Why is the WRITING section on the MCAT if it doesn't matter much?

[prettyslick]

Whats the point of having it if it doesnt matter at all? Just wondering... I always hear people say not to worry about your WS score.

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[armybound]

people probably don't give it enough credit. it could be a tiebreaker score between you and someone with otherwise equal stats

 

[prettyslick]

people probably don't give it enough credit. it could be a tiebreaker score between you and someone with otherwise equal stats

Yeah but don't you think ECs could be the "tiebreaker"

I mean, not everyone can have similar ECs. In the eyes of adcoms, some ECs could be viewed in better light than others. (I think?)

The way I read on SDN is like

MCAT > GPA > ECs > Interview > PS > > > > > > > WS (writing section)
In that case, why even bother with Writing section?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Im sure it probably matters somewhat...If you look at the MSAR accepted students have an average WS of a Q...and the # of ppl that get in vs the number of ppl that apply drops from there, but then again that might have somethign to do with ppl with low MCAT scores are probably gonna have crap essays and vice versa.

 

[RySerr21]

Im sure it probably matters somewhat...If you look at the MSAR accepted students have an average WS of a Q...and the # of ppl that get in vs the number of ppl that apply drops from there, but then again that might have somethign to do with ppl with low MCAT scores are probably gonna have crap essays and vice versa.

that is most likely exactly what it is.

 

[prettyslick]

that is most likely exactly what it is.

Yes but then, how would you view 27 S (9,9,9) vs 33 M (11,11, 11)

ofcourse the 33 would be viewed favorably despite low writing score.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Yes but then, how would you view 27 S (9,9,9) vs 33 M (11,11, 11)

ofcourse the 33 would be viewed favorably despite low writing score.

well it looks like noone knows, but I still wouldnt blow off the essay.

Perhaps they look for a ws in some range...M-R? and anything more is a + and less is a -?? who knows.

 

[prettyslick]

well it looks like noone knows, but I still wouldnt blow off the essay.

Perhaps they look for a ws in some range...M-R? and anything more is a + and less is a -?? who knows.

Gee.. I hope pre-meds who don't know much about med school app process don't spend like 2 months studying fro WS section? lol..i would just feel so bad. I mean could you imagine if some pre-meds devote like 2 mouths out of 6 months studying to WS section?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Gee.. I hope pre-meds who don't know much about med school app process don't spend like 2 months studying fro WS section? lol..i would just feel so bad. I mean could you imagine if some pre-meds devote like 2 mouths out of 6 months studying to WS section?

lol...I know a girl that was so stoked because she got an R on her WS...so I said "thats nice"...shes like "yeah, hopefully my R will make my 23 respectable."

I just kind of laughed to myself

 

[87138]

Gee.. I hope pre-meds who don't know much about med school app process don't spend like 2 months studying fro WS section? lol..i would just feel so bad. I mean could you imagine if some pre-meds devote like 2 mouths out of 6 months studying to WS section?

I opened up that big ugly Kaplan book the day before my MCAT to look at the WS stuff. I started to respond to their prompt, then about 3 minutes in thought "this is stupid" and went to relax and do something else. That was the extent of my WS prep and I did fine. The easiest way to do well on the WS is to know how to follow simple directions.

 

[87138]

lol...I know a girl that was so stoked because she got an R on her WS...so I said "thats nice"...shes like "yeah, hopefully my R will make my 23 respectable."

I just kind of laughed to myself

You missed out on a good chance to laugh in her face and have it be totally warranted.

 

[prettyslick]

lol...I know a girl that was so stoked because she got an R on her WS...so I said "thats nice"...shes like "yeah, hopefully my R will make my 23 respectable."

I just kind of laughed to myself

lol....see exactly my point. it gives (some) pre-meds a false hope that writing section is equally weighed to PS, BS and VR which is not the case at all....

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I opened up that big ugly Kaplan book the day before my MCAT to look at the WS stuff. I started to respond to their prompt, then about 3 minutes in thought "this is stupid" and went to relax and do something else. That was the extent of my WS prep and I did fine. The easiest way to do well on the WS is to know how to follow simple directions.

I was so happy with myself when I completed the entire CBT 10 including the writing prompts...thats the extent of my preparation.

 

[87138]

lol....see exactly my point. it gives (some) pre-meds a false hope that writing section is equally weighed to PS, BS and VR which is not the case at all....

Earlier today I stumbled on a post on the MCAT forum (don't ask me why I was there) and some guy was saying how his VR score wasn't indicative of his "abilities" because although he got a "bad" score of 9, he got an S on the WS.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

lol....see exactly my point. it gives (some) pre-meds a false hope that writing section is equally weighed to PS, BS and VR which is not the case at all....

welll some ppl are dumb lol....They really should look into things before just randomly deciding..."hey, I wanna be a doctor"

 

[prettyslick]

I was so happy with myself when I completed the entire CBT 10 including the writing prompts...thats the extent of my preparation.

lol...wow you really "studied" for the MCAT WS!!!!

 

[ChubbyChaser]

lol...wow you really "studied" for the MCAT WS!!!!

ehh, Overachiever I guess..lol

 

[prettyslick]

I think AAMC is somewhat at fault here (IMO). Like..if it doesnt matter much, just eliminate it...waste of complete time.

 

[prettyslick]

Earlier today I stumbled on a post on the MCAT forum (don't ask me why I was there) and some guy was saying how his VR score wasn't indicative of his "abilities" because although he got a "bad" score of 9, he got an S on the WS.

lol

or how about..those posts.. "I got a 34 Q..should I retake to make up for my low GPA?"

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I think AAMC is somewhat at fault here (IMO). Like..if it doesnt matter much, just eliminate it...waste of complete time.

well personally (and to play devil's advocate), I would have trouble admitting someone with a J or K, and I hear that Canadian schools do take the ws score into account.

 

[prettyslick]

welll some ppl are dumb lol....They really should look into things before just randomly deciding..."hey, I wanna be a doctor"

haha good point

 

[ChubbyChaser]

haha good point

and thats exactly why I keep my mouth shut when I hear ppl say.."yeah Imma wait until november to apply, Im just so busy right now"

 

[prettyslick]

well personally (and to play devil's advocate), I would have trouble admitting someone with a J or K, and I hear that Canadian schools do take the ws score into account.

To get "M" or above, you need to be 10th percentile or above.

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/combined07.pdf

I guess the purpose of the WS section is to find those who are below 10th percentile? lol...i mean ..come on..haha

 

[prettyslick]

Also, grading the WS section is probably why it takes AAMC so long to get the scores? is that prob the reason why?

I hear the "curve" for PS, BS, VR is more/less already "set" with history of past test-takers

 

[RySerr21]

Yes but then, how would you view 27 S (9,9,9) vs 33 M (11,11, 11)

ofcourse the 33 would be viewed favorably despite low writing score.

i'm not sure thats what chubby chaser was saying....at least thats not how I took it.

(this is how i took it).... there is a certain score on the writing sample where the number of acceoted applicants begin to drop off significantly...but is that b/c adcoms care so much about the writing score or is it because when you get passed that level, those writing scores are also going to have low MCATS (in general). there will always be an exception like you mentioned but that certainly isnt the norm. of course the 33 will get the interview.

 

[bcat85]

I have to admit I thought the WS was a little stupid. I took the Kaplan MCAT class and it was part of our verbal reasoning. It made me yearn for a gun in my mouth. I skipped it every single time and still got an S on it.

As an aside, I had a friend who took the class with me, and he got so used to skipping the writing section that he accidentally skipped one of the prompts on the actual test.

 

[prettyslick]

I have to admit I thought the WS was a little stupid. I took the Kaplan MCAT class and it was part of our verbal reasoning. It made me yearn for a gun in my mouth. I skipped it every single time and still got an S on it.

As an aside, I had a friend who took the class with me, and he got so used to skipping the writing section that he accidentally skipped one of the prompts on the actual test.

oh geez...!

 

[iduwanna]

Do the schools you apply to see your WS essays if they want?

I keep seeing things written in "getting into med school"-type books that allude to this.

I'm embarassed about that essays I wrote for WS and hope that no one ever sees them.

 

[premalsst]

From what I understand, it can only hurt you (if you get a really low score) but cant help you. I got a T and no one cared about it. Only one interviewer brought it up to me, said that it was impressive and then laughed about how its of no relevance whatsoever.

 

[greg1184]

According to EK, the purpose of the writing section is to "wear you down for the biological sciences section." Of course, this was written when we actually had a lunch break before the WS and BS.

 

[87138]

According to EK, the purpose of the writing section is to "wear you down for the biological sciences section." Of course, this was written when we actually had a lunch break before the WS and BS.

Which was only two years ago. We dinosaurs had to take the long version.

 

[jimCAN]

hey i am a canadian student and the WS actually can make or break applications.

in fact at queen's med school they had an unspoken cutoff of R which is ridiculous. a lot have Q as a cutoff and english is mandatory... not at the french schools obviously.

i myself didnt do so hot on the WS but had a dece total but due to canadian standards i am limited to few schools. i agree with posters that it really is stupid considering most schools require english as a course anyway

 

[greg1184]

Which was only two years ago. We dinosaurs had to take the long version.

Ugh don't remind me. I went through both types of tests. The long version consisted of an EIGHT hour day. From 8am to 5pm. Absolutely ridiculous. Half the time wasn't even taking the test, it was watching idiot proctors take their sweet time collecting exams and checking page by page to see if anyone tore out a page. I retook it the following y ear. The CBT was only 4 and a half hours long. What a difference.

 

[iduwanna]

hey i am a canadian student and the WS actually can make or break applications.

in fact at queen's med school they had an unspoken cutoff of R which is ridiculous. a lot have Q as a cutoff and english is mandatory... not at the french schools obviously.

i myself didnt do so hot on the WS but had a dece total but due to canadian standards i am limited to few schools. i agree with posters that it really is stupid considering most schools require english as a course anyway

Yes, this is ridiculous as you said and we all feel for our brothers from the north. But can the schools actually read what you wrote if they want to?

 

[brianmartin]

Canadians pretty much have to get a 10-10-10-Q or they don't get accepted

 

[MWK]

It's just 45 minutes, who cares if it is on there. I found it refreshing going into BS. I think I wrote 1 essay during my Kaplan class. Typing it helped a ton, because you get done quicker and your hand isn't cramping.

 

[LikeClockWork]

It's just 45 minutes, who cares if it is on there. I found it refreshing going into BS. I think I wrote 1 essay during my Kaplan class. Typing it helped a ton, because you get done quicker and your hand isn't cramping.

I agree (except that it's ~60 minutes ). Writing some three paragraph essay isn't anywhere near the hardest part of the MCAT, so it was a nice mental break from the exam. A good way to clear the PS and VR sections from your mind before finishing strong.

BTW, I never really understood the whole "BS as the last section to see how well you know bio when tired" idea. Seems like a weak premise if you ask me.

 

[iduwanna]

Can adcoms see the essays?

 

[TheRealMD]

Can adcoms see the essays?

Nope. Nor would it matter. The prompt is always different so that's just too much effort to put in.

 

[wizenedone]

The writing section should have a common prompt "Why do you want to go into medicine?" and all adcoms should be able to read it.

This will eliminate the need of having a personal statement

 

[nevercold]

i agree with posters that it really is stupid considering most schools require english as a course anyway

The problem is, a lot of people can't write well. With English course essays and application essays you can have someone else proofread them and help you revise them. On the MCAT it is you and you alone. In the hospital you have to write a lot of patient notes on the fly and you don't get to revise them. I think a lot of people discount the WS b/c you can't study for it and b/c it is not science.

Writing some three paragraph essay isn't anywhere near the hardest part of the MCAT, so it was a nice mental break from the exam.

Really? Mine were about 5 pages long. I have a bionic arm, though.

BTW, I never really understood the whole "BS as the last section to see how well you know bio when tired" idea. Seems like a weak premise if you ask me.

Actually a pretty good premise. The USMLE exams are much longer than the MCAT (8 hours for Step 1, 9 hours for Step 2CK, 8 hours for Step 2CS, two days for Step 3) and you need to be able to keep up your performance. You need to still know your bio at 3am when you're on call and a patient comes in. I think your fatigue on the MCAT has more to do with the adrenaline surge you have at the beginning of the exam wearing off than the exam just being too long.

 

[167649]

Do the schools you apply to see your WS essays if they want?

I keep seeing things written in "getting into med school"-type books that allude to this.

I'm embarassed about that essays I wrote for WS and hope that no one ever sees them.

No, they just see the score. The essays those books allude to are the personal statement and any secondary essay prompts that the school asks you on their application.