What is a good MCAT score?

[Techmed07]

I thought I make this thread because there has been word going around that that a 30 just does not cut it anymore. I have been on this thread for a couple years now and I can say that it seems like that averages are climbing. Any thoughts? What mcat score do you believe is good enough for medical school, what about a top 20?.. What about if the applicant is a URM?

My opinion: 31-32 for most medical schools
35+ for top twenty.

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[dbeast]

Meh... I think if you make 11 11 11, you have a shot at any school in the country if your EC's are really strong.

 

[Adaggiote]

Listen up! Traditionally, a thrity got you somewhere (i.e. 10 in each section). Now, I am not entirely sure. If one gets above a 30, then that opens dorrs to some of the upper tier schools. I would aim for a 30 or higher.

 

[Political]

general rule of thumb, if you get at least a 30 its a good enough score not to retake

if your aiming for top 20 or md/phd then yeah 35+, but your PS, EC, and most importantly your GPA have a lot to do with it too

 

[DrYoda]

Acceptable: 30+
good:33+
excellent: 37+

Assuming relatively balanced scores.

 

[theWUbear]

search before you post. a relevant post is being discussed on the first page

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=781615

 

[Techmed07]

search before you post. a relevant post is being discussed on the first page

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=781615

Huh?

 

[dbeast]

search before you post. a relevant post is being discussed on the first page

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=781615

holy crap you broke the space time continuum

 

[305602]

holy crap you broke the space time continuum

inb4endofexistence

 

[rafflecopter]

holy crap you broke the space time continuum

inb4endofexistence

 

[mtbtx]

Its all relative. I got a twenty something and got accepted to a good school just fine. I'd say a 30+ is still "what it used to be". Keep in mind that SDN is full of people that love to boast and augment their scores. Data continues to show that a 30 is competitive (at least in texas).

 

[Mithril]

.

 

[WeAreNotRobots]

Acceptable: 30+
good:33+
excellent: 37+

Assuming relatively balanced scores.

the higher you go the more balanced they become.

 

[Ursa]

If you have a 30, you will get accepted somewhere unless:

1) You don't apply broadly enough
2) You have no clinical experience
3) You apply late
4) Your GPA is on the low end (in Texas 95% of applicants are accepted with at least a 3.5/30)
5) You have no good EC's

Fortunately these things are fairly easily taken care of if you are well informed early in your college career. I am a re-applicant because of #1 and #3.

Feel free to add to the list if you want!

 

[circulus vitios]

>= average matriculant score.

 

[Ursa]

>= average matriculant score.

 

[s1lver]

32+

OR

...comparable to your GPA (i.e., 3.7 and 35 MCAT). I'd be worried if I had a 3.8 but MCAT was 28.

 

[circulus vitios]

Greater than or equal to the average matriculant MCAT score.

 

[Ursa]

Greater than or equal to the average matriculant MCAT score.

Thanks, I got that much. It's still an incomplete statement though.

 

[NickNaylor]

45

 

[Venc]

National Avg MCAT is 32

 

[4ksibe]

National Avg MCAT is 32

Of accepted students

 

[Grom]

45

I hear of people who get in with low 40's though.

 

[Venc]

Of accepted students

Yes

 

[Barcu]

I hear of people who get in with low 40's though.

True, but they should apply DO as well.

 

[Stixman28]

If you have a 30, you will get accepted somewhere unless:

1) You don't apply broadly enough
2) You have no clinical skills
3) You apply late
4) Your GPA is on the low end (in Texas 95% of applicants are accepted with at least a 3.5/30)
5) You have no good EC's

Fortunately these things are fairly easily taken care of if you are well informed early in your college career. I am a re-applicant because of #1 and #3.

Feel free to add to the list if you want!

what do you mean? i went to medical school to learn clinical skills. If applicants needed to have them coming into school, we wouldnt need half of the years in med school

 

[Geekchick921]

Maybe Ursa meant clinical experience, which is practically a necessity.

 

[wanderer]

If you have a 30, you will get accepted somewhere unless:

1) You don't apply broadly enough
2) You have no clinical skills
3) You apply late
4) Your GPA is on the low end (in Texas 95% of applicants are accepted with at least a 3.5/30)
5) You have no good EC's

Fortunately these things are fairly easily taken care of if you are well informed early in your college career. I am a re-applicant because of #1 and #3.

Feel free to add to the list if you want!

30 with those five things gives you a decent chance, 32-33 gives you a very good chance. But even a 45 won't get you in if you lack those five, especially items 2 and 5.

 

[circulus vitios]

thanks, i got that much. It's still an incomplete statement though.

a good medical college admission test score to get is one that is greater than or equal to the average matriculant medical college admission test score.

 

[rafflecopter]

a good medical college admission test score to get is one that is greater than or equal to the average matriculant medical college admission test score.

Unless you live in California.

 

[Ursa]

what do you mean? i went to medical school to learn clinical skills. If applicants needed to have them coming into school, we wouldnt need half of the years in med school

Maybe Ursa meant clinical experience, which is practically a necessity.

baahhh!!!!!!!!! That's what I get for my lack of proofreading. Geeky is right, clinical experience is what I meant! Thanks for pointing that out! I'll edit!

 

[littlealex]

I agree with above that a good score is >= average of accepted students. Do people get accepted with a 10/10/10? Of course. But that doesn't make it a good score; it's worse than the average.

You want to be better than the average accepted student, not the average applicant.
Know your competition because they define what a good score is. If you're seeking admission in a competitive state like California, you want to be better than their average. If you're looking to be competitive at JHU, you should probably score better than a 35.

 

[Ursa]

I agree with above that a good score is >= average of accepted students. Do people get accepted with a 10/10/10? Of course. But that doesn't make it a good score; it's worse than the average.

You want to be better than the average accepted student, not the average applicant.

There's a difference between having numbers that line up with the average applicant versus the average matriculant. The national average of all people that take the MCAT is 24, then you have to account for some that don't even apply, but I'm sure there is still a significant difference. Good point though over all.

 

[Geekchick921]

Unless you live in California.

And you want to stay there.

 

[littlealex]

There's a difference between having numbers that line up with the average applicant versus the average matriculant. The national average of all people that take the MCAT is 24, then you have to account for some that don't even apply, but I'm sure there is still a significant difference. Good point though over all.

I'm not talking about the average people who took the MCAT. I'm talking specifically about the average applicant whose data can be found via AAMC and this does not take into consideration those who took the MCAT and did not apply.

 

[phltz]

A good MCAT score is one that gets you into a med school you're happy at.