why do mcat scores expire?

[premed67783]

This is sort of a random question, but it's been bugging me for a while now:

Why is it that medical schools do not accept MCAT scores that are more than 3 years old upon matriculation? This rule doesn't make sense to me.

I imagine their rationale is that you could forget material/become an idiot after 3 years, so your score no longer means much. If this is indeed the case, then why do course grades follow you for the rest of your life? Why is there a 3 years statute of limitations on the MCAT, but adcoms are still deeply interested in your freshman chemistry grades, even if you'd taken them a decade ago. You're just as likely to forget what you learned in class 4 years ago as you are to forget something you learned for the MCAT 4 years ago.

Could someone enlighten me on the logic here?

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[octupus]

This is sort of a random question, but it's been bugging me for a while now:

Why is it that medical schools do not accept MCAT scores that are more than 3 years old upon matriculation? This rule doesn't make sense to me.

I imagine their rationale is that you could forget material/become an idiot after 3 years, so your score no longer means much. If this is indeed the case, then why do course grades follow you for the rest of your life? Why is there a 3 years statute of limitations on the MCAT, but adcoms are still deeply interested in your freshman chemistry grades, even if you'd taken them a decade ago. You're just as likely to forget what you learned in class 4 years ago as you are to forget something you learned for the MCAT 4 years ago.

Could someone enlighten me on the logic here?

Not that I agree with the 3 year rule, but I can kind of understand why it exist. Maybe it's the same reason why overly detailed and hard classes like organic chemistry are required. It's not that you're expected to remember orgo in depth, but more so to weed people out of the process. If you've taken the MCAT and didn't get accepted after 1-2 cycles, then they want to make sure those who want to apply again really want to do it. What better way than making them take a 5 hour exam again.

I'm sure there are other reasons people can come up with.

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

What I want to know is why specifically 3 years?

 

[alerk323]

Could be partly because the MCAT is a scaled test, so you're directly competing with everyone whose taking it when you are. As the years go by, the test changes as well as the general cohort of test takers so your score may be less relevant the older it is.

Just a guess though

 

[alerk323]

oh also to make money, they really have every incentive to make it expire

 

[premed67783]

Could be partly because the MCAT is a scaled test, so you're directly competing with everyone whose taking it when you are. As the years go by, the test changes as well as the general cohort of test takers so your score may be less relevant the older it is.

Just a guess though

This answer makes sense.

BTW i think it's sad that we have to speculate as to why this rule exists. The AAMC should do a better job of being more transparent about their procedures, imo. I'm not a fan of blindly accepting arbitrary rules....

 

[circulus vitios]

They can get away with making you retake a $250 exam. They couldn't get away with making you retake the prerequisites at $200+ per credit. So they do what they can. Repeat after me: education is a racket.

 

[plumazul]

This answer makes sense.

BTW i think it's sad that we have to speculate as to why this rule exists. The AAMC should do a better job of being more transparent about their procedures, imo. I'm not a fan of blindly accepting arbitrary rules....

Actually, isn't it the individual schools that make the rules? It does vary by school. The AAMC operates at the very edge of anti-trust laws. For them to make such a rule for everyone, in my limited understanding of the law, would cross the line.

 

[dmf2682]

Actually, isn't it the individual schools that make the rules? It does vary by school. The AAMC operates at the very edge of anti-trust laws. For them to make such a rule for everyone, in my limited understanding of the law, would cross the line.

Yeah it's a school by school thing. I'm sure there is a list of schools with the varying requirements. You might even be able to ask individual schools for an exception since you got such I high score to start with.

 

[circulus vitios]

By the way, some schools are so bold as to put expiration dates on the prerequisites. Jefferson, for example, requires all prerequisites to be completed within five years of the application year.

 

[CopaceticOne]

By the way, some schools are so bold as to put expiration dates on the prerequisites. Jefferson, for example, requires all prerequisites to be completed within five years of the application year.

Duke and Cornell are others that I can think of off the top of my head.

 

[premed67783]

Duke and Cornell are others that I can think of off the top of my head.

I'm guessing these programs don't look too kindly on non-traditional applicants lol

 

[JOHNNYCAGE]

Could be partly because the MCAT is a scaled test, so you're directly competing with everyone whose taking it when you are. As the years go by, the test changes as well as the general cohort of test takers so your score may be less relevant the older it is.

Just a guess though

Actually this is not true, the curve for all the MCAT tests are pre determined. This way if the same person were to sit for a test on two separate days they should get roughly the same score regardless of who else is taking it that day. The experimental questions you get on your test are used to collect data (how many people get this question right) so they can be appropriately used on future tests as real questions. Just like the real questions on your test were once experimental questions, probably over the course of months or even years so they could be standardized.

 

[premed67783]

Actually this is not true, the curve for all the MCAT tests are pre determined. This way if the same person were to sit for a test on two separate days they should get roughly the same score regardless of who else is taking it that day. The experimental questions you get on your test are used to collect data (how many people get this question right) so they can be appropriately used on future tests as real questions. Just like the real questions on your test were once experimental questions, probably over the course of months or even years so they could be standardized.

Well that theory goes out the window, then... So does the theory about them wanting to make money off of test administrations (AAMC makes the money, not the schools that enforce the 3-year rule).

 

[crazyasian]

Well that theory goes out the window, then... So does the theory about them wanting to make money off of test administrations (AAMC makes the money, not the schools that enforce the 3-year rule).

But most schools offer their testing centers for MCAT test takers so perhaps they take a cut of that 250 fee....

 

[premed67783]

But most schools offer their testing centers for MCAT test takers so perhaps they take a cut of that 250 fee....

doesnt seem like they'd be making much money off of this scheme. I'd bet only a small fraction of test-takers are doing it because of the expiration, and only a fraction of MCAT exams are administered at med school campuses (personally, I don't know of any). Even then, the school would only get a cut of the profits.

 

[circulus vitios]

doesnt seem like they'd be making much money off of this scheme. I'd bet only a small fraction of test-takers are doing it because of the expiration, and only a fraction of MCAT exams are administered at med school campuses (personally, I don't know of any). Even then, the school would only get a cut of the profits.

But it's still money that they stand to make from a completely arbitrary decision.

"Your MCAT score expires after exactly x years. Coincidentally, we have a testing center. Interested?"

 

[premed67783]

But it's still money that they stand to make from a completely arbitrary decision.

"Your MCAT score expires after exactly x years. Coincidentally, we have a testing center. Interested?"

im trying very hard to believe they're not that petty. For the sake of discussion, let's assume it's not a money-making scheme.

 

[armybound]

Hoops.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

some schools look at 5 years. probably a way for schools to say, "I say jump and you say how high."

because they can.

 

[premed67783]

some schools look at 5 years. probably a way for schools to say, "I say jump and you say how high."

because they can.

I wish an adcom member would step in and correct us all. This is quickly turning into a "adcoms enjoy tormenting us" thread.

 

[NickNaylor]

Probably partially due to pressure from the AAMC to force students to pay for more tests, probably partially to attempt to make sure that your performance on the test is representative of your relatively recent behavior, and probably partially due to the fact that, as time passes, the standardization becomes more unreliable. Though the AAMC might say otherwise, I highly doubt that a 35 today is exactly comparable to a 35 five years ago. Subtle changes in the aggregate (e.g., individual questions, topics emphasized, etc.) lead to significant differences over the course of time.

 

[Praefectus]

Hoops.

 

[Santorum Surge]

This is sort of a random question, but it's been bugging me for a while now:

Why is it that medical schools do not accept MCAT scores that are more than 3 years old upon matriculation? This rule doesn't make sense to me.

I imagine their rationale is that you could forget material/become an idiot after 3 years, so your score no longer means much. If this is indeed the case, then why do course grades follow you for the rest of your life? Why is there a 3 years statute of limitations on the MCAT, but adcoms are still deeply interested in your freshman chemistry grades, even if you'd taken them a decade ago. You're just as likely to forget what you learned in class 4 years ago as you are to forget something you learned for the MCAT 4 years ago.

Could someone enlighten me on the logic here?

J.H.C get your act together and apply before that glorious 38 expires!!!! That's an incredible score, even by horribly bloated SDN standards.

 

[kavorca]

$$$

 

[ThugMotivation]

Does this mean that if you have taken pre-reqs like 8 years back AND if you want to go to med school, all you need to do is take the MCAT and apply? Are there any restrictions on the time when pre-reqs were taken?

 

[EnergyDrink]

What is the alternative? It doesn't expire? Is that really a good idea?

Your MCAT should reflect your ability when you apply, not your ability 10 years ago.

 

[EnergyDrink]

Does this mean that if you have taken pre-reqs like 8 years back AND if you want to go to med school, all you need to do is take the MCAT and apply? Are there any restrictions on the time when pre-reqs were taken?

Your MCAT scores are going to reflect your knowledge of the current pre-reqs.

 

[premed67783]

What is the alternative? It doesn't expire? Is that really a good idea?

Your MCAT should reflect your ability when you apply, not your ability 10 years ago.

2 things:

1. I agree that it should expire at some point, I just think 3 years to matriculation is ridiculously short. I'd trust a 5 year-old MCAT score to be a good indicator of one's current abilities.

2. We were also pointing out the inconsistency with that argument in that grades from prereq classes do not expire, but MCAT scores do (for example: your GPA from undergrad 10 years ago carries more weight than your MCAT score from 5 years ago).

 

[circulus vitios]

Does this mean that if you have taken pre-reqs like 8 years back AND if you want to go to med school, all you need to do is take the MCAT and apply? Are there any restrictions on the time when pre-reqs were taken?

A few schools have expiration dates on prereqs, like Jefferson.

 

[flodhi1]

oh also to make money, they really have every incentive to make it expire

The MCAT is administered by a non-profit organization.

 

[premed67783]

The MCAT is administered by a non-profit organization.

Non-profits still need to make money. The only difference is that the profit is going back into the nonprofit rather than making its bosses rich.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

Some schools cut off after 2 years, some 3 years, some 5 years. This indicates that the one who decides is the school not AAMC. Sure they may have a backroom say, but it isn't their call. It sucks for the person who has an expiring mcat, but there are thousands of people who would be ok with a one year expiration. 3 years is pretty generous because as long as there are more applicants than available seats, they don't have to offer any grace.

OP we all agree with you that it sucks that your 38 is about to expire. Not sure why you are arguing why or why not either way because it doesn't change the fact that your 38 is about to expire. Don't know how many app cycles you have done. If it was just one, I am not sure why you took your MCAT 2 years early. And it isn't the expiration rule that kept you from getting an acceptance. Let's be honest, your gpa and baller mcat, along with the number of schools you applied to, should have garnished way more than 4 interviews and multiple acceptances. If you want to vent, we all feel you. But instead of arguing your point, figure out what red flags you have in your app, start studying for the mcat, and hope like hell you get off a waitlist. That's really all you can do because nothing going to change in the policies.

 

[MT Headed]

A one year expiration would certainly be interesting. The rule is the mcat/must have been taken X years before matriculation. So with a 1 year expiration you'd have a lot of people taking a september MCAT and being complete very late in the cycle.

 

[galaxyx]

By the way, some schools are so bold as to put expiration dates on the prerequisites. Jefferson, for example, requires all prerequisites to be completed within five years of the application year.

Do you have documentation of this? It's not in the Jefferson Admission brochure.

 

[circulus vitios]

Do you have documentation of this? It's not in the Jefferson Admission brochure.

http://www.jefferson.edu/jmc/admissions/procedure.cfm

A strong preparation in the sciences basic to medical school studies is advised. All prerequisites should be completed within five years of the application year. A variety of college course formats and combinations, including biology, general and organic chemistry and physics are a minimum. Courses taken to meet the basic requirements should be, in general, comparable to courses accepted for concentration in these disciplines. Courses taken should be supplemented by laboratory experiences.

 

[galaxyx]

Thanks.... guess I need to contact them...

 

[vayntraubinator]

Send LOIs like mad. That 38 is not happening again any time soon

 

[circulus vitios]

Thanks.... guess I need to contact them...

Good luck. You might want to ask them about their letter of recommendation requirement, too. (I'm assuming you don't meet it if you're a non-trad because it's a pretty ridiculous requirement.)

What letters are required and are exemptions made on the required letters of recommendation? My physics professor from last year is no longer with the university. Could I send in two recommendations from chemistry professors instead?

Generally JMC prefers a composite letter written on behalf of the applicant by the college or university's pre-health committee, if there is one. Some schools do not provide this service but offer to collect individual letters of recommendation and mail them to the medical schools. If individual letters are sent, we prefer one biology, one chemistry and one physics and one humanities. You may direct exemption requests to the Committee on Admissions using the optional information section on the Secondary Application.

 

[EnergyDrink]

Non-profits still need to make money. The only difference is that the profit is going back into the nonprofit rather than making its bosses rich.

Those bosses still make money

 

[SpecterGT260]

Think about commissioned salespeople vs noncommissioned.

 

[gettheleadout]

Good luck. You might want to ask them about their letter of recommendation requirement, too. (I'm assuming you don't meet it if you're a non-trad because it's a pretty ridiculous requirement.)

That is an absolutely atrocious set of LOR requirements.

 

[mvenus929]

But most schools offer their testing centers for MCAT test takers so perhaps they take a cut of that 250 fee....

Neither my undergrad, nor my med school, has a prometric testing center in it. My undergrad I can kinda understand, as it wasn't terribly big. I don't get why there's not even a testing center in the town of my med school, since there is a HUGE university here, and I'm sure they could get people to come take tests virtually all year.

Also, FWIW, you have to take all three Steps of the USMLE within 7 years, I believe. Exceptions are granted to those in MD/PhD programs.