Just got back my MCAT score, and did not meet cutoffs. Will my application still get a NAQ score?

[helpmepls]

Hey folks,

Hope everyone is having a better morning than I am. I just got my only eligible MCAT score back and turns out I did not meet the CARS cutoff of 124. Not sure what happened as I was extremely nervous for it as it was my first MCAT test ever even though all my other sections were good, but safe to say I am disqualified for this year's cycle because of it. 

Does this mean that I will not get any sort of file review and won't even receive a NAQ score? I was hoping at the very least all this effort invested would not be wasted and having a NAQ score would at least be something to gauge how my ECs were.

Thanks!

[offmychestplease]

You will not get a file review if you don't meet the CARS cutoff. 

[plansformed2015]

Hello!  Sorry that you did not meet the cutoff for CARS and that you will not get any feedback from a file review by UBC -- however, keep going and you will get there!  I am a re-applicant and a re-taker of the MCAT and received a 128 in CARS, which was the lowest section of my MCAT score, but somehow was in the 90th percentile for the CARS section on that test day (and I am assuming that we took the MCAT on the same day as I also got my MCAT scores back today!) -- this is just to say that perhaps it was an extra tough CARS section if you will be attempting to write the MCAT again!  

[HopefulMD786]

6 hours ago, plansformed2015 said:

Hello!  Sorry that you did not meet the cutoff for CARS and that you will not get any feedback from a file review by UBC -- however, keep going and you will get there!  I am a re-applicant and a re-taker of the MCAT and received a 128 in CARS, which was the lowest section of my MCAT score, but somehow was in the 90th percentile for the CARS section on that test day (and I am assuming that we took the MCAT on the same day as I also got my MCAT scores back today!) -- this is just to say that perhaps it was an extra tough CARS section if you will be attempting to write the MCAT again!  

Weird flex but ok

[capoo]

8 hours ago, plansformed2015 said:

Hello!  Sorry that you did not meet the cutoff for CARS and that you will not get any feedback from a file review by UBC -- however, keep going and you will get there!  I am a re-applicant and a re-taker of the MCAT and received a 128 in CARS, which was the lowest section of my MCAT score, but somehow was in the 90th percentile for the CARS section on that test day (and I am assuming that we took the MCAT on the same day as I also got my MCAT scores back today!) -- this is just to say that perhaps it was an extra tough CARS section if you will be attempting to write the MCAT again!  

TL;DR: I want to flex my 128 CARS, but I want to add some fluff to my humblebrag attempt to not make me seem selfish

 

[offmychestplease]

^ this, I provided OP a succinct answer already... glad it wasn't just me that thought it was off that some guy comes in and brags about his MCAT score in the post...

[plansformed2015]

^^ as someone [and not a guy BTW ] who has worked many years towards this application, this supposed flex [there are far more ridiculous flexes on this forum] was meant to show how tough that round of CARS was and in fact 128 is not something to brag about for an MCAT section score LOL -- as well, the succinct answer that was already provided was not motivating or encouraging for someone who was looking for insight from other applicants.  

ANYWAY, these were not helpful additions to this thread that was meant to help a first time MCAT taker. 

[Excel-erate Your Breath]

29 minutes ago, offmychestplease said:

^ this, I provided OP a succinct answer already... glad it wasn't just me that thought it was off that some guy comes in and brags about his MCAT score in the post...

Fr...I mean, congrats on the 128 CARS of course @plansformed2015, but there would be two corrections.

1. A 128 CARS is 90th percentile period, not just for people who took it on the same test day as you. AAMC updates percentile ranks for each section of the MCAT exam every year to reflect the past 3 years of exam scores. So, for example, if this upcoming year we see a lot more people score 128 on CARS, then AAMC would update their website to show that a 128 in CARS actually reflects the 87th percentile (or whatever it may end up as in this fake example). Similarly, it could become 92nd percentile if a lot less people score 128 on CARS, etc.

2. To say that "an extra tough CARS section" can exist isn't entirely true...of course, if we're talking on an individual level, then yes, we as individuals can find one CARS section on one MCAT more difficult than another CARS section on another MCAT. But, on a population level, all the questions that are scored are population-tested, so each CARS section is about as difficult as each other (across test takers)

 

Edit agreed with you that this thread went a bit awry from helping the initial poster, just wanted to clarify those two things about the MCAT.

[plansformed2015]

Ohh thanks for the clarification re: the 90th percentile -- I was not sure how that was calculated!  It is funny how confusing such an important exam can be in terms of how to improve when taking the exam again!  

[offmychestplease]

9 minutes ago, plansformed2015 said:

^^ as someone [and not a guy BTW ] who has worked many years towards this application, this supposed flex [there are far more ridiculous flexes on this forum] was meant to show how tough that round of CARS was and in fact 128 is not something to brag about for an MCAT section score LOL -- as well, the succinct answer that was already provided was not motivating or encouraging for someone who was looking for insight from other applicants.  

ANYWAY, these were not helpful additions to this thread that was meant to help a first time MCAT taker. 

I would think a 30+ year old premed with a PhD+post-doc would have more self-awareness....btw you are only making it worse when you say a 128 (90th percentile) is "nothing to brag about" when OP posted that they are distressed about getting a 123 (or lower)... it's like someone in grade school getting a C+ and getting upset, and then someone tries to "cheer them up" by saying it's ok I got an A-...and when called out says but I only got an A- , it's nothing to brag about, how could I be bragging!

[plansformed2015]

Yeesh -- an example of toxicity on this forum -- but as I said in my original post, I encouraged the original poster that they should keep going and they will get there -- this is how others have encouraged me over the years even if they were in a different place than myself [it is completely reasonable for someone who has been successful to encourage someone else who has not been successful] -- I am someone who started with a low MCAT score and I know the feeling, so I also know the feeling of being able to achieve a better score, like many other people on this forum. 

BTW -- thanks for creeping through my profile for material for your response LOL

[jb24]

I'm not sure if you will get a full file review, not that it really matters anyway. Don't sweat it, the MCAT has no bearing on being a good doctor and I feel these arbitrary cut offs do a disservice to people who have other obligations and aren't able to dedicate full time to MCAT prep. 

Unfortunately you will just have to give it another go after more studying/practice questions. You got it. Some of the smartest people in my class were re-applicants. This is just one small bump in a long road ahead.

 

[jb24]

52 minutes ago, offmychestplease said:

I would think a 30+ year old premed with a PhD+post-doc would have more self-awareness....btw you are only making it worse when you say a 128 (90th percentile) is "nothing to brag about" when OP posted that they are distressed about getting a 123 (or lower)... it's like someone in grade school getting a C+ and getting upset, and then someone tries to "cheer them up" by saying it's ok I got an A-...and when called out says but I only got an A- , it's nothing to brag about, how could I be bragging!

That's textbook humble brag from good old pre-med days. Thank god for pass/fail medical schools. LOL.

[nappypoo]

On 10/12/2021 at 9:48 PM, jb24 said:

That's textbook humble brag from good old pre-med days. Thank god for pass/fail medical schools. LOL.

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