Verbal MCAT scores

[Tideguy]

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Is there any validity to the rumor that Verbal MCAT scores are weighted most heavily by admissions groups? It would seem to be a good factor to compare since it tends to be the lowest section for most test takers.

 

[jdub]

from what i have heard, some schools way the verbal reasoning section pretty high, but other schools it is not as important, for example, on the nyu app they tell applicants if their science scores are below 10 they should take the mcat again, they do not say anything about the VR.

if you have not taken it yet, i would just try really hard to get at least a 10 on every section. 😀

 

[Tideguy]

I actually just took the april MCAT. My verbal reasoning was by far my highest section and I was hoping that the rumors that I heard were true. You mentioned that NYU mentions science scores but not verbal. Do you know of any schools that specifically want high verbal scores. (my science scores were fine, but I'm kind of counting on my verbal score to open some eyes because my GPA isn't fantastic)

 

[jdub]

hey,

sorry, i do not know of any schools that specifically weigh (i spelt it right this time) the VR score higher.

if your gpa is a little low, make sure you apply to the schools that have lower gpas, like finch in chicago. also make sure you get everything in as early as possible.

a good verbal reasoning, as long as your science ones are right around 10's probably always opens eyes a bit.

i personally think that a good mcat score can make up quite a bit for an okay, or low gpa.

keep plugging this question too, i am sure that somebody has to have some more info. 😀

 

[Tideguy]

In response to getting everything in as early as possible, am I already behind schedule if I haven't submitted my secondaries yet? The only secondaries that I have submitted thus far are Jefferson and NYU. I plan to submit Univ. of Chicago this week and hopefully Columbia and Yale by this weekend. Am I already late for the schools that I haven't submitted yet? I'm not sure which schools have rolling admissions. Any info on that would be greatly appreciated in addition to info on schools that prefer a high verbal score.

 

[gmendese]

No, you're not behind. More than half of medical school applicants take the August MCAT, so you're still ahead of all of them (including myself) because they won't look at our applications until our MCAT scores arrive.

 

[kornphan]

What is someone has a 6 on the VR and a 3.8 GPA .. which one will count/looked at more ?.. also tidyguy since you just took the April MCAT.. any insight/tips on how you did so well (did you get 12+ ?)... thanks for any tips, greatly appreciated.

 

[Kevo]

From Tideguy: In response to getting everything in as early as possible, am I already behind schedule if I haven't submitted my secondaries yet?

i have only received one secondary so far for the 9 schools i applied to. so no i don't think you are that far behind

 

[Tideguy]

Kornphan,
Practice. Practice. Practice. I took tons of practice verbal sections to hone reading skills. Also, I got up early before every sample test (I took Kaplan) and took a single verbal passage. It helped me to get my brain de-frosted and more focused for the exam. My verbal score went up 1-3 points on test day just because I was completely focused and used all of the nervous energy to rip through the reading more quickly. My best advice would be to have confidence in yourself and under no circumstances allow yourself to become flustered or intimidated by the test. Also, if you are really having a problem with the verbal sections, consider using Kaplan's strategy. I am teaching verbal for Kaplan now and believe me, their stuff works. Hope that helps. Good luck.

 

[racergirl]

Ah-Hah! Tideguy you are so busted! You're verbal score went up 1-3 points on test day, huh? So you got a 13-15 didn't you? So did I!!! 😱 Are you by any chance a returning student? It just seems like you are in a similar boat to me--good MCAT and lower GPA, but you said on another post that you got As in Ochem--so why the lower GPA? I'm thinking maybe you have a less than stellar past lurking somewhere...? Anyway, that's the case with me, but I'm willing to bet my overall GPA is lower than yours--care to share?

 

[Tideguy]

Racergirl,
My GPA is hurting mostly from a rough freshman year. It's not bad overall, but two B- Gen Chem classes (at 5 credits a pop)and a couple of low theology marks go a long way towards balancing out my other grades. Since freshman year, I REALLY focused and got my act together, so I'm sitting at about a 3.6 right now. I'm VERY happy to be there considering where I started out, don't get me wrong, but the average GPA at my top choice schools is significantly higher than what I've got. Makes me a little nervous. Congrats on your MCAT score. I was really fired up when I got mine. I couldn't believe it. I got mine a day later than everybody else that I know and so I was sweating bullets the whole night because everybody had already told me their scores. (My girlfriend told me she got a 38 and then waited for me to tell her my score and I didn't know what mine was.) Ahhh!! But it worked out great and I couldn't be happier. Oh. Here's a question for you...since you got a 13-15 also, do you know how schools count that score when they're figuring out their "averages"? Do they use the 13 or the 15 or what? Kinda curious about that. Also, I don't think that I am a returning student. (what exactly is a returning student?) I'm going to be a senior at Georgetown. So where are you applying? 🙂
And HEY! I just saw your post on MedicalGold. How amusing. I didn't think there was much crossover between posts. (hence the question repeated almost verbatim) Well, you learn something new every day.
😀

 

[Benji Courtney]

Tideguy, why the low theology marks? Just curious!

 

[Tideguy]

Benji,
Mostly a combination of poorly chosen teachers and Freshman year clulessness. They weren't disasterous grades, but they made a dent.

 

[racergirl]

Tideguy,
A returning student is one who left and then came back--like me!! I left college without a degree to pursue a bike racing career. I raced full time for 5 years, then came back to school, changed my major from poli-sci (dont ask) to bio, and got to work on my GPA--Which was 2.8!!! I'll be graduating in Dec, but even with (almost) straight As since my return, my GPA is still MUCH lower than yours, because I had so many credits from before! I'm counting on my "upward trend" and solid MCAT to see me through. Your GPA of 3.6 seems like cake to me in comparison. Also, if you have a good upward trend in your GPA, that should help too. Your probably applying to more prestigious schools than me, but still I think you're sitting pretty--Good luck 😀 !!!

 

[Atlas]

SIU weighs (considers) the biology and verbal sections.

 

[Tideguy]

Not to sound silly, but where is SIU?

 

[Georgey]

In Carbondale, about an hour and half drive east of St. Louis