|
 The first
criterion for getting an interview and an offer of
admission is, "Can the student do the work?" You will have
to prove that you are capable of medical school level work
primarily with your grades and MCAT scores.
Admissions committees look at your MCAT score to
determine if you have the academic ability to succeed in
med school. An outstanding MCAT score won't necessarily get
you into the school of your choice but a low score will
probably keep you out.
How should you approach
it?
The MCAT is a standardized test; therefore, it has
standard ways of approaching it — question type
strategies, time-management techniques, etc. Understanding
the format of the exam and the ways you can use it to your
advantage can significantly increase your score. Because of
the intensity of the MCAT and the competitiveness of
today's med school admissions environment, we highly
encourage you to prep formally for the exam (obvious
reasons aside). The structure that preparation provides can
help you build the skills, techniques, and confidence to
score your best.
Learn
More About the Admissions Process.
What score do you
need?
What you consider a good score should depend on your own
expectations and goals. You should keep in mind what scores
top medical schools consider as competitive. Information on
average test scores at different schools and programs is
readily available. Research the schools on your list. Find
out what their average MCAT scores are and then develop a
preparation plan to achieve it.
Some admissions officers will candidly admit that they
have a formula, such as GPA W "school conversion factor" W
MCAT score. Many have soft cutoffs that differ for in- and
out-of-state candidates. The first cut will eliminate those
who fall below the school's typical standards for both GPA
and MCAT. Left are those who have sufficient proof of their
academic ability. The weighing of the two depends on a
number of different things.
MCAT Scores
Because GPA is subject to such variability and
interpretation, the MCAT score has taken on more
predominance in past years. MCAT scores can be viewed in
different ways. Some schools add the three scores and
consider this as one combined value, while others consider
each score separately.
Verbal Reasoning, designed to test your logical ability,
thinking skills, and ability to evaluate information is
often viewed as a gauge of your overall intelligence and
ability to communicate. And while science scores are
usually seen as measures of your abilities in this
particular area, they are also compared to your grades in
those subjects.
The AMCAS summary page lists your most recent MCAT
score, the second-most recent score, and a reading for the
total number of MCATs taken. Taking the test more than once
can work in your favor if you improve, but it can be a
black mark if you do poorly in a particular subject more
than once. If your first test results indicate a weak area,
make sure you prepare well before you take the test a
second time.
Retakes
Officially, you can take the MCAT only three times.
However, to take it a fourth, you need only send a
rejection letter from a medical school so you can
demonstrate that your are still trying to get in. Think
twice about doing this, though. Taking the test this often
might cast your ability to do medical school work into
question.
Your GPA
How your GPA is viewed is colored by where you went to
school, the particular classes you took, if your grades are
inflated, and if there are any other mitigating
circumstances.
Some medical schools consider a positive trend in your
GPA over time. If you started off slowly, but improved
significantly in later semesters, take heart. On the other
hand, if your grades have been dropping over time, you may
have a problem. For instance, these schools believe that a
GPA of 3.5 arrived at by GPAs of 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 in your
freshman, sophomore, and junior years respectively, differs
markedly from a 3.5 earned by a 4.0, 3.5, 3.0
sequence.
|
