so so so far away.

 

[DesitnationMD]

Kind of in a tizzy right now. At first I didnt fret, but now Im starting to get worried about this psych score before submitting. As stated earlier, my prelims are: CP- 74-89%, CARS: 65-80%, Bio: 49-64%, Psych: 27-42% Tot: 51-61%. I guess I lost my groove on 2nd half but I didnt feel it affected me that much. My worry is that i improve psych at the expense of another score and I currently dont have the luxury to study as much as I used to.

Before going on, Im already well aware that I am a huge red flag. Im looking at mainly my state schools, DO schools, and abroad MD. I graduated in december 2014. My major was Dietetics with cgpa 3.2, sgpa 3.0, Non trad URM (Puerto Rican) that is fluent in spanish with a strong upward trend. I'm talking past four semesters with 18cr hrs going from a 3.2>3.4>3.5>3.7 from my traditional 2.2 to 2.8 range. My essay reflects that I have matured a lot and that I honestly was a different person 3-4 years ago than I am now and wasted many opportunities. I have worked full time (50+hrs) for past 2.5 years, while maintaining 18+ cr hrs.

Currently an EMT-B at a 150 bed ED in a university hospital, have worked on the street as well. Also my EC's seem solid: ~100 hrs, but will be doing another 100-200 hrs soon, volunteer at habitat for humanity; ~100 Hrs teaching nutrition classes to special needs children and schools from low SES areas; have done research for my dept chair and presented it at my uni; currently doing volunteer research with liver cancer and in the works for publishing 3 papers r/t this, and possibly more throughout the year. I have shadowed orthopedic, trauma, surgery, and ED MD's and been exposed to DO's as well in most of these fields. I also worked at an occupational health clinic at a factory.

My LoR are great: Chief of surgery, a nationally renowned biochem researcher and professor at my uni (used to be an Adcom), my department chair, a professor, and my clinical manager. They all urge me to apply, even with my low gpa and questionable MCAT due to my upward trend and their confidence in me. They also don't think the psych section is as important as the other three sections.

What do you all think fellow June MCAT survivors? Retake and prolong the applications or go for it?

To me it looks like you got progressively worse as the exam wore on, possibly due to fatigue and/or endurance issues? How were your test scores prior to your date? Did you study all of the sciences or blow off psych/soc at all? Before you re-take I would analyze all of your prep and find out what the issue is.

 

[VTANACC]

Cp: 85-100
CARS: 65-80
Bio: 85-100
Psych: 81-96
Comp: 86-96%

So 512-517? Anybody have any input on predicting actual score?

 

[alexisfrozen]

To me it looks like you got progressively worse as the exam wore on, possibly due to fatigue and/or endurance issues? How were your test scores prior to your date? Did you study all of the sciences or blow off psych/soc at all? Before you re-take I would analyze all of your prep and find out what the issue is.

My AAMC FL and Guide indicated I should have done fine on everything (80%+ on each category). Also, KA psych was averaging ~70% of Q's correct (80+% everything else), which is pretty low. Psych was definitely my weak area in every practice. I did practice TPR and NS exams, which I guess were much more indicative of my real score than I thought. Overall, maybe it was a fluke on my part. I guess it could be related to fatigue, since I wasn't able to take off work the whole week and switching from 6p-6a TWR nights to waking up at 6am Saturday was less than ideal, coupled with insomnia. Though, I certainly didn't feel that way in the exam. I may have been too cocky in the Bio section and freaked out in Psych when I couldnt make sense of anything that was going on.

This isnt like me to be worried, but I had a bit of a freak out moment when I started seeing the application costs. Im going to sleep on it for sure before deciding the retake or making due with the current scenario and apply smart within the US and abroad.

 

[jcmedgirl14]

Hey guys 🙂 I also wanted to lay my stats here as I have no idea what any of it means.
Is this a good score (what would it translate to on the old scale)? What are y chances at MD schools? Any suggestions where to apply?

Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems 74% - 89%
Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills 85% - 100%
Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems 49% - 64%
Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior 81% - 96%
MCAT Total Score 77% - 87%

Thanks yall! 🙂

 

[Hildace]

June testers,

Are y'all adding schools now to your application based on percentiles? Part of me wants to start adding some to get the ball rolling on secondaries in case they don't screen or something.

Or are you gonna wait till the 21st to see how the exact number looks and then submit more schools then?

I sent in my primary application with 2 schools (one of them being a school I was previously waitlisted at) on June 15th. As my transcripts hadn't arrived just yet, the primary application wasn't put in line for review until June 24th. Since my primary application may take a few more weeks to be verified anyway, I'm going to wait until I get my actual score before I add the other schools. I did, however, make a complete list of the schools I will add in the past few days. Interestingly enough, I will not be applying to my state medical school (UMASS), as I really don't want to go there.

 

[macrophage56]

Hi all, what do you think is the best prep books and materials? I need some miracle somehow...
Any advise is greatly appreciated!

 

[40323431]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading this page for a few months... hoping you guys can help.

Preliminary Percentiles:
B/S: 82-97%
C/P: 82-97%
CARS: 85-100%
Psych: 85-100%

According to the table posted by Heisenberg 41, this is estimated to be around 524. (EDIT: Silly math error - all makes sense now! This should be 514.)

Can anyone put this in terms of the old test scores? I understand that we're comparing apples to oranges, but in terms of competitiveness? A table I found a few months ago on SDN equated 524 to a 42, which sounds absurd. Granted, that table was posted before any MCAT2015 scores were out.

I've tried digging on my own, but didn't see anything. If there's information elsewhere, could someone please direct me to it!

Thank you and congratulations to all!

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading this page for a few months... hoping you guys can help.

Preliminary Percentiles:
B/S: 82-97%
C/P: 82-97%
CARS: 85-100%
Psych: 85-100%

According to the table posted by Heisenberg 41, this is estimated to be around 524.

Can anyone put this in terms of the old test scores? I understand that we're comparing apples to oranges, but in terms of competitiveness? A table I found a few months ago on SDN equated 524 to a 42, which sounds absurd. Granted, that table was posted before any MCAT2015 scores were out.

I've tried digging on my own, but didn't see anything. If there's information elsewhere, could someone please direct me to it!

Thank you and congratulations to all!

Congrats on an awesome score! I don't think it would quite be a 524 though, unfortunately. If I'm reading it right, you will have a 128 in both Bio and Chem, and then it can be anywhere from a 129 to 132 for the other two sections. So your range will be from 514 at the lowest up to 520 at the highest. A 514 I believe equates roughly to a 33 on the old test, while a 520 is close to a 37. That being said, the consensus around here seems to be that if your overall percentile range is 90-100 (I'm assuming it is) then you will most likely hit at least a 516 (95%ile), which is like a 35

 

[40323431]

t

Hi all, what do you think is the best prep books and materials? I need some miracle somehow...
Any advise is greatly appreciated!

I studied at Barnes and Noble, so I used a little bit of everything. I think I'm in a good place to compare. Note: I did self-prep only, while working full time.

Kaplan was my main resource. The books are beautiful, but very detailed. Some have said that Biochem details are a little excessive. I didn't take Biochem, so I had to learn this all from scratch. That said, I still think they were overly detailed. Psych/soc, on the other hand, was not as comprehensive as it should have been, which ends up in a lot of people complaining about the real MCAT questions being obscure. The end of chapter quizzes are essential for testing comprehension. Online supplements and FLT's were great, and the tricky exams prepped me well for learning to integrate ideas and really know the material inside out, how it relates to each other, etc. Highly recommend Kaplan for Gen Chem, Math and Physics.

Examkrackers is colorful, simplified, and has lots of cute memorization techniques. I do feel like it leaves out some necessary details, but definitely hits all the important points. Definitely great for review and memorization. (I used it for General Bio.)

Princeton Review had lots of good info, and I really though it was clearer than Kaplan (complex) and Examkrackers (too simple). Unfortunately, the books were black and white with lots of small text, which made it a little dry and dizzying sometimes. Not a lot of supplements, and the supplements are not as simple/user-friendly. I used it for clarification on concepts that were not coming to me intuitively.

Most importantly, you need to practice passages and full-lengths. Examkrackers 1001 Questions helped when Chem/Physics were my weak spot - just practiced a lot. I think its Kaplan has a book with just two full-length tests which were good. Always do in-chapter questions and end-of-chapter questions.

I also watched/listened to Kahn Academy YouTube videos in the car and found them very helpful, mostly for Bio/Biochem review. It can help with Psych names/theories, but the broader concepts just sound like stuff you already know and don't really emphasize the trickier/finer aspects of the ideas. Chem and Physics are really clear and helpful, but only if you're sitting down to watch them - I couldn't listen to them in the car and follow the math. Bonus: They're free.

I recommend assessing your needs in different areas and then going to a bookstore and seeing what suits you best. Keep in mind you can always Google topics you need further clarification on.

 

[40323431]

Congrats on an awesome score! I don't think it would quite be a 524 though, unfortunately. If I'm reading it right, you will have a 128 in both Bio and Chem, and then it can be anywhere from a 129 to 132 for the other two sections. So your range will be from 514 at the lowest up to 520 at the highest. A 514 I believe equates roughly to a 33 on the old test, while a 520 is close to a 37. That being said, the consensus around here seems to be that if your overall percentile range is 90-100 (I'm assuming it is) then you will most likely hit at least a 516 (95%ile), which is like a 35

Whoops silly math error, no wonder it sounded absurd! That's still great, and much more reasonable toward what I was expecting.

 

[pmpgnv326]

t

I studied at Barnes and Noble, so I used a little bit of everything. I think I'm in a good place to compare. Note: I did self-prep only, while working full time.

Kaplan was my main resource. The books are beautiful, but very detailed. Some have said that Biochem details are a little excessive. I didn't take Biochem, so I had to learn this all from scratch. That said, I still think they were overly detailed. Psych/soc, on the other hand, was not as comprehensive as it should have been, which ends up in a lot of people complaining about the real MCAT questions being obscure. The end of chapter quizzes are essential for testing comprehension. Online supplements and FLT's were great, and the tricky exams prepped me well for learning to integrate ideas and really know the material inside out, how it relates to each other, etc. Highly recommend Kaplan for Gen Chem, Math and Physics.

Examkrackers is colorful, simplified, and has lots of cute memorization techniques. I do feel like it leaves out some necessary details, but definitely hits all the important points. Definitely great for review and memorization. (I used it for General Bio.)

Princeton Review had lots of good info, and I really though it was clearer than Kaplan (complex) and Examkrackers (too simple). Unfortunately, the books were black and white with lots of small text, which made it a little dry and dizzying sometimes. Not a lot of supplements, and the supplements are not as simple/user-friendly.

Most importantly, you need to practice passages and full-lengths. Examkrackers 1001 Questions helped when Chem/Physics were my weak spot - just practiced a lot. I think its Kaplan has a book with just two full-length tests which were good. Always do in-chapter questions and end-of-chapter questions.

I also watched/listened to Kahn Academy YouTube videos in the car and found them very helpful, mostly for Bio/Biochem review. It can help with Psych names/theories, but the broader concepts just sound like stuff you already know and don't really emphasize the trickier/finer aspects of the ideas. Chem and Physics are really clear and helpful, but only if you're sitting down to watch them - I couldn't listen to them in the car and follow the math. Bonus: They're free.

I recommend assessing your needs in different areas and then going to a bookstore and seeing what suits you best. Keep in mind you can always Google topics you need further clarification on.

Our study routine sounds pretty much the same, but I'm one month away and don't feel like I'm getting much done. How were you doing on practice passages/exams?

 

[40323431]

Our study routine sounds pretty much the same, but I'm one month away and don't feel like I'm getting much done. How were you doing on practice passages/exams?

On Kaplan exams, I was scoring around a 504-506 consistently, usually between 58-88%. I would say on other exams, I was scoring a bit higher, maybe 70-89%? I definitely felt toward the end that I wasn't progressing as much -- I think it's sort of asymptotic. I would suggest simply practicing questions in weaker areas. There's also MCAT 528 (I think it's Kaplan), which is more about test taking technique. If you feel like content-wise you're not improving, that might be helpful too.

 

[piii]

Need some advice. I have a 3.76 in a SMP program from tufts med with a 4.0 in the second semester. I had ~ 3.3 in undergrad. With a 88-96th % (or 33-35) MCAT, do you think this opens my app up to a lot of mid tier schools that have medians of 3.7/3.8 and 33? ECs and LOR are outstanding.

 

[mikil100]

Need some advice. I have a 3.76 in a SMP program from tufts med with a 4.0 in the second semester. I had ~ 3.3 in undergrad. With a 88-96th % (or 33-35) MCAT, do you think this opens my app up to a lot of mid tier schools that have medians of 3.7/3.8 and 33? ECs and LOR are outstanding.

I think that is perfectly reasonable, I would probably apply more mid tier with a couple safeties... if you have research maybe consider a few upper tier reaches?

 

[piii]

I think that is perfectly reasonable, I would probably apply more mid tier with a couple safeties... if you have research maybe consider a few upper tier reaches?

Thanks! I have 6 years research experience (2 years as full time job) and 4 publications (1 second author), so maybe I should? Man, prior to July 6, I had a 26 MCAT from three years ago and almost no chance. Is this real life lol?

 

[timsk]

That being said, the consensus around here seems to be that if your overall percentile range is 90-100 (I'm assuming it is) then you will most likely hit at least a 516 (95%ile), which is like a 35

Looking at mcatjellys chart it looks like the minimum final score that people from the estimated 90-100% range received was a 515. Just wondering if you have seen something that indicated that that estimated range actually corresponds to a minimum of 516.

 

[Hildace]

Thanks! I have 6 years research experience (2 years as full time job) and 4 publications (1 second author), so maybe I should? Man, prior to July 6, I had a 26 MCAT from three years ago and almost no chance. Is this real life lol?

Nice research! I have 4 publications too, also with 1 second author! -high fives-

Yeah I still haven't adjusted to my new 86%-96% MCAT score (very similar to yours)--(had a few old 30 MCATs hehe). I also added some graduate-level coursework: a masters program with a 3.97 GPA (4.0 1st, 3rd, 5th semesters)--(had a 3.14 in undergrad). My ECs are solid, and recs are also outstanding. Very similar candidates! Although I'm probably older (29). Best of luck!

 

[TheYoungDoctor]

Am I the only one that sees a discrepancy between the new MCAT percentile ranks and the percentile ranks for the old scale?

I mean, the numbers are different but the exam is still scored on the same 1 - 15 scale. So in theory it should be easy to convert scores by factoring in the additional section, and scaling up using the following formula:

(MCAT2015 score - 468) * 3/4 = old MCAT score.

So say you score 12 out of 15 on all sections, on the old exam you would be at the 97th percentile, whereas on the new exam you will be at the 95th percentile.

So are MCAT2015 test takers being screwed over by a couple of points given the shape of the newer curve?

 

[EverStriving]

Edit: phone double posted.

 

[NonTrad16]

I don't think anyone is 'getting screwed'. I think part of the purpose was to add data points in the densely populated parts of the distribution (nearer 500) compared to the high end. The difference between an old 39 and 42 was not really significant (though impressive!), but the raw numbers make the 3 point jump seem 'equal' to a change from a 30 to a 33. In reality, the number of questions that separate a 30->33 will be higher than that required for 39->42. That's how I've interpreted it, and I think that's (one of) the goals.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Looking at mcatjellys chart it looks like the minimum final score that people from the estimated 90-100% range received was a 515. Just wondering if you have seen something that indicated that that estimated range actually corresponds to a minimum of 516.

Oh minimum wise yeah I totally agree that it's 515. I did see someone with that final score from the 90-100 range. Most of the people seemed to have 516 or above though. And the one that had 515 had a couple sections of lower percentiles than the OP. But the others could also have been higher to account for the difference. I agree with you though 🙂

 

[mitrieD]

You guys are going to laugh at my horrible percentile ranges but I need around a 23-24 to get into podiatry school. Would these ranges cut it? I'm really hoping I don't have to retake 🙁

Chem and physics: 40-55%
Cars: 28-43%
Bio: 27-42%
Psych and Soc: 7-22% (yikes)

 

[Hopefullymedbound]

So if I could get a few opinions I would love that very much. My stats are
75-90 PS
40-55 CARS
75-90 BS
40-55 Psych

I'm a bit upset because cars was by far my best subject on all my practice tests but the real MCAT was quite different. Also the psych and sociology was a lot lower than I anticipated as well. Overall the percentiles have me at 56-66. I want to get into my instate MD school and have a 3.5 GPA with a 3.7 Science GPA. However I feel like my psych and soc will give me an automatic red flag. I'm also an URM and have many extra curriculars including playing a D1 sport. Thoughts about a possible retake?

 

[Hildace]

Am I the only one that sees a discrepancy between the new MCAT percentile ranks and the percentile ranks for the old scale?

I mean, the numbers are different but the exam is still scored on the same 1 - 15 scale. So in theory it should be easy to convert scores by factoring in the additional section, and scaling up using the following formula:

(MCAT2015 score - 468) * 3/4 = old MCAT score.

So say you score 12 out of 15 on all sections, on the old exam you would be at the 97th percentile, whereas on the new exam you will be at the 95th percentile.

So are MCAT2015 test takers being screwed over by a couple of points given the shape of the newer curve?

I also noticed the discrepancy. I personally think the admissions committees are going to look beyond a simple percentile ranking comparison. I also think that the new section will be looked at with some skepticism. The admissions committees are going to have to find some way to compare older scores to newer scores, and the first three sections of the new exam are very comparable to the three sections on the old exam. I think if those base three sections are similar between two candidates, a solid new section for the candidate with the new exam may work as a potential tiebreaker.

 

[MD.Hopeful]

You guys are going to laugh at my horrible percentile ranges but I need around a 23-24 to get into podiatry school. Would these ranges cut it? I'm really hoping I don't have to retake 🙁

Chem and physics: 40-55%
Cars: 28-43%
Bio: 27-42%
Psych and Soc: 7-22% (yikes)

What are your overall percentiles? I don't think that equates to a 23-24 unfortunately :/

 

[TheYoungDoctor]

I don't think anyone is 'getting screwed'. I think part of the purpose was to add data points in the densely populated parts of the distribution (nearer 500) compared to the high end. The difference between an old 39 and 42 was not really significant (though impressive!), but the raw numbers make the 3 point jump seem 'equal' to a change from a 30 to a 33. In reality, the number of questions that separate a 30->33 will be higher than that required for 39->42. That's how I've interpreted it, and I think that's (one of) the goals.

I get your point, but that really wasn't what I was arguing. I was referring to specifically to those at the higher tail of the curve: specifically those at 12/13 vs those at 129/130 on any given section, that's 95 old vs 93 new. The percentile gap between these two scores are twice what they used to be because of exactly what you stated. The curve is different at this point, such that a 1: 1 percentile comparison is not that simple. This gap is only exaggerated over 4 sections vs 3.

 

[JPwhartongroup]

If you take the average of the low end for each individual section it does not equate to the low end of the overall percentile range, same applies to the upper end for mine. Any one know why this is the case?

 

[piii]

If you take the average of the low end for each individual section it does not equate to the low end of the overall percentile range, same applies to the upper end for mine. Any one know why this is the case?

It means two or more of your ranges could be at opposite sides of the spectrum.