What is the lowest section score for the new MCAT that is good enough for MD schools?

[radioactive15]

I've read in many places that the old low was an 8, so does that translate to a 125 on the new scale as the new low?


I got a 126 on the bio section (which was strange since all my bio practice scores averaged 129). My overall score is a 514.

- My bio score put me in the 67th percentile.

I'm happy with my score, but wonder if my score is good enough for me to apply to a good number of mid-tiers or whether I should stick to lower tiers heavily. (Do I have any shot at a top-50? I want to save as much money as possible when applying (I'm fine with applying to 20-25 schools but want to make sure they are concentrated in the right tier without being too unrealistic)

Any input would be great, and my GPA is around 3.86.

My main concerns are whether my bio score (126) is good enough for MD, and whether a 513 is good enough for mid-tiers?

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[SteveRope123]

It all comes down to your EC's. If your EC's can offset low gpa or low mcat, then yes you can make it. If not, then not unless you're very lucky to get an interview and then a very talented interviewee.

 

[Okazaki Frag Grenade]

Take a look on MSAR at the 10%ile MCAT subsection scores for the schools you are interested in. This will give you an idea of which schools emphasize which sections.

 

[Goro]

It will vary from school to school. Invest in MSAR Online and you can see each one's bottom 10th %ile for the old test, which you can use as a standard.

A low Bio score doesn't bode well. It's the subsection that counts the most. I think that you're closer to a 9 and so you're not dead by any means. You'll get need to apply strategically.

I've read in many places that the old low was an 8, so does that translate to a 125 on the new scale as the new low?


I got a 126 on the bio section (which was strange since all my bio practice scores averaged 129). My overall score is a 513.

- My bio score put me in the 67th percentile.

I'm happy with my score, but wonder if my score is good enough for me to apply to a good number of mid-tiers or whether I should stick to lower tiers heavily. (Do I have any shot at a top-50? I want to save as much money as possible when applying (I'm fine with applying to 20-25 schools but want to make sure they are concentrated in the right tier without being too unrealistic)

Any input would be great, and my GPA is around 3.86.

My main concerns are whether my bio score (126) is good enough for MD, and whether a 513 is good enough for mid-tiers?

 

[Spinach Dip]

513 is an 89 %ile score, which should be good if the rest of your app is strong and you apply smartly.

 

[GrapesofRath]

Bio score
126: 55th-67th percentile

Old MCAT
10: 57th to 76th percentile
9: 42nd to 56th percentile

You are very close to a 10 on the old scale. You're completely fine.

 

[radioactive15]

It will vary from school to school. Invest in MSAR Online and you can see each one's bottom 10th %ile for the old test, which you can use as a standard.

A low Bio score doesn't bode well. It's the subsection that counts the most. I think that you're closer to a 9 and so you're not dead by any means. You'll get need to apply strategically.

Yeah, I'm disappointed that bio was the one that got a 126 and not CARS, like all of my practice tests predicted. As long as I get into a decent MD school, I'm not complaining. A mid-tier would be nice though, on either coast.

513 is an 89 %ile score, which should be good if the rest of your app is strong and you apply smartly.

Sorry, it was a 514. I mistyped, and just edited the original. It shows a 91 %ile on my score report.

Bio score
126: 55th-67th percentile

Old MCAT
10: 57th to 76th percentile
9: 42nd to 56th percentile

You are very close to a 10 on the old scale. You're completely fine.

Yeah, I'm not overly worried about my overall score, but the fact that my bio was uniquely low concerns me, when that never happened in any practice test I took.


With these in mind and assuming a 3.86 GPA, which tier of MDs should I focus heavily on?
Should I do 50/50 mid and low tier breakdown or >50 for low?

 

[Goro]

I suggest:


U VM
Duke (maybe)
Case (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
Tufts
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
BU
Hofstra
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Emory
USC/Keck
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Any new MD school. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools. I can't recommend CNU.
Your state school(s).
Any DO program

Yeah, I'm disappointed that bio was the one that got a 126 and not CARS, like all of my practice tests predicted. As long as I get into a decent MD school, I'm not complaining. A mid-tier would be nice though, on either coast.



Sorry, it was a 514. I mistyped, and just edited the original. It shows a 91 %lie on my score report.



Yeah, I'm not overly worried about my overall score, but the fact that my bio was uniquely low concerns me, when that never happened in any practice test I took.


With these in mind and assuming a 3.86 GPA, which tier of MDs should I focus heavily on?
Should I do 50/50 mid and low tier breakdown or >50 for low?

 

[HelpMe212]

I've read in many places that the old low was an 8, so does that translate to a 125 on the new scale as the new low?


I got a 126 on the bio section (which was strange since all my bio practice scores averaged 129). My overall score is a 514.

- My bio score put me in the 67th percentile.

I'm happy with my score, but wonder if my score is good enough for me to apply to a good number of mid-tiers or whether I should stick to lower tiers heavily. (Do I have any shot at a top-50? I want to save as much money as possible when applying (I'm fine with applying to 20-25 schools but want to make sure they are concentrated in the right tier without being too unrealistic)

Any input would be great, and my GPA is around 3.86.

My main concerns are whether my bio score (126) is good enough for MD, and whether a 513 is good enough for mid-tiers?

I know someone who got a 6 in verbal and got into a top 25 school. Don't worry. You are in fine shape.

 

[moisne]

I know someone who got a 6 in verbal and got into a top 25 school. Don't worry. You are in fine shape.

Do you know me? O.O

 

[HelpMe212]

Do you know me? O.O

I highly doubt it because the person didn't have an SDN account. hahaha

 

[radioactive15]

I suggest:


U VM
Duke (maybe)
Case (maybe)
Mayo (maybe)
Tufts
Miami
St. Louis
Albany
Albert Einstein
Rochester
Rush
Rosy Franklin
BU
Hofstra
NYMC
VCU
EVMS
Wake Forest
Jefferson
Temple
Drexel
Creighton
George Washington
Emory
USC/Keck
Tulane
Dartmouth
Loyola
Any new MD school. Skip Central MI and the three new FL schools. I can't recommend CNU.
Your state school(s).
Any DO program

Awesome! This list is very helpful and I shall use it as my preliminary one before I purchase the MSAR over winter break.
Do my numbers qualify me for RWJMS (I have NJ ties and have heard that it's well regarded in the tri-state area)?
And the schools you listed as "maybe" are contingent on above-average extracurriculars, right?

I know someone who got a 6 in verbal and got into a top 25 school. Don't worry. You are in fine shape.

That's amazing, but that person(s) might have had exceptional extracurriculars (mine are solid but nothing out of the applicant norm).
In addition, I think an average score on the verbal section is more forgiving than an average score on the bio section.

Nonetheless, I'm really hoping that the 126 (aka 9 equivalent) on bio will not screen me out. It's worth a shot applying with my overall score and there is absolutely no way I am retaking it, even though my bio performance was well below expectation

 

[Lannister]

I was in a similar situation. Got a 514 overall but a 125 on the chem/phys section. I have 3 IIs now, one at my top choice (a "top 25" school, if that even means anything). So I wouldn't worry!

 

[unicyclenkn]

I got a 513 (and a 126 on bio as well) and have 4 interviews at some decent schools: University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin (in-state), Rush Medical College, and Case Western. No rejections. I was a little freaked out by my B/B score but I have strong grades in all of my biology (and other science) classes. Do you have good grades? Research experience? A good backstory? Something you're passionate about? There's more to life (and your application) than your test scores, especially at mid-tier schools.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you are definitely not going to get screened out of anywhere with that score, especially if you're looking at mid-tiers.

 

[radioactive15]

I got a 513 (and a 126 on bio as well) and have 4 interviews at some decent schools: University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin (in-state), Rush Medical College, and Case Western. No rejections. I was a little freaked out by my B/B score but I have strong grades in all of my biology (and other science) classes. Do you have good grades? Research experience? A good backstory? Something you're passionate about? There's more to life (and your application) than your test scores, especially at mid-tier schools.

Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you are definitely not going to get screened out of anywhere with that score, especially if you're looking at mid-tiers.

That's great news. Though, I am not a Biology major and don't have biological research background.

I'm just about getting over these initial disappointment feelings. I think I'll be alright

 

[Goro]

IF your ties are either "born and raised in NJ", or "went to college there", then apply.

IF they're"my sister lives there", then no.

Awesome! This list is very helpful and I shall use it as my preliminary one before I purchase the MSAR over winter break.
Do my numbers qualify me for RWJMS (I have NJ ties and have heard that it's well regarded in the tri-state area)?
And the schools you listed as "maybe" are contingent on above-average extracurriculars, right?

 

[GrapesofRath]

Awesome! This list is very helpful and I shall use it as my preliminary one before I purchase the MSAR over winter break.
Do my numbers qualify me for RWJMS (I have NJ ties and have heard that it's well regarded in the tri-state area)?
And the schools you listed as "maybe" are contingent on above-average extracurriculars, right?

Given Robert Woods only took 5 of their 142 matriculants OOS I wouldn't really advise applying there. In other years, Robert Woods hasn't even taken a single applicant OOS. Essentially 2500 OOS applicants are fighting over 1-5 OOS spots in a given year. And while you have good stats, 3.86/33 is really just somewhat above average for Robert Woods; I don't think that would cut it OOS anyway.

If you want to apply to a school in NJ consider Cooper Rowan or Seton Hall which opens next year. Cooper Rowan took 19 out of 72 of their OOS matriculants OOS last year for 27%; a much more favorable ratio.

 

[radioactive15]

IF your ties are either "born and raised in NJ", or "went to college there", then apply.

IF they're"my sister lives there", then no.

I go to college there and have rented an apartment there for about 3 years now, so I think I qualify as a NJ resident.

In my area, RWJ is highly regarded, but don't know if it's a lower or middle tier (not that it really matters).

I also want to apply to Cooper if I fit their bill.

If you want to apply to a school in NJ consider Cooper Rowan or Seton Hall which opens next year. Cooper Rowan took 19 out of 72 of their OOS matriculants OOS last year for 27%; a much more favorable ratio.

I just looked up the Seton Hall thing you mentioned and it looks like Fall 2017 might be the first class if there are no delays in development (won't know how likely that is). It seems like a good idea, but based on their undergraduate costs, it'll be much too expensive

 

[Goro]

Go for al the NJ schools! I don't expect Seton Hall to be p and running by then.

 

[SOMBound13]

Yeah, I'm disappointed that bio was the one that got a 126 and not CARS, like all of my practice tests predicted.


As long as I get into a decent MD school, I'm not complaining. A mid-tier would be nice though, on either coast.


With these in mind and assuming a 3.86 GPA, which tier of MDs should I focus heavily on?
Should I do 50/50 mid and low tier breakdown or >50 for low?

All US MD schools are more than "decent". They're all at least very good. Don't worry about that.

You have the equivalent to a MCAT 33, right? Is that 3.86 GPA also your science GPA?

What is your home state?

 

[radioactive15]

All US MD schools are more than "decent". They're all at least very good. Don't worry about that.

You have the equivalent to a MCAT 33, right? Is that 3.86 GPA also your science GPA?

What is your home state?

Yes, the equivalent is a 33, and the Bio score translates to about a 9, which is the worst possible section to get sub-10 on.

My science GPA is slightly higher at 3.9, but I'm an anthropology major so my only science classes have been limited to the prereqs, genetics, and biochemistry.

My home state is NY, but I go to college in NJ.

NYU and Einstein would also be some additional schools I'm interested in, but my score may not be enough for those. Any other schools you may know that accept a 9 in Bio would be welcomed

 

[bceagle411]

Ive heard below a 125 will get you screened out at some schools. I got a 125 on verbal and still got in

 

[Scrubb]

x

 

[GrapesofRath]

Should I be worried about a 126 in CARS (512 overall with 130 in Bio/biochem and 128 in the other two) if I'm applying to low/mid-tiers and DOs? Don't really want to take this beast over again.

No

 

[radioactive15]

Should I be worried about a 126 in CARS (512 overall with 130 in Bio/biochem and 128 in the other two) if I'm applying to low/mid-tiers and DOs? Don't really want to take this beast over again.

In verbal, a 125 is the unwritten minimum from what I've heard. A 127+ on the other 3 sections is highly recommended.

If your lowest score is from verbal, then that's pretty common.