What is good for the writing section?

[CaNEM]

Could anyone answer a few questions about the writing section of the MCAT?

First, is the section important? Do schools give it as much weight as the other sections?

What is a decent score (say, equivalent to a 10 on another section)? What is a really good score?

I got high scores on the numbered sections (including verbal) and a P on writing. Will the P keep me out of top schools?

Thanks.

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[Toejam]

There are a lot of intelligent posts on this matter in the MCAT discussion area.

From what I've read, I think the essay can be important if you did really well (like and S or a T) or bombed it (like a J-L). Also, it might offset a poor verbal score (slightly) and might make a difference if the adcom is choosing between two otherwise viable candidates.

Personally, I think it's kind of a weeding out thing where they get nervous if it's really low, but don't care too much if it's high.

Somebody posted how they score it. I can't remember exactly so I would advise looking back in the past week or so. It's there.

 

[PreMedAdAG]

This is what my TPR professor told us:
For writing the scores are an average.. raw score is then converted into a letter
J = 1
K = 1.5
L = 2
M = 2.5
N = 3
O = 3.5 <------ National Average
P = 4
Q = 4.5 <---- this or above is IDEAL
R = 5
S = 5.5
T = 6

Each essay is out of six, so you kind of have to double everything. I'd say that O is probably equal to an 8, P = 9 and Q = 10
Hope it helps

 

[jot]

i'm pretty sure that no one cares unless you bombed or aced it (what the poster above said) - they purposely report the scores in a letter scale so adcoms could not add it to your composite score; that should be indicative of its importance. a p is perfectly fine for anything. goodluck.
-jot