Jochi1543 Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 Yeah but im just saying that its not like drawing numbers out of a hat. You won't get a solid score just by continuously rewriting it - something has to improve - and you can't keep improving without experiencing diminishing returns. I dunno, Alastriss, I think a big part of scoring well on science sections is luck, i.e. happening to run into a lot of material you're intimately familiar with vs. things you know you're weak at. For example, I am terrible at optics, but the PS section of my MCAT only had 1 optics passage and it was VERY straightforward. Had I had 2 optics passages, I probably would've ended up with a 10 (if not below), not a 12. There was at least 1 stand-alone A&P question on my BS section, and I got it wrong. Now that I've taken a year of undergrad A&P AND went over basic A&P again in my paramedic class, I would've definitely gotten that question right, and that may have been the 1 question I needed to get an 11 instead of a 10 in BS. See what I mean? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbrugby Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 I think it's safe to say that based on your preparation and test-taking skills, you have a certain range that you are likely to score on the MCAT. Where you score within that range is affected by how you are feeling on the day of the test, perhaps whether the passages you run into favour your strengths, etc. So given that, I would say it definitely makes sense for people to re-write if they didn't achieve the cutoffs the first time, but the cutoffs are indeed within their probable range. For example, if you estimate your range to be 9-11 for each B/P/V section, and you score a 9/9/9 the first time but really want to go to Queen's, it probably does make sense to re-write if you want to significantly increase your chance for an invite the following year. That's not to say that you will definitely improve the second time around, but if you estimate your range correctly, I think it's a fair justification to give it another shot. There's also of course the possibility that more studying for your second time around might boost your range, or boost the probability you end up scoring in the upper end of your range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cling Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 I dunno, Alastriss, I think a big part of scoring well on science sections is luck... Not really. Unless you have not studied or taken science courses before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 My administration got pretty screwed for Bio with entire NMR passages and Tandem MS passages. Of course i know that if i had a test with a ton of anatomy and physiology it wouldve been a walk in the park, or something with signaling pathways and second messenger systems would've been freebies for me. So I might have had a higher bs. But I also may have had a harder VR or harder PS too, so randomness here has to work for you and never against you for you to achieve a higher score, if that is all you go on. What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 My administration got pretty screwed for Bio with entire NMR passages and Tandem MS passages. Of course i know that if i had a test with a ton of anatomy and physiology it wouldve been a walk in the park, or something with signaling pathways and second messenger systems would've been freebies for me. So I might have had a higher bs. But I also may have had a harder VR or harder PS too, so randomness here has to work for you and never against you for you to achieve a higher score, if that is all you go on. What do you guys think? So you would think.... I was average about 11.5 on practice on bios.... and got a super easy bio section filled with physiology on my mcat this summer.... and walked out with a 10... there's no room for silly errors with easier sections... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abcwxyz Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 My administration got pretty screwed for Bio with entire NMR passages and Tandem MS passages. Of course i know that if i had a test with a ton of anatomy and physiology it wouldve been a walk in the park, or something with signaling pathways and second messenger systems would've been freebies for me. So I might have had a higher bs. But I also may have had a harder VR or harder PS too, so randomness here has to work for you and never against you for you to achieve a higher score, if that is all you go on. What do you guys think? IMO there is a margin of error +/- 1 or so in terms of section score I'd say. In the total score, the margin is maybe +/-1 or +/-2. In all, I think the ability to retake means that if you really feel you're outside the margin of error, you have another chance. I guess the only time luck really comes into play is if you're borderline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastriss Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 So you would think....I was average about 11.5 on practice on bios.... and got a super easy bio section filled with physiology on my mcat this summer.... and walked out with a 10... there's no room for silly errors with easier sections... Yeah but there's a big difference between a test that was easy for you vs a test that was easy for all. For my administration, sure bio was the hardest, but I ended up with a 12 (my highest section) because I reasoned through all the questions to the best of my abilities. I mentioned anat, physio, and cellular biochem because I have either taken tons of undergrad courses or done research in that field so i feel that these could be sections easy for me but harder for thers. Of course you can have difficulty range significantly in each of those areas as well.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochi1543 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 So you would think....I was average about 11.5 on practice on bios.... and got a super easy bio section filled with physiology on my mcat this summer.... and walked out with a 10... there's no room for silly errors with easier sections... I was the opposite way...never got above 10 on practice PS. Had what I felt was a very easy PS. Got a 12! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicrobiologyMan Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 you can also get screwed the other way. My first practice test I got a 4 on VR and so I decided to got at it with a vengence as I had no natural skill at it. I practiced for three months until I was getting 13-14 on the practices, learned the question types and traps etc. Day of the test I walked out thinking I had killed the VR, but so did everyone else and so I got 11 (though I was still ecstatic as when I started the process I never expected 9+). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I'm sure I'll be around tomorrow and post 9 times, 8 unrelated to anything. But best of luck tomorrow..... Hopefully I and the rest of you hear good news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~me~ Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hopefully I and the rest of you hear good news. Amen. I'm starting to get nervous all over again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amzsy Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hey everyone, So I just called Queens and told them I didn't receive an email. The lady I spoke to asked me for a bunch of my details (i.e. name, OMSAS #, email, date of birth). She then told me that I have been invited for an interview and that I will receive an email later today. I think everyone should call Queens and let them know if you have not received an email because apparently they don't know who has and who has not received one, but they are currently trying to figure it out. BTW: My Stats: 3.79 (last 2 yrs) 11/11/12 S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I called and was unfortunately told I did not receive an interview.... My MCAT was PS-12, VR-10, BS-10, WS-S Last 2 years of 3.75 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neuronix Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 that blows man, you seem to be fine for the MCAT and borderline for GPA - but still a great applicant. what the hell is this world coming to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonito23 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Well based on what supafield posted and the stats from amzsy since he/she got an interview, it looks like either Bio or VR have an 11 cut-off for sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gd86 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Already posted this in another thread but I did the same thing...I called in, they took down my info but didnt release anything re: application status and then I Just received an invite as of 10:16am! With my stats i didn't think I was going to be getting anything. Had a 32Q 10p 11v 11b + 3.78 cgpa with 3.9 over 2 most recent/best years... Best of luck to all others who are still waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonito23 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 that blows man, you seem to be fine for the MCAT and borderline for GPA - but still a great applicant. what the hell is this world coming to? At the rate its going the cutoffs will be rising each year, soon it will 40 T. It's just really surprising that roughly 760 people had such amazing scores. No doubt, getting into medical school is difficult, but it is approaching the phase of becoming improbable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothing123 Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Just call in with your name and OMSAS reference number ready; they will let you know if you got an interview invite immediately then send you the email right after. I received one with a 3.95 cGPA; 13, 10, 12 R on the MCAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reverse_transcriptase Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Already posted this in another thread but I did the same thing...I called in, they took down my info but didnt release anything re: application status and then I Just received an invite as of 10:16am! With my stats i didn't think I was going to be getting anything. Had a 32Q 10p 11v 11b + 3.78 cgpa with 3.9 over 2 most recent/best years... Best of luck to all others who are still waiting. hmm how does a Q get an interview Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 hmm how does a Q get an interview I have no idea, after I saw an 11,11,11 Q rejected.... I want to figure this out as my 2 year GPA next year will be ~3.9 so If both western and Queens are trying 11's in sections I need to redo the MCAT... argh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest viscous Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 just called and was told that my application is in "limbo" and they do not want to send me a rejection email. Was also told that I might get an invite as "resources" open up. I am not rejected neither given an invitation for interview at this point. O God, this wait is bitter-sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 just called and was told that my application is in "limbo" and they do not want to send me a rejection email. Was also told that I might get an invite as "resources" open up. I am not rejected neither given an invitation for interview at this point. O God, this wait is bitter-sweet! Haha what on earth? I suppose their version of a waitlist for interviews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicrobiologyMan Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Just got my invite as well. I sent them e-mails and called and they knew I had e-mailed a bunch I felt like an idiot but she just laughed. cGPA - 3.89 2YrcGPA - 3.94 13BS-12PS-11VR-R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supafield Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 sorry I found what I was looking for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pantaloons Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I called the admissions office, but the line was busy (I'm not suprised). I'm anxious. My GPA is borderline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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