Z-scores

[Covidoc]

Could someone let me know how z-scores work in regards to the MCAT and scoring? 

[zoxy]

On 5/15/2021 at 8:45 PM, Covidoc said:

Could someone let me know how z-scores work in regards to the MCAT and scoring? I have a 505 mcat score which is kind of making me a bit nervous as the scores on this forum are a lot higher. My average is 89. A bit nervous :/ 

It depends on the distribution. By that I mean it's dependant on the average value and the standard deviation which is dependant on the distribution from those applying and tells you characteristics of the said distribution. Since we don't have the average or the distribution of all applicants at USask, unlike UCalgary which provides all of its admission data, it's hard to analyze things. But I'll try to give you an example of how it would work.

Basically: z-score= (your value - average value of applicants)/standard deviation of the distribution

For example lets say that the average MCAT of applicants is a 508 and the standard deviation of MCAT scores is 6. Then your 505 MCAT has a z-score of (505-508)/6 =-0.5. Same thing for GPA. Lets say that the average GPA is an 84 with a standard deviation of 4. Then your 89 GPA has a z-score of (89-84)/4=1.25

Since pre interview the MCAT is worth 40 percent and GPA is worth 60 percent, your total admission score pre-interview score would be: .40*(-.5)+.60*(1.25)=0.55

They would then rank people based on this score and offer interviews to IP candidates. Same principle applies after the interview. You would add your pre-interview score to the z-score you get for MMI and that would be your total score as it's 50 percent pre-interview score and 50 percent MMI score for final admission offers. You would then rank based on total score for final admission offers.

Those average GPAs, MCATs, and the corresponding standard deviations I used are out of my ass. I have no idea what the actual average GPA and MCAT and their corresponding distributions of all applicants are. I'm just showing you how the process would work. If you want real numbers and distributions to play with I have linked UCalgary numbers at the bottom. But I think UCalgary gets stronger applicants than USask IP and it also uses a 4.0 scale rather than a percentage one out of 100. I think the MCAT standard deviation should be the same as the USask's. I've also linked the general MCAT distributions data as well.

I would recommend that anyone studying anything at a higher level take an intro statistics class. It's the most useful single class anyone could take, with a writing seminar being a close number two.

https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/4/Reference %26 Stats/reference-stats-2018.pdf

https://students-residents.aamc.org/media/8356/download

[Covidoc]

I’m trying to place where a 505, and 89 average would put me but it’s difficult without the statistics. Hopefully it gives me a good chance to get in. 

[zoxy]

On 5/15/2021 at 10:13 PM, Covidoc said:

Thank you very much! You’re super educated, Zoxy! I’m trying to place where a 505, and 89 average would put me but it’s difficult without the statistics. Hopefully it gives me a good chance to get in. 
 

in that regards, would you say the difference between say a 506 and 505 is the same as the difference between like an 89 and 90 average?

 

i appreciate all that you do for the pre med community :-)

Thanks!

Your GPA is probably slightly above average and your MCAT is below average for matriculants(not the entire applicant pool). But as you can see, the single most important factor is the interview. I think you'd get in with an above average interview(like 55th percentile or better) but an average interview or worse would make things difficult.

 

Whether the difference between a 505 and 506 is the same as a 89 or 90 depends on the standard deviation of the distribution of applicants.

 

[Covidoc]

Ever thought about being an education/guidance councillor? 

[AverageJoe1]

For reference, I got in with those stats last year

[Covidoc]

Incredible