What should I do if I get asked about low MCAT sciences?

[pprbckwrtr]

Hello everyone,

So my MCAT is 511 with 125 in Physical Sci, 131 CARS, 126 Bio, and 129 Psych/Soc. Clearly my science scores are the lowest, and it genuinely was kind of a freak score for me as my practice tests were somewhat balanced (but my strengths are verbal/logic types of things despite being a bio major D: ). What should I do if I were to get an interview (which obviously not guaranteed) and be asked about my low science scores? I don't know how to answer something like that without it seeming like an excuse? What's the most tactful response to that question or other questions like that which might scrutinize your academic record?

Thanks in advance! 🙂

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[TheBiologist]

i'm not an expert but a 125 might get you screened; a 511 is a good score for a lot of schools but yours is unbalanced so maybe that would warrant a retake?

if you don't get in this cycle, perhaps consider a retake aim for 127+ on each section. a 131 on CARS tells me you're smart enough to reason through the test, you probably just need to review your physics/chem/bio content more

as for answering your question, I would ask you what you think the reason really was? did you not study hard enough, were you not "in the mode" during the test? I'm not sure there is a "good" reason you can 'make up' to please an interviewer for a low MCAT sections

 

[SpoiledMilk]

i'm not an expert but a 125 might get you screened; a 511 is a good score for a lot of schools but yours is unbalanced so maybe that would warrant a retake?

What????? OP don't follow this advice. Retake not necessary...

 

[TheBiologist]

What????? OP don't follow this advice. Retake not necessary...

sorry, as I said I'm not 100% sure if a 125 would be lethal for MD

 

[gyngyn]

Your score is fine. I can't imagine anyone asking about it.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

< 125 is a screen for some mid and probably most of the top tiers.

If a sub-section is < 124 the situation gets complicated. A 125 may raise eyebrows, but nobody will say you tanked that section.

Physical Sciences = 125 = 56th percentile, which is an 8 on the old scale (55th percentile)
Biological Sciences = 126 = 64th percentile, which is between a 9 and a 10 on the old scale (56th and 76th percentile, respectively).

 

[mwsapphire]

I'm pre med so don't take my advice as gospel.
I would be nervous about those low science sections- they are the most important on the MCAT , especially the Biological sections, and referencing Doctor Stalker's post, you're at about average for them. If your overall score was at the same percentile ( 56th) as your Bio score, for example, you would barely be competitive for MD. Succesful matriculants have MCAT total scores above the 80th percentile, and you're overall score technically is, but somebody applying to med school with their science sections being the lowest need to evaluate why that happened. The step exams are all science, for reference.
If you don't mind me asking, what is your sGPA? Upward/downward grade trends, etc?

 

[gyngyn]

I'm pre med so don't take my advice as gospel.
I would be nervous about those low science sections- they are the most important on the MCAT , especially the Biological sections, and referencing Doctor Stalker's post, you're at about average for them. If your overall score was at the same percentile ( 56th) as your Bio score, for example, you would barely be competitive for MD. Succesful matriculants have MCAT total scores above the 80th percentile, and you're overall score technically is, but somebody applying to med school with their science sections being the lowest need to evaluate why that happened. The step exams are all science, for reference.
If you don't mind me asking, what is your sGPA? Upward/downward grade trends, etc?

If a single section is likely to be forgiven for being "average" in an otherwise strong application, it's physical sciences.

 

[efle]

GPA? State residency?

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I'm pre med so don't take my advice as gospel.
I would be nervous about those low science sections- they are the most important on the MCAT , especially the Biological sections, and referencing Doctor Stalker's post, you're at about average for them. If your overall score was at the same percentile ( 56th) as your Bio score, for example, you would barely be competitive for MD. Succesful matriculants have MCAT total scores above the 80th percentile, and you're overall score technically is, but somebody applying to med school with their science sections being the lowest need to evaluate why that happened. The step exams are all science, for reference.
If you don't mind me asking, what is your sGPA? Upward/downward grade trends, etc?

@mwsapphire does mention the bio subsection score. While the MCAT has next to no correlation for success on the Step 1 or NBME Shelf Exams, unfortunately, the biology section does show a mild correlation. If this does come up, I suggest you handle it gracefully at an interview. I had a less than desirable MCAT score for the schools I was lucky to interview at. Rarely at an interview will these scores come up. If they do not come up, do not go out of your way to tell the interviewer about them. If they do come up, don't make excuses, just own up to it and be honest. At one of my interviews, the interviewer told me that I was a whopping 7 points below their MCAT average* (on the 45 point scale too...), and he asked why I did so poorly. I told him that it wasn't the best test day for me and it wasn't the smartest thing on my end to take it that day, but alas I did. I then told the interviewer I'm cognizant of this issue and am looking to retake to improve my application. He smiled and said that was a nice thing,

*He was BSing. The school of medicine I'm talking about had an MCAT average 3 points above mine, not 7, I knew he was BSing me cause on the dam website it has the class profiles and MCAT average lmfao.

 

[efle]

While the MCAT has next to no correlation for success on the Step 1 or NBME Shelf Exams, unfortunately, the biology section does show a mild correlation

wat
composite MCAT score predicts best of all, Bio is just the best of the individual sections as predicting (closely followed by PS)

 

[Dr. Stalker]

wat
composite MCAT score predicts best of all, Bio is just the best of the individual sections as predicting (closely followed by PS)

I was referencing an old article I read from awhile back, but it said that there was next to no correlation between MCAT and Step 1. It said students with high, low, random MCATs, tended to score randomly on the step 1 due to the school's curriculum (step 1 based questions for ms1+2, doing clerkships before step 1, etc.). However, I also read that bio subsection does correlate to medical school performance.

Its 100% possible the article I'm thinking about is out of date now...I mean, it is a new test.

 

[mysankofa]

.

 

[efle]

I was referencing an old article I read from awhile back, but it said that there was next to no correlation between MCAT and Step 1. It said students with high, low, random MCATs, tended to score randomly on the step 1 due to the school's curriculum (step 1 based questions for ms1+2, doing clerkships before step 1, etc.). However, I also read that bio subsection does correlate to medical school performance.

Its 100% possible the article I'm thinking about is out of date now...I mean, it is a new test.

Nobody admitted with the new MCAT has taken Step 1 yet, so there is def no data at all for the new exam. For the old one, the best/largest meta-analysis I ever found it is very significant, the low end of the 95% predictive validity CI is at 50%

Not that this is really that relevant for OP, their situation depends a lot on things we don't know yet, like where they are from or how strong their academic record is. But it's def a myth that the MCAT is not correlated. It's a powerful predictor.

 

[Dr. Stalker]

Nobody admitted with the new MCAT has taken Step 1 yet, so there is def no data at all for the new exam. For the old one, the best/largest meta-analysis I ever found found it is very significant, the low end of the 95% predictive validity CI is at 50%

Not that this is really that relevant for OP, their situation depends a lot on things we don't know yet, like where they are from or how strong their academic record is. But it's def a myth that the MCAT is not correlated. It's a powerful predictor.

My apologies!

 

[SpoiledMilk]

If a single section is likely to be forgiven for being "average" in an otherwise strong application, it's physical sciences.

 

[mwsapphire]

If a single section is likely to be forgiven for being "average" in an otherwise strong application, it's physical sciences.

Oohh ofc, but OP's worst score was Bio, and I seriously doubt that can be forgiven as easily as PS.
Would you advise a retake? Their overall score is good but that Bio score is low, even if the overall is good.



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[gyngyn]

Oohh ofc, but OP's worst score was Bio, and I seriously doubt that can be forgiven as easily as PS.
Would you advise a retake? Their overall score is good but that Bio score is low, even if the overall is good.



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The 125 is in PS. That's fine.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

The 125 is in PS. That's fine.

I have heard that psych is the most easily forgiven section. What's the rationale for C/P being the most easily forgiven?

 

[duopy]

I have heard that psych is the most easily forgiven section. What's the rationale for C/P being the most easily forgiven?

Good Doctors don't need to be good at Physics.

 

[mwsapphire]

I always thought it was CARS.


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[enchantediris]

I have heard that psych is the most easily forgiven section. What's the rationale for C/P being the most easily forgiven?

I think it's because the physical sciences (especially if your section is heavy in physics and inorganic chemistry) is less applicable to medicine than biology. There can also be the viewpoint that it's more about memorizing and applying equations than other sections. Psych/soc is new so I think there is more leeway there (similar to how many colleges didn't weigh the new writing section of the SAT heavily when it first came out).

 

[Lawpy]

If a single section is likely to be forgiven for being "average" in an otherwise strong application, it's physical sciences.

Is this universal or school-specific? Because usually verbal/CARS gets the most slack due to ESL. Also verbal/CARS is based on English mastery + reading over long periods of time + inherent test taking skills, so it's the hardest section to improve (and to study for). Physics/chemistry is pretty easy to make large score jumps by learning some math tricks and doing some practice problems.

This is why MSAR accepted data show verbal/CARS being the lowest section for pretty much all schools.

 

[pprbckwrtr]

Hi all! Thanks for all the responses. I am from CA D: I know! My GPA is ~ 3.74 from UCLA (not sure if UCLA grads get any love at UCR SOM bc they have an affiliated program.) Back in the day I was in ESL classes actually 😀 If it makes any difference I got an A+, B+ and A- in my 3 quarter length physics classes, as well as all As in my chem classes (with the exception of an optional introductory chem class that I got a B in haha).

 

[gyngyn]

Hi all! Thanks for all the responses. I am from CA D: I know! My GPA is ~ 3.74 from UCLA (not sure if UCLA grads get any love at UCR SOM bc they have an affiliated program.) Back in the day I was in ESL classes actually 😀 If it makes any difference I got an A+, B+ and A- in my 3 quarter length physics classes, as well as all As in my chem classes (with the exception of an optional introductory chem class that I got a B in haha).

UCR's med school is no longer affiliated with UCLA.

 

[gyngyn]

Is this universal or school-specific?

Of all the "pet sections" PS has the fewest aficionados in my experience.
CARS has quite a few and Bio has theirs...

 

[pprbckwrtr]

UCR's med school is no longer affiliated with UCLA.

Ah, did not realize! That's disappointing haha.

 

[bannie22]

Most would not ask. There is no point to this question if they extend you an interview.
However, I'd say an old 8 or 9 is really bad.

 

[pprbckwrtr]

Oh, and as to honestly why I think I did badly on those sections... mostly bad self-timing because of panic. I think the CARS and Psych/Soc just came easier to me so I didn't flub them.

 

[mcatjelly]

Haha OP, my score distribution was very similar to yours but I ended up with a lower score overall: 508 with 125s in both science sections, 130 in CARS, and 128 in psych/soc. GPA was a little higher but along the lines of yours. Ended up with 5 MD IIs. And I was never asked about it! So I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I had been planning on saying something along the lines of another poster above: that I wasn't in the best mindset that day and in the future would take it on a day I felt more ready, or something like that.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

Of all the "pet sections" PS has the fewest aficionados in my experience.
CARS has quite a few and Bio has theirs...

Please stopppp. You are giving me too much hope!!!!

 

[Dr. Stalker]

I always thought it was CARS.


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Most elite schools filter with CARS scores; a less then desirable CARS section closes many doors...or at least it did on the old exam.

 

[mwsapphire]

Most elite schools filter with CARS scores; a less then desirable CARS section closes many doors...or at least it did on the old exam.

You are just sooo "woe is me" aren't you?

( I'm just kidding, don't take that seriously)

 

[Dr. Stalker]

You are just sooo "woe is me" aren't you?

( I'm just kidding, don't take that seriously)

Brb, going out to take that 110% seriously 😛