My friend studied like crazy for the MCAT (Kaplan, took time off, etc) and got a 28. We went to a very challenging college in terms of the sciences, and she got very good grades in school.

I don't have the time or $$ to study like she did, and I'm afraid that if I do much less than 28 I'm doomed!

So, my question is....
What was your MCAT score?
Did you get in to med school? how many?

Thanks for letting me pry!
amy

Hi Amy, it's me,Amy :rotfl:

Anyway, I seem to be giving this website out to everyone... it has all the info on md applicants and their results. Definitely interesting reading material.

Have fun.

http://www.mdapplicants.com

I studied my butt off and received a 30Q, applied to 28 schools received 22 interview invites, went to 11 interviews and received 9 acceptances. I will more than likely be going to the Mayo Clinic medical school. My friend who graduated with a 4.0 studied just as much as I did or more and received a 23...could not even apply.

I think it's important to realize that while MCAT scores are extremely important, you cannot know for sure what scores will be strong enough. I wasn't sure why the previous post said that her friend couldn't apply with a 23....I know a woman who was accepted to 8 med schools (including Harvard) with only a 25. So I think it goes to show that it's more of a 'whole picture' that is involved in the decision. I guess the bottom line is we need to strive for the best score possible, apply, then if we're not accepted, try to get feedback as to what the real weaknesses were. Good luck everyone!

Well, a 25 is right on the average for MCAT takers so your friend was more than likely to get accepted, were a 23 is not. Also, for those with super high GPA's (like my friend with a 4.0) getting less than average MCAT score is a huge red flag (grade inflation, poor standardized taking skills). Sure she could have applied but the odds of getting in with an MCAT of less than 24-25 is very rare.

25 might be the average for the TAKERS of the MCAT, but I REALLY doubt it is the average of those who actually get ACCEPTED. Lots and lots of people take the MCAT who have no business in med school, and make like 16s, which pull down the average, of course. There is probably somewhere you can find all this out. And of course there are the "intangibles", things like research and community service and just having really good interviews. Just my :twocents:

I really think they do look past your MCAT score. I got a 41Q and already have several rejections, and a couple of acceptances. But obviously, since I have rejections, they didn't just look at that.

I had a 33R last year -- got into some wonderful (and highly selective) schools, and was rejected outright by a couple of schools... your MCAT score is probably weighed differently based on a number of variables (ie if you have a lot of other experience that tells admissions committes you will succeed, the MCAT may be less important than it is for a premed applying junior year of college):

GPA and science GPA
academic background
specific med school
extracurriculars
life history
strength of personal statement
work experience
demonstrations of committment
etc.

If applying to med school taught me anything, it was to learn for the first time how to tell my personal story in a confident and compelling way. The MCAT is just a small piece of your story, one that no one talks about in interviews. A low score might keep you from getting an interview, but high scores will not automatically get you into med school...

Medschoolmom is right on the ball stating that 25 is the average for folks taking the MCAT. I am pretty sure that 29.4 or something like that is the average for accepted medical students. I am pretty confident that yes, they do look at other things aside from MCAT and GPA to asses whom gets and interview and later who actually gets accepted. At most of my interviews the recurring theme at the schools I went was how did I overcome adversity, juggling school/volunteering/research/family/friends/on campus activities (they love people that can do lots of stuff at the same time and do it well), leadership (pretty much came up at most of my interviews), and knowing why you are going into medicine and what you see yourself doing in ten years. The MCAT is just part of the whole process but not the end all, regardless MCAT scores does relate somewhat to success in medical school (there is some study published by JAMA regarding this) so that schools do scrutinize the MCAT is relevant.

D :censored: , Drey, you rocked the MCAT!