MCAT scores - what is considered impressive?

[Guest mackenziemarshall]

Out of curiosity, what would the AdCom consider an impressive MCAT score for an applicant? I know the average is 29 for the applicant pool in general, but what is "impressive"? Is that about the average for the accepted class?

-Thanks guys, this board is so helpful!

[Guest geekpunk]

Well, I'm just another fellow applicant so I can't say that much, but...

 

..from going to a few pre-med meetings and talking to admissions personnel, Dal is looking for either a) a high GPA or a high MCAT, when analyzing your academic ability. Of course, if you have both, that's great, but it doesn't guarantee anything since they take a holistic approach in admission.

 

But as to what exactly is "impressive" is hard to say. Since Dal isn't really big on numbers and really analyzes your whole application, I'd say a 3.7+ and/or a 30+ MCAT MIGHT be considered "impressive". Of course, it's all relative. Numbers like that at a school like UofT would probably be just around average (or lower), and "impressive" for them might be 3.85+ and 35+ .

 

A former Dal Med student told me that if you have a 3.3 and a 24 MCAT (the bare minimums for in-province students), you're probably not going to get in no matter what sorts of amazing extracurriculars you have. But if you have a 4.0 and a 24, then you've got a shot just like everybody else. Ultimately, I think they want to see a good GPA or a good MCAT.

[Guest melNB]

I contacted the admissions and they told me that 29 was the average of the accepted class. I'm thinking that maybe that was wrong though.

[Guest Madz25]

I think Dalhousie focuses more on the WHOLE application rather than grades and MCAT scores.

 

Why does an average of 29 seem wrong? The minimum for maritime residents is a 24 and each year a few students with that score are accepted. I don't think Dalhousie is so MCAT-heavy.

 

I think anything over 30 for Dalhousie is impressive.

 

Although in response to the orignal poster about what's an impressive MCAT score, I'd have to say a 45T!

 

Madz